FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
KENT DENVER SCHOOL
PERSPECTIVE Fall 2018
SUN DE VI L STRO NG USE THE KDS SPIRIT TO FUEL YOUR LIFE p.19
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FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
View Through the Gates: On June 6, the Class of 2018 gathered on a picture-perfect morning to celebrate their Commencement. Kent Denver’s 115 newest alumni are attending 75 colleges and universities this fall. Photo: J. Dahlen ’19
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V EVRE RS CSHCOHOO LO PE K EEN NTT DDE ENN L RPSEPRESCPT E ICVTEI V E
IN THIS ISSUE
Fall Perspective advisors Phil Klein Sara Lawrence Elyse Rudolph Magazine editors Lisa Mortell Jan Thomas ’76 Amy Vucci Design & layout Andi Todaro Contributing photographers Heather Bays Danny Barocas James Dahlen ’19 Trevor Davis Photography Stacie Doyle Andrew Goldblatt ’19 Kathleen Hogan Robin Jobe Carol MacKay Photography Lisa Mortell Jason Mundy Jan Thomas ’76 Jack Todd ’09 Contributing writers Caroline Casey ’19 James Dahlen ’19 Rand Harrington, Ph.D. Lisa Mortell Elyse Rudolph Jan Thomas ’76 Amy Vucci Cover photo: When you’re happy and you know it… Whenever and wherever a Sun Devil team plays, school spirit is palpable. Cheers to the studentathletes and their classmates, teachers, coaches and families who make every game a game to remember. Photo: Andrew Goldblatt ’19
CONNECT
KENT DENVER SCHOOL
PERSPECTIVE Features
ALUMNI EXPERIENCE 09 Kent Denver’s alumni program has never been better! Discover fun,
rewarding ways to reconnect with fellow alumni, participate in lifelong learning events and support current students…and see a handy calendar of events you won’t want to miss.
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE 12 A series of ambitious construction projects are transforming our
campus and, more importantly, the way our students learn. See how Kent Denver’s next 100 years will be shaped by these new spaces.
THE PLAY’S THE THING 16 Whether their goal is to perform on stage or work tech, all interested
students have roles in Kent Denver Upper School theater productions.
CHECKING IN 18 Where does life take you after Kent Denver? In this new fall feature,
two alumni share in-depth updates on what’s happening in their lives.
BRAIN ON SPORTS 19 ItYOUR takes more than muscle memory to make those winning plays.
Neuroscientists say athletes’ brains excel in areas ranging from focus to decision making. Five alumni share tips on how to add healthy competition to everyday life.
Departments
4 Tribute 5 From the Head of School 6 Campus News 7 Tradition 10 Sports Recap 14 Class Notes 2018-19 Board of Trustees Dr. Rand Harrington, Head of School
Visit Kent Denver social media to learn more about what’s happening on campus.
facebook.com/kentdenverschool facebook.com/kentdenveralumni twitter.com/KDSsundevil instagram.com/kentdenverschool
Fall 2018
Sarah Anschutz Hunt ’89, President Michanda Lindsey, Vice President Bruce McGrath ’72, Secretary Tom McGonagle ’77, Treasurer Michele Bergner Tully Bragg Kathy Safford Coors ’90 Denny Coughlin ’93, Alumni Rep Tracey Davis-Wifall, Parents’ Assoc. Rep
Javier Del Castillo Julia Sayre Donnelly ’98 Jeremy Flug K.C. Gallagher ’87 Jon Hauser Grant Ho ’19, Student Rep Lynn Luce Kitt ’87 Lisa Love Tony Mayer Kristin McKissick Heather Mulvihill
Arthur Nelson Jay Rolls Caroline Kurtz Rassenfoss ’78 Amy Slothower ’90 Sarah Rockwell Soane Laton Spahr Holly Smiekel, Faculty Rep Jennifer McIntosh Waters ’88 David Windfeldt ’89
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Tribute
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For every win students have on the field, on the court or in the pool, there are innumerable practice sessions guided by dedicated Kent Denver Athletics staff and coaches. Led by Athletic Director SCOTT YATES, a guiding force at the school for almost 40 years, Kent Denver proudly sets the bar for helping students succeed in sports and well beyond. Here, staff and fall coaches pause for a few moments before meeting to discuss the 2018-19 school year.
V EVRE RS CSHCOHOO LO PE K EEN NTT DDE ENN L RPSEPRESCPT E ICVTEI V E
Photo: L. Mortell
TRIBUTE
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
From the Head of School RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS
Photo: L. Mortell
The President of DePauw University, Dr. Mark McCoy, dropped by my office recently. He shared a phrase that I intend to start using: “We don’t recruit students, we recruit alumni.” I have been thinking a lot about Kent Denver alumni after our Administrative Team toured innovative organizations in the greater Denver metro area this summer, including charter schools Strive Prep and University Prep, Comal Heritage Food Incubator, Urban Peak and MindSpark. At each stop along the way we met with individuals directly connected to Kent Denver who are making significant contributions to their communities.
At Strive Preparatory Schools, we had a fantastic conversation with CEO Chris Gibbons ’96, KDS graduate and former Executive Director of Breakthrough Kent Denver. Chris founded and runs a network of 11 Strive charter schools serving thousands of students across the metro area. Brandon Bordeaux, who attended Kent Denver’s Middle School, gave us a behind-the-scenes tour at University Preparatory School, another innovative Denver charter. At Urban Peak, a support shelter for homeless teens, we met with a team of experts to learn how Executive Director Christina Carlson ’93 and her organization serve youth in the most challenging circumstances. During our tour of MindSpark, founded by past Kent Denver parent Carrie Morgridge, we ran into alumna Lucy Bryan ’06 and learned about her work at this innovative teacher support facility.
solving big problems in more than 96 countries. This all comes on the heels of the news that Sarah McDougall Hirshland ’93 was recently appointed CEO of the United States Olympic Committee, the first woman to lead the USOC in its 100-year history. On April 10, 2019, Sarah will receive Kent Denver’s Distinguished Alumni Award and we look forward to welcoming her back to campus! As the Board of Trustees considers long-range strategic plans this year, our first task is to reaffirm our Vision Statement which includes the phrase “We strive to create a diverse community of responsible citizens.” I interpret “responsible citizens” as individuals who have a positive impact on our world and on one another. There is plenty of evidence to support that Kent Denver students and alumni are indeed responsible citizens in the best possible sense. With regards to those mentioned above and the alumni who are featured in this edition of Perspective, I hope that you agree. On campus, Kent Denver continues to evolve with new buildings and programs that are transforming the way we serve our students. Alumni, parents, past parents and friends are encouraged to visit and see all of the exciting changes underway. We particularly look forward to welcoming everyone back in the Fall of 2019 for our new Alumni Weekend, which is being planned to coincide with Homecoming. Go Sun Devils!
