The
Winter 2015
Hillsider
A newsletter for the Hillside School Community
The Head’s Slate
S t u de n t L e a d er s h i p B y H e a d m a s t e r Dav i d Z . B e e c h e r
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eadership is of vital importance to the Hillside culture. While we recognize the need for strong leadership from faculty and students to guide our young people in their important Middle School years, we feel equally strongly – perhaps even more so – about the significance of leadership responsibilities and opportunities for the students themselves.
depending on trends, changes within the curriculum or community, and the skills of the students themselves. Varying numbers of mid-year students, the addition of new programs such as the iPad, or an increase in visits by prospective families can necessitate some shifting of proctor responsibilities and the addition of new ones mid-year.
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illside provides a bifurcated leadership training program that on the surface may seem contradictory but makes complete sense to those of us within the community. On the one hand, our definition of leadership is that “any action small or large, seen or unseen, done by a student to support another student or member of the community is leadership.” This means that any boy has the opportunity to show leadership, whether it’s planned or spontaneous. A few days ago, a new Fifth Grader reached out in a small way to help clean up his classroom, and the next night after dinner, I saw a veteran student (but not a formal student leader) take aside a new student who was upset. We feel this encouragement provides all students an opportunity for leadership development many times per day. We value the behind-the-scenes, seemingly small displays of compassion and support as significant leadership moments.
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Doing the Right Thing
hat said, we also have a more prominent hierarchical system of prefects and proctors. This more traditional system allows for boys to be selected for proctor or prefect positions and further their leadership skills. The former are selected for specific program areas such as athletics, residential life, or technology. These leaders work with the specific faculty or staff department chair to improve the program in that specific area. The number of proctors needed in each function can vary from year to year,
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refects are selected through a multi-tier process that ultimately recognizes a small group as the top leaders within the School. They are responsible for assisting in administration in all areas of student life. In addition to the more visible elements of the position, such as running the Tuesday community luncheon, these leaders provide significant support in the dorm houses and behind-the-scenes with students in need of a big brother for some mentoring. I have often asked prefects to reach out to students who are struggling, perhaps with a divorce at home, homesickness, or having trouble getting on the same page with a teacher. This year as in the past, the prefects have been incredibly effective in turning the boy around.
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o whether you are in a highly visible leadership track or just one of the boys at Hillside, leadership opportunities abound. We are proud of our leadership development program and how it helps all of our boys grow and learn. I am proud of having seen so many young men make great strides in their careers with us, and am just as excited when we learn of alumni leadership stories in secondary school, college and beyond. I personally feel a deep sense of satisfaction that many of these leaders may have gotten their first taste of this important life skill right here at Hillside.
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lease read on in this issue to learn more about our leadership programs, see the list of our leaders who handle a wide range of responsibilities, and get the perspective of our Dean and Assistant Dean of Student Life, Kevin Hundley and Craig Evans.
Winter 2015
THE HILLSIDER
Leadership in Action Overview
while some leaders are “obvious,” others are selected on their potential for growth.
Hillside’s 2014-15 student leadership is pre-dominantly comprised of Ninth Graders and boarders, which is primarily based on their “understanding the expectations” and the importance of residential life at Hillside. However, as Dean of Student Life Kevin Hundley notes, the positions are open to Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Graders, and the perspective of day students is very valuable as well. In that vein, Cullen Young ‘16, a day student, was recently elevated to prefect from his previous position as a proctor. Similarly, while most student leaders are returning students, it is not unusual for a new member of the community to be added to the leadership team throughout the year, as Alexander (Sasha) Tertyshny ‘15 was this year. Headmaster David Beecher and Kevin continually search for young men who can add value in a leadership role, and who will gain from the experience, regardless of age. They point to the contributions as proctors of Colby Becker ‘17 and David Sozanski ‘16, Dov Trestman ‘16, and Brendan O’Donnell ‘16, and note the mid-year promotions to prefect of Cam Ray ‘15 and Sam Rand ‘15, along with Cullen.
Despite the need for a formal leadership structure, Kevin reinforces the points in the Headmaster’s Slate that leadership is encouraged for all students, at all times. A specific example is the weekly Bulldog program, in which any member of the community can submit a Bulldog nomination for any student in the areas of the School’s core values: compassion, respect, determination, honesty, and fun. Many of these awards are given for what the Headmaster calls spontaneous acts of leadership, such as clearing snow to help the maintenance team, picking up in the dorm without being asked, or helping a classmate with an injured arm carry his books. These awards are announced weekly and serve to remind the community that leadership can be provided by every student regardless of age or boarding status.
