WINTER 2020
A Publication of North Country School, Camp Treetops, and Rock-E House & Basecamp
EDITOR Emilie Allen
ASSISTANT EDITOR Shaun Kittle
LAYOUT & DESIGN Kelly Hofschneider
MASTHEAD Gail Brill Designs
CONTRIBUTORS Emilie Allen, Christie Borden, Karen Culpepper, Jodi Domenico, Matt Donahue, Emily Eisman, Shaun Kittle, Jen Kretser, Becca Miller, Todd Ormiston, Barkley Stuart
PHOTOGRAPHERS Emilie Allen, Nancie Battaglia, John Eldridge, Shaun Kittle, Barbara Morgan, Beatrice Schachenmayr
ILLUSTRATIONS Gavi Mallory, Larsen McDowell
EDITING Lisa Bramen
PRINTING Print Management Pittsburgh, PA Editor’s note: We regret an error in the Summer 2019 issue of Organic Roots. On page 19, we incorrectly stated that Barn Manager Erica Burns is the part-owner of the USA Hockey Store in Lake Placid. She is the part-owner of Locker Room 5 in Lake Placid.
contact: eallen@ncstreetops.org www.northcountryschool.org www.camptreetops.org www.rock-e.org
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LEADING THOUGHTS 2 4
FEATURES 10 Working in Partnership and
From Todd Ormiston Executive Director
Acting on Climate Change Jen Kretser
From Karen Culpepper Camp Treetops Director
13 From Seed to Table Shaun Kittle
20 Freedom of Expression: A Q&A
NCS & TREETOPS TODAY 6
#ThisWeekAtNCS Blog
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Celebrating Camp Treetops
with Courtney Allen Shaun Kittle
ALUMNAE /I BULLETIN
15 Recipe From the Children’s
26 Friends’ Weekend 2019
Garden
16 Community is Everything:
32 In Memoriam/News and Notes
Family Weekend at North Country School
18 New Faculty and Staff 2019
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2018–2019 ANNUAL REPORT
19 Trustee Transitions 22 Alumni Performance 24 Dedication for The Walter Breeman Performing Arts Center
28 Treetops Centennial Gatherings
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The View From Balanced Rocks Todd Ormiston Executive Director
ON MY FIRST DAY OF WORK AT NORTH COUNTRY SCHOOL, CAMP TREETOPS, AND ROCK-E HOUSE & BASECAMP, I woke early to summit Balanced Rocks. I understood this spot’s importance in the culture and history of School and Camp, and I wanted to make sure I started this momentous day right. After a few wrong turns, my dog, Lucky, and I made it to the summit, where we expected to see an amazing view of the High Peaks. Instead, we were mired in thick clouds. After a
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few minutes, though, the clouds gave way to a spectacular panorama of Cascade, Algonquin, Big Slide, and Marcy. But I was more interested in what was right in front of us: School, Camp, Rock-E House, and Round Lake. I already felt part of the community of this special place, and, looking down on it now, I fully recognized the importance of the role I was undertaking. Six months later, I have probably made that hike at least 40 times. Though I can’t relive my first ascent,
Like the view from Balanced Rocks, the NCS/CTT experience changes every day. It affects each child differently, but it is consistently powerful and awe inspiring. When I talk to Camp and School alumni, each has a story about what they found most impactful: philosophizing in the pasture with Walter, crafting a canoe paddle in the woodshop with Tom, writing and performing a play with Courtney, reconstructing a chicken skeleton with Dave, or morning swims with Karen in the bracing waters of Round Lake. Our children do the same things, again and again, yet their experience is always different. So what makes us different? If you ask a former camper or student, I think most will say it’s the experiences and the people. Trusted adults who care about you. Fellow students and campers who know you. And exposure to things you never dreamed of doing—that lead to your understanding of just how capable you are. At North Country School and Camp Treetops, each camper and student (and counselor, faculty, and staff member) is part of an institution—no, a family—that holds powerful shared values. Our model is time-tested: See children as children, and reveal their power; surround them with nature at its most magnificent; let them explore, balancing structure with freedom and choice, while teaching them the skills to become independent. At School and Camp, we unlock children’s sense of wonder and intellectual curiosity through a progressive and fully immersive education—a learning and living experience that will stay with them all their lives. Like the view from Balanced Rocks, these core tenets remain unchanged. For me, hiking up from campus and looking out over our acreage will forever be a reminder of each child’s unique journey, as well as the limitless possibilities of our collective vision. Looking forward, I welcome learning and hearing more from our community as we celebrate our 100th summer of Camp and 84th commencement at North Country School in 2020. Thank you for all you do!
I’m still moved by its view. The interesting thing is that, though the perspective from here is always the same, I get something different out of it every time. Reaching those rocks has meant experiencing multiple conditions. I’ve hiked through mud, spider webs, rain, snow, and the heat of July to get there. The changing seasons and colors, the feel and sound of the wind, and bird songs deliver an entirely new experience each time I visit.
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MIDWINTER REFLECTIONS ON 100 TREETOPS SUMMERS BY KAREN CULPEPPER By January, the brilliant hues of summer have long disappeared. Cascade Mountain is dusted white with snow and the bright laughter of campers running barefoot down the Lake Hill has faded. A vast stillness settles in across Camp over the winter. While such quiet makes me yearn for the warmth and bustle of Treetops, it also provides time for reflection. At the start of every new year, Camp leadership arrives from all across the country, gathering in Meadow House to thoughtfully prepare for the summer. This year—our one hundredth—will be particularly special. Since the beginning, there has always been a vibrancy to every Treetops summer. It’s a timeless feeling—and yet each year has its own unique rhythm, its own community cultivated over the course of seven unforgettable weeks. Just as the seasons change, so do the faces. But what doesn’t change is the breadth of experience, immense talent, and diverse backgrounds shared by campers, counselors, and our community as a whole. At Treetops, every person has a place and an opportunity to be truly seen and heard. This core tenet speaks to the lasting impact that Camp has had on children and adults alike—and it is at the heart of our one-hundredth summer. As camp director, I’ve learned so much from this community over the past thirty years. Both children and counselors alike have shaped my perspective and deepened my understanding of this extraordinary place. At the same time, I am indebted to the stalwarts whose mentorship and vision prepared me for my role as director. Susie Localio (CTT 55-58, staff 65-80, 8994), for instance, is truly remarkable in her willingness to listen and her ability to treat people, no matter their
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background, with deep kindness and respect. She has a fantastic sense of humor, in addition to top-notch organizational skills, but more than that, Susie has this preternatural ability to channel the vision of our beloved Treetops Director, Helen Haskell. When Susie was junior camp program director, I learned a tremendous amount simply by watching her work. She brought all of the values that I sought to emulate when I eventually took on that same role. I can say the same about Susie’s twin brother, Bill Localio (CTT 55–59, parent 91–98, staff 77–present), who has been passing on institutional knowledge to new generations for decades. A patient listener, Bill is highly collaborative. He has always been open to change, while remaining true to Camp’s ethos, and he continues to strive for excellence in our camp programming. Over the past twenty years, Bill has established a guide skills program that gives senior campers the opportunity to gain deep knowledge and experience in wilderness tripping and leadership. And he still calls our square dances to this day! As I transitioned into a leadership role, former Treetops Director Jeff Jonathan (CTT staff 85–93, parent 02–11) was integral to my success. Jeff was so incredibly thoughtful about what would move Camp forward, while also retaining its roots. Like Susie, he had a terrific sense of humor (though Jeff, in particular, was infamous for practical jokes). Extremely organized, he recorded everything in binders. When Jeff retired, I inherited his “Camp Director Bible,” a visionary road map and invaluable resource that I returned to again and again, whenever I wondered, “Now, how do we do that?” And of course, as I reflect even further back on my very first days at Treetops, I immediately think of our
A SMALL WOMAN WITH A BIG PRESENCE, I QUICKLY LEARNED THAT WHENEVER MILDRED SPOKE, EVERYONE LISTENED. SHE HAD AN INTENSE dear Mildred Brooks (CTT staff 65–02). Mildred was a nature counselor at Camp Treetops for almost 40 years. A small woman with a big presence, I quickly learned that whenever Mildred spoke, everyone listened. She had an intense curiosity about the world that was wildly infectious. Mildred held a Master of Zoology degree from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and, as our Treetops naturalist, her foraging trips were hugely popular. My first job at Camp Treetops was “Mildred’s Driver,” tagging along as she entranced campers with her profound knowledge of wild edibles and the wonders of the natural world. On visitors' weekend, Mildred could always be found in the nature room, surrounded by children, cooking blueberry fritters to share with parents and friends. As a mentor, Mildred taught me that if you want to learn something new—to see the world afresh—go out into nature with a child.
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CURIOSITY ABOUT THE WORLD THAT WAS WILDLY INFECTIOUS.
From Susie to Bill, Jeff to Mildred, and so many others, my gratitude to the stalwarts of Camp Treetops runs deep, as it does for every member of our community. Each of you is an inspiration. And as we welcome this new year, 2020, in celebration of the Treetops Centennial, I hope we can all take this time to reflect on the many special people who have worked tirelessly on behalf of children for the past one hundred years. Thank you, and watch for the special Treetops Centennial publication coming late spring 2020.
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#THISWEEKATNCS BLOG If you’ve ever wanted to take a closer look at the day-to-day lives of our students, you should check out our #ThisWeekAtNCS blog. Every week our staff writer, Becca Miller, chronicles all of the unique, handson learning experiences our students participate in, whether they’re walking outside for a biology lesson, building model Parthenons while learning about Greek history, or helping create a community art project. Take a look at some of the samples below, then stay up-to-date by visiting www.northcountryschool.org/parents/ncs-blog.
CELL BIOLOGY Our 9th grade biology students gave presentations on the plant and animal cell models they’ve been constructing over the past few weeks. Some students chose to construct their cells using materials from our ceramics studio, while others, including David and Sam, baked and decorated their cell cakes in our Teaching and Learning Kitchen.
GLOBAL ISSUES In the 9th grade global issues class, students have been examining the link between Chinese-American relations at a governmental level and looking at the growth and decline of Chinese food restaurants in this country as that relationship evolves. The class examined the differences between Chinese take-out menus from restaurants in India, Mexico, and Thailand, then the class relocated to our Teaching and Learning Kitchen for
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a fun and delicious exercise on food authenticity.
day by hosting a performance poetry event in The Walter Breeman Performing Arts Center.
PERFORMANCE POETRY This week our community welcomed a special guest visitor, poet and writer D. Colin, who spent the day leading poetry-writing workshops and performing an in-character session on the life of Harriet Tubman. She worked with students one-on-one and in groups on their own poetry and ended the
SEED LESSON In a seed lesson with Garden Manager Tess and Farm Intern Nick, our 4th and 5th grade classes explored the Children’s Garden and flower beds, collecting seeds, flowers, and vegetables. The group examined different flowers and vegetables, and matched seeds
with the correct plants. The lesson is part of the class’s social studies research on ancient civilizations including ancient Greece. This work will connect to their theater class, where they are preparing for a Family Weekend performance of Olympiaganza.
PLANT IDENTIFICATION Students in our 5th grade science class learned how to use dichotomous keys to identify trees on campus. The class, including students Kalina, Duncan, Wyatt, and Justin, walked around NCS’s many trails, making observations about the many coniferous and deciduous trees that grow on campus.
COMMUNITY ART In community art class, students collaborated to create a large, colorful parachute for Mother Earth Project’s Parachutes for the Planet. The finished product will be displayed on the Mother Earth Project website and be added to the 2,000-plus other parachutes adorning the Washington D.C. Mall next spring.
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CAMP TREETOPS AT ITS HEART, A TREETOPS SUMMER GIVES CHILDREN TIME . Time to discover a newfound passion. Time to take a leap and trust that you will land. Time to consider and reflect; time to fall in love with the natural world and understand your responsibility to it; time to make friends for a lifetime; time to experience genuine accomplishment and the rush of unbounded joy.
Time To hatch chicks and watch them grow. sing Adirondack Blue at council overlooking the lake. set sail into the breeze. design and create colorful batik cloth prints. take an early morning dip in the bracing waters of the Cascade Lakes. harvest cucumbers, green beans, and beets for pickling. race barefoot through the dewy morning grass. stack firewood at the sugarhouse. practice viola under an apple tree. pick and weave snapdragons and daisies into flower crowns. catch, clean, and fry up dozens of Round Lake fish for an evening meal. help a friend find his footing on a rocky path across a ridge. paddle and portage over thirty miles of rivers and lakes in a single day. lead a parade of horses, each finely groomed with flowers braided into their manes and tails. square dance hand-in-hand at sunset to the Virginia Reel. sleep out under the stars. Camp Treetops gives children time to simply be.
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CELEBRATE 100 TREETOPS SUMMERS with a GIFT to the CENTENNIAL FUND The Treetops Centennial Fund honors the long tradition of providing access to the Treetops experience for as many children as possible. Gifts to the Centennial Fund help position Treetops as a leader in providing need-based scholarships for campers of today and tomorrow. The Centennial Fund, a component of the Annual Fund, will also strengthen our endowment.
Please consider increasing your gift this year to support this special effort. You can make your gift online at www.camptreetops.org/ giving or contact Emily Eisman, Annual Fund Director at 518-837-5450 or CAMPTREETOPS.ORG eeisman@ncstreetops.org
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Working in Partnership and Acting on Climate Change JEN KRETSER DIRECTOR OF CLIMATE INITIATIVES, THE WILD CENTER
IT WAS A WARM EVENING IN MID-JULY as we gathered at Rock-E House & Basecamp’s recently renovated barn to hear Bill McKibben (CTT parent 02–08), a celebrated environmentalist and co-founder of 350.org, talk about climate change and the need for immediate and unprecedented action. The barn was packed full of teachers from across New York state as part of The Wild Center’s first residential Teacher Climate Institute. The Teacher Climate Institute was one of five events that have been hosted at Rock-E House in collaboration with The Wild Center. There have also been three youth leadership retreats and one climate advisory meeting. “We have a lot of work to do to deal with climate change,” Bill said. “And if we are going to understand the scale and pace of the solutions we need, then we need to understand the scale and pace of the problem that we face.”
