MKA Fall 2024 Review Magazine

THE MAGAZINE OF MONTCLAIR KIMBERLEY ACADEMY

THE CAMPAIGN TO ADVANCE INNOVATION AND INQUIRY AT MKA

BUILDING THE FUTURE

Upon joining MKA in the summer of 2021, it quickly became evident to me that prioritizing the renovation of learning spaces would be critical in advancing our STEM and Innovation programming. The most pressing need was our Upper School Campus as conversations with faculty, and interactions with our students, revealed how our current program had outpaced our buildings and was constraining our ability to deliver a transformative education–the core of MKA’s mission–to our students, faculty, and our families. In order to maintain our commitment to our mission, and continue to attract incredible students, talented faculty, and maintain our school’s excellent reputation, we knew we could not wait to address these renovations. In partnership with our faculty, Board of Trustees, and through the generosity of our community, this past year we made the exciting decision to embark on a fundraising campaign to advance Innovation and Inquiry at MKA.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

FACILITIES

Last spring, we broke ground on a new Inquiry and Innovation Center, a 27,000-square-foot facility on the Upper School campus that will contain new classrooms, laboratories, a dedicated robotics area, and student workspaces. We also plan to reimagine spaces on our other two campuses in order to better support the teaching and learning needs of our faculty and younger students and lift up the academic experiences of an MKA education.

FACULTY

We plan to hire new faculty members who will teach, create curricula, and build outside partnerships and programs. This school year, Chris McLaughlin was hired as our first Director of STEM+ Programming. Chris will focus his work on our Pre-K through eighth-grade programming.

PROGRAMMING

In order to expand our program offerings, develop partnerships with outside organizations, and expand our professional development opportunities, we established an Innovation Fund, which will provide the necessary resources for our faculty to drive our academic program forward, allowing them to explore new programs and partnerships and expand the learning opportunities we provide our students in and out of the classroom.

We are extremely grateful for the members of our community who have already made philanthropic contributions to support this work. It takes the entire community to ensure the excellence, longevity, and transformative power of an MKA education. As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of MKA’s merger and plan for the next fifty years, we invite you to help us shape the future of MKA

Nigel D. Furlonge, Head of School

LEADERS AND LEARNERS

Enduring values and ethical actions are embedded, so MKA students emerge not just as scholars but as conscientious citizens and leaders poised to make a positive impact on the world. 18 AROUND MKA Campus, student, faculty, and staff news

ALUMNI

Recognizing our Changemakers and sharing news and events

EDITORS

Gretchen Berra

Kim Saunders

ASSISTANT EDITORS/ COPY EDITORS

Madison Kilduff

Marnie McNany

DESIGN

Mercer Design www.mercerdesign.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS

Ashley Conde

Laela Perkins

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Michael Branscom

David Kenas

Michael Mineo

Evidence of our mission is found in the KNOWLEDGE, VISION, and INTEGRITY of our students and our alumni:

KNOWLEDGE

• Academic excellence

• Intellectual independence

• Love of learning

VISION

• Personal engagement with the world

• Understanding of human complexity

• A sense of humility and compassion

INTEGRITY

• Strength of character

• Responsibility as a citizen and leader

• An honorable and generous life

LEADERS

LEARNERS AND

“We have a vision for where we want the school to be. That vision directly centers inquiry and innovation, along with those habits of mind we believe are essential for our students.” - Nigel D. Furlonge

MKA VISIONARIES:

LEADING

US TO THE EDGE OF LEARNING WITH INTEGRITY AND PURPOSE

Head of School Nigel Furlonge and Associate Head of School Steve Valentine started their work together in July 2023. Since that moment, they have been committed to building dynamic systems to amplify student learning, the student experience, and the professional learning community at MKA. Beyond helping them to make critical, strategic, and often difficult decisions for MKA, they use their ongoing dialogue to explore the purpose and possibilities of education writ large, knowing that what we do each day to serve MKA students and constituents often acts as a beacon for other schools across the nation. On the following pages are nine essential moments from a recent conversation where they talked about their shared vision.

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At MKA, our educational approach is rooted in inquiry and guided by integrity. Ethically, the leaders of tomorrow will not — one hopes — be called upon to maintain a status quo; nor will they be called upon to squander resources in search of things that are merely faddish or interesting. Likely — one hopes — they will be called upon to inquire thoughtfully to understand the world as it is and then innovate toward solutions that will improve life on this planet.

A focus on transformative inquiry does more than expand knowledge: it turns our students into change agents, equipped with the critical skill of asking meaningful questions. And make no mistake: understanding integrity and ethical practices in both learning and leadership is not merely a fundamental principle at MKA. It is a strategic advantage that prepares our students for thoughtful, responsible engagement with the world around them.

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Ethical leadership is central to MKA’s philosophy and practice. It challenges students to look through the lenses of their academic disciplines and extracurricular pursuits to consider pressing global and local issues and their role in addressing them. The questions we seek to plant are simple, durable, and should last a lifetime: if our students graduate with the habit of asking, "What are some challenges in the world, and how can I contribute to solving them so as to strengthen my community?" or "How might my actions influence others for the better?" then we can feel that our school has served its purpose — for our graduates and for the environments they will inhabit, build, and sustain.

Our teachers are passionate about crafting educational experiences that challenge students to expand their sense of the possible. They don't walk lockstep through predetermined curricula and administer tests. They don’t push students over the brink. Great teaching, which happens daily at MKA, recognizes students’ individual capacities and gently guides students to look, then leap, over constraints and current limits. This type of educational process involves deep engagement and understanding between faculty and students, and it can’t happen without a supportive environment where students feel known and understood.

“Fresh voices, new perspectives, and education-adjacent ideas have significantly enhanced both of our careers; we believe they can do the same for our school.”

Therefore, our hope is that teaching at MKA is not about setting unreachable goals for students but about knowing each student well enough to introduce the right challenges, at the right times, and in the right order. It's about creating moments where students can surprise themselves with their own achievements, returning with the realization, "I didn't know I could do that." To believe in someone’s potential until they themselves see it and own it is the gift of the great teacher. MKA has more than its share of teachers working in this unique way.

We believe true learning is sparked by curiosity, and so we emphasize asking questions over making statements. This method not only pushes learners to explore the boundaries of their knowledge—the edge of their learning—but also paves the path for reflection and ethical leadership.

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MKA’s approach to teaching permeates not only our classrooms, but also our stages, our global travels, and our athletic fields, courts, rink, and pool. In fact, our aspiration is that anywhere MKA students, teachers, advisors, directors, and coaches convene becomes a space of dynamic learning with a uniquely MKA flavor That is, we aim to design experiences in all MKA gathering spots, powered and supported by deep relationships, that stretch our students' abilities and aptitudes.

We both value deep and active listening and are open to the idea that another person's perspective might be the key to completing or enriching our own thoughts, projects, and potentials. This openness also means we eagerly incorporate diverse viewpoints, especially when they come from our trusted networks or new collaborators around the proverbial table. While the idea of working with unfamiliar faces can be daunting for some, we actively seek to engage with value-aligned partners. Fresh voices, new perspectives, and educationadjacent ideas have significantly enhanced both of our careers; we believe they can do the same for our school.

At MKA, we seek to harness and focus imagination, offering each learner a glimpse of what's uniquely possible for them and encouraging them to go for it. This — first dreaming, then reaching for, then embodying the possible — is the promise and transformative impact of an MKA education

"WE HAVE A VISION."

THREE DECADES OF ETHICS AT MKA

Kerry Verrone, Upper School Dean of Student Life and Tri-Campus Chair of Ethics

Over the past 30 years, ethics at MKA's ethics program has been purposefully transformed from a theoretical focus on character development to a comprehensive program emphasizing practical application, community engagement, and Ethical Leadership. Today, the program encourages students to leverage their personal growth for the greater good. The future of MKA's ethics program includes assessing its impact, integrating Ethical Leadership more deliberately into the curriculum, and reinforcing the school's character standards, all while emphasizing the importance of developing student voice and inquiry in this process.

Before Dr. Greer’s arrival in 1993, MKA lacked a formal ethics program (Greer is considered the founder of MKA’s ethics program). Initially, the program was highly theoretical, aligning with MKA’s character standards (then called “expectations,” and consisting of seven principles, now eight). The early focus was on individual development and understanding the philosophical underpinnings of ethics, character, and integrity. Centered on philosophical works such as Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, the program was classroom-based. This academic pursuit attracted many to MKA in the mid to late 90s and early 2000s, aiming to produce intellectually capable and morally sound graduates.

When Dr. Flocco joined MKA in 1995, he was tasked by then Head of School Dr. Greer with creating the Citizenship Core, a course required of all ninth and tenth graders and centered on America’s Founding Documents and Principles, Ethics, Logic and Public Discourse, and Leadership. That course has taken on many iterations over the years, adjusting its content to what is now our Belonging and Community course for all ninth graders and Ethics and Leadership for all tenth graders. In the 2000s, the program became more outward-facing. When former Head of School Tom Nammack took over in 2005, he emphasized applying personal growth to the broader community. Building on Dr. Greer’s foundation, Tom pushed the program to explore the meaning of ethics beyond the classroom. Under his leadership, MKA’s ethics program formally evolved into MKA’s Culture of Integrated Ethics, creating more opportunities for cross-

discipline connections and collaboration. Within this integrated approach, the study and practice of ethics was interwoven into all aspects of school life, from athletics to the arts to computer science, placing students at the center of this work.

Having extended ethics into the community and integrated it within every facet of the school, the next step was to empower students to take what they have learned and affect change in the world. Ethics at MKA, now Ethical Leadership, stresses Integrity, Empathy, and Service. Under the guidance of Head of School Nigel Furlonge, it now supports and drives the school’s missiondriven initiatives, serving as a horizontal beam connecting all academic disciplines. Ethical Leadership is a recurring theme when discussing STEM+, research, writing, or athletics. The concept of Ethical Leadership itself has become more inclusive at MKA. Our more recent approach emphasizes every student's personal leadership journey. Indeed, Ethical Leadership is not about titles; instead, it focuses on character, habits, mindsets, and behaviors. Every student, regardless of position or title, has the potential to make positive changes in their community.

The progression of Ethical Leadership at MKA can be understood through its evolving assessment methods. Initially, ethics was a body of knowledge to be studied and tested. Today, it is more formative and process-oriented, with students continually engaging in Ethical Leadership across various life areas and carrying around questions that drive it. Experiences such as global trips and community engagement, each grounded in ethics, transform students, preparing them to become people of integrity and empathy and models of servant leadership.

Looking ahead, MKA is renewing its focus on our character standards, foundational to the school’s identity. These standards are integral to daily life and academic integrity, ensuring honesty lessons are applied across all subjects and activities. Celebrating the visible role of these standards is a priority across all three campuses.

ETHICS AND EXCELLENCE IN MKA’S MULTICULTURAL CURRICULUM

Shanie Israel, Middle School Dean of Community Life, Former Associate Director of Curriculum, Professional Development, and Multicultural Innovations and English Teacher

There is no multiple-choice question or standardized test that lets us know if our students have the habits of mind to be reflective humans or effective communicators and collaborators. How does one define the school’s success in motivating students to be lifelong learners or ethical agents of change? How do we ensure that we are providing the world-renowned multicultural education that our former Head of School stated was a priority for us to focus on back in 2016? In short, how do we know if our program curriculum is mission-aligned and fulfills MKA’s Multicultural Curriculum Statement of Purpose?

One must look at the concentric circles of engagement that begin with our curriculum, move beyond the classroom walls into school-wide initiatives, and ultimately follow students outside the walls of MKA. Starting with curriculum, if you visit a third grade classroom during the Capstone Project, an interdisciplinary experience where students examine community needs and reimagine the school’s physical space, an eighth grade science class beginning their study of the periodic table by looking at the concentration of air pollutant chemicals in neighboring communities as result of trash incineration, or an Upper School computer science project where students investigate algorithms that perpetuate racial stereotypes in the Judicial System, you know that these units, implemented in recent years, encourage students to practice the habits of mind that fulfill our mission and are examples of our school’s dedication to providing a multicultural education. These scaffolded classroom learning experiences reflect age-appropriate curricular choices that ignite ethical leadership, inquiry, and engagement within and beyond the classroom walls.

Student-led clubs work to bring these habits of mind outside of the classroom and into the ethos of our school community. The Upper School Student Diversity Leadership Committee’s (SDLC) Curriculum Committee is a voluntary group of students who represent a diverse population of the student body dedicated to the promotion of inclusivity and inquiry within the classroom. As a group, it finds ways to work with faculty to provide a student perspective and new ideas to the tri-campus curriculum. This past summer, members of the Curriculum Committee partnered with faculty members from the Middle and Upper Schools to help support their Curriculum Development initiatives in history, science, English, health and wellness, and math. In addition, many members of the Carbon Neutral Commitment Committee have taken Environmental Science courses at MKA and are dedicated to educating the school community about the importance of committing to carbon neutrality. This past spring, this group, using the “Campus as Lab” approach, presented their research regarding

“Being an MKA Learner is not passive. Information isn’t shared in a classroom so students can ingest knowledge and then spit it back out on a multiple-choice assessment.”

MKA’s carbon footprint to the Tri-Campus Sustainability Committee. Since school is a microcosm of the world beyond, providing students with the space to be active participants and leaders within our community equips them with the confidence and tools to be agents of change in a real-world setting.

This leadership and dedication to engage with the world are evident in the way MKA seniors leave their mark during May Term. In recent years, seniors have spent the last month of their school year being ethical leaders in the world. Whether it is volunteering at the US-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Exchange, building ways to support the hearing-impaired community, or finding ways to make mental health resources more accessible to high school students in Essex County, many seniors end their MKA experience by bringing their learning to the world beyond.

However, and I believe this is a hallmark of an MKA education, this commitment to making a difference doesn’t just start in a student's final year—it’s nurtured throughout their time at MKA. I saw this firsthand when I attended Garden State Equality’s Vigil honoring the life of Nex Benedict, a nonbinary 16-year-old from Oklahoma who lost their life by way of suicide after being attacked by peers in the school bathroom. At the vigil, I was pleasantly surprised to see MKA Middle School students in attendance. Not only were they there to show their support, one of our students took the microphone, spoke to the crowd, and called for the rights of transgender students. I cannot say that this child’s courage and comfort to stand up and engage only came from their MKA experience, but I do take this as a data point in assessing our school’s ability to engage students in meaningful multicultural education, the purpose of which is to empower ethical leaders and visionaries in the world outside of our doors.

MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Multicultural education at MKA is a process of inquiry, reflection, and engagement that transforms students and faculty, school culture and curriculum, community, and society. It is grounded in ideas of equity, anti-bias education, and social justice.

To create a truly multicultural curriculum that helps students reach their full potential as learners, MKA faculty will:

• Honor their students’ narratives

• Provide multiple perspectives within their disciplines

11,893 In 2023-2024 US students volunteered over

• Provide all students opportunities to understand themselves, other members of the MKA community and the global society

• Ensure that MKA is a safe environment in which to explore and discuss multiple perspectives, ask challenging questions, and create positive social change

PROGRAMMING FOR THE FUTURE

AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL CAI ‘23

Can you describe what you built during your May Term? built a website that allows you to translate languages. The difference between this translator and Google Translate or other translators on the internet is that the languages I use for my translators are “low resource,” which means there isn’t much information on and support for these languages online. That's the gist of what I built.

Was there an ethical impulse behind your decision to focus on low-resource languages? Yes, there was an ethical impulse, and this was especially catapulted by Dr. Jacobs. He brought a representative of the Lenape people to MKA who talked about their experience. That visit and presentation in Weiss Auditorium made me realize there was an issue going on. I originally wanted to make a Lenape translator because I thought this could have really helped the Lenape community. But I found that it wasn't statistically, or mathematically, possible because there just weren’t enough resources.

Nahuatl, which is one of the languages that I work with, and is in fact the name of the website that I made, is one of the most spoken Native American languages in South America. It's where the words axolotl and chocolate come from. Nahuatl was actually one of the easier languages to work with, because there was a little bit more data.

There's a mix between endangered languages and non-endangered languages but languages that don't have a lot of resources online. The main reason why I want to focus on the latter is because if you don't have many resources for your language online, that makes you very susceptible to becoming an endangered language in the future.

Was your May Term project a success? Is there more work to do? have a lot more work to do. When you're dealing with machine learning (ML) and computer science, the way that machine learning is currently working right now, you need a lot of data. And by a lot, mean a million, 10 million, 100 million. I have 10,000. That's not a lot, which is my main issue. And that's the reason why it's been so hard to make low-resourced language translators because there’s just not a lot of data. There are ways to tweak the algorithm. There's a way to adjust these things called hyperparameters to shoehorn the model to make it work a little bit better. But that can only get you so far. I haven't taken an official course on machine translation yet or machine learning. So in college, hope to take as many courses in Artificial Intelligence, ML, and similar subjects as possible. There is so much to learn, and you have no idea how much it could help you.

Michael is currently a sophomore at Harvard University and is taking more ML courses this year. Stay tuned!

UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS TAKE THE LEAD

Upper School held the first Ethical Leadership in Action Day for all ninth through eleventh graders. Through activities and service projects at offcampus sites, students slowed down, partnered with local organizations, and reflected on their ethical leadership development. Kerry Verrone, Dean of Student Life and Tri-Campus Chair of Ethics, organized the day with incredible support from the entire Upper School community. Kerry described the uniqueness of the day. “On a beautiful spring day, students had a perfect opportunity to do school a little differently, engage with the community, and explore the inherent connections between leadership, service, ethics, and action.”

Ninth graders traveled to South Mountain Reservation and worked with the South Mountain Reservation Conservancy to clean up the park. Collectively, they picked up and disposed of 40 bags of trash.

Students in tenth grade traveled to The Pingry School: Pottersville Experiential Learning Campus for the first Sophomore Ethical Leadership Retreat. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect as sophomores had recently completed their Ethics

and Leadership Seminars and had fulfilled their Tenth Grade Community Engagement requirement. One student shared, “The sophomore retreat was a great time to bond with friends. The beautiful outdoors made it easier to reflect and, overall, it was a thought-provoking day.” Through activities and discussions, they considered and answered questions such as, “What experiences thus far have resonated with you? What challenges have you faced and what sparks you to action?”

