A PUBLICATION OF NORTH COUNTRY SCHOOL AND CAMP TREETOPS
Editor Emilie Allen Layout & Design Aaron Hobson Masthead Gail Brill Designs Cover Art & Illustration Gavi Mallory Contributors Emilie Allen, Peter Bullock, John Culpepper, Katie Culpepper, Karen Culpepper, Matt Donahue, Emily Eisman, Eileen Rockefeller Growald, David Hochschartner, Greta Hovland, Becca Miller, Angela Price, Matt Salinger, Barkley Stuart Photographers Emilie Allen, Nancie Battaglia, Jamie Chao, John Eldridge, Tyler Johnston, Becca Miller, The Wild Center Editing Lisa Bramen, Niki Kourofsky Photo Editing Mary Ann Sturgeon Printing Print Management Pittsburgh, PA Editor’s Note In Organic Roots, Summer 2017, on page 27, the skier pictured on the right is incorrectly identified as Ron Smith. The skier is Stephen Dunn (NCS 70). We regret the error.
Organic Roots Winter 2018
LEADING THOUGHTS 3 From David Hochschartner
FEATURE 19 A Conversation with Peter Bullock,
Executive Director
5 From Karen Culpepper
Director of Round Lake Campus
22 Harvest Weekend 2017
Camp Treetops Director
NCS & TREETOPS TODAY 7 Camp Treetops: 2017 9 Trustee & Leadership Transitions 11 New & Returning Staff 13 From the Farm: Love Made Visible Katie Culpepper CTT 92-99
15 School News 17 Greening & Renewal: The Wild Center’s Youth Climate Summit
18 A Letter from Eileen Rockefeller Growald
ALUMNAE/I BULLETIN 23 Roots & Branches: Alumni Spotlights Hilary Platt CTT 01-06, staff 09-11 Tyler Johnston NCS 93
25 Friends’ Weekend 27 Strong Roots, High Peaks Campaign Celebration
29 From The Archives 31 In Memoriam / News & Notes 36
ANNUAL REPORT 2016-2017
Forward Together By David Hochschartner Executive Director
In 1982, I stepped off the Trailways bus at the entrance of North Country School and Camp Treetops as a newly hired teacher. With a rucksack slung over each shoulder, I walked past the barn and Helen’s annual flower garden, along the road to the Main Building, and into my new life. Since that day, this place has taught me so much. I’m not alone. For many, arriving on campus for the first time is a watershed moment. Thousands of children have carried away life-changing lessons learned on the tent line, in the classrooms, on our farm, forest trails, and lake.
page 3 Organic Roots Winter 2018
Meanwhile, our founders’ vision
on, to recognize their part in the cycle
has become increasingly popular
of living things, and to act on behalf of
in the wider world. In the 21st
the natural world. In learning by doing,
century, fostering resilience and
children link intellectual activity with
offering creative hands-on learning
practical experience and creativity.
opportunities are benchmarks of
As a result, they become confident
progressive education.
and resourceful individuals, eager to
Today, more than ever, it is understood
try new experiences and cultivate
that, in addition to academic knowledge, children profit from time
their skills toward mastery. Such an education prepares children today for
to discover their place in the real (as
the future.
opposed to wired) world. They grow
Camp and School have been leading
significantly when they are members of
the way with these core values
a thoughtful community, or vital parts
for nearly a century. And yet, our
of a group pursuing a goal, whether its
institution now faces a time when
snowshoeing to a summit, working for
boarding schools and summer
justice, or building a bridge across a
camps across the country are seeing
stream. More than ever, children today
decreases in enrollment. All are
need time to experience nature hands-
contending with demographic declines
Photo by Barbara Morgan, Summers Children, 1951.
and competitive markets closer to
power of our programs, and help us to
home.
attract and retain new families.
Despite these trends, the Camp and
Already the plan is in motion. We
School community continues to thrive:
have begun to offer new, short-term
in 2017, your contributions led to the
programming at the Eileen Rockefeller
most successful annual fund in our
House (RockE) at our Round Lake
history. Thank you. Your generosity
Campus. As such, we are increasing
allows us to provide scholarships,
our reach to connect with like-minded
maintain our facilities, and attract
organizations and educators, exposing
talented faculty and staff. The Annual
even more children, adults, and families
Report in this issue celebrates not
to hands-on learning, sustainable
only annual giving, but also the
practices, and outdoor education.
significant commitment of more than 3,000 donors to complete our $25 million Strong Roots, High Peaks capital campaign. As a result of your generosity, we have been able to significantly increase our endowment, undertake vital greening and building efforts, and develop infrastructure pivotal to maintaining our campus. [To read more about what the capital campaign made possible, please see the Annual Report, page 36.]
Implementing this ambitious strategic plan will require significant oversight and creativity. Thus, our board of trustees has asked that I shift into the role of executive director of the institution. Going forward, the three core programs (Treetops, NCS, and Round Lake Campus) will be directed by Karen Culpepper, Anne Swayze, and Peter Bullock, respectively. I feel comfortable knowing that these dynamic and talented individuals are
This year the Board of Trustees also
at the helm to carry the vision of our
launched a strategic plan (“The View
founders forward. My role will be to
from Round Lake”), which outlines a
oversee and implement the strategic
vision of Camp and School for the next
plan as it relates to each core program.
century. Since the beginning, we’ve
At the same time, I’ll continue to have
been forward-thinking in our method
a visible presence on campus, whether
of teaching children, and we intend to
popping into earth science for students’
affirm and strengthen this approach
avalanche presentations, leading our
through realization of the goals of our
Nordic ski team at Mt. Van Hoevenberg,
strategic plan. As we move ahead, we
or joining campers for juice and
will develop enhanced programming
crackers on the Lake Hill.
that best presents us as leaders in experiential learning.
Since the beginning, we’ve been forwardthinking in our method of teaching children, and we intend to affirm and strengthen this approach through realization of the goals of our strategic plan. As we move ahead, we will develop enhanced programming that best presents us as leaders in experiential learning.
Similarly, as we move our strategic plan forward, we now are developing an
The plan mandates that we
overriding umbrella that will encompass
communicate to a broader audience
our three programs while celebrating
our core values of resiliency, protecting
their shared, time-honored values
the natural world, thinking creatively,
and ethos. As of this writing, our
and contributing to a community. “The
trustees are on the verge of retaining a
View From Round Lake” also asks us to
marketing firm to help develop a brand
provide new facilities that match the
identity and designate a name that will
bring recognition to our institution. Please know that I am always available to speak with you about the strategic plan, whether in person at an alumni gathering, over email, or by telephone. With Camp Treetops’ centennial on the horizon, I can say with confidence that as a community we have succeeded in keeping alive the traditions, values, and philosophy that have grounded this institution for nearly one hundred years. At a time in history when communities like our own are needed more than ever, I’m convinced that NCS-Treetops is well on its way to bringing our mission to a whole new generation of thinkers, makers, and doers. Thank you for your continued support of Camp and School and your belief in our future.
camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 4
CONNECTEDNESS: UNPLUGGED, UNHURRIED, FULLY PRESENT By Karen Culpepper, Camp Treetops Director
page 5 Organic Roots Winter 2018
We all want the good life for our children. We wish youngsters to progress steadily toward independence, maturity, and confident responsibility, with a chance for unhurried, individual growth, good health and happiness along the way. The special emphasis of camp leadership at its best is that it attempts these goals in a community independent of the children’s home circle and in an environment which gives back what city and suburb have taken away—farm animals to care for, sand and earth to dig in, trees to climb, grass to roll in, woods and fields to explore, flowers to pick or a garden to tend, wide stretches in which to play safely, a place to swim in the sun, to sleep out under stars. — Helen Haskell, Camp Treetops Director, Summer’s Children These words ring as true today as they did when Helen Haskell wrote them in 1951. In fact, I would argue that the need for children to have special places like Treetops in their lives has never been greater. The world no doubt has sped up since her time. But the genius of Helen’s vision is that the faster the world spins, the more we need places that resist its frenetic pace, its glitz and gadgetry. We want our children to live a simpler life, free from the pull of television, computer, and other screens. A summer at Treetops is an opportunity to embrace this idea. Unplugged, simple living allows children to be present in the moment. It helps cultivate a supportive environment where kids are encouraged to experiment and explore their creativity and newfound passions in depth. The result is a deep sense of connectedness to oneself, to animals and nature, to our Treetops’ community and the world beyond our acreage. Seven weeks at Camp Treetops gives children time to play, to be close to nature, untethered by technology. At summer’s end, however, most campers return home and begin navigating the wired world again. As such, media literacy is an invaluable tool. At the same time, I believe firmly that we should also expose children to the rich and varied experiences made possible by unplugging. Over the past several years, Treetops parent surveys have revealed a similar view. In addition to fostering independence and exposing children to nature, a summer free from electronics and screens is one of the primary reasons parents send their kids to Treetops. Journalists, educators, and psychologists continue to report on the ways unhealthy digital habits are affecting our children’s lives. In his October 2017 New York Times Magazine article, “Why Are More American Teenagers than ever Suffering from Severe Anxiety?” Benoit Denizet-Lewis explores the causes and complexities of teenage anxiety in our times. He addresses social media as a common source of worry among young adults prone to anxiety, writing: “Anxious kids certainly existed before Instagram, but many of the parents I spoke to worried that their kids’ digital habits—
round-the-clock responding to texts, posting to social media, obsessively following the filtered exploits of peers — were partly to blame for their children’s struggles. To my surprise, anxious teenagers tended to agree. At Mountain Valley, I [Denizet-Lewis] listened as a college student went on a philosophical rant about his generation’s relationship to social media.… In his case, he had little doubt that social media made him more self-conscious. ‘In high school, I’d constantly be judging my self-worth online,’ he told me, recalling his tortured relationship with Facebook. ‘I would think, Oh, people don’t want to see me on their timeline.’ ” But when we encourage unplugging on a regular basis, kids are better able to disengage from the negative loop that social media often perpetuates. As a result, we empower children to become confident and self-aware, teaching them resilience through lived experience. At Treetops, campers learn to appreciate their own imaginations and the company of others, while having the space and time to engage with nature and the world around them. In nature, unlike screen time, kids connect more fully with their senses: The two-note whistle of the black-capped chickadee—the fee-beee that drops in pitch; the sleepy, warm feeling of milking goats by hand at morning chores; bare toes splashing through mud puddles in the middle of a July downpour; fingers deftly weaving orange hawkweed and daisies into a flower crown under the midday sun; painting watercolor studies of rosemary, strawberries, wild roses, and lavender in the Children’s Garden; gazing skyward at the rock face of the crag before beginning to climb; gathering wood in the forest with friends; building a fire together just before dark; falling asleep to the peepers beneath a dome of stars. In a whirl of Facebook, Snapchat, and 24/7 connectivity, we remain true to the Treetops ethos—of unplugged living, of letting kids be kids, of building a thoughtful community committed to common values.
camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 6
Camp Treetops: 2017
page 7 Organic Roots Winter 2018
camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 8
WELCOME NEW TRUSTEES
Peter Curran joined the board in January 2017. He is
Mara Frankel Wallace (CTT 77-80, Parent 14-15) is a
currently the Assistant Head of School for Enrollment
wife, mother, community volunteer and activist living
and Communications at Blair Academy in Blairstown, NJ.
in Palo Alto. Formerly a consultant at Bain & Company,
Peter joined the Blair faculty in July 2011 after spending
San Francisco, she was a member of the founding team
four years at Fountain Valley School in Colorado Springs
of The Bridgespan Group—a strategic consulting firm
as dean of students. He completed his undergraduate
serving the nonprofit sector. Mara has more than 25
work in art history and French at Bowdoin College in
years experience in nonprofit management with a focus
Maine in 2001 and earned an MEd in higher education
on children and education. She has worked with a wide
administration at Harvard University’s Graduate School
array of organizations including Planned Parenthood,
of Education in 2005. During his time at Blair, Peter
the California Association of Nonprofits, Mother Jones
has served as dean of students, dean of admission and
magazine, KQED, Teach For America, and Peninsula
English teacher. In 2014, he was named assistant head
Bridge. She currently serves as a trustee of The Nueva
of school for enrollment and communications. Prior to
School, which all three of her children attend. Mara
working at Fountain Valley, Peter taught and coached
received a BA in Psychology from the University of
at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac, Maryland,
Michigan and an MBA from Columbia University.
and Seven Mile School on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona. In the mid-2000s, he moved abroad to become dean of students at The American School in Switzerland (TASIS). He is also the co-founder of a nonprofit, The Deans’ Roundtable, which runs an annual conference for deans of Students and assistant heads every summer to share best practices and discuss student life issues: www.thedeansroundtable.org. He lives in Blairstown his wife, Sarah, their twin children, Grace and Toby, and chocolate Labs, Apache and Siena.
page 9 Organic Roots Winter 2018
Anne Swayze, has accepted the position of director of North Country School. Anne has decades of school leadership experience and, in one year, has demonstrated her talents in overseeing a school in which students and faculty feel valued and supported. “The need now is for a seasoned educator to take the helm so I can focus on our strategic goals,” says Hock. “Anne has agreed to take this on, and the Board and I are grateful that she has.” Anne says she is pleased to assume the additional responsibility that comes with a change in title. “From the moment I arrived, July 2016, I knew I had found a remarkable educational community to which I would be happy to contribute. North Country School’s
DAVID “HOCK” HOCHSCHARTNER
Named Executive Director
As the 2016–17 academic year came to a close and
commitment to its history and traditions gives it a strong identity, and I am pleased to support my
LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS
North Country School’s former assistant head,
colleagues as they continue to do exceptional work with children.”
the 2017 Camp season began, we embarked on an ambitious five-year strategic plan, one that will enhance our community and unify our culture while we continue to innovate and implement new programs. We invite you to read The View from Round Lake: A Strategic Plan for the Next Century (Organic Roots, Summer 2017) on the Camp and School websites. The plan’s immediate objectives, including campus and program enhancements, have the steadfast commitment of the Board of Trustees. To meet new goals, the Board has asked Hock to begin serving as the executive director. In this role, Hock will raise money for capital projects, work closely with a marketing firm, travel extensively to meet with alumni/ ae and friends, and support Peter Bullock, who is establishing educational programs at The Eileen Rockefeller House and the Round Lake Campus. “I am very excited about this responsibility,” explains Hock. “Our work with Ian Symmonds and Associates was highly informative. In order for the institution to remain sustainable in all ways, it is imperative that we fulfill the goals outlined in A View from Round Lake.” camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 10
New & Returning Staff CHRISTIE BORDEN Advancement Officer for Leadership Giving
Prior to serving as the chief development officer for Rettsyndrome.org, Christie worked in development offices at The Windward School, Noble and Greenough School, and Lawrence Academy. An NCS alumna, Christie earned a BA from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where she majored in psychology. She holds a Certificate in Fundraising Management from Columbia University. Her interests include teaching figure skating and spending time with friends and family.
