Organic Roots Winter 2022 by North Country School & Camp Treetops

WINTER 2022

A Publication of North Country School and Camp Treetops

EDITOR Shaun Kittle

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Emilie Allen

LAYOUT & DESIGN Kelly Hofschneider

COPY EDITOR Laura Ward

MASTHEAD Gail Brill Designs

COVER IMAGE Nancie Battaglia

CONTRIBUTORS Emilie Allen Christie Borden Karen Culpepper Katie Culpepper Emily Eisman Ralph Jones Shaun Kittle Liz Lastowski Becca Miller Todd Ormiston Matthew Smith

PHOTOGRAPHERS Nancie Battaglia John Eldridge Jessica Jeffery Shaun Kittle Becca Miller Larry Robjent

ILLUSTRATOR Gavi Mallory

PRINTING Print Management Pittsburgh, PA Cover: NCS students Matt, left, and Joel hike near Balanced Rocks on Pitchoff Mountain. The view includes the North Country School and Camp Treetops campus.

contact: eallen@ncstreetops.org www.northcountryschool.org www.camptreetops.org

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LEADING THOUGHTS

FEATURES

From Todd Ormiston Executive Director

From Karen Culpepper Camp Director

14 Remembering Don Rand

NCS & TREETOPS TODAY

16 A Summer of Empathy

10 Donor Profile

Emilie Allen

20 Mapping Our Future Matthew Smith Director of School

13 Recipe From the Children‘s Garden

22 A Glimpse Into the Past

26 #ThisWeekAtNCS Blog

ALUMNAE /I BULLETIN

28 Celebrating Transitions 30 Friends’ Weekend

Tomorrow's Leaders, Today Shaun Kittle

32 In Memoriam / News & Notes 35 From the Archives 36

2020–2021 ANNUAL REPORT

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OUR SHARED AND EVER-EVOLVING JOURNEY BY TODD ORMISTON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

For decades, Camp and School have woven together experiences that affect the trajectory of every camper and student who has had the opportunity to swim in our lake, climb our mountains, learn from our mentors, and find their voice. From the child’s perspective, Camp and School are a magical journey of learning, growing, and joy. Along the way, each child is met where they are—they receive guidance, and, when they are ready, set out to take on new challenges.

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Similarly, Camp and School must also seek guidance and set out to take on new challenges. With Camp’s return last summer and School back in its normal rhythm, now is the perfect time for us to collect feedback, set goals, and map out our future. With your thoughtful input, we are embarking on that journey in the form of a new strategic plan. We successfully completed our last strategic plan just as the pandemic began and are benefiting from the program enhancements provided by the construction of the Walter Breeman Performing Arts Center

At the heart of our work will be the children. With that in mind, our deep dive into our community, traditions, and outcomes will seek to reveal the essence of Camp and School. We want to learn about what makes us unique, and which activities and moments have the greatest influence on shaping children for the rest of their lives. (WallyPAC) and the Teaching and Learning Kitchen. We are also benefiting from the work we did to enhance our financial modeling capabilities and ensure that we are making the best use of our resources. The building of a new strategic plan will begin this January, and we expect to have it completed by the end of 2022. We have already had preliminary conversations to lay the groundwork for the process. Our consulting partner, Mission Minded, has engaged our Board of Trustees in early discussions, and our steering committee will be in place by the end of this year. At the heart of our work will be the children. With that in mind, our deep dive into our community, traditions, and outcomes will seek to reveal the essence of Camp and School. We want to learn about what makes us unique, and which activities and moments have the greatest influence on shaping children for the rest of their lives. The strategic planning process will also focus on our relationship with the greater good. We want to be part of the solution regarding climate change, and have an ever-increasing awareness of environmental stewardship. We want to do better in promoting a more equitable and inclusive world. We want to take what we learned from the recent public health crisis and apply that knowledge to making communities more livable. And we want to better equip our campers and students

to be impactful members of their own communities. All of that is important, but the most important guiding questions will start with, “Why?” Why do Camp and School become an everlasting part of every camper’s or student’s life? Why do our campers and students carry with them the values of our community? Why are we important to the world? And, most importantly, why have the philosophy and values of Camp and School proven to be sustainable for over 100 years? We will begin the process without preconceived notions. We know that the most effective strategic plans are formed through discovery and through asking good questions. And we know who to ask: our people. Our graduates, parents, past campers, counselors, and teachers. You are the answer to our question, “Why?” The next few months will begin the Scan phase of our planning. It will be critical that we thoughtfully engage our community. The strategic planning process will involve listening sessions, one-on-one conversations, and surveys. The authenticity of our plan will depend on the clarity of your voices; our future will be driven by what we hear from you. During the Envision phase, we will begin presenting bold, aspirational statements like, “What will be North Country School and Camp Treetops’ long-term impact?” and “How do you imagine Camp and School will make that impact happen?” During this stage our strategic priorities will become clearer, and the fulfillment of our aspirational goals will take shape. We will consult with you to make sure we are getting it right. Lastly, we will Create, because big ideas are supported by action. Together, we will create a plan that identifies the strategic needs of Camp and School, one that enhances the fulfillment of our mission. It will be an actionable and measurable strategy that keeps our promises to our children, one that will allow Camp and School to not merely be sustainable, but thrivable for years to come. It can sometimes be difficult to take a moment to breathe and consider our future, especially after the past two years. But this is the perfect time to begin our next adventure together. Please be part of the conversation and let your voice be heard, so we can continue to deliver the most meaningful experience possible for our children.

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A Return to Camp BY KAREN CULPEPPER CAMP DIRECTOR

As the icy chill of another Adirondack winter sets in, I can’t help but reflect on the comforting warmth and delightful energy of this past summer. Of course, there were obstacles and restrictions to tackle, but as the summer progressed, I was in awe of the resilience of our whole community. New routines were adopted effortlessly, masks were worn when required, and it was overwhelmingly clear that all of us were just happy to be outdoors and together—playing, singing, working, and hiking. The following words are pulled from this summer’s Camp Journal. In sharing entries written as the summer was unfolding, I hope to share a small glimpse of the magic of a Treetops summer—especially this one. I wrote the journals as our campers, many of whom lived in a largely digital world all of last year, dug carrots from the garden, sang together during council, and ran barefoot to the lake. They are meant to capture the joy, resilience, tradition, and adaptability of a community collectively healing after a uniquely challenging period of time.

WEEK 1. Camp has begun! After last summer’s hiatus, it is with so much happiness and gratitude that we welcome families back to Treetops. Campers arrived to a little bit of rain, which then opened up to bright blue skies and sunny days. Our garden is brimming with vibrant lettuces and delicious herbs, and the pastures are in full bloom with daisies, buttercups, and black-eyed Susans. Campers and counselors alike are navigating the excitement and nerves of immersing into a brand new experience. This first week is all about slowing down and settling into the routines of Camp. We recognize that this summer, even more so than others, it is important to give time and space to ease into Camp. After over a year of limited interactions and mostly virtual friendships, Camp may feel intensely

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social and active. Because of Covid protocols, campers are eating meals and choosing activities within their age groups. Although this is a departure from the typical structure of a Treetops day, we are fully embracing this time to settle into the rhythms of Camp. In smaller groups, there are fewer names to learn and more familiar faces at activities, which allows for a transition into an environment that, even for returning campers, may feel somewhat foreign after such an atypical year. In addition to smaller groups, there is more intentional time for self-care and reflection being offered throughout the day, especially in the evenings. Children who need the space can read a book, write a letter, or just take some quiet time before bed.

WEEK 2.

As campers create connections with their peers, their counselors, and even favorite animals at the barn, they are solidifying their footing here on our campus. This foundation gives them the confidence to venture beyond their comfort zones: to throw a pot on the wheel for the first time, explore the mountains and rivers that surround us, or try a new vegetable from the garden. Throughout the summer, campers will strengthen these bonds with the natural world, with each other, and with themselves through challenge, whimsy, and everything in between.

WEEK 3.

Alongside the whimsical and fleeting activities, Treetops gives time and encouragement for an in-depth exploration of areas of interest. As the summer unfolds, campers create their own experiences by requesting certain barn chores and trips that interest them, seeking out skills they want to develop, or choosing activities that resonate with their individuality. Campers can dig into projects that start with an inkling of an idea and some raw materials, which transform over hours, or even days, into a beautiful weaving, a garden-inspired meal, a canoe paddle, or a ceramic tea set. Without the internet or television, creativity is cultivated from within, with the natural world as an inspirational backdrop.

WEEK 4.

Every day our campers are embarking on activities, both challenging and playful, that stretch what they thought they were capable of. With time to practice and explore new activities, their confidence builds. Before they know it, they are passing the deep water swim test that seemed impossible during the first week of Camp, or throwing a bowl on the potter’s wheel that is decidedly less wonky than their first. In a supportive environment, each challenge they face looks a little less daunting than the last, and each day brings new adventure.

WEEK 5.

Both on campus and in the backcountry, campers are building skills, gaining confidence, and strengthening connections with each other. These are the tools of resilience. Homesick campers, now fully engaged at Treetops, have learned their own strength to overcome what felt insurmountable. Timid campers, shy and quiet at the start of summer, are confidently presenting goofy tent inspection comments at council. A camper who had never been swimming has passed their deep water swim test after many attempts and with much perseverance. These may be small steps, but they are the building blocks that create the kind of resilience needed to embrace life’s challenges with openness and courage.

WEEK 6.

Over the past month and a half, our Treetops community has taken shape. Children from different backgrounds, having arrived at Camp with various skills and diverse interests, have fallen into a comfortable rhythm. Whether collecting eggs at barn

chores, gathering together at Juice and Crackers, or reading aloud at bedtime, campers are sharing experiences that connect them intimately to both this place and to those around them. As campers find their place within the whole, they can express their authentic selves and recognize what it means to be an important part of a community.