Eleventh graders traveled to several parks throughout Montclair to prep the gardens for the season. Their efforts will prove beneficial for the local community in the months ahead.

The success of the Ethical Leadership in Action Day is now part of the Upper School tradition of community service and paves the way for future events as MKA continues to foster a generation of ethical leaders who are engaged with their community and committed to making a difference.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE IN RESPONSIBLE COMPUTING

Emily Tompsett, Upper School Mathematics and Computer Science Teacher

So much of the tech that we're engaging with every day is designed by people who have these awesome ideas coupled with a complex understanding of how all of the systems work. Responsible computing is my way of explaining how to consider what the ethical ramifications could be as students learn how to program. The question that has always been on my mind is how do I make sure that I'm sending programmers out into the world who will make sure they're thinking about impact?

My students will one day be out in the world developing new software and technologies, and want them to ask: who am I affecting? Who am I serving? What problems could arise? So often we push technology forward for the sake of pushing technology forward without considering potential consequences. I think we're seeing this most in the AI space right now, with the rise of public use of artificial intelligence algorithms that, for the most part, seem positive or can at least be used positively, but the broader impacts aren't being fully discussed: crucial considerations are often overlooked.

In 2017, I attended a conference workshop on programming for social justice. One example that I still use today in my classrooms is software that is used to develop a risk assessment score for people who are under consideration for parole. The company claims it doesn't consider race, yet the data is demonstrably racially biased. This sparked an idea at a 2018 Multicultural Education Professional Development workshop here at MKA (further developed with colleagues) to explore current events in technology through an ethical lens. We examine AI, cybersecurity, biotech, and more, using the Association for Computing Machinery's code of ethics for technology and software developers.

In addition to teaching at MKA, I'm one of the faculty advisors for the Women in STEM Mentorship program, which was born of a May Term project done by Natalia Espinoza Dice ’22. After being on MKA’s Women's Experience Task Force, Natalia took the task force recommendations focused on women in STEM and built her idea for this Mentorship Program. I'm so fortunate to be able to work with all of these amazing students, specifically the women who I teach. I always hope that my presence is supportive to them, like, "Hey, I'm doing it. You can too."

"HEY, I'M DOING IT.

YOU CAN TOO."

PHILIP MCNEAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

Established in 2021, the Philip McNeal Leadership Program aims to deepen discussions on ethical leadership while helping students discover their unique leadership styles. This philanthropically funded initiative enables MKA to host renowned professionals who have made significant contributions in their fields, providing Upper School students with valuable insights into personal leadership journeys.

Through these engagements, students are exposed to diverse perspectives and cultures, enhancing their cultural competencies—an essential trait for effective leadership. The program facilitates the exploration of key leadership concepts and challenges, fosters strong character development, and strengthens critical skills such as listening and communication.

This academic year, the program proudly hosted Aaron Golub, the first legally blind Division One athlete, and Hugh Herr, a pioneering rock climber, engineer, and biophysicist. These distinguished speakers shared their unique experiences, inspiring students and enriching their understanding of leadership in a multifaceted world.

MKA’S HONOR CODE

MKA’s honor code was written in 1997 by Dr. Peter Greer and immediately instituted for the Upper School community. At the time, there was no student voice involved in the creation of it. In 2004, Dr. Flocco set out to revamp the honor code with students at the center. Abby Cohen ‘05 and Dr. Flocco put a group of students, faculty, and administrators together and revamped the honor code to include multiple perspectives. It was the first time students helped in shaping ethics at MKA.

2023-2024 US students worked with over

A STUDENT’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE MODEL UN

Rahul Madgavkar ‘24 and 30 other MKA students from the Upper School participated in the 2024 UPenn-organized Ivy League Model UN Conference (ILMUNC). Representing Pakistan in the FIFA Committee, with the pressing concern of preventing the exploitation of migrant laborers in the building of World Cup infrastructure, he shared: “We worked to counteract the labor exploitation observed during the 2022 Qatar World Cup. After three days of intense debating, our bloc's resolution to prioritize countries with existing infrastructure for hosting World Cups, provide significant funding from developed nations to support soccer programs in the developing world, and ensure that completely anonymous investigators could inspect host countries to verify the protection of labor rights was adopted by a majority of the committee, who agreed that our strategy represented the best course of action FIFA could take to safeguard migrant workers and foster the growth of soccer globally.”

FIRST-EVER FELLOWSHIP FOR KINDNESS

Junior Mila Huang made MKA history when she was named the school's first Riley's Way Kindness Fellowship recipient for her project, Climbing for Community. The project aligns with her mission to break down barriers to access, promote diversity in the climbing community, and empower people both on and off the walls.

Climbing for Community began over a year ago when Mila, a seasoned climber, noticed the high cost and lack of diversity at her local gym. Inspired by the sport's positive influence on her own life, she developed a program to share rock climbing with underserved youth. Through her fundraising, kids from the Hoboken Boys and Girls Club receive free climbing lessons. Beyond physical activity, the gym becomes a safe space for teamwork and personal growth. Mila and volunteers from the gym's competitive team foster a spirit of camaraderie, celebrating individual triumphs together.

Kerry Verrone, Upper School Dean of Student Life and Tri-Campus Chair of Ethics, worked closely with Mila and regards her as an Ethical Leader. “I am so proud of Mila,” she said. “She came into my office a year and a half ago with an idea, and watching her develop that idea into a thriving initiative now being nationally recognized is so exciting.”

With the support of the Riley's Way grant, Mila plans to expand the program by welcoming younger children and partnering with other climbing gyms to create a network of support. As a Riley's Way Fellow, she'll train in communication, negotiation, and marketing to scale her program further. For Mila, being a kind leader means being aware of needs and taking action to address them. Through Climbing for Community, she embodies this philosophy, inspiring others to do the same and paving the way for a more inclusive and supportive rock-climbing community in Hoboken.

“For Mila, being a kind leader means being aware of needs and taking action to address them.”

AROUND MKA Academics

CONGRATULATIONS TO TWO MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WHOSE EIGHTH-GRADE COLONIAL RESEARCH PAPERS WERE PUBLISHED ON THE NEW JERSEY COUNCIL FOR THE SOCIAL STUDIES BLOG

Mireicy Aquino's colonial research paper, Sally Hemings' Legacy of Freedom and Motherhood, illustrates the life of Sally Hemmings who sacrificed her freedom for her children. Mirecy wrote, “Her story carries a historical significance and profound lesson about the human spirit’s capacity for resilience and love.”

Logan Stovall’s paper, The Exploitation of Enslaved Women During The 18th Century Colonial America, is an expansive look into the lived experiences of enslaved women. She closed her essay by writing, “Given all that these enslaved women endured,

we should respect and admire their ability to overcome such incredible hardships.” Middle School History Department Chair and teacher CherylAnne Amendola expressed her pride in both students and the work they completed, which was “well researched and beautifully written. Both papers are examples of thorough historical research by middle school students.” MKA’s Research Cycle guides all research and inquiry at MKA, from Pre-K through twelfth grade, so this project builds upon prior research experiences at MKA and also prepares students to transfer their research skills across disciplines as they move through each grade.

THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STEM CHALLENGES FLEX GROUPS ENGAGE IN PROBLEM-SOLVING

The students are exploring the topic of flight and what better way to learn about it than to experience it firsthand? Students had the thrill of flight, witnessed various physics demonstrations in the wind tunnel, and engaged in lab activities at iFLY!

THE ANNUAL THIRD GRADE CAPSTONE PROJECT ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO REFLECT AND CREATE

This year, after reminiscing about their favorite memories, third graders embarked on a design challenge to enhance a specific space in Brookside. Working in teams, they followed the design-thinking process, gathering input from Upper School students who had attended Brookside and considering community needs. They then created blueprints and prototypes using recycled materials. The finale for each group was an incredible design fair for the community showcasing the students' creativity, collaboration, and communication skills. These projects at the Primary School illustrate MKA’s commitment to developing STEM+ mindsets by building essential skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, and logic.

THEIR HEROIC EFFORTS TO ADVANCE RACIAL EQUITY WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE WORK WE COLLECTIVELY DO AS A SCHOOL

CONGRATULATIONS TO SENIOR DEVIN RAMSAY, NAMED A MOREHEAD-CAIN SCHOLAR IN THE CLASS OF 2028 AT UNC-CHAPEL HILL

TWO MKA SENIORS AWARDED CERTIFICATES OF ACCOMPLISHMENT FROM THE PRINCETON PRIZE IN RACE RELATIONS FOR NORTHERN NEW JERSEY Emma Choy and Alana Arcilla were recognized for their “heroic efforts to advance racial equity,” which Assistant Head of School for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Antiracism Paris McLean said will “have a direct impact on the work we collectively do as a school.”

The Princeton Prize in Race Relations was established by Princeton University to identify and commend high school students demonstrating leadership in advancing racial equity and understanding. With a deep friendship beginning at MKA’s Middle School, they were compelled to act as anti-Asian sentiment grew in America. They were co-leaders of the AAPI Affinity Group as sophomores. In their junior year, they completed an independent study titled, “Asian American Identities: an Exploration of Our Place in America,” documenting the representation of the Asian American experience nationally and within the MKA curriculum. Their comprehensive and collaborative efforts extended to creating Rice is Me, a website they presented to MKA faculty members during a professional development workshop in June 2023.

The Morehead-Cain Scholarship, which covers all expenses for four years of undergraduate study at UNC-Chapel Hill, is awarded based on leadership, moral character, academic achievement, and physical vigor. Recipients are selected for their ability to inspire peers, demonstrate courage and humility, and excel in challenging academic environments. The scholarship also includes a program of summer enrichment experiences. Devin, who served as the Senior Class President at MKA and was a Peer Leader, has consistently earned the High Honor Roll since 9th grade. As a result, he was an Avery Barras Distinguished Scholar in 2020-2021 and a Mary K. Waring Scholar in 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. He has been actively involved in the Fine and Performing Arts Program as a member of Remix, a cast member in the Winter Musical, and a member of the Concert Band. His commitment to making a positive contribution to the community at MKA is clear. Head of Upper School Dr. David C. Flocco said, “The Upper School is so proud of Devin for being named a Morehead-Cain Scholar. Receiving this scholarship is a testament to his hard work, academic achievement, and strong character. It is also a testament to the teachers and mentors Devin has met along the way, both inside our walls and out. Devin’s work ethic, intellectual curiosity, and generosity are attributes that will serve him well as a Morehead-Cain Scholar, a student at UNC, and a graduate of MKA."

ARTISTS Arts

The Strings program returns to Carnegie’s Zankel Hall for the annual tri-campus strings concert.

Upper School thespians present May Chase’s Harvey

Inspired art and music created at the Middle School. Spring has sprung at the Primary School’s annual concert.

THE UPPER SCHOOL JAZZ CHOIR LEARNS JAZZ HISTORY IN NEW YORK

To explore jazz history, the Jazz Choir visited the legendary Rudy Van Gelder Studio, which is known for jazz recording at the highest level. Not only did students visit the studio, but they were also able to record a piece together on site.

ALL THAT

JAZZ...

The MKA Concert and Jazz Bands celebrated their Spring Concert with an enthusiastic audience in Weiss Auditorium. Guest artists included Mr. Furlonge (hair dryer), Dr. Flocco (blender), and Mrs. Hoppe (vacuum cleaner) on the "Homeowner's Guide to Making Music."

To keep up to date with, and for more arts news, follow us on our social media accounts: /montclairkimberleyacademy /MKAcademy /MKAcademy

CREATIVE KIDS

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

Students in seventh grade took on the roles of performers, technical crew, and stage managers in MKA's 29th annual Shakespeare performance, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

THE AWE-INSPIRING PRIMARY SCHOOL ART SHOW

This event celebrates and showcases artwork from every Primary School student at every grade level. From self-portraits and sculptures to cross-curricular projects, the walls and stage were filled with the amazing work of our students.

Community

“The generosity of the MKA community fosters diversity and makes an MKA education accessible to exceptional students.”

CELEBRATING THE LASTING LEGACY OF THE COMMUNITY SCHOLARS PROGRAM

MKA hosted a reception to recognize The Community Scholars Program and its graduating Class of 2024 members. Established in 1965, The Community Scholars Program has provided more than 90 scholarships to students who have left MKA and made their mark on the world. Each of the nine scholarships currently provided by the school covers the full cost of an MKA education and supports students who represent a racial or ethnic minority, show exceptional academic potential, embrace the values of the MKA community, and demonstrate full financial need. The generosity of the MKA community fosters diversity and makes an MKA education accessible to exceptional students.

Sofia Tomé, a Community Scholar alumna from the Class of 2002, shared her powerful journey and the lasting impact of her MKA experience. She spoke of the supportive teachers who saw her potential and championed her success. She said, “Even while attending MKA, it wasn’t lost on me how lucky I was to have such wonderful teachers. My sense of community was strong not only because of my friends but also because of the amazing educators who I knew were on my side.” Sofia concluded with a call to action, urging everyone to connect with the current scholars

and create an even stronger support system. She also recognized the commitment to generosity that has allowed the program to thrive. The event honored two graduating Community Scholars: Will Simms and Eunice Fernandez (absent due to her May Term travels). Will, described by his teachers and coaches as “the consummate student” and a calm leader, reflected on his MKA experience, describing his time at the school, beginning in sixth grade, as "fulfilling" and highlighting the "overwhelming support" he received in pursuing his interests and talents. This support, he said, instilled valuable skills that will benefit him in the future. He expressed his gratitude to the faculty, staff, and fellow students who made learning a pleasure for the past seven years and emphasized the special place the close-knit MKA community holds in his heart.

The reception concluded with recognition and appreciation of donors who make The Community Scholars Program possible. While MKA cultivates lasting curiosity and intellectual growth throughout the community, these scholarships offer life-changing opportunities, and MKA celebrates their enduring impact.

2024 Community Scholars William Simms and Eunice Fernandez

Global Experience

EXPERIENCE THE WORLD BEYOND OUR WALLS

Global Experience at MKA empowers students to think critically about and cultivate empathy for the classroom beyond our walls and to gain the skills necessary to be more informed, ethical, and active global citizens.

Middle School students explored France, Spain, and Costa Rica to fully immerse themselves in the culture and language they have been learning about in the classroom.

Upper School students traveled to Iceland and learned about how different energy sources in Iceland and globally are creating environmental, economic, and political tensions. Upper School students also traveled to Antigua, Guatemala where they built homes as part of the

partnership with a local NGO, From Houses to Homes. The trip began near the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro for US Students who visited Tanzania and ended with a game drive to the Ngorongoro Crater.

Upper School students developed their wilderness and leadership skills on an epic adventure to the picturesque Yosemite National Park. Spanish language skills evolved and cultural spirit was embraced during the Argentina and Uruguay trips.

Upper School students were immersed in China’s culture, exposing students to the unique culture of China in both its ancient and modern forms.

Big News

“A

truly excellent faculty is a diverse faculty that broadens the learning experiences and perspectives of our children and enriches our community by modeling leadership.”

PROGRAMMING

MKA’S INVESTMENTS IN INNOVATION

MKA's Primary School Fosters Student Growth by Collaborating with Inspiring Experts and Organizations.

At the Primary School, in the 2023-2024 school year, MKA piloted a new project-based learning program: MyMachine. Thanks to the generosity of Vejay Lalla ‘93, and guided by art teacher and inventor Jocelyn Fine, students in first grade collaborated with higher education and vocational schools to create their own “dream machines” and through the process learned essential skills and habits of mind: creativity, entrepreneurship, active learning, empathy, design thinking, and STEM.

Two of the students' ideas: the Shape Shifter Roller, a new type of rolling pin that can create new kinds of cookies, and the Glasserator, a machine that collects broken glass and creates new objects like jewelry and art, were sent to Indiana University and turned into a concept model, and then one of the concepts was developed into a scale-model based by students at a Technical/ Vocational Secondary School in Wisconsin.

The journey culminated in an interactive reveal of the actual working machine on Tuesday, May 21, which was the Shape Shifter Roller! Community members enjoyed an exhibition showcasing the entire process, emphasizing, especially for young learners,

the value of collaboration, perseverance, and diverse skill sets. Vejay Lalla witnessed the big reveal. “It was an exciting afternoon,” he said, “And I am happy to give back to my school by supporting such an inspirational project.”

Big News

FACILITIES

A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR SUSTAINABILITY

MKA is thrilled to announce a major step forward in reducing our carbon footprint. With the completion of a comprehensive solar panel installation across all three campuses, the school is set to become a leading energy producer in the Montclair community.

This green transition promises substantial savings by replacing traditional energy sources with clean, solar power. Rick Andlinger, board member and co-chair of the Sustainability Committee, remarked, “This is a monumental step for MKA on the path to decarbonization and a powerful demonstration of our school’s mission.”

MKA has long been dedicated to environmental stewardship, consistently championing resource conservation, preservation, and regeneration for the benefit of both the environment and the community. Over the past four years, the school has systematically upgraded the roofs of the Primary, Middle, and Upper School campuses to support this significant solar array installation, reaffirming its commitment to renewable energy. Partnering with Novitium Energy, a nationally recognized solar energy development company based in New Jersey, MKA has joined the ranks of many successful large-scale solar projects.

A total of 1,717 solar panels now power MKA: 375 at the Primary School, 797 at the Middle School, and 545 at the Upper School. Head of School Nigel D. Furlonge highlighted the immense contributions and collaboration between the school’s Sustainability Committee, the MKA leadership team—especially Chief Financial Officer Kathryn Davison and Director of Physical Plant and Security James Castelli—and the Montclair community. This project,

he noted, will have lasting positive impacts on the surrounding neighborhoods of each campus, embodying the school’s mission. “As stewards of our planet and architects of tomorrow's world, we must consciously and intentionally drive resource conservation and preservation,” Furlonge stated.