BENJAMIN BRADFORD Maintenance Staff
Benjamin grew up in Oswego, NY. After high school, he enlisted in the Army and traveled around the states and eastern Asia. Since then, he has relocated to the Adirondacks. Benjamin enjoys fishing, hiking and a lot of other outdoor activities.
SAM HECKLAU Math Teacher
Sam comes to North Country School after serving as an outdoor guide and educator at Northfield Mount Hermon’s Summer Session. He earned a BA from St. Lawrence University, where he majored in geology and art history. His interests include Alpine skiing, fly-fishing, and spending time outdoors. Sam teaches pre-algebra.
GRETA HOVLAND Alumni and Events Manager
A lifelong native of the Adirondack Park, Greta currently resides in Bloomingdale, NY, with her husband, Spicer and young son, Tully. Graduating from Paul Smith’s College with a degree in Hotel, Resort & Tourism Management, Greta has worked in various hospitality management positions in the North Country, including positions at the
page 11 Organic Roots Winter 2018
Ausable Club, Lake Placid Lodge and High Peaks Resort. In her free time, Greta enjoys cooking, baking, knitting, and spending time with family and friends.
NATE JEFFERY Science Teaching Assistant
Nate worked as the Lake Colden interior outpost caretaker for the New York State Department of Conservation, where he provided wilderness education and did search and rescue in the Eastern High Peaks Wilderness Area. He earned an associate’s degree from North Country Community College, where he studied wilderness recreation leadership. Nate is a Level II science teaching assistant.
CAITLIN KELLY English Teacher
Caitlin joins us after serving as a hutmaster at Johns Brook Lodge and writing for Powder magazine and Adirondack Life. She earned a BA from St. Lawrence University, where she majored in English/ creative writing and environmental studies. Her interests include Alpine and Nordic skiing, rock climbing, and music. Caitlin teaches Level III English.
GAVI MALLORY Farm Intern
Gavi joins us after completing the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners (MOFGA) Farm Apprenticeship Program and a farm residency at D Acres of New Hampshire. She earned a BA in biology and studio art from Swarthmore College. Her hobbies include running, hiking, painting, and reading.
SABOL PAYNE RODGERS Farm Intern
Previously, Sabol was a camp counselor and farm intern at Camp McDowell, in Alabama; an Episcopal Service Corps volunteer at Camp
Mokule’ia, in Hawaii; and a trip leader for the Sewanee Outing Program, in Tennessee. She earned a BA from Sewanee: The University of the South. Her hobbies include rock climbing, canoeing, hiking, and cooking.
TED SONNEBORN Science and Math Teacher, Secondary School Placement
Ted has returned to North Country School after earning an MEd from the University of Washington and working in the admissions office and athletic department at Lakeside School, in Seattle. He taught at NCS from 2013–2016. His interests include playing and coaching soccer, hiking, canoeing, and camping. Ted teaches Level I–II math and science and oversees secondary school placement.
CARLY TERREBERRY Preventative Maintenance Coordinator
Carly grew up in central New Jersey and attended Paul Smith’s College, where she earned a degree in Environmental Studies. She traveled extensively through the country and internationally, and recently returned to the beautiful Adirondack region to make it her permanent home. In addition to travel, she also likes to downhill ski, camp, and canoe.
KYRA WHITE Language Arts and Social Studies Teacher
Kyra has worked at the Aspen Country Day School and Northfield Mount Hermon’s Summer Session. She earned a BA from St. Lawrence University, where she majored in environmental studies and sociology. Her interests include farming, speaking Spanish, and sustainable development. Kyra teaches Level II language arts and social studies, and one section of Edible Schoolyard.
New & Returning Staff
Christie Borden
Benjamin Bradford
Sam Hecklau
Greta Hovland
Nate Jeffery
Caitlin Kelly
Gavi Mallory
Sabol Payne Rodgers
Ted Sonneborn
Carly Terreberry
Kyra White
camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 12
Love M ad e sib Vi
By K
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ati e
C u l p e p p e r, F a r m Ma
na ge
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92
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9
Katie Culpepper has long been connected to this community. As a camper, counselor, teacher, Farm Educator, and most recently the Farm Manager, Katie has spent much of her life on this campus. On the farm, she dedicated herself to providing authentic learning opportunities for campers, students, teachers, counselors, interns, and visitors, as well as actually producing food for this community. We are both saddened and excited for her as she moves on to her next adventure. Below is her reflection of her time here at North Country School and Camp Treetops.
I sat for a long time trying to determine how best to capture the last several years of working on this farm. I was in the barn office gazing back and forth from computer screen to the window. Beansprout, a goat kid born last spring, playing in a pile of hay was a welcome distraction. An endless to-do list tickled the back of my brain, as I struggled to focus on the task at hand. My eyes wandered up to a piece of page 13 Organic Roots Winter 2018
lined paper torn out of a journal and then tacked to the bulletin board in the office. I took it down to read it through, as I do from time to time when I am looking for words to ground me. It is Kahlil Gibran’s “On Work,” written out in pen and given to me by Natalie, a farm intern my first summer as the farm manager. She did not copy the whole passage, just the lines that resonated with her after three months on this
farm. She ended the passage with,
“Work is love made visible.” There it was—five words that beautifully capture my time here at North Country School and Camp Treetops. I love this place for what it has taught me through the years: That I am capable of having a meaningful impact. How to be a part of a community. To care for this land. Most importantly, it taught me to love.
I fell in love with this place
while rescuing seedlings from high winds. My first memory of being in a greenhouse was when I was five years old. My dad had just been hired as the gardener for school and camp and my family had made the trek from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Lake Placid. We had moved into the Hansen House and my dad had promptly built a greenhouse off the side of it. When the wind blew hard, my dad would yell for us and we’d come running to clamber through the kitchen window and out into the greenhouse to take our places. Greenhouse plastic scrunched under us, we would sit and hold tight to ensure that the whole thing didn’t blow away. Surely there was a better way to fasten the plastic down, but my dad wasn’t in any rush to figure it out and for my brother, sister, and me, it was an exciting responsibility. It played well off our love of make-believe and I’m certain at least one of those times I crawled through the kitchen window in full costume, moving seamlessly from protecting the princess (Kelli) from the dragon (Tucker) to the equally important task of protecting the lettuce seedlings from the blowing high winds. I have spent countless hours in our greenhouses since, starting seeds, transplanting, harvesting, and weeding, but I’d like to think it was in that first greenhouse that I learned I was capable of doing necessary and important work (even in a cape).
I fell in love with this place
because of blueberry muffins at the top of the floating stairs. My mom baked a lot when I was growing up. I learned to measure, mix, and knead from her, but more importantly, I learned that food, especially warm blueberry muffins, brings people together. Sunday mornings during the school year our apartment at the top of the floating stairs would fill, first with the smell of coffee brewing and soon after with a steady stream of teachers. Probably I liked this most, because it gave me
an audience to whom I could recite the latest Shel Silverstein poem I had memorized, but I think I also recognized the importance of having that space for people to gather. Sunday mornings were a time to take a deep breath in the midst of an otherwise busy schedule. It was a good reminder, even for me as a youngster, that though everyone had their own little bubbles—their classroom, their house, or their subject area—that there was a larger community and it was one worth celebrating even just for a short time once a week. I have since shared many meals—with students in the Edible Schoolyard kitchen, with campers at the Uphill Grill for gardener’s lunch, with school staff over boiling sap in the Sugar House—but I’d like to think that it was eating those blueberry muffins on Sunday mornings that taught me how meaningful it was to nurture the relationships within the community, especially around good food.
I fell in love with this place while
eating grasshoppers in the woods. Mildred Brooks, the camp naturalist, introduced me, alongside my mom and brother, to the plants and animals in our forest and fields. She was generous with her vast knowledge, as well as her almost spiritual connection to the natural world. When she introduced me to the edible plants of our landscape, I felt special, like she was trusting me to join the family. I felt a camaraderie with the stinging nettle and the milkweed, like Mildred had brought us together for a reason. She taught me that I could be comfortable and confident on this land and that I could provide food for myself (like grasshoppers, though that wasn’t exactly what she had in mind). I have since spent endless hours identifying plants, growing food, foraging, and exploring here, but I’d like to think that it was while eating grasshoppers that one night in the woods that I became inescapably connected to this landscape.
Working on this farm has given me the opportunity to express through my hands the love I have for this land and this community. Daily, I am able to give back to this place that has given to me so much of itself. While here, I have been held to expectations that have empowered me, worked in a community that has inspired me, and been a part of a landscape that has enlivened me. I feel challenged, strengthened, and humbled by this work, but overwhelmingly, I feel grateful to have had the opportunity to say thank you through my hands, my sweat and, (sometimes) my tears. I hope I have given back to North Country School and Camp Treetops even a fraction of what I am leaving here with. I am so excited for someone new to step into the role of Farm Manager for North Country School and Camp Treetops. I am happy to know that someone else will have the opportunity to fall in love, as I did over the years, with the smell of Dexter Woods on a sunny day and the sound of sheep’s delight when moved onto fresh pasture every afternoon, with the way the mist lifts off of Round Lake early in the morning or the feel of a camper’s hand tugging to show how many potato bugs they found. I already have a pang of jealousy as I think about someone else dropping carrot seeds into this soil, scuffling weeds on a hot day, or gathering the community for potato planting or chicken harvest. There is no question that whoever comes next will find countless reasons to fall in love with this place and this community. And the work that needs to be done in order to express all that love? Yeah, that’ll be there, too.
camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 14
School News Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at NCS
Displacement and the Human Experience Eighth- and ninth-grade English this fall term focused on the theme of displacement, using literature as a vehicle for students to explore the world outside their own lives. Eighthgraders read a selection of books including Refugee, Alan Gratz’s powerful novel on the interconnected experiences of refugees across distance and time. Ninth-graders read The Lost Boys of the Sudan by Mark Bixler, a nonfiction account of four of the 3,800 young men sent to the United States to escape brutal violence in their home country. Using themes of compassion, inclusion, and connectedness, along with examining the idea of privilege, eighth-graders composed poetry and ninth-graders wrote creative essays. Both levels have attended the presentation “Moving Mountains” at Keene Central School, in which Gabriel Bol Deng discusses his life as a Sudanese refugee. An excerpt from eighth-grader Noah Cooper’s poem, “Freed From Heaven,” written from the perspective of a character in A Long Walk to the Water, a novel by Linda Sue Park:
“I feel as a ghost But I keep walking Because I know That they would have wanted me to keep walking.”
NCS was founded on a philosophy of diversity and inclusion—values that continue to guide our institution. This fall, a committee of faculty was formed to further this mission as we strive to be leaders in equity, inclusivity, and social justice on a national level. Led by English teacher Lisa Muñoz, the committee is organizing programming aimed at fostering compassion, empathy, and respect. In addition to supporting professional development opportunities for faculty and inviting speakers with diverse perspectives to campus, several programmatic areas have incorporated this mission into their curriculum. The course IMPACT- Theater for Social Change recently took students to Soul Fire Farm—a farm in Petersburg, NY, working to end injustice and racism in the food system. Students brought NCS-grown produce to share, and spent the day working alongside Soul Fire farmers.
“The place where Soul Fire Farm is located is called a food desert, which means that there are little to no good foods coming in. Soul Fire grows fresh food and makes deliveries right to someone’s doorstep. They also teach people how to farm so they can grow their own food. They are raising awareness [of] racism and how that relates to food. The work that they do is some of the most important work that needs to be done right now in our world.” - Issac Mobolaji, 9th Grade
page 15 Organic Roots Winter 2018
Photos: Ned reading in class; Isaac at Soul Fire Farm.