Dr. Rand Harrington Head of School
This week, I had the opportunity to meet with Bank Benitez ’06, co-founder and CEO of Uncharted, a Denverbased organization that supports social entrepreneurs
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Campus News
Photo: A. Goldblatt ’19
This year, Evan Gaffney’s Astronomy and Astrophysics class once again took to the upper fields for a series of star gazing nights featuring Kent Denver’s 11-inch telescope. The events began right after sundown and typically lasted a couple of hours. Andrew Goldblatt ’19 took this amazing photo from the first event!
T O M TA P L I N J R . ’ S L E G A C Y C O N T I N U E S Long before he began his formal career as a filmmaker and photographer—and years before he earned first a bachelor’s degree in English from Lake Forest College and then a master’s degree in film from the California Institute of the Arts—Tom Taplin Jr. ’71 honed his love of digital arts at Kent Denver. In 1997, he made a donation to the school that created the Taplin New Media Fund that was used, in part, to support students’ creative pursuits in multimedia. An avid mountaineer, Taplin died in 2015 while filming a documentary about the Everest Base Camp in Nepal. A few weeks before this issue of Perspective went to press, Taplin’s widow, Cory Freyer, and his mother, Bea Taplin, presented the school with a gift to further students’ study of photography, videography, journalism and other forms of print and digital expression. “Bea and I are so pleased to see Tom’s passion carried on,” Cory Freyer says. “Tom Taplin used his energy, creativity and humanity to inform and inspire others,” says Rand Harrington, Head of School. “Bea and Cory’s gift will be used to support the efforts of students who hope to do the same. I am profoundly grateful for their generosity.”
DID YOU KNOW…? The Kent School for Girls was founded on September 22, 1922? As part of our new Alumni Weekend/Homecoming festivities, we will now celebrate Founder’s Day as we begin preparing for the school’s centennial celebration in 2022! Courtesy Kent Denver Archives
This past summer, 10 Kent Denver students competed at the National Speech and Debate Association’s National tournament in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. In Dramatic Interpretation, Esther Omegba ’18 finished 15th in the nation in a group of more than 200 competitors. In Policy Debate, Caden Joseph ’19 and Jack Landgraff ’20 finished in the top 25 from a group of more than 200 debate teams. Jude Barakat ’20, Daniel Chao ’19, Natalie Huttner ’21, Aaron Mathews ’18, Vivek Shah ’21, Juliette Watkins ’20 and Tyler Whitaker ’18 helped round out our extraordinary team. “This Nationals concludes an excellent year for the program,” says Speech coach Ian Hopkins. “Coach Bausch and I look For a full list of arts forward to events on campus, even more please visit www. success with kentdenver.org/ our students in calendar 2018–19!”
K D S S TA R G A Z E R S FA L L S TA R PA R T Y
Courtesy C. Freyer
SPEECH A N D D E B AT E SCORES WELL IN 2018 N AT I O N A L S
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KENT DENVER SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE
Photo: C. MacKay
UPPER SCHOOL C L A S S R E T R E AT S If you say “La Foret,” “Frontier” or “Ponderosa” to a Kent Denver graduate from the past 20 years, your words will likely conjure up fond memories from at least one Upper School class retreat. These retreats, which continue in expanded form today, serve an important purpose in bringing together students, teachers and advisory groups to set the course of the school year before classes begin.
C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S , C L A S S O F 2 0 1 8 ! On Tuesday, June 5, the Class of 2018 gathered in the Chenery Theater to celebrate Commencement as hundreds of family members, teachers and friends looked on with pride. Seniors selected the faculty and student speakers for Commencement. Lukas Drexler-Bruce ’18 and science teacher Evan Gaffney proved to be excellent choices as they provided humor and valuable insights in their remarks. Head of School Rand Harrington also shared words of celebration and advice with seniors on their final day as Kent Denver students.
Photo: J. Dahlen ’19
Photo: C. MacKay
James Dahlen ’19 and Andrew Goldblatt ’19 got an early start on their marketing and communications independent study projects by chronicling the event in photos. More than 500 photos from these students and others were provided to our newest alumni and their families.
As far back as the 1980s, Kent Denver ninth-graders have kicked off their school year with an off-campus trip. “We get a significant number of new students in ninth grade,” says Director of Student Life Priscilla Scobie. “Bringing them together with students who attended our middle school helps the entire class feel unified. It also helps all of our freshman make the transition from middle school to high school, which is a big leap for new and returning students!” Photo: A. Goldblatt ’19
Photo: A. Goldblatt ’19
Photo: D. Barocas
TRADITION
CAMPUS NEWS
The Class of 2001 helped establish Kent Denver’s tradition of a Senior Class Retreat when they gathered with advisors and administrators in the fall of 2000. The work of the Senior Class Retreat—selecting a theme for the year, planning the “driveway” celebration on the first day of school, and discussing the important role the senior class plays in school leadership—continues to be an important milestone as seniors enter their final year at Kent Denver. Starting in 2016, Kent Denver added yearly retreats for students in the 10th and 11th grades. With both whole-class activities and smaller group adventures with their advisory groups, these retreats help students reconnect with peers and advisors in the days leading up to the start of school.
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CAMPUS NEWS
ENGLISH D E LV E S I N T O AUGMENTED REALITY
BY JAMES DAHLEN ’19
Last May, Logan Brown and Anne Moyer’s English 10 classes collaborated with Kent Denver’s Information and Innovation Team (IIT) to take a deep dive into F. Scott Fitzgerald’s magnum opus, The Great Gatsby. To better understand the broader themes and context of the novel—and the beautiful complexity of Fitzgerald’s writing— students selected lines for a close reading. “Students chose amazing lines to unpack,” says Moyer. “They laser-cut the lines into pieces of wood, filmed videos of themselves analyzing the text and used an augmented reality app to link the video to the wood.” Their laser-cut lines hung in the east Upper School hall allowing engaged passersby to listen to each student’s video analysis by using the augmented reality app “HP Reveal” on their phones or tablets. The partnership between IIT and the English department was key to bringing this project to life. “This was truly a collaborative process!” Brown says.
