Organic Roots Summer 2017 by North Country School & Camp Treetops

Editor Emilie Allen

Layout & Design Aaron Hobson

Masthead Gail Brill

Cover Photo Aaron Hobson

Treetops Tent Model Tom Clark Alison Riley-Clark

Contributors Emilie Allen, John CrowleyDelman, Soraya Collins, John Culpepper, Karen Culpepper, Katie Culpepper, Matt Donahue, Emily Eisman, Greta Hovland, David Hochschartner, Becca Miller, Barkley Stuart, Sky Xu

Photograhers Emilie Allen, Nancie Battaglia, Matthew Beckwith-Laube, Tom Clark, David Damico, John Eldridge, Aaron Hobson, Becca Miller, Rebecca Sullivan

Editing Lisa Bramen Niki Kourofsky

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note We regret that John Eldridge was not credited for his photography contribution in Winter 2017 Roots. We apologize for the error.

Organic Roots Summer 2017

LEADING THOUGHTS 3

From David Hochschartner Head of School & Camp

From Karen Culpepper Camp Treetops Director

NCS & TREETOPS TODAY 7 9

On the Farm : Compassion, Connectedness, and Cycles of Life By Becca Miller Waste Not: How Innovative Composting Is Changing the North Country & Treetops Landscape By Becca Miller

Sowing Seeds: NCS & Treetops in the Media

13 23

School News, Honors & Accolades Pingry School at Eileen Rockefeller House: An Environmental Field Course By John Crowley-Delman CTT 90-93, staff 95-99, 15-16

FEATURE The View From Round Lake: A Strategic Plan for the 21st century

ALUMNAE/I BULLETIN Q/A with Dan Schwerin (CTT 92-97) Alumni Events From the RockE House Archives In Memoriam / News & Notes Your Legacy for Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Children

25 27 29 32 33

THE TRAIL

FORWARD

By David Hochschartner, Head of School and Camp

Walt Whitman once wrote: “A leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars.” Indeed, even the simplest of nature’s creations is deeply complex. Each spring the nuances of the maple sugaring season—including its biological, physiological, and chemical processes—deliver this remarkable lesson to our students. This year, sugaring began early only to run late, due to plummeting temperatures that halted sap collection for

page 3 Organic Roots Summer 2017

nearly a month. Seven hundred fifty trees were tapped and 4,000 gallons of sap collected to produce nearly 100 gallons of maple syrup. Whether tapping trees, collecting sap, loading the fire, testing sugar content, or drawing off syrup and bottling it—each child played a role. Algebra students worked in small groups to calculate the rate of evaporative loss and to predict the time required to boil, and then they presented their findings to the entire school

Since the beginning, empowering children through an emphasis on community, resilience, and hands-on work has been part and parcel of the mission of Camp and School. during lunch council. Meanwhile, at the height of sugaring season, 9th grader Spencer Darwall confidently articulated in a radio interview with North Country Public Radio the tremendous work and knowledge required by our students to ensure that the sugaring process remains successful, year after year.

Symmonds, who provided a comprehensive market analysis of our organization. From there, we cultivated a vision for the future based on extensive interviews with both internal and external constituencies, as well as the work of our strategic planning committee, consisting of board members, alumni, faculty, and staff.

Since the beginning, empowering children through an emphasis on community, resilience, and hands-on work has been part and parcel of the mission of Camp and School. Today is no different. Much of this issue of Organic Roots embraces a vision of the trail forward for North Country School and Camp Treetops. And yet, the tenets that have served as the roots of our institution endure. With a focus on design thinking and innovation emerging alongside these core values, the progressive vision of Camp and School grows ever stronger.

“The View from Round Lake” articulates the results of our efforts. It positions our institution with a mission and philosophy that foster the following values: individual rigor; sustainable living; progressive learning; environmental impact; technological innovation (at NCS); personal creativity; social justice; and authentic leadership. In envisioning the trail forward, we are galvanized by the opportunity to extend the offerings at Camp and School to an even broader audience than before. This will also enable us to maintain the current size of Camp and School’s close-knit communities. We seek to enhance our two core programs with much-needed resources and systems, to unify our culture and create a cohesive organizational structure, and to create and implement a new set of complementary programs based on our traditional strengths. For more, please see page 19.

This May, I presented the institution’s strategic plan to our community for the first time. From Alta, Utah, to New York City to Washington DC, I have spoken with many of you about the vital next steps for Camp and School. In the coming months, I hope to engage with even more community members. Many have asked: What does this mean for the children? Please know that students and campers will always be at the very center of our focus. Beloved traditions like barn chores, home night, garden harvest, singing at council rock, and hiking Cascade will continue to shape young lives. At the same time, the institution must evolve ahead of the curve, as the Haskells and Clarks intended, in order to advance their progressive vision into the 21st century. In a similar vein, ensuring financial sustainability is what allows us to provide ample scholarships and robust improvements to both our programs and physical plant. This issue of Organic Roots features our strategic plan in full, the first of its kind since 2001. The process began with hiring renowned strategic planning consultant Ian

And so, as we set forth together, let us take this moment to celebrate. With the arrival of the summer season, we bid farewell to North Country School’s Class of 2017. To these students: know that you will forever have a home underneath Balanced Rocks. We expect great success from each and every one of you. At the same time, we celebrate a new summer as Camp Treetops welcomes barefoot campers for seven weeks of unencumbered exploration, learning, and creativity. Please join us for Friends’ Weekend, August 23–27, 2017, and other upcoming alumni gatherings to learn more about the trail forward for Camp and School.

camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 4

THE ART

OF PLACEMAKING By Karen Culpepper, Camp Director

By late June across the Adirondacks, spring wildflowers like trout lilies and trilliums have faded into the forest floor. Fiddleheads have long unfurled, and wild shades of green enliven the acreage. Treetops campers arrive just after the summer solstice, when orange hawkweed, buttercups and daisies dot our fields, and the showy white blossoms of bunchberry decorate the woodlands. Swallowtail butterflies flit along the surface of Round Lake. Skyward, sweeping vistas of the High Peaks surround Camp Treetops. When the founders chose this location for Camp, nearly a century ago, they surely were moved by the visceral beauty of such a spectacular setting. And yet, while our surroundings undoubtedly have made Treetops what it is today, it is a community of people who give meaning to a place. For years, children have explored the many magical spots around campus, delighting in the same barnyard, lakefront, and tent lines as those who came before them. Such continuity infuses our community with a rich and storied culture of its own making. Creating new places or changing old ones around Camp is a delicate process. As an institution, we have worked hard over the years to honor Treetops traditions and values as we make and reimagine places across campus. The installation of a George Rickey (CTT parent 64-72) sculpture inspired the creation of the Rickey Circle as a gathering spot for the community. Years ago, Paul Nowicki (CTT 51-54, staff 61-71, 80-00, parent 79-83, 87-93, NCS staff 67-71) generously built our Senior Camp pot shop, a mainstay overlooking the tent line ever since. More recently, a camper-constructed Uphill Grill provides an open-air space, complete with a roof for rainy days, where campers cook and gather together for crafts, music, and games. Renovating Treetops’ historic Main House in 2014 allowed our growing Senior Camp the space to enjoy comfortable, family-style meals while engaging in the kind of meaningful conversation that