Leadership Program at Hillside Hillside is proud to offer an innovative Leadership program, led by Assistant Dean of Student Life Craig Evans and presented as a “Special” to Seventh to Ninth Graders. The goal of the Leadership Program is to develop and reinforce self-awareness and awareness of others, open-mindedness, and the capacity to inspire through varied cooperative games, class work, and activities as well as community service initiatives.
Selection Process The leadership selection process starts after spring break. All rising Sixth to Eighth Graders are eligible to apply for a leadership position, and the Headmaster and his senior team choose candidates for prefects versus proctors. The “program team” (Kevin Hundley, Chief Academic Officer Richard Eyster, Dean of Residential Life Monica Lucey, Dean of Faculty Jamie Paul, Assistant Headmaster for Enrollment Bill Newman, Director of Technology Phil Tang, and Athletic Director Tim McCarthy), along with Assistant Dean of Student Life Craig Evans and Hillside jack-of-all-trades Rich Meyer, select students who are best-suited for leadership and then determine which subject-specific role would be the best fit for the proctors (see the chart on page 4). David Beecher ultimately selects the prefects. Kevin Hundley notes that
The integrity and success of the program depend on effective communication, respect and empathy from each individual, working as a unified group, and commitment to the experience. Teamwork, communication, creativity, selfconfidence, problem-solving capabilites, and determination are all critical building blocks for success in life. The hands-on activities include 2
Continued on page 3
THE HILLSIDER
Winter 2015
Leadership in Action (continued) Continued from page 2 the Bull Ring, River Crossing, Pipeline, Trust Falls, Human Knot, and the “Old/ Young Woman” perception test. In addition to team-building exercises, the class reads a variety of true inspirational stories and books focused on leadership and teamwork. Examples include the incredible, true Kyle’s Story about how small things make a big difference, in this case a gesture of kindness that literally saved a young man’s life. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, a companion to the Stephen Covey book originally written for adults, focuses on topics of lifelong importance, including being proactive vs. reactive, “beginning [anything] with the end in mind,” time management through putting first things first, will-power through the power of choice, and the value of a mission statement.
Leadership Exercises Groups that work well together have complete confidence that all the members will support the others, and “have their backs.” This faith is literally put to the test in “Trust Falls,” an exercise used by many companies as part of team-building programs. At an early age, Hillside students are gaining the valuable experience of falling backward - and being caught - by their trustworthy friends and classmates. Like the other facets of the Leadership program, Trust Falls are very hands-on and involve close collaboration among the boys. Additional Team-Building Exercises The boys also need teamwork and patience to successfully navigate the challenges posed by the many other programs they undertake together. The Bull Ring requires that a ball be moved in various directions with a ring and rope, and many hands involved. The Human
Hillside’s aspiring young leaders count this among their favorite courses, with one class finding the following especially valuable: “learning to be a leader and accountable,” “inspirational books we’ve read,”and “how it can take courage to support an unpopular friend, but that’s part of leadership.”
Knot is a tricky project that also emphasizes communication, as the participants must figure out how to untangle the knot without letting go of hands. In these and other programs that involve
Community Service Another very significant part of the program is community service, where the students visit residents at places like Reservoir Health and Rehabilitation Center (formerly known as Bolton Manor) to sit with them, play games, push their wheelchairs, and do anything possible to help and brighten their day. This spirit of giving and helping those less fortunate is a crucial part of leadership at Hillside.