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Bill went on to talk about the impacts of climate change, the start of 350.org, the organizing, campaigning, and lifting of voices around the world. He spoke of the urgency of acting on climate change at multiple scales—moving from individual to collective action whether you are a teacher, informal educator, farmer, artist, or youth. He acknowledged the youth climate leaders in the room, and apologized for his (our) generation’s failure to act on climate change sooner despite all the evidence of a warming world and the havoc that would ensue. His message of lifting up youth voices for climate action is crucial, but we cannot ask them to shoulder the burden; we must do it together. We must find ways to leverage the collective impact of our organizations, not to mention all of the public and private sector. It will take everyone, everywhere, working collectively to reverse and mitigate the impacts of global change. Camp, School, and The Wild Center have a history of working together. Not surprising given the shared
passion for place-based education, student-driven and project-based learning, equity, sustainability, and innovation. Our relationship is rooted in these values, and nowhere is that more evident than with The Wild Center’s climate work. North Country School has been a fixture at The Wild Center’s annual Adirondack Youth Climate Summit for the last 11 years. The summit gathers about 200 students and faculty from across northern New York each November. It is a global initiative that convenes, engages, and empowers young people to learn about climate science, impacts, and solutions. The two-day event is packed with amazing speakers, hands-on workshops, and poster sessions, and culmi-
CAMP, SCHOOL, AND THE WILD CENTER HAVE A HISTORY OF WORKING TOGETHER. NOT SURPRISING GIVEN THE SHARED PASSION FOR PLACE-BASED EDUCATION, STUDENT-DRIVEN AND PROJECT-BASED LEARNING, EQUITY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND INNOVATION.
nates with creating a Climate Action Plan that builds a framework for action at the school and/or community level. A team from NCS attends the climate summit each year, and often NCS faculty have served as workshop leaders and speakers on sustainability and farmbased education—helping to inspire school gardens across the region. The Adirondack Youth Climate Summit is high-energy and high-impact; it has inspired more than 70 youth climate summits in 35 communities globally. The student-driven Climate Action Plans have built countless school gardens, installed water-bottle-refilling stations, put solar panels on schools, supported large-scale, community-wide climate-education events (along with a carbon-neutral prom), seeded even more Youth Climate Summits, and given youth a
NCS and CTT hosted From Alarm to Action: What Works, the 2013 panel event on climate change and energy policy in New York City featuring (from left to right) Richard Rockefeller (NCS 60-63, CTT 58–59, trustee), Tom Steyer (CTT 65–68), Bill McKibben (CTT parent 02–08), and moderator Amy Davidsen (CTT parent 13).
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THE WILD CENTER NEEDED A PLACE FOR THIS DEEPER WORK THAT REFLECTED THE VALUES OF OUR CLIMATE INITIATIVES, BUILT RELATIONSHIPS, AND CREATED A SENSE OF FOCUS AND PURPOSE WITH OUR TEAM—ROCK-E HOUSE WAS A PERFECT MATCH.
seat at the table as North Country communities work on climate resilience, mitigation, and adaptation plans. The collaboration between The Wild Center and NCS goes beyond the climate summit. For the last five years, North Country School has happily taken all of the food waste from the summit to add to its high-volume compost system. The Wild Center, in partnership with and inspired by NCS, recently installed its own high-volume composter at the museum in Tupper Lake. Working with the Tupper Lake Central School District, the composter will greatly reduce food waste and jump-start a composting initiative. The composter will be integrated into The Wild Center’s Silver LEED Campus, and over the next year, become a demonstration and education site for the school and The Wild Center’s 130,000-plus visitors. In 2018, The Wild Center’s climate work had increased exponentially with new funding from NOAA’s Environmental Literacy Grants Program—one of two awards in the country that year—among others. This new work focused on building climate literacy, knowhow, and action in youth, teachers, and communities in New York state to reach for that “collective impact” Bill McKibben so eloquently described.
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The Wild Center needed a place for this deeper work that reflected the values of our climate initiatives, built relationships, and created a sense of focus and purpose with our team. Rock-E House & Basecamp was a perfect match. With the NCS and Treetops campus right out the door, teaching and learning about climate change and focusing on solutions—from sustainable farming, green buildings and large-scale composting—seeing climate solutions in action helped make hope visible. It also perfectly complemented our field trips to The Wild Center and to explore resilience work along the Ausable River after storms from Hurricane Irene devastated the region. To date we’ve held three residential youth climate leadership retreats with high school students from across New York state, our first-ever residential Teacher Climate Institute, and a retreat for our climate advisory team. Working on climate change is hard and can been deeply despairing. Every day brings a barrage of news clips on flooding, drought, wildfires, bigger storms, biodiversity loss—the list goes on and on. Finding ways to make solutions visible, to work on initiatives– like our youth climate leadership program and teacher climate institute—that empower people with the know-how and skills to make a transformative difference in their schools and communities is rewarding and hopeful work. And it takes grit. The natural setting at Round Lake, which is surrounded by boreal forests and Adirondack High Peaks, offers a rare moment of renewal and restoration. It's a place where relationships are built over a farm-harvested meal or around a campfire. Those moments are when creativity flows, ideas are born, and partnerships are fostered with meaning and purpose. Listening to Bill McKibben speak of the need to work together, leverage our collective passions, and get ready for the long haul in our quest to restore the balance, I can’t help thinking that the Adirondacks is the right place to roll up our sleeves and get to work, together. Jen Kretser is the Director of Climate Initiatives at The Wild Center and manages the award-winning global Youth Climate Program. For more information on how you, your school, and your community can act on climate change and start a Youth Climate Summit, please visit www. wildcenter.org/youth-climate-program or email youthclimate@wildcenter.org.
FROM SEED TO TABLE: Lake Placid Elementary School students learn about cooking and sustainable farming at the Teaching and Learning Kitchen BY SHAUN KITTLE
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Wynde Kate Reese held up a bulbous, cantaloupe-sized vegetable, and the students enthusiastically raised their hands. Was it an oddly-shaped pumpkin, an overgrown beet, or a prehistoric species of squash? The correct answer was none of the above; the mysterious tuber was, in fact, a rutabaga, and by the looks of awe in the room it was new to almost everyone there. Wynde Kate, a North Country School parent and co-owner of Green Goddess Natural Market in Lake Placid, was visiting the Teaching and Learning Kitchen on the North Country School and Camp Treetops campus to teach a group of second-graders how to transform freshly picked produce into a crowd-pleasing snack. The 45 Lake Placid Elementary School
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students were led by their teacher, Natalee Colby. They arrived early and were divided into two groups— one stayed outside with North Country School and Camp Treetops Garden Manager Tess Faller and the other headed to the Teaching and Learning Kitchen with Wynde Kate. The 1,100-square-foot kitchen opened last April. The purpose of the trip was to give the students an overview of the seed-to-table cycle. It all started in the Children’s Garden, where they were introduced to things like perennial plants and mint. Next, they visited two greenhouses, which felt like saunas compared to the brisk, late-fall morning. After an introduction to composting, it was time to meet one of the few remaining crops of the season—
kale. Since the leaves are picked from the bottom of the stem up, the strikingly purple plants looked like miniature, exotic palm trees, all lined up in neat rows. The kids gently passed their hands over the thick, curled leaves, and some bent forward to sniff the plants. At the other end of the garden, Tess showed her audience a trick—kind of like pulling a rabbit from a hat. She enlisted the help of a student and together they pulled a carrot from the soil. After a quick stop at a row of herbs, it was on to the rotating drum composter, where everyone got a lesson in the value of food scraps. While Tess and her group were outside exploring, the other group was in the Teaching and Learning Kitchen, which is conveniently located next to the
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Children’s Garden. Can you imagine needing a fresh sprig of thyme and being able to simply walk outside and grab it? No herbs were picked during the tour, but Wynde Kate had some herbs on hand, including parsley, thyme, cilantro, and dill. She also had three root vegetables—carrots, beets, and rutabaga—and a plan on what to do with them. While the veggies roasted, the students made three different dips to accompany them. Delicious! Wynde Kate began with a brief lesson on cooking. She said to begin building the dips by consulting the five S’s: salty, spicy, sweet, sour, and savory. A little salt, a little pepper, yogurt, maple syrup, and some lemon juice. The savory part was up to the young chefs. They could pick any of the herbs and add a total of two tablespoons of them to their dips. The result was cooking at its finest—equal parts experimentation, creativity, and curiosity, all blended perfectly to build unique and tasty end products. “This is such a wonderful collaboration because I can show them the whole food, but having the garden, the source, in conjunction with the cooking aspect is something I haven’t had the opportunity to do until this Teaching and Learning Kitchen sprouted— literally,” Wynde Kate said. “It’s such a great connection for kids to make, and it’s a wonderful asset for our community to have.” Gently planted in the philosophy of sustainability, students were also learning about a variety of traditional academic subjects like chemistry, biology, vocabulary, and math. It’s a way of learning that’s inherent in our day-to-day lives: there are lessons in everything we do. “I think cooking and gardening are both ways you can incorporate more traditionally academic disciplines into things that are definitely more approachable and hands-on for kids,” Tess said. “They’re thinking in big-picture ways; they’re thinking about processes rather than just about single steps.” And even though some of the students admittedly didn’t like all of the foods they tasted, they all walked away knowing what a rutabaga is. The partnership between NCS/Treetops and the Lake Placid school was made possible by grants from the Cloudsplitter Foundation and the Glenn and Carol Pearsall Adirondack Foundation; both organizations are dedicated to improving the lives of those who live within the Adirondack Park. The field trip was the first of three similar trips bringing local school children to our campus.
RECIPE FROM THE
CHILDREN’S GARDEN Crabapple and Maple Spice Cake with Lemon Glaze BECC A MILLER Winter on our mountain campus brings with it freshly fallen snow, days out on the ski hill and hockey pond, and warm meals with friends in the dining room. Though the gardens have been put to bed for the season, our students are still busy over in the Teaching and Learning Kitchen cooking up creative recipes using autumn’s stored bounty of fruits and vegetables. This dessert bread recipe, brought to us by our 8thand 9th-grade Edible Schoolyard class, uses crabapples picked and frozen in the fall, along with maple syrup collected and boiled by the school community during the spring sugaring season. Enjoy this spice cake beside a fireplace after a busy day of wintertime activity, or pack some along as a warming snack while out skiing, hiking, or ice-climbing in the backcountry.
Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit. Grease a 9” x 9” baking pan. Chop crabapples into small pieces, cutting around and discarding the stems and seeds. Once prepared, you should have approximately 1 cup of chopped crabapple pieces. In a large bowl, mix together the chopped crabapples, eggs, vanilla, sugar, oil, and maple syrup until combined. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom or nutmeg, and salt. Add the dry mixture into the wet mixture in three batches, stirring until all of the dry ingredients have been incorporated and no clumps remain. Take care to not overstir the batter. Pour the batter into the greased baking dish and bake for 35– 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cake cool completely.
Crabapple and Maple Spice Cake Recipe 1 ½ – 2 cups crabapples (defrosted if frozen) 3 eggs 1 /3 cup maple syrup 1 /3 cup white sugar ½ cup vegetable oil 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 ¼ cups white flour 2 /3 tsp baking powder ½ tsp ground cinnamon Less than ¼ tsp ground cardamom or nutmeg ½ tsp salt
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Lemon Glaze Recipe (optional) 1 ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest 2 ½ tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 tsp unsalted butter, melted Once the spice cake has cooled completely, whisk the glaze ingredients together in a bowl. Drizzle finished glaze over the cake immediately. Allow glaze to set before serving.
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Community is Everything:
Family Weekend at North Country School NORTH COUNTRY SCHOOL IS MORE THAN A PLACE FOR LEARNING, it’s a community. Our students work together, create together, learn together, and play together, and all of that positive energy culminated during our annual Family Weekend. On Friday, November 22, our students’ families were invited to take a glimpse at campus life with a full schedule of parent-teacher conferences, events, and activities. In the evening, the doors opened on the Don Rand Theater in the new Walter Breeman Performing Arts Center (WallyPAC) for two student plays, and on Saturday morning the WallyPAC saw more action with a recital, student panel, and short address from new Executive Director Todd Ormiston. After that it was time for a family-style Thanksgiving dinner in our dining room, where everyone mingled and enjoyed a traditional holiday meal made with ingredients fresh from our farm, including homegrown turkey, potatoes, squash, green beans, and apples.
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Students put on a series of music and theater performances to full houses in the WallyPAC during Family Weekend in November. Afterward, everyone gathered in the dining room for our annual Thanksgiving feast.
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NEW FACULTY & STAFF 2019 6.
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9. 1. Brianna Bearden Farm Intern 2. Bryan Johansmeyer Dean of Students 3. Colin Loher Level I Science Teacher, Level V Biology Teacher 4. Isaac Vesery Level III English Teacher, Co-Primary Houseparent
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5. Jack Kiernan Level II Humanities Teacher, Support Houseparent 6. Katie Woltner Science and Math Teaching Fellow 7. Melissa Orzechowski Level IV English Teacher, Support Houseparent 8. Nick Waddington Farm Intern NCS 13, CTT 09–12, CTT Staff 18– present
9. Rob Tepperberg Level III Science Teacher, Woodshop Teacher, Support Houseparent CTT staff 16, 18-present Not pictured: Matu WaMae, NCS Academic Intern, CTT staff 18– present
TRUSTEE TRANSITIONS
We bid a fond farewell to three trustees who have given generously of their time, knowledge, and talents through their years of Board service. Camp and School have benefitted from the perspective and wisdom of all three. Peter Curran, the current Associate Head of School and Dean of Admission at Blair Academy, helped better connect NCS and Treetops to the ever-changing secondary school world. His knowledge of trends at independent schools made him an invaluable member of the Executive Director Search Committee last year. Brian Eng (CTT 84–86) joined the Board in 2013. He served on the Development Committee as chair of the Annual Fund and, later, joined the Finance Committee and stepped into the role of Treasurer. He is a true advocate for Camp and School and helped many of his fellow Camp alumni and friends reconnect through attending Alta Friends’ Weekend and Lake Placid Friends’ Weekend. Jun Zhang (NCS parent 13–14) came to love NCS when his daughter Brandy (NCS 14) attended for her ninth-grade year. He has been a gracious and generous host for our board and staff when they visit China. He has also shared his enthusiasm about NCS with countless families. Brandy, now at Dartmouth College, honored us by being our graduation speaker in 2018. We are enormously grateful to these three trustees for all they have given to Camp and School. Additionally, we are pleased to report that Matt Davidson (CTT 62–67, parent 96–06) who left the board as a voting member in January 2019, has been granted emeritus status on the Board of Trustees.