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builds close community. In all of our “placemaking,” we seek to enhance the Camp (and School) experience for new generations of children, while staying true to the traditions and common vision that make us who we are. Today, with the launch of the Strategic Plan, we are excited to share three new signature spaces on the horizon for Camp (and School): Hike House, the Performing Arts Center, and the Teaching and Learning Kitchen. Each of these spaces will enhance children’s experiential education and expand possibilities for our larger community as we strengthen core programs in the outdoors, arts, and farm-to-fork education. The new Hike House will replace our much-loved, albeit weathered and cramped, building in Senior Camp, which dates to the 1930s. Since then, Treetops’ wilderness trip and rock climbing programs have grown substantially, creating a need for better-quality space. Overnights spent in the wilderness are among the most memorable experiences children have at Treetops. Outfitting children over seven weeks of trips requires a significant amount of space to accommodate the storage of gear and the flow of campers. The new Hike House will provide sufficient room for a more systematic and effective method of organizing Treetops’ gear and campers, ensuring that our trip program continues to thrive.

Music and drama also remain at the heart of Camp. Children are encouraged to collaborate and explore the performing arts through spontaneity and expressions of imagination. With the construction of a new, stateof-the-art Performing Arts Center, Treetops will gain a dedicated theater space where children will gather to play, practice, and perform all manners of skits, theater games, spoken word, musical acts, and more. The Performing Arts Center’s acoustics and architecture will provide an enhanced environment in which children can express themselves and experiment with their creativity. Music and drama activities will continue to flourish across Camp in the outdoors and other spaces; however, the Performing Arts Center will provide a multi-purpose space for theater activities, workshops, audience engagement, community gatherings and performances. Lastly, with your support, we hope to break ground soon on a new Teaching and Learning Kitchen. Like our outdoors and arts activities, the Treetops farm-tofork program has grown over the decades and remains tremendously popular with children. On any given day, the Camper Kitchen is filled with children kneading bread, making jam, or pickling vegetables fresh from our garden. However, the space is far too small to meet the

demand for this program, especially since the Camp nurse shares the small cottage that houses the current Camper Kitchen. With our new Teaching and Learning Kitchen, several small groups of campers will be able to participate in farm-to-fork activities at the same time, just a stone’s throw from the Children’s Garden. Each of our new signature spaces will have a significant impact on three of the institution’s most transformative programs, and may one day become as treasured as the barnyard and tent lines. As Treetops has always been dependent upon a shared vision and the community’s direct engagement with the place itself, we invite you to help fulfill these important goals. For more information, please contact Matt Donahue, Director of Development: mdonahue@ncstreetops.org or (518) 523-9329, ext. 5446. As Camp and School’s structures age and land use needs evolve, strategic improvements to our buildings, structures, and grounds are made through a comprehensive decision-making process that you can read about here: northcountryschool.org/support-ncs/strategic-plan.

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ON THE FARM Compassion, Connectedness, and Cycles of Life By Becca Miller

photos: Level I students Sky, Frank, and Soraya with newborns at the barn; Sky carries Lucky

The cycle of farm life is one of the things most commonly remembered by alums of NCS or CTT, and it isn’t hard to see why.

STORY

The cycle of farm life is one of the things most commonly remembered by alums of NCS or CTT, and it isn’t hard to see why—relationships formed with livestock and horses are deep and rich. For many students and campers, stepping onto Adirondack soil brings their first experience with animals. But

LUCKY’S

At Friends’ Weekend, cheers of excitement ring out when farmer Katie Culpepper announces that it is time to move the chickens. NCS and Treetops alums and their family members, ranging in age from 5 to 90, move quickly toward the chicken enclosure in the dusky light. Tucking the birds under their arms, they walk to the fresh grass of the new chicken pen. Former campers and students in the crowd, many of whom will leave Friends’ Weekend to return to their lives in tall buildings, reminisce about feeding chicks, collecting eggs, and the community harvest that ultimately turns these birds into part of our food system.

By Sky Xu with Soraya Collins In 2016, on an early spring morning, I went to do house chores at the sheep barn. There had been a lot of lambs born. As we were doing our chores, I saw one lying on the hay, almost blocked from view, not moving at all. When I touched her, her body was cold, so I went into the barn office to get a lamb jacket for her, and I held her in my arms. My fellow student, Soraya, walked over to tell Farm Manager Katie Culpepper. Katie let me bottle-feed the lamb—she drank a whole bottle of milk—and helped us find the lamb’s mom, who had another lamb. Katie explained that the ewe knew her baby had a problem and abandoned her, only wanting to feed the other lamb. So I bottle-fed her every day, morning and afternoon, for a month. Soraya and I named her Lucky.

when they leave campus, whether it’s one summer or six years later, mucking out stalls, grooming, and watching out for signs of impending animal birth are deeply ingrained parts of them. Some of these memories are joyful: a fourth grader from metropolitan China bonding with an abandoned lamb he discovered at the beginning of barn chores one day; a Valentine’s Day card taped to the wall of a horse stall by a fifth grader who hadn’t seen a saddle before her time on campus; an eighth grader from Vermont sitting alongside one from Hong Kong on the fresh shavings of a pigpen floor, cleaning off newborn piglets the moment they enter the world. Other times are harder. A late frost may take away a piglet just as new lambs are entering the world. An older horse may leave us just as spring chicks and ducklings arrive. The farm is a snapshot of the larger, constantly turning cycle of all things, with joy and difficulty often going hand in hand. At NCS and Treetops, the connection to that cycle is a part of everyday life. The love, caring, and capacity to deal with birth and growth, loss and change stays with students and campers, becoming an important part of their characters. The memories—a beak poking through a shell, or a first attempt to stand on new, downy legs—are forever stored, and sometimes recalled while carrying a chicken in the early evening, 50 years after you first looked across the garden pasture toward Balanced Rocks and knew you were someplace special.