School News
Building Skills, Creativity, and a Sea Serpent
When Larry Robjent was contacted by NCS/CTT electrician
rials. Outlet faceplates and electrical wires have also been
Bill Dominico about commissioning a large metal sculpture,
worked into the design, keeping Bill’s trade as an electrician
both saw it as an exciting opportunity for student involve-
specifically in mind. The finished sea serpent, slated for
ment. The fall term class that developed from the idea, aptly
completion during spring term, will consist of three sections
named Sea Serpent after Bill’s children’s choice of subject
and measure more than 45 feet wide and 7 feet tall. When
matter, tasked students with creating a design that utilized
settled into its new home on Bill’s Saranac Lake property, the
reclaimed campus materials. Meeting three days a week, stu-
installation will be accompanied by a plaque giving credit to
dents are plasma cutting, welding, and bolting the serpent to
the students involved in its creation.
life using old roofing, file cabinet parts, and greenhouse matecamptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 16
Greening & Renewal
Composting and climate change
At The Wild Center’s Adirondack Youth Climate Summit North Country School and Camp Treetops continue to
right for them and others talked through what was working
provide outreach education on composting at regional
in their schools.
conferences and events throughout the northeast. In
Several NCS students were also in attendance at
November 2017, Farm Manager Katie Culpepper presented the topic at the annual Adirondack Youth Climate Summit. Katie spoke about large-scale composting, especially as it relates to agriculture, in promoting a regenerative system, rather than an extractive one. Participants learned that composting promotes climate resilience by keeping food waste out of landfills, decreasing methane emissions, and instead, using that waste to build up healthy soils — bringing carbon out of the atmosphere and storing it in the ground. Then Katie spoke about what composting actually is and shared a variety of methods. Participants in the workshop asked questions about what system might be page 17 Organic Roots Winter 2018
the Climate Summit, where they helped to oversee composting efforts for the two-day event. They participated in workshops, presented on school sustainability and greening efforts, and developed a climate action plan. After speaking with our students and attending Katie’s composting workshop, Lake Placid and Saranac Lake High Schools were inspired enough to approach NCS about co-developing a climate action plan. Our students will be working together to come up with a proposal to transport food scraps from the local public schools to be processed in our institution’s novel in-vessel composter.
Photo courtesy of The Wild Center
DEAR FELLOW ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF CAMP AND SCHOOL You have helped accomplish the extraordinary feat of not only matching, but exceeding the fundraising challenge I offered in September of 2015. My heartfelt thanks goes to each of you for joining the Board of Trustees and me in raising an unprecedented total of $3,026,000 for this beloved institution. I am personally grateful for your support in seeding the Richard Rockefeller Fresh Start Fund and supporting the acquisition of the Round Lake property, which has opened up the entire lake and surroundings to what was once “off limits” for our programs. Securing this acreage guarantees an expanded campus for the innovative, experiential educational offerings called for by the strategic plan. But these efforts still have a way to go. Please join me in finishing what we started:
Our expanded campus, along with the increasing need to educate children about the essential interconnections between humanity and the natural world, make your contribution today more important than ever. You are uniquely qualified to help increase the pool of children who will grow up with empathy for the plight of our natural world, with a concern for people of all kinds, and with the skills to make a difference. Thank you in advance for your gift.
With warmest wishes and gratitude,
Eileen Rockefeller Growald ‘66
PRESERVE BUILD GROW
Help me to complete the funding for both the Round Lake parcel and the endowed Fresh Start Fund that honors my late brother Richard’s commitment to augmenting access to children of every background.
A Conversation
with Peter Bullock, Director of Round Lake Campus NCS: You come to NCS-Treetops with an impressive background in education and program development. Can you elaborate on your past experiences and how they will inform your role here as the director of Round Lake Campus? Before NCS-Treetops I developed education programs for 13 years at Shelburne Farms. Primarily I worked with visiting elementary and middleschool students and their teachers, and directed summer camp for ages 6–17. My highlight each year was always several week-long overnight programs. With a passion for farm-to-table experiences, I developed two outdoor classrooms that included open hearths, bio-char stoves and compost toilets for day and residential programming.
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Since I came to education through studies in environmental issues and human ecology, I gravitated toward the constructivist theory of learning. In essence, we construct knowledge based on our prior and current experience. Vine Deloria Jr. sums this up by observing, “We may misunderstand, but we do not misexperience.” In practice this means a subtle shift in teaching; instead of discussing a topic like food webs or local agriculture, we play hide and seek or set out to make pizza from scratch. Engaging visiting schools at the Eileen Rockefeller House will allow for that same process to unfold. The result is that we don’t merely learn about the concept and stories, we participate in them and are shaped by the experience. These activities also pull us together: the dough team has their hands full, separating wheat berries, grinding flour, and working with yeast. It is with relief and admiration that the cheese,
sauce and toppings teams arrive with similar handcrafted products. There is an individual dimension along with a community-tending dimension. At Shelburne Farms I also taught preschool for seven years, worked with colleges, mentored college graduates and interns, supervised up to 20 staff, served on the organizational development team, and for four years chaired the safety committee. Having previously worked with farm-based, non-profit, and for-profit subsidiary ventures under one umbrella, the challenge and opportunity of adding Round Lake Campus to camp and school feels exciting yet familiar and comfortable. In the last four years I was inspired to take all the good that I had experienced teaching outdoors and see it flourish in schools. I joined the Renaissance School as curriculum specialist, followed by interim head
at Vermont Athletic Academy and again at the Bellwether School. This gave me more exposure to progressive education philosophy, strategic planning and facility management. Along the way I’ve started three nature mentoring programs and assisted with a fourth at a weekly forest school. All the time I was looking for a very wild and very human learning ecosystem to live, work and raise a family—we found it here!
NCS: What drew you to NCS-Treetops? Can you describe your experience living and working on campus?
I wanted to be part of an organization that had thoughtfully balanced its needs with access to the wild and was committed to sharing that balance with the rest of the world. It also helped that in 2001 I came to NCS-Treetops as a delegate from Shelburne Farms on a tour of best practices in the region. We are blessed to be able to move into the Farm House. Michelle has
been our stay-at-home parent since our first daughter was born; Marie is now six years old. We also have JJ, our 3-year-old son, and Annabelle, our 10-month-old daughter. Marie is now a first-grader at Keene. Michelle grew up in Pennsylvania, became a teacher, and fell in love with directing summer camp at Camp Greylock for the YMCA. She also directed after-school programs for the Y. As a family we love camping trips to state parks, day-trip bike/ swim combos, and hiking. It has been a blast to get out and about together. Working here allows us to stay a one-car family, with inviting trails to connect to RockE, or a short bike on the road. For the last two weeks of summer, I made a point to walk out to camp and my afternoons would be pollinated by inspired staff, neighbors, campers, and new friends.
NCS: How can our community work together to help ensure the success of this exciting new programming?
First and foremost, think about joining a pilot program for yourself, for your child(ren) or for your family. Topics and themes will include arts, farm to table, environmental science, and unlimited outdoor pursuits. We would love to have your unique perspective and honest assessment of new programs. One of the challenges of a lean startup is to find talented trip leaders for a week-long, or even 3-day program. If you, or someone you know, has a passion or skill
that could be showcased at RockE, please do reach out. It would be wonderful if they were to lead a lecture, program, or workshop. Conversely, if you know of a group of friends or colleagues who are looking for a particular experience, we would like to be a part of that too. Along those lines, we are looking to partner with private or public schools interested in making a class trip to the High Peaks and staying and learning with us at RockE. Introductions to teachers, parents or administrators in a school you admire and know will go a long way to establishing those relationships. Ahead of a website, continue to share Round Lake Campus correspondence with friends and family. You can also learn more at our Facebook page.
NCS: What is one of the most significant steps in the development of new programs?
Establishing relationships with likeminded thought leaders, educators, and institutions is the most significant step at this point. That’s the reason an introduction from an alum is so helpful, because we can identify talented people to offer new programs. In the coming years we can then look to offer programs off-campus and even world-wide.
continued on next page...
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Interview with Peter Bullock, Director of Round Lake Campus. NCS: How will this new programming connect to the mission of Camp and School?
At its core, Round Lake Campus allows for the tone, tenor, and feel of Treetops and NCS for the past 100 and 80 years, respectively, to continue. Part of the work will be to update the mission statement, and its center will be the sentiment shared by Helen Haskell to restore what city and suburb have removed for our children and our communities. Walter Clark’s intention to underscore what is most important will be in there too: how we feel about ourselves, our family, other people, other animals, our work, the place we live, our planet, the stars, sky and universe. Farm-to-table living, as well as greening and sustainability, will be staples. It will all distill to an experience of what is wild, what is human, and what is the balance
page 21 Organic Roots Winter 2018
at the heart of the six-million-acre Adirondack Park. Visitors can bring home this balance and begin to restore city and suburb from within.
NCS: Speaking of sustainability, how will we balance the need for revenue with mission-driven education and philosophy? How does this fit into the Strategic Plan?
The top priority is to find the synergy between mission and market. When I was at Shelburne Farms, this meant extending early childhood educational programs to middle childhood and teens. This helped to grow year-round staff positions as well as engage teachers in hands-on professional development through stints as camp counselors, using a farm-based education and/or nature mentoring pedagogy. When this synergy is found, net earned income is realized and the mission is advanced.
Earned income is important because Round Lake Campus needs to cover its own expenses, staffing, and debt service if we want to attract community and philanthropic support to expand its reach. For instance, we can currently accommodate 12–18 people in the RockE house, and would like to move that number to 24 comfortably, install a pellet furnace, rehabilitate Weecote Barn and Weecote Cottage, and develop the forest surrounds for platform tents and a wash house as well. This activity, instead of being a burden on its sister programs, Camp and School, can then serve as a nimble public-facing enterprise that doubles as an on-ramp for future Camp and School enrollment. In the short-term we can capture revenue more pragmatically with the same care and thought. We are very much open to facility rentals by staff, relatives, and alumni families at below-market rates. We are also pursuing Ironman, Horse Show, and collegiate Nordic ski team rentals, as well as two weddings when Camp and School are out of session. We will be mindful to ensure that the majority of our programming aligns with our mission, though. There will be minimal unrelated business income. By broadening our reach, sustainability as we would measure it—economically, environmentally, equitably, and educationally — will be closer to realization, and the mission of the institution will be further advanced.
H A R V E S T W E E K E N D AT R O U N D L A K E C A M P U S Programs at Round Lake Campus kicked off in early October with “Harvest Weekend.� The event invited participants to take in the season by visiting local farms, trekking up local peaks, and sharing farm-to-table meals prepared and served at the Eileen Rockefeller House, or RockE. Brooklyn-based chef Alissa Fitzgerald (NCS 95) offered cooking lessons and also planned a menu of seasonal fare, including NCS turkey, chicken, lamb, and a cornucopia of vegetables. Participants also enjoyed local honey, milk, cheese, and figs from other regional producers, like Juniper Hill Farm and Sugar House Creamery. Other highlights: hiking up Jay Mountain, Pitchoff, Balanced Rocks, and Whiteface; yoga sessions with artist and filmmaker K. Tyler Johnston (NCS 93); canoe missions across Round Lake for fresh farm eggs and salad fixings; a tour of the NCS-Treetops drum composter; and roller skiing on the access road to Mount Van Hoevenberg. Of particular note, participant Moses Weintraub (CTT 11-17) became a 46er during his stay. The group celebrated with homemade chocolate cake and dinner with esteemed guest Andrea Henkel Burke, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and eight-time World Champion in the biathlon.
Photos: Peter hiking with participants; farm-to-table vegetables served at Harvest Weekend.
camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 22
K. Tyler Johnston NCS 93
ROOTS & BRANCHES
Hilary Platt
CTT 01-06, staff 09-11 page 23 Organic Roots Winter 2018
My NCS Roots: I visited North Country School and as I drove toward the main building I saw climbing trees with kids sprinkled throughout them and thought, This is a cool place. I was warmly welcomed by students Kaija Helmetag (NCS 93), Coco Dunmire (NCS 92, CTT 89-90), and Yoseph Teklemariam (NCS 93) , who took me on a campus tour. While at NCS I was introduced to photography through Susie Runyon and Jeff Earl; I would shoot on film and develop it in a darkroom. My time in the various NCS art studios was very influential in developing my eye and interest in the arts. While at school, I also participated in yoga and martial arts, including the Brazilian martial art form of Capoeira.
out, while celebrating our diverse community.
How I Branched Out:
I remember Hock taking some students on a secondary-school trip and that’s when I knew the Cambridge School of Weston was the right fit for me. I was able to build on my NCS arts foundation in prep school and beyond. Today, I am an interdisciplinary artist and filmmaker, and I recently produced a feature documentary called My Father’s Land about a Haitian medicine man and farmer who returns to Haiti after 40 yrs. I recently became an artist in residence at the Nantucket Island School of Design and the Arts to further pursue my career.
The culture of school fostered lifelong learning while providing the opportunity to go on hikes and build independence and self-confidence. I learned to educate my whole self from the inside
In August 2017, I returned to campus after 20+ years for Friends’ Weekend and reconnected with the space and former classmates. I realized that NCS was ahead of the curve in permaculture, nutrition, food systems,
My CTT Roots: My grandfather
but we all felt proud to be in our canoes.
