2016 Commencement Beacon

commencement2016 A publication of Miami Country Day School 2015-2016

Miami Country Day School Congratulates the Class of 2016 Emma Rodriguez Valedictorian Dartmouth College

Alexandra Piussan Excellence in Mathematics Georgetown University

Joshua Hug Salutatorian University of Toronto

Marsha Edwards Trustee’s Award University of Pennsylvania Sebastian Rodriguez Prokopovich Excellence in World Languages Purdue University Andrea Jensen DAR Citizenship Award Barnard College Cameron Kasanzew Presidential Excellence Award Boston College

Francess Dunbar Excellence in Drama Award Grinnell College Nicole Pollak Director’s Award for Outstanding Community Service Syracuse University Orville Mo-he Beaux Arts Showcase Award University of Michigan Dwight Spencer, Jr. William Creeden Distinguished Service Award Hoftsra University Madelyn Hertz Orchestra Director’s Award University of Toronto Samuel Rosenberg Cohen Presidential Service Award: Gold University of Miami

Jacob Strouse Sportsmanship Award University of Florida Honors Program

Taylor Sennett Silver Knight Nominee in Athletics Florida State Honors Program

Madisyn Jones Excellence in Music Award University of Florida

PK3 to 12th Grade miamicountryday.org 305.779.7200

contents commencement 2016

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15, 14, 13, 12 Year Clubs

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A Message from the Head of School

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Years of Service Awards Baccalaureate The Class of 2016

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Class of 2016 Valedictorian Address

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Commencement Speakers

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2016 Graduation

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Silver Knight Nominees

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Upper School Awards

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Athletics

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Alumni Feature: “The Box”

Portrait of a Graduate A Miami Country Day graduate will: •B e intellectually curious and an independent thinker.

• Demonstrate confidence in his or her abilities and resilience in the face of challenges and disappointments.

•E vidence a commitment to lifelong learning and reading in his or her personal and professional lives.

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Stay Connected

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Alumni Gatherings and Reunions

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Class Notes

• Practice honor, respect, wisdom, compassion and mindfulness.

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Ask an Alum: Amanda Gavcovich ‘14

• Possess a strong work ethic in all aspects of his or her life.

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In Memoriam

• Demonstrate good character and make good choices.

www.miamicountryday.org

Photography is by Open i Studio

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Class of 2016

15 Year Club

Everett Levy

14 Year Club

Nicole Bradman-Garcia, Andrea Jensen, Camille Martayan, Nicole Sherwood

13 Year Club

Corey Altman, Veronica Apice, Andrea Badrutt, Sasha Bass, Yasmine Bazzi, Amanda Caban, Bianca Caban, Zoe Cross, Nicholas Feola, Emerin Ferreiras, Tyler Grosman, Celina Lindemann, Sebastian Prokopovich Rodriquez, Taylor Sennett, Demitri Spiliotis, Robert Woolfson

12 Year

Club

Sam Cohen, Christopher Haefner, Maddie Hertz, Nicole Pollack, Arman Singh

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A Message from the Head of School Dr. John Davies, Head of School, shared the following remarks at Commencement on June 4, 2016 Good afternoon. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, administration and faculty, I want to welcome all of you to the Commencement for the Miami Country Day Class of 2016.

A very special welcome to Mark Semos, our commencement speaker, and all of the friends and family who have traveled from out of town for this celebration.

On behalf of the Class of 2016 I thank you for being here to help celebrate this milestone in their lives.

I went back and did some research on what was happening in the world when the members of the Class of 2016 announced their arrival 18 years ago. There were some really interesting things going on: • The Federal government actually had a budget surplus for the first time in 30 years.

• John Glen, the first American astronaut to orbit the earth in 1962, returned to space to repeat the feat on the space shuttle, Discovery. He was 77 years old. By the way, Glen celebrated his 95th birthday this summer.

• 18 years ago Lion King won a Tony Award for best musical. It’s still playing on Broadway.

• Israel celebrated its 50th anniversary as a nation.

• The European Union agreed on a single currency. It was called the Euro.

• Two Ph.D. candidates at Stanford University, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, established a company with the curious name of Google.

• And no doubt some of us remember watching the last episode of Seinfeld at the end of its ninth and final season.

Obviously the Class of 2016 hasn’t had the opportunity to fly in space, balance the Federal budget or pen a Tony Award winning production. YET. However, if you had the opportunity to attend the recent end of year awards ceremonies and Baccalaureate you know that this is an exceptional group of young men and women who individually and collectively have accomplished extraordinary things.

At Country Day the heart of our mission is the education of the whole child. The successes of the Class of 2016 in academics, the arts, athletics, community service and other endeavors are a concrete reminder of why this mission is so important and what happens when a school community makes it a reality.

Thank you, Class of 2016.

Finally, I want to also thank and congratulate all of the parents and teachers of our graduates. Without your efforts and sacrifices, none of us would be here today. You can be proud.

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Years of Service - Y.O.S. 35 Years Martha (Marnie) Allen 30 Years John Davies Denise Wilson 25 Years Christopher Hayes Betsy Kaplan Brenda Mora Charles Sennett 20 Years Jenny Knight Michele Parizo 15 Years Scott Brennan Annette Fulton Michael Hutsko Kelly John Carroll Kelly Susanna Linfield Glen Turf

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10 Years Yann Abily Philip Cahill Egda Chirinos Renee Finny Amy Gallup Brenda Holsing Andrew Malcolm Nora Pardave Lucy Pekoc Denise Rivera Tania Vargas 5 Years Abra Adrabi Daria Cirisano Jimmy Cudzilo Lourdes de la Huerta Paul DeAngelis Ingrid DeBlasio Alice Florin Jaime Giraldo Sean Hill Helen Kunde Leigh Kurk Francesta Marcelin Christian Martell Ibis Nasello Alicia Silva Candida Silva Steven Strober Marija Surev Alba Ward

1 Year Chante Barrett Laura Bender David Beraha John Broderick Ruben Calderon Kelly Clement LaRoy Covington Michelle Farina Dessalines Francois Nicola Garat Shassidy Garcia Anthony Haderer Ronald Henley John Hernandez Arlet Lara Gregg Lightfoot Ian McNamara Cristian Miguez Nicole Paciorek Raquel Pernas Daniela Pesce Akbar Rizvi Pascal Robert Eric Scheingoltz Maranda Schwartz Tina Simmons Michael Slotnick

AWARDS Edwin B. Cole Exemplary Teacher Award 2016

2016 Endowed Teaching Chairs Miami Country Day School is fortunate to have a community that celebrates our teachers and recognizes their professionalism.

Nine years ago at the graduation of one of his nine grandchildren, the first established Endowed Teaching Chair were announced.

The chairs were made possible through the generosity of Dr. Harvey Chaplin and his family.

Today, we have three endowed teaching chairs and anticipate announcing a fourth one at graduation 2017. Two were awarded this year.

The Arlene S. Chaplin Chair in Mathematics Karin Stirk-Davis

When Ed Cole retired as Board President in 1989, the Edwin B. Cole Exemplary Teacher Award was established to acknowledge and honor his service to the school. The administration of the school was charged with recognizing a member of the Miami Country Day faculty whose service and presence in the school community reflect those qualities and characteristics modeled so well by Ed Cole during his tenure as Board President. Those qualities included dedication to Country Day, excellence in leadership, and going beyond the expected criteria of one’s job.

This year’s recipient, Terri Pasqualin, is the consummate Middle School educator. She has been at Country Day for 13 years. After becoming the seventh grade team leader, she and her colleagues established a number of iconic events that are still part of the 7th grade program. She is the sponsor of the National Junior Honor Society and a highly effective mentor for young teachers. Middle School Director, Steve Mathes observed, “Whenever something needs to be done in the Middle School, she is the first to respond, many times without ever being asked.