When I called her name, Lucky would run to me. When I went into the sheep barn, Lucky would follow me around. Sometimes I took her for a walk on campus and we ran together. She loved to run because she had so much energy. One time, we brought Lucky across the road into the woods for a walk; she listened well. Lucky was a smart lamb. In the fall when we put the ram in the sheep barn, Lucky would walk away from him. At Thanksgiving, Katie and the other farmers and I took her to the main building for visitors to see her, and I told them Lucky’s story. But in the spring, Lucky died. Because she was the runt, her outside was small, and her insides grew too fast. It was hard to say goodbye to my friend, but I am lucky to have known her for a year.

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WASTE NOT:

photos: Audrey completing her compost work job; measuring the internal temperature of the compost.

HOW INNOVATIVE COMPOSTING IS CHANGING THE NORTH COUNTRY & TREETOPS LANDSCAPE

By Becca Miller

E T:

It is 7:15 on a grey morning when three students push open the wooden door below the Main Building kitchen. They are there to retrieve eightgallon buckets teeming with apple cores, eggshells, chicken bones, and other assorted scraps from the previous day’s meals. In many places, these leftover bits of food would be tossed into the trash, but at North Country School and Camp Treetops, the concept of treating waste as a resource is woven into the fabric of everyday life on campus. Since we opened our doors more than 80 years ago, our community has been doing its part to ensure leftover organic matter does not join the tons of garbage headed to landfills each year. But it is only recently that that process has become an innovative venture with impact on the greater community. When Director of Facilities and Sustainability John Culpepper received a grant from New York State to build a more efficient composting system than the previous one, which involved turning open piles, he believed that our campus could both improve our own procedures and provide a model for other similar-sized organizations. The new system—a rotating drum designed to fit inside a 40-foot shipping container—has transformed a process that once took up to eight months into one that produces nutrient-rich compost in just 25 days. The dramatically reduced timeline has allowed NCS/CTT to be able to take in food waste from other businesses and events around the

SINCE WE OPENED OUR DOORS MORE THAN 80 YEARS AGO, OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN DOING ITS PART TO ENSURE LEFTOVER ORGANIC MATTER DOES NOT JOIN THE TONS OF GARBAGE HEADED TO LANDFILLS EACH YEAR. North Country, reducing trash production in our greater Adirondack Park and helping to preserve the natural integrity of this majestic place. To date, NCS/CTT has produced 28,222 pounds of compost with the new system, with an anticipated

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Sowing Seeds: NCS/Treetops in the Media

This year, NCS/Treetops has garnered attention from the greater community for the many innovative ways we are engaging young people in the world around them. Here is a sampling of the exciting coverage from this past season here below Balanced Rocks.

ESL students built an art installation windmill while reading The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, a story about a teenager in Malawi who erected his own windmill to bring electricity to his home. The students then presented their project at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts, as well as Westport Central School. North Country Public Radio host Todd Moe covered the story. See the story here: goo.gl/RMhD99

CULTIVATING North Country School and Camp Treetops is one of farm-to-classroom pioneer Alice Watersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; six founding Edible Schoolyard Institutions. The Edible Schoolyard Project published a nationally distributed article on our cold-climate farm education. Farming in the Adirondacks makes for a more diverse farm-to-classroom curriculum. See the story here: goo.gl/5B9zir

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CONNECTING For our annual community-wide pancake breakfast, we at NCS/CTT expanded our efforts to create a warm, welcoming event that supported regional farms by using locally grown and raised food on our menu. Lake Placid News covered the event. See the story here: goo.gl/E9Evvx

ENGAGING Here at NCS/CTT, we are passionate about finding joy in meaningful work. Our farm and garden has been featured periodically on North Country Public Radio this year, covering such topics as our student-run barn chores, our community-wide potato planting, and our student-prepared Thanksgiving meal using our own meat and produce. During maple-sugaring season, host Todd Moe aired a story about how involved students are in our collection and boiling process, interviewing ninth-grader Spencer Darwall for the piece. See the story here: goo.gl/1jTNSG

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School News CAMPUS MAP RESEARCH PROJECT Throughout the spring and summer of 2016, faculty member Elie Rabinowitz spearheaded an effort to develop a comprehensive map of the hiking trails on the North Country School and Camp Treetops campus (see â&#x20AC;&#x153;Trail Mapâ&#x20AC;? in Organic Roots, Fall 2016). Along with fellow teacher Caroline Hlavacek, Elie devised an interdisciplinary project for students in grades 4-6 that strengthened research, interviewing, and writing skills while exploring various locations on the map. During social studies classes early in the fall of 2016, students discussed the meaning of place-based education. They then visited points of interest on the map and recorded questions about each spot. In English classes, they practiced interviewing skills before inviting members of our community to explain the history and current use of each location. Students created interpretive text using the information gleaned from those interviews. In the spring of 2017, students in woodshop class built a kiosk to display the map and research project. NCS/CTT is a Certified American Tree Farm, and the majority of the wood used to build this kiosk came from campus spruce trees felled as part of our sustainable forest management plan.

MEET OUR BEES! By Katie Culpepper, Farm Manager In early May, North Country School and Camp Treetops welcomed a hive of honeybees to our property as part of our continued effort to live and farm on this land in a way that is both responsible and beneficial. In the last 10 or so years, nearly a third of the honeybees in the United States have disappeared because of changes in climate, use of pesticides and the decline of good bee habitats. Without pollination by honeybees, many of our food crops, such as apples, almonds, and lemons, would fail. Experts say that a third of the food we eat is reliant on pollinators like honeybees. To be good stewards of our food system, we needed to find a home for honeybees on our farm. For now, we are just letting them settle in, but students and campers have been able to peek into the hive. Geared up in beekeeping attire, we have identified the queen, found cells full of honey and others with larvae, and observed bees returning to the hive laden with various colors of pollen. We are so excited about this new addition to the North Country School and Camp Treetops farm!

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Photo: Isaac

Awards & Accolades

NEW YORK STATE THESPIANS COMPETITION

Photo: Zack placed “Best in Show” for his weaving.

North Country School’s honor society for theater traveled to New York City to compete in the marketing, costumes, and monologue categories at the NYS Thespian’s competition. Bianca (costumes) and Isaac (monologues) both earned superior ratings for their pieces. Isaac won “Best of the Festival” for his monologues, and he was the first middle school student to ever win the honor.