WEEK 7.

As Helen Haskell, former Camp Director, wrote many decades ago, “We all want the good life for our children. We wish youngsters to progress steadily towards independence, maturity, and confident responsibility with a chance for unhurried individual growth, good health, and happiness along the way.” Amongst the unrest, uncertainty, and instability of the last year, the pursuit of the good life, especially for our children, may have seemed challenging, if not downright impossible. After seven weeks of living, hiking, farming, and playing within this community, I can assure you, the good life is within reach. The last week at Treetops is always filled with events to celebrate the community we have created with great intention over the last two months. This summer especially—our 100th!—feels particularly worthy of joyful celebration.

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TOMORROW’S LEADERS, BY SHAUN KITTLE

TODAY At North Country School, the carrots don’t plant themselves. Eggs aren’t gathered on their own. And delicious meals don’t just appear on dinner plates. On other campuses, this kind of labor is often invisible, with students giving little thought to their entree’s origin. But at NCS, these invisible hands are visible— because they belong to the students themselves. This self-reliance doesn’t end in the gardens and dining hall. Special events, like Spirit Week, Harvest Festival, and the year-end performances in the Walter Breeman Performing Arts Center (WallyPAC), take planning and coordination. The driving force behind all of it is our students. NCS students have a relationship with responsibility, one that is fostered, not foisted upon them, by adults. There’s a special rhythm to our days here, with lessons gently presented in the form of caring for barn animals, leading ski trips, and building sets for plays. By the time our students reach 9th grade, their final year with us, they typically choose to act as role models for the younger students, helping them to tap into their youthful wisdom and hone this inner sense

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of responsibility. “What I see is 9th grade students realizing their time is coming to a close, and then realizing that they have valued and loved the experience they’ve had here,” said NCS Director of School Matthew Smith. “They want to pass on what they’ve learned to younger students. There is no requirement for them to do so.” Leadership at NCS takes on many forms. Sometimes it’s as simple as a student passing on a tip to a younger classmate about how to efficiently finish a work job. Other times leadership is woven into a curriculum, as is the case with our Outdoor Leadership Program, which was designed to enhance confidence through learning how to safely and responsibly navigate the wilderness. “This place exposes students to so many different experiences. They leave with an understanding of who they are, what they like, and where they’re headed,” Matthew said. “They are learning leadership skills through experience, self-exploration, and discovery.”

What Leadership Means to Me > STEVEN I As Steven prepared to graduate last spring, he told himself to be in the moment and get the most out of his final weeks at NCS. But the closer he came to graduating, the more he realized how much North Country School was an integral part of his childhood. “When I came here in 5th grade, my little child brain was really not used to all of this,” Steven said. “I was around so many new things that were very different from what I was around in New Jersey. This place has basically been where I grew up. It helped me develop leadership and cooperation skills through creativity and exploration.” Steven said many aspects of NCS contributed to his personal growth. Identifying plants in science classes made him feel more connected to the natural world, while both playing in a band and learning to cook in our Edible Schoolyard program showed him the value in cooperating to achieve a common goal. Organizing games of Capture the Flag and leading ski trips further instilled a sense of responsibility for others. That sense inspired Steven to be as involved as he could in the NCS community during his “senior” year. Last spring Steven had a cast on his foot, which prevented him from venturing into the potato field for potato planting. Instead of bowing out, he stayed involved by handing out potato cuttings to his classmates. He also participated in planning Spirit Week and a live-action version of the Clue board game. “Responsibility means you can take a group of kids to play Capture the Flag, or to go skiing,” Steven said. “Responsibility means taking care of people. Here, you can have fun while being responsible.” When school administrators asked him if he’d like to meet with prospective students to talk about his five years at NCS, Steven agreed. For him, sharing those experiences felt personal.

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“At the time, I didn’t think too much about it, but when I actually got there, I realized these kids have never been to a forest or anything like that,” Steven said. “I realized if they come here, it will make a difference to their lives. It was an interesting thing, because I was really excited for them. I hope they can have the same experiences I did.”

> ELLA I When Ella found out Lamb Watch wasn’t happening her senior year, she knew she had to do something. Lamb Watch takes place in spring. As our pregnant ewes approach birthing, groups of 9th graders take turns sleeping on hay bales in the barn to monitor their process in case something goes wrong. It’s cold, and the students must wake up throughout the night to check on the sheep. “It helps the community, and it’s NCS at its most basic,” Ella said. “You’re bonding with each other. You’re sleeping in the barn, which is not an experience that young people usually have, and you’re helping the farm staff, so they don’t have to wake up every couple of hours.” It’s a great responsibility; apart from an in-person lamb update from Barn Manger Erica Burns, students are on their own.

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Unfortunately, due to COVID restrictions, many 9thgrade opportunities were cancelled in 2021, including Lamb Watch. But Ella, whose parents are teacher Larry Robjent and Director of Learning Support Services Jess Wegrzyn, grew up at North Country School and thought the experience was too important to let go. So, Ella got to work. She recruited a group of 9th graders—Eden, Arden, Jess, and Teagan—to develop a Lamb Watch plan, which they presented to school administrators. The proposal outlined how students could participate in Lamb Watch while also following COVID protocols. Students could sleep 9 feet apart so they could remove their masks. Day students had to eat in the Teaching and Learning Kitchen to avoid contact with other students. If a lamb was being born, “Lamb Watchers” would stay as socially distanced as possible while helping. Before lights out, everyone would socially distance in the barn office from 7-9 p.m. The students' plan was approved, which enhanced not only their breadth of experience at NCS, but also their sense of confidence. “I really enjoy being trusted to do something awesome,” Ella said. “I think it’s a good little step toward being an adult and having to do things that you may not want to do, like waking up at midnight and 3 a.m. The work program and the work community here at North Country School is a big part

of what makes the community function and work. It doesn’t always seem important when you have to go to the barn when it’s in the negative degrees, but I think it’s important when you look back, because it teaches you teamwork and cooperation and patience, with both yourself and each other.”

> TYLER I Tyler first came to NCS from New York City when she was in 4th grade. Back then, Tyler admired an older boy named Jack-Jack, and she’d follow him around, asking all kinds of questions. Since Tyler always looked up to the older kids, she spent a lot of time during her 8th-grade year thinking about how she would soon be the one younger kids looked up to. “There is a lot of responsibility that comes with being a 9th grader, but I feel like the 9th graders help you get there,” Tyler said. “When you’re younger, you see them and you think, ‘Wow, I want to be as responsible as them. I want teachers to pick me to do an activity.’ It’s responsibility with a little fun to it. It’s responsibility in a nice, healthy way.” Tyler, who is now in 9th grade, said 8th graders do

get some practice with responsibility—they get to plan and oversee spooky carnival-type challenges for the younger students for the big Halloween party. But responsibility also means looking out for others, and that happens daily. “If my friend needs a sub for a work job, I will step up and sub for them,” Tyler said. “A lot of times, with the barn honey wagon job, which is shoveling the horse poop, you’ll find that a lot of people don’t like to do that, so you step up and just do it. It’s actually pretty fun if you have a good group of people.” Out of all the things Tyler has experienced at NCS, the feeling of community and the love of being in nature are the two she will remember the most. When she finds herself feeling anxiety—for instance, over a big paper that’s due—she calms herself by spending time in the woods. And when Tyler goes back to class, she’s ready to get back to work, and to be there for anyone who needs her. “I am really excited to be in that position,” Tyler said. “Ever since I was nine, I wanted to be in 9th grade. It’s so cool; everyone is looking up to you. I want to be Jack-Jack for 4th grade me.” Tyler is no doubt doing just that.

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DONOR PROFILE

Susan “Susie” Read

their strengths to assist others. The beloved teacher’s innovative concept resonated deeply. “Everything I ever learned about math, I learned from that man in that room,” Susie said. “This is when I realized I wanted to be a teacher. I realized that it’s not about how old you are, or what grade you’re in, or whether you are a boy or a girl, or anything else. I’ve been teaching for 40 years in a variety of schools, and most of the reason that I have been a successful teacher is because I went to North Country School.” NCS helped Susie discover her talents by encouraging students to try new disciplines and activities without the need to worry about success or failure. “Every kid finds out who they are and what they love at North Country School,” she said. “There was no deterrent to trying new things. It is the significant difference between a North Country kid and any other kind of kid.” A longtime donor, Susie is leaving North Country School and Camp Treetops a legacy gift. She offers her continued support because “the entire place is about children learning to rejoice in their physical body, learning to explore the possibilities in a safe and kind environment.” “To be able to learn, to be so secure in your own space…that’s absolutely the magic,” Susie said. ‘’It’s all about how to make kids feel that this is their world—that the world is friendly, that the world is warm, that the world, even when dangerous, is a safe and good place.” Friends’ Weekend has been an important part of Susie’s life. “I just love to come back to Friends’ Weekend because whenever I am there, I can smell the smells of my childhood. The love that I feel is just palpable in the environment.”