She is a wise and compassionate educator who sets the bar high in her classroom, but cares deeply about her students.”

L.B. Sommers and C.W. “Doc” Abele Chair for Excellence in Teaching Katy Pelletier L.B. Sommers Alumni Award for Community Service Nathaniel Sandler Class of 2000 This award honors an alumnus or alumna who embodies the characteristics of a Portrait of a Graduate while serving the community in a spirit of honor, respect, wisdom, and compassion. It is awarded to individuals who have embraced the Culture of Philanthropy and generously give their time, treasure, and talent to community causes about which they care deeply.

Harriett Teplicki Service Award Kimberly Arredondo Coordinator of Strategic Initiatives

This award acknowledges a staff member for their countless hours, behind the scenes contributions, and outstanding performance devoted to the smooth, continuous operation of Miami Country Day School.

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​Baccalaureate

​Salutatorian Joshua Hug, University of Toronto

It is customary for the Salutatorian to address the class during the Baccalaureate ceremony, held the evening before Commencement. The following is an excerpt from Joshua’s address:

“I would like to thank the students in our class and others for making me laugh and encouraging me to do what I love, the teachers for pushing us to our limits and teaching us so many valuable lessons, as well as our parents. Each and every one of you have made my four years at Country Day an incredible experience and I would like to thank all of you for your contributions to our school and our lives. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors beginning tomorrow afternoon.”

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​Baccalaureate

The Trustee Award for General Excellence was presented to Marsha Edwards by Board of Trustees President, Chris Bellows.

Marsha will be attending the University of Pennsylvania.

The Alumni Award was presented to Dwight Spencer with Fredi Rosenfeld and Alumni Board President, Claudia Figueredo.

Dwight will be attending Hofstra University.

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Reception

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Class of 2016

Emma Isabelle Rodriguez Valedictorian Joshua Ethan Hug Salutatorian Dwight M. Spencer Jr. President

Corey James Altman Veronica Marie Apice Lorena Arbulu Andrea Ali Badrutt Matthew Netterville Barron Sasha Bass Yasmine Tala Bazzi Danielle Ben-David Nicole Pilar Bradman-Garcia Arpad Flynn Alexander Busson Amanda Caban Bianca Marie Caban Lucas Ezequiel Cea C-Jay Calvin Charles Samuel Rosenberg Cohen Isabella Ray Cooper Macenna Danielle Cowen Leonardo Cragnotti Zoe Mira Cross Jules Lauren Dorney Francess Patricia Dunbar Marsha Andrea Edwards Dylan Blake Eisen Nicolas Dean Feola Emerin Alec Ferreiras Corey Evan Friedman Solana Garcia-Flores

Photography by Open i Studio

Victoria Giacian Tyler Aaron Grosman Juztin Andrew Gross Christopher Joseph Haefner Laura Rizzo Hauque Lucas Hunter Henry Madelyn Pauline Hertz Luis Raul Homes Laurie Jean-Francois Doreen Jean-Jacques Catherine Ann Jenkins Andrea Rafaella Jensen Madisyn Taylor Jones Amelio Joseph, Jr. Cameron Anastasia Kasanzew Everett James Levy Brittney Danielle Lewin Alec Liebowitz Elizabeth Ann Lilly Celina Rebecca Lindemann Brian Macias Martinez Camille Sofik Martayan Sebastian Mellado Orville Mo-he Nicolas Moleiro Heeren Elmira Moskvina Costanza Musetti JosĂŠ Manuel Oronoz, Jr. Sabrina Alejandra Perez Ruiz Lindsey Nicole Pierre

Alexandra Elisabeth Piussan Nicole M. Pollak Agustin Popiloff Samantha Nicole Provenzano Brooke Grace Pumo Adrian Felipe Rega Sebastian Jose Rodriguez Prokopovich Yud Tony Roye Frangie Janna Maryam Sayfie Lisa Hanna Schaller John C. Seiden Taylor Margaret Sennett Joao Victor Klarner Sepulveda Nicole Susan Sherwood Rafaele Fabrizzio Simosa Arman Raj Singh Ian Nicholas Spence Demetri Gerasimos Spiliotis Madison A. Stauber Jacob Alejandro Strouse Roxanna Michelle Suarez Nelson Gabriel Touboul Sara Nichole Walker Christopher Daniel Ward Lynna Kaylin Weil Sydni Taj Wells Austin Whitaker Robert Brett Woolfson Gal Zahori Sarah Zelcer

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​Valedictorian Emma Rodriguez, Dartmouth College Emma addressed the class of 2016 at Commencement. do when we get there? We may know what we want to study, but do we know how that will make a difference in the world? Which direction do we push ourselves in? How do we do something that truly matters? How do we choose between all of these possible future versions of ourselves with certainty?

“Right at this moment, none of us is as important as we think we are. That is, the achievements we think people will remember are probably not the ones that will eventually define us. In ten years, no one will ask me what my high school GPA was, never mind remember this speech. It won’t matter if you struggled with physics, or math, or P.E. No one will care who won homecoming. Today it may seem like we are the center of the universe, but tomorrow we are just another group of high school graduates. It’s up to us to make of that what we will. That fork in the road, where we choose whether to be complacent or to make something of ourselves, is what will define us.

I drew some inspiration from The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath (who is my second favorite poet). She writes, “I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor ...another fig was Europe and Africa and South America, ….and another fig was an Olympic lady crew champion, and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn’t quite make out. I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn’t make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet.”

This is what our lives may look like at the moment: a fig tree laden with fruit that all seems so easy to grasp and yet so far. We’re overwhelmed by possibilities, but the first step forward is the decision to take a step at all. Don’t wait, lest you see it all go to waste.

As we walk across the stage in a few minutes, we all shoulder both uncertainty and great responsibility. We are truly the lucky ones. We have parents who sacrifice When I put it that way, it sounds simple. If we decide to for us, teachers who have challenged us, coaches who make a difference, we will. Except it’s not that easy. We have trained us, and friends who have made our sides are all facing huge uncertainty. We may know where hurt with laughter. They all deserve as much credit as we are going to college, but do we know what we’ll we do. We are now not only responsible, but obligated, 12

to use all we’ve been given. We are going to have to take what we’ve learned, learn some more, and then figure out what we want to do in the world. Make any difference we can muster, influence one person or ten.

Give people something to remember us by.

I recently read a blog post written by Chris Peterson, who is an MIT admissions officer who didn’t go to MIT himself. I don’t make that distinction to belittle him, but because his entire post was about the defining decisions in his life and in the lives of graduating high school seniors like us. As an MIT admissions officer, he meets thousands of brilliant applicants every day.

A lot of them choose MIT. Some of them don’t. This seems crazy. Why would anyone turn down MIT? But, as a senior who just completed the whole process, I can relate. I’ve been asked a million times why I would choose Dartmouth over Harvard, when everybody knows I’ve been collecting Harvard memorabilia since I was eight. Chris Peterson chose to go outof-state instead of staying local, ended up hating his choice, and transferred to UMass. Ours is a first-world struggle, really, but at its core it all comes down to how we decide which future person we want to be.

Sure, I’d love to knock on the glass and see what the future me who had applied early to Harvard, instead of Dartmouth, is up to. I’d also be interested to see where I would be if I had chosen Vassar or UF or even taken a gap year. But I can’t. None of us can. In Peterson’s words, we are “caught in the moving moment between [our] possible futures and [our] frozen pasts.”

This is the first time (of many) that all of us will have had to face a choice that we knew was life-altering.