Frank Platt, was a camper, as were my father, Roger, uncle Arthur, and brother, Benjamin. I grew up in conservative Washington DC and attended a Catholic school. My upbringing did not provide an outlet for creativity, to be opinionated, and to try new things, as Camp Treetops did. I grew up using a paddle my uncle had made at Treetops. So when I was old enough for camp, I knew that I wanted to make one of my own. I ended up making three! I still have one of the paddles in my room at my parents’ apartment and people are often very surprised to see it. I love telling them that I made it. I vividly remember my second-year canoe trip to Lake George and paddling 32 miles. I did this as an “Idiot Trip.” I was one of two first-years on the trip and remember having an incredible day. Lake George is filled with motorboats, so we had to deal with a lot of waves,
I spent a month in Alaska for the TTAlaska in the summer of 2006. The trip was led by one of my favorite counselors, Brook Erenstone Phillips (CTT Staff 02-04). It was a service trip filled with a quirky set of projects, from volunteering with puppies at an Iditarod farm to building a trail in Denali National Park. Alaska was the perfect place for camping in the summer because it never really got dark. The trip was especially memorable because my backpack with all my gear got stolen on the street before I left for the airport to fly out. I showed up to Alaska with nothing. The counselors were supportive and told me we would buy everything when I arrived. I thought the theft would ruin my trip, but it really just taught me that material possessions are far less important than being outside in the company of good people. Brook and I are still friends, and I attended her wedding a few years ago in the Adirondacks.
and sustainability. During my time on campus I was reminded that my school experiences were so influential to my life and that the many lessons I learned at NCS have stayed close to my heart. Over Friends’ I had time to reflect on the importance of the fellowship and friendships that I made and thank the adults in person who made that happen for me. I encourage alumni to reconnect and visit if time allows! * My Father’s Land will air on PBS for the next two years and received an Amnesty International Human Rights award in 2015. Tyler is currently in development of The Nantucket Doctor, about a modern-day, country doctor and the changing times of health care. My Father’s Land www.myfathersland.com The Nantucket Doctor www.ackdocmovie.com.
My father brought me to Friends’ Weekend when I was in high school and I have since returned to attend on my own. The counselor and camper community has been like a second family to me. I frequently meet up with Rachel Hiles CTT (97-00) and Sara Levine CTT (83-87) in San Francisco for dinner. Treetops is the reason I became an environmentalist and influenced my college choice of Middlebury.
How I Branched Out: After
graduating from Middlebury I spent two years in DC, which eventually brought me to San Francisco, CA. I currently work for Geli (Growing Energy Labs, Inc.), where I work in battery storage technology. My life goal is to have the world running on renewable energy. This past summer I was at camp for Bridget Loud’s wedding and once again I was reminded that Treetops was at the heart of my formative years.
Matt Ackerman (NCS 92) helping his son during Saturday night chicken moving
Alex Khalap (CTT 90-93) and Zoe Khalap enjoying cocktails
Saturday bonfire on Round Lake
CTT 80s campers, counselors and their families
FRIENDS’ WEEKEND 2017 Friends’ Weekend 2017 saw more than 220 alumni and friends return to campus. Hiking trips up Balanced Rocks, Wright, and Baxter Mountain, page 25 Organic Roots Winter 2018
and rock climbing trips at Dave’s Crag and King Phillip’s Spring were all very well attended. Friends worked in the craft shop making bracelets and using watercolor pencils, branded wooden coasters in Flushing Meadows, assisted
Rohit Desai (CTT Parent 92-97, Trustee 96-11) and grandson helping with the garden harvest
Ashlee Virtue (NCS 06) keeping warm while waiting for council to start
NCS Alumni from the 90s
with barn chores and harvesting, and helped complete a footbridge over the creek on the way to the Eileen Rockefeller House. Friday night saw the return of Roger Loud to call the square dance for the first time in several years.
Jeffrey Cooper (CTT 74-77, CTT Counselor 82) playing guitar during morning songs
NCS 57 alumni: Lucy Johnson (CTT 54-56, NCS 56-57, CTT Parent 93), David Wing (NCT 57, staff 66-68, CTT 55), Sandy Nowicki (NCS 57, staff 67-12, parent 83-84, CTT parent 79-83, 87-91, staff 96-14, trustee 93-present)
WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR, AUGUST 22 – 26, 2018.
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Strong Roots, High Peaks Campaign
CELEBRATION
In addition to all of the activities at Friends’ Weekend, we celebrated the completion of the $25 million Strong Roots, High Peaks Capital Campaign. The celebration included a display of 3,130 strips of fabric representing every donor to the campaign, an apple tree planted in the Children’s Garden, a scavenger hunt that took Friends to places on campus built or improved due to the generosity of our donors, and a thank you Cupcake Mountain before the traditional bonfire. On Saturday evening Hock detailed the campaign’s contributions to Camp and School’s facilities and fiscal sustainability, and he led the crowd
THE ANNUAL FUND SUPPORTS
every part of the Camp Treetops and North Country School experience! • Weekly music lessons • Great design-and-build classes • New paddleboards • Wool, clay, paint, and wood for the art rooms and craft shops • 12 Treetops riding counselors every summer • Backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, and water bottles for the hike houses
Please contact Greta Hovland at 518-837-5407 or ghovland@ncstreetops.org for more information.
• Maintenance and fuel for the ski hill tow rope (powered by a 1955 Ford truck engine) • Seeds for the garden and greenhouses • Wood pellets for our biomass heating systems • More than $900,000 in financial aid
campaign’s success
• And so much more!
generosity.
APRIL 11 - 15, 2018
• 300 crackers a day for juice and crackers at Camp
in a toast to the and the community’s
JOIN ALUMNI, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS OF CAMP AND SCHOOL FOR SKIING AND FUN AT FRIENDS’ WEEKEND AT ALTA LODGE,
Your gift sustains our signature programs for children. Please contribute today: camptreetops.org/giving or northcountryschool.org/giving. Please contact Matt Donahue, Director of Advancement at mdonahue@ncstreetops.org or 518-523-9329 for more information. Thank you!
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page 29 Organic Roots Winter 2018
From the Archives
IN MEMORIAM
Edward “Ted” Austin Lindsay (NCS 71, CTT parent 99–06, staff 99-06, 12–13 and 15–16), 61, died August 7, 2017, from a sudden cardiac event at his home in Millbrook, NY. Ted was born March 28, 1956, in Huntington, New York, to parents Elizabeth “Libby” Austin Lindsay and David Alexander Lindsay. He attended North Country School and Milton Academy, and graduated from the University of Vermont with a BA in the History of Religion. He then attended Dutchess Community College, graduating with an Associate’s Degree in Nursing, and became licensed as a Registered Nurse. Over the years, he graciously aided thousands of patients throughout the Hudson Valley at Westchester Medical Center, Sharon Hospital, and Vassar Brothers Medical Center. Later in his career, Ted cared for hundreds of campers and students at Camp Treetops and at the Millbrook School. He will be page 31 Organic Roots Winter 2018
remembered for his generous spirit, his irreverent sense of humor, and his deep devotion to family. Ted lived in Millbrook, NY, for most of his adult life in the home he built with Nan, his wife of more than 30 years. Together they cherished hosting family and friends with grace and hospitality. Ted delighted in acting, dancing, and storytelling, but was most known for his skill and creativity as a ceramic artist, giving life to hand-thrown mugs, bowls, and sculpture pieces. His artistic nature carried over into his passionate dedication to gardening, food, baking—and every cat who crossed his path. Ted will be dearly missed by his wife, Nancy Brennan Lindsay; daughters, Morgan Carey Lindsay (CTT 99-03) and Dana
Austin Lindsay (CTT 99-06, staff 10-13, 15-17); as well as a large, loving family and extended community. Ted’s time as a student at North Country School was deeply transformative. He studied under Sue Hanson and credited Sue with inspiring his lifelong passion for ceramics. Camp Treetops was equally important to Ted and his family, who remain closely connected to that community. Ted took great joy in helping to build the Uphill Grill in Sr. Camp; making striped maple baskets with campers; and hiking Balanced Rocks on his nights off. He will be deeply missed by the Camp and School community. Donations in honor of Ted may be made to the Camp Treetops & North Country School Scholarship Funds and to the Dutchess County SPCA.
Francis “Whit” Whitcomb (NCS staff 52–60, CTT parent 65–69, CTT staff 56–57, trustee 69–75 and 97–10, BRC member 04–17), 94, passed away on the summer solstice, June 21, 2017, surrounded by family. Born in New York City to James and Josephine Whitcomb, he attended Hoosac School and Bard College, earning a BA in Education. In his lifelong educational pursuits, he went on to collect an MA in Education from The Putney Graduate School, and an MA in Conservation from the University of Michigan. In between education pursuits, he served his country in World War II. Following the war, Whit accepted a teaching position at The Hickory Ridge School, in Putney, VT. After completing a Master’s program at The Putney Graduate School, he accepted a teaching position at North Country School. It was there that he met his partner in life, Patricia Jane Hale (NCS staff 52-60), and they
NEWS & NOTES celebrated 63 years of marriage this past December. Whit went on to teach history and English at New Canaan Country Day School, before teaching at The Grammar School, eventually taking on the role of headmaster of this progressive private elementary school until 1973. He later took a hiatus from education to run a small family farm. It was on this small homestead that a lifelong goal of owning a maple-sugaring operation was realized. In 1981, Whit returned to the classroom, accepting a position at Lake Region Union High School in Orleans, VT, before retiring in 1988. It was perhaps his truest calling, his purest gift, developing and impacting young minds for the future. Whit leaves behind his beloved wife, Patricia, as well as their children, Marian Guihan, along with her husband, Peter, and their two sons, Benjamin and Samuel; Jennifer Elliott and her husband, Clarke; and David Whitcomb, his wife, Kim, and their children and a grandchild. Whit was an eternal optimist, a searcher of truth, and of tolerance. He had a never-ending curiosity and compassion for the lives around him, a thirst for knowledge, and he was most joyous when he was in the presence of his family.
NCS ALUMNI/AE
Alan, son of Walter and Leo Clark, the founders of NCS, is pictured here with Pat Whitcomb (CTT parent 65–69) and Sandy Nowicki
(NCS 57, staff 67–12, parent 83–84, CTT parent 79–83, 87–91, staff 96–14, trustee 93–present), and Julie Eberhardt (NCS staff 58-60 and CTT Staff 58) at a Celebration of Life for Whit Whitcomb in Vermont in July 2017.
1970 J. Meimei Ma (also, NCS parent 13–16)
1947 Jim Seymour Jim visited the Lake Placid area for some hiking and a tour of school and the farm. He traveled from his residence in Hong Kong, where he is a professor. He’s pictured here with his partner, Kangsu, behind Balcony House, where he lived as a student.
1957
“Had great fun at NCS/CTT Friends as always. Even more fun now that Jamie (NCS 16) is a graduate, too. We also enjoyed visits with friends in the area beforehand. Still in North Carolina. Instead of driving Jamie to Lake Placid for school, driving to Boston instead. She is enjoying Cambridge School of Weston. Hoping the Teaching Kitchen can be fully funded and built before our 50th.”
Alan Clark (also, CTT 43–46)
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NEWS & NOTES
1971 Charlie Biddle and Ann Campbell Charles Biddle and Ann Campbell, both class of 1971, caught up on Rhode Island’s Narragansett Beach in September.
1974 Theron David Cook (also, NCS parent 94–99, CTT 73, CTT parent 94–98, CTT staff 14, 9096 trustee) “Since graduating last year, I have been an itinerant minister preaching in and around NYC where I now live, after starting an NGO to create systemic change. I’ve been in touch with the following classmates on a fairly consistent basis: Maya Radiconcini (NCS 74), Colin Wells (NCS 74), Matt Salinger (NCS 74,
CTT parent 04–08, trustee 99– present, BRC member 04–present), and John Rosenmiller (NCS 73). Also, Pamela Rosenthal (NCS parent 07–09, trustee 99–present), who is a classmate of mine from Exeter. page 33 Organic Roots Winter 2018
1995 Josh Rowan Josh continues to run his familyowned business, Hindu Charters, out of Provincetown, MA, and Key West, FL. Josh captains the Schooner Hindu, a 70-foot vessel built in 1925, offering unique charter options and daily excursions.
Anabell Corwin (NCS 14, CTT 13, staff 16) enjoyed working alongside Josh as a deckhand for the 2017 summer season. Anabell helped with everything from polishing brass to hauling up sails on the 92-year-old vessel three times a day, as the boat toured around Provincetown Harbor with passengers aboard.
1996 Brigit Loud (also, CTT 90–96, staff 11–present) Brigit married Calvin Gilkey (CTT staff 13–14) this past June on a beautiful Adirondack afternoon, surrounded by friends and family, including maid of honor Kelli
Culpepper (CTT 91–98, staff 99–09, NCS 92–93, staff 07–09), best man Jackson Gilkey (CTT staff 11–13), and wedding officiant Mariah Kelly (CTT 01–08, staff 10–15). The couple now resides in South Burlington, VT.
2003 Justin Perry married Caroline Hlavacek (NCS staff 15–present) on 7/17/17 in Lake Placid. Also pictured are bridesmaid Sarah Perry (NCS
NEWS & NOTES Faculty members Sam Hecklau, Caitlin Kelly, and Kyra White all attended NYSAIS New Teachers Institute in October. School counselor Lauren McGovern earned her National Counselor Certification over the summer. In August 2017, NCS science teacher Dave Steckler and his partner, Christine, welcomed their daughter, Amalia, into the world. This is their first child.
09, CTT 03, staff 16) and best man Jake Doan (NCS 07). Several NCS alumni and community members were present to share in the celebration, and it was a beautiful evening.
2017 This past summer, Spencer Darwall flew to see Romina (NCS 16–present) in Mexico City, hosted Peam (NCS 18) in Chicago (shown atop Hancock
tower), and visited Robbie Tylman (NCS 14–16) in Toronto.