In its first year alone, MKA’s solar arrays are projected to generate 975,231 kWh of energy, with an additional savings of 48,762 kWh typically lost through transmission. Any surplus energy not used by the school will be sold back to PSE&G and consumed locally, further minimizing energy loss. Integrating solar energy production into the school's academic programming, particularly in STEM fields, offers exciting new educational opportunities. Real-time data from the solar arrays will enrich classroom experiences, fostering interdisciplinary learning across grade levels. The prospect of developing lessons and extracurricular activities around onsite energy production has generated widespread enthusiasm within the community.

MKA's strong sustainability commitment is supported by a generous philanthropic community and a robust financial position, enabling the school to pursue projects that align with its values and mission. This solar energy milestone marks a bright future for MKA and its continued leadership in environmental stewardship.

Drone footage of the solar panels from all three campuses

"I learned so much seeing operations including a standard CATH (catheterization) as well as TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement). I have also joined Dr. Jordan Safirstein ’93 in the office, attending standard cardiac consultations, where I've been able to interact and converse with the patients themselves. Dr. Safirstein and I also developed a curriculum for MKA students who wish to shadow and rotate through various medical fields in future May Terms."

MAY TERM

“It was amazing to see how the learning process worked in real time. I loved seeing students’ minds work as they puzzled out new concepts in spelling and math. (I even had some learning of my own to do, as I sat in on 3W’s French classes, a language I never took in school.)”

“For May Term, I have been teaching elementary school students and some neurodivergent high school students at Healthbarn. Through hands-on gardening and cooking, our curriculum introduces them to local sustainability practices and healthier lifestyle choices.”

TEACHING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Jules Jacobson

Giorgio Altirs INTERNSHIPS

Stephen Hatfield

TRAVEL

“During my time in Greece, I found myself drawing comparisons to my life in the US. Without my phone and surrounded by so much beauty, I had a lot of time to reflect on the things I value the most. Surprising to no one, it wasn't scrolling through Instagram, but rather experiencing new things, interacting with nature every day, and talking to different kinds of people. Going to Greece made it clear how fulfilling these things are to me, and has made me work harder to incorporate them into my everyday life.”

CREATIVE INQUIRY

“For my May Term, I am creating a short magazine featuring my studio photography on what fashion and trends will look like in 3024. Considering the number of old fashion trends that have been reappearing in popular media, and even the ways that outdated technology like old digital cameras are being used more often, it seems like many people my age would love to have grown up in simpler times. Through my photos and writing, I am aiming to create a world that people from the past would be excited to live in.”

Eliana Vega

Eunice Fernandez

MAY TERM

A signature program (celebrating its 25th anniversary!) for seniors where individuals and teams work on Community Engagement Projects, Creative Inquiries, Entrepreneurial Ventures, Teaching Experiences, and Internships. They also had the opportunity to travel to Greece and experience firsthand what it means to live well, and how their society has encouraged wellness over time and consider the relationship between wellness and culture and uncover the real secret to a longer life. May Term is a final opportunity to design an educational experience for our seniors, allowing them the freedom to pursue their passions, take responsibility, and engage with the world.

Thank you to all of the MKA Alumni and Parents who provided internship opportunities for our seniors! If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Madison Kilduff: mkilduff@mka.org

"I am aiming to create a world that people from the past would be excited to live in..."

Athletics

WINTER 2023-2024 TEAM AND STUDENT-ATHLETE HONORS AND AWARDS

During the recently completed 2024 Winter Athletics season, the following MKA teams, coaches and athletes achieved honors:

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Head Coach: Tony Jones (24th Year) Record: 14-9

Viraj Bansal ’24 MKA Coaches Award

Ryan Graf ’24 Honorable Mention All-Prep B

Danny Hua ’24 Captain

Ben Otner ’24 1st Team All-Prep B; MKA Offensive Player of the Year Award; 1st Team All-Freedom; Division, SEC

Imanuel Udofia ’24 Captain; 1st Team AllPrep B; MKA Defensive Player of the Year Award; 1st Team; All-Freedom Division, SEC

Van Girton-Marshall ’25 2nd Team AllPrep B; Honorable Mention All-Freedom Division, SEC

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Head Coach: Isabella Mendez ‘16 (3rd Year) Record: 14-11

Salange Bell ’24 Captain; Honorable Mention All-Prep B; 2nd Team All-Colonial Division, SEC

Aeryn Curren ’24 Captain; 2nd Team All-Prep B; MKA Most Committed Player Award; 1st Team All-Colonial; Division, SEC; MKA Winter Captain’s Prize Recipient Saniyah Bansal ’26 MKA Most Improved Player Award

Lily Belle Critchley ’26 Honorable Mention All-Colonial Division, SEC

BOYS’ FENCING

Head Coach: Derek Morf (4th Year) Record: 10-1

Gary Gao ’24 Captain

Ethan Huang ’25 Captain; 2nd Team Sabre All-State, nj.com

Tré Jamison ’25 MKA Fencers’ Choice Award

Benjamin Rosenberg ’25 Captain

Caspar Turck ’25 Captain; 1st Team Sabre All-State, nj.com

Charlie Lim ’26 MKA Leadership Award

GIRLS’ FENCING

Head Coach: Derek Morf (4th Year) Record: 0-0

Rachael Huang ’26 MKA Rookie of the Year Award; 2nd Team Sabre All-State, nj.com

ICE HOCKEY

Head Coach: Tim Cook (8th Year) Record: 1-15-2

Matthew Bonarti ’24 Captain; MKA Players’ Player of the Year Award

Gary Hu ’24 Captain; 2nd Team All-McInnis

THE MKA CAPTAIN’S AWARD

The MKA Captain's Award is given out each season to the MKA Team Captain who has exhibited the qualities that we look for in our team captains: leadership, dedication, respect, work ethic, and being a role model both on and off the field to his or her teammates and peers.

Congratulations to the winner of the MKA Winter Captain’s Award, Girls’ Basketball Captain, Aeryn Curren ’24. Head Girls’ Basketball Coach Izzy Mendez '16 states, “As a captain, Aeryn always puts the team first and herself second. She makes her teammates feel seen and heard and is a role model to all of them, demonstrating how a student-athlete should act and look. She is reliable, honest, and fully dedicated to our program and our goals. She has a strong and positive relationship with the coaching staff and all of her teammates. Aeryn is truly one of the most hard-working athletes that I've ever coached and gives 100% effort in everything she does.”

Division, NJIHL; MKA Most Valuable Player Award

Ayan Flowers ’25 Honorable Mention AllMcInnis Division, NJIHL

Henry McCann ’25 Captain; Honorable Mention All-McInnis Division, NJIHL

Nicholas Sykora ’25 Captain

Alexander Shilkrot ’26 MKA Most Improved Player Award

BOYS’ INDOOR TRACK & FIELD

Head Coach: Timothy White (3rd Year)

Aidan Maas ’24 Captain; 2nd Team 3200

All-Liberty Division, SEC

Amari Miller ’24 Captain; MKA Coaches Award

Samuel Akaho ’26 MKA Most Valuable Athlete Award

Jonah Hecht ’26 MKA Most Improved Athlete Award

GIRLS’ INDOOR TRACK & FIELD

Head Coach: Timothy White (3rd Year)

Maggie Hedberg ’24 Captain; MKA Most Improved Athlete Award; Honorable Mention All-Liberty Division, SEC; Honorable Mention All-Essex County

Margaret Horn ’24 Captain; 1st Team 3200

All-Essex County

Kellen Ievers ’24 Captain; MKA Most Valuable Athlete Award; 1st Team Shot Put All-Liberty Division, SEC

Olga Shandarivska’24 Captain

Sydney Fradette ’25 1st Team 1600/3200 All-Liberty Division, SEC; Honorable Mention All-Essex County

Mila Huang ’26 2nd Team Pole Vault All

Non-Public, nj.com; 1st Team Pole Vault

All-Essex County

Olivia Olson ’27 MKA Coaches Award

BOYS’ SWIMMING

Head Coach: Cienne Keegan (1st Year) Record: 3-6

Tyler Davis ’24 Captain; Honorable Mention All-SEC

Graeme George ’25 MKA Coaches Award

Dilan Lalla ’25 Captain

Trevor Gauvin ’27 MKA Rookie of the Year Award

Simon Maza ’27 MKA Most Valuable Swimmer Award

SPRING 2024 TEAM AND STUDENT-ATHLETE HONORS AND AWARDS

GIRLS’ SWIMMING

Head Coach: Cienne Keegan (1st Year) Record: 5-6

Tyna Davis ’24 Captain Hannah Ewing ’24 Captain; MKA Most Valuable Swimmer Award; 2nd Team 500 Freestyle, All-SEC

Julia Larish ’24 Captain Lena Forysiak ’25 Honorable Mention All-SEC

Phoebe Hirsh ’25 MKA Coaches Award

Emma Flick ’27 MKA Rookie of the Year Award

*During the recently completed 2024 Spring Athletics season, the following MKA teams, coaches and athletes achieved honors:

BASEBALL

Head Coach: Michael Sasso ‘12 (1st Year) Record: 9-17

Zachary Goyal ’24 Captain

Eli Solomon ’24 Captain

Brooks Barrett ’25 1st Team All-Prep B; Honorable Mention All-Liberty Division, SEC Quinn Carlesimo ’25 MKA Most Valuable Player Award; 1st Team All-Prep B; 1st Team All-Liberty Division, SEC; SEC All-Academic Team

Josh Katz ’25 MKA Most Improved Player Award

Alessandro Rizio ’25 1st Team All-Prep B; 2nd Team All-Liberty Division, SEC; SEC AllAcademic Team

Finn Balan ’26 Honorable Mention AllLiberty Division, SEC Lucas Barbetta ’27 MKA Rookie of the Year Award; Honorable Mention All-Prep B

SOFTBALL

Head Coach: Jessica Sarfati (14th Year) Record: 16-9

Eunice Fernandez ’24 Captain; Honorable Mention All-Colonial Division, SEC Elizabeth LoPiccolo ’24 Captain; MKA Most Valuable Player Award; 1st Team AllPrep B; 1st Team All-Colonial Division, SEC; SEC All-Academic Team

Lucy Osterberg ’24 Captain Marin Ievers ’25 MKA Coaches Award; 2nd Team All-Colonial Division, SEC; SEC AllAcademic Team

Maudie Lomuscio ’26 2nd Team All-Colonial Division, SEC; SEC All-Academic Team

Olivia Healey ’27 MKA Rookie of the Year Award; 1st Team All-Prep B; 1st Team All-Colonial Division, SEC; SEC All-

Academic Team

Gabriella Ladd ’27 1st Team All-Prep B; 1st Team All-Colonial Division, SEC

Eva Sieger ’27 Honorable Mention AllPrep B; 1st Team All-Colonial Division, SEC; SEC All-Academic Team

BOYS’ LACROSSE

Head Coach: Dave Giarrusso (4th Year) Record: 10-9; 2024 SEC Liberty Division Co-Champions

Nicholas Snyder ’24 Captain; MKA Noll Klank Memorial Award; 1st Team All-Prep B; 1st Team All-Liberty Division, SEC; 2nd Team All-Bianchi Division, NJILL; SEC AllAcademic Team

Miles Black ’25 Honorable Mention AllLiberty Division, SEC

Henry McCann ’25 Captain; 1st Team AllLiberty Division, SEC; 1st Team All-Bianchi Division, NJILL; SEC All-Academic Team

Simon Hardiman ’26 MKA Alumni

Outstanding Teammate Award; 1st Team All-Prep B; 2nd Team All-Liberty Division, SEC; SEC All-Academic Team

Thomas Meeker ’26 1st Team All-Liberty Division, SEC; 2nd Team All-Bianchi Division, NJILL; SEC All-Academic Team

Noah Rodgers ’26 2nd Team All-Liberty Division, SEC; 1st Team All-Bianchi Division, NJILL; SEC All-Academic Team

Ben Safirstein ’26 MKA Most Improved Player Award; 2nd Team All-Liberty Division, SEC

Charlie Wolff ’26 1st Team All-Liberty Division, SEC; Honorable Mention AllBianchi Division, NJILL

Kiran Hailey ’27 2nd Team All-Liberty Division, SEC; SEC All-Academic Team

GIRLS’ LACROSSE

Head Coach: Chelsea Goss (9th Year) Record: 21-2; 2024 NJISAA Prep B State Champions; 2024 NJIGLL Freedom White Division Champions; 2024 SEC Liberty Division Champions; 2024 NJSIAA NonPublic B State Champions

Aeryn Curren ’24 Captain; MKA Most Valuable Player Award; 1st Team All-Liberty Division, SEC; 1st Team All-Freedom White Division, NJIGLL; 1st Team All-Prep B; SEC All-Academic Team; 1st Team All NonPublic, nj.com

Ava Moore ’24 Captain; MKA Coaches Award; 1st Team All-Liberty Division, SEC; 1st Team All-Freedom White Division, NJIGLL; 1st Team All-Prep B; SEC AllAcademic Team Maddie Polanskyj ’24 Honorable Mention All-Liberty Division, SEC Orly Sedransk ’24 Captain; MKA Defensive Player of the Year Award; 1st Team All-Liberty Division, SEC; 1st Team All-Freedom White Division, NJIGLL; 1st Team All-Prep B; SEC All-Academic Team; 1st Team All Non-Public, nj.com; 3rd Team All-State, nj.com

Maggie Murphy ’26 2nd Team All-Liberty Division, SEC; 1st Team All-Freedom White Division, NJIGLL; Honorable Mention AllPrep B; SEC All-Academic Team

Shea Murphy ’26 1st Team All-Liberty Division, SEC; 2nd Team All-Freedom White Division, NJIGLL; 1st Team All-Prep B; SEC All-Academic Team

Caroline Cuneo ’27 2nd Team All-Liberty Division, SEC; 2nd Team All-Freedom White Division, NJIGLL

Elizabeth Scuorzo ’27 2nd Team All-

Liberty Division, SEC; 2nd Team AllFreedom White Division, NJIGLL; SEC

All-Academic Team

Payton Sullivan ’27 Honorable Mention

All-Freedom White Division, NJIGLL

GIRLS’ TRACK & FIELD

Head Coach: Timothy White (4th Year) Record: 5-1

Maggie Hedberg ’24 Captain

Margaret Horn ’24 Captain Kellen Ievers ’24 Captain; 2nd Team Shot

Put All-Colonial Division, SEC; 2nd Team

Discus All-Colonial Division, SEC; SEC

All-Academic Team; 3rd Team Discus All Non-Public, nj.com

Dillyn Kim ’24 2nd Team Triple Jump AllColonial Division, SEC

Olga Shandarivska ’24 Captain; MKA Coaches Award

Kitty Williams ’24 Captain; 1st Team

Discus All-Colonial Division, SEC; SEC

All-Academic Team; 2nd Team Discus All Non-Public, nj.com

Natalie Ewing ’25 Captain

Sydney Fradette ’25 Captain; 1st Team

3200m All-Colonial Division, SEC; 2nd Team 1600m All-Colonial Division, SEC; SEC

All-Academic Team

Mila Huang ’26 2nd Team Pole Vault All Non-Public, nj.com

Allaire Streater ’26 MKA Rookie of the Year Award

Chloe Valentine ’27 MKA Most Improved Athlete Award; Honorable Mention AllColonial Division, SEC

BOYS’ TRACK & FIELD

Head Coach: Timothy White (4th Year) Record: 5-1; 2024 NJSIAA Non-Public B State Champions; 2024 NJISAA Prep B State Champions

Matthew Bonarti ’24 Captain; 2nd Team Javelin All-Colonial Division, SEC; SEC AllAcademic Team

Stephen Hatfield ’24 Captain

Aidan Maas ’24 Captain; MKA Most Improved Athlete Award; Honorable Mention All-Colonial Division, SEC Ayan Flowers ’25 MKA Rookie of the Year Award; 1st Team Javelin All-Colonial Division, SEC

Kalvin Thomas ’25 Captain; 1st Team High Hurdles All-Colonial Division, SEC; 1st Team

Long Jump All-Colonial Division, SEC; 1st Team Triple Jump All-Colonial Division, SEC

Martin Ajayi ’26 2nd Team 800m All-Colonial Division, SEC; SEC All-Academic Team

Samuel Akaho ’26 2nd Team Intermediate Hurdles All-Colonial Division, SEC Tyler Ho ’26 MKA Coaches Award

BOYS’ TENNIS

Head Coach: Val Azzoli (19th Year) Record: 15-6; 2024 NJISAA Prep B State Champions

Luis Crespo ’24 Captain; MKA Coaches Award; MKA Spring Captain’s Prize Recipient; 1st Team All-American Division, SEC

Christopher Hernandez ’24 MKA Most Valuable Player Award; 1st Team All-American Division, SEC; SEC All-Academic Team

Sam Turovets ’24 2nd Team All-American Division, SEC; 2nd Team 2nd Doubles All Non-Public, nj.com

Camron Ganchi ’25 Captain; 2nd Team AllAmerican Division, SEC; SEC All-Academic Team; 2nd Team 2nd Doubles All NonPublic, nj.com

Sean Wang ’25 Captain; 1st Team AllAmerican Division, SEC; SEC All-Academic Team

Alex Crespo ’26 Honorable Mention AllAmerican Division, SEC Santos Garner ’26 Honorable Mention All-American Division, SEC; SEC AllAcademic Team

GOLF

Head Coach: Spencer Pyke (1st Year) Record: 9-7

Griffin La Londe ’25 Captain; MKA Most Valuable Player Award; 1st Team All-Liberty Division, SEC; 1st Team All Non-Public B, nj.com

Benjamin Morganstein ’25 Honorable Mention All-Liberty Division, SEC

William Morral’26 MKA Most Improved Player Award

THE MKA CAPTAIN’S AWARD

Congratulations to the winner of the MKA Spring Captain’s Award, Boys’ Tennis Captain, Luis Crespo ’24. Coach Val Azzoli said, “They say a coach is only as good as the team he or she coaches, well I would like to take that one step further. A successful team is only as good as their captain. Without the incredible leadership Luis displayed throughout the season and unwavering dedication he has given to the team, we would not have experienced the incredible level of success we had this season. He has instilled a winning attitude on our team with both our freshman and upperclassmen, always pushing the team to do better and not afraid of working hard to achieve that goal. He has worked hard on and off the court, and his enthusiasm for the game and loyalty towards his teammates are remarkable. It was a true pleasure coaching him, and although he will be missed, his spirit and winning attitude will resonate with the team for years to come. These attributes will not only serve him well as he continues his collegiate athletic career this fall but also as he continues forward in life.”