LPCA ANNUAL JURIED ART SHOW

ONE-MINUTE SCHOOL VISIT

NCS invites our community to explore (and share) a new video miniseries showcasing our programs in the arts, outdoors, academics, residential life, and farm and garden. Check it out here: www.northcountryschool.org/about-us/video-gallery

In 2017, Organic Roots was awarded an honorable mention (second to only one other school) in the CASE District II Accolades Awards for an independent school magazine. This spring, 15 pieces of art by NCS students were selected to appear in the Lake Placid Center for the Arts’ Annual Juried High School Art Show

Morgan Changelo Forgotten Dreams Analog print

E W Moriarty Memento Oil

Zack Chen Greens Cotton and wool fiber

Colin Purdy Dragon Fly Laser jet print

Zack Chen Lidded Mountains Ceramics

Bladen Reese Linear Glass Hot glass

Spencer Darwall Lathe Tureen Cherry & walnut

Audrey Wilson Lathe Tureen Bowl Cherry & maple

Romina de la Vega Guadarrama Seasons Ceramics

Bianca Yang Blue is the Saddest Color Watercolor

Nicholas Li Earrings and Bracelet Chain-mail jewelry

Sylvia Yang The Red Umbrella Oil

Helena Liu Pillowed Weaving Cotton & alpaca

Bianca Yang Through the Light and Shadow Analog print

Anja Martin Cloud Weaving Cotton and wool

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School News Design & Build Class: Bridge Project This spring, Larry Robjentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Design & Build class completed the demolition, redesign, and building of a new bridge over the meadow stream between the Dexter pastures. This student project has resulted in a lovely, sturdy bridge that will last for years.

Level V Utah Trip In February 2017, our adventurous 9th graders set off to Utah for their senior trip. Students explored national parks like Zion and Bryce Canyon, in addition to a rich variety of arts and cultural experiences.

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School News

THE TRAIL FORWARD Moving forward, we are committed to remaining well out in front of any obstacles we face. And while we must never minimize the challenges ahead, we are galvanized by this opportunity to create a bold and exciting road map for the institution’s next 100 years. Our plan has several major objectives, but the single most important is to significantly increase the breadth and depth of our ecosystem. In other words, we must move decisively to make our programs more accessible to a broader audience than ever before. Deliberately widening our customer base will bring fresh perspective and energy into the fold, while simultaneously strengthening our long-term financial sustainability.

GEOMETRY: Sol LeWitt Project Math teacher Matthew Beckwith-Laube engaged students in geometry and pre-algebra with a yearlong project exploring works by Sol LeWitt and other minimalist and conceptualist artists. Students first recreated a wall mural by Frank Stella in their classroom space. They then collaborated in small groups to design and scale their own unique works of art, inspired by LeWitt’s colorful geometric forms and progressions.

To further quote our strategic planning consultant Ian Symmonds: “Great strategy finds the intersection between mission and market. Mission changes little over time, but market opportunity is shifting constantly. The best schools and colleges [and summer camps] are constantly challenging their assumptions and reading the external environment to find the right address.” Leveraging the power of our extraordinary and deeply committed community, we believe there is no doubt that we will find this intersection between mission and market.

David “Hock” Hochschartner Head of Camp and School

However, since the days of the Haskells and the Clarks, the landscape for educational not-for-profits has dramatically changed. There are some disquieting trends to be addressed. Nationally, the private summer camp and junior boarding school markets show signs of contraction, while costs continue to escalate. As families benefit from an ever-broader range of choices for their children, the competition for campers and students grows fiercer. Additionally, while our pristine Adirondack home is a source of tremendous joy and pride, its remoteness can work against attracting families who seek to keep their children closer to home. We have already seen some softening of demand for our two programs, a softening that we ignore at our peril. As our strategic planning consultant Ian Symmonds tells us: “Like any industry in America that went through massive change… schools and colleges are going through their pivot point continued inside gatefold

Strategic Planning Committee Karen Culpepper David Damico Matt Davidson David “Hock” Hochschartner John Nicholson Marty Rosenberg Pamela Rosenthal Fritz Sabbow Matt Salinger Erv Shames Dave Steckler Barkley Stuart Anne Swayze

THE VIEW FROM ROUND LAKE A Strategic Plan for the Next Century

Barkley Stuart Chair, Board of Trustees

Board of Trustees Barkley Stuart, Chair Jenny Ewing Allen, Vice Chair Brian Eng, Treasurer Sandra Gray Nowicki, Secretary Lisa Beck Barry Breeman Peter R. Brest Peter Curran J. Matthew Davidson Guillaume de Ramel Laura Thrower Harris Nick Hewitt Carla von Trapp Hunter Caroline Kenney Roger S. Loud Jennifer Maslow Greg Marchildon Robert Parker

Pamela Rosenthal Matt Salinger Hume Steyer Manny Weintraub Jun Zhang

PLAYBILL Emeritus Trustees David Kenney Rose Kean Lansbury Sumner Parker

Over the last year, trustees and staff leadership of Camp Treetops and North Country School have engaged in a comprehensive strategic planning process. While we face some significant challenges—all not-for-profit educational institutions do—our intent was not to reinvent the wheel. As Treetops approaches its 100th birthday, and North Country School nears its 80th, the shared heritage of the institution remains its greatest strength. Camp and School are beloved organizations with a proud and longstanding history of commitment to the healthy development of children. Due to the pioneering visions of the Haskells at Treetops and the Clarks at North Country School, generations of families have reaped inestimable benefits from the transformative work done on our Lake Placid campus.

Honorary Trustees Joan K. Davidson Colin C. Tait Richard E. Wilde

North Country School May 31-June 2, 2017 SPAM® is a registered trademark of Hormel Foods LLC.

camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 16

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School News

David “Hock” Hochschartner Head of Camp and School

THE VIEW FROM ROUND LAKE A Strategic Plan for the Next Century

Barkley Stuart Chair, Board of Trustees

Pamela Rosenthal Matt Salinger Hume Steyer Manny Weintraub Jun Zhang

PLAYBILL Emeritus Trustees David Kenney Rose Kean Lansbury Sumner Parker

Honorary Trustees Joan K. Davidson Colin C. Tait Richard E. Wilde

North Country School May 31-June 2, 2017 SPAM® is a registered trademark of Hormel Foods LLC.

camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 16

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School News

David “Hock” Hochschartner Head of Camp and School

THE VIEW FROM ROUND LAKE A Strategic Plan for the Next Century

Barkley Stuart Chair, Board of Trustees

Pamela Rosenthal Matt Salinger Hume Steyer Manny Weintraub Jun Zhang

PLAYBILL Emeritus Trustees David Kenney Rose Kean Lansbury Sumner Parker

Honorary Trustees Joan K. Davidson Colin C. Tait Richard E. Wilde

North Country School May 31-June 2, 2017 SPAM® is a registered trademark of Hormel Foods LLC.

camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 16

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The View From Round Lake A Strategic Plan for the Next Century

right now. This is a time of great uncertainty. Even schools [and camps] with enormous endowments, great followings, and prodigious marketing footprints are really struggling with finding their futures. It’s a new normal.”