CTT FRIENDS
NCS STAFF Associate Director of Marketing and Communications Emilie Allen married Patrick McAvoy in Wilmington, by Whiteface Mountain, on September 16, 2017. Farm Manager
Katie Culpepper (CTT 92–99, staff 02–09, 11–17, NCS staff 08–10,11–17) was a bridesmaid and Assistant Business Manager Brandy Hobson was a groomswoman.
Bob Heays CTT 31-38 Bob celebrated a belated 97th birthday with Hock and Saranac Lake friends before moving back to Florida.
Director of Admission David Damico is pictured at right with Jun
Zhang (NCS parent 13–14, trustee 14–present) and a current NCS parent in Beijing. Annual admissions trips to TABS Asia include boarding school fairs in Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, China, and Thailand, to see our present families and meet prospective ones as well. camptreetops.org | northcountryschool.org page 34
NEWS & NOTES Eric Wagner CTT 40–41, NCS 44, staff 50–55 Eric, Bill Kinzer (CTT 42–43), and Malcolm Willison (CTT 41–43)
(CTT 38, staff 46, parent 62-72, grandparent 98-04, NCS staff 51-52, trustee 73-80) home on the Hudson River. Sarah’s sister Ellie (CTT 98-02)
presented their latest artistic endeavors at Friend’s Weekend 2017. Eric paints, Bill composes music, and Malcolm has been writing poetry.
made the wedding cake and brother Ben (CTT 03-06) and other siblings walked with them down the aisle. In addition to Sarah’s parents. Matt
(CTT 62-67, parent 96-06, trustee 91-present) and Amy, numerous family
Maddie Ames CTT 97–02, staff 07–13
and friends joined the celebration.
Maddie married Brendan Pratt on June 24, 2017.
Lauren McCarty CTT staff 00-07, 12-16 “This summer I moved to Brooklyn and accepted a job as lower school art teacher at the Chapin School. I’m enjoying my new job and living close to so many CTT alum and former counselors, including Molly Colina
Kelli Culpepper CTT 91–98, staff 99–09, NCS 93, staff 07–09 Kelli married Ryan Roberts on August 26, 2017 in Girdwood, Alaska, at the Crow Creek Gold Mine surrounded by Treetops friends and family, including parents Karen and John Culpepper, director of Camp Treetops and director of facilities and sustainability, respectively, as well as sister, Katie Culpepper (CTT 92–99,
staff 02–09, 11–17, NCS staff 08–10,11– 17), and brother, Tucker (CTT 96–03, staff 04–11, 16–17). Kelli and Ryan reside in Anchorage, Alaska.
Sarah Davidson CTT 96-99 Sarah married Spencer Hoffman on October 7, 2017. The wedding took place at Joan Davidson’s page 35 Organic Roots Winter 2018
“Window of Enlightenment,” 4’x4’ birch panel, canvas, Adirondack birch bark, charcoal and natural inks. I’ll be in another exhibition this January in Jersey City, organized by Treetops alum Peter Delman (CTT 60-61, parent 94-95).”
[Malmfelt-Frank] (CTT 90-93, staff 13-14), who is only a few blocks away! Also in the summer, I was a part of an art exhibition in Philadelphia called More Stately Mansions, in which artists displayed work that explored inequity in the Gilded Age and how that impacts today’s social and economic dynamic. My piece for the show focused on the Adirondacks’ own Camp Santanoni and the motivations and influences that willed it into being. Many of the materials used for this piece were gathered in the Adirondacks. The artwork, shown here, is called
Moses Weintraub CTT 11–17 “Moses became a ‘46er’ this October atop Whiteface Mountain! He was accompanied on the hike by his father, Manny Weintraub (CTT
73–81, staff 85–87, parent 2011– present, trustee 99–07, 10-present), and his 11-year-old sister, Judith “Judy” (CTT 16–present). His mother, Johanna (CTT parent 11–present), and little brother, Nathaniel, were there to greet them at the top. Moses has now hiked all 46 of the Adirondack High Peaks of 4,000 feet or higher, a goal he has been working towards for the last five and a half years. Moses and his family would like to thank Karen Culpepper and Camp Treetops, as well as David Hochschartner, for inspiring him to do this and taking him on all of his summer hikes. After it was all over, 15-year-old Moses said, ‘I need a new goal.’ We can’t wait to see what you set out to accomplish next!”
Organic Roots welcomes News and Notes submissions year-round. Please email eallen@ncstreetops.org.
North Country School and Camp Treetops 2016-2017 annual report
“If there is any advice I can give you it is BE ADVENTUROUS… there is always something else you can learn. That is the beauty of Treetops. Make something in the camper kitchen, learn a new board game, make a wood project or a Super Loom. There is no other place [like this].…” — CTT Super
PAGE I annual report 2016-2017 | North Country School and Camp Treetops
Greetings from Lake Placid
Dear Friends, Your extraordinary generosity to North Country School and Camp Treetops this year is a testament to your commitment to our campers and students. Thank you. From a record Annual Fund to the success of the Strong Roots, High Peaks Campaign and the launch of an ambitious strategic plan, your support, in all its forms, continues to be vital to our success. We are pleased to present our Annual Report for September 1, 2016, through August 31, 2017. The Annual Fund, boosted by Eileen Rockefeller’s Challenge, finished the fiscal year at more than $1.36 million from 1,015 donors. You can take pride in this remarkable giving that supported: • more than $960,000 in need-based tuition assistance to over 30 percent of campers and students; • opportunities for hands-on learning and creative exploration—from designing and building a new footbridge to learning about our new honeybee hive to participating in theater competitions and art shows; • many outdoor adventures, such as taking a trip across Round Lake to swim off the shore of the Eileen Rockefeller House (RockE), enjoying multi-day hikes in the Adirondack backcountry, learning new tricks on the campus ski hill, or cantering on horseback for the first time. At Friends’ Weekend in August, we were thrilled to celebrate our community’s generosity to the $25 million Strong Roots, High Peaks Campaign. More than 3,160 donors gave to this campaign since it began 10 years ago. The following two pages highlight this effort’s impact on our facilities and endowment. You can read more about the celebration on page 25. In May, we unveiled a comprehensive strategic plan that honors tradition and history by ensuring the excellence of our current programs while also designing new, compelling initiatives. For more information on the plan, which we are in the first stages of implementing, visit: https://goo.gl/ty3WAQ Your generosity makes it possible for our faculty and staff to continue doing what they do best: ensuring that NCS and Treetops have an impact on children long after they have left. Thanks again and know that you always have a home here below Balanced Rocks. Sincerely,
Barkley Stuart Chair, Board of Trustees
Matt Salinger Chair, Development Committee
David “Hock” Hochschartner Executive Director
annual report 2016-2017 | North Country School and Camp Treetops PAGE I
$600,000
43%
Annual Fund growth
SUSTAIN
(or 1,349) Donors giving under $250
32
New Balanced Rocks Circle (legacy giving society) members
TRANSFORM
39.5%
Endowment growth since 2006
30%
of campers and students receive need-based financial aid every year
12
New named endowment funds
PAGE II annual report 2016-2017 | North Country School and Camp Treetops
16+ capital projects
• CTT Main House • Clark House • Main Building renovations including Dining Room and Ramp • Woods House renovation • Farm House renovation (ongoing) • Three solar arrays • Four biomass heating units • Rotating drum composter • Construction of wastewater treatment plant (Flushing Meadows) • New well project • Main Building staining project • Under-grounding of power and communications lines • Doug Haskell’s Hanging House and Wing House reproductions • Barnyard improvements • Parking lot behind Main Building to increase green space • Timber frame garden shed • Many other sustainability and campus aesthetic projects
FLOURISH
4
Biomass plants, including one that heats the entire Main Building
Several hundred tons of wood locally sourced from our campus and contiguous land
3
Living roofs
3
Solar panel arrays totaling 20,000 KW capacity
0
Gallons of #2 fuel oil used on campus, down from 27,000 gallons 10 years ago
28,000 Pounds of food scraps composted in our first year of operation with our novel in-vessel composter
annual report 2016-2017 | North Country School and Camp Treetops PAGE III
Institutional Leadership
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Barkley Stuart, Chair Jenny Ewing Allen, Vice Chair Brian Eng, Treasurer Sandy Gray Nowicki, Secretary Lisa Beck Barry Breeman Peter R. Brest Peter Curran J. Matthew Davidson Guillaume de Ramel Laura Harris Nick Hewitt Carla von Trapp Hunter Caroline Kenney Roger S. Loud Greg Marchildon Jennifer Maslow Robert Parker Pamela Rosenthal Matt Salinger Hume Steyer Mara F. Wallace Manny Weintraub Jun Zhang
HONORARY TRUSTEES Joan K. Davidson Colin C. Tait Richard E. Wilde
David Damico Director of Admissions Matt Donahue Director of Advancement
TRUSTEES EMERITI David Kenney Rose Kean Lansbury Sumner Parker
John Nicholson Interim Director of Marketing and Communications
ADMINISTRATION
Fritz Sabbow Business Manager and CFO
David Hochschartner Executive Director
Anne Swayze Director of North Country School
Peter Bullock Director of Round Lake Campus Karen Culpepper Camp Treetops Director John Culpepper Director of Facilities and Sustainability
Operating Fund Fiscal Year ending Aug 31, 2017 Statement of Activities Expenditures Program Services 2,333,039 Physical Plant 1,280,609 Administrative & Fundraising 2,111,546 Subtotal 5,725,194 Financial Aid 961,185 Total Expenditures 6,686,379
Revenues Tuition and Fees Distribution from Endowment Annual Fund Gifts Other Revenues Total Revenues & Gifts
4,728,202 500,000 1,357,567 100,610 6,686,379
Summary of Gifts received Annual Fund Gifts Endowment Gifts Other Restricted Gifts Total Gifts Received
1,357,567 224,260 804,068 2,385,895
North Country School and Camp Treetops is incorporated as a not-for-profit organization and is listed as a charitable and educational organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Service Code. Our federal tax ID number is 14-1430542.
annual report 2016-2017 | North Country School and Camp Treetops PAGE V
High Peaks Giving Levels Thank you to our community of alumni, families, employees past and present, trustees, and friends for their generosity. Your loyal support makes a true impact on our campers and students.