CONTRATULATIONS

NCAA

Four percent of all high school senior athletes in the United States go on to compete at the NCAA level (per NCAA studies). This year the MKA Department of Athletics is proud to announce that 12 of our current 68 senior student athletes (18%) will go on to compete at the collegiate level. Congratulations to our senior studentathletes in the Class of ‘24 on making their dream to compete at the collegiate level a reality. Their hard work, dedication, and resiliency have paid off, and we wish them the very best in their next chapter.

Front Row from left to right: Maggie Horn (University of Chicago/Cross Country, Track & Field); Orly Sedransk (University of Pennsylvania/Lacrosse); Luis Crespo (Ithaca College/Tennis). Middle Row from left to right: Kitty Williams (Princeton University/Ice Hockey); Milagros Carbajal Diaz (Stevens Institute of Technology/Tennis); Ava Moore (University of Chicago/Lacrosse); Ellie LoPiccolo (Franklin & Marshall College/Softball). Back row from left to right: Hannah Ewing (Carnegie Mellon University/Swimming); Aeryn Curren (Davidson College/ Lacrosse); Cy Rosenberg (Princeton University/Crew); Kellen Ievers (Johns Hopkins University/Track & Field); Nicholas Snyder (Haverford College/Lacrosse).

CLASS OF 2024 LIFERS

“Those of you who have spent your entire school years at MKA carry a profound sense of loyalty, belonging, and investment in our community. You and your family’s steadfast presence fosters continuity, stability, and a sense of tradition, enriching the school's culture and leaving an indelible mark on its legacy."

MKA CELEBRATES THE CLASS OF 2024 “LIFERS”

Each of the 22 students from the Class of 2024 who have attended MKA since they were in Pre-K, Kindergarten, or first grade were celebrated at the school’s annual ‘Lifer’ celebration. Head of Upper School Dr. David C. Flocco shared memories that only students who attended MKA for their entire school life would know, including advice from former long-time Head of Primary School Ginger Kriegel and Primary School teacher Pat Parke who knew these students from their first days at school.

He said, “Those of you who have spent your entire school years at MKA carry a profound sense of loyalty, belonging, and investment in our community. You and your family’s steadfast presence fosters continuity, stability, and a sense of tradition, enriching the school's culture and leaving an indelible mark on its legacy."

CUM LAUDE SOCIETY

induction

Established in 1906, the Cum Laude Society is modeled on the Phi Beta Kappa Collegiate National Honor Society and recognizes the scholastic achievement of secondary school students.

Twenty-two seniors from the MKA Class of 2024 were inducted into the Cum Laude Society. It is the highest academic honor bestowed on members of the graduating class. The Cum Laude selection process relies both on a record of academic excellence and on nominations from the academic departments that reflect the character of students’ engagement with teaching and learning. Luke Sarsfield ’91, an alumnus, Cum Laude Society member, and Board of Trustees Vice President emphasized the fundamental importance of scholarship and academic excellence at MKA. He highlighted the school's dedication to fostering rigorous and ethical academic standards among its students and alumni, noting that “the first word of our motto, ‘Knowledge’ highlights the importance of the academic endeavors that take place here.” Luke commended the newest inductees for their achievements, acknowledging their contribution to elevating the Academy's already high standards. He said, “You are role models for your peers and for future students, and I can tell from my

conversations with our faculty, that they are intensely proud of both your academic achievements and the incredible people and leaders you have grown to be.” He also emphasized the crucial support of the students by their families and the faculty at MKA and offered congratulations to them as well. While each student inducted into the Cum Laude Society possesses unique strengths and interests, collectively they have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their academic journey at MKA.

2024 CUM LAUDE INDUCTEES

Alexander Abdulhayoglu, Alana Arcilla, Emma Cho, Hannah Ewing, Eunice Fernandez, Ellis Fertig, Gary Zhutian Gao, Sebastian Gonzalez, Zachary Goyal, Leyna Greenberg , Stephen Hatfield, Margaret Horn, Gary Hu, Kellen levers, Kaavya Krishnan, Devin Ramsay, Cyrus Rosenberg, Naya Saker, Olga Shandarivska, Elias Solomon, Hilal Tokat, Catherine Williams

PROM 2024!

Seniors slaying the prom game and making memories that will last a lifetime.

Awards

STUDENTS IN THE CLASS OF 2024 HONORED WITH ACADEMIC, ENGAGEMENT, AND ATHLETIC AWARDS

Congratulations to the outstanding Montclair Kimberley Academy seniors who have been honored with academic, engagement, and athletic awards. We could not be more proud of their hard work, dedication, and the impressive feats they have accomplished during the 2023-2024 school year.

COMMENCEMENT AWARDS

Marjorie Winfield Easter Award – Marjorie Winfield Easter, Headmistress at The Kimberley School from 19601965, encouraged creative self-expression and selfless dedication to the school community. It is with this in mind that we present the Marjorie Winfield Easter Award to the senior who, behind-thescenes, has given generously to the MKA community without expecting formal recognition. The award winner has consistently demonstrated outstanding character, leadership qualities, and moral values: Eunice Fernandez

Rudolph Deetjen Awards – The Rudolph Deetjen Awards are given in memory of Mr. Rudolph Deetjen, a 1950 graduate of Montclair Academy, Brookside School Headmaster from 19731974, and Head of Middle School from 1974-1977. He was instrumental in the merger of Brookside School, The Kimberley School, and Montclair Academy in 1974. The Rudolph Deetjen Awards are presented to one female and one male student-athlete in the senior class who have distinguished records in MKA athletics and academic work and whose character and deportment have been a positive influence in the life of the school. Award winners will have demonstrated a positive attitude in the classroom, in their respective athletic arenas,

and in the community at large, exemplifying the grace, humility, tenacity, and charisma that defined Rudolph Deetjen’s life: Aeryn Curren, Stephen Hatfield

Robert C. Hemmeter

Memorial Award – The Robert C. Hemmeter Memorial Award was established in June 1990 by The Board of Trustees of Montclair Kimberley Academy in memory of Robert C. Hemmeter. Bob served Montclair Academy and Montclair Kimberley Academy from 1962-1990 as a Master Teacher, Advisor, Coach, Department Chairman, and Dean of Faculty. A resolution written by the Board describes Bob as a model of scholarship, dedication, caring, and friendship to students, colleagues, and trustees. To remember Bob, the Board has established an award to be given to a senior with interests beyond the classroom. The recipient must have intellectual curiosity and a love of books, enjoy sports and cultural activities, and have an enthusiasm for living that will lead them beyond the MKA community: Margaret Horn

Ethel M. Spurr Award –Ethel Spurr, Headmistress of The Kimberley School from 1950-60, embodied strong leadership, passion for teaching, and generosity with time and service. She brought new ideas and positive change to the curriculum, the daily schedule, extra-curricular

activities, and student life.

The person receiving this award should be an involved and dynamic member of the MKA community and must possess the self-starting and enthusiastic approach to academics and engagement in school life for which Miss Spurr was known. The ideal winner of this award seeks to bring new perspectives to the school to strengthen and transform existing programs: Emma Choy

Dr. Peter R. Greer Character Award – Given annually to a senior who has demonstrated exceptional character, this award honors Dr. Peter R. Greer, MKA Headmaster from 1992-2005, for his commitment to the field of ethics. The recipient embodies virtues including honesty, generosity, kindness, and respect. The person receiving the award should be someone who embraces the Socratic principle "Know thyself." Ellis Fertig

DEPARTMENT AWARDS

William Miller Prize in Science – Established as a bequest from William Henry Miller who taught science at Montclair Academy for 46 years, it is awarded to a senior who has demonstrated the greatest academic excellence in the sciences: Gary Hu

Downsbrough Prize –Awarded jointly by the Science and Math Departments, the Downsbrough Prize was established in 1982 by parents

of a Montclair Academy graduate. This award is given to a senior with high moral and ethical standards who has shown outstanding intellectual capacity in physical sciences or mathematics by achieving distinguished grades in these subjects and demonstrating exceptional ability in related projects: Cyrus Rosenberg

Margaret Jenkins Osborne Prize for Excellence in Science – The Margaret Jenkins Osborne Prize for Excellence in Science was established in 1973 by the students and faculty of The Kimberley School to honor Mrs. Osborne’s outstanding service to the school. Mrs. Osborne is a member of The Kimberley School Class of 1950. This award is given to a senior who has demonstrated outstanding interest in science, understanding of concepts, and creativity in their studies in the field: Kaavya Krishnan

National

Strings – The Montclair Kimberley Academy National School Orchestra Award is presented by The Instrumentalist Magazine. It recognizes outstanding students in the MKA Strings Program who have shown exceptional talent, dedication, and commitment to their instrument: Matthew Bonarti, Christopher Hernandez

John Philip Sousa Band Award – Introduced in 1955 to honor the top student in the high school band,

the John Philip Sousa Band Award® recognizes superior musicianship and outstanding dedication. It was created with the approval of Helen Sousa Albert and Priscilla Sousa, daughters of the famous composer and bandmaster: Nolan Gyves

Louis Armstrong Jazz Award

– The Louis Armstrong Jazz Award® was inaugurated in 1974 with the consent of his widow shortly after this great jazz artist died in 1971. It honors the outstanding jazz musician at each high school: Jared Greene

Visual Art – The Visual Arts awards are given to the seniors who have distinguished themselves with outstanding technique and skill in their craft, find joy and demonstrates determination in art making, and have stayed true to their individual style and voice: Hudson Hargrave, Olga Shandarivska

Anthony Cuneo – The Anthony Cuneo Award is named for Tony Cuneo, Drawing, Painting, and Photography teacher at MKA from 1988 - 2018. Talented in a variety of disciplines, Tony’s sense of humor, high intellect, knowledge of and devotion to the visual arts and its pedagogy informed all of his work, whether it was in paint, through a lens, or as a mentor to the thousands of students he taught at MKA. The Anthony Cuneo Award is awarded to a senior who has demonstrated a sustained curiosity in, commitment to, and love for the arts in at least two disciplines: Eliana Vega

Vocal – The Vocal Music Award is given to a senior(s) who has distinguished themselves with outstanding technique,

skill, musical aptitude, and expression. This student demonstrates determination and exemplary work in ensemble and/or solo singing: Aidan Maas, Caroline Sachs

Dance – The Dance Award is given to a senior who has shown tremendous growth in technique and artistic expression, as well as demonstrated leadership qualities for the overall program through consistent dedication and professionalism: Leyna Greenberg

Marilyn Faden Awards for Excellence in the Theatre Arts – Presented to students who have a true love of theatre:

Musical Theater Award – Elliot Higgins, May Slim Deetjen Award for Drama –Logan Zur Technical Theater Award–

Anabelle Gonzalez, Sebastian Gonzalez

World Language Prizes –

Each year, the Upper School World Languages Department recognizes the top students in the twelfth grade in Chinese, French, Latin, and Spanish. The students who earn these awards excel in and out of the classroom and engage in the study of language and culture with empathy and understanding. Students are nominated by their current teachers, and then the awardees are decided upon by the department as a whole:

Latin – Zain Zaidi

Spanish – Sebastian Gonzalez Chinese – Ellis Fertig

French – Olga Shandarivska

History Prize – Awarded to a senior who demonstrates enthusiasm for the study of history and society, a strong engagement with the research process, a generous spirit with

classmates, and academic excellence in the department: Aidan Maas

John Rabuse History Prize – In the spirit of Jack Rabuse, long-time history teacher with a particular passion for American history, politics, and the presidency, the John Rabuse History Prize is awarded to that junior or senior student who truly loves American History and is interested in politics, the Presidency, and the workings of government: Elias Solomon

Computer Science Award –

Awarded annually to a senior who has demonstrated excellence in, and dedication to, the field of computer science through performance in classes, independent study, and work outside of the classroom. Alexander Abdulayoglu

Nazarian Prize for Mathematics – Established in 1982 in memory of Winifred and Samuel Nazarian and awarded to a senior who has demonstrated excellence in, and dedication to, mathematics: Gary Hu

Barras Prize in English – This award fosters the memory of William Avery Barras, who, with inspiring scholarship, taught English at Montclair Academy for 28 years, until his death in 1957. The Barras English Prize is awarded to a senior whose work at the Upper School has reflected outstanding scholarship, a unique literary voice, and an abiding belief in the value of great literature, both in and out of the classroom: Bella Kuick

FACULTY AWARDS

Scott M. Johnson Memorial

Award – Given annually to the MKA graduating senior who has best demonstrated a spirit of warmth, generosity, and goodwill toward others. Scott M. Johnson, MKA Class of 1993, embodied that spirit as a student at MKA and Trinity College, as an archeologist in Israel, as an investment banker in New York, and as a dear friend to many around the world. Scott’s life was tragically taken on September 11, 2001, but his kind, welcoming spirit is alive in the hearts of his loving family and friends and prevails each time a person treats another as Scott did. So that humanity may progress with respect and understanding, the recipient of this award is recognized as a torchbearer of Scott’s fine spirit: Devin Ramsay

Everett Glenn Memorial Medal – As created by his fellow classmates, the Glenn Medal honors the outstanding House Captain who demonstrates the same warmth, enthusiasm, and infectious love our beloved Everett Glenn, Strong House Captain ’11, exhibited during his time at MKA. Like Everett, this recipient not only executes their duties as a captain with pride and excellence but possesses the innate ability to inspire, motivate, and unite their house. This recipient inspires all members of the MKA House System to act and lead their community in the unforgettable way that Everett did: Kendal Walls

Bud Mekeel Memorial Award – This award is named for O. Stanley “Bud” Mekeel, Class of 1929, who was involved in all aspects of school life at Montclair Academy, including sports, drama, publications, and student government. The award is given to a talented and

distinguished MKA senior and is to be applied toward firstyear expenses at the college of the recipient’s choice: Eunice Fernandez

Elliot Furbert Memorial Award – Given annually to a worthy senior of outstanding character and academic promise, this award honors the memory of Elliot Furbert, MKA Class of 2014. In his time at the Upper School, Elliot demonstrated what happens when an unmatched work ethic and appetite for challenge meets broad opportunity and strong mentorship. In his academic program, on the track, while playing tenor sax, as president of his class, and in a series of prestigious programs outside of MKA, Elliot stood for quality and integrity ne plus ultra. The recipient must possess the fine qualities embodied in Elliot: intellectual curiosity, a high level of engagement in a variety of school activities, and unwavering character: Jaelyn Alexander

James D. Timmons Award –

The James D. Timmons Award was established in 1982 by Anita Timmons to honor her husband, a trustee, parent, and grandparent. It is awarded to an MKA senior who is the child of an MKA faculty member. The recipient is honored for distinguished academic work and significant contributions to the life of the senior class and the MKA community: Shea Branigan

Head’s Awards – Awarded to seniors who have made a unique contribution to MKA and have changed the school for the better: Alana Arcilla, Zach Goyal, Hannah Ewing, Naya Saker

SCHOLAR AWARDS

Mary K. Waring Scholars –Students who make the High Honor Roll (no grade below an A-) in both semesters of a given school year: Giorgio Altirs, Viraj Bansal, Dylan Fishman, Gary Zhutian Gao, Bridget Goldman, Sebastian Gonzalez, Gary Hu, Azariah Johnson, Maya Koserowski, Aidan Maas, Devin Ramsay, Cyrus Rosenberg, Naya Saker, Henry Sun, Zain Zaidi

Avery Barras Distinguished Scholar – Students who make the High Honor Roll in both semesters of a given school year, and who earn all A’s: Alexander Abdulhayoglu, Hannah Ewing, Ellis Fertig, Zachary Goyal, Kellen Ievers, Bella Kuick

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARDS

Presidential Service Awards

– A government premier volunteer awards program that encourages citizens, through presidential recognition, to live a life of service. Awards are based on hours of engagement. A Bronze Award to students who perform 100174 hours; a Silver to students who perform 175-249 hours; and finally, a Gold Award to students who perform over 250 hours of community engagement. The following students were recognized for their Community Engagement hours:

Gold – Kellen Ievers, Henry Kilcoyne

Silver – Gary Zhutian Gao, Stephen Hatfield

Bronze – Orly Sedransk

Senior Community Engagement Award –Awarded to the student or students who have

demonstrated a commitment to developing a deeper understanding of the needs and perspectives in the community in order to make a positive difference: Orly Sedransk

ATHLETICS AWARDS

Yogi Berra Museum’s “Best Teammate Award” – Given to that MKA team member who represents the very best of what being a teammate is all about: Elias Solomon (Baseball)

Essex County ScholarAthlete Award Recipients – Each year the Essex County Athletic Directors’ Association selects a male and female recipient from each school in Essex County in recognition of their achievements in the classroom and within Essex County athletics: Nicholas Snyder (Cross Country, Lacrosse), Orly Sedransk (Lacrosse)

NJSIAA Scholar-Athlete Award Recipient – Given to that student-athlete who has maintained no less than a 3.0 GPA, has exhibited outstanding school and community citizenship, and has exhibited excellence in his or her chosen sport throughout their career: Kellen Ievers (Indoor Track, Track Field)

Spring Captain’s Prize –Awarded each season to the team captain who best exemplifies the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and fair play: Luis Crespo (Soccer, Tennis)

Klein Award – The MKA “Klein Awards” are given in memory of Dr. William Klein, eminent physical sports enthusiast and grandfather of two graduates

of Montclair Academy. The Klein Awards recognize one male and female studentathlete in each grade who exemplify, within the current school year, excellence in athletics and character and achieve a creditable record in academics. Award winners must demonstrate dedication to their studies and a positive and respectful attitude towards their teachers, coaches, and peers: Salange Bell (Soccer, Basketball, Track and Field), Imanuel Udofia (Basketball)

MKA Varsity Awards – The MKA Varsity Award recognizes senior athletes for their dedication, success, and achievement throughout the course of their MKA athletic careers. The MKA Varsity Award is given in recognition to those senior athletes who have received 10 or more varsity letters throughout their MKA athletic careers: Salange Bell (Soccer, Basketball, Track and Field), Aeryn Curren (Soccer, Basketball, Lacrosse), Margaret Horn (Field Hockey, Cross Country, Indoor Track, Track and Field), Olga Shandarivska (Cross Country, Indoor Track, Track and Field)

Al Stapf Award – Presented to a senior who has overcome a physical handicap or serious injury in order to contribute to the success of athletics at Montclair Kimberley Academy: Kellen Ievers (Indoor Track, Track and Field)

EIGHTH GRADE CLOSING CEREMONY

Proud families, faculty, administrators, and Trustees filled Logan Auditorium at the Eighth Grade Closing Exercises.