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WELCOME BACK We are pleased to welcome Matthew Tuck (NCS 78) back to the Board of Trustees. Matthew served on the board from 2000–06. Matthew graduated from Connecticut College (1987) with a BA in History and Economics and later earned a master’s from The London School of Economics (1991) in International History and Economics. After graduate school, Matthew joined Credit Suisse (1992), initially as a corporate banker, ultimately working within the Syndicated Debt Group. Matthew is a managing director and currently runs the U.S. Loan Syndicate Sales Desk. Matthew also served a six-year term as a director on the LSTA and is an active, ardent Credit Suisse member of “Children of Fallen Patriots" (www.fallenpatriots. org/#home).
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Matthew Tuck, second from right, and his wife of 22 years, Courtney, with their three children: Spencer, Caroline, and Graeme.
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Freedom of Expression:
A Q&A with Courtney Allen Classes in the performing arts at North Country School are an immersive, cooperative experience. From the set design to the costumes to the performance itself, there’s a sense of community, innovation, and celebration that’s woven into the entire production. At the helm of all the behind-the-scenes planning for theater productions is Courtney Allen. For Courtney, there is no question as to why the performing arts are important for the development of young minds. She explained that theater blends creativity and collaboration in a way that creates a safe place for self-expression. That was particularly important to her in high school. “It didn’t matter who you were, if you were popular or if you were not popular,” Courtney said. “Whatever it was, we were all working to create together. All of those boundaries and lines that people draw were non-existent in that space, so I was naturally drawn to that.” After high school, Courtney went on to learn, perform, direct, and teach in a wide range of environments. She took theater classes in London, earned her bachelor’s at Sewanee: The University of the South, and got her master’s at New York University. She’s taught in summer camps and in public and private schools. Organic Roots sat down with Courtney to learn more about her background and what students can take away from theater classes at North Country School.
There’s a fall show and a spring show—the fall show is usually a student-written production and the spring show is a capstone event for the whole school.
What classes do you teach? In general, I teach directing, playwriting, improvisation, costume design, play prep, and Impact, a semester-long class in which students write and perform a play. I also offer an independent study every spring in preparation for the New York State Thespians Competition in New York City.
Was there a moment when you knew you wanted to make theater your life? I always did theater. When I was young, I decided we needed to put on a Christmas play every Christmas and cast all of my cousins. I’d ask my grandmother things like, “Can you move the Christmas tree? It’s in my way.” She refused to. In regard to teaching, I don’t know if there was one specific moment, but I knew I wanted to work with kids to provide an experience that was similar to mine: to have a space that’s safe and supportive and open, a space to express yourself and get all of that stuff that goes on with being young out there in the world.
How long have you taught at North Country School and how many performances do the students put on each year? I’ve been with North Country School for six years.
Is there something about playing a character that enables students to speak up? I think a lot of acting is about finding yourself within the character, finding what part of you could make
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What are you most excited about in regard to the campus’s new Walter Breeman Performing Arts Center (WallyPAC)? I am excited for the opportunity to have this professional space for what I consider to be the students’ high level of work. They work so hard on every aspect of these productions, so it’s really awesome to be in a space that can truly highlight that.
the choices that person made. In doing that, you are able to tap into your own emotions, your own journey, and put that into the character. There is safety in being able to speak and feel through a character. What do you think is the value in students taking theater classes, and how does that apply to their journey in becoming adults? I think it’s really important to feel empathy and to be able to connect to others in the world. When we do a character analysis for a performance, it’s never just one way or the other. No character is ever—just as no person is ever—always good or always bad. We look at what’s underneath it: What are they looking for? What is that thing they need? In studying theater, in doing character work, being able to see yourself in a character humanizes everyone. Being able to do that as an adult, to start from “We are human,” is really important in connecting with others in the world. I also think a huge part of theater is about finding your voice and owning it. It’s about building up your confidence and being able to say, “I have a voice and it should be heard.” Lastly, theater is about working together, collaborating, and realizing that every single person matters. Whether you are the main character or you’re the person who pushes a button twice during a show, you all impact each other. Globally, that is an important message and you see it in theater. I don’t think I can stress it enough: every single person matters.
The WallyPAC opened in October. Did you do anything special to commemorate the opening? The theater has been talked about for many years, and a lot of former students have commented that they’d love a chance to perform in that new space, so I thought it would be awesome to do that. We had alumni come back and a whole weekend was created. Friday night they rehearsed their lines and built set pieces, Saturday day we did a tech run, programmed the lights, and rehearsed, and we performed Saturday night.
What is your proudest teaching moment at North Country School? There are a lot of little moments. Like last year, when students were practicing their lines in Shakespeare's As You Like It and chatting about what the lines meant, all while supporting each other to make sure they were memorized. Of their own accord they were taking out their scripts and discussing what the lines meant, and I thought, “This is just awesome.”
I found three plays in the archives and we recreated Good Queen Bess, a play that was written by teachers Don Rand and Jerry Marchildon and performed by students here in 1978. We had current students play the roles with longer lines and scripts, and alumni played everybody else. We had two people from the original cast—Katie Weaver (NCS 78, parent 05-08, current NCS staff, CTT parent 03-08, staff 82-03, 10-15) and Noni Eldridge (NCS 78, parent 99-09, current NCS staff, CTT parent 03, staff 15)— which was great. I think the best part was seeing these former students come back and retain all that theater knowledge they learned as students. It was like muscle memory, and it was awesome to see.
Are there any theater-related things that are special or unique to North Country School? The Spring Play. It’s a huge community event, and that is an amazing thing to see and be part of. Everyone comes together and creates together, and the final production is all student-run. My first year here, I had never seen that before. It takes over the entire community—students are either in the band or they’re making sets, or they’re on stage crew or they’re acting. It’s this all-encompassing event, and teachers and the community are really supportive and kind about it. CAMPTREETOPS.ORG
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Alumni “Play in a D ay” SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, MARKED THE FIRST PERFORMANCE IN OUR NEW WALTER BREEMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. More than 120 alumni, parents, and friends joined together to celebrate this event with a “play in a day” performance of Good Queen Bess—a comedic take on the history of Queen Elizabeth I. The play, originally performed in 1978, was written by legendary former NCS faculty members and Treetops staffers Jerry Marchildon (CTT staff 64–83, parent 74-86, NCS faculty 72–89, parent 75-84) and Don Rand (CTT staff 54–69, NCS faculty/staff 55–17). Twenty-five alumni of Camp and School spanning 42 years joined the cast and crew of current students to put on the show. On Sunday, October 13, the The Walter Breeman Performing Arts Center hosted a panel discussion of theater
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arts followed by workshops with students and audience members. Our panelists included Anthony Fernandez (NCS 10, CTT 05–10), Aubrey Snowden (NCS 97, CTT 92–94, CTT staff 17–18), and Kyra Miller Wegman (CTT 85–88). Attendees were able to learn more about directing, acting and stage movement, and theater technology. Special thanks to NCS Theater Teacher Courtney Allen, who provided the idea for the weekend and rallied, along with Theater Tech Teacher Larry Robjent, multiple Camp and School alumni to return and feel again the joyful energy of putting on a show. Music Teacher Joey Izzo composed and performed music for this reprisal.
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DEDICATION FOR THE WALTER BREEMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER At Friends’ Weekend, more than 150 Camp and School alumni, family, and friends gathered for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the near-completion of The Walter Breeman Performing Arts Center (WallyPAC). This state-of-the-art, Net Zero Design building will be a fantastic resource for not only our campers, students, and participants in our Rock-E House & Basecamp programs, but also members of our surrounding community. The WallyPAC’s Don Rand Theater has seating for 185, and the 10,000-square-foot building contains the Larry Robjent Stagecraft and Design Shop, the John Doan Music Classroom, and four music practice rooms. The facility will also include the Lansbury Family Art Gallery, as well as the “Heart Space,” a soaring, light-filled, and rounded lobby that contains the fifth slide on campus, named after Camp and School alumnus Owen McGovern Sweeney (CTT 11–12, NCS 16).
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(Above, left to right) Interim Director of School Dave Steckler, Rock-E House & Basecamp Director Peter Bullock, Pam Breeman (NCS parent 07–10, CTT parent 10–13), Marion Breeman (CTT 10–13, staff 19), Barry Breeman (Trustee 08–present, NCS parent 07-10, CTT parent 10–13), Camp Treetops Director Karen Culpepper, Executive Director Todd Ormiston. (Below, left to right) Anthony Fernandez (NCS 06-10, CTT 05–10, staff 14–15), Anabell Corwin (NCS 08-14, CTT 07), Teacher Larry Robjent, Tys Sweeney (NCS 09-14, CTT 11), and Marcos Fernandez (NCS 08-12, CTT 05–08, staff 15, 17)
John Doan (NCS parent 00–07, faculty 00–18) performs Camp and School favorite Adirondack Blue while the audience sings along.
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FRIENDS’ WEEKEND
2019
(Above left) Kyra Wegman (CTT 85–88) and Tyler Johnston ( NCS 91–93) lead a yoga class incorporating the Alexander Technique. (Above right) John Kotler (CTT 61–62), Ralph Jones (CTT 54–55), Daphne Jay Bell (CTT 64–66), Eric Fetz (CTT 57–62), and Dale Console (NCS 63–66, CTT62, staff 77, parent 98–04) catching up over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.
(Above left) A talented group of musicians leads the Friday evening square dance each year. (Above right) New Executive Director Todd Ormiston and his wife, Elizabeth, enjoy their first of many Friends’ Weekends.
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Friends’ Weekend 2019 saw more than 275 alumni and friends return to Camp and School. Attendees participated in hiking trips up Balanced Rocks with Executive Director Todd Ormiston, a canoe trip to Bear Pond, and rock climbing at The Crag. Friends had an opportunity to tour The Walter Breeman Performing Arts Center, make wooden coasters and assist with barn chores and garden harvests, and enjoy waterfront activities on Round Lake. We look forward to celebrating the Treetops centennial with all of you August 19-23, 2020!
(Above) This year, Friends' Weekend gave us an opportunity to honor the lives and contributions of two beloved community members, Tom Clark and Debby Tait. Alison Riley-Clark and Trevor Tait, pictured above, among the memorial displays.
(Above left) Tessa Huxley (CTT 62–67, staff 72–75, parent 99–10) and son Bryn Huxley-Reicher (CTT 04–10, staff 13) enjoy a quiet moment during morning council. (Above right) Torrey Podmajersky (NCS 84-87) reminisces about her time at NCS with Jess Wegrzyn (NCS current staff, current parent, CTT current staff, current parent).
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TREETOPS CENTENNIAL GATHERINGS Camp alumni/ae and friends gathered around the United States to reconnect and share memories of Camp Treetops ahead of its 100th summer. Centennial gatherings took place in Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; Washington, D.C.; and Seattle, WA. If you would like to host a reception in your city, please contact Jodi Domenico at 518837-5407 or jdomenico@ncstreetops.org.
(Above) Alumni, family, and friends gather at Elsom Cellars in Seattle. (Below) Executive Director Todd Ormiston and Camp Director Karen Culpepper join over 20 alumni/ae and friends in San Francisco at a gathering coordinated by Elizabeth Macken (CTT 75–77).
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(Left) Maggie Rosenbloom (CTT 86–93, Balanced Rocks Circle), Jane Hellewell (CTT parent 14–15, staff 91–95, 14–15, NCS staff 91–93), and Gretchen Phillips (CTT 88–92) catch up at the Washington, D.C. gathering hosted by Margaret Sloane (CTT 81-85, staff 87-94) (Below) Hosts Stefan (Trustee 18–present, CTT 87–91, 93, staff 97–03, 06, 11) and Courtney Nowicki welcomed camp alumni/ae and friends in Los Angeles for the first Centennial Gathering.
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JOIN ALUMNI, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS OF CAMP AND SCHOOL FOR SKIING AND FUN AT FRIENDS’ WEEKEND AT ALTA LODGE, UTAH. APRIL 15–19, 2020 For more information, please contact: Jodi Domenico at (518) 837-5407 or jdomenico@ncstreetops.org.
Join us for Friends’ Weekend 2020 and to celebrate the 100th Treetops Summer! August 19–23 Please join us to reconnect with classmates, tentmates, and other old friends. Help with garden harvest, barn chores, hike Trouble, or just enjoy the fresh air. There will be additional activities throughout the weekend to celebrate the Centennial. Bring the whole family, and make new Treetops and NCS memories! Registration will open in early 2020. For more information and to register, please visit www.camptreetops.org/fw or www. northcountryschool.org/fw or contact Jodi Domenico at jdomenico@ncstreetops.org or 518-837-5407.
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Your Annual Fund gift helps our campers and students… DISCOVER THEIR LOVE FOR THE OUTDOORS AND FOR WORKING ON A FARM. LEARN TO INNOVATE AND BECOME ADVENTUROUS. BUILD LONG-LASTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH ADULTS AND PEERS. REALIZE THE POWER OF A STRONG COMMUNITY. Your investment in our students and campers through an Annual Fund gift helps them do more. Please make your gift today by visiting www.northcountryschool.org/giving or www.camptreetops.org/giving Contact Emily Eisman at eeisman@ncstreetops.org or 518-523-9329 for more information. Thank you!