Photo: J. Dahlen ’19
Did you know Kent Denver is home to the largest student-run bank branch in the world? No, it is not a credit union anymore. Yes, it is a real bank branch, and yes, Kent Denver students have the opportunity to become real employees of MidFirst Bank starting in their junior year of high school. Kent Denver students are even able to open free checking and savings accounts starting in sixth grade! I opened a bank account at Kent Denver when I was a sixth-grader. I remember peering over the counter and standing on my tippy-toes to write as the student-teller taught me how to fill out a deposit slip. Come my junior year, I had done countless transactions at the bank, and I applied to be on the inside. After submitting my resume and performing an interview, MidFirst Bank selected me to be a teller at the KDS branch. I loved it so much, I made a push to deepen my banking endeavors. This past summer, I applied for a leadership training internship at MidFirst Bank reserved for KDS tellers. A select few and I learned about commercial banking, the front and backend of retail banking, and even about the world of investing from the trust management team at MidFirst. As a high school student, I learned about the frontside and backside of banking, which not only benefits my own financial independence, but inspired me to pursue finance in college and beyond.
J U N I O R S E X P L O R E E M PAT H Y T H R O U G H S E R V I C E
Photo: J. Mundy
As part of their class retreat, and in keeping with English 11: Diverse Voices in America’s theme of voice, community and service, 116 juniors went to a dozen organizations in the greater Denver area in August and, collectively, performed more than 300 hours of service work. The Class of 2020 spent time last spring in advisory groups thinking about the types of organizations they wanted to work with, and over the summer, Director of Equity and Community Engagement Jason Mundy matched each group with an organization that would be a good fit. Students were able to speak with non-Kent Denver volunteers to better understand both their interest in community service and the work being done in the community. In some cases, students were able to interact with the clients served by the organization—all contributing to this year’s exploration into empathy.
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KENT DENVER SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE
Photo: L. Mortell
REFLECTIONS ON A SCHOOLINSPIRED BANKING CAREER
CAMPUS NEWS
The Kent Denver Alumni Experience SEE YOURSELF HERE! BY ELYSE RUDOLPH, DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS
Last year, Kent Denver alumni formed a visioning committee to consider the past, present and future of the Sun Devil alumni experience. The committee identified three key priorities: Alumni Lifelong Learning, Alumni Back on Campus and Alumni Supporting Current Students. Here are exciting updates for this school year!
ALUMNI LIFELONG LEARNING Building on last year’s roster of popular presentations by Michael Barkin ’96, 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient Vanessa Green Coleman ’01 and honorary alumnus Brad Corrigan, the 2018-19 offerings include: October 22, 2018
Guests sampled amazing wines at Silver Oak and Twomey Wines “Sip and Learn” event with David Duncan ’84 and Kevin V. Duncan ’81 and learned how the Duncan family wineries embrace sustainability.
February 7, 2019
It’s always fun to return to campus for Alumni Weekend and Homecoming. In 2019, these two weekends will merge as Alumni Weekend shifts from summer to fall. If your class year ends in 4 or 9, look for communication about reunion planning opportunities.
ALUMNI CALENDAR AT-A-GLANCE Mon., Oct. 22, 2018 Silver Oak and Twomey Wines “Sip and Learn”
Take a private tour and enjoy a reception at Denver’s Museum of Western Art Experience, one of the world’s finest collections of art from the American West.
Sun., Dec. 9, 2018 Blossoms of Light at the Denver Botanic Gardens
April 10, 2019
Thu., Feb. 7, 2019 Western Art Lifelong Learning Event
Attend the Distinguished Alumni Award Presentation where we’re honored to recognize Sarah McDougall Hirshland ’93, CEO of the U.S. Olympic Committee, as this year’s recipient.
ALUMNI BACK ON CAMPUS From the Grand Openings of the new Visual Arts Center and the new Welcome Center and Upper School Classroom Building, there are more reasons than ever to return to campus! Check the monthly Alumni Connection for details.
ALUMNI SUPPORTING CURRENT STUDENTS
Please assist tomorrow’s leaders by conducting practice college interviews for seniors in October 2018 and/or for juniors in February 2019, or by mentoring seniors as they complete their Career Internship Experiences in May 2019.
Wed., Feb. 20, 2019 Practice College Interviews for Juniors Wed., Apr. 10, 2019 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award Presentation Fall 2019 Homecoming + Reunion Weekend + Founders’ Day
Never miss an event! Check the Alumni Connection and the alumni page on the Kent Denver website for the latest news. kentdenver.org/alumni
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SPORTS RECAP
SPO RT S R E CA P
Photo: K. Hogan
BY LISA MORTELL
100M and 200M State Titles When sprinters Seven Lindsey ’18 and Ryan Hogan ’18 began competing for Kent Denver as freshmen, Track and Field Head Coach Corky Dean says their natural talent and strong potential were immediately apparent. During their senior season, that potential came to fruition in a dramatic way when the pair finished first and second in the 200M sprint at the 3A state championships. Lindsey also claimed the title of the fastest man in 3A, winning the 100M race and breaking a 27-year-old school record with his 10.74 second finish. “Seven and Ryan came into this past season with incredible focus and maturity which made for a very potent and successful combination,” Coach Dean says. “They also had the benefit of their second year of working full time with our sprint specialist, Michael Branch, who dramatically honed their technique and developed their mindset.” As proud as he is of the medals won by his athletes at state, Coach Dean is even more proud of how these new graduates have grown at Kent Denver. “It’s been exceptionally rewarding to see them develop as individuals, athletes and team leaders,” he says.
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KENT DENVER SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE
BASEBALL
State Quarterfinalist Sun Devils baseball ended league play ranked near the bottom of the standings. As a result, they traveled to Sterling, CO to face the #1-seeded Sterling Tigers in the first round of regional playoffs. In what was one of the most shocking games in 3A baseball this year, the Sun Devils came back from a 4-0 deficit to beat the Tigers 5-4. After that improbable victory, the Devils defeated Cedaredge to claim a berth to the 8-team state tournament in Greely. The Sun Devils went on to play two strong games at state but were eliminated after they fell just short against both Lutheran and Faith Christian. Congratulations to the team on their amazing and memorable late-season run!
Photo: H. Bays
TRACK AND FIELD
GIRLS’ GOLF
State Runners Up Girls’ golf came in second at regionals and Taneen Davari ’19, Charlotte Hillary ’20, Austine Jobe ’19 and Sadie Mauger ’18 qualified as a team for the 3A state tournament. After two well-played rounds, the team finished as state runners up. Kudos to the girls on their great year!