moving objects or groups, every young man plays an important role, and everyone will be both a leader and a follower at some point. 3
THE HILLSIDER
Winter 2015
Student Leaders at Hillside Prefects
Proctors Residential Life:
• Eric Lu ‘15
• Jack Scott ‘15 • Brendan O’Donnell ‘16
Academics/Library:
• Alex Jeong ‘15
• Henry Walker ‘15
Technology:
• Chris Konin ‘15
• Tom Choi ‘15
Farm:
• Jose Lara ‘15
• David Sozanski ‘16 • Colby Becker ‘17
Athletics
• Ross O’Connor ‘15
• Alexander (Sasha) Tertyshny ‘15
Dining/Kitchen:
• Sam Rand ‘15
• Michael Olson ‘15
Chapel/Community Service:
• Cullen Young ‘16
• Dov Trestman ‘16
Admission: • Lucas Adam ‘16 • Cam Ray ‘15 4
THE HILLSIDER
Winter 2015
Trustee Leadership Spotlight: John Tegan
Hillside has a very strong tradition of trustee leadership that has helped the School thrive in good times and navigate challenging circumstances. A major aspect of this success has been an ongoing blend of veterans who appreciate our venerable traditions and new members who bring in fresh perspectives from a broad range of careers and often have firsthand experience with independent school education. First-year trustee John Tegan brings many of these positive characteristics to his role at Hillside. He initially met Headmaster David Beecher when their children attended Bancroft together, and Hillside was excited to welcome John’s son Jack in 2013-14. John has gained valuable insights about middle and high schools through the experiences of Jack and his daughter Alexandria, now a Ninth Grader at Pomfret. John has made a very successful career in the dynamic world of technology, working as CEO of Communication Technology Services the company his father founded in 1990 and leading the company in a strategic evolution from structured cabling into fiber, DSL John with his family, includand high speed internet modems and now into building powerhouse wireless networks ing Jack, Hillside class of ‘15. for companies like AT&T and Verizon Wireless. In this rapidly growing and ever-evolving industry, CTS is the premier provider of design, engineering and installation services for DAS and WiFi networks. Mostly focusing on large venues that need massive cellular capacity, including hospitals, campuses, racetracks, PetCo Park in San Diego, football stadiums for the Universities of North Carolina and Oregon, and currently the iconic Rose Bowl. John has been impressed by the Hillside environment and commitment to education, noting that “the School has done a great job getting Jack excited and motivated about learning.” He feels “Hillside is under-appreciated for the quality of teaching, especially the innovative approach to technology,” citing the commitment to the iPad initiative, which he observed outstrips that of many of the high schools he has visited with his two children. John appreciates that his fellow board members are deeply committed to Hillside, and notes that despite over 100 years of tradition, he has seen a board and School that welcome new ideas. John is looking forward to contributing to Hillside for two more years after Jack graduates.
2014-15 Annual Fund Closes June 30th The team at Hillside strongly believes in the value of our overall mission, to offer a structured, supportive, and challenging academic environment for boys from Fifth to Ninth Grade. We help the boys build a foundation for lifelong commitment to our values of compassion, determination, honesty, respect and fun. Students thrive with our small class sizes, strong academic support and innovative educational programs such as Shark Tank, MathCounts, Peace Studies, Leadership, and Model Congress, as well as a vibrant performing arts and visual arts program and competitive athletics. The strong community we’ve built for over a century relies heavily on our Annual Fund, because it makes up the difference between tuition and the cost of educating each student. Every gift helps! Please submit your Annual Fund gift before June 30, 2015: Online: click here for the fast and easy way to give using our website form. Or, mail to Hillside School, 404 Robin Hill St., Marlborough, MA 01752, attention Annual Fund Director. 5
THE HILLSIDER
Winter, 2015
2014-15 Winter Awards ACADEMIC (See page 9 for Athletic Awards)
High Honors: Fifth Grade
Most Improved:
James Thomas Colby Cataldo Jeremy Hallal
High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (5 Exams): Seventh Grade
Songtai Liu