POSITIONING THE ORGANIZATION

Mission

Positioning Statement

We strive to create a community that gives children the self-confidence, knowledge, skills, and values to lead satisfying and productive lives while contributing to their world.

We provide best-in-class educational programs through experiential learning (learning by doing), with the following components of distinction infused into our offerings:

Philosophy

• Individual Rigor

We believe that children become confident and resourceful individuals when they try new experiences and cultivate their skills toward mastery, with the guidance of caring adults.

• Sustainable Living • Progressive Learning • Environmental Impact • Technological Innovation

We are committed to simple and sustainable living, making responsible choices about our use of resources.

• Social Justice

We are committed to sustaining a diverse and nurturing community that supports individual growth and creativity, develops resilience, and promotes social responsibility.

• Personal Creativity

• Authentic Leadership

Strategic Goal Two: Unify our culture and create a cohesive organizational vision Strategic Goal Three: Innovate and implement new programs Each of these goals contains several strategic initiatives and numerous action plans. The strategic initiatives and action plans benefit from having additional implementation details, such as costs and metrics of success, which will be utilized as the institution moves forward on the execution of the strategic plan.

Strategic Goal One: Enhance our community with needed resources and systems

Strategic Goal Two: Unify our culture and create a cohesive organizational vision

Strategic Goal Three: Innovate and implement new programs

Enhance governance procedures, policies, and evaluation

Forge one aligned organization with a strategic ecosystem of multiple programs

Create multiple short programs based at the Eileen Rockefeller House appealing to both private and public schools, colleges, adult groups, and educational professionals. Options could be wilderness skills, sustainable practices, farm-to-fork weekends, studio and performing arts, or teaching environmental science.

Develop innovative pricing structures Complete planned and needed upgrades to the Cushman Campus Enhance NCS learning support services so they are best in class Complete three signature spaces (performing arts center, Camp hike house, and teaching and learning kitchen) for three of our signature programs Develop a master plan for enhanced housing for Camp counselors and School faculty Increase our endowment by 15%

Define educational vision and pedagogy Redesign our brand identity (updating our website, refreshing our taglines, and developing new print collateral)

Pioneer a climate change curriculum design workshop for teachers. Create new short-term programs to serve international students Expand opportunities for international children by enhancing the English enrichment program at Camp Treetops

teaching/learning kitchen

Teaching/Learning Kitchen

We believe that teaching and learning are most successful when intellectual activity is linked with practical experience.

Strategic Goal One: Enhance our community with needed resources and systems

Performing Arts Center

At the outset of the strategic planning process, we developed some parameters and guidelines that provided direction and structure to our work. This work included developing an organizational positioning statement. In concert with our institutional mission and philosophy, our positioning statement provided rich context and guidelines to our planning activity.

Beginning in the spring and culminating in December of 2016, the Board of Trustees and the strategic planning committee worked collaboratively through a series of exercises designed to establish institutional priorities. As the committee developed these priorities, the group expanded upon them to outline specific initiatives and action plans. This process culminated in the creation of three overarching strategic goals for the institution. They are as follows:

Hike House

Specifically, our strategic plan focuses on three major institutional priorities: First, we will enhance our Camp and School programs, facilities, and procedures, including building new spaces for the arts, edible education, and outdoor programming. Second, we will unify our organization under a single umbrella brand, allowing our two great legacy programs to coexist with some newly conceived programs. Third, we will innovate—which includes creating new short-term programming for children and adults, adding experiential educational programs for international students, and developing partnerships with other educational institutions.

STRATEGIC GOALS

The View From Round Lake A Strategic Plan for the Next Century

POSITIONING THE ORGANIZATION

Mission

Positioning Statement

We strive to create a community that gives children the self-confidence, knowledge, skills, and values to lead satisfying and productive lives while contributing to their world.

We provide best-in-class educational programs through experiential learning (learning by doing), with the following components of distinction infused into our offerings:

Philosophy

• Individual Rigor

We believe that children become confident and resourceful individuals when they try new experiences and cultivate their skills toward mastery, with the guidance of caring adults.

• Sustainable Living • Progressive Learning • Environmental Impact • Technological Innovation

We are committed to simple and sustainable living, making responsible choices about our use of resources.

• Social Justice

We are committed to sustaining a diverse and nurturing community that supports individual growth and creativity, develops resilience, and promotes social responsibility.

• Personal Creativity

• Authentic Leadership

Strategic Goal One: Enhance our community with needed resources and systems

Strategic Goal Two: Unify our culture and create a cohesive organizational vision

Strategic Goal Three: Innovate and implement new programs

Enhance governance procedures, policies, and evaluation

Forge one aligned organization with a strategic ecosystem of multiple programs

Define educational vision and pedagogy Redesign our brand identity (updating our website, refreshing our taglines, and developing new print collateral)

teaching/learning kitchen

Teaching/Learning Kitchen

We believe that teaching and learning are most successful when intellectual activity is linked with practical experience.

Strategic Goal One: Enhance our community with needed resources and systems

Performing Arts Center

Hike House

STRATEGIC GOALS

The View From Round Lake A Strategic Plan for the Next Century

POSITIONING THE ORGANIZATION

Mission

Positioning Statement

We strive to create a community that gives children the self-confidence, knowledge, skills, and values to lead satisfying and productive lives while contributing to their world.

We provide best-in-class educational programs through experiential learning (learning by doing), with the following components of distinction infused into our offerings:

Philosophy

• Individual Rigor

We believe that children become confident and resourceful individuals when they try new experiences and cultivate their skills toward mastery, with the guidance of caring adults.

• Sustainable Living • Progressive Learning • Environmental Impact • Technological Innovation

We are committed to simple and sustainable living, making responsible choices about our use of resources.

• Social Justice

We are committed to sustaining a diverse and nurturing community that supports individual growth and creativity, develops resilience, and promotes social responsibility.

• Personal Creativity

• Authentic Leadership

Strategic Goal One: Enhance our community with needed resources and systems

Strategic Goal Two: Unify our culture and create a cohesive organizational vision

Strategic Goal Three: Innovate and implement new programs

Enhance governance procedures, policies, and evaluation

Forge one aligned organization with a strategic ecosystem of multiple programs

Define educational vision and pedagogy Redesign our brand identity (updating our website, refreshing our taglines, and developing new print collateral)

teaching/learning kitchen

Teaching/Learning Kitchen

We believe that teaching and learning are most successful when intellectual activity is linked with practical experience.

Strategic Goal One: Enhance our community with needed resources and systems

Performing Arts Center

Hike House

STRATEGIC GOALS

The View From Round Lake A Strategic Plan for the Next Century

POSITIONING THE ORGANIZATION

Mission

Positioning Statement

We strive to create a community that gives children the self-confidence, knowledge, skills, and values to lead satisfying and productive lives while contributing to their world.