North Country School and Camp Treetops is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Gifts are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
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IN MEMORIAM / NEWS & NOTES IN MEMORIAM Robert M. Tostevin 1944–2019 Robert M. Tostevin (NCS faculty 78–82) passed away on November 30, 2019. Bob was born in Suffern, NY, and grew up in Stony Point, NY. He taught history at NCS, followed by a long tenure at the Pembroke Hill School and the former Sunset Hill School. Bob, along with his loving wife, Lisa, had an unusual gift of establishing and nurturing lifelong friendships. His commitment to his wife and son will be a source of inspiration to all who knew him. Henry Armstrong 1930-2019 Henry Armstrong (NCS 44) passed away on August 14, 2019. From Pittsburgh and Ligonier, PA, he is survived by his wife, Nancy McKay Armstrong, four children, and four grandchildren. Henry attended North Country School, Fessend-
en, St. Paul’s, and Yale, eventually earning a law degree from University of Pittsburgh. He began his career at his family’s company, Armstrong World Industries, and ultimately created his own investment advisory, Henry Armstrong Associates. He was a world traveler in his pursuits as an avid angler and nature enthusiast.
NCS ALUMNI/AE 1968 Janet Wentworth (Also, CTT 64–66) Janet visited classmate Wendy Pomeroy (NCS 68, CTT 64–66) on Isle Au Haut in July. Janet wrote: “It is a spectacular place and great to spend time with Wendy.” 1970 Susan Read (Also, CTT parent 04–05, Balanced Rocks Circle) “2019 saw some adventures. In Delft, Netherlands, spent quality
Bridget Brown and family
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time with Jenny Denman (NCS 70). Biked through Flanders Fields and the rest of Belgium. Spent time at the Jersey Shore, and am now holing up for winter in Litchfield, CT." 1989 Bridget Brown “I am homeschooling Natasha (7) and Andreas (3) and we are out working on rehabbing our ranch every day. It was severely overgrazed by sheep and is now completely full of sagebrush. We have mulched about 7 acres of sagebrush and the grass is growing up beautifully. We got a new pup, Timber, this spring as well. We have eight chicks brooding in our garage and will be building a coop out of recycled pallets this spring. We’ll also expand our garden to 30’x30’ (trying the “no-till” method this year) and incorporate some fruit trees and berry bushes. Next year, we hope to line our pond, get some ducks and per-
Tyler Johnston and Jeremy Wagner
NEWS & NOTES haps some milking goats. During the winter, we ski the ranch as well. Three of us ski down and one poor soul drives the snowmobile down to tow everyone back up. It’s pretty magical. I hope any and all NCS’ers who find themselves in Utah will drop us a line and come visit!”
1993 Tyler Johnston “I recently ran into an old high school friend in NYC, Jeremy Wagner (CTT 90–92). He’s doing amazing work as an artist in NYC and the Cape and Islands. He’s interested in Friends’ Weekend and reconnecting with the community.
2013 Lucy Hochschartner (Also, CTT 06-08, 11–12) As the top political science major, Lucy, a junior at St. Lawrence University, introduced US Senator from New York Kirsten Gillibrand at the North Country Symposium, a forum to convene stakeholders in northern New York to explore and ultimately enhance the region's economic, environmental, and educational vitality. 2015, 2016 Morgan H. Broderick, Isaac Newcomb Morgan and Isaac were student commencement speakers at Northwood School’s 112th commencement exercises. NCS alumni gathered at Northwood School in Lake Placid, NY. Pictured (from left to right) are Yosef Spear (NCS 17–19), Thebe Mosehathebe (18–19), Kendin Basden (NCS 19), Anja Martin (NCS 19), and Matthew Burns (NCS 19).
Isaac Newcomb
Morgan Broderick
Lucy Hochschartner (second from left) with US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and SLU classmates.
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NEWS & NOTES 2019
CTT FRIENDS Hugh Cooke MacDougall CTT 41–43 “Now 87, I was a camper in Treetops for three years. I spent 28 years as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer and since 1986 have lived in Cooperstown, NY.” Pat Kramon Pincus CTT 58–62, parent 90–98, trustee 99-12, 18–present Educational programming at Rock-E House has been steadily
Sheila Tavares
growing and extending its reach. In 2019, trustee Pat Kramon Pincus selected The James Baldwin School (JBS) from Manhattan to participate in Rock-E programs over this past June. She invited this particular school because of its Outward Bound affiliation, and the likelihood for an excellent alignment of mission and values. The Valedictorian of her graduating class at James Baldwin referenced her time at Rock-E in her graduation speech. In her words, it was a fitting culmination to a high school career with successes, challenges, and so much support. Stefan Nowicki CTT 87–91, former CTT staff, trustee 18 –present The wedding of Courtney and Stefan Nowicki took place on August 18, 2018, on the property of Sandy Nowicki, Trustee Emerita in Keene, NY. The outdoor ceremony with a backdrop of Cascade Mountain was officiated by Courtney’s uncle Dougie with the help of Camp Treetops Quiet Bell. Over fifty attendees were current or former Camp Treetops and North Country School staff or alumni, highlighting the impact and importance of the place in their lives.
FACULTY/STAFF
Paulette Peduzzi
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North Country School and Camp Treetops celebrated the 25-year anniversaries of two staff, Sheila Tavares and Paulette Peduzzi. Sheila came to us two weeks before Thanksgiving in 1994, and she’s been
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From left, Sandy Nowicki (NCS 57, parent 83–84, staff 67–12, CTT parent 79–93, staff 96-14, trustee 93-present), her son Stefan Nowicki (CTT 87–91, trustee 18–present), and Stefan's wife, Courtney.
keeping things running smoothly as our Administrative Support ever since. Whether it’s organizing student travel plans or greeting new families, she imbues a much-appreciated sense of calm on everything she does here, so much that one NCS alum dubbed her “the head of keeping us all sane.” Paulette, our Head of Kitchen, is the brains behind the day-today offerings served in our dining rooms. Paulette grew up on a farm, and she brings that experience to our kitchen as she and her staff turn thousands of pounds of produce into meals our students actually enjoy eating. Paulette believes in what she does, and it shows—her menus are as colorful as they are creative and as diverse as they are delicious. Faculty and year-round staff welcomed a whopping seven babies in nine months in 2019.
To submit News & Notes, please contact cborden@ncstreetops.org.
NEWS & NOTES
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Preventative Maintenance Coordinator Carly Terreberry and wife Ellie welcomed Isaiah William and Althea Frances (1) on November 19, 2019. NCS/CTT Cook Jessica Porter and husband James welcomed Ashe Clark (2) on October 24, 2019.
NCS Math Teacher Garth Cilley and Associate Director of Admissions Rachel Carter welcomed Flora Martel (3) on June 16, 2019. Rock-E House & Basecamp Director Peter Bullock and wife Michelle welcomed Ethan Edgar (4) on March 25, 2019.
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Director of Marketing and Communications Emilie Allen and husband Patrick McAvoy welcomed Everett Otter August (5) on March 18, 2019. NCS Music Teacher Joey Izzo and wife MC welcomed Mary Elizabeth Rose (6) on March 6, 2019.
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NORTH COUNTRY SCHOOL AND CAMP TREETOPS 2018–2019 Annual Report
Dear Friends, The Board of Trustees meets four times a year—twice on our mountain campus. I consider myself lucky to be able to spend several days there every July and October. It’s clear that with the guidance of committed adults, our chlidren cultivate independence, join a strong community, discover their passions, and build lifelong friendships—all things that are so important in today’s world. With profound gratitude to you—our alumni, families, and friends—we are pleased to report a successful year, both fiscally and programmatically. Much of the year was focused on executing the priorities of our 2017 strategic plan while also bidding farewell to Hock and welcoming Todd Ormiston as our new Executive Director. Todd has been at the helm for several months, and he and his family have been welcomed and embraced by this remarkable community. My time with Todd has shown me that he is a thoughtful, intentional leader with the ability to see the big picture and understand the day-to-day running of Camp, School, and Rock-E House & Basecamp. A few highlights from the 2018–19 fiscal year, which closed on August 31: • The Annual Fund had another sucessful year. Your support helped us raise more than $1.2 million from 1,030 donors. The Annual Fund is essential to keeping Camp and School the vibrant, relevant place it is today. Your yearly, generous support is absolutely critical and deeply appreciated. • Thanks to the strength of our endowment and your generosity, we were able to provide more than $950,000 in need-based tuition assistance to more than 30 percent of our campers and students. • We were thrilled to complete and open both the Teaching and Learning Kitchen (TLK) and The Walter Breeman Performing Arts Center (WallyPAC) this year. Both of these spaces provide much-needed, state-of-the-art homes for our programs in the farm and garden and the performing arts, respectively. You helped us bring in over $1.6 million in new capital giving last year to help us provide the best facilities and programs for our children. Our capital fundraising for the WallyPAC will continue through fiscal year 2020. We’re looking forward to 2019–20 as we celebrate the past, present, and future of both Camp and School during the Camp Treetops centennial year. Thank you again for your generous and loyal giving. The support of our community helps ensure that campers and students will continue to enjoy the programs and experience that only NCS and Treetops can provide. Please stay in touch—we love seeing you at events, or hearing from you on social media or via email. And, you’re always welcome for a visit to your home below Balanced Rocks. Best regards,
Barkley Stuart Chair, Board of Trustees CTT 69-72 parent 03-07, NCS parent 09-11
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INSTITUTIONAL LEADERSHIP
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2018-2019 Barkley J. Stuart, Chair Pamela B. Rosenthal, Vice-Chair Brian D. Eng, Treasurer Laura Thrower Harris, Secretary
Pat Kramon Pincus Matt R. Salinger Matthew Tuck Mara Frankel Wallace Emanuel A. Weintraub Jun Zhang
Lisa R. Beck Barry Breeman Peter R. Brest Peter Curran Guillaume de Ramel Nicholas P. Hewitt Carla von Trapp Hunter Caroline Kenney Roger S. Loud Greg Marchildon Jennifer H. Maslow Stefan Nowicki Robert Parker
HONORARY TRUSTEES Joan K. Davidson Colin C. Tait Richard E. Wilde TRUSTEES EMERITI J. Matthew Davidson David Kenney Rose Kean Lansbury Sandy Gray Nowicki Sumner Parker
ADMINISTRATION Todd Ormiston Executive Director Emilie Allen Director of Communications and Marketing Peter Bullock Director of Rock-E House & Basecamp John Culpepper Director of Facilities and Sustainability Karen Culpepper Camp Treetops Director David Damico Director of Admissions Matt Donahue Director of Advancement Fritz Sabbow Chief Financial Officer Dave Steckler Interim Director of North Country School
Operating Fund Statement of Activities, Year Ending August 31, 2019 EXPENDITURES Program Services Physical Plant Administrative & Fundraising
2,917,765 1,423,087 2,101,602
Subtotal Financial Aid
6,442,454 950,530
Total Expenditures
7,392,985
North Country School and Camp Treetops is incorporated as a notfor-profit organization and is listed as a charitable and educational organization under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
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REVENUES Tuition and Fees Distribution from Endowment Annual Fund Gifts Other Revenues
5,429,708 550,000 1,251,011 188,040
Total Revenues & Gifts
7,418,759
SUMMARY OF GIFTS RECEIVED Annual Fund Gifts Endowment Gifts Other Restricted Gifts
1,251,011 543,792 2,182,748
Total Gifts Received
3,977,550
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HIGH PEAKS GIVING LEVELS
You, our community of alumni, families, past and present staff, trustees, and friends, make our work of educating and inspiring children possible. Thank you to the more than 1,000 individuals, families, and businesses last year who invested in our campers and students through a philanthropic gift. MARCY (5,344 FT) $50,000 AND UP Anonymous Keith and Peggy Anderson Keith and Peggy Anderson Family Foundation The Estate of Neal W. Andrews Barry and Pam Breeman H Ngoi Sze Chen & Zhe Chen EJMP Fund for Philanthropy, Elizabeth “Lisette” Prince, Trustee Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Fullwood Foundation, Inc. H Paul and Eileen Growald ’66 ◆ Mr. and Mrs. David T. Kenney ◆ Rose K. Lansbury ◆ Yufeng Li and Feng Qian Sandy Gray Nowicki ’57 ◆ Bob and Margaret Parker ◆ Mr. and Mrs. Sumner Parker ‘41 ◆ Elizabeth “Lisette” Prince ◆ The Estate of David Rockefeller Barkley Stuart and Ann Glazer ◆ Hui Zhao and Jianbei Chen