High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (5 Exams): Eighth Grade
Lucas Adam de Teresa Robby Dey David Sozanski
High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (5 Exams): Ninth Grade
Colin Binswanger Khai Hoan (Michael) Tran Henry Walker
High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (4 Exams): Grade 7
Charles Froelich Chance Payton
High Honors: Sixth Grade
Caleb Bloch Greyson Heinzer Syan Maity James Walker
High Honors: Seventh Grade
Dima Piskun
High Honors: Ninth Grade
Ryan Lovett
Honors and Headmaster’s Club (5 Exams): Ninth Grade
Jose Lara, Cameron Ray, Joonseo (Mark) Yang
Honors and Headmaster’s Club (5 Exams): Eighth Grade
Zhaojun (Jonas) Zhai
Honors and Headmaster’s Club (4 Exams): Seventh Grade
Christopher Allain, Spencer Bernard
Honors and Headmaster’s Club (4 Exams): Eighth Grade
Gianni Rodriguez
Edward Kosek
High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (4 Exams): Grade 8
Xiangshan (David) Tan
High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (4 Exams): Ninth Grade
Jack Baker Dylan Fields Ross O’Connor Patrick Robles Alexander Tertyshny
High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (3 Exams): Seventh Grade 7 Patrick Saber High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (3 Exams): Eighth Grade High Honors and Headmaster’s Club (3 Exams): Ninth Grade
Carson McKinnon Cooper Frandina
Honors and Headmaster’s Club (4 Exams): Ninth Grade Honors and Headmaster’s Club (3 Exams): Seventh Grade
Kyle Murphy
Jeremy Hallal, Zhenghang (Eric) Lu, Michael Olson, Jon Sakhat Luke Black, Frank Ireland, Hyun Ho Kim, Alec Nevins, Jared Noxon, Brent Powers, Brian Ruballos, Brandon Yep
Chang Hwa (Alex) Jeong
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Continued on page 7
THE HILLSIDER
Winter, 2015
Academic Awards (continued)** Honors and Headmaster’s Club (3 Connor Guyette, Exams): Eighth Grade 8 Brendan O’Donnell, Hyungyu (Justin) Park, Noah Tidus, Brad Zona Matthew Guerra, Alex Honors and Headmaster’s Club (3 Morawski, Brian Sugar Exams): Ninth Grade
Honors: Fifth Grade
Honors: Sixth Grade
Honors: Seventh Grade
Mauricio Chavez Sendra, Benjamin Hubbard, James Thomas, Ajay Vempati Yixin Huang Biiron Sane William Stephenson Amir Thomas Douglas Tulman
Honors: Eighth Grade
Benjamin Bloomgren, Bum Kyu Kim, Ji Ho Kim, Juan Medrano, Devin Rochelle, Patrick Thomas, Dov Trestman, Cullen Young
Honors: Ninth Grade
Andranik Armstrong, Arturo Chavez Sendra, Benjamin Hanrahan, Christopher Konin, Samuel Rand, Pengrui (Ray) Wei
Headmaster’s Club (3 Exams): Eighth Grade
Michael Keefe
Headmaster’s Club (3 Exams): Ninth Grade
Kofi Asante, Jack Scott
Reading Rewards: Most Pages Read in Winter Term
Edward Kosek
Colby Becker
Academic Awards Criteria Trimester awards are presented at the three awards ceremonies; There are also special awards given at the end of the year. 1. High Honors: Those students who have an overall average of an A or A+ and no grade below a B receive a certificate and a High Honors pin. 2. Honors: Those students who receive an overall average of B+ or A- and no grade below a B- receive a certificate and an Honors pin. 3. Headmaster’s Club: Those who receive an A- or better on three or more trimester exams receive a certificate. 4. Most Improved Grades: In the winter and spring trimesters those students who improve their overall grade point average by .5 point or more over the previous trimester receive a certificate and a Most Improved Grades pin.
Ends-of-the-year awards are as follows: 1. High Honors: Those students who have an overall average for the year of an A or A+ and no grade below a B receive a certificate and a High Honors medal on a neck ribbon. 2.. Honors: Those students who receive an overall average for the year of B+ or A- and no grade below a B- receive a certificate and an Honors chest medal.
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THE HILLSIDER
Winter 2015
Winter Sports Review The winter of 2014-15 was notable at Hillside for several reasons beyond the record-setting snowfall and cold. The five scholastic athletic teams all had strong seasons, some notable for season-long performance, others for moments of brilliance, and all for hard work and determination, often against older and more experienced opponents.
In a season with many highlights, the win at the Belmont Hill tournament, a tight 4-3 victory over Exeter, and two resounding defeats of junior boarding rival Cardigan Mountain were most notable.