The reason I don’t regret my particular choice is that I now know what I want to make of myself, and Dartmouth was the best place to achieve it. If you had asked me in 9th grade, I would have told you that being valedictorian was my number one most important goal. A lot has changed since then. Now that it has actually happened, I am proud to be here, of course, but there are things in this life that matter much more now than my GPA. I am going to the

college of my dreams, I have the chance to study abroad and learn everything and anything that could possibly interest me. I can’t see the future, because I am building it. We all are. We are both the sculptors of our futures, and the subjects. And in this time of opportunity and uncertainty, Peterson’s reassurance to us all is this: “From among the endless, infinite, impossible yous, you will, in time, become yourself; become, at least in this world, the only you that you could have ever really been.”

I don’t have doubts that somehow, we will all figure ourselves out. The Class of 2016 is full of unique capabilities. There are exceptional people that I respect and admire wearing caps and gowns in this room, including my favorite poet of my young life, Sydni, a budding bestselling author, Francess, and a jet-setting trend-setter, Alex. We have strong feminists like Sara, Marsha, and Janna, talented athletes like Taylor, Lindsey, Jacob, and Demetri, kind hearts like Jules and Nicole (all three of them!). We have musicians and thespians, like Camille, Maddie, and Josh, and creative minds like Beth and Madisyn. These are your tools to find your own answers, your own successes, your own fulfillment, and most importantly, the truest versions of yourselves.

Today we step off the stage and into the futures we have chosen for ourselves. It won’t be a perfect path: there will be obstacles and hard work, a lot of inner searching, and some help along the way. We may not turn out to be anything like we expected, and the familiarity we feel right now isn’t going to last very much longer. But all we have to do is take a step. And then another. And another. I wish you all confidence in your failures and pride in their following successes, and I stand here honored and grateful to have been a small part of all of your lives. Congratulations, Class of 2016, and as you go, always keep in the back of your mind that it is and always has been Class of 2016 versus the world.”

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Message from the Upper School Director Glen Turf, Upper School Director Addressing the Class of 2016 “A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of sitting in Ms. Whittington’s class as her seniors delivered their ‘final lecture’ to their classmates. It reminded me of when you go to a bookstore and find that little corner of the room where you sit with an inspirational book filled with quotes about life. You may be able to relate to some of the messages at the time, or their meaning may not become apparent until later in life after you have had greater life experiences. Listening to the students speak that day, there was a general sentiment that I think is extremely pertinent to this day, and perhaps the students’ time here at Miami Country Day School—that sometimes you don’t appreciate what’s right in front of you until it’s gone. The students expressed this so poignantly: One student talked about how she would regret not being a student here again, yet this realization came too late for her to truly appreciate the time she had remaining. Walking the halls, being able to count on the friends she would see, and even the daily grind of attending her classes would soon be just a memory. She urged her younger classmates to savor the moments they had left, for the end would come much sooner than they thought.

Another student urged her younger classmates to ‘fall in love with something every day.’ I loved that! “Fall in love with something every day,”--it speaks perfectly to finding your passion.

According to her, each day has something new to discover, and by just going through the motions, you lose precious moments that can never be reclaimed.

Another member of the Class of 2016 spoke about how her four years at MCDS helped her to become an artist—an area she never would have been encouraged to pursue in her home country.

I say this to you now because, as cliché as it may sound, you are about to start a new phase of your life. Attack it with gusto! After last week’s Community Awards, I overheard a student in the parking despondently exclaim, “Look at me—I didn’t win anything. What have I accomplished?”

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Commencement Speaker Mark Semos

Veteran, Director, and Producer at The Reserve

A special thanks to the Pollak Family for inviting Mr. Semos to speak to the Class of 2016. message centered around the importance to love one another, to move forward together, and to become good stewards of your own mind. He Semos spoke to the Class of 2016 and encouraged acknowledged that the world’s future is in their hands and will be dictated by the choices they make the graduates to contemplate what they would do with the time they have left on this earth. His by acting decisively and responsibly.

“Your mind, is above all things in life, your most valuable asset.”

Please don’t judge yourself by those moments and don’t look at that award ceremony or even today as the end, but only the beginning of something greater to come. Take the advice from your classmates that you’ve heard speak so eloquently this weekend. Take any feeling of regret you may have, and turn it into something positive for life after Country Day. Your time at Country Day—be it 1 year or 14 years—is just a blip on life’s radar. For those who used this time to discover your passions, awesome! May they continue to grow, and may you discover even more. For those who leave today feeling you could have done more, that’s fine. Your past at Country Day should not define you but, rather, ignite you to achieve something greater.

The Class of 2016 undoubtedly had to face some challenges—the parking, construction, competition with other grades, and some

new policies...but that’s part of life. It’s not about the challenges, but how you overcome them. In life, we can despair, or we can move on. This year I lost both of my parents within seven months of each other. I don’t say this for sympathy, but to show that sometimes you have to just pick yourself up no matter what has been thrown your way. As you move beyond Country Day, put everything into perspective.

Recognize what is a first world problem, but fret only over what truly matters.

The Class of 2016 has left an indelible mark on our community, and we look forward to watching what’s to come, to seeing you at reunions, and forever cheering on the Purple Nation. We are, and always have been, with you and in your corner. It’s the World with the Class of 2016!”

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Graduation

Photography by Open i Studio

16  THE BEACON

Photography by Open i Studio

Commencement 2016 17

Graduation

Photography by Open i Studio

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Photography by Open i Studio

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Silver Knights 2016 The Miami Herald Silver Knight Awards Program is a highly regarded student award program. The purpose of this awards program is to recognize outstanding students who have not only maintained good grades but have also generously applied their abilities and talents to contribute noteworthy service to their schools and communities.

Each nominee is evaluated on their use of skills and talents for the betterment of the community; creativity in problem solving; and the quality, consistency, and measurable impact of service. Nominees are expected to be school leaders and possess strong character. They are evaluated on their use of good judgment and their perseverance in overcoming obstacles. Academic achievements, honors, awards, and advanced study in the nominee’s category are also important.

Upper School English teacher, Mrs. Carolyn Dorn, is Country Day’s Silver Knight Coordinator. She assists the nominees with the application process, qualifications, and other requirements associated with the award.

Emma Rodriguez ENGLISH & LITERATURE

During the 2015-2016 school year, two MCDS students were nominees for Silver Knight Awards: Emma Rodriguez in English and Literature and Taylor Sennett in Athletics.

Congratulations to our nominees!

Since 1992, there have been ten MCDS Silver Knight winners and 24 MCDS Honorable Mentions. The Silver Knight Awards program was instituted at The Miami Herald in 1959 by John S. Knight, past publisher of The Miami Herald, founder and editor emeritus of Knight-Ridder Newspapers and 1968 Pulitzer Prize winner. The program is open to high school seniors in public, private, and parochial schools. Over 65 high schools in Miami-Dade County participate.

For more on this year’s Silver Knight Awards, visit: http:// www.miamiherald.com/site-services/miami-herald-events/ silver-knight/article21528051.html.