NCS 66–70, CTT PARENT 04–05 BALANCED ROCKS CIRCLE MEMBER On the day Susan “Susie” Read first arrived at North Country School in 1966, she knew it was a special place. Then nine years old, Susie was captivated by the sight that greeted her. “I knew the moment I saw the floating staircase that this was the place for me,” she said. “And then when we walked up the ramp and saw the staircase with the slide, that was pretty much it.” The scene conveyed both tranquility and adventure, instantly convincing Susie that her time at NCS would be filled with meaningful, life-defining experiences. Susie, a longtime teacher, attributes North Country School, and, more specifically, her former teacher Bob Mark (NCS faculty 63–70, CTT parent 80–83), for being the catalyst in her decision to become an educator. Mark went out of his way to foster Susie’s curiosity for music, which he identified after she began attending her friend’s flute lessons. Mark invited Susie to play the woodblock in the orchestra. All of these years later, she still beams with pride when she speaks of the experience. But it was another of Mark's classes that had the most significant influence on Susie's life. Mark, also a math teacher, noticed that several students throughout the school were struggling, so he designed a special class that teamed students who needed help into small groups. They would learn from one another, with Mark there to oversee and answer questions. He would switch kids in and out of the groups as they mastered concepts. Sometimes the move was to learn something new, but sometimes the move was for the students to use

A longtime donor, Susie is leaving North Country School and Camp Treetops a legacy gift. She offers her continued support because “the entire place is about children learning to rejoice in their physical body, learning to explore the possibilities in a safe and kind environment.”

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Susie’s 50th NCS reunion in 2020 was canceled due to the pandemic and has been rescheduled to 2022, out of consideration for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Camp Treetops in 2021. Susie’s outgoing nature and “the more, the merrier” attitude prompted an idea to hold an expanded reunion in 2022 beyond her 1970 graduating class. Currently, Susie and classmate Dan Slutsky (NCS 6570) are spearheading an effort to hold a multi-year reunion for the classes of 1968–1972 during Friends’ Weekend on August 17–21, 2022.

Photo by Dan Slutsky (NCS 70)

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Save the Date

Friends' Weekend 2022 August 17–21 Join us at North Country School and Camp Treetops to reconnect with classmates, tentmates, counselors, teachers, and friends. Bring the whole family and make new memories. For information, contact alumni@ncstreetops.org.

Calling all North Country School alumni from the classes of 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, and 1972! CELEBRATE YOUR “50-ISH” REUNION AT FRIENDS’ WEEKEND, AUGUST 17-21, 2022 Please join the private Facebook group—NCS Alums: Years ’68, ’69, ’70, ’71, and ’72—or email alumni@ncstreetops.org for more information. Thank you to the 50-ish reunion organizers! 50-ish reunio no (Susie) Read (N rganizers Su san C & Dan Slutsky S 70, CTT pa rent 04 (NCS 7 –0 0)

Friends’ Weekend at Alta Lodge April 7–11, 2022 Please join us at Alta Lodge, a classic Utah ski lodge with direct access to the Alta Ski Area. For lodging reservations, please call 1-800-707-ALTA or visit www.altalodge.com.

*Alta is a skiers-only resort. For those who prefer snowboarding, Snowbird is right next door. 12 ORGANIC ROOTS I WINTER 2022 For more information, email alumni@ncstreetops.org.

RECIPE FROM THE

CHILDREN’S GARDEN Harvest Carrot Soup BY BECCA MILLER At North Country School and Camp Treetops, working alongside our farmers to harvest the bounty of fresh produce grown in our gardens has been a memorable part of the student and camper experience since our founding, and this year was no different. Throughout the summer, our campers helped pick fresh greens, juicy raspberries, fragrant herbs, and vine-ripened tomatoes. When autumn arrived on our mountain campus, students were excited to take part in fall harvest events, gathering in the fields to help dig up the potatoes, rutabaga, and carrots that we store in our root cellars throughout the cold season. Carrots are one of our students’ favorite vegetables to snack on while exploring campus trails, and one of our Edible Schoolyard Program’s favorite ingredients to include in recipes whipped up in our Teaching and Learning Kitchen. Versions of this autumnal carrot soup have been prepared and enjoyed by students in Edible Schoolyard (ESY) classes for the past several years. It has also been included on the menu for our ESY Thanksgiving meal—a fall event where our younger students prepare a harvest feast for the larger school community. Feel free to adapt this flexible recipe to mix-andmatch whichever root vegetables you have available. Golden beets, rutabagas, turnips, and parsnips would all make lovely additions or swaps in this hearty and warming soup.

6 cups chicken or vegetable stock ½ tsp ground ginger or 1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger A few sprigs of fresh thyme, with the leaves pulled from their stems Salt Pepper ½ cup heavy cream (optional) Plain yogurt (regular or Greek), chopped fresh chives, and chopped carrot greens to serve Instructions 1. Melt the butter in a deep pot over medium-high heat. 2. Add the chopped onion, shallot, and garlic. Sauté the chopped vegetables until they begin to turn translucent. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. 3. Add the fresh thyme leaves, chopped carrots, and ginger. Continue to cook on medium-high for 10 minutes, stirring periodically. 4. Add the stock and apple cider vinegar. Cover the pot and turn heat to high. Bring the mixture to a boil. 5. Once boiling, lower to a simmer and partially cover the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the carrots are soft when poked with a fork. 6. Blend the soup with a blender until smooth, returning to the pot once finished. Mix in the heavy cream if desired, and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot, topping with a dollop of yogurt and a bit of chopped fresh chives and carrot greens. Recipe makes 4 servings.

Ingredients: 1 ½ lbs. carrots, chopped 4 tbsp butter 5 garlic cloves, chopped 1 onion, chopped 1 shallot (optional), chopped 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

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BY EMILIE ALLEN

DON RAND

Don Rand, a Lake Placid native and stalwart of North Country School and Camp Treetops, died peacefully after spending his final hours with dear friends on Saturday, July 24, 2021. Don’s legacy with us is a long one. After graduating from Lake Placid Central School, he studied classical piano at Syracuse University, earning both a Master’s degree and PhD before accepting a prestigious fellowship in musicology at Indiana UniversiNCS STAFF 59–17, CTT STAFF 54–59 ty. In these circles, Don met Bernard (CTT staff 45–61) and Cola Heiden (CTT staff individual children. By all accounts, the plays and mu45–61), who spent their summers teaching music at sicals were brilliant. Dimitra Dreyer Dales (NCS 75–80, Camp. At the time, Don was employed as a professor staff 95–98 and 13–15, CTT parent 14) recalled Don’s at Florida State University and wanted to move on. As tremendous influence on her. “I sang a little before I it happened, Bernard was planning on taking a hiatus arrived, but Don totally helped me find my voice. I was from Camp the summer of 1954, so there was an a shy kid, but he gave me the lead role, Guinevere, my opening. Bernard introduced Don to Helen Haskell, senior year. Public speaking, self-awareness, confithen the director of Camp, who hired him immediatedence, joy—he taught me all those things." ly as a counselor and music instructor. Don stayed at Don’s 50-year legacy with School and Camp tranTreetops for 12 years, leaving only when Helen retired scends words. Just last spring he was here with us in 1965. He credited Camp for inspiring the Clarks’ to see a performance of Mary Poppins Jr. in the Don emphasis on music at North Country School, where Rand theater in the Walter Breeman Performing Arts he was hired in 1958. Center (WallyPAC). It was the kind of production he As music teacher, Don gave instruction in strings, helped organize many times—one full of creativity, piano, and vocals. He always insisted that children passion, and joy—just like Don himself. learn to read music, and with his generous wit and The piano he donated to us now resides in the kind warmth, he made classical music accessible. At WallyPAC, where it will inspire countless campers and North Country School, he was also a beloved housestudents for generations to come, just as his penchant parent, taught English, woodshop, and more, worked for helping children find their artistic selves will endure in publications, and spent 10 years in admissions. in the hundreds of campers and students he taught. Don Even after retiring in 2017, Don continued to teach will be missed by many, but his spirit lives on in all of the private piano lessons through 2018, well past his 90th people he mentored through the decades. birthday. Please join us in remembering Don. Sing a song, In his day, Don wrote original and innovative scripts recite some lines, or play a tune in his honor, and help for student performances, as well as the accompanyus keep his legacy alive. ing music. He created and cast parts specifically for

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O F E R M E PATHY M M U S : A HOW CAMP TREETOPS HELPED CHILDREN SHAKE OFF PANDEMIC ISOLATION TRANSITIONING FROM MODERN CONVENIENCES AND SCREEN TIME to a life that’s unhurried and unplugged is a difficult adjustment for some Camp Treetops campers. The past year’s heavy reliance on electronic devices, paired with a lack of social interaction, made it a particularly challenging summer for children easing into the community-focused routines of Camp. Our oldest children, who sometimes struggle to find their place under normal circumstances, were perhaps most affected as they transitioned back from remote social interactions to in-person relationships with people outside of their immediate families. As campers returned, it immediately became evident that this summer would be different. Camp Director Karen Culpepper and Junior Camp Program Director and and year-round Garden Manager Kim Narol (CTT 98–04, staff 10–14, 16-present, NCS staff 13–14, 21–present) both noted that the Treetops philosophy—a 100-year legacy of allowing children to appreciate nature, build community, and develop self-agency—has never been more important. They believe educators far beyond our mountain campus could learn much from our experiences. “Provide opportunities for children to explore their passions and to learn by doing,” Karen counseled. “Try to figure out where they’re coming from and what they need. Meet kids where they are.” Here, Karen and Kim reflect on seven weeks of lessons learned at the 100th summer of Camp.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY Karen: “For the most part, kids had been isolated from each other. A lot of kids craved that human interaction of playing with other children. When they were able to do activities with that social interaction, most of them really thrived.” Kim: “At the start of this summer, some kids ran out of the car to get away from their parents, but a lot of kids were a lot more nervous. We want children to have control of their choices, of their day, but there was a lot of re-learning how to be independent.” Meeting kids where they are: Play gives children a chance to socially interact, to imagine, and to be themselves. Camp counselors worked with campers to develop activities that were specific to their own interests. For example, a popular Camp activity was a real-life recreation of an online game called Among Us—it was a way of tapping into campers’ interests while also easing them into life away from home.