Marcy (5,344 FT) $50,000 and up
Anonymous (3) Isabel Huffman Belden u Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Fullwood Foundation, Inc. H Paul and Eileen Growald ‘66 u The Gruben Charitable Foundation Josh and Victoria Harlan Mr. and Mrs. David T. Kenney u Jun Li and Yan Chen l Sandy Gray Nowicki ‘57 u Diana Oehrli Mr. and Mrs. Sumner Parker ‘41 u Barkley Stuart and Ann Glazer
Algonquin (5,114 FT) $25,000-$49,999
Anonymous (2) Keith and Peggy Anderson Keith and Peggy Anderson Family Foundation Lisa Beck and Mitch Seider H Mr. and Mrs. Mark B. Davis l Lake Placid Education Foundation u Rose K. Lansbury u Lolya Lipchitz and Harold Kasimow u Jennifer H. Maslow u Stefan Nowicki George Rizk l Dr. Jun Zhang and Ms. Bei Zhu
Haystack (4,960 FT) $10,000-$24,999
Anonymous American Endowment Foundation Benevity Community Impact Fund Peter Brest u
KEY TO SYMBOLS
l
Xin Cai and Fu Yun l Matthew and Amy Davidson u Guillaume ’89 and Molly de Ramel H The de Ramel Foundation Brian Eng and Renee Bourgeois Elizabeth Eng and Benjamin Botts H Kenneth and June Eng H Feather Foundation, Inc. Edie and Jim Garrett u Laura and David T. Harris u The J. M. Kaplan Fund, Inc. u Caroline Kenney H Jane Lang u Ruling Liu l The Maslow Family Foundation Felicity M. Pool ‘63 u Drs. Pamela Rosenthal and Sam Wertheimer H Matt Salinger u Steven Saslow Bill Savage u Christine Semenenko ‘62 u Serge Semenenko Family Foundation H James Seymour u Shames/Argo Families u Shames Family Foundation H Mr. Bin Shi and Mrs. Huawei Qiao David and Linda Stein H David A. Stein Charitable Trust Xiaobing Sun and Xiaomei Zhou l Robin and Bina Thompson Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program Tracey Westbrook The Whitney Family
Skylight (4,926 FT) $5,000-$9,999
Anonymous (4) Ignacio Alvarez l Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund H Nicole and Tyras Bookman H The Canning Family Commercial Centers Management – Puerto Rico l Brad and Lynne Davidson H
Robert Davila and Carmen Nigaglioni Davis/Dauray Family Fund Mimi Coletti Dow ‘47 u Joe Edmonds ‘84 H Reggie Govan H Eliza Hewat ‘65 u Karen and Peter Jakes u Jewish Communal Fund Elise E. Keely u Eric and Simone Lang H Mimi Muray Levitt u Lucretius Foundation, Inc. William and Allison Mankivsky Ken Okin H Bob and Margaret Parker u Henry Posner III and Anne M. Molloy H Rusty Schick Rolland* u Schwab Charitable Fund Silicon Valley Community Foundation – Wallace Family Fund John and Susan Skovron u Hume R. Steyer u The Stuart Four-Square Fund Daniel and Katia Szor H Paul and Sarah Titterton Mara F. Wallace H Manny Weintraub u Timothy Wennrich and Jessica Griffiths H Kevin Williams H
Whiteface (4,867 FT) $2,500-$4,999
Anonymous (3) Jenny Ewing Allen u Philip and Eden Anker Pat* and Bill Barton u Jianquo Chen and Liajuan Gao l Dr. Shiu-Kai Chin u Helen S. Cohen and Mark Lipman u Jeff Cooper Sally Powell Culverwell u Charles Darwall and Victoria Stoneman Jenifer Hale Deming u Deirdre Farley u Ben-Ami and Carla Friedman Nick and Ruth Hewitt u
First time donors H 10-19 years giving u 20+ years giving
PAGE VI annual report 2016-2017 | North Country School and Camp Treetops
*
Deceased
David Hochschartner and Selden West u Lixin Huang and Jing Zhang l Carla von Trapp Hunter Tessa Huxley and Andy Reicher u IBM International Foundation Roger and Pat Loud u Meimei Ma NCS ’70 u The Mabee Family Foundation Roger Martindell ‘63 u Dwight and Sue Mason u Mr. and Mrs. Michael E. Moriarty l Davlyn and Kyle Mosley Michael and Cannella Mullins H Brian and Amy Naftal and Family The New York Community Trust u Edgardo Nieves Quiles l Robert Opatrny and Susan Sutherland u O’Donnell Iselin Foundation Victoria Read * u Phyllis W. Reicher u Royal Little Family Foundation H The Stanley-Hunt Family Edward Stutz l Sam Weinig
The Estate of Francis Whitcomb u Dick and Sara Wilde u
Wright (4,580 FT) $1,000-$2,499
Anonymous (6) Adirondack Foundation – Meredith M. Prime Fund Cyrille and Rica Buxbaum Allannic u John C. Allen, Jr. Pearl Apisson l Henry and Nancy Armstrong u Karla Ayala D.J. and Ken Baker u Mrs. Meryl Baker and Dr. Erin Baker H Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation H Wing Biddle ‘75 u Wolcott R. Blair H Mr. and Mrs. Perry J. Bolton u Brian Bronfman u Martha Brooks H Alice Brown H Thatcher G. Brown H
David Brownstein H Burnham Financial Services, LLC Camp Treetops Fund Lunch Meg Bluhm Carey u David Carter Marcelo and Alexandra Castro H Charles Catlin ‘54 H The Charles Evans Hughes Memorial Foundation, Inc. Cleveland H. Dodge Foundation, Inc. u Bertram and Barbara Cohn Community Foundation of Sarasota County The Community Foundation for The National Capital Region Ann Cooper u John and Karen Culpepper H The Dana Family l Jacqueline Davies Ian Desai Rohit and Katharine Desai u Vanessa Desai H Joel and Christine DeYoung H David and Melanie Dumont u Ted Ewing u
annual report 2016-2017 | North Country School and Camp Treetops PAGE VII
High Peaks Giving Levels Lee and Ann Farnham u Mr. and Mrs. Delio Fernandez Nicholas and Geoffrey Flanders H Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Gallen l Don Gallo Arleen F. Gilliam u Nancy Ginsburg and William Purdy l Goldman Sachs Gives Eric and Keiko Greenberg Teri and Jeff Greene Elizabeth Harlan u Bob Heays u Molly Hunt Heizer u Donald and Diane Hewat u Hyde Fuel Company H Ms. Janet Spiegelberg Hyman ‘49 u Mr. Judson H. Irish Jr. u Susie Jakes and Jeff Prescott Ralph Jones Judith and James A. Saks Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland H Barbara Katzander Michael and Danelle Kelly u Rebecca Arvidson Kelly H William Kenney H
Liza Ketchum and John H. Straus u Beth and Peter S. Kolevzon u Sally and Wynn Kramarsky u Randi Land Mr. Thomas H. Land Jr. H Marjorie Lang John and Kathy Lanza H Christine LeFevre u The Louisa Kreisberg Family Foundation Elizabeth Macken u Fernando Marquez l Cindy Marvell H Ms. Jane B. Mason and Mr. Brian Vaughan Lisa May and J. Tevere MacFadyen H Deborah Model and Joe Falkowski Richard and Barbara Moore u Samantha Naftal and Adam Snyder Helen M Neilson Laura Okin Marian Osterweis u Kent and Robin Palmer Cola Parker u Penguin Random House H Pat Kramon Pincus u
Mr. Jan and Dr. Joan Popkin Meredith Prime u Judith Regan l Regeneron Matching Gift Program Renaissance Charitable Foundation Inc. Robert Okin Foundation Carmen Rocafort l Marty Rosenberg Marjorie P. Rosenthal Salesforce Saxton Family Brittany Schult l The Shelby Family Steven Silverstein and Anne Manning Alan, Beth and Eva Singer H Malcolm Smith and Susan Mathewson l Jenny Smith-Yuen ‘84 H Nicholas N. Solley H Sarah Stahl and Harry Foster H Emily and Luther Strayer Colin and Debby Tait u Tashman Family Edith G. Thayer ‘50 u Ms. Amy Turner
PAGE I annual report 2016-2017 | North Country School and Camp Treetops
Michael J. Urfirer u Lucia Vail H Frank Wallace H Ms. Louise D. Walsh and Mr. Charles L. Rupp u David H. Wells Wells Fargo Foundation Matching Gifts Program H Janet Dunn Wentworth u Bee Lacey Whittaker u Susan Welch Williams ‘54 u James and Holly Wilson Xuejun Xu and Wenjing Li Peter Yamin Mr. Jun Yang and Ms. Min Zhou
“We are excited to send you out into the world. We watched you develop into a young man who isn’t afraid to stand up for what he believes. You exude excitement, tenacity, and respect, especially when you are challenged. We are proud of those qualities and know that they will serve you well…” — NCS teacher to graduating student
Saddleback (4,515 FT) $500-$999
Anonymous (7) Peter Adomeit and Marilyn Sanders u American Center for Philanthropy American Recycling Technologies Inc. Katie Bacon H Jong-Seo Bae and Kiwon Hong l Kathryn Barrett l Lionel and Deborah Barthold H Peggy Bell H Charles Biddle H Amy Bodman Fraser Brooks H Suzanne and Geoffrey Brown u William and Katherine Brown u Cornelia and Robert Carrigan Danny Chin and Stephanie Chang Dr. Georgia Close Maureen and Charles Cohen Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts Jim and Sharon Cushman H Mandy and Craig Dana Sr. l Laura Goff Davis u Hector Del Rio Jr. l Sophie DeLaCour - DeLaCour Family Foundation H DeLaCour Family Foundation H Robert and Marilyn DeRight u Claire Douglas H Althea L. Duersten Katharine Knight Flebotte u
KEY TO SYMBOLS
l
Alex and Larry Friedman H Brigit and Calvin Gilkey H Alice Woolsey Godfrey H John R. Goodman Eugene and Jolinda Grace Peter Hansen and Marie Tapert Daniel Hawes Sandra Hurd Hennemeyer H C. Ryan Joyce Franklin Kenney ‘84 H Bradley Kerr H Robin McAllister Ketchum H Eli Zalichin Kramer H Tom Krouwer u Lorna Livingston ‘50 u Chris Lloyd and Vassie Sinopoulos u Bill and Jan Localio u Susan Localio u Stuart and Mary Lollis u Nicholas and Cassandra Ludington Gregory Marchildon Jean and Jerry Marchildon u Nate Mason Marcia Mason McClellan u Debra M. McPhee Abigail Mellen u Lisa (Ernest) Mierop H Alan and Alice Model u Jonathan and Kristin Adomeit Moore Katherine Cromwell Moore u Bonnie and John Morgan ‘65 u The Naftal Family H Joyce Olum-Galaski Pew Charitable Trusts Dr. Victoria L. Pillard H Arthur Platt and Janet Fink H Kate Kubert Puls u Jane Purden H Timothy Quinn Fred and Roz Rea u
Susan Read u Jane Crowell Rieffel u Ms. Helena F. Rozier l Scott and Amy Sanderson Santa Barbara Foundation Douglas Sloane Ariana Stahmer Philip and Marcia Steckler H Peter A. Thacher u Cornelia and Joseph Tierney u Amina Tirana H Jane Isaacs Toussaint u Kiyo and Mark Tukman l Carey and Claudia Turnbull John and Alida Vessey Vivian and Paul Olum Charitable Foundation Sarah Weber l Jennie Weiner and Jeremiah Jordan David and Nell Wing u
Rocky Peak (4,420 FT) $250-$499
Anonymous (3) Robert Abramowitz and Susan Stewart u Dinnie Thorndike Aldridge H America’s Charities Mark Apelman Allegra Harris Azulay u Jon Bell u Jeanne Bergman and Anna Kramarsky Matthew Brest Phillip Brest H Richard and Paula Brewer Joshua Briggeman Lewis Canfield Danforth Cardozo u Michael Churchill u
First time donors H 10-19 years giving u 20+ years giving
*
Deceased
annual report 2016-2017 | North Country School and Camp Treetops PAGE IX
High Peaks Giving Levels David and Jane Condliffe H Susan and Robert Console u Cairn and Jean Marie Cross l Katie Culpepper H Peter Curran l David and Melanie Damico Jim Darby u David and Leni Moore Family Foundation u Josh and Jennifer Davis Tom Davis H Raul and Emilie De Brigard H Beth Dennison H Pasuntra Dhebpunya Cassie Levitt Dippo u Mark Dumont and Lynn Mehlman u Carolyn Feinstein Edwards David Feldbaum Eric Fetz Frontstream l Jeffrey and Kimberly Garlinghouse Tania Gee u Dominic and Shafeeqa Giarratani Diana M. Hawes u Ann S. Hedges H John P. Herrera Jeffrey Herrmann and Sara Waisanen H Bruce Hodes u Jean Hoins H Christina Honde u Ellen Hornstein and Denis Cioffi u Ken Hornstein u Anne Hurd Sam and Elsa Huxley l Jane Hyde u Sophie Kasimow and Seth Shames Andrew Katzander Jonathan Kerlin u Ted Killiam Andrew B. Knox H Jessica Koster Susan Masters Kyger The Honorable Pierre N. Leval H Dudley and Jane Mairs u Cathy McDermott Daniel Melrod Don Mesec and Becky Rice u Alice Morey and Harvey Weinig H Lynne and John Morgan u Nils and Kara Morgan
KEY TO SYMBOLS
l
The Namm Foundation, Inc. (Andrew Namm ‘42) u Adam Neaman and Bianca Santomasso Network for Good Frederick S. Nicholas Jr. H Clary Olmstead and Kathleen Heenan u Jenny and John Pearlman H Doralynn and Jeffrey Pines u James R. Pugh u Don Rand u Campbell and Nancy Rea u Aimee Reveno u Katherine and Coulter Richardson H James Robinson l Ella and Peter Robjent H Jim and Cathy Robjent H Stephanie Ross Peter and Lisa Rowley Nat Rubin Fritz Sabbow and Rob Hastings Peggy Sand and Jonathan Kronstadt H David Schorr and Judith Krones Josh Schwerin Jay Scott u Ordway Clifford Sherman H Nicole Been Siskind H Ruth and David Skovron u Dan Slutsky u Joy Stafford l Peter Stein and Lisa Cashdan l Jim and Liz Steyer u Harry and Chica Tenney l D. Kurt and Eden Terrell Thomas and Frances Thacher Dr. Diane Thaler The Tostevins u Helen Stuart Twiss u Jacqueline Volkart l Mr. and Mrs. William H. Waddington H Eric G. Wagner u Christopher WerlerH Addie Porrino West u Barbara Westergaard u Daniel C. Wing ‘62 u Yarinsky Weisser Family
Big Slide (4,240 FT) $100-$249