We provide best-in-class educational programs through experiential learning (learning by doing), with the following components of distinction infused into our offerings:

Philosophy

• Individual Rigor

We believe that children become confident and resourceful individuals when they try new experiences and cultivate their skills toward mastery, with the guidance of caring adults.

• Sustainable Living • Progressive Learning • Environmental Impact • Technological Innovation

We are committed to simple and sustainable living, making responsible choices about our use of resources.

• Social Justice

We are committed to sustaining a diverse and nurturing community that supports individual growth and creativity, develops resilience, and promotes social responsibility.

• Personal Creativity

• Authentic Leadership

Strategic Goal One: Enhance our community with needed resources and systems

Strategic Goal Two: Unify our culture and create a cohesive organizational vision

Strategic Goal Three: Innovate and implement new programs

Enhance governance procedures, policies, and evaluation

Forge one aligned organization with a strategic ecosystem of multiple programs

Define educational vision and pedagogy Redesign our brand identity (updating our website, refreshing our taglines, and developing new print collateral)

teaching/learning kitchen

Teaching/Learning Kitchen

We believe that teaching and learning are most successful when intellectual activity is linked with practical experience.

Strategic Goal One: Enhance our community with needed resources and systems

Performing Arts Center

Hike House

STRATEGIC GOALS

School News

David “Hock” Hochschartner Head of Camp and School

THE VIEW FROM ROUND LAKE A Strategic Plan for the Next Century

Barkley Stuart Chair, Board of Trustees

Pamela Rosenthal Matt Salinger Hume Steyer Manny Weintraub Jun Zhang

PLAYBILL Emeritus Trustees David Kenney Rose Kean Lansbury Sumner Parker

Honorary Trustees Joan K. Davidson Colin C. Tait Richard E. Wilde

North Country School May 31-June 2, 2017 SPAM® is a registered trademark of Hormel Foods LLC.

camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 16

page 17 Organic Roots Summer 2017

The View From Round Lake

A Strategic Plan for the Next Century

STRATEGIC PLAN LAUNCH clockwise: Brian Eng, Carla von Trapp Hunter, and Barkley Stuart; Tahalia (Precious) Joseph with David â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hockâ&#x20AC;? Hochschartner, Head of School and Camp; Patricia Morrill and Michelle Leiby; John Crowley Delman, Zach Siegel, Rica Allanic, Molly Colina, Jim Hayes, Roberta Taggert; Pamela Rosenthal.

On Wednesday, May 3, more than 80 alumni and friends of Camp and School gathered at the Harvard Club in New York City to celebrate and launch the new strategic plan. To view a video of the event, please visit: www.northcountryschool.org or www.camptreetops.org.

camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 20

Graduation 2017

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GRADUATING CLASS OF 2017

Jamieson Roseliep Work Award Winners: Morgan Changelo, Spencer Darwall, and Arry Li Darshan Akayi The Calverton School

Arry Li Westtown School

Morgan Changelo The Putney School

Isabella (Bella) Madonna Tamalpais High School

Zehao (Zack) Chen Gould Academy

Ashton Palmer Holderness School

Spencer Darwall Beacon Academy

Daniel Park Solebury School

Jose Javier (Jose) de la Riva Colegio Americano

Hang (Sam) Shi Peddie School

Massawa El Solebury School

Jesse Peter Anthony Strayer Gateway Academy

Jeffrey (Oscar) Fjalltoft The Putney School

Audrey Wilson Vermont Academy

Benjamin (Benji) Garlinghouse Buxton School

Ruoshan (Bianca) Yang Emma Willard School

Yining Ge The Putney School

Jizhou (Horsland) Yang Niskayuna High School

Jian Yang (Tom) Huang The Webb Schools

Yu (Sylvia) Yang Episcopal High School

camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 22

PINGRY SCHOOL AT EILEEN ROCKEFELLER HOUSE: An Environmental Field Course By John Crowley-Delman CTT 90-93, staff 95-99, 15-16

Looking at this photograph of Natalie Lifson as she cradles a week-old piglet, I see true joy. Her eyes express a special sense of wonder that comes from connecting with another living being. I see empathy, kindness, love—sheer delight. The photograph reminds me of moments captured by Barbara Morgan in Summer’s Children some six decades ago. And it reminds me of a moving encounter with fellow creatures that I had as a camper on a Treetops France expedition. Our counselors, affected by the suffering of two cows trapped in a river current above a mountain waterfall, orchestrated a rescue operation using our climbing rope as a lasso. These are moments that arise from a North Country School and Camp Treetops education. I wanted my students at The Pingry School in New Jersey to experience them too. That’s why three Pingry colleagues and I worked with NCS teachers and administrators to plan the first-ever “short program” at the Rockefeller House in February. The six-day environmental field course, “Winter in the North Woods,” built on the strengths of both schools. Pingry supplied environmental history, environmental science, and environmental art teachers for the effort, while NCS lent a farm educator, farm-to-table expert, sustainability guru, and forester. Through the lens of their respective disciplines, these teachers guided students to consider an essential question: How does a community live sustainably—and thrive— in the heart of the largest park in the contiguous United States? The NCS farm and forest served as our laboratory. Pingry students participated in barn chores most mornings and afternoons. NCS children mentored them as they learned how to care for chickens, pigs, and horses. John Culpepper led a tour of campus sustainability initiatives and taught a lesson on the new, creatively engineered composter. Katie Culpepper guided students as they tapped a maple tree and witnessed the first sap run of the season. Carter Rowley explained that today’s maple harvest owes a debt to foresters who thinned the sugar bush a half century ago. To complete the circle of stewardship, he guided Pingry students as they each felled a non-maple, competitor tree with a hand saw. To foster an appreciation of the school’s place within the larger context of the Adirondack Park, students participated in “challenges by choice” outside the property lines—a

Pingry supplied environmental history, environmental science, and environmental art teachers for the effort, while NCS lent a farm educator, farm-to-table expert, sustainability guru, and forester.

visit to a local dairy, snowshoeing on the Ausable River, a climb up Balanced Rocks after a fresh snowfall. Meanwhile, the Rockefeller House became our classroom and home. Each afternoon, students and teachers prepared dinner together—often with meat, vegetables, and herbs raised on the school farm—and Molly Pytleski and Katie Culpepper facilitated discussions about farm-totable philosophy around the dining-room table. Before bedtime, students and teachers met in the living room to reflect on the day’s activities. Though enjoyable, these experiences weren’t always easy. Students were expected to give to the community by working on the farm. Instead of snagging prepared foods in the Pingry cafeteria, they cooked their own meals and cleaned up after themselves. Natalie had to grapple with the fact that the sausage she so enjoyed at dinner had come from an animal like the piglet she had played with during barn chores—a hard lesson of the working farm. Pingry teachers simply can’t offer such experiences on our home turf, and our students took their new lessons to heart. As eighth-grader Chris Ticas said, “The way North Country School is reducing its carbon footprint and impact on the environment gave me an entirely different outlook

continued on page 31 camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 24

Q A with Dan Schwerin CTT Alum 92-97

Dan Schwerin is working with Hillary Clinton on her upcoming memoir. He was director of speechwriting for her 2016 presidential campaign and also served as an advisor on policy and strategy. Previously, he collaborated with Secretary Clinton on her book, “Hard Choices,” and was a speechwriter at the State Department and an aide in her Senate office. Schwerin graduated from Northwestern University. He is the son of Chuck Schwerin (CTT 61-64, staff 74-77, parent 89-03, NCS staff 73-76, parent 99-00)

How did your CTT experience influence the path you took in life?