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UNPLUGGING MEANS BEING IN THE MOMENT Karen: “We see it every summer—being unplugged is what kids need. I’m not saying screens are bad, but having a break from it for a certain time helps them engage, to be part of a community, to be creative, and to be able to make friendships.” Kim: “So many campers come to Camp and say they miss their iPad, but several days later they don’t talk about it. It’s so easy to fall into the routine of Camp.” Meeting kids where they are: Spending time unplugged provides a chance for children to relax, to find balance, and to get to know themselves and each other. This summer more than ever, children were given a wide variety of options, and were encouraged to choose based on their individual comfort levels, with options that included alone time for quiet reflection.

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CONNECTING WITH NATURE, CONNECTING WITH SELF Karen: “Being in nature goes hand-in-hand with being unplugged, and being engaged in the present moment. Being in nature helps us to be a little more present. I think in a time when a lot of kids were in cities and on screens, tearing down the walls gave them a chance to slow down.” Kim: “There is all of this research about how animals are therapeutic, and we saw that here, all summer. Being outside and around animals was healing to our campers. We also did a lot of overnight camping trips. Unlike previous years, the first trips were close to campus so the kids would have the security of feeling close to something familiar.” Meeting kids where they are: Aside from group activities like barn chores, campers could choose to read stories to chickens or sing to the sheep. One boy loved being around the chickens, and he took comfort in reading to them. Another boy had a tough time adjusting to Camp, and he wanted to be at the barn as much as possible. It was a go-to safe space that counselors encouraged him to take advantage of.

BUILDING COMMUNITY Karen: “Kids had been through a very abnormal year-and-a-half. We wanted to look at what their needs are and meet their needs. For example, if some kids got therapy at home, we made sure to set that up. All of it was what we normally do, but this summer we had a heightened awareness that we were looking at the individual needs of each kid while still trying to form a community during the summer.” Kim: “We took a lot of time to discuss what it means to be part of a community, and we did a lot of re-teaching about social interactions. There were a lot of basic things that needed to be retaught, and conversations around things like kindness and respect. Not everyone wants a hug all the time; not everyone wants to share their colored pencils. The summer was a natural phase-in of being comfortable with physical closeness, casual conversation, and the spontaneous nature of social interaction when you live in a community with others.” Meeting kids where they are: Flexibility was key to Camp Treetops’ successful summer, and it allowed counselors to deliver the Treetops program while also providing the support the children needed. It was most

important for Camp staff to listen to campers and avoid getting locked into a strict routine. By the end of the summer, it had paid off—Camp life felt normal and familiar, and the community had settled into a healthy, easygoing routine of everyone playing, working, and laughing together.

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BY MATTHEW SMITH DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL

sures of pandemic-induced isolation and technology-induced pressures for adolescents. My first strategic initiative as Director of School was to examine what we teach, how we teach, and how we assess. Also of great importance was to look at our hidden curriculum, the implicit messaging that students receive about authority, work, community, and value from our non-academic rules and routines. To get started, Dave Steckler, Director of Teaching and Learning, and I enlisted a group of faculty volunteers to spearhead a curriculum inventory. Last spring, we gave teachers time to map their curricular content so we could align our curriculum vertically (across grade levels) and horizontally (among disciplines). We conducted an initial analysis over the summer and were pleased to find strong multidimensional alignment in what we teach. We identified academic writing skills as an opportunity to streamline our programming across disciplines and grade levels. We found more variation in how we teach. In time, we would like to move toward universal application of student-centered classrooms that capitalize on our place-based assets. But our self-study does more than facilitate reflection. It allows us to document what we do in comparison with peer institutions. It allows us to set goals for future alignment. It allows us to measure our practices against progressive philosophy. It allows us to facilitate better hiring and induction by articulating what we do more clearly. It's evident to me that we have an extraordinary niche, not just among junior boarding schools, not just in the Adirondack Park, but in American culture. We live up to the place-based, family-oriented philosophy that gives children purposeful socialization through authentic learning and work. It allows children to develop their identities in relation to their accomplishments, their interests, and their community contributions. With all of that in mind, I am confident our curriculum has been developed with intentionality toward offering children the opportunity of a lifetime to discover their authentic selves.

Whenever I come across a wellarticulated description of progressive education or John Dewey’s pragmatic philosophy of learning, I am always struck by how much it correlates with what we do here at NCS. Recently, while reading In Search of Deeper Learning: The Quest to Remake the American High School, by Jal Mehta and Sarah Fine, I was amazed by the historic parallels between Dewey’s time, a century-ago period of great economic transformation and global turbulance, and ours. Mehta and Fine write: “Dewey was deeply troubled by what he perceived to be the decay of American social and cultural life. He looked nostalgically back to the country’s agrarian past—a time when, in his eyes, even the most humble farming families had been engaged in work that was purposeful and cooperative. In the context of such families, Dewey believed, children organically learned how to be productive citizens: as they observed and increasingly participated in the routines of daily life, they developed their practical skills and knowledge along with the ability to function independently." Today, in the midst of an enduring global pandemic, with the pressures of the digital economy shaping educational change, I read these words and feel relief that organizations like ours persist. We embody the tenets of hands-on, collaborative, student-centered learning; we integrate academic content with real work that has real consequences for the community that we take care of. “Dewey described how children could build core understandings of history, culture, industry, and science, all by engaging in manual activities such as cooking and weaving,” the authors note. I feel confident that our program is not only the best way to educate students, but also the antidote to the pres-

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A Glimpse

Past

into the

The project began in the late 1920s, shortly after Helen and Doug Haskell became the directors of Camp Treetops. Doug, a professional architecture critic, turned his eye to making movies of Camp life. After he had edited them, they were shown at winter gatherings of campers and also to prospective families. In 1986, Helen brought the films to Friends’ Weekend, an annual end-of-summer gathering of Camp and School alumni and families. During those showings,

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those gathered picked out familiar faces and reminisced as the reels turned. Former camper Ralph Jones (CTT 54–55, staff 61–62) realized the footage documented a significant development in children’s education. “I remember turning to Bob Bliss (CTT staff 30–91, NCS staff 40–43) and asking what was being done to preserve these stories,” Ralph said. Ralph was no stranger to film. He worked in Manhattan as an audio engineer for 19 years, doing sound for media. Bob arranged with Helen that he and Ralph would take care of the films. “I remember we went to Gramercy Park, where Helen was living,” Ralph said. “While I waited in the car Bob went in, and after a bit he came out of her apartment with this milk crate full of film.” There were 12 hours of film in that crate. Ralph’s colleague Charles Dexter went through it frame by frame to repair the splices and torn sprockets so the reels could be processed. All that was missing were the insights of the people who have made Camp special. To fill that void, with Dave Rosenfeld (CTT 70–73) behind the camera, Bob Bliss and Ralph Jones interviewed a number of people who had deep involvement in Treetops’ story. And so began the making of three short films about Camp Treetops: Treetops Roots, Shop with Shu, and Canoes with Bliss. The interview with Roger Loud (CTT 42–48, staff 54–63, 70–80, parent 71–95, NCS staff

70–92, parent 70-96, trustee 94–present, Balanced Rocks Circle) became the narrative for Treetops Roots. Colin Tait (CTT staff 54 and 57, 67–82, parent 67–78), Rica Allanic (CTT 85–87, staff 90–95, 15-present, parent 12–18), Steve Burry (CTT staff 90–96, NCS staff 92–95) and others contributed insight. Additional images came from the Camp archives. “The archives are a lot like Fibber McGee’s closet,” Ralph said. “You open boxes, and there’s some disorder, but there are amazing things in there. One time I was poking around in different boxes and I found this letter Doug Haskell wrote to the person who was building a new tent platform.” Ralph explained that, in the letter, Doug was writing about the plans for a tent platform that was to be built asymmetrically to leave room for a tree. The finished structure would look different than all of the others, but to Doug the tree mattered more than conformity among tent platforms. Ralph said the atypical design was typical of Doug’s personality—a practical yet outsideof-the-box way of thinking. There are plenty of tender moments in each of the three movies, as counselors teach children how to paddle a canoe, or as the Camp community comes together to build the original Hanging House. The films give a voice to past counselors and campers as images of horse-drawn wagons, group swims in Round Lake, and camp council roll by. There is a timeless feel to all of it. There is magic and

Ralph Jones

“THE ARCHIVES ARE A LOT LIKE FIBBER MCGEE’S CLOSET,” RALPH SAID. “YOU OPEN BOXES, AND THERE’S SOME DISORDER, BUT THERE ARE AMAZING THINGS IN THERE.”

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music in the air, a joyful whimsy that, much like the sound of birdsong or the rustle of wind in leaves, has been part of Camp for 100 years. “There is emotional value to these videos,” Ralph said. As Trustee Lisa Beck (CTT 70–73, parent 03–16, staff 08–18, 21-present, trustee 08–present) noted, “You go up there and you get to swim in a lake that looks like it did when you were a child. The place has not changed a great deal.” There is emotional value for Ralph, too, as the scenes often bring back his own Camp memories. Ralph recalled the time one of his fellow campers decided to make a dugout canoe. The camper recruited friends, brought out the axes and chisels, and they chopped away at the 14-foot tree, then carried the hollowed-out log to the lakefront for a test run. For Ralph, the most important part of that project was how the camper had the chance to see his vision through. Ralph explained that Camp is not about entertaining children, it’s about giving them the confidence and support to try new things and to work with others to complete a project. Perhaps the reason the dugout canoe story stands out to Ralph is because, in a short clip from one of the Camp movies he made, there are a few frames of a kid solo paddling a canoe. That’s Ralph as a camper. “I discovered I could control a canoe thanks to Bob Bliss, and that was important,” Ralph said. “The square dances were important; the staff were important. It was all a fun, beautiful time. It was unlike anything I had ever encountered.” Ralph’s movies keep the memories of Camp alive for generations of campers and counselors. They provide important context to footage from a bygone time, a time that still lives and breathes in the campers of today. Watch Treetops Roots, Shop with Shu, and Canoes with Bliss at www.vimeo. com/ncstreetops.