SPORTS RECAP
GIRLS’ LACROSSE
BOYS’ LACROSSE
State Runners Up Boys’ lacrosse, led by head coach Ben Brenneman ’01, found tremendous success this year thanks to a strong core of senior leaders and clutch play against some of the largest schools in the state. After securing a #2 seed in the 5A playoffs and defeating Colorado Academy 13-5 in the quarterfinals, boys’ lacrosse faced off against Arapahoe in the semifinals. Thanks to a fast start, the Sun Devils held off a late-game surge to win 12-10. In the finals at Mile High Stadium, the Sun Devils took on #1 seed and defending state champions Regis Jesuit High School. The Sun Devils battled hard but ultimately fell 10-4 to finish as state runners up.
View KDS Sports action on Instagram, instagram.com/ kentdenverschool
Photo: S. Doyle
Photo: A. Goldblatt ’19
After losing eight key players to graduation, girls’ lacrosse entered the 2018 season with just four seniors on varsity, a freshman starting in goal and a squad looking to build confidence and chemistry. After a few tough losses to start the year, the Sun Devils found their groove and came together as a team, improving their ranking from #36 to #11 to qualify for state. In the playoffs, the Sun Devils took on East High School in their first round game. They battled hard and took the game all the way to a suddendeath overtime, but a goal by East ended the season. The team looks to build on this year’s successes and are optimistic for 2019!
GIRLS’ TENNIS
Photo: C. MacKay
Third Place at State Girls’ tennis won their regional tournament and qualified for all seven spots at the 4A state tournament in Pueblo. The team took third overall at state, led by a second-place finish in #1 singles by Josie Schaffer ’19 and third-place finish in #1 doubles by Julia Doyle ’18 and Isabel Haifleigh ’18.
Girls’ Soccer Finishes Second at State BY CAROLINE CASEY ’19
Photo: C. MacKay
Photo: C. MacKay
Most who attended this year’s State Championship game would agree that the Kent Denver Girls’ Soccer team went down fighting. Following the regular season with a 16-2-1 record, the team went into the postseason feeling confident and eager. They dominated in their first two playoff games—beating Basalt and Manitou Springs by a combined 11-0 margin—leading to a showdown with Colorado Academy in the semifinal round. Played at All City Stadium, the semifinal game was cold, damp, and fiercely competitive. Kent Denver dominated most of the first half, with Emma Billings ’18 scoring from a corner served by Sofia Palumbo ’20. CA controlled most of the second half, forcing goalie Mika Fisher ’20 to make crucial save after crucial save, but Kent Denver ultimately won 1-0 to advance to the championship game at Dicks Sporting Good Park. In the finals, Kent Denver faced Jefferson Academy. The Devils conceded the first goal early in the second half, however Annabelle Johnson ’20 quickly responded with a beautiful finish to tie the game. With the score still 1-1 following double overtime, the game went into a penalty shootout where, after a hard fought battle, Kent Denver ultimately lost. It was a heartbreaking end to an unforgettable season. “Even though we fell short of a championship in the final game, this season couldn’t have felt more like a success,” said captain Emma Domich ’18. “We played every game with heart and as a team. And as a senior, I couldn’t have asked for a better group of girls to do it with.”
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FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
CA M PU S T R AN S FO RMATION WILL ANCHOR KENT DENVER’S NEXT 100 YEARS BY LISA MORTELL
80% OF LEARNING AND TEACHING SPACES UPDATED
Photo: J. Dahlen ’19
CLASSROOMS GROWING FROM 450 SF TO 800+ SF
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KENT DENVER SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE
C A M P U S T R A N S F O R M AT I O N
After they put the finishing touches on Kent Denver’s new Middle School in April, CMC Construction President Craig Benes ’85 and his team did not have to travel far for their next job. In fact, they moved just to the other side of the Student Center for the Arts to begin construction on a 29,000-squarefoot Upper School classroom building and Welcome Center, scheduled to open in Spring 2019. Other members of the CMC crew are working to transform the previous 7/8 classroom building into a new Visual Arts Center—with ceramics, metals, photography, drawing and painting and an innovative “impact studio”—to be completed later this year. In the place of the classrooms that visual art programs currently inhabit, Kent Denver will create a home for the Rollins Institute for Technology and Design, and, in spring 2019, will begin a foundation-up rebuild of the existing Upper School classroom wing.
“These campus transformations are just the start of our journey to diversify the types of learning experiences that we offer to better match student needs and aspirations in a world that continues to change.” —Dr. Rand Harrington
These ambitious campus projects—which will ultimately transform nearly 80% of Kent Denver’s learning spaces over a three-year period—are key to Head of School Rand Harrington’s vision of keeping the school and our students on the cutting edge of education. “It is an interesting time in education because things are happening so fast and there is so much disruption going on in the industry,” says Dr. Harrington. “Since our campus was built in the 1960s, we have learned much more about how space impacts learning. Traditional school buildings work well for some kinds of learners, but not for others, and it was time for us to create modern learning facilities that allow teachers and students the freedom and space to innovate.”
access,” Associate Head of School Jerry Walker explains. “This will ensure we can continue to share our campus open spaces with neighbors while also controlling who comes and goes from our buildings.”
The Middle School, which opened in March 2018, is giving Kent Denver a preview of how these modern new spaces will impact the classroom experience. “Teachers that have been working—brilliantly—with certain constraints are seeing what they can do without those constraints,” Dr. Harrington says. “We are seeing tremendous innovation in the kind of learning experiences we can offer students.” Along with larger, more flexible classroom spaces, new grade-level common areas and a variety of spaces for Institutes, collaboration and individual work, Kent Denver’s updated facilities will also provide enhanced campus security. “With the exception of our Welcome Center, which will be the single point of entry for visitors, all buildings will require key card
In the months ahead, members of the Kent Denver community will have many chances to explore all the changes happening on campus. “This is such an exciting time for our school as we take Kent Denver into its next 100 years!” exclaims Board of Trustees President Sarah Anschutz Hunt ’89. “Our generation of parents and alumni have the opportunity to make a significant and enduring impact on the school’s future.”
20 YEARS OF TRANSFORMATION Kent Denver’s campus was originally constructed in the 1960s. Investments by subsequent generations of KDS alumni and families have helped create new facilities to serve the evolving needs of our school community.
2001
2003
2006
2011
2013
2018
2019
Gates Science and Magness Technology Center
Justin DeSorrento Memorial Field
Student Center for the Arts
Schaden Dining Hall
Duncan Center, Yates Pavilion and Horn Field
New Middle School and Visual Arts Center
New Upper School Classroom Building and Welcome Center
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CLASS NOTES
Class Notes
Selma, c. 1985 courtesy of G. Waldman
George D. Waldman ’61 is newly retired and living in Maine where he rows daily in Card Cove in a wooden 20-foot sliding seat wherry he made by hand. Prior to his retirement, he was a photojournalist. His images appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post and Newsweek among many other publications and are in permanent museum collections around the world.