Head of School Nigel D. Furlonge reflected on the students' Middle School experience, drawing inspiration from the eighth grade’s fall play, The Phantom Tollbooth. He offered five key lessons: seek and offer help, appreciate life's daily lessons, perform acts of service, and show kindness to those around you. He also noted that in addition to transformative academic experiences, the Middle School journey nurtured a love of learning with purpose and integrity. Students were encouraged to explore, question, and push ideas and boundaries artistically, athletically, and intellectually. They confronted challenges, forged friendships, and learned resilience. Student leaders noted the significant milestone of leaving Middle School behind. Caleb Kwon, Student Government President, said, “Don’t let doubt hold you back. The world is yours for the taking; you have everything you need to make your dreams come true. Stay curious, and keep learning…this all begins with saying ‘yes.’” Student Government Vice President Georgia Aitken shared encouragement. “Every challenge we’ve faced in middle school, we’ve worked through,” she said. “There’s a saying: ‘Leave the past in the past,’ and I encourage you all to do just that. Learn from your mistakes. Put them behind you and keep going, but don’t be afraid to look back every once in a while and see how far you’ve come.”

Head of Middle School Dr. Carlaina Bell expressed her gratitude to the entire community. Praising the students' growth, she said, "Your compassion, thoughtfulness, and sense of community have enriched everyone around you. Congratulations! As you embark on this new journey, I have no doubt you are all well-prepared."

3rd grade

CLOSING EXERCISES

Head of Primary School Yungjin Oh welcomed the teachers, families, Trustees, Head of School Nigel D. Furlonge, and the future fourth graders. During the ceremony, songs were sung, certificates were awarded, and the accomplishments of this wonderful group of students were joyfully celebrated.

Mr. Oh's message to the graduating class centered around the power of storytelling in building community. “My wish for this class,” he said, “is to keep telling and listening to stories from each other. This will not only bring your class together but also strengthen it. …If stories shed light on who you are, then I can confidently say that this class is smart, funny, curious, silly, respectful, and most importantly, HAPPY.” This strong sense of community, Mr. Oh assured them, will find a new home on their next campus. Mr. Furlonge addressed the students and recognized the support and partnership of Primary School teachers and families who made their Brookside experience so enriching. He noted the soon-to-be fourth graders’ adventurous spirits and said, “You are creative, curious, and imaginative. You are resilient. You are willing to explore different paths.” Mr. Furlonge spoke of their blossoming love for the arts and the infectious joy they brought to recess. He highlighted the invaluable skills they honed at Brookside: problem-solving, reading fluency, imaginative writing, and, most importantly, kindness and compassion. "We are proud," he concluded, "to say that much of who you are and who you will be was forged here at Brookside."

Commencement

Celebrates the Class of 2024

Montclair Kimberley Academy

US COMMENCEMENT

The Class of 2024 was celebrated as the 50th class that graduated from MKA, the product of the merger of Montclair Academy and The Kimberley School in 1974. The event officially launched a year-long celebration of MKA’s first 50 years, honoring MKA’s legacy and building toward a bright future.

Faculty and Board of Trustees members led the procession of the Class of 2024, followed by a welcoming address from Dr. David C. Flocco, Head of Upper School. He praised the graduating class members for their empathy, kindness, compassion, talent, hard work, and success. He urged them to enjoy the journey alongside their achievements, reminding them that “a good life should not simply be pursued but also enjoyed.”

Two seniors shared reflections at the ceremony. Stephen Hatfield kept the audience smiling and said, “MKA has taught us to question the world, learn from its mistakes, and build a better future. Our school and the wonderful teachers within it have provided us with the gifts of knowledge, experience, connection, and best of all, joy. From here on out, we will always be fellow alumni in a network that is both powerful and enduring.” Ellis Fertig passionately endorsed her classmates' future success. “As we step into the unknown, let's not just embrace change, let's chase it,” she said. “Let's be the architects of our own destiny…painting our lives with the vibrant hues of adventure and possibility. Remember, monotony is a pitfall of our own creation. So, let's break free from the confines of pre-written to-do lists and push the boundaries of who we imagine ourselves to be. Congratulations, Class of 2024, we are going to change the world.”

Head of School Nigel D. Furlonge, joined by Vice President of the Board of Trustees Paige Cottingham-Streater ’79 awarded diplomas alongside faculty members and Trustees, who as parents of seniors, participated in the tradition of awarding their own children their diplomas.

Addressing the Class of 2024, Mr. Furlonge urged students to seek joy, which he described as flourishing through collaboration, mutual support during challenges, and witnessing personal growth. He continued, “For your families and the adults at MKA, also known as your biggest fans, our joy is in witnessing you do hard things. Our joy comes in cheering you on, in watching your passion, confidence, and commitment thrive – all as we weave the silken bands of community.”

Student Government President Matthew Bonarti and Senior Class President Devin Ramsay officially concluded the ceremony by ringing the historic Montclair Academy bell.

MONTCLAIR KIMBERLEY ACADEMY

EXTENDS BEST WISHES TO THE CLASS OF 2024

DESTINATIONS

Alexander Abdulhayoglu

Rahil Aggarwal-Wheeler

Jaelyn Alexander

Giorgio Altirs

Jaylen Ankrah-Jones

Alana Arcilla

Andrew Avalos

Viraj Bansal

Salange Bell

Amara Bhatia

Matthew Bonarti

Shea Branigan

Craig Brill

Maria Caggiano

Milagros Carbajal Diaz

Emma Choy

Katie Chung

Caroline Corbett

Luis Crespo

Aeryn Curren

Tyler Davis

Tyna Davis

Tallulah de la Fuente

Chase Derian

Zachary Ehrenreich

Payam Ekrami

Elana Elkhouri

Jasmine Elmore

Hannah Ewing

Eunice Fernandez

Ellis Fertig

Dylan Fishman

Boris Florio

Gary Gao

Bridget Goldman

Anabelle Gonzalez

Sebastian Gonzalez

Dyno Goran

Zachary Goyal

Ryan Graf

Leyna Greenberg

Jared Greene

Nolan Gyves

Hudson Hargrave

Stephen Hatfield

Margaret Hedberg

Christopher Hernandez

Elliot Higgins

Margaret Horn

Gary Hu

Danny Hua

Kellen Ievers

Jules Jacobson

Aaron Jimenez

Azariah Johnson

Henry Kilcoyne

Dillyn Kim

Amira Kittles

Maya Koserowski

Kaavya Krishnan

Bella Kuick

Shivam Kwatra

Julia Larish

Morgan Lee

Hannah Lewis

Emily Lieberman

Liah Lim

Elizabeth LoPiccolo

Aidan Maas

Lucy Macron

María Mejia-Rivera

Amari Miller

Ava Moore

Sean Nigito

Rianne Okai

Gage Orlowski

Lucy Osterberg

Benjamin Otner

Madeline Polanskyj

Milla Powell

Devin Ramsay

Cyrus Rosenberg

Caroline Sachs

Naya Saker

Blanca Sanchez GómezÁlvarez

Orly Sedransk

Olga Shandarivska

William Simms, Jr.

Mariel Slim

Nicholas Snyder

Elias Solomon

Sophie Spitz

Henry Sun

Margaret Temkin

Hilal Tokat

Samuel Turovets

Nathaniel Turvey

Imanuel Udofia

Geoffrey Vaiana

Hunter Valentine

Eliana Vega

Kendal Walls

Catherine Williams

Osias Williams

Noah Winters

Benjamin Wolfson

Zain Zaidi

Logan Zur

American University

Arizona State University

Auburn University

Babson College

Bennington College

Binghamton University

Boston College (4)

Boston University

Bucknell University

University of California-Berkeley

University of Chicago (2)

Colby College

Colgate University (3)

College of Charleston

University of Colorado Boulder

Columbia University (2)

Connecticut College

Cornell University (3)

Davidson College

Duke University

Emerson College (3)

Emory University

Fashion Institute of Technology

University of Florida

Fordham University (2)

Franklin and Marshall College

George Washington University (3)

Georgetown University

Harvard University

Haverford College

Howard University (4)

Indiana University (3)

Ithaca College

Johns Hopkins University

Lafayette College (2)

Macalester College

University of Michigan

Montclair State University

New York University (3)

University of North Carolina

at Chapel Hill

Northeastern University (4)

Northwestern University

University of Notre Dame

Oberlin College (2)

Ohio State University

Pace University

University of Pennsylvania (2)

University of Pittsburgh (2)

Pomona College

Princeton University (2)

University of Richmond

Rochester Institute of Technology

Rutgers University

San Diego State University

Sarah Lawrence College

Skidmore College

University of

Southern California (2)

Spelman College (2)

Stevens Institute of Technology (3)

Syracuse University (3)

Temple University

University of Toronto

Tufts University (2)

Tulane University

United States Naval

Academy Prep School

Vanderbilt University

University of Vermont

Villanova University

Wake Forest University

Williams College

Yale University

ALUMNI NEWS

JOIN US!

Recommendations from MKA’s Alumni Council:

FRIENDSGIVING

We hold one of our favorite events on the night after Thanksgiving: Friendsgiving at Tierney’s. Bring one and all and come celebrate the holiday with your fellow Cougars.

MENTOR A STUDENT

We have had more alumni return to the school than ever before. Many of you have come back to speak to the students in their classes and clubs, volunteered for panel discussions, offered May Term internships, and more. The students appreciate your time, so THANK YOU!

NOMINATE A FELLOW ALUM

We love to celebrate the accomplishments of our alumni. Help us recognize the extraordinary things our graduates are doing by visiting: www.mka.org/alumni/awards.

GET INVOLVED

We are always looking to expand. Now, due to virtual meetings, we can include those who live anywhere in the world. If you are interested in learning more, please don’t hesitate to reach out to alumni@mka.org.

“Paying it forward in this way, and giving back to the school that gave us so much, ensures that students who could otherwise not afford it can have access to the same exceptional education we received...”

A MESSAGE FROM CAITLIN DIRUGGIERO ‘06

As I pass the torch to the next Council President, my heart swells with warmth and gratitude for the incredible journey we’ve shared. Serving as your Alumni Council President and a member of the Alumni Council for the past 9+ years has been a true privilege and also a deeply fulfilling experience. It’s been a journey marked by the bonds we’ve formed, the challenges we’ve overcome, and the triumphs we’ve celebrated as a united, alumni community.

Handing over the reins isn’t just a ceremonial gesture; it’s a moment of profound significance, signaling the continuity of our shared vision and the enduring strength of our collective spirit which originated in these halls and on these fields. For me, it’s about entrusting our legacy to capable hands who will carry our mission forward with passion and dedication. I am filled with confidence that Stu Harwood ’07 will bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and a steadfast commitment to advancing the interests of our alumni family. Let us welcome him with open arms and stand by his side as he leads us into a future.

MEET STU HARWOOD ’07, ALUMNI COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Stuart ‘Stu’ Harwood is an Industrial Logistics Services Specialist at Newmark Grubb Knight Frank (NMRK). In this role, Stu designs and implements strategies specific to his clients’ needs. This encompasses acquisitions/dispositions, lease transactions, and general location action plans for industrial-related commercial real estate assets. In addition, he assists his family with their family business, Harwood Properties (Formerly Square Industries), which focuses on the Real Estate and Parking Services sector. Stu has been a steadfast MKA community member and volunteer since his enrollment in seventh grade. He is a 2011 graduate of Lehigh University, where he received a bachelor's degree in Business & Economics and a minor in Real Estate. In his downtime, Stu works with various local and regional organizations between his hometown of Montclair and his current location of Jersey City, while also making time to work on his cooking skills. Most recently, he’s taken up gardening/ farming with his younger brother, Matt ’14, and is in the process of building out a line of sauces and marinades. You can always catch him rooting for the New York Giants in lot G2 (and J4) at the Meadowlands with many MKA friends, families, and colleagues.

REUNION WEEKEND

MAKING CONNECTIONS AND SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCES

Reunion Weekend welcomed back hundreds of alumni to Montclair to celebrate classes ending in '4s and '9s. It was a weekend filled with much laughter and love!

BANI

The BANI reception hosted by Paige Cottingham-Streater ’79 welcomed many alumni to the home of Head of School Nigel D. Furlonge where there were many connections and conversations.

The Golden Circle Dinner celebrating the TKS and MA classes of 1974 was certainly memorable. With a plethora of archives and slideshows, memories abounded of former students' times at our founding schools.

The All-Class Reunion held at 18 Label was a night to be remembered with LOTS of dancing, magic, great food, and fun.

THE GOLDEN CIRCLE DINNER

BEER GARDEN Head of School Nigel D. Furlonge welcomed alumni to “cheers” in a beer garden at his home on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon.

ALL-CLASS REUNION

SENIORS CELEBRATE THEIR 100 DAYS TO GRADUATION

Seniors were treated to a “100 Days to Graduation Celebration” by the Alumni Engagement Office to celebrate the day that marked 100 days until they become alumni. Students learned about the amazing community of alumni they are about to become a part of after they graduate and how the alumni office works to keep them connected to the school and each other.

After breakfast, an alumni panel discussion moderated by seniors Eunice Fernandez and Azariah Johnson and featuring Chisako Sugiyama-Murray ’05, Dwight Jackson ’08, Dom Leone ’12 , Kristen Morisseau ’13, Kelsey O’Connor ’14, and Evin Henriquez-Groves ’15 was held in an effort for the seniors to learn about life after MKA.

SECOND ANNUAL ALUMNI IN THE ARTS PRODUCTION: IMPROV EDITION

Ten years ago, with the help of Steve Higgins and Stephen Colbert, both of whom had children under her tutelage, Nicole Hoppe built on her strong background in the genre and launched a now thriving improv program. These partnerships and dedication to expanding opportunities for students are hallmarks of an MKA education. Nicole couldn't hide her joy at reuniting with alumni improv players. "Saying goodbye to these students after four years is always the hardest part," she admitted. However, the second annual alumni production, held at the Primary School and celebrating the improv program's 10th anniversary, provided a heartwarming opportunity.

"To be back in a theater, creating laughter with so many familiar faces," Nicole said, "was a gift beyond words." Side-splitting laughter rang through the halls for the entire 90-minute show. The audience witnessed first-hand the unbelievable talent of the alumni players and how much heart every one of them gave on stage. A huge thank you to all the amazing cast members: Krissy Bylancik ’15, Peter Colbert ’16, Ross Turkington ’16, Katie Kunka ’18, Patrick Napolitano ’18, Ethan Gross ’19, Jaycee Brill ’20, Hayley Cirenza ’20, John Colbert ’20, Arianna Jobst ’20, Jamen Meistrich ’20, Jonah Barbin ’21, Alex Glotzer ’21, Brennan Columbia-Walsh ’22 , Veronica Gonzalez ’22 , Taylor Powell ’23 Maddie Quart ’23, Craig Brill ’24, Elliot Higgins ’24, and Logan Zur ’24

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

Stu Harwood ’07 President Jenna Clancey ’03 External VP

Stephen Bezer ’11 Internal VP

TBD Secretary

Devin Bukowczyk ’05 Treasurer

COUNCIL

Seth Bynum ’11

Kelly Byrne ’08

Geoffrey Close ’71

Aron Dyadyuk ’21

Jeffrey Festa ’06

Lisa Goldsman ’15

Alex Holz ’99

Cara Landolfi ’05

Dominic Leone ’12

Lhenée McKoy ’05

Chadd Mukete ’11

Samora Noguera ’02

Kelsey O’Connor ’14

Ben Sherman ’22

John Snow ’11

“I

“...costume design for the theater rocked my world...”

Polly Smith ’67 has worked for the Jim Henson Company since she was brought on board to create costumes for The Muppet Show in 1978 and continues to design for Sesame Street. She designed costumes for many of the Muppet film and television projects produced by the Jim Henson Company as well as the costumes for several other children’s television programs. Polly received Emmy nominations for her designs for The Jim Henson Hour (1988) and Muppets Tonight (1996) and has received eight Emmy awards for her designs on Sesame Street. She also co-designed costumes for the TV series The Storyteller (198688) which won a BAFTA award for Best Costumes in 1989, and The Storyteller: Greek Myths (1989) which received a BAFTA nomination for Best Costumes in 1991. Other television credits include Dinosaurs, Fraggle Rock, The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz, Blue’s Room, Jack’s Big Music Show, and Bunnytown. Polly’s film credits include Muppets from Space, The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, Muppet Treasure Island, and The Muppet Christmas Carol. Polly was also part of the design teams for the films The Dark Crystal, The Muppets Take Manhattan, and Labyrinth. In addition to the work on films and television shows, until 2002 Polly oversaw the costumes for many of the Muppet commercials, photo shoots, and personal appearances and also worked on many Muppet toy prototypes. In 2002, Polly was chosen as one of 200 women to show their work in the exhibit Women Designers in the USA 1900-2000 at the New York City Bard Graduate Center.