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ALGONQUIN (5,114 FT) $25,000-49,999 Anonymous Lisa Beck and Mitch Seider ◆ Shannon and Teresa Cheung Matthew and Amy Davidson ◆ The de Ramel Foundation
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KEY TO SYMBOLS
• first time donors
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Guillaume ‘89 and Molly de Ramel H The Gruben Charitable Foundation The J.M. Kaplan Fund ◆ The Maslow Family Foundation Jennifer H. Maslow ◆ Stefan and Courtney Nowicki H Diana Oehrli Meredith M. Prime ◆ Steven Saslow Silicon Valley Community Foundation-Wallace Family Fund Mara Frankel Wallace and Rick Wallace H Dr. Jun Zhang and Ms. Bei Zhu HAYSTACK (4,960 FT) $10,000-24,999 Anonymous (2) American Endowment Foundation Isabel Huffman Belden ◆ Peter Brest ◆ Judith L. Chiara Charitable Fund Nancy and Tony Corwin ◆ Joan K. Davidson (The J.M. Kaplan Fund) ◆ Joe Edmonds ’84 H Brian Eng and Renee Bourgeois H Elizabeth Eng and Benjamin Botts H Kenneth and June Eng H Eng Family Charitable Trust The G&S Foundation Growald Family Fund
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WINTER 2020
Laura and David T. Harris ◆ Karen and Matthew Johnston Caroline Kenney H KLA-Tencor Foundation Lake Placid Education Foundation ◆ Eric and Simone Lang Foundation Eric and Simone Lang H Anna Levine and Andrew Rosenblum Carol Levine ◆ Sara Levine H Michael E. and Carol S. Levine Foundation Weixing Li and Yingfeng Bi Ruling Liu Ken Okin ◆ Catherine Oppenheimer H Brian Orter and Michael DiMartino Drs. Pamela Rosenthal & Sam Wertheimer H Matt Salinger ◆ Bill Savage ◆ Schwab Charitable Fund H Christine Semenenko ‘62 ◆ Shames/Argo Families ◆ Shames Family Foundation H David and Linda Stein H David A. Stein Charitable Trust Daniel and Katia Szor H Tracey Westbrook Xiangsheng Zhang and Huaye Qiao
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SKYLIGHT (4,926 FT) $5,000-9,999 Anonymous (7) Adirondack Foundation -Meredith M. Prime Fund 2 John and Joyce Allen John C. Allen, Jr. Jong-Seo Bae and Kiwon Hong Bill Barton H Benevity Community Impact Fund Tyras Bookman H
◆ 20+ years giving *deceased
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Shujen and Hua Chen The Davila-Nigaglioni Charitable Fund Robert Davila and Carmen Nigaglioni H Davis/Dauray Family Fund Ian Desai Rohit and Katharine Desai ◆ Vanessa Desai and Doug Semmes H Rohit and Katharine Desai Family Foundation Reggie Govan ◆ Jim Hayes and Jenny Mullins H Nick and Ruth Hewitt ◆ Jewish Communal Fund Kenan and Ping Ji
Mimi Muray Levitt ◆ Meimei Ma ‘70 ◆ William and Allison Mankivsky Roger Martindell ‘63 ◆ The New York Community Trust ◆ Zhenzhong Ni O’Donnell Iselin Foundation Henry Posner III and Anne M. Molloy H John and Susan Skovron ◆ The Stuart Four-Square Fund Manny Weintraub ◆ Timothy Wennrich and Jessica Griffiths H Edward B. Whitney and Martha C. Howell ◆ Kevin Williams H
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WHITEFACE (4,867 FT) $2,500-4,999 Jenny Ewing Allen ◆ Eden and Phil Anker H Melissa Brown and David Siegel H Shiu-Kai Chin ◆ Laura Goff Davis ◆ Jenifer Hale Deming ◆ Althea L. Duersten H Elm Capital Enterprises Deirdre Farley ◆ Lee and Ann Farnham ◆ The Fernandez Family Thomas and Deirdre Hamling Elizabeth Harlan ◆ Tessa Huxley and Andy Reicher ◆ J.P. Morgan Chase Foundation ◆
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HIGH PEAKS GIVING LEVELS
Ralph Jones ◆ Andrew Lerner and Maryam Banikarim Elizabeth Macken ◆ Weiying Mao Jean and Jerry Marchildon ◆ Davlyn and Kyle Mosley H Brian and Amy Naftal and family Robert Opatrny and Susan Sutherland ◆ Susan W. Read ◆ Phyllis W. Reicher ◆ Helen Stein ◆ David Stewart and Rene Yang H
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Paul and Sarah Titterton Courtney and Matthew Tuck H John Whitney and Victoria Escalle H William Whitney H Dick and Sara Wilde ◆ WRIGHT (4,580 FT) $1,000-2,499 Anonymous (5) Matthew and Shira Ackerman Henry and Nancy Armstrong ◆ Meryl and Erin Baker H Bank of America Employee Giving Campaign
WINTER 2020
The Estate of Judith Bardacke Kyra Tirana Barry H Jeanne Bergman and Anna Kramarsky Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation H Wolcott R. Blair ◆ Jan L. Blomstrann Mr. and Mrs. Perry J. Bolton ◆ Matthew Brest and Mira Rapp-Hooper H Paul and Iris Brest ◆ Fraser Brooks H Alice Brown H
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William & Katherine Brown ◆ James and Kathleen Burns Camp Treetops Lunch Committee Danforth Cardozo ◆ Joey Carey H Meg Bluhm Carey ◆ Mary O. Carr H David Carter H The Chakonis Family Bob Clark Cloudsplitter Foundation Community Foundation of Sarasota County David and Jane Condliffe ◆ Ann Cooper ◆ John and Karen Culpepper H Sally Powell Culverwell ◆ The Damico Family Brad and Lynne Davidson ◆ Jacqueline Davies Kathy (Hordubay) Della Fera ◆ The Diermeier Family Matt Donahue David and Melanie Dumont ◆ Ted Ewing ◆ Nicholas Flanders H Don Gallo Susan Gardner and Martha Cassidy Len Gelman Jennie Gosin Goelz H Micah and Marla Goodman H Greater Washington Community Foundation Eric and Keiko Greenberg Teri and Jeff Greene H Ziyi Guo and Yi Li Bob Heays ◆ Donald and Diane Hewat ◆ IBM International Foundation Walter and Christina Isenberg Aaron Jakes Karen and Peter Jakes ◆ Susie Jakes and Jeff Prescott H Andrew Katzander Elise Keely ◆ Michael and Danelle Kelly ◆ William Kenney H Hope Knight and Steven Umlauf Brad and Heidi Konkler Sally and Wynn* Kramarsky ◆
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Tom Krouwer ◆ Ellen and Kord Lagemann H Lolya Lipchitz and Harold Kasimow ◆ Susan Localio ◆ Scott Lollis Roger and Pat Loud ◆ Glenn P. Lyons and Anita M. Bodrogi The Mabee Family Foundation Gregory Marchildon H Fernando A. Marquez Dwight and Sue Mason ◆ Marcia Mason McClellan ◆ Eugene McGovern The McHugh Silva Family Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Helen M. Neilson H Jenifer Nields Laura Okin H Todd and Elizabeth Ormiston Marian Osterweis ◆ Francie Parker ‘82 ◆ Pay Pal Giving Fund Catherine Pettersen Pat Kramon Pincus ◆ Arthur Platt and Janet Fink ◆ Mr. Jan and Dr. Joan Popkin H Renaissance Charitable Foundation Inc. Jim and Cathy Robjent H Marjorie P. Rosenthal Nathaniel Rubin Salesforce Saxton Family Serge Semenenko Family Foundation H Adam R. Silverstein Nicholas N. Solley H Benjamin Spencer and Georgia Close Ms. Janet Spiegelberg Hyman ‘49 ◆ Philip and Marcia Steckler H Hume R. Steyer ◆ Bill and Susan Sweeney Colin Tait ◆ Edith G. Thayer ‘50 ◆ A.C. Toland Mr. & Mrs. Michael J. Urfirer ◆
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Lucia Vail ◆ Vermont Community Foundation Carla von Trapp Hunter Frank Wallace H Susan Welch Williams ‘54 ◆ Jeff and Natalie Woods Xuejun Xu and Wenjing Li Peter Yamin SADDLEBACK (4,515 FT) $500-999 Anonymous (5) Adirondack Foundation-Sweeney Family Fund Rica and Cyrille Allannic ◆ American Recycling Technologies Inc. H Steven and Carol Andersen and Family Katie Bacon H D.J. and Ken Baker ◆ Lionel and Deborah Barthold H The Blatt Family Amy Bodman H Suzanne and Geoffrey Brown ◆ Ms. Francesca Calderone-Steichen ◆ Michael Chase Danny Chin and Stephanie Chang Susan and Henry Christensen Jr. Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts Michelle Conrad and David Kassel Dudley H. Cunningham H Jim and Sharon Cushman H Anthony P. Dawson-Ellis DeLaCour Family Foundation H Sophie DeLaCour-DeLaCour Family Foundation H Marilyn DeRight ◆ Pierre deVegh Sarah H. Lambert Dolan ‘86 H Claire Douglas H Susan Elman and Joe Ronson Tobias Emmerich Steven Fabrizio and Joseph Chin Feather Foundation, Inc. Katharine Knight Flebotte ◆ Robert and Navah Frost H Edie and Jim Garrett ◆ John R. Goodman
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HIGH PEAKS GIVING LEVELS
Eugene and Jolinda Grace Noah M. Harlan H John Herrera H Eliza Hewat ‘65 ◆ David Hochschartner and Selden West ◆ Eric Honor and Maureen Coen Anne Runyon Hurd Mr. Judson H. Irish Jr. ◆ Franklin Kenney ‘84 H Beth and Peter S. Kolevzon ◆ Eli Z. Kramer H Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Lambert III ◆ Randi Land H Jundong Lee Rachel Lipschutz and Family Lorna Livingston ‘50 ◆ Chris Lloyd and Vassie Sinopoulos ◆ Bill and Jan Localio ◆ Stuart & Mary Lollis ◆ David Loud and Pedro Porro ◆ Nicholas and Cassandra Ludington H The Macheska Family Lauren McGovern and John Sweeney H Ordway Clifford McManus H Debra M. McPhee Abigail Mellen ◆ Hideki and Tomoyo Miura Alan and Alice Model ◆ Deborah Model & Joe Falkowski H Katherine Cromwell Moore ◆ Bonnie & John Morgan ‘65 ◆ Michael and Cannella Mullins ◆ The Neaman-Santomasso Family Network for Good Robin Palmer Rob Parker Tracey and Thomas Parker Jenny and John Pearlman H Pew Charitable Trusts H Gretchen Phillips Dr. Victoria L. Pillard ◆
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Jane Crowell Rieffel ◆ Mr. & Mrs. John Riley Naemi and Nathaniel Rudykoff H Scott & Amy Sanderson H Santa Barbara Foundation David Schorr and Judith Krones Josh Schwerin The Shelby Family Jill, Andy, and Sophie Siegel Mr. Henry Spire Sarah Stahl and Harry Foster H Sarah Adams Steinberg & Peter Steinberg Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Stoutland Jr. Peter A. Thacher & Sarah J. Sherbrooke ◆ The Losam Fund Cornelia and Joseph Tierney ◆ Amina Tirana H Triskeles Foundation–SAMA Fund 39 The Waddington Family ◆ Ben Watson and Ruth Izraeli ◆ Sarah Weber Jennie Weiner H Maggie Westergaard H Carol S. Wolfe Your Cause
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ROCKY PEAK (4,420 FT) $250-499 Anonymous (7) Robert Abramowitz and Susan Stewart ◆ Peter Adomeit and Marilyn Sanders ◆ Emma Allen Amazon Smile Foundation Amgen Foundation Timothy D. Amussen Ken Hornstein ◆ Bridget Baran Petrona Benitez Ed and Ridgely Biddle H
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WINTER 2020
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John Brancato Phillip Brest H Megan and Josh Briggeman Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher M. Brown ◆ Ingrid Caruso & John Christian H Glen and Elizabeth Chidsey ◆ Eli Clare Cleveland H. Dodge Foundation, Inc. ◆ Maggie Close and James Cohen Helen Cohen and Mark Lipman ◆ Kalle Condliffe H Nathan and Carmen Cooper Andrea Corpora, Devin McCoubry, Mindi Rodgers, Diane DeMartino, Jessica Panarella June Cosgrove-Hays and Jeffrey Hays Mandy and Craig Dana Sr. Jim Darby ◆ Charles Darwall and Victoria Stoneman Josh and Jennifer Davis H Joanie Dinowitz Cassie Levitt Dippo ◆ Mark Dumont and Lynn Mehlman ◆ Mary Lynne Eakin ◆ Baird and Nancy Edmonds ◆ Gwen Storey Feher H Jacob Friedman Dominic* and Shafeeqa Giarratani Peter M. Gilbert ◆ Arleen F. Gilliam ◆ Alice Woolsey Godfrey H Nina Goodman ◆ Diana M. Hawes ◆ Bruce Hodes ◆ Christina Honde ◆ Christopher Hughes ‘70 H Sophie Kasimow and Seth Shames H Bradley Kerr H Alexander and Zoe Khalap Andrew and Yuko Kirk H
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Meredith Kovach & Sam Eaton Patrick and Katherine Lally Christine LeFevre ◆ Scott Lenhart H Nan Lindsay ◆ Nate Mason Lisa May and J. Tevere MacFadyen H Lauren McCarty H Soren Meischeid The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Microbiology Lab Danianne Mizzy David and Leni Moore Family Foundation ◆ Richard and Barbara Moore ◆ Alice Morey and Harvey Weinig H Lynne & John Morgan ◆ Nils Morgan H Danikka and George Moses Carolyn Mullins
The Namm Foundation, Inc. (Andrew Namm ‘42) ◆ Yana Nicks Clary Olmstead and Kathleen Heenan ◆ Joyce Olum-Galaski Dan Ouderkirk Roger and Rebecca Perry H Roger and Christie Platt Bennett Pologe James R. Pugh ◆ Lindsay Putnam ◆ Don Rand ◆ Campbell & Nancy Rea ◆ Fred and Roz Rea ◆ Aimee Reveno ◆ Becky Rice and Don Mesec ◆ Tom Clark* and Alison Riley-Clark H Ella and Peter Robjent H Laura and John Roche
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Peter and Lisa Rowley H Fritz Sabbow & Rob Hastings Chiara Saldarini and Bruno Sartorelli Rosie and George Sarandeva Susanna Meade Schindler ◆ Chuck Schwerin and Laura Bronstein ◆ Richard and Carol Seltzer Sierra Claim Services Nicole Been Siskind H Peter and Elisa Skinner H Dan Slutsky ◆ The Smart Ohana Shari and Jim Smart H Jenny Smith-Yuen H Rand Smith Jim and Liz Steyer ◆ John and Marie Stoutland The Strayer Family
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HIGH PEAKS GIVING LEVELS
Marilyn Jordan Taylor H Constance Tucker ◆ Vivian and Paul Olum Charitable Foundation Nick Waddington Eric G. Wagner ◆ Jon Walsh Christopher Werler H Holly and Jim Wilson David and Nell Wing ◆ Kai Xing The Yarinsky Weisser Family Jesse Zanger Peter J. Zimmerman H BIG SLIDE (4,240 FT) $100-249 Anonymous (29) Jamie Abbott ◆ Lynda Lees Adams ◆ Adirondack Artists Guild Gallery The Allen Family Charles and Caryn Allen Jason and Arlana Anderson Orman and Phyllis Anderson Richard G. Arms, Jr. Thomas and Virginia Army Todd and Pam August H Baltimore Community Foundation H Matthew Baran Tony and Sandy Baran H Claire and Tim Barnett H Mr. & Mrs. Ian K. Barnett Nancie Battaglia David and Kristen Baumgart Turner ◆ Jennifer Cahill Bean and Chris Bean H Sam Becker Harold & Natalie Been ◆ Colin and Jenny Bell ◆ David and Gail Bell Herb and Erica Bergamini ◆