Linda Davison Remley ‘64 holds leadership positions with the Colorado Daughters of the American Revolution, including Chapter Development and Revitalization Commission, State Membership Chairman, State Speakers Staff and President, and State Officer’s Club. She is also the V.P. for Jewett Family of America, serves on the board for the Denver Police Museum, and is a member of the International Police Association. 14
KENT DENVER SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE
’70s
Valerie Brown Penny ’75 lives in Scotland. In 2018, she published the first two novels—Hunter’s Chase and Hunter’s Revenge—in her series The Edinburgh Crime Mysteries. The third book in the series will be released in 2019. She’s also a published poet and maintains two blogs: Val Penny’s Book Reviews and Val Penny’s Hotel and Restaurant Reviews. Visit her author website, www.authorvalpenny. com, for more information about her writing and life in Scotland!
’90s
Sarah MacDougall Hirshland ’93 was named CEO of the United States Olympic Committee, the first woman to hold that position. She was previously an executive with the United States Golf Association.
Ben Brenneman ’01, head coach of the KDS boys’ varsity lacrosse team, was honored as Colorado Coach of the Year for 5A boys lacrosse after leading the 2018 team to a 15-4 record and finishing as state runnersup. Ben was also awarded Coach of the Year honors from U.S. Lacrosse. Caroline Duke ’06 married Tyler Ashley on July 7, 2018 in Vail, Colorado. Caroline and her husband currently live in Boston where she teaches kindergarten at the Nashoba Brooks School in Concord, Massachusetts. Annie Stookesberry ’08 is running her Denver-based business, Feast Locally, full-time. The company, which started as a restaurant-focused Instagram account (@feastdenver), is now a subscription membership service that offers cardholders exclusive deals to a curated list of the city’s best new restaurants. Visit feastlocally.com to learn more.
Photo: C. MacKay
Vanessa Green Coleman ’01 returned to campus in May 2018 to receive the Kent Denver Distinguished Alumni Award.
Photos courtesy of C. Duke & T. Ashley
’60s
’00s
Terese Mac Davis ’68 was unable to attend her 50th class reunion in person, but Skyped in during her class party from her home in California. Terese has been buying, restoring and selling Mazda Miatas for the last 12 years and wrote the book—Flippin’ Miatas—to share her expertise. She also does decorative painting and is a longtime member of the Central California Cage Bird Club. Photos courtesy of T. Mac Davis
Image from the 1935 Kentian
LeBurta “Burta” Gates Atherton ’35 died on October 22, 2017 at the age of 100. She spent her entire adult life in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she was a dedicated volunteer with the Red Cross and a variety of schools, hospitals and cultural institutions. She visited all seven continents and regretted only that she did not live long enough to travel into space.
Cover images courtesy of V. Penny A
’30s
CLASS NOTES
10 TH
’10s
Hannah Pinto ’10 and Mary Rassenfoss ’10 are roommates and law school classmates at the University of California-Berkeley. Hannah is a third-year student and spent summer 2018 working for the Staten Island public defender’s office. Mary is in her second year and spent the summer as an extern with the Supreme Court of California. Ashley Achee ’12 is a Mellon Fellow at the University of CaliforniaIrvine working toward her Ph.D. in American history. She was recently selected as a panelist for the 2018 Rocky Mountain Colorado History Conference. See page 18 for a reflection from Ashley about the role Kent Denver played in fostering her love of history.
Share with us! Send Class Notes to Elyse Rudolph, erudolph@ kentdenver.org
Ellery Jones ’14 was crowned Miss Colorado and competed at Miss America 2018 in Atlantic City, where she finished in the top 10. Find out more about Ellery’s competition experience and future plans on page 18.
Joey Matarazzo ’14 graduated from the Air Force Academy in May 2018 and started pilot training at Columbus Air Force Base in Columbus, Mississippi.
F O R M E R FA C U L T Y
Retired teacher Ann Wright Shannon shares that she has moved back to her home state of California to be near two of her children and her granddaughter. “I loved teaching so much that when I retired in 2010 it was like falling off a cliff,” she writes. “I simply had to keep teaching and keep my brain active. I now teach Pilates in my own studio and practice it as well as walking everywhere!”
CLASS OF 2008
15 TH
CLASS OF 2003
20 TH
Alumni Weekend 2018 Alumni flocked to campus June 8-9 to celebrate Alumni Weekend. Class parties on Friday and Saturday nights brought graduates from classes ending in 3 and 8 together at locations around campus and throughout Denver. Saturday’s activities, including a campus tour, barbecue and lawn games, drew additional alumni along with their families and friends. Thank you to all the volunteers who organized their class parties and to everyone who came back for the events!
25 TH OF CLASS 1998
CLASS OF 1993
35 TH F O S S A L C 1988
30 TH
CLASS OF 1983
40 TH 45 TH CLASS O 1978
F
50 TH
CLASS OF 1973
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F E AT U R E
THE PLAY’S THE THING BY JAN THOMAS ’76
I’ll have grounds More relative than this—the play’s the thing Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King.
—“Hamlet” by William Shakespeare
In an office packed with books and binders on topics as diverse as calculus and The Role of Theatre in Ancient Greece, it’s the posters that catch your eye. They’re covered with handwritten messages from students past and present. Each note is as unique as the writer, but most begin the same way: Mr. Ellis, Thank you…
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KENT DENVER SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE
Photo: J. Thomas ’76
The posters are what you’ll notice first.
The theater department embraces an ensemble-based approach, and every student who auditions for a production earns a part. “Theater is a social art. It’s a communal way to share a story,” Ellis says. “When students are first exposed to how powerful that can be and when they realize what they’re capable of doing, it’s scary and fun and mysterious and magical.”
Photo: S. Werk
Recent college graduate Harry Todd ’14 was in the musical and one-act plays in ninth and tenth grade. He added the fall play to his repertoire and participated in all three theatrical opportunities during this final two years at Kent Denver. “Theater gave me a voice that I didn’t realize I was missing,” he says. “I never considered myself shy or uncomfortable, but the more I worked with Mr. Ellis and the theater department, the more confident I felt in my own
Photo: J. Todd ’09
Justin Howard ’15, participated in acting classes and theater productions throughout high school. Now a senior at Saint Mary’s College of California, he hopes to work in film and television after graduation, though he also plans to try to remain involved in theater whenever possible. “What drew me to theater was making people laugh. I loved physical comedy as well as witty dialogue,” he says. “I think my biggest takeaway is that acting is being truthful in imaginary circumstances. People think acting is taking on a completely different person, but what Mr. Ellis has taught me is to put some of myself into every character I play, and ask, ‘How would I react if I were this character?’ Thinking about this allows for a deeper connection and understanding of the character.” Although he may be the most visible teacher involved in Upper School theater, Ellis is quick to name others who make invaluable and memorable contributions to each production. “Judy Graese, our costumer; David Hodel, who supervises music; and Tommy Nolan, our technical director—as well as Steve Root before him—are all terrific collaborators. They are so generous with their time and talents. Their willingness and ability to design, adjust and execute artistic choices that fully support the individual and collective needs of the students is inspiring.”