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#ThisWeekAtNCS Every week our staff writer, Becca Miller, keeps us up to date on the day-to-day lives of our students in the #ThisWeekAtNCS blog. This communication goes out via email every Friday during the school year. To learn more about the innovative hands-on lessons our students and teachers participate in, visit the #ThisWeekAtNCS blog on our website.

FALL HARVEST We plant together, we harvest together, and we dine together. After caring for our crops throughout the year, our entire community pitches in during fall harvest to pick produce—including carrots, rutabaga, leeks, and cucumbers—from our gardens and greenhouses. The fruits and veggies become ingredients in Edible Schoolyard cooking classes, and they’re used by our cooks, who prepare healthy meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

APPLIED SCIENCE There’s nothing like applying classroom lessons to real-world science. This semester, students in Max’s science classes strapped motion-activated cameras to trees in the surrounding forest to photograph wild animals. The images collected will become part of the Department of Environmental Conservation’s statewide study on how different species’ populations may be affected by climate change.

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WILDERNESS ACTION ROLE PLAY Last year’s WARP event was spread across several weeks to satisfy COVID guidelines. This year, WARP returned to its roots—a full day of students and teachers dressed in homemade costumes while wielding foam swords and battling monsters in the woods. The imaginative activity brings everyone together to solve puzzles, complete magical quests, and negotiate obstacle courses in a fun, collaborative way.

PHOTOGRAPHY Our photography students get to experiment with several types of cameras including pin-hole, digital, and film, with film being developed right in our darkroom. Photographic subjects are only limited by imagination—some students take turns creatively posing for each other’s shots, while others head into the woods to capture everything from abstract close-ups to sweeping vistas of nature.

OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM The 9th graders in our Outdoor Leadership Program put their knowledge to the test with a four-day backpacking trip into the Adirondack High Peaks. To prepare for the adventure, students chose their itinerary, planned meals, wrote packing lists, and organized communal gear. The trip took them through Avalanche Pass, around Lake Colden, and to the summits of Mount Colden and Phelps Mountain.

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CELEBRATING TRANSITIONS FACULTY AND STAFF It is with deep gratitude that we recognize the 2021 retirements of three stalwarts of Camp and School: Director of Facilities and Sustainability John Culpepper and longstanding faculty members Noni Eldridge and Selden West. We look forward to sharing their unique stories and reflections in the coming issues of Organic Roots. In the meantime, please join us in wishing them the very best in their endeavors and adventures ahead!

TRUSTEES With deep appreciation for their years of service on the North Country School and Camp Treetops Board of Trustees, we say goodbye to Laura Harris and Jennifer Maslow. Laura Harris (NCS parent 91–95, CTT parent 93–99, Balanced Rocks Circle) has served on the Board of Trustees for more than two decades. For much of that time, she served either as chair or vice chair of the Plant Committee, the group that advises the Board on all matters pertaining to the physical plant and land. Peter Brest (Trustee 06–present, CTT 56–62, parent 93–06, Balanced Rocks Circle) said, “Laura’s openness to new ideas and her focus on the human impact of facilities work is a model for all of us.” Many thanks to Laura for sharing her expertise, warmth, and perspective over the years. Jennifer Maslow (NCS staff 82–85, CTT staff 82–85, parent 10) has served on the Board of Trustees since 2012. She served on the Advancement and Plant committees, lending her experience and love of School and Camp to all she contributed. She served as the Events Chair for several years, helping gather alumni and families from around the country and the world and encouraging them to reconnect with Camp and School. Matt Salinger (NCS 72–74, CTT parent 04– 08), chair of the Board Governance Committee, says, “Jennifer always has excellent and timely input and helped keep our focus on the important things such as our commitment to scholarships, to the arts, and to our founders' mission. I know everyone joins me in saying how much all her qualities will be missed.”

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John Culpepper

Noni Eldridge

Selden West

Creativi

Give a gift of…

re u t n e v d A

y r e v o c s Di

Connectio

Friendship Give a gift to the Annual Fund The Annual Fund supports all that is vital to the Camp and School experience. MAKE A GIFT TODAY: www.camptreetops.org/giving www.northcountryschool.org/giving Contact Emily Eisman, Associate Director of Advancement, at eeisman@ncstreetops.org or (518) 523-9329 x5450. Thank you!

FRIENDS’ WEEKEND

2021

It was a pleasure to host 210 people during this year’s Friends’ Weekend. To ensure the safety of our guests while maintaining the spirit of this special event, established protocols included outdoor dining options and the wearing of masks indoors. Friends enjoyed all of the NCS/CTT activities they love, such as hiking, climbing, canoeing, crafts, and the all-time favorite: barn chores. It is a joy for us to reunite with our Camp and School friends each year, but this Friends’ Weekend was a particularly memorable conclusion to our 100th Camp Treetops summer.

1 1. Playing board games. 2. From left to right, Sasha Cohen (CTT staff 21), NCS/CTT farm intern Emma Ainsworth, and Meimei Ma (NCS 68–70, parent 13–16) cleaning wool from our sheep. 3. Friends’ families enjoying the annual bonfire. 4. Three generations of the Condliffe family gathered together. 5. Sarah Adams Steinberg (CTT 83–86) and family arriving for a weekend of fun. 6. Trustee Barry Breeman and his wife, Pam (NCS parents 07–10, CTT parents 10–13), enjoying a quiet moment. 7. The Te Amo family is ready for the weekend. 8. From left to right, Executive Director Todd Ormiston with Courtney, Isla, and Stefan Nowicki (Trustee, CTT 87–91, 93, staff 97–03, 06, 11). 9. From left to right, Pat and Roger Loud (Trustee, CTT 42–48, parent 71–95, staff 54–80, NCS parent 70–96, staff 70–92) with Jean and Jerry Marchildon (CTT staff 64-83, parent 74–86, grandparent 10–12, NCS staff 72–89, parent 75–84, grandparent 12–13). 10. Young guests waiting their turn to horseback ride. 11. From left to right, Evan Johnson (NCS 01–03) and his wife, Lakeisha, catch up with fellow alums Ashlee Virtue (NCS 00–06), Asia McLawhorn (NCS 00–03), and Lily Doyle (NCS 09–13, CTT 08–12, staff 17–present).

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WE ARE ALREADY LOOKING FORWARD TO 2022! 2

4 7

SAVE THE DATE:

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17– SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2022

The 2022 Friends’ will include a special expanded celebration for the North Country School classes of 1968–1972 to commemorate their “50-ish” reunion. See page 12 for more information.

Show Your CTT/NCS Spirit We have new items in our online store, including limited-edition merchandise to commemorate the 100th Camp Treetops summer! Making purchases from our store is a great way to show your Camp and School spirit as you simultaneously support our mission. A gift of NCS/CTT gear to friends and family will surely bring back the wonderful memories of time spent on our beautiful campus. Order today at www.camptreetops.org/parents/store or store.northcountryschool.org

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IN MEMORIAM Joanna Dennett 1928 -2021 Joanna Dennett (NCS 38–42, parent 67–68, CTT 36–42, parent 64–66), 93, of Acworth, NH, died June 1 at the home of her daughter, Wendy Pomeroy, in Kittery Point, Maine. Joanna was one of the first four students to attend North Country School. The school’s dedication to nature, experiential learning, and the arts formed the foundation of her adult life. Her struggle with William Henry “Bill” Cotter III (1949–2021)

IN MEMORIAM William Henry “Bill” Cotter III 1949–2021 William Henry “Bill” Cotter III (CTT staff 04–06, 10–11), 72, of Vancouver, WA, died July 19 from acute myeloid leukemia. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. Bill was born on January 28, 1949 in Rockville Center, NY, to Alice Gavin Cotter and William Henry Cotter, Junior. Bill was the older brother to his sister, Dale Cotter DeFriest. Each summer Bill and his family left their family home to attend Camp. Bill and Gerri continued to spend summers there as the children got older, returning to Lake Placid every summer to teach fishing and attend to boathouse responsibilities Bill is survived by his wife, Gerriann “Gerri” Cotter, of Vancouver, WA; his daughter, Erin Cotter, of Asheville, NC; his son, Brandon “Tramp” Cotter, Brandon's wife, Kim Cotter, and their daughter Elsa Cotter of Taipei, Taiwan. Donations in Bill’s name may be made to Camp Treetops.

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dyslexia complicated her formal education, but Joanna more than made up for it through her limitless interest in all aspects of nature. Sharply observant and fascinated by everything from microbes to astronomy, she saw phenomena others would miss. Animals held a particular fascination: she once welcomed and studied a large barn spider when it took up residence in her dining room, and a flying squirrel she rescued was only one of many wild animals that owed their lives to her care. Joanna is survived by her daughters, Sera Lindholm Daemi and husband, Saiid Daemi, and Wendy Pomeroy (NCS 67–68, CTT 64–66) and her husband, Deane Rykerson; and her son, Aron Lindholm. Her grandchildren are Arianna, Neeka, and Roya Daemi, Olivia Pomeroy, and Leif and Ariel Lindholm. Joanna was predeceased by her parents; her sister, Sally; her son, Toby Dennett; and her former husbands, Fred Mulders, Tony Pomeroy, and Einar Lindholm. Justine Anastasia (Slaybaugh) Iorio 1978–2021 Justine Anastasia Iorio (NCS 90–93), 42, passed away on April 11 in her home in Faber, Virginia. Justine is survived by her loving husband, John; mother, Ann; and sisters, Alexis, Valerie, Cameo, and Carman. Her humor and bright smile will be missed by anyone who knew her.