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Lynda Bernays and Stan Smith ◆ Alexandra Bley-Vroman Betsy Bodenrader Durning & Family Christie Maria Borden ’92 and Ken Borden H Jody & Christopher Boyd Elizabeth Bradley H Ellen Thorndike Brawley ‘52 ◆ Eric Brest Richard and Paula Brewer Cali Brooks ‘85 and Galen Crane H Paul Brouha ◆ Margot Parsons Brown ‘51 ◆ R. Dede Brownstein ◆ Kate Buckley and Eric Beninghof Alice Gresham Bullock H Peter Bullock and Family The Chris Burden Family ◆ Marie Burke Tim Burke Carol Campanella and The Peru Chatty Red Hatters Rachel Carter Monie Chase and Stuart Chase ◆ Kate Chasson H David and Kate Chen Jake Chen Panti Chuenrudeemol Michael Churchill ◆ Kay Faron Ciganovic ◆ Andy Clibanoff and Denise Gotsdiner Emily Clark David Cohen H Barbara Condliffe and Matthew Fleck Sam Cummings Mr. Peter Curran Julie Curtis and Keith Gerstenmaier H Carolyn and John Curwen H Laurie M. and Samuel W. Cushman ◆ Richard (Spencer) Darwall
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WINTER 2020
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HIGH PEAKS GIVING LEVELS
Frances Davis ◆ SallySue Davis Aldara and Romina de la Vega Jerry and Amy de Rham ◆ Yvonne and Mike Deggelman Willis S. DeLaCour Peter Delman and Maureen Crowley H Paya deMarcken Beth Dennison H Pasuntra Dhebpunya Robert Doat H Mary Doerflein-Bohus & Robert Bohus Mr. and Mrs. William Domenico Sara Dominguez Peter Donahue Whitney and Thomasine Dow Karen Dunmire H Koe Durley & Family Chelsea Eakin Noni Eldridge ◆ Alan Eldridge H Lois Elting John Endicott Essex County Soil and Water Conservation District Kitty Fair H Stafford “Corky” Farmer-Lee H David Feldbaum Marcos Fernandez Eric Fetz H Payton Fireman ‘72 H Lisa T and George Prince Fishler Mr. John A. Foley ‘70 H Duncan Fordyce ◆ Brenda D. Frank & Albert D. Malmfelt H Friedlander Family H David and Daniella Friedman Doug Gallant ◆ Susan Gallant H Larry Gibbons H Brigit and Calvin Gilkey H
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48 ORGANIC ROOTS
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Suzanne Glickman Goldmark Family/Nick & Tom Scafidi H Brigitte Gordon and Dino Nappi Lily Gordon Alan Grant ◆ Florence Grieb ◆ Ms. Lynne Grifo Sara Blum Hadden ‘69 H Mr. & Mrs. Siegfried Haenisch ◆ Richard Hahn ◆ Patrick Hainault Carla Hall Christine Hall Danielle Hamlin Bill and Hamtamu Karg and Reese Fayde Fleur and Leonard Harlan ◆ John and Terese Hart H Ann Henderson H Jeffrey Herrmann and Sara Waisanen H Kent Hewitt ◆ Catherine (Cathy Fetz) High H Sarah Hoffman H Jeanette Gaston Hooban ◆ Ellen Hornstein & Denis Cioffi ◆ Rich Hornstein ◆ Claudia and Harvey Horowitz ◆ Logan Hovie Hunt Howell ‘58 ◆ Betsey Huffman Derek and Deborah Hunt H Tori Hunt, Tony, Gabriella & Ben Wan H Fran Huntoon H David Husing Jane Hyde ◆ Devon and Meredith Jacobs Mr. & Mrs. Henry Jakobe Lila Janski Jessica and Nate Jeffery Evan and Meg Jenkins Berkeley D. Johnson Jr. H
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Frank Johnson ‘62 ◆ Drucilla and Tierra Jones H Elizabeth Jordan and Dominic Perry Stephen and Diana Jordan Lennoth Joseph H Tanya Kalischer and Chris Coggins Ted and Julie Kalmus Allan S. Katz Vicki & Casey Keller H Thomas P. Kenefick H Robin McAllister Ketchum Ted Killiam H Rachel A. Kind Laura F. Knipe H Andrew B. Knox H John and Meg Kotler H David Kraus ◆ John Kress Mr. Thomas H. Land Jr. H Emily and George Lansbury ‘77 Randall and Karen Larkin Robbin LaRue Greg and Bunny LeClair H Jennifer Lee Hope Jensen Leichter The Honorable Pierre N. Leval H Cynthia Levy Dana Lindsay Frances Littell Matthew Littell Mary M Lloyd Rachel Lowenthal Robert & Kristen Maccini Jane and Dudley Mairs ◆ Barry Mallis The Honorable Ellen H. Maloney ◆ Scott Tower Maloney Paul and June Marcus Jane B. Mason and Brian Vaughan H Joseph Mayer ◆ Marsh McCall ◆ Cathy McDermott Aidan McGrinder
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Edward and Libby Faron Mell ◆ Theodore Metzger and Robin Fleischner H Mr. and Mrs. Kyle E. Metzloff Scott and Stephanie Miscione ◆ Henry F. Minnerop Lily Killiam Mitchell Dr. Charles E. Moisan H Jonathan and Kristin Adomeit Moore ◆ Paulette W. Muir H Barbara Mulvey Louisa Muñoz Frederick S. Nicholas Jr. ◆ Sarah Nicholson ‘72 ◆
Laura Nicholson NYSE Euronext Foundation Inc. Sean O’Tyson and Anne McGroarty Ini Obot Richard K. Ochs and Susan A. Arnold H April Oettinger and Max Tondro Ms. Nancy L. Olsen Omidyar Network Fund, Inc. Leslie Oplinger Laura Nields Page Nancy H. Paine-Borden Thomas and Victoria Patterson Paul Obrecht III
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Sherm Peale H Rachel Duell Peña H Thomas Penchoen David Pettengill H Brook and Taylor Phillips Dale Ferris Phillips ◆ Nina Pillard ◆ Doralynn and Jeffrey Pines ◆ Frank* and Judith Platt Hilary Platt Virginia Platt Torrey Podmajersky Nathaniel Polish and Ellen Schorr Steven Pologe H Lizabeth N. Pope
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HIGH PEAKS GIVING LEVELS
The Portal Family Lauren Olitski Poster ‘71 ◆ Kate Kubert Puls ◆ Michael Querijero Maya Radiconcini H Stephen Randall Mr. William Randall Laura Rappaport George and Joanne Reed ◆ Wynde Kate Reese Jane Regan and Ayanna Morel H
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Regeneron Matching Gift Program Alice Reich Lynne and Peter Reveno H Jonathan and Julia Rhoads ◆ Philip Rickey ◆ Dana Rogers Carolyn Roumeguere Susie & Ben Runyon H Marcia Salmon Annette and Jean-Claude Sanchez
WINTER 2020
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Anthony and Nino Schierman H Mel and Alex Schierman Jean L. Schwartz ◆ Kristin Schwenk Jay Scott ◆ Shelah K. Scott ◆ Selig Family Kate Shepherd ◆ Daniel Sherman Ira and Marcia Siegal Zachary Siegel
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Margaret Sloane H Laura Smith ◆ Ted Sonneborn John and Martha Spear H Dave Steckler H Kathleen L. Steed H David Stonebraker, in memory of Charlotte Rea ◆ Sara Stuart H Charles and Eve Sutton ◆ Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan S. Sutton H Dorothy Sweeney Eleanor V. Sweeney Karen Szvoren Alison Taggart-Barone and Larry Barone Roberta Taggart Bob Tam ◆ Sheila Tavares Brad and Fran Taylor ◆ Louise Ganter Taylor Russ Taylor & Margaret Elwood Loran Thompson Lindell Thorsen-Nagel George Todd H Stuart and Susan Topper ◆ Karine Toussaint Ernie Tracy H Martha Trowbridge Jessica Tuck ◆ Ms. Quincy Ryland Umphlette ◆ Willa Vail H Barry & Teri Volpert Foundation Teri and Barry Volpert ◆ Caitlin Waddington Donna, Jake, and Olivia Walsh Ward Lumber Company, Inc. Jay and Julie Ward Rebecca Warner ◆ Janet Dunn Wentworth, NCS ‘68 ◆ Eduard and Tamsin Wentzel Teagan R. Wentzel Whiteleather Family Penny Fujiko Willgerodt and William Cepeda Malcolm Willison H Mr. and Mrs. Eric Wilska David Sloan Wilson ◆ Edith Wislocki and Alfred Darby ◆ Bob Witsenhausen
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Ray Wolfson and Irene Sherman H Robin Wood and Family, Susan Kelly and Family, Courtney Newell and Family Dianne Wulsin H Rebecca Yamin Linda Young Mr. Michael Zegans
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CASCADE (4,098 FT) GIFTS UP TO $99 AND GIFTS IN-KIND Anonymous (49) Anne Aaboe Cena Abramo Adirondack Center for Writing Ian Adomeit Aetna Foundation, Inc. H David and Kari Allen Family Emilie Allen Grady Allen Dana Anders Leslie Andrews Jane Arnovick Lurline Aslanian H Elliott August Lauren Baker J Balcerzak ◆ Elizabeth Balkan Joan Barbier Dr. Claire Basescu ◆ Behavioral Health Services North, Inc. The Benner Family ◆ Fern Beschler ◆ The Betrus Family Elizabeth Bickley Charles Biddle H Philippa Biddle Mr. & Mrs. Roger Bigelow Charles A. Bookman ◆ Jean Bookman Betsy Bouche ◆ Anne Boutilier Christian Brammer and Jane Haugh Marion Breeman Heather (Thornton) Brown ‘61 ◆ Mr. & Mrs. Servando Canas Jr. Harrison and Judy Caner ◆
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Sophia Carroll Carol Castellano Patrick and Lois Caulfield Ying Yu Chan Allie Chang and Eli Heath Chun Chieh Chang Hope S. Childs ◆ Peam Chongtaveetham Garth Cilley Christy Clark Ace Clarke-Fisher Jonathan Conner Susan Cooley ◆ Stephanie Copelin and Mark Abboushi H Anabell Corwin Gerri and Bill Cotter Leslie and Elaine Cox Sharon Cuff Katie Culpepper H Emily Daniels and Santiago Vargas-Daniels Dr. Helen M. Davis H Sarah Davidson Tom Davis H Dr. Winifred M. DeLoayza H Amanda DiGeorge Brian DiGeorge Sarah Reed Dlugokencky Claire Doyle Anna Dumont Nolan Dumont June Eaton Hannah Edwards H John N. Eldridge ◆ Linda Ellsworth Rebecca Emerson Robert and Cindy Etelman Mr. & Mrs. Donald Evans Joshua Faller Tess Faller Families First in Essex County, Inc. Pier Fetz-Scimeca H Mark Filetti Mr. and Mrs. Michael S. Forman H Garrett Foster Edward W. Fox Jr. ‘57 H Linda Francke H Sarah Fuller Julie Getzels ◆
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HIGH PEAKS GIVING LEVELS
Tanya Giarratani Sprinkel Boden Gilkey Nancy Ginsburg and Bill Purdy Max Goldberg Deborah (Churchill) Goodell ◆ Susan and Jerry Goodman H Gordon W. Pratt Agency Amy Gordon H Jill Gordon Kiimberly Corwin Gray ‘95 H Sierra Grennan Diane Griffiths Piri Halasz ◆ Steve and Sunita Halasz H Katrina Hall H Mickey “El Duderino” Hardt Chantille Harris-Jenkins Jackson Harris Timothy Hartnett Peter Helmetag ◆ Alberta Hemsley ◆ Adam and Carol Hewitt H Rachel Hiles Frederick W. Hilles Jr. ◆ Jean Hoins H Shinzo Honde H The Hordubays ◆ Rebekah L. Horowitz Vannesa Houghtlin Sara Hudson Mr. & Mrs. William O. Humes ◆ Bryn Huxley-Reicher Zina Huxley-Reicher Joplin and Alison James ◆ Lawrence Jay Margo Rice Jay ◆ Benjamin Joergens Elsbeth S. Johnson ◆ Lucy and Tracy Johnson ◆ Rebecca Johnson H Sarah Jonas Ursula Jones The Jones Family Eileen Jordan
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Ray and Barbara Jowers Johanna Kalmus Andrea Kavanaugh & Djavad Salehi ◆ Karla Kavanaugh Dorothy A. Kenny ◆ Charlotte Killiam Diane, Sam and Bethany Kletz H Elenor and Thomas Klosterman Griffin Konkler Samuel and Linda Kramer ◆ James Kramon Linda Krewson Lisa Krug Jennifer Ladd ◆ Lake Placid/Wilmington Connecting Youth & Communities Co. Suzanne Lebeda David Lepage Kayla Lodico Tarky Lombardi Jr. H Thomas E. and Patricia D. Loughan Molly Malmfelt-Frank H Joseph and Mary Kathleen Maria D’Arcy Marsh John S. Martinson Noreen McCarthy Margaret McCoan Ruth A. McElraevy Amalia and Joseph McGavin Mary Hordubay McKenzie ◆ Donata Coletti Mechem ◆ Erica Merritt Elma Metzloff ◆ Lisa and Keith Miller-Samber Donald Mironov Emilie Mitchell Daniel (Pinball) Morel Adele Morgan and Michael Curran Willard Morgan and Jenn Barton H Grace Morris Lila Carey Mortimer Susann Moyer
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John and Patty Mueller Matthew Muller Elly Mullins Lisa B. Muñoz ‘91 Kim Narol H Denise Nelligan ‘80 Lisa D. Nicholson ◆ Britt Nielsen H Meredith J. Nordell Sophie Nowicki Crix O’Loughlin Joan Pachner Paulette Peduzzi and Family H Indigo Pellegrini de Paur Justin and Caroline Perry Jennifer Perry Cathy Phillips Patricia L. Pierce Mary Louise Pierson H Benjamin Platt Ethan Platt David and Barbara Plimpton Sophie Pollok Dr. Leonard R. Proctor ◆ Janice Quinter Elie Rabinowitz and Becca Miller Sharon Ratner Ms. Catherine Rees Daisy Emma Rhoads ◆ Andrew T. Rieger Terence Roche Rebecca Rohrer Ellen Mary Rolfe James Romm and Tanya Romm Marcuse Peter Ronson Mrs. Oren Root H Kia Salehi Lisa Sands and Joan Balash H Rachel Schwerin Charles Seider Mark Seltzer Daniel Silin Benjamin Smith
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Mike Smith H Robert and Sharon Smith H Timothy and Janet Smith ◆ Hetan and Helen Somaiya Laura Somerville St. Scholastica Monastery Claire and George Stahler H Derek and Amory Stedman Mr. Robert M. Stein Jr. ◆ Christopher Stoneman ◆ Mike and Julia Svoren Tys McGovern Sweeney Yael Swica Trevor Tait and Jill Pralle Barbara Tam Ms. Carolyn Taylor Robert Tepperberg Carly Terreberry Paul Theimer Finn and Rowan Tondro Sharon Treat H
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Rex and Kathleen Trobridge Jeremy Troxell and Laura Rickard Truist by Frontstream Donna Turner Lanie Turner Marcy and Marcus Veno Carol Vossler Roberta W. Waddell ◆ Jeremy and Judith Walsh ◆ Nathaniel Walsh Matu WaMae Gabriella Wan Tim and Katie Eldridge Weaver ‘78 ◆ Bonnie Welch H Laurence and Irma Werfel H Susan K. West ◆ Catherine Wheeler Kyra E. White Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Wiley Herb Wilkinson ◆ Patricia Winter
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Please note: this report includes gifts, pledges, and pledge payments made from September 1, 2018, to August 31, 2019. Gifts received after August 31, 2019, 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 category, please accept our sincere apology—and do let us know by calling the Advancement Office at 518-5239329 ext. 5450.