I grew up with Treetops. My dad, Chuck, is a lifer and all my siblings were campers. For as long as I can remember, it’s been a special place for us that we all shared. At its best, Treetops gives kids the right mix of freedom, structure, and support they need to thrive—at least that was my experience. I remember long summers full of daydreams and imagination, but also pushing myself to take on new challenges, especially out in the mountains. I’d like to think that’s still how I try to live my life (but, sadly, with fewer mountains).

What are your favorite memories of Treetops? Did you have any mentors or special counselors while at Camp?

Becoming a 46er was probably the first long-term goal I ever set for myself and then managed to achieve. My dad helped a lot, bringing us up to the High Peaks whenever he could. And

page 25 Organic Roots Summer 2017

then as a camper, I was pretty single-minded and competitive about it. In the end, I came very close to finishing my 46 as a Super, but someone got injured on one of the final overnight trips so we missed a few. I had to go back and finish on Dix with my dad after camp ended (although I’m embarrassed to admit I never filed the official paperwork). I know the “peak-bagging” mind-set is frowned upon, but for me it was a great adventure and really rewarding. And I think I managed to appreciate the journey as well, not just the goal. Much later, when I started working for then-Senator Hillary Clinton representing New York, my 46er status would occasionally come up and it gave me instant street cred with some upstate constituents. Beyond the hiking and peak-bagging, what was most special for me about Treetops was the friends I made, some of which I stay in touch with to this day. I grew up in Saratoga Springs, a fairly small town north of Albany, so camp was a place to meet people from all over, including city kids who lived exciting lives and counselors who went to great

colleges or came from other parts of the world. I had a wonderful group of friends and a lot of us went on to do Treetops West together afterwards, spending a terrific summer in the Pacific Northwest.

What reflections can you share about the relationship between facing adversity and cultivating resilience?

Losing an election is painful—especially when it’s a nail-biter and everyone expected you to win and you lose to someone you think will be a disaster for the country—but the truth is, it’s nothing compared to what so many other people go through every day. On the campaign trail, you meet people who have lost their jobs, or can’t afford the medicine they need, or are worried they’re going to be deported, or have lost a loved one to gun violence or war. That’s real adversity, and I try to keep that perspective in mind. Also, I really do believe what they say—you learn more from losing. I’m still trying to sort through everything that went wrong in 2016, but I hope the experience will end up making me a better, stronger person.

How should we be educating children about the current political environment?

I don’t know the best way for parents to explain Donald Trump to children. I guess that’s something all parents have to figure out for themselves. But it seems important to teach kids that bad things happen to good people, sometimes the best person doesn’t always win, and just because the President of the United States does or says something, it doesn’t make it right or acceptable. Those seem like important lessons at a time like this. I also think it’s important that institutions like NCS/ CTT stay even more fiercely devoted to values of decency, tolerance, and stewardship. And finally, the resurgence of grassroots activism can be a really exciting opportunity for young people to get involved

Treetops gives kids the right mix of freedom, structure, and support they need to thrive

Why is it important for young people to be aware of and/or involved in politics, even if they can’t legally vote yet?

I was always interested in politics. I remember reading TIME magazine at Treetops rest hours, following every twist and turn of the Republican primaries in 1995, which in retrospect doesn’t sound like a very good use of my time or in the spirit of rest hour. But I do think it’s a good idea for children to pay attention to the world around them, especially at a time like this, when so many core values are at stake and the issues being debated go far beyond normal policy disagreements and relate to how we treat each other as human beings. Also, for older kids, politics can be a lot of fun. I’ve worked with a lot of high school and college kids who volunteered on campaigns or in Congress, learned a lot, and absolutely loved it.

Photo: The Schwerin siblings at Camp in 1992 from left to right: Rachel (CTT 99-03), Ben (CTT 89-93), Dan (CTT 92-97), Josh (CTT 95-01, NCS 03)

and see themselves as part of something big and important. Just look at all the kids who participated in the Women’s March back in January. I bet there’s going to be a lot more of that as we go forward.

camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 26

ALUMNI EVENTS

Alumni and friends gathered around the country to reconnect and share memories of North Country School and Camp Treetops. This spring, attendees learned about the new strategic plan and its importance to the future of Camp and School. Events this year were held in San Francisco, CA; Lincoln, MA; Portland, ME; Brooklyn, NY; Alta, UT; New York, NY; and Washington DC.

page 27 Organic Roots Summer 2017

We look forward to sharing the strategic plan and reconnecting with more Camp and School alumni in the coming months. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to host a gathering in your city, please contact Greta Hovland at ghovland@ ncstreetops.org or 518-837-5407.

clockwise from top left: Renee Bourgeois and Brian Eng enjoying the view at Alta Friends’; Janice Quinter, Hock, and Susan Welch Williams at the James Cohan Gallery in NYC; Hilary Wilkinson, Nick Hewitt, and Ron Smith at Alta; 25 gathered in Washington DC at the home of David and Helen Kenney; Jake Doan, Hannah Doan, Larry Robjent, John Doan and Joey Schultz at Gowanus Getdown in Brooklyn; friends and family enjoying sunshine and snow in Utah; Emily Clark, Debbie Model, and Sarah Davidson in NYC.

camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 28

From the RockE House Archives

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continued from page 10

continued from page 24

HOW INNOVATIVE COMPOSTING IS CHANGING THE NORTH COUNTRY AND TREETOPS LANDSCAPE By Becca Miller

PINGRY SCHOOL AT EILEEN ROCKEFELLER HOUSE By John Crowley-Delman (CTT 90-93, staff 95-99, 15-16)

32,000 pounds produced by the end of the school year. This process will aid in the reduction of both landfill waste and the amount of methane gas released into our shared atmosphere when the organic matter in those landfills decomposes. The students assigned to the compost job for this chore rotation push the garden-cart loaded with buckets down to the compost shed. There, they add wood pellets to the scraps before loading the mix into the 20-foot-long plastic drum. As they take temperature readings, switch on the rotating machine, and collect the final, earthy product sifted out of the opposite end of the drum, they are active participants in the system of converting waste into nutrientrich amendment. This will be applied to our gardens, feeding the seedlings that will become next year’s meals. And our students and campers are involved in every step of the process, able to leave this place carrying with them the knowledge that what they may have once considered waste is in fact a life-giving and valuable resource.

on how Pingry can change.” Upon returning to school, he and others presented their recommendations at an all-school Earth Day Assembly. “Winter in the North Woods” was the first course of its kind at the Rockefeller House. My hope is that it will serve as a model for the expansion of the programming that North Country School and Camp Treetops already do so well—intentional education deeply rooted in the natural world, fostering empathy, and developing emotional well-being.