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Taylor Sennett ATHLETICS

Upper School

Awards UPPER SCHOOL ACADEMIC AWARD WINNERS - MAY 2016 Harvard Book Award Lauren Kleidermacher Princeton Book Award Alessandro Marchesani

Rochester Bausch and Lomb Science Award Lauren Kleidermacher

Brown Book Award Chiara Settineri

Rochester Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass Humanities Award Asatta Mesa

Smith Book Award Guilia Bronzi

Rensselaer Medal for Math Alessandro Marchesani

Bryn Mawr Book Award Arianna Arguetty

University of Pennsylvania Book Award Jonathan Abramowitz

Cornell Book Award Ian Zigel

Harrison J. Greenberg Award for Athletic Achievement Marsha Edwards and Demetri Spiliotus Outstanding Athlete Channise Lewis and Owen Wesley National Merit Commended Students Emma Rodriguez and Madeline Hertz

Rhode Island School of Design Book Award Milan Patel

Excellence in World Languages Sebastian Rodriguez Prokopovich

Chicago Book Award Gabriel Rodan

Helen Donnell Excellence in Art Award Veronica Ortiz

John W. Owens, II, Excellence in History Award Emma Rodriguez

Williams Book Award Asatta Mesa

Pam Locker Excellence in Drama Award Francess Dunbar

Hassan Tabatabaie Excellence in Math Award Alexandra Piussan

Ken Harris Scholarship Milan Patel

Excellence in Science Award Joshua Hug

Wellesley Book Award Olivia Bronzi

George Washington University Book Award Veronica Ortiz University of the South Book Award Veronica Ortiz

John Wicker Excellence in Music Award Madisyn Jones

Brandeis Book Award Ana Salas

Director’s Award for Academic Improvement Macenna Cowen

Mount Holyoke Book Award Amelia Gregoria Florida International University Book Award Photini Kamvisseli

Excellence in Physical Education Isadora Figueroa and Saavan Kamlani

The Ken Harris Scholarship Award The Ken Harris Scholarship Award has been given in honor of Ken Harris, former Head of School, for 20 years.

Sadly, Mr. Harris passed away in July.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

We will recognize Mr. Harris’ legacy and a history of the scholarship in the next Beacon issue.

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Upper School

Awards UPPER SCHOOL ACADEMIC AWARD WINNERS - MAY 2016 HEADMASTER’S LIST FOR THREE QUARTERS GRADE 9 Jeremy Cross Eduardo Dana Charli Eisen Felipe Rangel Louis Siegler Elizabeth Stone

GRADE 10 Eric Bernstein Daniel Dana Ryan Finvarb Danielle Geathers Laura Ramirez Rachel Thomas Victoria Torrego

GRADE 11 David Abrante Sami Habib Phillip Kassab Lauren Kleidermacher Alessandro Marchesani

GRADE 12 Joshua Hug Celina Lindermann Emma Rodriguez

PRESIDENTIAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Sasha Bass, Arpad Flynn Busson, Marsha Edwards, Dylan Eisen, Emerin Ferrairas, Madeline Hertz, Joshua Hug, Andrea Jensen, Madisyn Jones, Cameron Kasenzew, Elizabeth Lilly, Brian Macias Martinez, Sebastian Mellado, Orville Mo-he, Alexandra Piussan, Sebastian Prokopovich, Nicole Pollak, Emma Rodriguez, Janna Sayfie, Taylor Sennett, Ian Spence, Jacob Strouse, Christopher Ward, Sara Walker

HIGHEST ACADEMIC AVERAGE VALEDICTORIAN - Emma Rodriguez

SALUTATORIAN - Joshua Hug

Grade 9 - Felipe Rangel Grade 10 - Rachel Thomas Grade 11 - Alessandro Marchesani

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Upper School

Awards COMMUNITY AND LEADERSHIP AWARDS - MAY 2016 SILVER KNIGHT RECOGNITION Emma Rodriguez Taylor Sennett

WILLIAM CREEDEN DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Dwight Spencer

JILL THOMAS SCHOOL SPIRIT Sam Cohen

HUGH O’BRIAN LEADERSHIP AWARD Samantha Dorfman

MIAMI SHORES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OUTSTANDING STUDENT AWARD Jacob Strouse

WILLIAM DANFORTH “I DARE YOU,” NATIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARD Mary Elizabeth Allen

ROCHESTER GEORGE EASTMAN YOUNG LEADER AWARD Chiara Settineri OUTSTANDING PEER COUSELOR AWARD Chiara Settineri MIKE RUGGLES SERVICE AWARD Veronica Apice SPORTSMANSHIP AWARDS Emma Rodriguez Jacob Strouse

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF SOUTH FLORIDA STAR STUDENT AWARD Taylor Sennett

DIRECTOR’S AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE Jaron Katz Sierra Mathis Nicole Pollak Erica White HEADMASTER’S UNSELFISH SRVICE AWARD Ben Kreger Emma Rodriguez Rachel Thomas Ian Zigel COMMUNITY LEARNING PARTNERSHIP AWARD Dwight Spencer

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS DAUGHTERS OF THE OF SOUTH FLORIDA STAR AMERICAN REVOLUTION STUDENT AWARD CITIZENSHIP AWARD Dwight Spencer Andrea Jensen EXCELLENCE IN PEO SCHOLARSHIP COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD LEADERSHIP AWARD Emma Rodriguez Bianca Caban Dylan Eisen MARGE RYAN Elmira Moskvina HUMANITARIAN AWARD Nicole Pollak Beth Long Janna Sayfie Taylor Sennett Jacob Strouse Nelson Touboul

15 YEAR CLUB

Everett Levy

14 YEAR CLUB

Nicole Bradman-Garcia, Andrea Jensen, Camille Martayan, Nicole Sherwood

13 YEAR CLUB

Veronica Apice, Andrea Badrutt, Sasha Bass, Yasmine Bazzi, Amanda Caban, Bianca Caban, Zoe Cross, Nicholas Feola, Emerin Ferreiras, Tyler Grosman, Celina Lindemann, Sebastian Prokopovich, Taylor Sennett, Demitri Spiliotis, Robert Woolfson

12 YEAR CLUB

Sam Cohen, Christopher Haefner, Madelyn Hertz, Nicole Pollak, Arman Singh

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Upper School

Awards COMMUNITY AND LEADERSHIP AWARDS - MAY 2016 PRESIDENTIAL SERVICE AWARDS

BRONZE AWARDS GRADE 9 Evelyn Abramowitz, Isabella Allen, Alexa Altman, Noah Billante, Jeremy Cross, Taylor Lynott, Isabella Pedraza, Elizabeth Stone GRADE 10 Milan Bass, Israel Goihman, Rashad Heagle, Benjamin Horn, Conrad Krasuski, Yakira Matisonn, Dre Medici, Nebyiou Meshesha, Austin Pollak, Andre Rodrigues, Lila Rosendorf, John Sayfie, Isabella Serralles, Mia Simmonds, Alejandro Wells, Michelle Yakobi, Daisy Zand GRADE 11 Mary Elizabeth Allen, Chad Azeroual Dray, Melissa Benedek, Nadine Bloch, Taegan Charges, Riley Deitado, Kamran Djahed, Hector Estupinan, Luna GarciaPereyra, Amelia Gregorio, Sasha Jenkins-St. Prix, Mallory Meyer, Natalie Mlikota, Mia Paez, Alec Rosen, Ana Salas, Jordan Sale, Chiara Settineri, Karl Smith, Ian Zigel GRADE 12 Bianca Caban, Dylan Eisen, Emerin Ferreiras, Lucas Henry, Andrea Jensen, Madisyn Jones, Cameron Kasanzew, Nicole Pollak, Janna Sayfie SILVER AWARDS GRADE 9 Nandan Aggarwal, Danielle Bernstein, Danielle Burstein, Daniel Gallup, Eva Sirlin, Madeline Sukhdeo GRADE 10 Isabella Ballesteros, Nicholas Collins, Ava Hansen, Zachary Hart, Rebecca Papi, Daniel Strouse, Victoria Torrego, Alejandra Valdes GRADE 11 Giulia Bronzi, Katarina Filpi, Jesse Grosman, Wendi Halpryn, Chase Jacobs, Asatta Mesa, Misha Sternberg, Jay Weaver GRADE 12 Sasha Bass, Nicole Bradman-Garcia, Sebastian Mellado, Jose Oronoz, Alexandra Piussan, Jacob Strouse, Austin Whitaker GOLD AWARDS GRADE 9 Harrison Breslow, Benjamin Kreger, Kayla Rosen, Lauryn Russell GRADE 10 Kurt Carlson, Danielle Geathers, Jade Iadarola, Rodrigo Iglesias-Rijnsburger, Nyasia John, Laura Ramirez, Sydney Sazant, Yannick Waingarten GRADE 11 Jose Cortez, Colten Katcher, Sierra Mathis, Justin Russell GRADE 12 Sam Cohen, Zoe Cross, Laurie Jean-Francoise, Doreen Jean-Jacques, Catherine Jenkins, Amelio Joseph, Emma Rodriguez, Taylor Sennett, Arman Singh, Dwight Spencer SENIORS WITH 250 + HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE Veronica Apice, Sasha Bass, Nicole Bradman-Garcia, Amanda Caban, Bianca Caban, Samuel Cohen, Macenna Cowen, Zoe Cross, Jules Dorney, Emerin Ferreiras, Tyler Grosman, Madelyn Hertz, Joshua Hug, Laurie Jean-Francoise, Andrea Jensen, Madisyn Jones, Amelio Joseph, Camermon Kasanzew, Everett Levy, Brian Macias Martinez, Sebastian Mellado, Jose Oronoz, Nicole Pollak, Emma Rodriguez, Taylor Sennett, Dwight Spencer, Demetri Spiliotis