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TRIBUTES AND MEMORIALS
We are grateful to those donors who choose to honor or remember a loved one or significant life event by making a contribution to North Country School and Camp Treetops. Listed below are gifts received from September 1, 2018, through August 31, 2019. John C. Allen Jr. in honor of David M. Hochschartner Orman and Phyllis Anderson in honor of Barkley Stuart Thomas and Virginia Army in honor of Azalech Johnson Jong-Seo Bae and Kiwon Hong in honor of John H. Doan D.J. and Ken Baker in memory of Debby Tait Elizabeth Balkan in honor of Azalech Johnson Bridget Baran in memory of Walter and Irene Baran Bill Barton in memory of Patricia Barton Fern Beschler in memory of Edwin F. Beschler Elizabeth Bickley in honor of Azalech Johnson Alexandra Bley-Vroman in memory of Ed and Elsa Bley Jody & Christopher Boyd in memory of Norbert & Joan Hochschartner Heather (Thornton) Brown '61 in honor of Don Rand R. Dede Brownstein in memory of Kim Copeland The Chakonis Family in memory of Walter Breeman Kay Faron Ciganovic in memory of Debby Tait
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John and Karen Culpepper in memory of Toddie Szvoren Mandy and Craig Dana Sr. in honor of NCS Teachers Marilyn DeRight in honor of Kate DeRight Pasuntra Dhebpunya in honor of Dave Steckler and Courtney Allen David and Melanie Dumont in honor of Jean and Jerry Marchildon Laurie Engle in honor of David M. Hochschartner Robert and Cindy Etelman in memory of Walter Breeman Arleen F. Gilliam in memory of Reginald Gilliam Lynne Grifo in honor of Azalech Johnson Gordon W. Pratt Agency in memory of Gordon Pratt Catherine (Cathy Fetz) High in memory of Kurt Fetz Bruce Hodes in memory of Walter Clark and Helen Haskell Shinzo Honde in memory of Kohei Honde Judith L. Chiara Charitable Fund in honor of Daniela Chiara and Karma Mason Linda Krewson in honor of Mary Elizabeth Sweeney Greene
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Nan Lindsay in memory of Edward (Ted) Lindsay Frances Littell in memory of Frank C. Platt Matthew Littell in memory of Frank C. Platt The Macheska Family in memory of Walter Breeman Barry Mallis in memory of Walter Clark Lisa May and J. Tevere MacFadyen in honor of Don Rand Margaret McCoan in honor of Azalech Johnson Ruth A. McElraevy in honor of Azalech Johnson Willard Morgan and Jenn Barton in honor of David M. Hochschartner Elly Mullins in honor of Baby Hayes Michael and Cannella Mullins in honor Baby Hayes Michael and Cannella Mullins in memory of Toddie Szvoren Patricia L. Pierce in memory of Charles B. Catlin Arthur Platt and Janet Fink in memory of Frank C. Platt Benjamin Platt in memory of Frank C. Platt Ethan Platt in memory of Frank C. Platt Hilary Platt in memory of Frank C. Platt Roger Platt in memory of Frank C. Platt Virginia Platt in memory of Frank C. Platt Sophie Platt Pollok in memory of Frank C. Platt Lindsay Putnam in honor of Don Rand Ellen Mary Rolfe in honor of Azalech Johnson
Nathaniel Rubin in memory of Robert and Martha Rubin Marcia Salmon in honor of Toddie Szvoren Annette and Jean-Claude Sanchez in memory of Walter Breeman Lisa Sands and Joan Balash in honor of Mark Sands Mark Sands in honor of Marcia McClellan
Rosie and George Sarandeva in honor of NCS teachers Ted, Noni, Shannon, Gavi, Caroline, Larry, Rob, and Joey Christine Semenenko '62 in honor of David M. Hochschartner Kate Shepherd in memory of Helen Haskell Jill, Andy, and Sophie Siegel in memory of Walter Breeman
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John and Martha Spear in memory of Ann Martindell Mr. Henry Spire in honor of David M. Hochschartner Derek Stedman in memory of Toddie Szvoren Kathleen L. Steed in memory of Jeffrey R. Jonathan David Stonebraker in memory of Charlotte Rea
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TRIBUTES AND MEMORIALS
Mike and Julia Svoren in memory of Toddie Szvoren Karen Szvoren in memory of Toddie Szvoren Russ Taylor & Margaret Elwood in memory of Maggie Bernard Peter A. Thacher & Sarah J. Sherbrooke in memory of Barbara and Thomas Thacher Lindell Thorsen-Nagel in honor of David M. Hochschartner Courtney and Matthew Tuck in memory of Edward Hallam Tuck Lanie Turner in honor of Azalech Johnson
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Marcy and Marcus Veno in memory of Robert S. Schumacher Mr. and Mrs. William H. Waddington in honor of Don Rand Bonnie Welch in memory of Betsy Welch Penny Fujiko Willgerodt and William Cepeda in honor of Karen Culpepper Kevin Williams in honor of David M. Hochschartner Gifts in memory of Owen McGovern Sweeney Anonymous (17)
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Adirondack Artists Guild Gallery Adirondack Center for Writing Grady Allen Jenny Ewing Allen John and Joyce Allen Leslie Andrews AuSable Dental Center Nancie Battaglia Behavioral Health Services North, Inc. The Betrus Family Mr. & Mrs. Roger Bigelow Blair Academy Anne Boutilier John Brancato
Barry and Pam Breeman Richard and Paula Brewer James and Kathleen Burns Carol Campanella and The Peru Chatty Red Hatters Mr. & Mrs. Servando Canas Jr. Rachel Carter Andy Clibanoff and Denise Gotsdiner The Damico Family Emily Daniels and Santiago Vargas-Daniels Aldara de la Vega Matt Donahue Koe Durley & Family Betsy Bodenrader Durning & Family Mr. Tobias Emmerich Mr. & Mrs. Donald Evans Ted Ewing Families First in Essex County, Inc. Eric and Keiko Greenberg Meredith Hanson Mr. Timothy Hartnett Mr. Daniel Janczewski and Ms. Amanda Maguire (for Lila Janski/ Buxton School) Mr. & Mrs. Henry Jakobe Eileen Jordan Stephen and Diana Jordan Tanya Kalischer and Chris Coggins Lake Placid/Wilmington Connecting Youth & Communities Co. Suzanne Lebeda Greg and Bunny LeClair Jennifer Lee Mr. David Lepage Thomas E. and Patricia D. Loughan Robert & Kristen Maccini Eugene McGovern Emilie Mitchell Ms. Nancy L. Olsen Paulette Peduzzi and Family Cathy Phillips Sharon Ratner Alison Riley-Clark Peter and Lisa Rowley Susie & Ben Runyon Sierra Claim Services John and Martha Spear Ms. Eleanor V. Sweeney
Bill and Susan Sweeney Ms. Dorothy Sweeney Sheila Tavares Rex and Kathleen Trobridge Ms. Donna Turner Ms. Carol Vossler Mara Frankel Wallace and Rick Wallace Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Wiley Robin Wood and Family, Susan Kelly and Family, Courtney Newell and Family Mr. Michael Zegans Gifts in memory of Tom Clark Ian Adomeit David and Kari Allen Family Emma Allen D.J. and Ken Baker Herb and Erica Bergamini Lynda Bernays and Stan Smith Ms. Jan L. Blomstrann David Bronfman Barry and Pam Breeman Kate Buckley and Eric Beninghof Tim Burke Liz and Chris Carroll Ying Yu Chan Allie Chang and Eli Heath Peam Chongtaveetham Kay Faron Ciganovic Emily Clark Bob Clark Michelle Conrad and David Kassel Ann Cooper Andrea Corpora, Devin McCoubry, Mindi Rodgers, Diane DeMartino, Jessica Panarella Tony & Nancy Corwin Gerri and Bill Cotter Sharon Cuff John and Karen Culpepper Richard (Spencer) Darwall Indigo Pellegrini de Paur Matt Donahue Anna Dumont David and Melanie Dumont Mark Dumont and Lynn Mehlman Karen Dunmire Larry Gibbons
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Paul and Eileen Growald Claudia and Harvey Horowitz Rebekah L. Horowitz Tessa Huxley Karen and Peter Jakes Susie Jakes and Jeff Prescott The Jones Family Charlotte Killiam Diane, Sam and Bethany Kletz Brad and Heidi Konkler John and Meg Kotler Eli Z. Kramer Lisa Krug Scott Lenhart Bill and Jan Localio Elizabeth Macken Molly Malmfelt-Frank The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Microbiology Lab Danianne Mizzy Deborah Model & Joe Falkowski John and Patty Mueller Denise Nelligan '80 Jenifer Nields Leslie Oplinger Laura Nields Page Francie Parker '82 Mr. and Mrs. Sumner Parker '41 Paulette Peduzzi and Family Brook and Taylor Phillips Lizabeth N. Pope Mr. Michael Querijero Stephen Randall Mr. William Randall Ms. Catherine Rees Becky Rice and Don Mesec Mr. & Mrs. John Riley Laura and John Roche Rosie and George Sarandeva Charles Seider John Seider The Smart Ohana Jenny Smith-Yuen Yael Swica St. Scholastica Monastery Christopher Stoneman Barkley Stuart and Ann Glazer Sheila Tavares Holly and Jim Wilson Jeff and Natalie Woods
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BALANCED ROCKS CIRCLE
We are grateful to the community members who (as of August 31, 2019) have included North Country School and Camp Treetops in their estate plans, thereby becoming members of the Balanced Rocks Circle. In the 2019 fiscal year, we were honored to be the recipient of a realized bequest from Neal W. Andrews, founder of Refugees to Camp. Neal’s bequest has been used to establish the Neal W. Andrews Endowment. At Neal’s request, this fund will support Camp Treetops scholarships for children for whom English is a second language. Neal had a deep love of the outdoors and the Adirondacks, in particular. In the last decade, he started working with impoverished refugee children to bring them to Adirondack summer camps. Refugees to Camp brought four campers or staff members to Treetops since 2010. Upon his untimely death, he left various organizations portions of his estate to continue his good work. We are grateful and humbled by Neal’s generosity and passion for connecting children from around the world to the Adirondack Mountains. Neal’s generosity underscores the power of planned giving in our community, which is a critical way to strengthen our endowment. Neal’s gift also kicks off our efforts to ramp up Treetops scholarship giving and planned giving in the centennial year of Camp. Thank you to those who joined the Balanced Rocks Circle in fiscal year 2019: Ann and Lee Farnham, Catherine High, Mike McCrary, Elizabeth Packard, and Christopher Werler. 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 Christie Borden at 518-837-5402 or cborden@ncstreetops.org. Anonymous (9) Dennis Aftergut Jenny Ewing Allen Neal W. Andrews* Judith Bardacke* Peter Brest Cali Brooks and Galen Crane Alice Gresham Bullock Walter E. Clark* Dr. Georgia Close and Dr. Benjamin Spencer John Byrne Cooke* 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 Ann and Lee Farnham Henry Gardiner* Suzanne Glickman Reggie Govan Gay Booth Greenleaf Lisa Gulotta Elizabeth Harlan Laura Thrower Harris
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Bob Heays Nick and Ruth Hewitt Catherine (Cathy Fetz) High David Hochschartner and Selden West Amy & John Isaacs Elsbeth S. Johnson Jan Johnson Ralph Jones 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 Bill and Jan Localio Susan Localio Roger and Pat Loud Anne Martindell* Dwight N. Mason Lauren McCarty Mike McCrary, ‘50 Mimi B. Muray-Levitt, NCS 57 Sandy Gray Nowicki, NCS 57 JoAnne Olmsted* Brian Orter
Elizabeth Packard Meredith M. Prime Don Rand Mr. & Mrs. James Rea Jr.* Susan Read, NCS 70, CTT parent 04–05 Jane Crowell Rieffel Cheryl "Rusty" Schick Rolland * Maggie Rosenbloom Matt Salinger Kate Shepherd Mike Smith David and Linda Stein Helen Stein Hugh Thacher Jessica Tuck Matthew and Courtney Tuck Mary Loeb Umlauf* Frank Wallace Louise Walsh and Charles Rupp Jill Werfel Christopher Werler '84 Francis Whitcomb* Martha C. Howell and Edward B. Whitney Hilary and Scott Wilkinson Susan Welch Williams NCS 54 John O. Zimmerman* * = Deceased
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LEAVE YOUR LEGACY
Lee Farnham CTT 51–52, staff 55 IN MY TIME AT TREETOPS, I NEVER THOUGHT 60-PLUS YEARS INTO THE FUTURE; I was too busy doing as much as I could during those summers. I was making so many new friends, and the counselors had so much wisdom to impart, that there was never enough time for it all. And there was the rustic beauty: spare wooden cabins above Round Lake, Balanced Rocks and Pitchoff behind us, Cascade looming to the south and MacIntyre, Wright, and Van Hoevenberg in the distance. The daily chore routine gave us learning experiences to ready us for more adult responsibilities. Helen led with cool calm, more than ably assisted by Bob Bliss, Bill Cunningham, John Booth, Kola and Bernard Heiden, Van Van Arsdale, and many more. Treetops instilled important life lessons in us to complement what we were taught at home: treat people like you want to be treated, stay positive, be thankful, give a helping hand, be kind to animals—so many things we were at the right age to absorb. As I ended my career as a financial advisor and thought about my time at Treetops, I found that retirement actually put me in a position to help CTT/ NCS more. Rolling over my 401(k) into my IRA quintupled my IRA required minimum distribution from one year to the next; it coincided with the 2018 Tax Act, which limits joint deductions for state and local taxes to $10,000 per household. We live in NJ, with local property taxes above $13k, so some of that deductibility is lost at tax time. Because retirement, for us, provides So-
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cial Security income, plus required minimum distributions from IRAs and business income from investments, our tax bracket has risen (in spite of the increased writeoff for married couples). So we’re using Qualified Charitable Deductions (QCDs) to keep our taxable income lower. Ask NCS/ CTT’s Development Office for more details, but the essence of a QCD is that you get the ability, after age 70 ½, to donate up to $100k a year to qualified 501(c)(3)s (non-profits) from your IRA required minimum distributions, without it counting as taxable income too. You can also leave a legacy for organizations you care about by indicating this intention on your IRA’s beneficiary form. Treetops, and the Cottonwood Gulch Foundation (Prairie Trek) in Thoreau, NM, where I went the next two summers, were so important. QCDs help me repay them now. In this centennial year of Camp Treetops, please consider a bequest or planned gift to benefit the institution and leave your legacy for the next generations of children. For more information, contact Matt Donahue, Director of Advancement: mdonahue@ncstreetops. org; (518) 523-9329, ext. 5446.