Photo: T. Davis
“In choosing shows, I try to think in four-year cycles so that students—be it as actors, technicians or audience members—will be exposed to a variety of stories, styles, staging and narrative structures during their high school careers,” says Pete Ellis, Kent Denver’s long-standing Upper School theater director and math teacher. “I also consider how many kids have expressed interest in auditioning or running tech, as well as what I imagine will be a good challenge for, and meet the strengths of, the seniors.”
skin. I learned a ton from the daily two-hour-long rehearsals—how to give and take energy with a scene partner, how to use my voice effectively, and how to stay engaged; without the confidence that Mr. Ellis imbued in me, however, I wouldn’t have been able to continue to utilize those skills.”
Photo C. MacKay
Photo: T. Davis
T H E P L AY ’ S T H E T H I N G
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CHECKING IN
ING IN !
ELLERY JONES ’14
BY ELYS E RUD OLPH
nate that she Ashley Achee ’12 counts herself fortu School. dle found her passion in Kent Denver Mid European AP to e grad th “From world history in eigh to me ed allow ver Den t Ken history in high school, dation foun a te crea and past the for ion follow my pass says. for my writing and analytical skills,” she ps College, Scrip ugh That passion carried her thro duate, to the rgra unde an as ry histo where she majored in currently a is she re whe ine, a-Irv orni Calif University of history. The rican Mellon Fellow pursuing a Ph.D. in Ame and requires ip larsh scho full Mellon Fellowship provides a rtation. disse year fiveed lerat acce Achee to complete an for seniors, class e duat rgra unde an es teach e Today, Ache ments, state is thes guiding students as they learn to draft sense of the e mak and , ence evid identify and analyze historical moments. ical polit ent curr to led that ds bigger historical tren as face ents She understands the challenges her stud ts. even rical histo t they learn how to write effectively abou early own her ng duri Achee remembers frustration when I wondered, history studies, “There were moments e between the ‘Why do I need to know the differenc will I ever need First and Second New Deal?’ or ‘When ocide?’” Gen ndan to know the causes of the Rwa ing to her listen for ers teach ver She credits Kent Den e events thes of each how see her ing help questions and economics nts, eme had lasting effects for sociocultural mov began “I le. who a as try and the development of the coun nce of ifica sign and ns ectio conn ter to think about the grea ry is histo that rstand historical events, and I started to unde says. e Ache it,” cyclical—and often we fail to learn from
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KENT DENVER SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE
Courtesy E. Jones ’14
Courtesy A. Achee ’12
ASHLEY ACHEE ’12
BY JAN THOMAS ’76
According to Newton’s First Law, an object in motion remains in motion. The same can be said of Ellery Jones ’14. The 2018 Harvard graduate channeled her high school passions—science and volleyball—into a bachelor’s degree in neurobiology, a minor in African-American studies and several successful seasons of collegiate varsity volleyball. She planned to begin the University of California at San Francisco’s Ph.D. neuroscience program in the fall and pursue a career in brain research, but instead of taking a well-deserved summer off, she entered (and won) the Miss Colorado competition. “I really love that the Miss America organization focuses so heavily on both service and scholarship,” Jones says. “I’m able to use the Miss Colorado title award to pay off some of my student loans and use my time in this role to promote education and strong women doing cool things.” As Miss Colorado, Jones is also expected to develop a service platform to promote throughout the year. “My goal is to reduce instances of sexual violence on college campuses. I’m working with someone I met in college to create workshops and a curriculum about the cultural norms that perpetuate that type of violence and assault,” she says. Although Jones deferred her Ph.D. program while she participated in the Miss America competition— where she finished in the top 10—obtaining her advanced degree remains a top priority. “I loved all of the science classes at Kent Denver. I took advanced biology and AP courses in chemistry, psychology and physics in high school, and I think that’s what pointed me in this direction,” Jones says. As she thinks back on her time at Kent Denver, Jones says the support she received from the College Counseling office was instrumental to her success. If she were to give advice to current Kent Denver students, it would be to make the most of the support available from the College Counseling team. “The College Counseling process really worked for me,” she says. “Ms. Park was my advisor, and we went through the entire process together. She helped me think about what I wanted in a college and what I wanted to prioritize. I could tell how much she cared.”
F E AT U R E
Y OUR BRAIN ON SP ORTS BY JAN THOMAS ’76
If you were there to see it—the once-in-alifetime drive, dive, pass, goal, putt or score—the moment is etched forever in your memory.
If you weren’t, if you had to hear about it or read about it or watch a grainy replay video on YouTube, you can only imagine how it must have felt to be present when, in the midst of unbelievable pressure, panic and din, athletes managed to achieve a feat that left spectators in awe. How did they do it? Some credit muscle memory. Others cite great coaching or good genes. But, increasingly, neuroscientists say exceptional athletic performances are the result of finely tuned brains that differ functionally, and perhaps anatomically, from those of others.
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F E AT U R E
In “The Athletic Brain—How Neuronal Signals Influence Sports Performance,” author Nicolas Rost says “the mental processes that need to be taken into account for top performance accomplishment in sports are […] motivation, selective attention, goal setting, working memory and decision making.” They flit by in nanoseconds, occurring “‘between our ears’—in the command center in our head,” he adds, “and contribute to our performance in various ways.” According to Carl Zimmer’s Discover magazine article, “The Brain: Why Athletes Are Geniuses,” the net result is that “as the brain starts issuing commands, it also begins to make predictions about what sort of sensations should come back from the body if it achieves the goal. If those predictions don’t match the actual sensations, the brain then revises its plan to reduce error. […] Athletes may perform better than the rest of us because their brains can find better solutions than ours do.” These days, extraordinary performances are on display frequently in both college and high school athletics. Still, with the exception of one sport, less than seven percent of NCAA athletes advance to compete at the professional or Olympic level. The outlier is baseball, in which 9.5% move up to the pros. And what about the rest? Do their brains resist downshifting from the rapid-fire, adrenalin rush of competitive sports? Can athletes put lessons honed on the playing field into use in other aspects of their lives? Do they have tips to share that could benefit non-athletes as well? Perspective spoke with some legendary Kent Denver alumni to find out.