The squad was led by an outstanding group of seniors including veterans Sam Rand, Chris Konin, and Ryan Varsity Hockey Lovett. Captain Cullen Young ‘16 had an excellent season, and the team received excellent goaltending from Carson The team’s highly successful season started with an enjoyable McKinnon ’15 and Gianni Rodriquez ‘16. Nik Armstrong and productive trip to Lake Placid for preseason training ’15 and Matt Guerra ’15 were unstoppable offensive and ended with a triumphant win at the Belmont Hill weapons. invitational tournament. In-between were hundreds of hours together learning, working, training, having fun – With the quality of the varsity program and the creation and a school-record 22 wins in 26 games. of the varsity development program, hockey at Hillside has never been stronger. The experienced coaching staff Varsity Development Hockey of Headmaster In its first year, this team Beecher, his cowas faced with both the head coach Tim opportunity and challenge of McCarthy, and competing against much older assistant Jordan and more experienced players. Dewey noted While this greatly improved the incredible the boys’ skills and accelerated success on the their learning curve, it did make for some difficult results, ice against a schedule comprised almost entirely of high school JV teams; especially for players who had previously achieved much on-ice success. the unparalleled exposure our players received throughout the year from prep high school coaches, college coaches The squad was coached by Sean Hayes, ably assisted by and even pro scouts; and most important, the incredible Paul Brown. The high point of the season was an exciting improvement made by each player. Recently the coaches February OT win against hockey powerhouse Belmont Hill, had to choose MVP, most improved, and unsung hero 2-1, with Seventh Grader Chris Allain netting both goals. awards. The Coaches’ Award for MVP was a tough choice, The boys also played very well in close losses to Roxbury but ultimately Ninth Graders Matt Guerra and Andranik Latin’s JV and Rumsey Hall’s varsity, and battled hard in Armstrong were deserving winners. The unsung hero prize every game, ending with a 3-4-1 record. was unanimous for Patrick Robles ‘15, and the MIP was Coach Hayes noted “the guys worked really hard this year, ultimately not awarded because so many players made big improved a lot, and had positive attitudes despite several strides during the season. weather cancellations and our hard schedule. Many will be The coaches feel the best recruiting approach is to highlight big assets to the varsity next year,.” He noted the leadership our level of game and practice competition and expert of Phillip Devlin ‘15, and contributions of Coach’s Award coaching, which is provided to every team member. They winner Patrick Saber ‘17, MIP Greyson Heinzer, Unsung feel the strong training regimen and player development are Hero Brendan O’Donnell, ‘16, who played significant at a higher level than any other junior program, pointing to minutes for the varsity, and goalie Devin Rochelle ‘16. the Bulldogs’ five-year varsity record of 97-19-5 as evidence. Continued on page 14 8
THE HILLSIDER
Winter 2015
Winter Sports Awards
Varsity Basketball Coach’s Award
Jose Lara Cam Ray
Unsung Hero
Tyler Bryan
Museba Mwape
Unsung Hero
Songtai Liu
Most Improved Player
Ryusei Morishima
Brendan O’Donnell
Most Improved Player
Greyson Heinzer
Wrestling
JV Basketball Coach’s Award
Unsung Hero
Coach’s Award
Jack Scott
Unsung Hero
Amir Thomas
Most Improved Player
James Walker
“Guts” Award
Lucas Courtney
Eco-Team Coach’s Award
Chance Payton
Unsung Hero
Brent Powers
Skiing/Snowboarding Varsity Hockey Coach’s Award Unsung Hero
Andranik Armstrong Matthew Guerra Patrick Robles
Varsity Development Hockey Coach’s Award
Coach’s Award
Colin Binswanger
Unsung Hero Award
Edward Kosek
Most Improved Player
Mike Zhang
Band Coach’s Award
Patrick Saber
Unsung Hero Award 9
Kofi Asante Brian Ruballos
THE HILLSIDER
Alumni In Focus
Winter 2015
by Rich Meyer, Director of Alumni Relations It has been a busy and exciting winter in the Hillside Alumni Office. There were several events and our Alumni Speaker series has continued. I made a number of off-campus visits to see alums, and many more graduates returned to campus just to see some familiar faces. Headmaster Beecher also saw several young alums in his travels, while we have continued to receive word of several noteworthy alumni accomplishments.
Alumni Events
great pics on the next page!