In 1977, while designing costumes for the Champlain Shakespeare Festival at the University of Vermont, Polly collaborated with two friends to invent the first women’s sports bra called the “Jogbra.” This achievement has been recognized with a bronzed Jogbra on the wall at the University of Vermont, by inclusion in the costume collections of the Smithsonian Institution and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and, in 2022, induction into the Inventor’s Hall of Fame.

How did your TKS experience prepare you for the path your life has taken? I have always credited the school uniforms and Mrs. Patch, my sewing teacher at Kimberley, with launching my career. As the first of my siblings to be put in a situation where I had to wear a uniform to school, my mother felt that once she had supplied me with my uniforms, her work was pretty much

done. I soon learned that if I wanted fun clothes to wear outside of school, I had to make them myself. Fortunately, my mother did not consider buying fabric an expense that had to come out of my clothing allowance. Dressmaking was a creative project which she happily encouraged. This was in the swinging ’60s and the “British invasion“ was in full swing: Carnaby Street, Mary Quant, Twiggy, etc. Clothing styles were changing rapidly except in my mother’s world. The few clothes had for outside of school were not part of this new changing world. I had to sew, and I soon had fantasies of being a great designer.

I also had fantasies of being a fine artist. My grandfather was an illustrator, and I was always encouraged to pursue art, taking painting and portrait classes outside of school and taking all the art classes I could at Kimberley, especially with Mrs. Peterkin. When it came time to decide on a college I was determined to go to art school and resisted all attempts to steer me in another direction. There was great concern on the part of Mr. Loveland, our headmaster, of what kind of man I would meet at an art school. He was probably more concerned with what future parents would think if they saw that girls were being groomed at Kimberley to go to art school. Fortunately, my parents supported me. I went to the only women’s art school in the country, Moore College of Art, so I wasn’t thrown in with any of the feckless male artists Mr. Loveland was so concerned about.

Why did you choose your profession? At Moore College of Art in Philadelphia, I happily majored in Fashion Design. The first semester of senior year we were expected to do an internship in the fashion industry. This meant working in New York City. In my parents’ minds working in New York City meant living at home in

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD

The Distinguished Alumni Award is bestowed in recognition and appreciation of an outstanding achievement by an alumna or alumnus who has achieved distinction in some field or endeavor or though outstanding character or dedication has been of special service to humanity. To learn more, visit our website www.mka.org/ alumni/awards

2024 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient

Upper Montclair. I declined. Fortunately, there was an internship in the costume design department of Hopkins Center at Dartmouth College. I found this much more tempting, especially after eight years of all-female education.

Costume design for the theater rocked my world, blending my love of art and history with my interest in clothing. I found it so much more interesting than being confined to designing for some vague customer in whatever the current trend was. I loved having an individual personality with a storyline to design for, usually in some historical period and as a part of a larger vision with the other characters on stage. I could paint on the fabric, dye and shred it, and do all sorts of artistic and artsy-crafty things to achieve a look.

I managed to spend my entire senior year at Dartmouth (my parents had to pay Dartmouth for the credits I needed to complete my degree from Moore and to pay Moore to get said degree. They were not happy.) I also got hired by Dartmouth to assist the costume designer the following year and then got hired away from Dartmouth at the end of that year by a visiting guest designer from the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Those professors in the drama department at Dartmouth College who went out of their way to make it possible for me to stay at Dartmouth [not yet coed] to finish my senior year and then hired me to stay there changed the course of my life.

What is your proudest achievement? Lately, I would have to say the invention of the sports bra, as the induction into the The Inventors Hall of Fame has loomed large in my life in the last four years. Before that, there were so many moments at the Muppets

that made me catch my breath. One thing I’ll never get used to seeing is something I made in a glass case in an exhibit in a museum. This has happened several times with puppet costumes. Instead of being seen slightly out of focus and partly out of frame on a movie or television screen, my costume is beautifully lighted and presented. That makes me very proud.

What was the biggest challenge you faced in your career? Letting go of “perfectionism.” Making movies and TV shows requires flying by the seat of your pants. There are script changes. There are schedule changes. There are cast changes. There are budget changes. Sometimes it all happens at once, but you still have to deliver the very best product you can on the day of shooting. There is no crying in show business. I had to learn to be proud of whatever costume I could do within the parameters I was given. When someone would say “Nice costume, Polly,” I had to learn to say thank you so much and walk away. No one had time to listen to what I wished I’d been able to do, nor did I have time to tell them. Fortunately, sometimes the stars would align, and I would have the time, the inspiration, and the support to come up with a wonderful vision and see it through.

What are the most rewarding aspects of your work? I have to say I found it thrilling to come up with creative, workable solutions on the spot. I loved being someone who could be counted on to solve problems. And to always stay calm and not create a problem. We would always say to each other, “It’s not cancer research – it’s puppets on television. Let’s keep things in perspective.”

What advice would you give today’s graduates who might be interested in a similar career? That’s a tough one. After participating in a career day at MKA many years ago, I would have said that, while Mr. Loveland let one slip through his fingers, not any of the students I met showed any interest in doing anything so outlandish as becoming a puppet costume designer. However, I could tell them one thing that has always worked for me was to leave whomever was working for wanting more. Even if I never wanted to work with them again, I would give it my all and leave them wishing to work with me again and, more importantly, recommending me to others. This has worked so well that I cannot remember ever actually applying for a job. From Dartmouth onward, I simply accepted offers that came my way. And on the sports bra side of my life - if one of your friends has a wacky idea and needs your skills to make it happen – help out. You just never know: you might help change the world.

“You just never know: you might help change the world.”

“MKA

“...integrity, passion, kindness , service, and leadership — are the very tenets I stand by...”

Dillon Carroll was raised in Ridgewood, NJ. He earned the distinction of Eagle Scout and attended Montclair Kimberley Academy until his graduation in 2016. At MKA, he played varsity tennis, sang as a founding member of MKA's first A Cappella group, and was the recipient of MKA's History Prize at his graduation. Graduating from Cornell University in May 2020, Dillon earned a Bachelor of Arts with high distinction studying history. He taught AP World History in the Newark, NJ school district with Teach for America. Dillon also worked at Qualtrics as a Technical Consultant in Washington, D.C, serving Fortune 500 clients with technical expertise and strategic guidance.

In March 2022, Dillon and his best friend from Cornell, Mark Kreynovich, a Ukrainian-American, started a one-week fundraiser. They aimed to raise $5,000 to help Ukrainian refugees and civilians. Determined to help through action as well, Dillon was on a one-way flight to Europe a week after the Russian invasion.

Two years later, Dillon's one-week mission is now a 501c3 nonprofit called the Mission For Ukraine Foundation (M4U). More than 2,000 supporters worldwide are dedicated contributors funding the curated projects that Dillon and Mark source with their local Ukrainian partners aimed at saving lives and empowering local communities. Dillon lives in New York City and frequently travels throughout Ukraine and wider Europe during the year. He continues to raise awareness about the war in Ukraine and serves as M4U's President.

In what ways did your MKA experience prepare you for the path your life has taken? I credit my experiences at MKA as some of my life's most essential experiences. At the Upper School, I began to uncover the passions and principles that now help me navigate life's intricacies. The education I received was a blend of academic, artistic, and athletic pursuits and didn't just shape my interests in history, singing, and tennis; it instilled in me a profound appreciation for intellectual and cultural diversity, which has been invaluable throughout my life and most recent humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

The values MKA imbued within me — integrity, passion, kindness, service, and leadership — are the very tenets I stand by in my most challenging circumstances. These values are my compass,

guiding me through the complexities of war-torn regions where such qualities are not just idealistic but necessary for survival and impactful work. My time at MKA taught me to embrace discomfort and to find a strange comfort in the unfamiliar. The resilience and determination that MKA nurtured in me have become cornerstones of my approach to life's challenges. Every novel situation at MKA was a stepping stone to building a stronger sense of self and a deeper trust in my instincts. The confidence I cultivated in those four years now empowers me to confront problems with a solution-oriented mindset.

You have left your original career path to devote yourself to helping others in Ukraine. Why? Little did I know the oneweek fundraiser I started with my best friend would evolve into a profound commitment to humanitarian work and a life in Ukraine for the better part of two years. My best friend, Mark Kreynovich, whom I met as my roommate during our first year at Cornell, has been instrumental in this journey. In addition to being best friends, Mark and I discovered that we even shared the same birthday, February 25…a date that grew to hold even more significance in our lives as it was the day after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

When the invasion began, my first thought was of Mark and his grandfather. The images of Kharkiv, a city whose streets I had walked just years before now under siege, brought tears to my eyes and pain to my chest. The turmoil of the pandemic had already instilled in me a sense of disconnection from the traditional career path I had begun post-graduation. But the

YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD

The purpose of the Young Alumni Award is to recognize an alumnus or alumna who has graduated from MKA within the past 15 years. He or she will have demonstrated significant service to MKA and/ or have made significant contributions to his or her profession and community. The accomplishments being considered need not be publicly renowned but should reflect a deep and inspirational commitment to the improvement of society. To learn more, visit our website www.mka.org/alumni/awards

“...it instilled in me a profound appreciation for intellectual and cultural diversity, which has been invaluable throughout my life...”

crisis in Ukraine, the despair and destruction I saw on familiar streets and faces, and the plight of Mark's grandfather and his community catalyzed a shift within me to go and do something.

Arriving in Poland with Mark one week after the invasion, we were immediately faced with stark realities. The sight of people carrying the remnants of their lives in a backpack and starting anew amidst chaos prompted a powerful awakening that underscored how fortunate I have been with my education and background in the States and how much I could offer by tapping into the networks, skill sets, and knowledge I'd built. Our initial fundraiser, meant to be a brief interlude, transformed as we witnessed an outpouring of support that exceeded our expectations. Our $5,000 goal was surpassed tenfold in a week, a testament to the collective will to aid those in distress.

The work at first was immediate, intense, and fast-paced, but Mark and I shared a resolve driven by the faces and names that had become etched in our hearts. Our responsibility extended beyond a temporary relief effort and became about sustained aid and seeing through the promise of assistance we had committed to. In hindsight, this journey has been the most fulfilling endeavor of my life.

What is your proudest achievement thus far? Choosing a single proudest achievement is challenging because each initiative carries a mosaic of stories, struggles, and triumphs. However, the mobile hospital clinic we delivered on Thanksgiving of 2022 stands out for its ingenuity and direct impact. It's a beacon of hope in the most dire circumstances, housed in a 52-foot tractortrailer complete with two operating rooms, a laboratory, an x-ray room, and a pharmacy, all powered by generators and staffed by a devoted team. This clinic isn't just a marvel of logistical planning; it's a lifeline for those on the front lines and in ravaged communities, a testament to human resilience and compassion. The courage of the staff, their unwavering commitment under such perilous conditions, and the collective effort of all those who made it possible – these are true achievements that resonate on a personal and professional level and make all the challenges I've faced worthwhile.

What might you say was the biggest challenge that you have faced? The biggest challenge I've encountered is the ongoing

battle against “war fatigue.” It's tough to keep the world's attention fixed on Ukraine when headlines change daily. It's more than just keeping people informed; it's about spurring them into action when so many other things are vying for their attention. Professionally, it means I'm constantly looking for funding and support in a quickly distracted world. On a personal level, it's hard not to feel alone in this fight sometimes. But that just makes me more determined to keep pushing and ensure the people here aren't forgotten.

What are the most difficult aspects of your work? The most rewarding? The emotional toll of witnessing the stark realities of human suffering is substantial. It requires a depth of empathy and mental fortitude to carry on day after day. It takes a lot of self-belief to keep going, especially when you're tired or when things look bleak. Telling yourself to stay positive only goes so far, and sometimes, it's essential to take a step back and restore yourself so that you can come back fighting better another day.

Finding new ways to solve challenging problems is exhilarating. The impact we have is not abstract; it's visible in the lives we touch. There's an indescribable feeling when you see the tangible difference your efforts make: a child's smile, a family's relief, or a community finding its feet again. These moments are a poignant reminder of the power of human connection and the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit. They reinforce the importance of our work and invigorate me with a sense of purpose. I'm reminded that it's not just about the aid we provide; it's about the hope that comes with it.

What advice would you give today’s graduates who might be interested in following a path like yours? My advice is simple yet earnest: forge your own path but let it somehow intertwine your true self with the fabric of service. Service work doesn't need to become the focus of your entire life or a significant portion of your career. But service should be an integral part of your lifestyle. Service to others isn't just noble; it's necessary and as much a part of wellness as any other aspect of your health. It's about community, connection, and the human touch that binds us all, from the heart of your neighborhood to the farthest corners of the globe. Most importantly, remember that service is a thread that enriches not only the world but your own experience when woven into the tapestry of your life.

SHEILA SMITH

“Sheila is the literal definition of ‘going above and beyond’ for the students."

“...Sheila believes that every child is full of great potential and makes them see it as well...”

Congratulations to Middle School Fourth Grade teacher Sheila Smith who was named the recipient of the 2024 Founders’ Cup Award for Teaching Excellence. The award is presented to an outstanding faculty member representative of the best qualities of teaching at MKA, inside and outside of the classroom, including coaching and mentoring.

After 17 years of teaching at the Primary School, Sheila recently joined the Middle School as a fourth grade teacher. While at the Primary School, Sheila taught Pre-K, Kindergarten, and second grade. She served as the Kindergarten grade-level chair and the Curriculum Team Leader for Social Studies for Pre-K through third grade. She also coached Middle School Track for several years and enjoyed getting to know students outside of the classroom. Sheila is the proud mom of three MKA graduates, Sarah ’15, Lily ’19, and Jake ’22 , and credits much of their success to their great teachers. She graduated from Roanoke College with a degree in elementary education and a concentration in special education. Alumni Council President Caitlin DiRuggiero ’06 captured Sheila’s impact when she said, "Your warmth, kindness, and general enthusiasm for life can be felt by all on a cellular level. You can step into a room and immediately make those around you feel comfortable. Your strength is unmatched."

Sheila shared her appreciation for “the incredible MKA community,” thanked her Brookside friends and the fourth-grade team, and was surprised by her three children who greeted her with huge hugs. “It was such an honor to receive this award, particularly because it is from alumni, parents, colleagues, and especially students,” said Sheila. “I strive to meet each child where they are and make them feel seen and important in our community.”

Students, parents, alumni, and colleagues sent in exuberant nominations for Sheila, praising her for the exemplary teacher, coach, colleague, mentor, and friend that she is. Most notable was how many alumni said their lives were impacted by Sheila and that they still keep in touch long after being in her classroom.

Here are a few of the nominations:

Sheila has had such an impact on my life - as a student who did not always fit in and struggled a bit to find my path at MKA. My time at MKA was simply better because of Sheila’s magic touch. Unknowingly, she made me feel like I was smart, worthy, and funny. This teacher knew me, and all my classmates, better than we knew ourselves.

Sheila quite simply embodies the very best of what MKA is at its core. She is passionate about the children and how they learn best. Sheila instills values in students that are in line with the school's mission. Her lessons are uplifting and energizing and always inclusive. Sheila believes that every child is full of great potential and makes them see it as well.

Sheila makes each student feel like they matter. She goes the extra mile to ensure their lessons are challenging and engaging. A natural educator, Sheila loves her craft and leaves an incredible mark on her students. When a student walks out of her room, they are better people. This is because of the time and effort she puts into making sure their students feel valued.

I am sad that my time with Ms. Smith is over but I know that she will always be a part of my life.

We are so proud of Sheila for her well-deserved recognition!

MKA FOUNDERS' CUP

The Founders’ Cup Award, established in 1993, recognizes MKA’s strong tradition of teaching excellence. The award is presented to an outstanding faculty member who showcases the best qualities of teaching at MKA, inside and outside of the classroom. The Alumni Association welcomes nominations for the Founders’ Cup Award from all members of the MKA family.

MKA’s 2024 Founders’ Cup Award for Teaching Excellence

PARENT NEWS

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FIVE EXCITING WAYS TO CONNECT TO OUR COMMUNITY

While there are many events and programs throughout the school year, these key events provide various volunteer and engagement opportunities:

TRI-CAMPUS BOOK FAIR

MKA is proud to host the largest annual Scholastic Book Fair in the country. This tri-campus event has become a highlight of the school year among students, faculty, staff, and families. In addition to book sales, the Book Fair includes author visits and has become a vehicle for tri-campus community building, teacher appreciation efforts, and outreach to one of MKA’s partners, KIPP New Jersey Public Schools in Newark.

TUTORING AT KIPP NEW JERSEY

KIPP New Jersey Public Schools were founded to provide quality education for the children of Newark, New Jersey. Through our volunteer tutoring program, PAMKA has been providing KIPP New Jersey Public Schools with tutors for over 15 years. Most recently, our volunteer tutors worked with students in kindergarten through fourth grade at KIPP SPARK Academy.

PARENT WORKSHOPS

At multiple points in the school year, PAMKA Parent Workshops offer families ways to engage in a variety of parenting topics of interest. Recent workshops have included a wide range of subjects for the whole community such as Adolescent Anxiety, Social Media Truths, and Building Habits for Success.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

PAMKA Community Engagement initiatives impact both the Montclair and broader local communities. The entire MKA community is invited to participate, and our recent drives have supported organizations such as The Human Needs Food Pantry, Toni’s Kitchen, Valley Settlement House, and BookSmilles.

SPRING GALA

The Spring Gala is PAMKA’s largest fundraising event and the proceeds raised directly impact our school. This fundraising effort allows us, as parents/guardians, to make direct and meaningful contributions to our MKA community. The Gala features entertainment, dinner and drinks, auctions, and raffles, and is a special evening for all.

“While PAMKA’s work is vast and varied, it shares one common purpose: bringing our community together.”