Anonymous (22) Jamie Abbott u Lynda Lees Adams H Adirondack Theatre Corp. l AkzoNobel l The Allen Family Timothy D. Amussen Kate Tuttle Asselin Todd and Pam August Baltimore Community Foundation Bank of America Employee Giving Campaign l Stephanie Blakeney Banks H John Henry Barnett Harold and Natalie Been u Colin and Jenny Bell u Mr. and Mrs. Ray Benson l Drs. Laurie and Herbert Bergamini H Lynda Bernays and Stan Smith u Edwin and Fern Beschler u Alexandra Bley-Vroman Christie Maria Borden NCS ’92 and Ken Borden H Elizabeth Bradley Teresa and Kevin Brady l Ellen Thorndike Brawley ‘52 u Eric Brest David Bronfman Cali Brooks H Paul Brouha H Heather (Thornton) Brown ‘61 H Margot Parsons Brown ‘51 H R. Dede Brownstein H Alice Gresham Bullock H Peter Bullock and Family l The Chris Burden (‘56) Family u Harrison and Judy Caner u Ines, Isabel, and Pablo Castro Jai Chandrasekhar Chun Chieh Chang Johanna Chase Monie Chase and Stuart Chase u Kate Chasson H Hope S. Childs u Eli and Seth Clare Emily Clark Mr. and Mrs. Reg F. Clark Mimi and David Cohen u
First time donors H 10-19 years giving u 20+ years giving
PAGE X annual report 2016-2017 | North Country School and Camp Treetops
*
Deceased
High Peaks Giving Levels Jaime and Florence Collins Kate Condliffe and David Chen Margaret D. Cooley Susan Cooley H Michael and Sybil Corrigan Moira and Alexander Crosby John Crowley-Delman Dudley Cunningham H Julie Curtis and Keith GerstenmaierH Carolyn and John Curwen H Laurie M. and Samuel W. Cushman u Frances Davis u Peter Delman and Maureen Crowley H Dr. Winifred M. deLoayza H Alida Chanler Dierker Robert Doat H Peter and Gretchen Donahue Chip (‘62) and Lyn Edmonston H Alan Eldridge H Noni Eldridge u Ellen Fair u
Kitty Fair H Stafford “Corky” Farmer-Lee H Ms. Ashley Ferris l Payton Fireman ‘72 H Niclas and Michelle Fjalltoft Duncan Fordyce u Mio Fredland M.D. H Jessica Freireich Friedlander Family H Robert Frost H Dr. Jane Benjamin Gatta Larry Gibbons H SallySue Girolamo l Suzanne Glickman Tim Glidden l Jennie Goelz H Mrs. Elizabeth Goldmark Nina Goodman and Children H Brigitte Gordon and Dino Nappi Shashana Govan Florence Grieb u Danielle Ramati Hamlin
Meredith Hanson Leonard and Fleur Harlan u Noah and Micol Harlan Sarah Harrison Kitty Hay ‘63 u Ann Henderson Kent Hewitt u Catherine Fetz High H Aaron and Brandy Hobson Jody Hochschartner-Boyd Donald and Susan Hogue l Peter and Kim Holderied l Jeanette Gaston Hooban u Mr. Richard Hornstein H Harvey and Claudia Horowitz u Logan Hovie Hunt Howell ‘58 u Fran Huntoon David Husing Jeremy Hutchins Margo Rice Jay u Jessica Jeffery
u
Evan A. Jenkins Berkeley D. Johnson Jr. H Frank Johnson ‘62 u K. Tyler Johnston l AJ Stone Jonathan Sarah Jonathan Susanne Jones Lennoth Joseph H Allan S. Katz
Alex Khalap and Zoe Khalap Margaret Kinosian H Andrew and Yuko Kirk H Diane, Sam, and Bethany Kletz H Laura F. Knipe H Deborah Wing Korol H John and Meg Kotler H David Lackey and Terren Baker Gerald LaGrange
I will remember you best by one simple conversation. I asked you how you were doing one day and you replied simply, “Great.” “Why?” I asked. You simply looked out the window at the beautiful sunny day, the snow hanging off of the trees and said, “Because of this.” It was all that needed to be said. — NCS teacher to student
Randall and Karen Larkin Greg and Bunny LeClair H Sara Levine John Benet Lewis Dana Lindsay Ted* and Nan Lindsay H Tarky Lombardi Jr. Hélène and Matthew Lorentzen H David Loud and Pedro Porro u Julia Lowd Hugh Cooke MacDougall The Honorable Ellen H. Maloney u Jeffrey and Sytske Martin Marsh McCall u Mike McCrary H Mr. and Mrs. Michael McDonald l Bruce McLanahan Soren Meischeid Edward and Libby Faron Mell H Hilary and Harold Meltzer Theodore Metzger and Robin Fleischner H Lily Mitchell l Danianne Mizzy
High Peaks Giving Levels Dr. Charles E. Moisan H Patricia G. Morrill H Carolyn Mullins Barbara Mulvey Chris Muray ‘59 H Andrew Needham and Rebecca Rendleman Isabelle N. Nicks Yana Nicks John Oakes and Carin Kuoni Richard Ochs and Susan Arnold H Paul Olin Brian Orter and Michael DiMartino Dan Ouderkirk Elizabeth Packard Mark and Laura Page l Christopher Parker Geoff Parker H Thomas and Victoria Patterson Sherm Peale H Thomas Penchoen H William and Carrie Perley David Pettengill H Brook and Taylor Phillips Dale Ferris Phillips u Gretchen Phillips Nina Pillard and David Cole u Steven Pologe H Lizabeth N. Pope Lauren Olitski Poster ‘71 u Ms. Patrice Walker Powell The Prospect Hill Foundation Inc. Lindsay Putnam u Jenny Rabinowitz Maya Radiconcini H Laura Rappaport George and Joanne Reed u Wynde Kate Reese Jane Regan Alice Reich Peter and Lynne Reveno H Jonathan and Julia Rhoads u Wende (Liz) Richter H Philip Rickey H Dana Rogers Susan Ruddy l Naemi and Nathaniel RudykoffH Meg Runyon Susie and Ben Runyon H Judith Scammell Susanna Meade Schindler u
KEY TO SYMBOLS
l
Chuck Schwerin and Laura Bronstein u Dan Schwerin Rachel Schwerin Shelah K. Scott u Rhoda and Norman Seider Lauren Shaw Zachary Siegel David A. Silva and Eileen McHugh Dov Simons Margaret Sloane H Shari and Jim Smart H Robert and Sharon Smith H Tanya Giarratani Sprinkel Rachel Duell Sorenson ‘75 Yasuhiko Sotohama and Setsuko Egashira Kenneth Spencer and Elizabeth Pillard H Donald and Ingrid Stanley, in honor of Sigrid Stanley Dave Steckler Dorian Stedman and Heidi Pelkey Kathleen L. Steed H David Stonebraker, in memory of Charlotte Rea H Barry Strongin and Laura Whitman, M.D. Nat (‘62) and Margo Sturgis u Charles and Eve Sutton u Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan S. Sutton H Hon. Robert W. and Mrs. Adele Hall Sweet H Karen Szvoren Roberta Taggart Bob Tam u Sheila Tavares Hugh A Thacher u Lindell Thorsen-Nagel George Todd H Stuart and Susan Topper u Egg Foo Townsend H Marty and Gus Trowbridge H Trudeau Sand and Gravel, Inc. J.T. “Skip” Tubbs u David and Kristen Baumgart Turner Miles Turner H Michael and Carole Tylman Ms. Quincy Ryland Umphlette u Willa Vail H William and Bonnie VanPelt l
Lynn and Bill Vogt Nick Waddington Rebecca Warner u Tim and Katie Eldridge Weaver ‘78 u Laura Wellington H Laurence and Irma Werfel H Maggie Westergaard Penny Fujiko Willgerodt and William Cepeda Peter Willcox H Malcolm Willison H David Sloan Wilson u Edith Wislocki and Alfred Darby u Bob Witsenhausen Carol S. Wolfe John Wood ‘73 H Mary Woolsey and Mark Peterson u Dianne Wulsin H The Wynder Family Kai Xing Peter J. Zimmerman H Mr. and Mrs. Leon J. Zola l
Cascade (4,098 FT)
Gifts up to $99 and gifts in-kind Anonymous (33) Anne Aaboe Matthew and Shira Ackerman Marianela Acosta Aetna Foundation, Inc. Emilie Allen Ms. Katie Allen The Allen Clan Amazon Smile Foundation Maddie Ames Dana Anders and Fred Jones l Richard G. Arms, Jr. Lurline Aslanian H Katherine Baird Lauren Baker Sarah Blunt Barnett u Will Barton l Dr. Claire Basescu u Matthew Beckwith-Laube Tim Bell H The Benner Family u Erica and Herb Bergamini u Rachel Bishop l The Boeing Company Charles A. Bookman u
First time donors H 10-19 years giving u 20+ years giving
*
Deceased
annual report 2016-2017 | North Country School and Camp Treetops PAGE XIII
High Peaks Giving Levels Zac Bookman Betsy Bouche H Christian Brammer and Jane Haugh Sarah Rivkin and Mark Brennan Jim and Marcia Brooks H Alex Brown Marie Burke David Buttrick Maxwell C. Cady Ann Campbell H Duncan and Ann Campbell Ms. Maya Canapary l Arizette Carrinho and Nelson Carrinho l Liz and Chris Carroll Brett Carter l Rachel Carter John Chambers Mary Ann Champagne H Jamie Chao NCS ‘16 Kathryn Easter Chmurny
Eva-Marie Chopra Garth Cilley Ace Clarke-Fisher Mr. and Mrs. Joel C. Coleman H The Colinas H Jessica Conboy l Barbara Condliffe and Matthew Fleck Kalle Condliffe Dale Console, Esq. ‘66 u Tutt Cook H Anabell Corwin Ms. Erin Cotter l Christie and Rob Cox Leslie and Elaine Cox Gino Crocetti Tucker Culpepper Will Curtis Andy Dalton l Sarah Davidson Jerry and Amy de Rham H Amanda DiGeorge l
Brian DiGeorge Sarah Reed Dlugokencky John and Libby Doan H Matthew T. Donahue and Angela Price Whitney and Thomasine Dow Todd Dowling Nolan Dumont Stephanie Durell l Hannah Edwards Bliss Eldridge u John N. Eldridge u Ms. Ashlynne Elliott Patrick and Linda Ellsworth Rebecca Emerson Laurie Engle Ari Epstein and Karimeh Shamieh Claire Fellman Zane Ferch l Pier Fetz Mark Filetti Teresa Fiorica
PAGE I annual report 2016-2017 | North Country School and Camp Treetops
High Peaks Giving Levels Elsa First Peter and Diane Fish Daniel and Deborah Fitts Erin Fitzpatrick l Anne Fleming Dorothea Flink William F. Forbes H Mr. and Mrs. Michael S. Forman Edward W. Fox Jr. ‘57 H Sarah Fuller Doug Gallant u Mimi Geier H Rose Gellman l Julie Getzels u Mr. Benjamin Geyman Michael and Rosalind Gillis Nobel Girmay l Emma Gonzalez l Deborah (Churchill) Goodell u Jerome and Amy Gordon Jill Gordon Gordon W. Pratt Agency Valarie Leval Graham H Kimberly Corwin Gray ‘95 H Theodosia Grayson u Donald and Judy Green Sierra Grennan Nathan Grieb l Linda Groetzinger Piri Halasz u Mickey Hardt Henry and Ginny (Walker) Hart u Nancy and Charles Hatfield u Peter Helmetag u Alberta Hemsley u Ms. Kathie Herkelmann l Adam and Carol Hewitt H Frederick W. Hilles Jr. u Ms. Lucy Hochschartner ‘13 Lindsay Tam Holland Laura Hombrook The Hordubays u Moira Horowitz H Rebekah Horowitz Luke and Andrea Hudak Sara Hudson Ian Hughes u Mr. and Mrs. William O. Humes u
KEY TO SYMBOLS
l
Derek and Deborah Hunt, in memory of former counselor Mr. Ned Heize H Zina Huxley-Reicher Alex Hyde ‘88 Joplin and Alison James u Rebecca Jarrett l Nancy B Jessup Elsbeth S. Johnson u Evan C. Johnson l Lucy and Tracy Johnson u Drucilla Jones Danielle Jordan and Stanley Roney l Johanna Kalmus Nicole Karaman H Patrick and Margaret Käufer l Kevin (KK) Kenner Dorothy A. Kenny u George Kilby and Katy Keen Bill Kinzer H Molly Knox Florian Koralambe Dr. and Mrs. Martin W. Korn John and Sarah Koster H Samuel and Linda Kramer H John Kress H Max Kronstadt Jennifer Ladd u Mason Land l Mr. and Mrs. Sherwood Laporte H Karen Hoins Lauer Caleb Law Matthew LeMay, in honor of Noah Harlan Christopher Len and Jennifer Gannett Janice Lewis Timothy Lilley l Jennifer Lokier l Rachel Lowenthal Rodaidh MacDonald l Mr. Mike Madden l Susan Mahaffy u Thomas Mahon l Rory Mandle-Abramson l Dave and Denise Martin Joseph Mayer u Lauren McCarty H Mary Hordubay-McKenzie u Sylvia and Theos McKinney Robert McKinstry Donata Coletti Mechem u
David Meeker l Erica Merritt l Lisa Miller-Samber Charlotte Mondale Maya Morduch-Toubman Daniel (Pinball) Morel Sage Morgan l Willard Morgan and Jennifer Barton H Danikka Moses Susann Moyer Jenny Mui Kim Narol Sarah Nicholson ‘72 u Britt Nielsen H Oracle Corporation H Robert Osmond l Joan Pachner H Bart Patnode Ann Paull l Paulette Peduzzi and Family H Caroline Hlavacek Perry Richard and Bette Peterson Hilary Platt Wendy M. Pomeroy ‘68 H The Portal Family Dr. Leonard R. Proctor u Molly Pytleski Daniel Quinter Elie Rabinowitz and Becca Miller Lourdes Ramirez Janine Alpert Randol H Kavi Rao l Daisy Emma Rhoads H Rev. Linda H. Ricketts Jacy Lynn Rinne Carey R. Rodd Micaela Root l Mrs. Oren Root H Eric J. Rosenbaum Benjamin Rosof Joshua Rowan l Alan and Gloria Russakov l Susan Saarinen H Matthew Saehrig Kia Salehi Peter and Emily Samton Leonard and Ann Sand Mark Seltzer Monica Bowen Sheehe Dan Silin Rosalie Skovron l
First time donors H 10-19 years giving u 20+ years giving
*
Deceased
annual report 2016-2017 | North Country School and Camp Treetops PAGE XV
High Peaks Giving Levels Eliot Sloan - CTT 1980-1985 Mr. Jay Smart Timothy and Janet Smith u Batya Anne Sobel Ronnie Jo Sokol l John and Martha Spear, in memory of Anne Martindell H Claire and George Stahler Frances Starn Susan Steinhauer l Alexandra Stern l Chris Stoneman H Keara Sullivan l Wei Sun and Liu Zihe l James Sutton l Owen Sweeney l Janet Swift l Eve Taben l Elizabeth Tait Tanaquil “Tania” Taubes u Nathaniels William (Taylor) Rebecca Taylor Russell Taylor and Margaret Elwood Carly Terreberry l Paul Theimer Loran Thompson
Lily Tierney l Karine Toussaint l Sharon Anglin Treat Mr. and Mrs. Kip Trienens Howard Trumbull Jessica Tuck u Micah Turner Anne Van Aller Mary Van Vleck Marcy and Marcus Veno Roberta W. Waddell u Caitlin Waddington l Carolyn Walker Jeremy and Judith Walsh H Jonathan Walsh Gabriella Wan Tori Hunt, Tony, Gabriella and Ben Wan H Sid Jr. and Jan Ward Sarah Warner H Nick Warren l Mrs. Frances Washington l Bonnie Welch H Susan K. West u Agnes Whitaker Alexander Whitaker
Naomi White l Randy Whiting-Rogers l Thomas and Christine Whitney H Herb Wilkinson u Patricia Winter Liz Wise Carol Witherell Peter Witzig l Chris Wood Jane Woodburn Please note: This report includes gifts, pledges, and pledge payments made from September 1, 2016, to August 31, 2017. Gifts received after August 31, 2017, will be listed in next fiscal year’s Annual Report. Despite our best efforts to avoid errors and omissions, they do occasionally occur. If you contributed and your name was omitted, misspelled, or listed in the wrong place, please accept our sincere apology—and do let us know. Please call the Advancement Office at 518-523-9329, x5450.