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Athletics Congratulations to the following students who will be taking their athletic talents to college:

Lindsey Pierre Oglethorpe University Basketball

Brooke Pumo Santa Barbara City College Volleyball

Emma Rodriguez Dartmouth College Swimming

Demetri Spiliotis Wheaton College, MA Swimming

Girls Basketball 3-Peat State Champions Athletic Hall Of Fame

October 14, 2016 at 6 pm in the Nathan Hurst ’89 Amphitheater Commencement 2016 25

During the 2015-2016 school year, Miami Country Day School had amazing athletic success!

Won 10 District State Championships

14 Teams Advance to Regional

Girls Volleyball (2 Seniors) Girls Golf (1 Senior) Girls Cross Country (3 Seniors) Boys Cross Country (1 Senior) Girls Basketball (3 Senior, 1 Senior Manager) Boys Basketball (2 Seniors) Girls Soccer (2 Seniors) Girls Tennis (3 Seniors) Boys Tennis (1 Senior) Boys Water Polo (1 Senior)

Girls Volleyball (2 Seniors) Girls Golf (1 Senior) Girls Cross Country (3 Seniors) Boys Cross Country (1 Senior) Girls Basketball (3 Seniors, 1 Manager) Boys Basketball (2 Seniors) Girls Soccer (2 Seniors) Girls Tennis (3 Seniors) Boys Tennis (1 Senior) Boys Water Polo (1 Senior) Boys Soccer (6 Seniors, 1 Senior Manager) Girls Swimming (3 seniors) Boys Swimming (2 seniors) Girls Water Polo (3 Seniors)

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Alumni Feature: The Box 3301 NE 1st Ave, #104, Miami, FL 33137 It was yet another hot Monday morning in late August when a young boy walked into the courtyard with his fresh new Miami Country Day uniform. At the end of the hallway was another young boy: “This is your buddy,” they told him. They walked over to each other and started exploring. Unsure of which classroom was theirs, the new student, very confidently, tells the other, “It’s this one!” The other boy agrees, and off they go… 20 years later and John Schamy ’10 and Tyler Jove ’10 are inseparable “buddies”.

So what happens over the course of 20 years? Adventures, college, careers, relationships, roommates, travel, and THE BOX. THE BOX is Miami’s hottest new boutique boxing gym. THE BOX combines the glamour, grittiness, and benefits of the sweet science in a group fitness setting where you can choose to either compete with yourself or any of the 30 other boxers in the class. THE BOX uses a unique technology that allows our boxers to see quantifiable results during every class. Specially engineered technology measures your “K.O. SCORE”, which brings out your competitive nature and helps you improve with every class.

While both Tyler and John are no strangers to the sports and fitness world, it was another Country Day alum that got them involved in the project, John’s older sister, Brenda Schamy ’06. Together they became three of seven owners of this revolutionary boutique.

The process wasn’t easy, and while their entrepreneurial spirits and current careers helped, this project took love, dedication, and studying from everyone. Their roles on THE BOX’s team are familiar to those that Brenda, John, and Tyler exhibited at MCDS. Brenda remains the passionate organizer: leave it to her to get everyone not only excited about the idea but actively working to make it a reality. John remains the logical leader that everyone respects and can’t help but love Tyler, the creative director, makes you laugh constantly while also contributing ideas about aesthetics, marketing, and fashion that truly make the brand what it is.

While Brenda continues to operate her own law firm, Dischino & Schamy, PLLC specializing in business and intellectual property law, John works in real estate investments, and Tyler is at the brink of launching his clothing line “BY JOVE”, they remain involved at THE BOX on a daily basis.

John is not only an owner but also a trainer there. His classes are filled with energy and are and the first to sell out! Using his fashion knowledge, Tyler is constantly innovating ways to make the retail “on trend” and also participates daily in classes. Brenda helps run the “behind the scenes operations” and also throws one-two’s under the blue lights!

The Box has been fortunate to receive lots of support from MCDS staff, alumni, and students. They are hosting PE classes this year and offer discounts and promotions to Country Day alumni, parents, staff, and students. They even offer conditioning training sessions for athletes during the summer. It’s clear that the quality of the workout and the studio is what has already brought so many MCDS alums to the gym.

Any given day, you are likely to see Zoe Galitz ’09, Raquel Papu ’11, Andrew Garibotto ’10, and Mark Chaplin ’12 hitting the bags under the blue lights.

A visit to The Box can include one of their full body workout classes, a personal training session with one of their pros, an all organic juice bar to refuel after your work out, beautiful retail, and likely a celebrity sighting. Visitors have included: Jeremy Shockey, Nina Agdal, Will Manso, Jessica Alpern (feature on CW), Yes Julz, and Chris Vanvilet (feature on Deco Drive) to name a few. Other noteworthy features have included Forbes and GQ magazine.

Tyler and John pose inside The Box ring Tyler and John with MCDS Moms

Tyler, Al, John, Jennifer, Christine and Brenda

Indoor View & Apparel

Alumni Group Picture

Punching Bags

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Stay Connected Oliver Berens ’11 Oliver was the Assistant Coach for the Girls Varsity Basketball Team at MCDS for eight years helping the girls win three State Championships and one National Chapionship. On April 20, 2016, he accepted the Girls Varsity Basketball Head Coaching position at Cypress Bay High School.

Thank you Oliver for “Staying Connected” with MCDS for all these years and congratulations on your new role. The MCDS Alumni Association wishes you all the best in your new endeavors!

Your 2016-2018 Alumni Board The MCDS Alumni Association would like to thank and acknowledge the outgoing Alumni Executive Officers for the 2014-2016 term.

President: Claudia Figueredo ’90 Vice-President: Ivan Mendoza ’94 Secretary: Alex Avayu ’97 Treasurer: David Benjamin ’98 President: David Benjamin ’98 Vice-President: Alex Dombrowsky ’92 Secretary: Alex Avayu ’97

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Message from Christine Chancy ’08, Director of Alumni: A big thank you to Claudia, Ivan, Alex and David for their time and effort in Past Presidents: helping the Alumni Board as well as Kevin King ’95, Claudia Figueredo ’90 the Alumni Association make such and Jami Beasley Watkins ’01 great strides these past two years. I look forward to working with you all next Alumni Development Chair: year in your respective alumni board Jon Gitman ’04 positions! Congratulations to David, Events & Networking Committee: Alex Dombrowsky and Alex Avayu Co-Chair, Brett Holland ’07, on being elected as President, ViceCo-Chair, Camron Murphy ’06 and President and Secretary for the 2016Committee Member, Laura Buccellati ’88 2018 term! I look forward to supporting and collaborating with the Alumni Alumni Board Members: Alex de Carvalho ’85, Ivan Mendoza ’94 Board in preparation for the 2016-2017 school year. and Lance Tinkler ’01 Members of the Alumni Board for 2016-2018

Stay Connected Career Day As leaders of the Upper School it is only fair that the Senior Class learns from fellow leaders of the real world who were once in their shoes. Every year alumni give of their time to share their expertise with the Senior Class. Seventeen alums came back on campus on November 12, 2015 to share their stories. Each alumnus had a unique perspective and represented the following career fields: family business, finance, real estate, law, entrepreneurship, sports, technology and the Arts. Alumna, Jackie Packar ’04 catered the lunch while alumni parent, Lois Gavcovich provided the dessert for the seniors and speakers. Although most of these seniors still have a ways to go before entering the real world, one is never too young to get the inside scoop of what it’s really like to work in the real world.