Top: Joanna Dennett (1928–2021). Above: Joanna with her mother Marie Dennett at Camp Treetops

William Maloney III 1973–2021 William S. Maloney (NCS 73–76), 56, died peacefully in Port Clyde,

IN MEMORIAM / NEWS & NOTES

William S. Maloney (1973–2021)

Justine Anastasia (Slaybaugh) Iorio (1978–2021)

ME, on May 22. Billy is survived by his mother, Hon. Ellen Holmes Maloney, and stepfather of 40 years, John F. Ezell, of Dorset, VT; his sister, Virginia Maloney Wilkins "Missy" (NCS Alumni 75–77) of Walpole, NH, nephew William, and niece Caitlin. Also important to Billy were his uncles and aunts (Meg and Brooks Robbins of Hingham, MA, and David and Brenda Holmes of Spanish Fork, AL) and his several cousins, with whom he shared many happy adventures.

Eric Wagner 1931–2021 Eric Gerhardt Wagner (NCS 38–39, 42–44, CTT 40–41), passed away peacefully on July 26. An avid outdoorsman, Eric loved hiking and climbing in the Hudson Highlands, and camping in the Catskill and Adirondack mountains in summer and winter. In 1969, at age 37, he became an Adirondack “46er” by climbing all 46 High Peaks. Eric is survived by his wife, Miriam; his three children, Benjamin,

Kitty Hay

Shinzo Honde (second from left) with John, Bonnie, and Rachel Morgan

Eric Wagner (1931–2021)

Matthew, and Elizabeth; their spouses, Martha, Jessica, and Daniel; five grandchildren, Ethan, Zoe, Sophia, Tor, and Willow; and two siblings, Klaus and Kathrin.

NCS ALUMNI/NA 1963 Katherine “Kitty” Hay NCS 61–63 Kitty enjoyed a hike up Trouble while attending Friends’ Weekend in August. 1990 Shinzo Honde NCS 87–90 Shinzo shared that he had an emotional reunion in Montana last July his former teachers John Morgan (NCS 60–65, faculty/staff 67–06, parent 91–95, CTT staff 74, parent 91–95) and Bonnie Morgan (NCS parent 91–95, CTT parent 89–95) and their daughter, Rachel (NCS 91–95, faculty/staff 03–06, CTT 89–96, staff 99–00). “Last time I saw them was 19891990 while I was attending Gould Academy. They visited me on their

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NEWS & NOTES way to a wedding they were attending in Maine. I sat at John’s dining room table my first week at NCS. He would cheer me up as I was so homesick. I spent many hours chopping wood, collecting sap, and being in the sugar house with him. I did much artwork, including photography with Bonnie, and, of course, horseback riding. It was a great visit. I miss them already.” 2012 John Canning NCS 08–12 John is a third-year law student at Villanova. He will spend his final year in Madrid before graduating with a JD and LLM in International Dispute Resolution. John was ordained online in order to officiate at his sister’s wedding in Cape Cod in July. 2014 Tys Sweeney NCS 09–14, CTT 11 Tys graduated summa cum laude this year from Tufts University with a degree in political science and economics. He is now living in

John Canning

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New York City and working as a consultant at the Seurat Group.

CTT FRIENDS Marli Low Hinckley CTT 54–55 Marli wrote that she continues to enjoy canoeing, kayaking, and sailing. Jerry de Rham CTT 69–70 Jerry de Rham and his wife, Amy, of Bristol, RI, stopped by for a tour of camp. It was his first visit to Camp Treetops since he was a camper. Doug Gallant CTT 66–71 Doug Gallant of Roswell, GA, visited Camp in September. Doug had not been back to Camp Treetops in the 50 years since he last attended Camp. He brought special photos to share of himself with counselor Mildred Brooks (CTT staff 65–02). Pippa Biddle CTT 01–08, staff 10–11

Jerry de Rham with his wife, Amy

Congratulations to Pippa Biddle and her husband, Ben Davidson (CTT 03–06), who welcomed Edward Abbott Biddle Crowe Davidson, or Crowe, on August 9. Pippa wrote her first book, Ours to Explore: Privilege, Power, and the Paradox of Voluntourism, which was published in June by Potomac Books.

Doug Gallant and Mildred Brooks, Doug Gallant in 2021

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Pippa Biddle and husband, Ben Davidson, with baby Crowe

Can you identif y the ? people in these photos

If so, please email eetops.org communications@ncstr

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NORTH COUNTRY SCHOOL AND CAMP TREETOPS 2020– 2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Dear Friends, Camp Treetops recently completed its 100th summer, and another North Country School year is safely underway. Last year at this time, we had just come through a summer without Treetops, and the school year ahead remained uncertain. But we stuck together, we learned together, and together we exercised protocols that enabled us to keep everyone safe. Thanks to the unwavering support of our community, Camp and School are once again full of children embarking on new adventures, learning lifelong skills, making new friends, and reconnecting with familiar ones. Our campers and students give us all hope for a bright future. We know that the work and values of Camp and School are more crucial than ever. I am so proud of our faculty, Camp staff, and administrators, and our technical, facilities, kitchen, and farm and garden teams, who have all brought unending creativity and resilience to delivering engaging and thoughtful programs over the past year. The following Annual Report uses words and numbers to tell stories of your generosity during this fiscal year, which ended August 31, 2021. Philanthropic support from our community helps ensure that our campers and students can take full advantage of the compassionate learning and opportunities for growth that happen here every day. In uncertain times, we can be confident in the generosity of our community and of your unwavering passion for Camp and School. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we thank you—families, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends— who have committed time, energy, and the emotional and financial resources to help us to serve our mission. I am honored to be part of the North Country School and Camp Treetops team. We couldn’t have had these successes without you. Please keep in touch and continue to share with us your stories and memories of this exceptional place.

With appreciation,

Barkley Stuart Chair, Board of Trustees CTT 69–72, parent 03–07, NCS parent 09–11

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2020–21 FINANCIALS AND FUNDRAISING

Fundraising Highlights

ENDOWMENT BY YEAR $ IN MILLIONS The North Country School and Camp Treetops endowment is an important source of financial aid and provides enduring support for program areas.

• More than 965 people—alumni, families, faculty, staff, and friends—made a gift to the Annual Fund this year, raising over $1.4 million to support need-based tuition assistance, professional development for faculty and Camp staff, and all program areas—from the barn to the garden to the arts.

$16.3 $14.1

$13.1

$12.9

FY18

FY19

$12.3 $11.3

$10.7

$10.6

FY14

FY15

• NCS and Treetops awarded more than $975,000 in need-based financial aid in 2020-21—the most in its history. • 308 donors made gifts during Community Giving Week in May, helping Camp and School leverage a $50,000 challenge gift. • In December 2020, our community stepped up for an “egg-citing” Giving Tuesday. For every donor who made a gift, we donated a dozen eggs from our farm to a local food bank. Eighty-four donors stepped up, and we donated 84 dozen (that’s 1,008) eggs!

FY16

FY17

FY20

FY21

• Treetops and NCS received more than $25,000 in realized bequests in 2020-21 from generous alumni who had made provisions in their estate planning.

• 106 generous alumni and families donated more than $115,000 to the Treetops Centennial Fund over the last two fiscal years. This fund honors 100 Treetops summers and provides need-based financial aid to our campers.

• Alumni and other members of our community made in-kind donations that included an MIG welder, lumber, framed photographs of our campus, and contributions of time and knowledge.

OPERATING FUND STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES YEAR ENDING AUGUST 31, 2021 EXPENDITURES Program Services Physical Plant General and Administrative

REVENUES Tuition and Fees Distribution from Endowment Annual Fund Gifts Other Revenues

3,193,019 1,097,690 1,927,134

Subtotal Financial Aid

6,217,843 976,779

Total Expenditures

7,194,622

Total Revenues and Gifts

North Country School and Camp Treetops is incorporated as a non-profit organization and is listed as a charitable and educational organization under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Summary of Gifts Received Annual Fund Gifts Endowment Gifts Other Restricted Gifts Total Gifts Received

CAMPTREETOPS.ORG

5,165,910 600,000 1,479,455 190,588 7,435,953

1,479,455 103,586 519,051 2,102,093

NORTHCOUNTRYSCHOOL.ORG

INSTITUTIONAL LEADERSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES AS OF AUGUST 31, 2021

ADMINISTRATION

Barkley J. Stuart, Chair

Executive Director

Todd Ormiston

Pamela B. Rosenthal, Vice-Chair Matthew Tuck, Treasurer

Emilie Allen

Laura Thrower Harris, Secretary

Director of Marketing and Communications

Lisa R. Beck

Christie Borden (NCS 92)

Ed Biddle

Director of Advancement

Ami Brabson Barry Breeman

John Culpepper

Peter R. Brest

Director of Facilities and

Nicholas P. Hewitt

Sustainability

Carla von Trapp Hunter Roger S. Loud

Karen Culpepper

Greg Marchildon

Camp Director

Davlyn Mosley

Bill Newman

Stefan Nowicki

Director of Admission

Robert Parker Pat Kramon Pincus

Fritz Sabbow

Skye Raiser

Chief Financial Officer

Matt R. Salinger

Matthew P. Smith

David Stewart Mara Frankel Wallace Emanuel A. Weintraub 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

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Director of School

In 2020-2021, donors and community members like you gave generously to support our work of educating and inspiring children. Thank you for investing in our students and campers through a philanthropic gift.