LEAVE YOUR LEGACY
“After my husband, Sam, and I moved from L.A. back to the East Coast, we met with an estate lawyer to ensure we had the proper plans in place for our young daughter, June. Our lawyer suggested we consider including a nonprofit in our wills, and I immediately chose Camp Treetops, an organization that has been very meaningful to me for so much of my life. I really do think of Treetops in some aspect every day. As a camper, I learned where our food comes from, the importance of conserving the earth’s resources (shut the water off when you brush your teeth!), and the power of community and good friends. Treetops is such an incredible place and I haven’t come across anything else like it. This is why Sam and I are thrilled to join the Balanced Rocks Circle, a group of members who are preserving Camp and School for future generations of children.” -Meredith Kovach (CTT 84-85) and Sam Eaton
BALANCED ROCKS CIRCLE We are very grateful to the community members who (as of August 31, 2017) have included North Country School and Camp Treetops in their estate plans, thereby becoming members of our Balanced Rocks Circle. If NCS and Treetops are included in your estate plans and your name is not listed here or if you would like more information about the Balanced Rocks Circle, please contact Matt Donahue at 518-837-5446 or mdonahue@ ncstreetops.org. Anonymous (5) Dennis Aftergut Jenny Ewing Allen Peter Brest Cali Brooks and Galen Crane Alice Gresham Bullock Walter E. Clark* Sally Powell Culverwell, NCS 51 Dudley H. Cunningham Samuel and Laurie Cushman Amy and Matthew Davidson
Sally M. Dennett NCS 39* Claire Douglas Brian Eng and Renee Bourgeois Henry Gardiner* Suzanne Glickman Reggie Govan Gay Booth Greenleaf Lisa Gulotta Elizabeth Harlan Laura Thrower Harris Bob Heays Nick and Ruth Hewitt David Hochschartner and Selden West John and Amy Isaacs Elsbeth S. Johnson Jan Johnson Charlotte and Peter Ketchum Liza Ketchum Philip Kneisl, NCS 75 Meredith Kovach and Sam Eaton Monika and Steven Lang, NCS 53 Rose K. Lansbury Lorna Livingston, NCS 50 Susan Localio Bill and Jan Localio Roger and Pat Loud Anne Martindell* Dwight N. Mason
Mimi B. Muray-Levitt, NCS 57 Sandy Gray Nowicki, NCS 57 JoAnne Olmsted * Brian Orter Meredith M. Prime Mr. and Mrs. James C. Rea Jr. * Susan Read, NCS 70, CTT parent 04-05 Jane Crowell Rieffel Maggie Rosenbloom Matt Salinger Kate Shepherd Mike Smith David and Linda Stein Hugh Thacher Jessica Tuck Matthew and Courtney Tuck Mary Loeb Umlauf* Frank Wallace Louise Walsh and Charles Rupp Jill Werfel Francis Whitcomb* Martha C. Howell and Edward B. Whitney Susan Welch Williams, NCS 54 John O. Zimmerman * * = Deceased
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Tributes and Memorials We are grateful to those donors who choose to honor or remember a loved one or important event by making a contribution to North Country School and Camp Treetops. Listed below are gifts received from September 1, 2016, through August 31, 2017.
Cornelia and Robert Carrigan in honor of Will and Charlie Seider and Julius H. Sherman
Johanna Chase in memory of Peter A. Chase
Mimi and David Cohen in honor of Scott Cohen
Beth Dennison in memory of Richard Rockefeller
Timothy D. Amussen
David and Melanie Dumont
in honor of Richard Rockefeller
in memory of Ted Lindsay
Pearl Apisson
Brigit and Calvin Gilkey
in honor of John Doan
in memory of Ted Lindsay
D.J. and Ken Baker
Tim Glidden
in memory of Ted Lindsay
in memory of Richard Rockefeller
D.J. and Ken Baker in honor of the weddings of Brigit Loud and Calvin Gilkey, Maddie Ames and Brendan Pratt, and Kelli Culpepper and Ryan Roberts
Mr. & Mrs. Ray Benson in honor of Ann Cooper’s birthday
Alexandra Bley-Vroman in memory of Ed & Elsa Bley
Mr. Don Bonifay in memory of Ted Lindsay
David Bronfman in memory of Beverly Bronfman
Thatcher G. Brown in honor of Tim and Sally Brown
R. Dede Brownstein in memory of Kim Copeland
Rich Hornstein in honor of Jacob Hornstein in memory of Julia and Jeff Jonathan
in honor of Daniel Park NCS 17
in memory of Ted Lindsay
in memory of Joan and Norbert Hochschartner
AJ Stone Jonathan
Kathryn Barrett
Rachel Bishop
Jody Hochschartner-Boyd
Molly Knox in memory of Valery Daniels
Mr. Thomas H. Land Jr. and The Louisa Kreisberg Family Foundation in memory of Louisa Kreisberg
Karen Hoins Lauer in memory of Kaye Hoins
F W. Murray and Betts H. Murray in memory of Ted Lindsay
Brook and Taylor Phillips in memory of Ted Lindsay
Jane Purden
Susan Read in memory of Victoria Read
Susan Ruddy in honor of the marriage of Kelli Culpepper and Ryan Roberts
David Schorr and Judith Krones in memory of Rose Krones
Rhoda and Norman Seider in honor of Lisa Beck
Malcolm Smith and Susan Mathewson
in memory of Victoria Read
Ronnie Jo Sokol in memory of Victoria Read
Martha and John Spear in memory of Anne Martindell
Donald and Ingrid Stanley in honor of Sigrid Stanley
Kathleen L. Steed in memory of Jeff and Julia Jonathan
Edward Stutz in memory of Walter P. Breeman
Janet Swift in memory of Victoria Read
Russell Taylor and Margaret Elwood
in memory of Margaret L. Bernard
Hugh A Thacher in memory of Richard Rockefeller
Peter A. Thacher in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Thacher
Mrs. Frances Washington in honor of Ann Cooper’s birthday
Patricia Winter in honor of Bill Localio
in memory of Gail and Bob Schumacher
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Endowments We are grateful to the individuals and families who have made the extraordinary commitment of establishing named endowments. Thank you, as well, to those who have made contributions to those endowments. These funds honor a friend or family member’s legacy in meaningful fashion while benefitting North Country School and Camp Treetops in perpetuity. If you have questions about a current fund or would like to discuss establishing a new fund, please contact Matt Donahue, Director of Advancement at 518-837-5446 or mdonahue@ncstreetops.org.
General Endowment Fund Bob and Margaret Parker Mr. and Mrs. Sumner Parker ‘41 The Shelby Family J.T. “Skip” Tubbs
Memorial Endowment Fund Memorial gifts support the general endowment fund
Rose K. Lansbury in memory of Esty Foster John and Kathy Lanza in memory of Maria Lanza Dick and Sara Wilde in memory of Gail Schumacher
Milton and Liesa Allen Fund For Faculty Salaries
David and Peggy Bailey Fund In honor of the founders of Woodstock Country School
Beck Seider Family Fund For CTT Scholarships
Lisa Beck and Mitch Seider
Beyond the Mountains Fund For Faculty Development
Bob Bliss Fund
For Waterfront Improvements
Bramwell Family Fund For NCS & CTT
Mildred Brooks Nature Program Fund
Govan Family Fund For CTT Scholarships
For CTT Salaries
Suzanne Glickman Tessa Huxley and Andy Reicher
Reggie Govan Shashana Govan Ms. Patrice Walker Powell
Leo and Walter Clark Fund
Tsu Hansen Fund
For NCS & CTT
Brion Crowell Fund
For NCS & CTT
Peter Hansen and Marie Tapert
For NCS & CTT
Harlan Family Fund
Kitty and Carl (C.D.) Dennett Scholarship Fund
Elizabeth Harlan Matthew LeMay in honor of Noah Harlan
For NCS Scholarships
Dumont Scholarship Fund For CTT Scholarships David and Melanie Dumont Mark Dumont and Lynn Mehlman
Harry K. Eldridge Scholarship Fund
For NCS Scholarships Peggy Bell Bliss Eldridge James R. Pugh
Feather Foundation Fund
For Gardens and Greenhouse
For NCS & CTT
Doug Haskell Fund For CTT Scholarships Anonymous Malcolm Willison
Helen Haskell Fund For NCS & CTT
Dick and Sara Wilde
Kaye Clark Hoins Fund For NCS & CTT
Jean Hoins, in memory of Kaye Clark Hoins and Walter and Leo Clark
Lindsay Johnson Fund For NCS Scholarships
Eric Feldsberg Memorial Scholarship Fund
Adlin and Sherman Loud Scholarship Fund
Garden Fund
Brigit and Calvin Gilkey Edward and Libby Faron Mell
For CTT Scholarships
For Program Enhancement
Reginald Gilliam Mountaineering Leadership and Scholarship Fund
For Mountaineering Program Support and CTT Scholarships Arleen F. Gilliam Michael and Danelle Kelly Liza Ketchum and John H. Straus Alexander Whitaker Agnes Whitaker Dick and Sara Wilde
For NCS Scholarships
Anne Martindell Gardening Fund
Restricted Endowment Roger Martindell ‘63
The Master Teacher Fund For Faculty Salaries
Peter W. Merle-Smith Fund For CTT Scholarships
PAGE XX annual report 2016-2017 | North Country School and Camp Treetops
Kate C. Moore Fund For CTT Scholarships
Cornelia and Joseph Tierney
Christopher Nicholson Memorial Fund For NCS Scholarships
Diana E. Oehrli Fund For CTT Scholarships
Olmstead Fund
Joyce Pearson Prock Fund
Arthur W. Parker Fund
Richard Rockefeller Fresh Start Scholarship Fund
For NCS & CTT For NCS & CTT
Fullwood Foundation, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Sumner Parker ‘41 Barkley Stuart and Ann Glazer
Susan Powell NCS 51 Fund
The Gruben Charitable Foundation Diana Oehrli
For NCS & CTT
Okin Fund
Prince/ de Ramel Charitable Trusts Fund
For Maintenance on Capital Improvements
Sally Powell Culverwell
For Faculty Salaries
For NCS & CTT
For NCS & CTT Scholarships
Anonymous Bertram J. and Barbara Cohn Cairn and Jean Marie Cross Carla Hall Lolya Lipchitz and Harold Kasimow Richard and Barbara Moore Ms. Helena F. Rozier Barkley Stuart and Ann Glazer Carey and Claudia Turnbull Dick and Sara Wilde
Ken Okin
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Endowments Smith Family Foundation Fund
Elizabeth Claire Stein Scholarship Fund
Frank H. Wallace Fund
For CTT Scholarships
Joel and Christine DeYoung
Jerome P. Webster III Fund
Restricted Endowment
Strong Roots, High Peaks Faculty Support Fund
Spiegelberg Fund
Strong Roots, High Peaks Greening and Renewal Fund
Herbert and Maria West Fund
For NCS Scholarships
Sylvia Pool Sperling Animal Husbandry and Barn Fund Felicity M. Pool ‘63
For Scholarships
David A. Stein NCS 52 and Allison Stein Robbins NCS 74 Fund For Riding Program, Farm, and NCS Scholarships
Matt Salinger David A. Stein Charitable Trust David and Linda Stein Tracey Westbrook
Strong Roots, High Peaks Scholarship Fund For NCS & CTT Scholarships
Margaret and Randolph Thrower Fund
For Faculty Enrichment
For NCS & CTT
For NCS Intern Salaries
David Hochschartner and Selden West
Winter’s Children Fund For NCS Scholarships
John O. Zimmerman Fund For NCS & CTT
For Greening and Renewal Laura and David T. Harris
“I enjoyed this summer to the full extent: I went on a 5-day [hiking trip]; I planned a “Harvest Meal” with my best friend; I went on the Idiot [a long hiking/ paddling trip]; and I became a 46er. Camp has given me so many opportunities to accomplish things I can be proud of.” — CTT Super