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HOCK LEGACY FUND
In July 2018, the Board of Trustees of Camp Treetops, North Country School, and Rock-E House & Basecamp created The Hock Legacy Fund to honor the monumental career of David "Hock� Hochschartner. As a teacher, counselor, outdoorsman, and Head of Camp and School, he has had an indelible impact on North Country School and Camp Treetops. In the spirit of Hock's tireless work to build upon treasured traditions here and steer our programs into their next centuries, The Hock Legacy Fund will be used, at the discretion of the Board and with input from Hock, to carry out the mandates of our strategic plan. In addition, the Board will allocate 30 percent of The Hock Legacy Fund to create the David Hochschartner and Selden West Endowment. We are grateful to the following people who made gifts to this fund last year.
Anonymous Lynda Lees Adams Adirondack Foundation -Meredith M. Prime Fund 2 Dana Anders Jason and Arlana Anderson Keith and Peggy Anderson Tony and Sandy Baran Bridget Baran Matthew Baran Lisa Beck and Mitch Seider Sam Becker David and Gail Bell Herb and Erica Bergamini Jody & Christopher Boyd Cali Brooks '85 and Galen Crane Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher M. Brown Joey Carey Patrick and Lois Caulfield David and Jane Condliffe Carolyn and John Curwen Willis S. DeLaCour Baird and Nancy Edmonds Kenneth and June Eng Lee and Ann Farnham
Feather Foundation, Inc The Fernandez Family Edie and Jim Garrett Len Gelman Brigit and Calvin Gilkey Suzanne Glickman Carl Glickstein Paul and Eileen Growald Laura and David T. Harris Jane Hyde Lennoth Joseph Franklin Kenney '84 Hope Knight and Steven Umlauf Sally and Wynn* Kramarsky Tom Krouwer Rose K. Lansbury Lorna Livingston '50 Bill and Jan Localio David Loud and Pedro Porro Roger and Pat Loud Meimei Ma '70 William and Allison Mankivsky Jean and Jerry Marchildon Ordway Clifford McManus Donald Mironov
Deborah Model & Joe Falkowski The Neaman-Santomasso Family Sandy Gray Nowicki '57 Bob and Margaret Parker Mr. and Mrs. Sumner Parker '41 Jenny and John Pearlman Pat Kramon Pincus Elizabeth "Lisette" Prince Janice Quinter Don Rand Larry Robjent and Jess Wegrzyn Drs. Pamela Rosenthal & Sam Wertheimer Naemi and Nathaniel Rudykoff Matt Salinger Steven Saslow Christine Semenenko '62 Daniel Sherman Nicholas N. Solley Strayer family Ernie Tracy Donna, Jake, and Olivia Walsh Dick and Sara Wilde Kevin Williams Susan Welch Williams '54 *=Deceased
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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. In the 2018-19 fiscal year, we were honored to add the Neal W. Andrews Endowment to our list of named funds. This fund will provide Camp Treetops scholarships to children for whom English is a second language. Read more about Neal and his work on page 58. 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 The Shelby Family MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT FUND Memorial gifts support the general endowment fund Patricia L. Pierce in memory of Charles Catlin NCS 54 Milton and Liesa Allen Fund For Faculty Salaries Neal W. Andrews Fund For CTT Scholarships for children for whom English is a second language The Estate of Neal W. Andrews 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
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Bob Bliss Fund For Waterfront Improvements
Feather Foundation Fund For Gardens and Greenhouse
Bramwell Family Fund For NCS & CTT
Eric Feldsberg Memorial Scholarship Fund For CTT Scholarships
Mildred Brooks Nature Program Fund For CTT Salaries Leo and Walter Clark Fund For NCS & CTT Brion Crowell Fund For NCS & CTT Kitty and Carl (C.D.) Dennett Scholarship Fund 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 James R. Pugh
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Garden Fund For Program Enhancement Reginald Gilliam Mountaineering Leadership and Scholarship Fund For Mountaineering Program Support and CTT Scholarships Anonymous Arleen F. Gilliam Michael and Danelle Kelly James R. Pugh Dick and Sara Wilde Govan Family Fund For CTT Scholarships Tsu Hansen Fund For NCS & CTT David and Melanie Dumont Harlan Family Fund For NCS & CTT Elizabeth Harlan Noah M Harlan
Doug Haskell Fund For CTT Scholarships Anonymous Malcolm Willison Helen Haskell Fund For NCS & CTT Dick and Sara Wilde David Hochschartner and Selden West Fund For NCS & CTT Scholarships and Professional Development Anonymous Lynda Lees Adams Dana Anders Jason and Arlana Anderson Keith and Peggy Anderson Keith and Peggy Anderson Family Foundation Bridget Baran Matthew Baran Tony and Sandy Baran
Lisa Beck and Mitch Seider Sam Becker David and Gail Bell Herb and Erica Bergamini Jody & Christopher Boyd Cali Brooks ‘85 and Galen Crane Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher M. Brown Joey Carey Patrick and Lois Caulfield David and Jane Condliffe Carolyn and John Curwen Willis S. DeLaCour Baird and Nancy Edmonds Kenneth and June Eng Lee and Ann Farnham Feather Foundation, Inc. The Fernandez Family Edie and Jim Garrett Len Gelman Brigit and Calvin Gilkey Suzanne Glickman Carl Glickstein Paul and Eileen Growald
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Laura and David T. Harris Jane Hyde Lennoth Joseph Franklin Kenney ‘84 Hope Knight and Steven Umlauf Sally and Wynn Kramarsky Tom Krouwer Rose K. Lansbury Lorna Livingston ‘50 Bill and Jan Localio David Loud and Pedro Porro Roger and Pat Loud Meimei Ma ‘70 William and Allison Mankivsky Jean and Jerry Marchildon Ordway Clifford McManus Donald Mironov Deborah Model & Joe Falkowski The Neaman-Santomasso Family Sandy Gray Nowicki ‘57 Bob and Margaret Parker Mr. and Mrs. Sumner Parker ‘41 Jenny and John Pearlman
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Pat Kramon Pincus Meredith Prime Elizabeth “Lisette” Prince Janice Quinter Don Rand Larry Robjent and Jess Wegrzyn Drs. Pamela Rosenthal & Sam Wertheimer Naemi and Nathaniel Rudykoff Matt Salinger Steven Saslow Christine Semenenko ‘62 Daniel Sherman Nicholas N. Solley Strayer Family Ernie Tracy Donna, Jake, and Olivia Walsh Dick and Sara Wilde Kevin Williams Susan Welch Williams ‘54 Kaye Clark Hoins Fund For NCS & CTT Mr. John A. Foley ‘70
Diana E. Oehrli Fund For CTT Scholarships The Gruben Charitable Foundation Diana Oehrli Okin Fund For Maintenance on Capital Improvements Ken Okin Laura Okin Olmstead Fund For NCS & CTT Arthur W. Parker Fund For NCS & CTT Fullwood Foundation, Inc. Bill and Jan Localio Bob and Margaret Parker Francie Parker ‘82 Mr. and Mrs. Sumner Parker ‘41 Barkley Stuart and Ann Glazer Susan Powell NCS 51 Fund For NCS & CTT Sally Powell Culverwell
Lindsay Johnson Fund For NCS Scholarships Adlin and Sherman Loud Scholarship Fund For NCS Scholarships Edward and Libby Faron Mell Anne Martindell Gardening Fund Restricted Endowment Roger Martindell ‘63 The Master Teacher Fund For Faculty Salaries Peter W. Merle-Smith Fund For CTT Scholarships
Prince/ de Ramel Charitable Trusts Fund For Faculty Salaries Joyce Pearson Prock Fund For NCS & CTT Richard Rockefeller Fresh Start Scholarship Fund For NCS & CTT Scholarships The Estate of David Rockefeller Barkley Stuart and Ann Glazer Dick and Sara Wilde Cheryl “Rusty” Rolland Fund For the Performing Arts
Kate C. Moore Fund For CTT Scholarships Cornelia and Joseph Tierney
Smith Family Foundation Fund For NCS Scholarships
Christopher Nicholson Memorial Fund For NCS Scholarships
Sylvia Pool Sperling Animal Husbandry and Barn Fund Restricted Endowment
Spiegelberg Fund For Scholarships David A. Stein NCS 52 and Allison Stein Robbins NCS 74 Fund For Riding Program, Farm, and NCS Scholarships David A. Stein Charitable Trust David and Linda Stein Tracey Westbrook Elizabeth Claire Stein Scholarship Fund For CTT Scholarships Bill and Jan Localio Helen Stein Mr. Robert M. Stein Jr. Strong Roots, High Peaks Faculty Support Fund Strong Roots, High Peaks Greening and Renewal Fund Strong Roots, High Peaks Scholarship Fund For NCS & CTT Scholarships Margaret and Randolph Thrower Fund For Greening and Renewal Frank H. Wallace Fund For Faculty Enrichment Anonymous Jerome P. Webster III Fund For NCS & CTT Herbert and Maria West Fund For NCS Intern Salaries David Hochschartner and Selden West Whit Whitcomb Teacher Opportunity Fund For Faculty Development Winter’s Children Fund For NCS Scholarships John O. Zimmerman Fund For NCS & CTT
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SAVE THE DATE!
The Camp Treetops Centennial Celebration Please join us in New York City for an evening with Camp friends to celebrate 100 summers of Treetops Thursday, April 30, 2020 6:00 PM City Winery (Pier 57—Hudson River at 15th Street) For more information about reserving your tickets, please contact Jodi Domenico at jdomenico@ncstreetops.org. Camp Treetops Centennial Committee: Rica Allannic (CTT 85–87, staff 90-95, 15–present, parent 12–18), Lisa Beck (Trustee 08-present, CTT 70–73, parent 05-16, staff 08–18), Emily Clark (CTT 96–01), Sarah Davidson (CTT 96–99), Tessa Huxley (CTT 62–67, staff 72–75, parent 99–10), Jane Rosenbloom (CTT 48-55, parent 86-83, trustee 93–99), Zach Siegel (CTT 03–07, staff 10-13, 15), and Will Whitney (CTT 90–94) Staff: Karen Culpepper and Matt Donahue
Camp Treetops North Country School Rock-E House & Basecamp 4382 Cascade Road, Lake Placid, NY 12946