OUTGOING PRESIDENT ALISON SLONE THANKS THE MKA COMMUNITY

Looking back to 2023-2024, PAMKA had another successful year. We transformed our campuses for our tricampus Book Fair, engaging our students, faculty, staff, and families with the love of reading. We restarted our partnership with KIPP New Jersey schools, allowing parents and guardians to participate in a tutoring program in Newark. In the spring, we had our annual Spring Gala and Cougar Pride Day events, both of which highlight our wonderful community. While PAMKA’s work is vast and varied, it shares one common purpose: bringing our community together. This past year’s work would not have been possible without our many event chairs, committee members, and volunteers.

While the time and talent of our parent community is vast, PAMKA’s vision would not become reality without the partnership with our amazing faculty and staff. This important relationship between PAMKA and our school is truly unique, and it involves the contributions of so many members of our community. Many individuals have spent countless hours this year making our programs and events successful by sharing their valuable knowledge and talent.

My two-year term as PAMKA President concluded this past summer, and I have so many fond memories of partnering with you all. I am truly excited for PAMKA, our community, and this year’s slate of volunteers, including the next PAMKA President, Moushumi Sanghavi. Thank you again to everyone for making MKA such a special place.

MEET MOUSHUMI SANGHAVI, PAMKA PRESIDENT Moushumi Sanghavi is deeply honored to step into the role of President for the Parents' Association of Montclair Kimberley Academy (PAMKA). Her husband, Daniel Khublall, and she live in Livingston and have two daughters, Adelaide ‘32 and Olivia ‘34. She is a practicing physician with an office in New York City. Their journey with MKA began when their daughter Addie started Kindergarten in 2019. From the moment they became part of the MKA community, Moush has been actively involved, appreciating the school’s mission and witnessing its positive impact on her daughters both academically and socially. Moush is grateful for the opportunity to represent MKA’s diverse parent body and contribute to the school community in this capacity. Serving as President, she aims to foster unity and collaboration among parents, staff, and students, ensuring that every voice is heard and valued. She says, “Together we will continue to uphold MKA’s standards of excellence and support the educational journey of all our children. I look forward to working closely with each of you in the coming year. Thank you for your trust and support.”

“Together we will continue to uphold MKA’s standards of excellence and support the educational journey of all our children.”

PAMKA’S SPRING GALA WAS A FABULOUS NIGHT UNDER THE STARS

The Parents’ Association of Montclair Kimberley Academy (PAMKA) hosted its annual Spring Gala on Friday, April 19, at The Grove in Cedar Grove. The evening, A Night Under the Stars, was a great success for the school and was filled with fun, community, and entertainment. Congratulations to Spring Gala Co-Chairs Cara Cesareo and Danielle Mitola and the truly dedicated team of volunteers, who orchestrated this successful event. Around 300 members of the MKA community enjoyed a festive evening bidding on both silent and live auction items, raffle baskets, and the 50/50 raffle. Guests were treated to a special performance by MKA’s Upper School Strings Quartet, Upper School Pianist Hunter Valentine, and the MKA Pep Band. Thanks to the generosity of our community, over $200,000 was raised at this year’s Spring Gala. These proceeds will have a meaningful impact on MKA, through such programs as the PAMKA Wish Lists, PAMKA Faculty Trust Grants, and MKA’s Inquiry and Innovation. This year's Gala Direct Appeal supported MKA's investment in academic and collaborative community spaces with the renovation of the Middle School Library. This fundraising effort allows the community to make direct and meaningful contributions to our school community.

PAMKA FACULTY TRUST GRANTS

PAMKA Faculty Trust Grants have enabled over 100 faculty members to embark on domestic and international adventures to pursue experiences that enlighten them and enrich their students' classroom experience in a unique way since 1978. MKA students have continually reaped the benefits of these inspirational and educational experiences. The following five faculty members were awarded PAMKA Faculty Trust Grants for the summer of 2024:

Jocelyn Fine - Primary School Fine and Performing Arts Department Chair and Art Teacher

Spain - Barcelona down to Alicante

Pete Gaynor - Middle School History and Health & Wellness Teacher

Pacific Northwest

Chelsea Goss - Middle School History Teacher

Greece - Athens and Crete

Tim Cook - Upper School History and Economics Teacher

Europe - Northern Ireland (Belfast), Germany (Berlin), Spain (Barcelona & Madrid), Italy (Rome)

David Korfhage - Upper School History Teacher

Mexico - Mexico City and Guanajuato

DOWN TO A SCIENCE. Academic Excellence,

AT MKA WE CREATE A CONNECTION TO THE WORLD, INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM.

From our littlest learners to our graduating seniors, we build intentional pathways and partnerships to support each student’s intellectual journey as they prepare to navigate a complex world.

For

events

A GREAT DAY TO CELEBRATE MKA’S

Couga p ide

Located on Van Brunt Field under sunny skies, PAMKA was thrilled to host Cougar Pride Day on Saturday, April 27. Around 500 current and new students attended the festivities along with parents, alumni, faculty, and staff and enjoyed a wonderful day of fun, food, and friends. Students decked out in their Cougar Pride Day t-shirts enjoyed inflatable rides, carnival games, arts & crafts, and an obstacle course. Several groups, including the Pep Band, Upper School Cheerleading Team, and the Middle School Step Team put on great performances. Families were encouraged to donate food and personal care items as part of a community engagement initiative to benefit Toni’s Kitchen. Thanks to our generous community, PAMKA was able to donate over 150 items! Cougar Pride Day is one of the few occasions during the year that allows all three campuses to come together and celebrate our school spirit. Many thanks to Co-Chairs

Julia Mortimore and EJ Park, along with the many volunteers, who made this special day for our community a success.

FROM OUR TRUSTEES

TOP OF MIND FOR OUR BOARD PRESIDENT

Inquiry and Innovation

Fundraising for Inquiry and Innovation: MKA’s largest investment in facilities, faculty, and programming: The cornerstone of this initiative is the Inquiry and Innovation Center, a 27,000-square-foot facility on the Upper School campus that will contain new classrooms, laboratories, a dedicated robotics area, and student workspaces. From Pre-K to Grade 12, we’re expanding opportunities for all students to strengthen their STEM mindsets, by upgrading facilities, creating new programs, and investing in our faculty.

SUSTAINABILITY

MKA’s Commitment to Sustainability:

We are building new opportunities for sustainable growth as evidenced by our newly completed solar panel installation project across all three campuses, 95% LED lighting, charging stations on three campuses, new event guidelines, and new academic programming added to the curriculum.

Community

The MKA Golf/Tennis Classic on October 21 at Somerset County: It’s a wonderful way to celebrate the MKA community with parents, alumni, and faculty. This year, we will have a tennis tournament as well. For more information visit: www.mka.org/golfclassic

Strategic Planning

Strategic Planning:

MKA is embarking on a new strategic planning exercise to develop priorities for the school. I look forward to sharing more information in the coming year.

LEGACY

Celebrating 50 Years of Legacy and Charting a Bold Future for MKA: This year we will be celebrating the school’s 50th anniversary as MKA and planning for the future.

We are saying goodbye to only one member of the Board for the 2024-2025 year. Cait DiRuggiero ’06 served as the Alumni Council President and its representative on the Board of Trustees for four years. Her perspective as a young alum and business professional benefitted all of us, and her love of MKA was evident in all she did. Thank you, Cait, and best wishes!

I would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest Board members, who previously served as Affiliate Trustees: Lauren Fass P'29 '31, Brian Glatt P'33, Dennis Goldstein '83, Karen HeathWade P'28 '30, Scott Rosenberg P'25 '28, and Alison Slone P'30 '33. Joining us as New Trustees are David Harrison P'29 '31 '34, Stu Harwood ’07 Liza Helwig P'31 '34, and Moushumi Sanghavi Khublall P’32 ’34. I look forward to working with and collaborating with all of you.

Naveen Ballem, M.D., F.A.C.S. ’90 P’26

President, Board of Trustees

2024-2025 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

OFFICERS

Naveen Ballem M.D., F.A.C.S ’90

President

Paige Cottingham-Streater ’79 Vice President

Luke Sarsfield, III ’91 Vice President

Merrick G. Andlinger

Treasurer

Stephanie Salzman

Secretary

MEMBER TRUSTEES

Jennifer Barbetta

Anya Barrett ’89

Heather Benjamin

Dan Cesareo

Sybil Eng

Lauren Fass

Nigel D. Furlonge

Brian Glatt

Dennis Goldstein ’83

David Harrison

Stu Harwood ’07

Karen Heath-Wade

Liza Helwig

Lauren Kaplan ’93

Moushumi Sanghavi Khublall

Scott Rosenberg

Robert J. Ruberton

Matthew Sherman

Alison Slone

Craig Solomon

Solomon Steplight ’93

Jeffrey G. Szilagyi

Margaret Wager

HONORARY TRUSTEES

Aubin Ames ’54

John Garippa

Alice Hirsh

Michael V. Johnson

Kathleen M. Logan

Newton Schott

For more information about our

Board of Trustees, please visit www.mka.org/about/board-of-trustees

WE ARE MKA

Walking the Walk and Talking the Talk: Stories of Extraordinary People and Why They Give

THE OOSTERBAAN MAAS FAMILY

Gwynne, John-Michael, and Aidan ’24 share their reflections on their MKA experience.

What drew your family to MKA? Please share your family's experience at the school. We prioritized finding a small, tightknit community with a strong focus on academics, the arts, and sports. And that’s what MKA is. Coming from a large and sometimes disruptive public school environment where teachers spent much time on discipline, Aidan applied as an incoming freshman. Aidan recalls “I wanted to be in classes where everyone wanted to learn as much as I did - and even more - so I could be my best.” This was clear at the MKA Open House we attended. Everyone at MKA was friendly and actively involved.

We met Ms. Salkin and Mr. Bosc, and we loved hearing about the history curriculum and the range of global trips, in particular. Aidan was impressed by the emphasis on critical thinking and knew he wanted to do as many global experience trips as possible!

What about MKA means the most to you? Has that changed over time? Aidan’s reflections: MKA offered a range of opportunities to challenge myself and grow as a person across several different fronts - academically, musically, and athletically. Getting involved and leading in a team sport was probably the greatest change for me as I had never before participated in team sports. I had the privilege of being team co-captain in my senior year in all three seasons: cross country in the fall, and track in winter and spring.

There was something special about running at MKA. It was a good group of peers - friendly, kind, well-rounded - and we had awesome coaches guiding the teams. Mid- and long-distance running means a lot to me and represents my most meaningful memories. It’s very similar to learning: to get better, you push yourself beyond what you think you can do.

I also had similar support and growth opportunities in the arts at MKA, where I was able to pursue opportunities in vocal performance. I did the musical one year (learning choreography

really pushed me out of my comfort zone, but doing it with my friends made it so much easier and was a great bonding experience). I loved being in Remix for my junior and senior years and performing in competitions. I also loved singing in chorus and was lucky enough to have several solo opportunities, including at my graduation!

Aidan, can you share a time when you felt particularly proud or accomplished at MKA? The Junior Thesis was huge: both as a challenge and as a journey. The Junior Thesis is a rite of passage at MKA. I was interested in US history, so the topic wasn't hard; it was the depth of the research and bringing it all together in writing. I focused on Reconstruction and the Confederacy to understand the Civil War's aftermath and its impact on modern political divisions and conversations about race.

discovered how Southern resistance to Black citizenship originated from the need to redefine the Civil War's cause, leading to a victim narrative that avoided confronting the truth. Threading together all these strands was intense. I spent hours refining the core argument, often feeling like I was sprinting up a never-ending hill. Ms. Salkin pushed me to continually refine my argument, and I finally appreciated that “writing is rewriting.” was thrilled when the paper got High Research Distinction and was published in the Primary Source. Ms. Salkin honored me with the Senior Award for History, recognizing my interest in history from the first time we met at an MKA Open House.

Best of all, a faculty reviewer commented, “I could not but feel slightly infuriated at those who have continued to cling to these ideals and used them to justify anti-Black policies.” I loved that they had an “ah-ha” moment reading my paper. That’s what it’s all about.

Another proud memory was graduation day, which coincided with the State Group Championships for Track and Field. As part

of the 4 x 800 relay team, three of us were seniors. Before the race, Matt Bonarti rallied Stephen Hatfield, Martin Ajayi, and me, saying, “Let’s do this for Coach White. Don’t hold back.” Our MKA boys team was in second place, within points of the lead. We won the relay and broke the MKA 4 x 800 record. Right before Commencement, Coach White texted that we had won the State Group Championship. As I sang “You Raise Me Up” with the chorus, I was reminded that our successes often come from teamwork and the support of others.

How do you work as a family to make an impact at the school? Aidan loved his foreign exchange to Santiago, Chile, and was ecstatic to play host to the same person who had hosted him when he came to MKA in February 2024. We organized a lot of the activities for the visiting Chileans and took Felipe to DCan unforgettable experience for all of us, where we bonded, saw many museums and monuments, and learned more about US history!

We also worked with other parents to help coordinate many of the cross country and track dinners and celebrations. We are happy to have helped expand the community service network and introduce Ms. Verrone to Mercy House, the catholic charity in Newark/Elizabeth and Jersey City. Aidan did his May Term project there, leveraging his Spanish skills to assist recent migrant families in NJ.

What motivates you to support MKA philanthropically?

Have you seen examples of how your contributions have made a difference? The number one motivation is seeing the impact that MKA had on Aidan. He grew so much in his four years, and MKA gave him the tools, the network, and the confidence to succeed. We know he’s going off to Macalester with a strong value system and work ethic that will allow him to fully contribute there. We appreciate that MKA supports students in need and hope that our contributions will help others to have the same opportunity to experience MKA’s inspiring, rigorous, and supportive community.

GRANDPARENTS’ AND SPECIAL FRIENDS’ DAY

For nearly two decades, hundreds of grandparents and special friends have visited the Primary School campus on a day dedicated to celebrating relationships and learning. Visitors have the opportunity to spend time in the classroom, tour the campus, and enjoy a wonderful concert.

Tuesday, April 30, upheld this tradition with Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day, a delightful event highlighting the invaluable role older relatives and friends play in a student's school experience. Judy Berkowitz, GP '33 '36, echoed this sentiment, describing the day as “full of joy and high spirit” from the warm welcome of her grandchildren to the students' well-deserved pride during their performances.

Jamie Anthony GP ’30 ’33 ’36 shared how impressed he was to learn about the STEM-related programs that encourage the

students to question and then create to solve a problem. He said, “I've noticed a happiness at MKA. …[My grandsons are] engaged with school; you can see it in the way they have comfort and confidence because they are happy with their school and education, which is so critical, especially at this stage of their lives.” We look forward to several decades of wonderful days with grandparents and special friends. Their impact is immeasurable, and we're grateful for the joy and warmth they brought to our school community.

CLASS NOTES

CLASS CONNECTIONS

The influence and inspiration of a teacher lead to a lifelong connection and a fulfilling career. Justus Quint von Lengerke ’19 was commissioned into the Air Force in May of 2024, and he chose Mike Alexander, MKA Systems Technician, to be his first salute.

+ JUSTUS QUINT VON LENGERKE ’19 INTERVIEW

Tell us about your work as a contracted Cadet in Detachment 105 of AFROTC. I joined ROTC in 2019 and since then, my schedule has been full. A fellow cadet and started a CPRtraining company, and we also volunteered to teach CPR to other members of our detachment. We’ve now trained over a hundred cadets and officers, which is very rewarding.

I also took on the role of safety officer in our detachment, where I’m responsible for safety procedures and policies for over 200 people. It has been a great learning experience.

Last summer I was part of a ROTC team that had internships at the Space System Command’s Tools, Applications and Processing (TAP) Lab’s inaugural internship program, a contracted facility in Boulder, Colorado. I still work there part-time this semester. I get to work alongside Air Force and Space Force members creating software, tools, and applications for active-duty military members to test data with satellites. Last summer and this spring, I’ve been fortunate to work on software used by the military, all while juggling my responsibilities as a ROTC cadet.

Tell us about what you'll be doing after graduation? Following my graduation from the Colorado School of Mines with a BS in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Aerospace Engineering, I will report for duty at an Air Force base for advanced training to

develop a broad range of skills necessary for my next role in the military. Before the training begins, will be working in various capacities on the base, including with the security forces and instructing combat medicine to Airmen and Guardians in the Air Force and Space Force.

After completing my training, I will be stationed where my skills are needed most, whether that is within the United States or overseas. There are many opportunities for growth and learning in the Air Force, and I believe it’s a great chance to develop new skills and contribute to something larger than myself.

What is the biggest career challenge you have faced, and what did you learn from it? The happiest day of my career was when I received the pilot candidate slot for the Air Force on my 23rd birthday. However, this joy was followed by my biggest career challenge: failing the medical test for the pilot slot due to unforeseen eye problems. It forced me to pivot and reconsider my career path with very short notice. From this experience, I learned the importance of seizing every opportunity that comes my way and being prepared to adapt to unforeseen circumstances. I am confident that I will find my new role challenging and rewarding.

What is your proudest accomplishment? My proudest moment is making it to the exact moment where I am right now - a graduate with an Air Force officer slot. The program I completed has a very high dropout rate, making this achievement a significant and challenging milestone for me.

Why did you pick Mike Alexander as your first salute? Ever since can remember, I always wanted to be in the military, but my understanding of it was limited. In seventh grade, I met Mr. Alexander, who led the MKA Middle School Laptop Leadership Team where I volunteered. He helped me earn my certification as an Apple Certified Technician. Later, he was my

fencing coach, and he appointed me Captain for two seasons. I learned about his Army service, and despite my interest in the Air Force, he good-naturedly ribbed me about taking the “easy route” in the military.

Mr. Alexander was not only supportive but also demanding, always holding me to a high standard and telling me the truth. He took me under his wing as a “cadet,” and his mentorship has shaped my aspirations and determination to excel.

The first salute in the Air Force commissioning ceremony is an honor, showing respect to someone who has had a meaningful impact on an officer’s journey. Choosing Mr. Alexander for my first salute at the Air Force commissioning ceremony was a natural choice, as he has been a significant influence on my journey toward becoming a military officer.