113 367

1,004

first time donors

donors who have given 5+ years

states

total donors

415

give $100 or less

countries

legacy gifts realized

To see the list of donors in our High Peaks Giving Levels, please visit www.camptreetops.org/give-back/donor-list www.northcountryschool.org/giving/donor-list

CAMPTREETOPS.ORG

NORTHCOUNTRYSCHOOL.ORG

ENDOWMENT The North Country School and Camp Treetops endowment is one of the institution’s greatest strengths. It provides financial resiliency and a solid foundation for the future. 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 these endowments. The funds honor a friend or family member’s legacy in a meaningful way while benefiting North Country School and Camp Treetops in perpetuity. If you have questions about a current fund or would like to discuss establishing a new fund, please contact Christie Borden, Director of Advancement, at (518) 837-5402 or cborden@ncstreetops.org. General Endowment The Estate of Michael McCrary Memorial Endowment Fund Memorial gifts support the general endowment fund

Mildred Brooks Nature Program Fund For CTT Salaries Yana Nicks

Milton and Liesa Allen Fund For Faculty Salaries

Camp Treetops Centennial Endowment For CTT Scholarships Marian Osterweis

Neal W. Andrews Fund For CTT Scholarships for children for whom English is a second language

Leo and Walter Clark Fund For NCS & CTT Serge Semenenko Family Foundation Christine Semeneko

David and Peggy Bailey Fund In honor of the founders of Woodstock Country School

Brion Crowell Fund For NCS & CTT

Beck Seider Family Fund For CTT Scholarships Lisa Beck and Mitch Seider Mother Pucker Hockey Team Beyond the Mountains Fund For Faculty Development Bob Bliss Fund For Waterfront Improvements Kay (Faron) and Denny Ciganovic Bramwell Family Fund For NCS & CTT

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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 Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Renaissance Charitable Foundation Inc. Harry K. Eldridge Scholarship Fund For NCS Scholarships James R. Pugh

Feather Foundation Fund For Gardens and Greenhouse Eric Feldsberg Memorial Scholarship Fund For CTT Scholarships Garden Fund For Program Enhancement Reginald Gilliam Mountaineering Leadership and Scholarship Fund For Mountaineering Program Support and CTT Scholarships Arleen F. Gilliam James R. Pugh Govan Family Fund For CTT Scholarships Nancy Reder and Peter Pocock Tsu Hansen Fund For NCS & CTT Ann Lynch Weirich Harlan Family Fund For NCS & CTT Elizabeth Harlan Doug Haskell Fund For CTT Scholarships Anonymous Malcolm Willison

Cheryl “Rusty” Rolland Fund For the Performing Arts Smith Family Foundation Fund For NCS Scholarships Sylvia Pool Sperling Animal Husbandry and Barn Fund Restricted Endowment Spiegelberg Fund For Scholarships

Helen Haskell Fund For NCS & CTT Kay (Faron) and Denny Ciganovic

Christopher Nicholson Memorial Fund For NCS Scholarships

David Hochschartner and Selden West Fund For NCS & CTT Scholarships and Professional Development Adirondack Foundation –Meredith M. Prime Fund 2

Diana E. Oehrli Fund For CTT Scholarships

Kaye Clark Hoins Fund For NCS & CTT Mr. John A. Foley '70 Lindsay Johnson Fund For NCS Scholarships The J.M. Kaplan Family Maintenance Fund in honor of Matt Davidson For Facilities and Maintenance Adlin and Sherman Loud Scholarship Fund For NCS Scholarships Edward and Libby Faron Mell Anne Martindell Gardening Fund Restricted Endowment The Master Teacher Fund For Faculty Salaries Peter W. Merle-Smith Fund For CTT Scholarships Kate C. Moore Fund For CTT Scholarships Cornelia and Joseph Tierney James R. Pugh

Okin Fund For Maintenance on Capital Improvements Ken Okin

David A. Stein NCS 52 and Allison Stein Robbins NCS 74 Fund For Riding Program, Farm, and NCS Scholarships The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida David and Linda Stein Tracey Westbrook Elizabeth Claire Stein Scholarship Fund For CTT Scholarships Robin Stein Strong Roots, High Peaks Faculty Support Fund

Olmstead Fund For NCS & CTT

Strong Roots, High Peaks Greening and Renewal Fund

Arthur W. Parker Fund For NCS & CTT Fullwood Foundation, Inc. Bob and Margaret Parker Francie Parker '82 Mr. and Mrs. Sumner Parker '41 Barkley Stuart and Ann Glazer

Strong Roots, High Peaks Scholarship Fund For NCS & CTT Scholarships

Susan Powell NCS 51 Fund For NCS & CTT Sally Powell Culverwell

Frank H. Wallace Fund For Faculty Enrichment

Prince/de Ramel Charitable Trusts Fund For Faculty Salaries The de Ramel Foundation Guillaume ’89 and Molly de Ramel Joyce Pearson Prock Fund For NCS & CTT Richard Rockefeller Fresh Start Scholarship Fund For NCS & CTT Scholarships The Estate of Richard Rockefeller Barkley Stuart and Ann Glazer

Margaret and Randolph Thrower Fund For Greening and Renewal

Jerome P. Webster III Fund For NCS & CTT Herbert and Maria West Fund For NCS Intern Salaries Whit Whitcomb Teacher Opportunity Fund For Faculty Development Winter’s Children Fund For NCS Scholarships John O. Zimmerman Fund For NCS & CTT

CAMPTREETOPS.ORG

NORTHCOUNTRYSCHOOL.ORG

“FUN”draising

at North Country School and Camp Treetops We’re always excited when a member of our community approaches us with a creative and fun idea to raise money for the Annual Fund. Hats off to two efforts last year that engaged people in new ways and offered interesting incentives for contributing to School and Camp. Coulter Richardson, husband of Kate Fredland Richardson (CTT 81Pedaling 84, CTT Parent 17-21), decided to ride his for bicycle to Friends’ Weekend from his home in central New Jersey. For Kate, Camp Treetops is her second home, and she and Coulter and other members of their family have attended Friends’ Weekend for years. They used Coulter’s ambitious ride as a fundraiser for Camp, raising money from generous friends, family, and members of the Camp Treetops community. Coulter rode 399 miles and raised over $1,500 to support the Treetops Centennial Fund for Camp scholarships. Thank Coulte ra ride to fter complet you, Kate and Coulter, and to all those ing his Camp. 399 m ile who supported his ride!

Camp

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Owl

Give back orked who w s r e b l. em und ow crew m of the nnual F A e h t Some ing n build Larry o

with

Science teacher Larry Robjent’s metal sculptures can be found all around the North Country School and Camp Treetops campus and in our nearby communities. During Friends’ Weekend, Larry, who also teaches Design and Build and Theater Tech, worked with several Friends’ Weekend guests, including a group of enthusiastic 8 and 9-year-olds, to build an owl. Any guest who made a gift to the Annual Fund during Friends’ Weekend was entered into a raffle to win the owl, which was created out of aluminum wire, copper, and other materials salvaged from past construction projects on campus. Margaret Sloane (CTT 81–85, staff 87–94) was the lucky winner of this special owl. CAMPTREETOPS.ORG

NORTHCOUNTRYSCHOOL.ORG

TREETOPS 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 needbased scholarships for campers of today and tomorrow. The Centennial Fund, a component of the Annual Fund, also strengthens our endowment. We are grateful to the community members who have made a gift to the Treetops Centennial Fund since its inception in September 2019. Anonymous (6)

Catherine (Cathy Fetz) High

Brian Akers

Rachel Hiles

Rica and Cyrille Allannic

Bruce Hodes

Caroline Andrew

Rich Hornstein

Eden and Phil Anker

Claudia and Harvey Horowitz

Carl Archer

Derek and Deborah Hunt

Katie Bacon

Tessa Huxley and Andy Reicher

Lisa Beck and Mitch Seider

Ralph Jones

Nicole Been Siskind

Liza Ketchum and John H. Straus

Amy Bodman

Elenor and Thomas Klosterman

Charles A. Bookman

Jessica Koster

Jocelyn Bowie and David Semmel

John and Meg Kotler

Alice Gresham Bullock

Eli Z. Kramer

Amanda Carmel

Mr. and Mrs. Sherwood Laporte

David Carter

Maria D. Lawson

Ace Clarke-Fisher

Lolya Lipchitz and Harold Kasimow

Margaret D. Cooley

Chris Lloyd and Vassie Sinopoulos

Katie Culpepper

Susan Localio

Jerry de Rham

Elizabeth Macken

Anne Dealy

Ordway Clifford McManus

Rohit and Katherine Desai Family

Debra M. McPhee

Foundation

Ryan Mitchell

Ian Desai

Amanda B. Moniz and

Rohit and Katharine Desai

David L. Lenter

Vanessa Desai and Doug Semmes

Jose Moreno-Lacalle

Ari Epstein and Rima Shamieh

Kim Narol

Jennifer Eyl

The Neaman-Santomasso Family

Stafford "Corky" Farmer-Lee

William and Louisa Newlin

Linda Bird Francke

Isabelle N. Nicks

Alex Fulton

Marian Osterweis

Gay Booth Greenleaf

Borka Pap

Magnolia and Scott Grossman

Joanne Pasternack

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James R. Pugh

Lauren Shaw

Dyanna Rau and Carlos Vieira

David Sanyour

Jane Regan and Ayanna Morel

Margaret Sloane

Phyllis W. Reicher

The Smart Ohana

Alison Riley-Clark

Jonathon Smith

Maggie Dara and Jeffrey Edward

Hetan and Helen Somaiya

Rosenbloom

Cole Van Develde Marcy and Marcus Veno Tori Hunt, Tony, Gabriella and Ben Wan

Jonathan and Maggie Steffy

Salesforce

Anna Stracey

Scott and Amy Sanderson

Charles and Eve Sutton

Betsy Schrader

The Timney Family

Rachel Schwerin

Sharon Treat

John Seider

Micah Turner

Rebecca Warner Natalie Watson Jennie Weiner Maggie Westergaard Mary Woolsey and Mark Peterson The Yarinsky Weisser Family Jesse Zanger

CAMPTREETOPS.ORG

NORTHCOUNTRYSCHOOL.ORG

DONOR PROFILES Making an Impact: Why We Give

Rachel Lowenthal

Giving for Gratitude Rachel Lowenthal (CTT staff 10, 12–14) After graduating from Vassar, Rachel, whose family has roots in Keene Valley, wanted to spend a summer in the Adirondacks. She learned about Camp Treetops through a simple Google search and wrote to Bill Localio (CTT 55-59, parent 91-98, staff 77-present) and Karen Culpepper (Camp Treetops Director) to ask if she could work at Camp. Rachel spent four summers at Treetops, with three of those as the Nature Program Director in Junior Camp. She currently teaches 11th and 12th grade biology and environmental science at Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, MD.