Front row left to right: Scott Grondin ’06, John Schamy ’10, Jessica McCrary Campbell ’00, Fredlyn Rosenfeld, Claudia Figueredo ’90, Jimmy Stobs ’87, Craig Green ’93 Back row left to right: Antonio Manueco ’05, Alex Dombrowsky ’92, Brenda Schamy ’06, Mitchell Feldman ’85, Ivan Mendoza ’94, Scot Drucker ’00 (Not pictured: Adrian Baschuk ’98, Darren Buckner ’94, Jawann Fulton ’04, Sari Jacob ’85 and Jacob Shoaf ’98).

100 Days Ceremony One of the most anticipated moments of being a senior, aside from Graduation, is the feeling one gets when he or she is almost at the finish line. This moment occurred when the Class of 2016 had the opportunity to hold their personalized senior brick in the Chickee Hut during the “100 Days Ceremony”. On March 1, 2016, the seniors came together to celebrate this special milestone. Technically it was 95 days until graduation, but nonetheless, this senior tradition is a funbonding experience before the class members enter the Alumni Association.

Dwight Spencer, Class President, spoke to his fellow peers about the importance of giving back and how the contributions help different programs and projects at MCDS every day. Alumni Board President, Claudia Figueredo ’90 and Alumni Development Chair, Jon Gitman ’04 were also present to shed some personal perspectives as alumni who salute and welcome 2016’s members.

Class Sponsor, Jonina Pitchman, and Dwight presented two checks to Jon, Claudia and Christine Chancy ’08 (Director of Alumni). The first check totaled $890, which represented $10 for every senior, and the second check totaled $2,016, which represented their class year. Before the seniors went back to class, they also enjoyed some breakfast and cupcakes in the Senior Circle Courtyard!

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Toast to Friendship On Friday, October 16, 2015 neither rain nor thunder would prevent MCDS alums from coming together to celebrate the 11th Annual Alumni Toast to Friendship. Alumni from various class years came to campus and gathered in the Taplin Gallery and Whitman Library to catch up with each other, visit with Dr. Davies and former teachers, and share in laughter and stories.

Carolyn Dorn, Kevin King ’95, Brian McCarthy ’95, Alex Dombrowsky ’92, Snezhana Suzy Kushnir ’95, Marnie Allen, Kevin King ’95, Rick Muhlig, Dino LaCapra ’97, Laura Humbertson ’98, Daniel Dombrowsky ’95, Daniel Dombrowsy ’95, Genevieve Humbertson ’95, Chris Hayes, Adrian Baschuck ’98 Juan Albalate ’95, Donald McCorquodale ’95, and Michael Braverman ’98 Fayaz Rajani ’95 and Brian McCarthy ’95

Alex Dombrowsky ’92, Carolyn Dorn, and Daniel Dombrowsky ’95

Jenna Kochen ’05, B.J. Teltsher ’93, and Lawrence Lamondin ’08

Fayaz Rajani ’95, Carolyn Dorn and Rick Muhlig Zach Friedman ’08, Lawrence Lamondin ’08, Christine Chancy ’08 and John Salt ’08

Marnie Allen, Juan Albalate ’95, Dino LaCapra ’97 and Carolyn Dorn

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John Gerken ’85, Eric Barker ’85 and Don Stobs ’85

Dr. Davies, Jennifer Kramer ’99 and Holly Towle ’99

Fredlyn Rosenfeld and Sanjay Kamlani ’87

Laura Buccellati ’88, Ron Zighelboim ’85 and Claudia Figueredo ’90

Holly Towle ’99 and Tracy Towle Humphrey ’96

Alumni Reunions 1985 Class Reunion On October 17, 2015, the Class of 1985 gathered at Smith & Wollensky in Miami Beach to celebrate their 30-year reunion. Their room was decorated with 80’s music posters of Madonna, Van Halen, The Cure and other popular 80’s artists and bands.

They traveled near and far to enjoy food, drinks and memories with each other as well as reminisce with their class sponsor, Martha Stobs.

1995 Class Reunion The Class of 1995 celebrated their 20year reunion with a 3-course dinner at Smith & Wollensky. As they ate, they enjoyed watching a throwback slideshow and chatting with former teachers Fredi Rosenfeld, Rick Muhlig and Dr. Davies.

2005 Class Reunion The last time the Class of 2005 were all in the same room, they were celebrating graduating from Miami Country Day School. 10 years later, they celebrated their first reunion as a class at Smith & Wollensky. They reminisced, laughed and updated each other about marriages, kids and careers. They also enjoyed taking pictures with former teachers Marisol Sardina, Glen Turf and Michael Hutsko.

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Alumni Gatherings New York Gathering For the last two years, the MCDS Alumni Association has held an alumni gathering up north in the Big Apple. This year on February 1, 2016, alumni met up at the New York Marriott Marquis to enjoy tasty food, good drinks and even better conversations with former classmates and Dr. Davies! There’s nothing like getting alumni together in the city that never sleeps, but if you think your city can get more MCDS alums together than the New York group, contact Christine Chancy ’08, Director of Alumni at chancyc@miamicountryday.org and we’ll come to your city!

Front row left to right: Christine Chancy ’08, Diana Garcia ’08 Back row left to right: Andrew Tripodo ’08, Shirak Zakaryan ’08 and Eric Ginzburg ’08

Bradley Jean-Baptiste ’11, Julie Stampler ’90 and Larissa Liburd ’10

Front row left to right: Columbia Clancy ’11, Hannah Roden ’11 Back row left to right: Bradley JeanBaptiste ’11, Mallorie Thomas ’11 and Moshe Libbin ’11

Bradley Jean-Baptiste ’11, Mallorie Thomas ’11, Moshe Libbin ’11, Hannah Roden ’11 and Columbia Clancy ’11

Charlotte Walters ’04 and Stacy Barron ’04

Caroline Mate ’11, Kashif Fulton ’11, Moshe Libbin ’11, Hannah Roden ’11, Bradley Jean-Baptiste ’11 and Columbia Clancy ’11

Christian Marulanda ’05, Ben Jacobs ’06, Dr. Davies, Brenton Raymond ’06 and Diego Lopez

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Dr. Davies, Darin Goodstein ’89 and Bonnie Goodstein

Yael Gil’Adi ’05, Valerie Mate ’05, Caroline Mate ’11, Kyle Ginzburg ’10, Cristina Osorio ’05 and Christian Lily Harriman ’10, Bradley Jean-Baptiste ’11, Marulanda ’05 Columbia Clancy ’11 and Mallorie Thomas ’11

Spring Happy Hour - The Forge On April 29, 2016, the Alumni Board and Events & Networking Committee (Laura Buccellati ’88, Brett Holland ’07 and Camron Murphy ’06) organized the Spring Happy Hour at The Forge in Miami Beach. Over 100 people were in attendance enjoying the light hors d’oeuvres and beverages that were served throughout the evening. While alumni were catching up with one another, they were also anxious to see if they would be a lucky raffle winner!