The alumni events began back in December with our annual Alumni Winter Celebration centered around the 25th anniversary of the Hillside Holiday Basketball Tournament. Eighteen alumni returned to campus to watch the Varsity Basketball team take on Rectory School in the championship game. Those alumni and a huge crowd of students, faculty and visitors were treated to an incredibly scintillating sporting event. Down by as many as 24 points in the second half, Hillside charged back to win the game in the closing seconds. The gym was rocking as never before, and a deafening roar enveloped the court as the final seconds ticked down. Following the game we all headed to Guiseppe’s Grille to celebrate. Mr. Beecher had donated a pair of Patriots tickets to the Pat’s game against the Dolphins to be raffled off at the celebration. Will Connor ‘09 won the raffle and took Kyle Wilson ‘08 with him to the game the next day. It was truly a wonderful event - see more
In January a group of alumni joined current Hillside boarders and headed into Worcester for hockey action at Hillside night at the Worcester Sharks. Before the game, Hillside’s own Boys in Blue sang the national anthem. Later that month, three alumni reunited at a Boston Celtics game. Jon Oggiono ‘98, Teddy Fox ‘99, and Doug Hamilton ‘00 had not been together since their Hillside days, and their stories and memories abounded, aided by some old yearbooks Everyone was having such a good time catching up that we barely watched the game and forgot to take a picture. In February, I invited a group of five alumni to the Beanpot semi-finals. Once again, the laughs and the stories just kept coming. With one game going into double overtime, we did not get home until after midnight, but it was well worth it. Speaker Series Our alumni speaker series continued as Chris Barry ‘11 came back at the beginning of January. Chris is currently a freshman at Fitchburg State University where he is studying film making and pursuing music on the side. Chris performed a couple of songs in the dining room, including a duet with Mr. Salmi. He talked about his experiences since Hillside and expressed how grateful he was to Hillside for the opportunities it gave him. Finally he showed the trailer for a movie he is making based on the Where’s Waldo books. Alumni Accomplishments Brolin Mawejje ‘08 is the subject of a documentary called “Far From Home: Uganda to the Tetons,” which premiered on February 2nd at the cutting-edge Santa Barbara Film Festival. Brolin was at Hillside for two years, shortly after moving from Uganda. Last year the film crew was at Hillside to capture that aspect of Brolin’s life. He is currently a pre-med student at Westminster College in Utah and training for the 2018 Olympics where he hopes to become the first snowboarder from an African country. The Worcester Telegram has shown interest in his amazing story. Two members of the class of 2102 have signed national letters of intent to play Division I college sports next year. Terance Mann (L, in the center, with his brother Martin ‘14 and their mom) ended his career at Tilton committing to Florida State for basketball, while Austrian Robinson (R, in the center), will be playing football at Ole Miss after graduating from Trinity Pawling. Terance was nominated for McDonald’s All-America, while Austrian was one of the nation’s top recruits!
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THE HILLSIDER
Winter 2015
Alumni Notes and Visits
L, 2014 pals Jack Cusack (far left) and JJ Harding (center) saw some Hillside hockey players, as well as Martin Mann ‘14 (back) at an Andover-Lawrence game; C, Hillside alums reunited with past faculy member Mr. Worrall at Winchendon (L to R) Jack Moran ‘13, Anthony Scarcella ‘12, Nick Guinta ‘14, Cam Cullen ‘14, Joe Vingi ‘12; R, David Beecher at Berkshire with Mutaya Mwape ‘13 (L).
Abhijay Bhatnagar ‘14, visiting with the hockey team at Exeter, where he was part of a title-winning wrestling team
(L to R) Beanpot action: Will Connor ‘09, Rich Meyer, Rob Hagearty ‘92, AJ Svendsen ‘09, Will McNally ‘04, and Peter Fallon ‘05) Above, Peter Fallon ‘05 (L) and Garrett Prouty ‘08 share a beverage and some tales.
L to R, above: The O’Donnells, Jon ‘14 and Brendan ‘16 at Avon; David Beecher, Sun Woo Park ‘14, Ho Bin Kim ‘12 and Tim McCarthy after a hockey game at Choate; Reed Heim ‘12 noting his name on the list of Bancroft-XC captains. Fellow Hillsiders from the Class of 2012 have been reunited as Worcester Academy Hilltoppers: wrestler Brandon Casamassima (L) and Calum Hepburn, a hockey goalie. 11
THE HILLSIDER
Winter, 2015
Alumni Notes and Visits (continued) The whole Hillside community was thrilled to have an unprecedented number of vists from our alumni who came back to see a favorite teacher, coach or mentor, and of course dozens of alums roamed the hallowed halls during breaks from the 25th Anniversary game. That plus more pics shared by recent grads produced even more fun shots!
More Hillside Campus Visits
From left: Daniel Han ‘10 with Mr. Meyer; Kyle Wilson ‘08 with current wrestler James Walker; Nick Rivera ‘14 with teacher and coach Michael Brown; Matt Graham ‘11, currently enjoying Iona College.
From left: Chris Riley ‘07; Kyle Corda ‘10, whose goal is to become a state trooper; Isaiah Holmes (foreground) hanging with Mike Brown (obscured) and teacher/fellow alum Alex Ribeiro ‘04; Tony Wang ‘14 with Monica Lucey.