KENT VER N E D
’99
AF TER THE GAM E END S Christopher Davis ’99 was a three-sport studentathlete in high school who excelled at hockey, football and lacrosse. He continued to play the latter two sports at Middlebury College and was one of the lucky few who had an opportunity to go to an NFL scouting combine after graduation. But it was at that point that Davis made the hard decision to end his professional sports ambitions. “I knew my talents were not at that level,” he admits. “And even if they were, it’s a very short-lived career. But I would have loved it, and believe me, I dream about it still.” That said, Davis didn’t let the career trajectory change slow him down. Today, he’s a husband, father of two young boys and managing director of the southwest division of The Picerne Group, a Southern California-headquartered firm that specializes in real estate investments and asset management. “There are definitely some lessons learned during my time as an athlete that translate to my life today,” Davis says. “I think coachability— knowing when to listen, knowing how to be malleable, understanding the proper traits of leadership and being able to lead by example—are critical. I also think that sportsmanship applies as much in business as it does on the playing field. It always feels good to win, but it feels better when you win the right way. If you win, you win graciously, without gloating. If you lose, you lose graciously. You learn from it. If something’s difficult, you work harder.” Davis advises current athletes, former athletes and even devout non-athletes to embrace positive competition.
IS DASSV R E E H T O P & LACRO
IS Y, FOOTBALL CHR E O H CK
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KENT DENVER SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE
“If you’re not competitive, you’re not going to make it. Life revolves around competition; it’s all in how you filter it. Healthy competition comes down to work ethic, integrity, perseverance and never cutting corners. If you give it your all and don’t succeed, keep working until you do,” he says. “In my opinion, healthy competition should be in everyone’s life. If you’re not competitive, you’re not improving.”
YOUR BRAIN ON SPORTS
KENT DENVER
’06 making the people around me better. I want to make the coaches better and share ideas with them. I want to make the players better and help them develop their skills.” One of the intangible skills Ryan can impart is how to continue to strive when things go wrong. She had to draw on lessons learned at home and at Kent Denver during a particularly high-stakes lacrosse game in her freshman year at Duke.
DANIELLE
KACHULIS
FIELD HOCK EY, BASKET BA
LL, LACROS SE
RYAN
, TRACK AN D FIELD
S TA N DING TA L L AL ONE Like Davis, Danielle Kachulis Ryan ’06 was a stellar, multisport athlete in high school. She played field hockey in the fall, basketball in the winter and both lacrosse and track and field in the spring. With offers to play lacrosse and field hockey at the college level on the table, she ultimately chose Duke and was a member of the Blue Devils lacrosse team for four years. Almost nine years later, she still bursts with enthusiasm when she describes her time on the field. “I loved it,” she says. “It was the absolute greatest experience ever.” The zeal wanes, however, as she recalls her first few years out of college when, as a solopreneur heading a railroad supply company, she realized it wasn’t just lacrosse that she missed. She longed for opponents to compete against and a team to stand beside her even more. “It’s crazy to think just how challenging that time was for me,” she says. “I’m extremely competitive in all things and, for me, competition means coming together as a unit and being part of something that’s bigger than just yourself. Because I do better in team environments, it was strange to start and run a business. I had to push myself because no one else was around. I had to turn inward to find those benchmark goals I hadn’t had to set for myself before. What I learned is that I needed a team to feel like I was making progress.” Ryan kept her company for four years before moving into a role in her family’s business. Today, she co-owns a real estate company with her parents and brother—and is also a lacrosse coach for both club teams and private clients. “Coaching is really the passion for me,” she says. “It’s about
“We’d made it to the Final Four,” she recounts. “We were playing the University of Virginia, and we were winning by nine goals. We were just dominating them. The next step was to go to the national game. I’d gotten to play a lot as a freshman, but it was the challenge of my life to prove that I belonged on that field that day. We got up to that crazy lead. I was usually a defender, but I got to play offense, and I scored. The whole team just erupted! We were so excited, and it just felt like we were invincible. Not more than five minutes later, one of my best friends on the team tore her ACL. It was like an immediate suck-of-life for everyone. The entire atmosphere on the field changed. Everything just changed. UVA went on a 10-goal unanswered run. They beat us with, like, six seconds to go.” She pauses. Then she says, “To be able to score 10 unanswered goals in less than half of a Division 1 lacrosse semifinal game is unheard of. I was on the field when we made our last goal, and the coach left me in for the remainder of the half. When things were slipping away from us, she trusted me to be on that field. I just gave everything that I had. I played my heart out. “I remember having to step up and talk to the seniors to try to bring them back together. It felt strange because I was just a freshman. I didn’t really know my role; I just knew something had to happen. I sprained my ankle, got it taped and went back in. It was just one thing after another … and we lost. I felt that I had truly done everything that I could. It just didn’t work out. It was devastating because this wasn’t just any game; it was our chance to go to the national championship, and I really felt we could have won the whole thing that year.” Ryan says the most important takeaway from the experience was learning how to put difficult situations in perspective. “The lessons for me were understanding that losing did not mean my coach’s belief that I should be on the field was misplaced, or that our efforts on the field weren’t worth it, or that we had failed as a team in some way. It was more that when crazy, crazy things happen, you just have to give it your all. You can’t just walk away because a situation seems unfathomable.”
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F E AT U R E
P L A N . E XE CU TE. A D A PT. S U CCE ED.
KENT DENVER
’07
Back in 2003, Kent Denver was not the first choice for Kyle Lewis ’07. Then a rising ninth-grader, Lewis had his eye on a career in professional basketball. His biggest concern was that he couldn’t make the leap from a small, private school to college-level basketball and beyond. “Ultimately, Coach Schayes is the reason I came to Kent Denver,” Lewis recalls. “He convinced my parents, they convinced me and they were right. Kent Denver was perfect for me.” Lewis remained focused on professional sports—as either a player or, if that didn’t work out, as a coach or agent—throughout middle school and high school. “To be fair, I was always coached and taught throughout my Kent Denver experience that there is a life beyond basketball and not to put all my eggs in one basket. I carried that vision and that lesson with me when I started college at the University of Denver,” he says. “What I discovered during the next four years was that playing basketball in college is a full-time job. I also learned that I wasn’t good enough to play at the professional level and, more importantly, it wasn’t something that intrigued me. I’d have to live and breathe basketball, and there’s so much more to life than dribbling a ball up and down the court. “I’ve told a lot of people who’ve asked me about my career path that I don’t think anyone really knows what they want when they’re teenagers. It wasn’t until I had hands-on experience in college that I realized being involved in professional sports wasn’t the path for me,” he adds. “Fortunately, I took my college education very seriously, probably much more seriously than I would have had I not gone to Kent Denver.