The raffle prizes and winners are as follows:

• Every alum in attendance received a 15% discount to The Box, a boxing boutique in Midtown.

• The raffle winner of 3 free boxing classes at The Box was Courtney Premer ’06.

• The raffle winner of 5 free boxing classes at The Box was David Benjamin ’98.

• And the grand prize winner for a dinner for two at The Forge was Richard Lamondin ’06.

Thank you again to all the MCDS Spartans who came out to support their alma mater and thanks to our sponsors for that evening: The Forge, Southern Wine & Spirits, and The Box! Be on the lookout for the next Alumni event…coming soon!

Alumni Board Members: Ivan Mendoza’94, Jon Gitman ’04, Kevin King ’95, David Benjamin ’98, Laura Buccellati ’88, Alex Avayu ’97, Claudia Figueredo ’90 and Brett Holland ’07

Jorge Barragan, Courtney Premer ’06, Craig and Nancy Green ’93

Devon Rivkind ’11, Estefania Gasparini ’11, Paige Weinkle ’11, Liza Guben ’11, Summer Galitz ’11 and Lissy Rabin ’11

Thelma Rocha, Dino LaCapra ’97, Scot Drucker ’00, Nicole Christo Doulou ’00, George Schechter ’98 and Jessica Barandiran ’99

Front row left to right: Dean Frankel ’08, Fredlyn Rosenfeld, Lawrence Lamondin ’08, Ryan Chanin ’08 Back row left to right: Taqwann Fulton ’09, Jorge Garcia ’04, Brooks Tragash ’08, Tyler Loy ’08 and John Salt ’08

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Class Notes John Camp ’73 (left) and Gary Pappas ’76 (right): spend their professional lives defending companies in product liability, insurance coverage, and business disputes. Camp and Pappas are shareholders with Carlton Fields, a large corporate law firm. But Carlton Fields places a high value on its lawyers giving back to the communities in which they work, and Camp and Pappas embrace that ethos. Beginning in 2014, Camp and Pappas, together with co-counsels James Porter, Eric Glitzenstein and Paul Schwiep, took on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in an effort to protect endangered staghorn coral harmed and threatened by the Corps’ expansion of the Port of Miami. The team represents Miami Waterkeeper and other non-profit environmental organizations in an ongoing fight to protect Miami’s threatened coral reefs from the impacts of the Corps’ dredging to deepen the port. The Port Miami expansion produced massive sedimentation that smothered more than 250 acres of Miami’s coral reefs, including hundreds of staghorn corals that are listed under the Endangered Species Act. The legal team is fighting to hold the Corps and its contractor accountable for violations of the Endangered Species Act. Their legal actions thus far have forced the Corps to pay the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) more than $400,000 to rescue hundreds of the threatened corals. NOAA later declared the rescue effort saved the American public in excess of $14 million. The case, pending in federal court in Miami, continues. On May 12, 2016, the legal team was honored by Miami Waterkeeper at Philanthropy Miami’s 2016 Donor Next Door program for the team’s ongoing pro bono effort.

Ken Clement ’83: was a member of Thespians while he was a student at MCDS and always had ambitions of becoming a set designer. After graduation, he caught the “acting bug” and has been a “working character actor” all over the country. Ken has performed on stage in front of sold-out crowds all over the nation from Las Vegas to Atlanta and even right here in our backyard at Coral Gables. Ken has won numerous awards: the Silver Palm Award; the New Times “Best of” Award; and last year, he was winner of a Carbonell Award. In November of 2015, Ken played Santa Claus in “Elf the Musical” at The Smith Center’s Reynolds Hall in Las Vegas, Nevada. And on January 29, 2016, he performed at The Miracle Theater in Coral Gables in West Side Story. Ken continues to perform all over the country, and there’s no doubt he loves every inch of his hard work.

Jimmy Stobs ’87: was inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) Hall of Fame in Las Vegas on Monday, December 7, 2015. Jimmy began coaching golf at Miami Country Day School in 1994 and then played golf professionally for 10 years. He has participated in numerous golf tours such as Nike, South American, Golden Bear, Montgomery, Trans-Act Mortgage and South Florida Tours to name a few. Throughout his professional career, Jimmy accrued much success; he won 25 mini-tour events, including the 1998 Florida Open. Jimmy has been Barry University’s men’s golf coach for the past 15 years and has won three Division II NCAA National Championships; in 2007, 2013 and 2014. In 2007 and 2013, Jimmy was named the GCAA Coach of the Year and in 2013-2014 he broke a school record by leading the Buccaneers to eight tournament wins. During the 2014-2015 season, he led the Buccaneers to seven straight NCAA National Championship tournaments, and he is the only coach in any NCAA division to win a national title in both stroke play and match play. Throughout his time at Barry, Jimmy has also coached 27 All-Americans and 16 Scholar All-Americans.

Dino LaCapra ’97: exhibited his art show “Boarding 535p” in Santa Monica, California, at Building Bridges Art Exchange-Bergamont Station Arts Center. Dino combined the use of objects and media to create his narrative.

Fellow Miami Country Day School alum, Franceasca Seiden ’96, was also involved in the art show as the designated curator for the exhibit. Franceasca described Dino’s “Boarding 535p” exhibit as “his unconscious pursuit of Mark Twain’s spirit, LaCapra laces together poignant material documenting the shifts of air travel, the costs of airline tickets, and expended passports acquired under reigns of multiple governments.” His exhibit combines a sequence of socioeconomic, technological and political events that have transpired over a decade, which was then documented through the eyes and soul of a traveler. One can say that “Boarding 535p” allows spectators to reflect on their own human experience and also reminds them that human beings live in an ever-changing world that can easily be altered in an instant. Alumni in attendance for Dino’s exhibit included: Franceasca Seiden ’96, Laura Humbertson ’98, Marieh Delfino ’96, Nick Daniels ’95, Dan Dombrowsky ’95 and brother, Cristian LaCapra ’96.

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Scott Grondin ’06: has held the career as a firefighter/paramedic for the City of Hialeah for 7 years and has recently opened a gym located in North Miami titled Athletic Development and Performance Training, ADAPT for short. ADAPT is a comprehensive training facility that focuses on sports performance, incorporating all facets of strength and conditioning. Scott holds over 10 years of experience in training others and also possesses numerous certifications and qualifications that increase his stability as both an owner and a coach. Scott currently works as the Director of Operations, but still coaches multiple teams on a daily basis. Among these schools are MCDS, JWU, NMSH, ASA, ATMHL, etc. Scott is very excited to see what the future holds for ADAPT and hopes to continue down this path of success. For more information visit www.trainadapt.com. ADAPT was recently hired by the MCDS athletics department to run the Summer Weight Room and Conditioning program. This program will be running throughout the summer, hopefully to help the student-athletes, coaches and teams get to the next level to compete for State Championships.

Richard Lamondin ’06 and brother Lawrence Lamondin ’08: were recently featured in an Earth Day story on ABC Local 10 News. The story detailed the exceptional savings their company, EcoSystems, achieved for a local property. They reduced the annual bills by $120,000 and preserved 6,000,000 gallons of fresh water for the environment. As busy as “the brothers” are, they never miss the MCDS baseball alumni gatherings to relive the sport and check in with alumni friends and “still at it” Coach Sennett.

The company was founded in 2012 and specializes in water and electric conservation for the real estate industry. To date, they have saved hundreds of millions of gallons and millions of dollars across the United States. Prior to founding the company, Lawrence graduated from the University of Miami and Richard graduated from the University of Southern California and worked in Shanghai, China. For more on their environmental impact, go to www.GoEco.Systems.