From left: Alumni speaker Jon Oggiono ‘98, saw Rich Meyer (L) and Secondary School Placement Dir. Henry Lapham (R) - his former Hillside teacher!; Cassie Pagnam and Alex Ribeiro flanked ‘14 grads Jack Cusack and JJ Harding; Jack Strawn ‘13, Noah Strawn ‘14, Nick Schofield ‘14; Mutaya Mwape ‘13 (L), brother of Musaba ‘16, celebrates another major prep soccer win by Berkshire; Will Connor ‘09 with the Headmaster.
e full See tehof 25th pag iversar y Ann nt pics on Eve ! p.15 Gatherings after the big Holiday hoop tourney, from left: Brian Pare, Isaiah Median ‘88, former teacher Tim Wright; Daniel Daigle and guest; Brian with Thony Ferdinand ‘02 and Luis Barrero ‘01; Rex Osae with Chucky Gilchrist ‘95. 12
THE HILLSIDER
Winter 2015
DAR Corner
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fter one of the coldest and snowiest winters on record in New England, the weather started to warm up just as Hillside visits to DAR events started back up.
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n February 28, Director of Alumni and DAR Relations Rich Meyer, traveled to Hartford to speak at the Connecticut Board of Management meeting. He was accompanied by two Eighth Grade students, Dov Trestman and Tyler Bryan. Mr. Meyer spoke about the history of Hillside and its longtime connection to the DAR. He also described Hillside’s program today and the many ways that the Daughters can be involved in Hillside.
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ov Trestman shared how Hillside has made a difference in his life, helping him to improve in his academics, giving him opportunities for leadership, and introducing him to a new sport, lacrosse, which he is now passionate about. He thanked the Daughters for their support of Hillside and in particular the lacrosse and art programs.
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yler Bryan spoke about how Hillside has made a difference for him academically by challenging him to move beyond his comfort zone and by being in a class of 10 as opposed to a class of 30 as he was in his former school. He also spoke passionately about the friendships he has formed at Hillside and expressed his gratitude to the DAR for their support of Hillside scholarships, without which Tyler would not be able to attend Hillside. The boys received a standing ovation after they spoke
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n March 14th, Hillside played host, as it has done now for the last several years, to the annual meeting of the Massachusetts CAR (Children of the American Revolution). The CAR leadership describes Hillside as the perfect location for their meeting. It is centrally located in the state, our Allison Taplin Lounge is the perfect size for their meeting, and they get a delicious lunch provided by our kitchen staff.
Clockwise from top: (L to R) Rich Meyer, Dov Trestman ‘16, April Staley, DAR State Regent of Connecticut, Tyler Bryan ‘16 at the Connecticut meeting; (L to R) Jon Oggiono ‘98, Gail Terry, and David Beecher at the Awards luncheon; Garry and Gillian Eckard
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e are looking forward this spring to our annual DAR Awards Day on May 13. Last year we had a record number of awards and contributors, but we would love to get even more this year as the need is always increasing. If your chapter would like to donate a scholarship award, please contact Rich Meyer at rmeyer@hillsideschool.net or (508) 481-4615 for more information.
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week later our Headmaster, David Beecher, and alumnus from the class of 1998, Jon Oggiono, attended the Awards Luncheon of the Massachusetts DAR State Conference. Mr. Beecher brought greetings from the school and once again expressed his gratitude for the support of the Massachusetts Daughters and the wonderful relationship between Hillside and the Daughters. 13
THE HILLSIDER Varsity Basketball
Winter 2015
Winter Sports (continued)
The historically strong basketball team had another very good year, posting an 18-7 record, highlighted by the 24-point second-half comeback against Rectory in Hillside’s 25th Annual Holiday Tournament. This stunning reversal became an instant classic and caused some of the loudest cheers ever heard in the Tracy Gym, as students, faculty and friends roared with each Hillside bucket. See page 15 for pictures of this wild event and the fun alumni activities surrounding it! The rest of the season produced several other exciting victories, with close wins over Tilton, Northfield Mount Herman, and Avon offsetting a disappointing OT defeat to Rectory in the season finale. As usual, the Senior Day held before the final home game, a resounding win over Cardigan Mountain, was a highlight, as the coaches celebrated the contributions of Ninth Graders Lincoln Phinney, Jo Jo Graham, Ben Hanrahan, Kane Ito, Jose