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KENT DENVER SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE
IS KYLE LEW
BASKETB
ALL
Without that experience behind me, leaving basketball would have been a much more painful decision.” Lewis began working for the investment banking division of RBC (Royal Bank of Canada) Capital Markets after college and he remains with that company today. He and his wife, Alyson Lamb ’07, a copywriter at The Plum Guide, are now based in London.
As he looks back on the decision to reframe his career plans and compete in a different area, Lewis says, “I define competition as the process of setting goals and figuring out ways to achieve them. There’s a lot of failure involved. There’s a lot of character-building. It exists in every facet of life, and I see it as a healthy thing on so many levels.” For those who shy away from competition because they don’t want to lose, Lewis says anyone who tries something is bound to fall short at some point.
“When you compete against someone else, there’s obviously a higher risk of failure—but there’s also a higher sense of accomplishment when you win. That said, some of my greatest lessons came from dealing with failure,” he says. “For instance, I was obviously very focused on finding a job after college. That was my goal. I had what felt like thousands of interviews. My first few were disastrous! I walked away from each and every one of those first few experiences knowing I would not get a callback. Those failures were something that I built upon. I learned how to prepare for each upcoming interview. Ultimately, competing with myself to get better and competing against other applicants for a job was what kept me working to achieve the goal I’d set, and it’s what led to me obtaining a job after multiple tries.”
YOUR BRAIN ON SPORTS
competition. I think you can, and should, be equally satisfied with both. Getting healthier, learning something new for your career should be just as satisfying as winning a game with your team. They can both be healthy, helpful and useful.” While no one enters a competition hoping to fail, Deevy believes losses can be powerful, transformative and, ultimately, positive experiences even if they happen publicly. “During my sophomore year in college, our team failed 10 weeks in a row. We were actually 0-10,” he recalls. “It was definitely the low point of my athletic career. But I learned a lot about coming together as a team from that time. Some of those guys are my best friends in the world to this day. I’m sure we would have been close under any circumstances, but I think what we went through together during that season really brought us together. It certainly taught me a lot about dealing with adversity. Bouncing back from that season was definitely one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had. “I think it’s important to stress that every failure is an opportunity to learn,” he adds. “When you fail, particularly in a public way, go back to the basics. Focus on what you are really good at and concentrate on what got you to a high level of performance to begin with…then try again.”
H A P PINE S S IS A RE WARD
KENT DENVER
’07
After four years of collegiate football at Dartmouth, Will Deevy ’07 realized a career as a professional athlete was not his calling. “Playing at the college level was challenging, and I learned things from it that I wouldn’t change for the world. But when you stop playing football in college or in an organized way, you are done. It’s just one of those sports. By the end of my senior year, I was definitely ready to be done and, honestly, I don’t think playing professionally anywhere was an option,” he says. “I had a number of teammates who went overseas and played for the smaller leagues, but I was pretty realistic. Why delay getting into the workforce and starting what was ultimately going to be my long-term career?” After graduation from Dartmouth, Deevy lived in Boston for five years, working first at Bank of America and then at Silicon Valley Bank. He moved to Washington, D.C. about two years ago and today serves as a vice president on Silicon Valley Bank’s corporate finance team.
WILL DEEV Y
FOOTBALL
A competitive person by nature, Deevy now strives to maintain a healthy balance between competing against others and competing against himself. “In its simplest form, I define competition as trying to win, whether it’s a game or an internal battle,” he says. “I look at the happiness as the reward that comes at the end of
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YOUR BRAIN ON SPORTS
A P P RE CIATE TH E I NTA NGIBL E S “The biggest thing I took away from sports is a great work ethic,” says Saul Levy ’07. “I out-work people at my job every day, and the biggest reason for that is mental toughness.” Like many of the others profiled in this article, Levy graduated from Kent Denver with the intention of continuing to compete in college-level athletics. He enrolled in Colorado College and played for two years when the unexpected happened. “The entire football program was canceled,” Levy says. “The whole thing went away. There were no options to continue playing my sport at the school after my sophomore year. I reached out to Coach Yates at Kent Denver for advice. I contacted coaches at other schools I’d considered during the college selection process but, ultimately, I decided to stay put. Colorado College was an awesome experience. I knew it would provide a great education, and I didn’t want to start over at another college when I was halfway through. It was a really difficult time, but it turned out to be surprisingly positive because not having football as a focus gave me a lot more time to figure out what I wanted for a career.”
KENT DENVER
’07
Levy used those extra hours to conduct a number of informational interviews with accounting and real estate professionals during his junior year. “I really hit it off with the real estate people,” he says. “I ended up meeting with representatives from a company in Colorado Springs who encouraged me to get my real estate license as soon as possible. I followed that advice, got my license the summer before my senior year and began working with the company right after graduation. I got a lot of experience that way. I wouldn’t have the kind of success I have now if I hadn’t faced such incredible adversity when the football program was dismantled.” “When things were the most difficult, I was able to draw on what I
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KENT DENVER SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE
SAUL LEVY
FOOTBALL
learned playing football at Kent Denver,” he adds. “Sometimes losses have more of a profound effect on your life than wins. It’s challenging to give something your best and have it not work out the way you’d hoped, but you’re going to have disappointments in life. My years on Kent Denver’s football team were some of the most challenging and rewarding of my life. A lesson I Look for additional learned and one I’ll always remember is that, regardless of the circumstances, updates about our you’re going to feel much better about alumni online at www.kentdenver. the competition—and much better about yourself—if you give your all.” org/alumni
Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID Denver, CO Permit No. 152
KENT DENVER SCHOOL
PERSPECTIVE 4000 East Quincy Avenue • Englewood, CO 80113-4916 Change Service Requested
CLASS OF 2018
College Matriculation
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NORTHEAST
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MID-ATLANTIC Washington, D.C.: American University, The George Washington University Maryland: Johns Hopkins University
COLORADO Air Force Academy Prep School, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado College, University of Denver WEST California: University of California, Los Angeles, Pomona College, University of Redlands, University of San Diego, Santa Clara University, University of Southern California Oregon: Reed College Utah: Brigham Young University Washington: Gonzaga University, University of Puget Sound, Whitman College, University of Washington
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