Adrien Pitchman ’11: completed his first year of law school at the University of Virginia, where he earned the position of Assistant Technology Editor for the Journal of Law and Politics and received the Bracewell Award for best oral argument, an award given to nine students out of over 300 first-year students. Every major law school in the country conducts a jobfair called “On Campus Interviews” or OCI. At UVA it’s called “On Grounds Interview” or OGI because allegedly Thomas Jefferson hated the word campus. UVA has one of the largest OGI’s in the country with hundreds of firms coming to interview students for summer associate positions. Historically, over 90% of 2nd year summer associates in BigLaw receive full employment offers. Adrien is in the process of selecting and preparing materials to apply to 50 of these firms, and will interview with about half or more. The “call back” process takes place in August, and it is likely that come early to midSeptember, Adrien will know with whom he may be practicing law. In the meantime, his summer plans consist of working as the Creative Legal Intern at Universal Studios, Orlando.

Tiffany Kontoyiannis ’12: recently received her undergraduate degree at Columbia University. And in November Tiffany came back to MCDS to work on a short film as a submission piece for graduate school. This short film is about a young lady, Sarah Kim, who is a Junior at Columbia University and has cerebral palsy. Although confined to a wheelchair with very little physical mobility, she is an incredible young woman who has never let her disability stop her from being extraordinary. Tiffany made this film as a tribute to Sarah and as a way to increase awareness about disabilities. Tiffany wants viewers to begin to count their blessings and also see that nothing in this world is impossible. Social change projects have a huge and meaningful impact on Tiffany, and she is very excited to be the one to tell Sarah’s story. If you would like to watch Tiffany’s short film, go to Youtube and type in “A Day On My Wheels” or check out www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPvb02PlRlc&feature=youtube.

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Ask an Alum FIVE-MINUTE INTERVIEW WITH AMANDA GAVCOVICH ’14 What are your favorite things about Duke University?

I feel like I stepped into another big community at Duke whether it’s at a basketball game or in a classroom. All the administrators and faculty – no matter how high up – are so accessible and want to hear undergrad’s opinions and experiences. I have also been appreciating the activist dialogue that’s always occurring on campus.

Do you consider Duke University to be a good match for you?

Many aspects of Duke can feel like a tight knit community, so it was an easy transition from Country Day. Duke has been perfect for me and has provided so many opportunities outside the classroom, something I’ve always wanted from a school.

What are you studying?

I am majoring in Public Policy and Women’s Studies.

What has been your favorite class or outside project during your first two years at Duke?

A couple of my favorite classes have been “Watchdog Media in the 2016 Elections” where we studied this election cycle from a journalist’s perspective and “Women in the Public Sphere.” We studied feminist history and theory, and applied what we learned to a final class project.

One of the most rewarding projects has been a refugeetutoring program that I became involved with early on as part of a service learning class. It’s more of a women’s empowerment program than an English language class.

We started an eyebrow threading business together!

Have you been back on the MCDS campus since you graduated? Do you keep in touch with any of your former teachers?

I’ve been back a couple times and I drive my neighbors to MCDS camp in the summer. And did anyone think

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I wouldn’t keep in touch with Sardina?

Wouldn’t be at Duke and wouldn’t have kept my sanity senior year without her!

Do you think you were prepared for your college courses and college life in general?

Duke’s freshman experience is really the best out there.

Transitioning was not difficult because of both Duke’s programs and the way MCDS’s teachers prepared me. I’d also like to share that I don’t have to take math anymore, but my math experience at Country Day prepared me for college life – and life – in general.

What are your summer plans?

I received a grant from Duke’s ethics institute to conduct research within the criminal justice system in Miami.

When you think of MCDS, what are some words or phrases that describe the school?

So cliché but so true: community. That’s the first word that comes to mind and it’s what differentiates MCDS from most other schools. It’s not just because of the small size. Homecoming, the Walk, classes, class trips, bake sales even all worked to bring us together.

In Memoriam Marty Andreas ’52 March 2, 1939 – May 2, 2016 After almost 60 years, Marty Andreas stepped back onto the Country Day campus in December 2010. He came back with fellow Country Day classmate, Carlos Rodriguez, and their memories came flooding back from their boarding school days as middle schoolers in 1949-1952. Marty fondly remembers L.B. Sommers, Doc Abele and Bill Ellis, all of whom impacted his life.

Since 2010, Marty became very involved in many aspects of Miami Country Day School. As an avid photographer, he featured beautiful photographs in the 75th Anniversary Alumni Photography Exhibit in the Taplin Gallery.

Flowers were his favorite thing to photograph, and his flower photographs now live in Sommers Hall and in the homes of fellow alumni and friends.

In March 2015, Marty spoke to the Digital II Photography students in Mr. Ordonez’ class and shared his expertise in photography.

Professionally, Marty was the Executive Vice President, President and Senior Executive for the family-owned Archer Daniels Midland Corporation from 1970-2005. He was passionate about American agriculture and a key leader in developing nutritious foods and clean, renewable sources of energy. In 2013, Country Day hosted a night at The Palm with Marty sharing his expertise and passion with stories of meeting President Nixon, President Obama, and President Reagan and the conversations he had with them about energy and the future of energy in our country. He was at the forefront of energy for 35 years and shared these unique stories with us.

Marty shared his expertise with Country Day as a member of the Board of Advisors (2013-2016) and Alumni Board (20152016) and truly cared about making Miami Country Day School a better place. He was passionate about technology and Country Day was one of the beneficiaries of his generosity with annual gifts restricted to computer equipment and software.

He regularly met with school administrators to share recommendations about Board leadership, marketing and fundraising.

He was an early leadership donor to the Campaign for the Arts and looked forward to our students having more opportunities to learn, grow and create. Marty wholeheartedly believed in the school’s mission, and he will be missed by all of us.

“We, at MCDS, lost a great alumnus, friend, mentor and benefactor in the passing of Marty Andreas. He was always there with a smile and sage advice about how to improve the school for the betterment of the students.

He was a man of varied interests, in particular as an award-winning photographer and gardener. For many decades he worked with his uncle and father in running Archer Daniels Midland, the preeminent company in the agribusiness. In that role, he had face to face meetings with many United States Presidents and world leaders and helped to shape the face of the energy business with the development of ethanol. We will miss him dearly and never forget his love and commitment to MCDS.” Sean Clancy, Trustee, Development Chair Class of 1952 Banquet

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Thank you to our inaugural class of 15–16 Business Partners!

These businesses support our school; please support them. title sponsors

Athletics Title Sponsor

Arts Title Sponsor

MiaCucina

Kevin J. King of Merrill Lynch

Summer Programs Title Sponsor

Georgeé & Company, Keller Williams Realty major sponsor

Coastal Construction platinum sponsor

Kent Security Services gold sponsor

Langer Electric Company silver sponsors Attach Communications Farrey’s Lighting & Bath FASTSIGNS Franklin Dodd Communications Joe Blair Garden Supply MobileMe Information Technologies Multigogy

Noury Construction SAGE Dining Services, Inc. Service Keepers Maintenance Technology Innovators, Inc. Yale Business Technology Advisors Zyscovich Architects

businesspartners@miamicountryday.org | 786.899.2819 | mcdsbusinesspartners.org 38

Student Success Network One goal: success.

Auxiliary Programs | Student Success Network 601 Northeast 107th Street, Miami, Florida 33161 studentsuccess@miamicountryday.org | 305.779.7211 www.miamicountryday.org/studentsuccess

Miami Country Day School 601 N.E. 107 Street Miami, Florida 33161

The Curtain Will Soon Rise...

Non Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Miami, FL Permit #5144

Campaign for the

Arts

SAVE THE DATES: Thursday morning, October 20: Topping Off Ceremony

Saturday, February 11, 2017: VIP Evening Center for the Arts Opening Celebration Be a part of this Masterpiece... www.campaign.miamicountryday.org Call or email Sheryl Piper: 305-779-7273 or pipers@miamicountryday.org