IN MEMORIAM We bring sad news that Cheryl “Rusty” Schick Rolland, who attended NCS from 1953-57, passed away on May 25th. As her husband, Mike, conveyed to us, she was diagnosed with cancer only weeks before her death, which was hastened by complications resulting from her chemotherapy. Those who knew her were inspired by her energy, humor and spirit, which were channeled into her family, her support of opera and the arts, and her lifelong pursuit of skiing. She was also a great friend to North Country School and Camp Treetops, and we send our condolences to her family and many friends.

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NEWS & NOTES NCS ALUMNI/AE

NCS STAFF

NCS 58 Alfred Hunt Howell (also, CTT 54-55)

NCS counselor Lauren McGovern recently won a Cloudsplitter Foundation grant to offer The Worry Workshop to the public from June October. She designed the workshop in the hopes of helping people, particularly parents of young children and elementary school teachers, demystify anxiety management with realistic and accessible tools. When anxiety or worry is in charge, everyone suffers. There simply aren’t enough mental health professionals in the area to provide comprehensive anxiety treatment. NCS support for professional development allowed Lauren to train with anxiety expert Lynn Lyons, LICSW (www. lynnlyonsnh.com) multiple times over the last four years; Lynn initially came to campus for an all-day faculty training about anxiety in schools in 2015.

Alfred is semi-retired and working on development projects in Latin America.

NCS 64 Timothy Amussen “North Country, as I have come to find out, played a critical part in my eventual development. Richard Rockefeller was the first one to compliment me for the detail I put in my art.”

NCS 65 Peter Thacher (also, CTT 61) “Sarah & I are continuing on in Saudi Arabia for another year. I am working on a research project with GE, US Department of Energy & SouthWest Research Institute on using super-critical CO2 to increase the efficiency of power generation.”

NCS 82 Sarah Fiske Williams “Life in Wisconsin has been good for us. Please be in touch if you’re in the Madison area!”

CTT FRIENDS Robert Heays, CTT 31-38, Balanced Rock Circle Member “My hip replacement in 2016 went well. Hope to return to my condo in Florida in October 2017.”

Malcolm Willison, CTT 41-43 Organic Roots welcomes News and Notes submissions year-round. Please email eallen@ncstreetops.org.

“Right now in Key West, looking for more paintings by an NCS Artist-in-Residence from the 1950s who died in KW a few years ago. Also preparing for 75th Treetops anniversary of Eric Wagner, Bill Kinzer, and me at next summer’s gettogether.”

Reggie Govan, CTT 66-67, CTT staff 74-75 & 81, Trustee 2001-2008, Balanced Rocks Circle One month after Inauguration Day 2017, Reggie completed a twoand-a-half-year stint as the Chief Counsel of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Stuart and Susan Topper, CTT staff 72-95, parents 87-89 Our son Matthew Topper (CTTTTW 87-91) heads up the welding program at New England Tech, which supplies Electric Boat, a division of General Dynamics, with many of their welders.

Geoffrey and Suzanne Brown, CTT 76-78, staff 83-84, parents 09-14 Although our kids, Alex and Elsie, have aged out of camp, Alex was a counselor in junior camp last summer and my nieces Hollis and Crosby Brown were in senior camp! Suzanne and I are still living on Capitol Hill in Washington DC with room for guests.

Lewis Canfield, CTT 76-80 “Thank you Rockefellers!”

Via Doralynn and Jeffrey Pines, CTT parents 95-03 Giulia Pines Kersthold (CTT 95-98) is a food and travel writer living in Berlin, Germany; Abigail Pines (CTT 99-03) is finishing her fourth year of veterinary school at Cornell.

camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 32

YOUR LEGACY for

TOMORROW’S CHILDREN Today, we are achieving the goals of the Eileen Rockefeller Challenge and presenting our new strategic plan for Camp and School. Both of these efforts help us strengthen the structure of our programs and increase the kind of offerings that can only happen at Camp Treetops and North Country School. In the years ahead, Camp and School programs will stand on the foundation of our endowment, which is fortified by planned giving. Fifty-five members of the Camp and School community have joined the Balanced Rocks Circle by making a planned gift, ensuring that children of the future can enjoy transformative experiences here.

You, too, can leave your legacy in many ways, including:

Making a bequest in your will;

Naming NCS/CTT as a beneficiary of your IRA or insurance policy;

Creating a life income gift with appreciated assets.

To learn more about joining the Balanced Rocks Circle and providing for tomorrow’s campers and students, please contact Matt Donahue, director of advancement, at mdonahue@ncstreetops.org or at 518-837-5446.

“We have made a gift for NCS and Treetops because we think the best way to change the world is to change one child’s life at a time—and Camp and School do that better than any other community we know. At community functions, we are always moved by parents’ accounts of how this place changes children’s lives, and that is why we have dug deep to make this commitment.” —Ruth and Nick Hewitt, CTT 64, NCS 70, trustee ambassador of the Balanced Rocks Circle Photo: Nick and Ruth Hewitt with Jamie Chao (NCS 16)

Photo: Balanced Rocks overlooking campus

FRIENDS’ WEEKEND JOIN US FOR FRIENDS’ WEEKEND August 23–27, 2017 Please join us for an exciting long weekend. Reconnect with classmates, tentmates and other old friends—help with garden harvest and barn chores, hike Trouble, or just enjoy the fresh air. Visit www.northcountryschool.org/fw or www.camptreetops.org/fw for more information and to register.

We will also celebrate the successful completion of the Strong Roots, High Peaks Campaign and the results of the Eileen Rockefeller Challenge, and we’ll discuss the new strategic plan. Please contact Greta Hovland at 518-837-5407 or ghovland@ ncstreetops.org for information on registration and pricing.