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As a recent college graduate who thought she wanted to teach science, it was fortuitous and inspirational for Rachel to be surrounded by and learning from so many experienced and caring teachers at Camp. She learned that taking children outside and showing them how natural systems work was much more effective than telling them about it. Especially this last year, “the stress of being indoors has taken a toll on young people, so I often encouraged my students to go outside, spend time in nature, and they kept a nature journal,” Rachel shared. “They said it was the best thing they did all year. There’s something to be said for taking the whole-child philosophy and applying it outside of a camp setting.” Rachel added, “A lot of what we’re seeing in education right now is about focusing more on the process of learning, rather than the product. Treetops models that. It’s not always about getting to the summit of the mountain: it’s about asking, how can you make this a good experience? How do you make this hour the best hour of this day? Maybe it’s reading to the goats or spending time in the Children’s Garden. There’s equal value to slowing down for campers and staff.” At Treetops, Rachel learned about being part of a community, and that contributing as a part of that community, whether it’s table setting or barn chores, makes everyone’s experience—child and adult alike—more fulfilling and meaningful. “Putting young people in leadership roles reflects the strength of the community and the trust in everyone doing their job,” Rachel said. Rachel has made a gift to the Annual Fund every year since she started working at Treetops. She believes she is the educator she is today because of her time at Camp. “I give every year to show gratitude for what my time at Treetops has given me. I want other people to have that experience. And as a conservation-minded person, I think that the sustainability efforts of School and Camp are unparalleled. The composting program and Edible Schoolyard are really amazing examples that continue to inspire other schools and organizations.”

Paying it Forward Bill (NCS 77–79, CTT 80) and Patty Waddington (NCS parents 10–13, CTT parents 09–12)

John Sweeney and Lauren McGovern

Keeping it Local Lauren McGovern (NCS staff 02–present) and John Sweeney (NCS parents 09–16, CTT parents 11–12)

We give to North Country School and Camp Treetops because of the remarkable impact the organizations have had on us, on our children, and on our desire to ensure NCS and CTT will be available to many families for years to come. For Bill, the discovery of North Country School was life-changing. It gave him an educational platform that offered freedom to learn and explore, encouraged community connection, and provided plenty of support and a variety of experiences. For our kids, both Camp and School were instrumental in helping them understand that we're all individuals and we're all important, and that it takes the participation of everyone to create strength and resilience in a community. Camp and School are unique in their ability to encourage kids to be kids—to explore, to learn, to fail and keep trying, to be aware of the experiences of others, and to strive to understand their place in the world. Those are all things we want to encourage.

Bill and Patty Waddington

We donate to NCS each year through a small donor-advised fund we established with the Adirondack Foundation about 20 years ago. That fund has been a perfect vehicle for ensuring we can continually support organizations in the Adirondacks. The NCS community holds a significant role in our family’s life. We started consistently directing gifts its way after our children enrolled in the school. We continue to donate to the institution for many reasons, but a major one is that we strongly support the school’s efforts to provide scholarship funds to help other local children attend as day students.

CAMPTREETOPS.ORG

NORTHCOUNTRYSCHOOL.ORG

From left: Vivien Zhang, Hongyi (Frederick) Wu, and Jeff Wu

Above and Beyond Vivien Zhang and Jeff Wu (NCS parents 20–present) This is the third year our son, Hongyi (Frederick) Wu, has been studying at NCS. We still vividly remember how excited Frederick was when he saw the amazing snow-covered view of campus when we took the virtual tour. He couldn’t help exclaiming "wow" after "wow." At that moment, we knew NCS was exactly where he wanted to learn and explore. Frederick’s tremendous growth at NCS has proved us right. With various unique educational programs, Frederick has learned how to connect learning with life and has gained a better understanding of the ecosystem, life circle, and the relationship between humans and nature in general. He has become more confident, mature, and responsible.

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Besides the unique educational philosophies, we have been deeply touched by the school’s love for the students. As we know, COVID-19 has engulfed the world. We are grateful to the NCS community for actively communicating and working with parents to cope with different situations and emergencies. NCS launched a remote-learning timetable that specially fits Chinese students’ daily schedules. We were most impressed that NCS sent two teachers to Dubai to fulfill quarantine requirements for international students before accompanying them back to campus. It was a huge effort, but NCS did it. We believe that making a donation to support the school’s operation and the development of faculty and staff is a way for us to show our family’s appreciation and gratitude. We really love the NCS community, including all the students, faculty, and staff.

S H A R I N G T H E H A R VE S T When our gardens overflow with nature's bounty, we want nothing more than to share it with our larger community. In 2020-21, we donated the following to our local food pantry: 65 lbs. lettuce 85 lbs. kale 8 lbs. Swiss chard 30 lbs. peppers 26 lbs. tomatoes 10 lbs. cherry tomatoes 158 lbs. carrots 16 lbs. beets 10 lbs. kohlrabi 140 lbs. onions 30 lbs. pumpkins 42 lbs. baby blue Hubbard squash 65 lbs. butternut squash 125 lbs. spinach 100+ dozen eggs

THANK YOU, FARMERS! CAMPTREETOPS.ORG

NORTHCOUNTRYSCHOOL.ORG

Community Giving Week On May 17–21, 2021, our community came together to support School and Camp. We asked you to describe School and Camp in one or two words. Here's what you had to say:

308 members of our community came together during the week and helped Camp and School earn a $50,000 challenge gift to support all that NCS and Treetops do for our children. 52 ORGANIC ROOTS

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And we also had some fun!

SAVE THE DATE FOR COMMUNITY GIVING WEEK MAY 2022

Thank You!

CAMPTREETOPS.ORG

NORTHCOUNTRYSCHOOL.ORG

BALANCED ROCKS CIRCLE We are grateful to the community members who, as of August 31, 2021, have told us their intentions to make a planned gift to North Country School and Camp Treetops, thereby becoming members of the Balanced Rocks Circle. Planned giving provides an avenue for forward-thinking donors to make a meaningful legacy gift that extends philanthropic influence beyond donors’ lifetimes. In this way, donors can help ensure the long-term financial health of Camp and School. We were honored to be the recipient of a realized bequest this year from Mike McCrary (NCS 47–50, CTT 44–46). 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 legacy giving, please contact Christie Borden, Director of Advancement, 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 Katharine Knight Flebotte George M. Galpin Henry Gardiner* Suzanne Glickman Reggie Govan Gay Booth Greenleaf Lisa Gulotta Elizabeth Harlan Laura Thrower Harris Bob Heays Nick and Ruth Hewitt

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Catherine (Cathy Fetz) High David Hochschartner and Selden West Matthew P. Hoffman Amy and John Isaacs Elsbeth S. Johnson Jan Johnson Ralph Jones Philip Kneisl, NCS 75 Meredith Kovach and Sam Eaton Monika and Steven Lang, NCS 53 Rose K. Lansbury Lorna Livingston, NCS 50 Susan Localio Bill and Jan Localio Roger and Pat Loud Anne Martindell* Dwight N. Mason Lauren McCarty Mike McCrary 50* Mimi B. Muray-Levitt, NCS 57 S. Celeste Nossiter Sandy Gray Nowicki, NCS 57 JoAnne Olmsted* Brian Orter Elizabeth Packard Meredith M. Prime Don Rand* Mr. and Mrs. James Rea Jr.* Susan Read, NCS 70, CTT parent 04–05

Jane Crowell Rieffel* Cheryl "Rusty" Schick Rolland* Maggie Rosenbloom Matt Salinger James D. ("Jim") Seymour Kate Shepherd Marcia Siegal* Mike Smith David and Linda Stein Helen Stein Barkley Stuart and Ann Glazer Hugh Thacher Jessica Tuck Matthew and Courtney Tuck Mary Loeb Umlauf* Ms. Laura Walker Frank Wallace Mara Frankel Wallace and Rick Wallace Louise Walsh and Charles Rupp Janet L. Wentworth (Dunn), NCS 68 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

CAMPTREETOPS.ORG

NORTHCOUNTRYSCHOOL.ORG

e l b a l i a v A s e i t i n u t r o p

N O I T A C U D E D E S A B E C E A L C A P L Y P R A N I D R O A R T X E an

p O t n e m l l Enro

At North Country School and Camp Treetops, children explore, create, and learn in a community that inspires them to lead lives of purpose in an ever-changing world. Help spread the word about North Country School and Camp Treetops. Email bnewman@northcountryschool.org or karen@camptreetops.org, or contact us at (518) 523-9329.

Camp Treetops North Country School 4382 Cascade Road Lake Placid, NY 12946

Organic Roots Winter 2022

Articles inside

A Glimpse Into the Past