Lara, Cam Ray, and Michael Tran, as well as longtime manager Alex Jeong. Head coach Junior De La Hoz and assistant Phil Tang were proud of the effort and hard work of the players. They cited the consistent play of co-Coach’s Award winners Jose Lara and Cam Ray, while also commending versatile Eddie Sanchez and three-point whiz Kyle Murphy. JV Basketball The 2014-15 JV Bulldogs had their best season ever, finishing with an 11-6 record. Head coach Michael Brown and assistant Justin Kinney noted the squad was not the most talented or experienced, but made up for it with their fighting spirit. The boys committed themselves to the team from day one. Captain Ryusei Morishima led the team with a fierce competitive drive, and his skills improved dramatically. Fellow co-captains Museba Mwape and Noah Tidus took their jobs seriously and provided strong leadership and defense. Mikie MacKool and Dahmir Fowlkes received rave reviews for their play, while Justin Park, David Tan, and veteran Stephen Stento were a strong inside presence. Colby Becker, James Thomas, and Songtai Liu were warriors and won the respect of their teammates with their unrelenting play. Sharpshooters Ian Baker, Jake Sands, and Bum Kyu Kim gave us sharp guard play and shooting and Yixin Huang, Aaron Pan, and Shawn Zhang were total team players who delivered quality minutes. Jun Seok Yang and Spencer Bernard are first-year players on the rise. While many games were notable, two stood out: the stunning turnaround against Applewild, where the team avenged a 24-point loss with a 12-point rematch win; and 3 games against Fay in which the Bulldogs rebounded from a heartbreaking loss to take the rubber game. All in all, it was a great season, and the coaches and players thank the community for coming out to games to support us. Varsity Wrestling This year’s wrestlers performed very well all season, winning many big meets and ending the season with a strong performance at the season-ending Fessenden tournament. The squad, led by head coach Chris Morgan and assistants Dan Moulton and “Mac” MacDonald, finished with a 6-4 record in meets with one other school and performed well in dual meets too. There were several high points on both a team basis and individually, with Coach Morgan citing the two regular season wins over Fessenden and the home victory over a strong BC High team in front of a boisterous crowd. Coach Morgan had the team focused on the Fessy tournament in the weeks prior, and the day went very well. The team finished a very respectable seventh out of thirteen top New England schools, placing eight wrestlers: third places for Ross O’Connor ‘15, Jack Scott ‘15, and Caleb Bloch ‘18, and fourths for Lucas Courtney ‘15, Hamson Shen ‘15, Biiron Sane ‘ 18, Amir Thomas ‘18 and James Walker ‘18.. Coach’s award winner Jack Scott provided strong match performances and leadership, and Unsung Hero Amir Thomas ‘18 used his mind and body to score several important wins. Fiesty fellow Sixth Grader James Walker left it all on the mat every day, earning the Most Improved award.
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THE HILLSIDER
Winter 2015
25 t h A n n i v e r s a ry B a s k e t b a ll T o u r n a m e n t A U n i qu e A lu m n i
and
S p o rt i n g E v e n t
The story became part of Hillside athletic and alumni lore almost instantly. Special preparations are made for the 25th Annual Holiday Basketball Tournament; a large group of alumni players and faculty rally for the event, including its founder; the Hillside varsity falls into a dark hole in the championship game, down by 24 points to their biggerst rival in the second half; the team stages an astounding comeback, spurred on by the wild cheers of the students, faculty, parents and alumni; a large celebration ensues.
From left: 25th Anniversary poster, courtesy of Rex Osae; vintage memorabilia display; event founder Brian Pare throws the finals tip-off.
Hillside varsity with their hard-won trophy (at left); former players and other alumni (above). Below, many of the alumni hoopsters and friends celebrated at Guiseppe’s afterward. Left (from left), faculty members Rex Osae and Alex Ribeiro, Cam Cullen ‘14, Nick Giunta ‘14, and Ben Rosenberg ‘08. Right, clockwise from bottom left, former faculty member Brian Pare; guest, Daniel Daigle ‘00, guest, Luis Borreo ‘01, guest, and coach/faculty member Junior De La Hoz ‘03.
15
THE HILLSIDER
Winter, 2015
The Winter of 2014-15:
Snapshots from a Long and Legendary Season
From left: whiteout; fun Winter Carnival; Headmaster announces Fab. February
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Okemo
Winter “fun”
Clockwise from above left: David Sozanski ‘15 was #10 in the State Geography Bee; Boys in Blue wowed them at the Sharks Game; great day for pond hockey; Greyson Heinzer played with B’s legend Ray Bourque
16
Tom Choi plays Chopin
AND GOOD RIDDANCE!