In what ways did MKA prepare you for the path your life has taken? MKA was a fantastic place to grow and learn. Donna Starke, my Middle School teacher and advisor, didn’t give up on me, even though she probably should have! In Upper School, my advisor, Dr. David Khorfage, and other faculty members set high expectations that pushed me to excel. The diversity at MKA was incredible: it broadened my perspective and taught me to appreciate different viewpoints. I also picked up valuable skills like speaking extemporaneously and thinking critically, which have been invaluable. Dr. Louise Maxwell played a huge role in guiding me early on, and I’m grateful for her insights in helping me find a school that would be perfect for me. And for all of the other teachers who I haven't named, you know who you are, thank you.

+ MIKE ALEXANDER INTERVIEW

Describe your relationship with Justus Quint von Lengerke ’19. I first met Quint when he was an Ed Tech Leader in the Middle School, and I remember thinking he was one of the more inquisitive and thoughtful kids in the program. We used to joke it was apropos that his name started with “Q,” because he would ask so many questions.

Many kids would sit in the tech center to escape the hustle and bustle of Middle School life during recess or lunch and just chat with me while I was working. Quint was one of those kids. He would always press me for war stories, of which I tended to be tight-lipped about only because of the nature of said stories. I would keep it light and airy about jokes or pranks played on me while I was a Cherry Private right out of basic training.

After he graduated Middle School, I would randomly see him around campus when I was at the Upper School, but it was few

and far between. Then as a stroke of fate would have it, our paths collided again when I was named Co-Director of the Varsity Fencing program, of which Quint was a member. And while we had a bond as teacher/student, it grew deeper as athlete/coach. He was a valuable asset to me, having never coached Fencing before. He explained the rules and intricacies of the sport and kept score for the boys’ or girls’ teams when was indisposed. It became clear that he was the clear choice to be our team captain. Quint has an inherent leadership trait in him that makes people want to follow him. He inspires greatness in others, which I can tell you will serve him well in the Air Force as it is a rare quality to possess.

As captain of the team, Quint and I worked together to bring back some of the glory days of MKA Fencing, and while we didn’t 100% succeed in doing that, with his help, we were able to bring the program back from the brink. Now that he is an adult, we still keep in touch, and even go out for the odd drink or dinner when he is in town. It’s always nice to catch up and I have followed his ROTC career in earnest.

What does it mean to you that Quint chose you as his first salute? When Quint told me that he wanted me to be his first salute, it was a tad overwhelming. While I always thought of myself as a bit of a big brother to him, I never thought he saw me as a mentor. Once the initial disbelief washed over me, my heart felt so incredibly full. It is one of the great honors of my life that I have been someone that a current service member has looked up to. In the Army as a leader, you often think of your legacy, the troops you have trained, and how they will execute their careers. I am incredibly proud and humbled that even though I have been out of the Army for more than 10 years now, I will have one more honorable, capable, and fiercely intelligent soldier (or in this case an Airman) to add his mark on the American military.

At the Commissioning ceremony, I received a remarkable silver dollar minted in 1924 that Quint gave me as a gift. While generous and unnecessary, there is great significance in the gesture. The "Silver Dollar Salute" originated in the 18th century (possibly earlier) when wealthy officers "bought" commissions and relied on Non-Commissioned Officers to show them the ropes and provide guidance. My 100-year-old "Peace Dollar" is named

as such because it was minted during the era after WWI (19211938) and is 90% pure silver, unlike its copper-laden modern counterparts.

If you could give Quint one piece of advice, what would it be?

I am reminded of the advice I was given when I joined the Army in 2006. “Good leaders lead from the front and take care of their people. Think one stripe ahead, but remember two stripes back.”

In plain English, “Always take care of the people in your command and keep your eye on the future, but never forget where you came from.”

“THE DIVERSITY AT MKA WAS INCREDIBLE: IT BROADENED MY PERSPECTIVE AND TAUGHT ME TO APPRECIATE DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS."

The deadline for news for the FALL MKA Review is May 15, and the deadline for the SPRING issue is December 15. News can be submitted at any time in response to the Alumni Office's annual mailing, on the MKA Fund remittance envelopes, via mail or email to the MKA Alumni Engagement Office (alumni@mka.org), or to your class representative. We keep ongoing files for each class and welcome photographs in digital or hard copy. If your class does not have a Class Representative listed, please consider volunteering for the position! It is a great way to re-establish contacts with old friends, does not require a great deal of time, and is essential to the ongoing vitality of the school. Thank you.

1941. / TKS / Mrs. Enid Hyde, 5402 Duvall Drive, Bethesda, MD 20816; enidghyde@aol.com

1943. / TKS / It is with a heavy heart that we share that Betty Ward passed away peacefully on December 9, 2023, at the age of 98.

1945. / TKS / Mrs. Leigh Smith, PO Box 2527, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568

1947. / TKS / It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Marjorie Bethell Cross on Tuesday, January 30, 2024. She was 94.

/ MA / It is with a heavy heart that we share that Ulrich “Rick” Voetter passed away peacefully on December 27, 2023, at home surrounded by family.

1949. / MA / It is with a heavy heart that we share that Mario Vargas passed away on April 23, 2024, at the age of 95.

1951. / TKS / Mrs. Gail Marentette 93 Glen Avenue, Llewellyn Park West Orange, NJ 07052

1952. / TKS / Mrs. Martha Moran, 8011 Strauff Road, Baltimore, MD 21204; martha.moran1@verizon.net

1953. / MA / Howard T. Bellin, M.D. 945 Fifth Ave, Apt. 18B, New York, NY 10021; hbellin@aol.com

1954. / TKS / Ms. Georgia Carrington, 38 Silver Spring Lane, Ridgefield, CT 06877; carrgeo@aol.com

/ MA / Mr. Sheldon Buck, 22 Bedford Court, Bedford, MA 01730-2903; sheldonbuck1@icloud.com

1956. / TKS / Ms. Susan Ferdinand, 125 Limerick Lane, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865; facesbyferdinand@gmail.com

Sporting her allegiance to TKS (now known as MKA) Anne deVausney Hallowell sent us a photo of herself in a gift from her daughter, a down vest with the MKA logo. 1

Yours truly, Sue Crook Ferdinand, is the proud grandmother of Doctor Molly Sue Stockwell who recently earned her doctorate in pharmacology at the University of Pittsburgh.

Carol Vanbrunt Rasic reports that her grandson, James, who was playing chess at the age of four, is now six and recently returned from a national elementary school

chess tournament in Ohio. Carol's granddaughter, Sofia, is an enthusiastic student and member of the tennis team at the Hotchkiss School in Connecticut. Carol and husband Janko enjoyed Sofia's company at a recent Grandparents' Day.

Molla Kaplan Reisbaum had a positive response to the beautiful, colorful, recent issue of the MKA Review. "Magazine was fabulous!" wrote Molla. Sue also seconds that motion, as, she is sure, will many of you. Hats off to the staff for their hard work!

/ MA / Dr. Lawrence Nazarian 82 Brickstone Circle Rochester, NY 14620; LFredN@aol.com

1958. / TKS / Mrs. Diana Little, 1-K Buckingham Road, West Orange, NJ 07052; dianablittle@gmail.com

1959. / TKS / Ms. Jarvis Reilly Nolan; jarvisno@aol.com, 858-504-1072

1961. / TKS / Mrs. Suzanne Hardy, 47 Bartlett Parkway, Winthrop, MA 02152; sueshardy@comcast.net

/ MA / Mr. David Bruck, 34 Nelson Ridge Road,

Aurora, CO 80016 boyerjessie@hotmail.com

/ MA / Mr. A. Craig Cameron, 11 Bay Point Drive, Ormond Beach, FL 32174; ccameron@cameronhodges.com

Mr. Douglas Fitzpatrick 70 Eastern Vista, Sedona, AZ 86351

Princeton, NJ 08540; dbruck@greenbaumlaw.com

1962. / TKS / Mrs. Barbara Creed, 501 Portola Road, #8185, Portola Valley, CA 94028; bbcreed@aol.com

/ MA / Mr. W. Doug Donald 189 Sedgefield Circle, Winter Park, FL 32792; D1Donald@aol.com

1965. / TKS / Ms. Katharine “Kitty” Haines 201 East 83rd Street, Apt. 15F New York, NY 10028 khaines22@aol.com

/ MA / Kerry Brown and Joe Hare recently caught up over lunch in Chatham, MA and did some reminiscing as well (they had forgotten they were opponents in the school’s presidential mock election their senior year). Kerry and his wife Betty Ann came to reside in Chatham when Kerry took a teaching position on the Cape after having headed up the English Dept. at a Delaware Quaker secondary school for many years. Joe and his wife Elizabeth (who taught English at MKA at the time of the merger) moved to the Boston area (Hingham, MA) from NJ when Joe made a job change.

1966. / TKS / Mrs. Jessie Boyer 8095 S. Addison Way

1967. / TKS / Judy Dixon won the 75+ National Indoor Tennis Championships in Lexington, Kentucky in both singles and doubles in May 2024. She won the singles final in a tight three-set match. Judy is a true pioneer in women’s sports and is in the MKA Athletic Hall of Fame. Ben Thompson ’74 is her weekly hitting partner. 2

/ MA / Mr. Craig Perry 25 Mooregate Square Atlanta, GA 30327 Craigcperry250@gmail.com

It is with a heavy heart that we share that Peter Brundage passed away on September 12, 2023.

1968. / TKS / Ms. Avie Claire Kalker, 10 Knolls Road, Williamstown, MA 01267; heraldicone@gmail.com

/ MA / Mr. Geoff Gregg, 6108 Percheron Trail, Summerfield, NC 27358; tartanone@triad.rr.com

Christopher Steggles shares, “I am still going strong at 75. I work on a tree farm and enjoy the openness this environment provides.” 3

1969. / TKS / Ms. Christine Hannon, 97 North Street, Northhampton, MA 01060; channon@smith.edu

Shelley Brightman Walchak writes, “Enjoying retirement in SW Colorado with lots of travel and eight grandkids from 1 year old to 20! Traveled to Chilean Patagonia this February for a nine-day fly fishing trip and then off to Crete in September. One of our sons is moving to our town, so it will be great to have family five miles away. Reconnected with an old neighbor - Chris Kenrick - who happens to be MKA’s Associate Director of Philanthropy! Happy 55th to all.”

Lynn Erhardt Gildea continues to spend nine months in Jupiter, FL and the summer in Saddle River, NJ. Pickleball is her new passion! She plays nearly every day and has made many amazing new friends on the courts.

For a great read, Virginia Munson Vassallo recommends The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd; it’s historical fiction about the Grimke sisters who championed abolition and women’s rights. Kidd’s masterful The Book of Longings is equally absorbing.

Susan Schadler suggests three books: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus; it’s a great read for women our age who stand on the shoulders of women like the main character, Elizabeth Zott. After reading the book Life of Pi by Yaan Martel, the mini-series is markedly less good but still worth a watch. This is an older book, popular about a decade ago - quirky, but uncannily captivating. And finally, Grant by Ron Cherow, an intimidatingly huge biography, but also spellbinding. Especially revelatory are the parts about how the emancipation of slaves got off to a pretty promising start under his persistent efforts as President. But when

he simply got worn out at the end of the second term it all crumbled, and we ended up with 100 years of Jim Crow.

Christine Hannon unexpectedly loved Madeline Miller’s Circe and The Song of Achilles, engrossing tales of Homer’s classic characters. Other favorites include The Matrix by Lauren Groff; Babel by R F Kuang; The Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead and Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. So many books. Best wishes to all.

/ MA / Dr. Edward A. Griggs Jr. 100 Cedar Street, Apt. B24 Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522

The latest CD, Requiem for the Forgotten – Messe des Malades, from Frank La Rocca reached #1 on the Billboard Traditional Classical Charts. The album commemorates the displaced and the homeless, constructing a musical sanctuary for the soul while championing the inherent dignity of every person, particularly those who have been forsaken.

1970. / TKS / Ms. Leslie Bryan, 844 East Morningside Drive, NE, Atlanta, GA 30324

/ MA / Mr. V. James Castiglia 3 Lark Lane, Oak Ridge, NJ 07438; vjc@ vjamescastiglia.com

Mr. Peter Webb, Mile Slip Farm, 48 Mason Road, Brookline, NH 03033; pwebb@winerbennett.com

1971. / TKS / Ms. Philippa Bowles, 39 Orts Road, Hamburg, NJ 07419; philippabowles@gmail.com

/ MA / Mr. Jeffrey Jones

77 Monroe Street Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 coastdaylight98@yahoo.com

Mr. Anthony Vitale, 10 North Wood Avenue, Apt. 601, Linden, NJ 07036; tvod9999@gmail.com

1972. / TKS / Barbara Flessas, 140 Lorraine Ave, Upper Montclair, NJ 07043; barbara.flessas@gmail.com

1973. / TKS / Ms. Susan Read, 38 College Circle, Staunton, VA 22401; sread@readlawplc.com

/ MA / Mr. Thomas C. Galligan 14805 Audubon Lakes Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70810-8419 tgalligan714@gmail.com

/ MA / Mr. Gregory Lackey 216 Hunters Road Medford Lakes, NJ 08055-2116 gregory.lackey10@gmail.com

1974. / TKS / Ms. Erin Cuffe Crawford, 121 Clarewill Avenue, Upper Montclair, NJ 07043; erincrawford@verizon.net

From Anne Anspach: “My husband and I signed up for a pickleball camp on Sanibel Island, FL, and who was running the camp? Peter Redpath - MA Class of 1973! He is doing a great job with his Dial It Up pickleball camps at several locations between Naples and Sanibel. He has assembled a terrific team, so we had an excellent ratio of coaches to students. One evening we even went to a beachside restaurant and heard Peter sing as the sun set. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Come on down! 4

1975. Mr. Paul Zuckerberg, 1790 Lanier Place NW, Washington, DC 20009-2118; paul.zukerberg@gmail.com

DONALD FRIEDLICH '73

Tell us about your work. Since graduating from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 1982, I’ve been a full-time jewelry artist. Today, I primarily work in glass. Making a living in any creative field is challenging, but I’ve been fortunate to have my work shown in museums all over the world and to have it in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and many others. I’ve also taken on numerous leadership positions in my field, having served a term as President of our national academic and trade organization. I’ve also lectured at scores of universities and conferences internationally.

Why jewelry and metalsmithing? How did you first become interested in your profession? My entire entry to art was through jewelry. Two years after graduating from MKA, met a jeweler in Stowe, VT, and she started to teach me. Until then I had no interest in art whatsoever, although I’d always liked working with my hands. This introduction to jewelry led me to the University of Vermont where I discovered a creative side of my brain that had been completely dormant. took jewelry and other art classes there and quickly became passionate about the field. Eventually, I transferred to RISD and got my BFA. I was definitely a late bloomer.

How would you like to be remembered? I’d like to be remembered as an accomplished and skilled artist and leader who was exceptionally generous in helping other artists and in advancing my field. Also, as a devoted husband who cooked some great meals and kept my wife laughing.

What is the biggest career challenge you have faced, and what did you learn from it? I think my biggest challenge was early on, trying to find a direction in my life. It’s a great gift to find work that you’re passionate about that feeds your spirit. To me, it’s like finding a life partner. Both are centered on love. Not everyone gets either, so I feel fortunate to have both in my life.

What is your proudest accomplishment? One of the best things about being an artist is that you can have a lifetime of learning and growth. I’m proud that after more than 50 years of making jewelry, I’ve continued to grow and come up with completely new concepts and forms. I periodically teach at The Studio of the Corning Museum of Glass, but I also still go there as a student to learn new skills and expand the range of what I can make. As I’ve often said to students, graduation may be the end of your schooling, but it’s just the beginning of your education.

In what ways did MKA prepare you for the path your life has taken? MKA provided a strong liberal arts foundation, but the truth is I was a rudderless student, painfully shy, and it didn’t help that less than a month after starting there in tenth grade, my mother died of cancer.

My most valuable experience was actually a remedial English class my senior year with Mr. Penner where I learned to write well. This skill has been important both personally and professionally. Perhaps I should have taken some art classes, but at the time, mainly students who drew well were encouraged to pursue art. That wasn’t me at that point. The fact is there are countless other ways to approach art and creativity. My hope is that educators now recognize the importance of fostering creativity in all their students. The creative person is almost always at the top of every profession, including the sciences and business. I also think it’s important to recognize that high school is early in one’s life and every student could be a late bloomer like me.

50 YEARS

My favorite song is The Who’s “Don’t Get Fooled Again.” Go figure. Today, I know exactly zero 12-year-olds who read (or had to read) Lord of the Flies let alone Animal Farm, Fahrenheit 451, and Brave New World to get into seventh grade. Interesting to me that they started us off with a review of the downside of pack mentality. Smart educators. And I promise you, I am one of very few Southern Californians who has been tested on the civilization of URRRRRRRR, as are you in your neighborhood. Thank you, Mr Hitt.

In 1999, I took an unforgettable cab ride in Chicago. Chatting up the driver, I ask what else he does- you know curious - my extremely seasoned driver explains his penchants for commodities trading. What? Yeah, he says droughts in Columbia and coffee goes up, too much rain in Iowa and corn goes up; any disaster in the papers, and I can make money. How do you know?… I study Geography. My wheels slowly turn - I kick myself - and Ken Gibson’s uncountable country-by-country lessons settled into a new place in my brain. Thanks, Coach, you are well remembered.

Spanish with Coach David Forman was difficult and nearly impossible with Monsieur Bernier. So when I rolled into Ensenada for wine tastings and kinda understood the language 40 years later…well I’m grateful. Gentlemen, Montclair Academy provided unparalleled education. Not to mention, Master Bob Hemmeter’s love of history and Barry Nazarian’s love of life and the chiffaz, though I could easily live without his damnable grammar. Those made me a life-long lover of Hemingway and his short sentence style. Masters Noble, Drake, Childs, Jennings, Farot, Nugent, Dour, George Hrab. Bootsie from the kitchen…we even had our very own Mr Bean.

See more about Don Friedlich’s jewelry at DonaldFriedlich.com.

And our leaders: the stoic Phil Anderson, the demanding Masters Bicknell and Matzke, and the unmatchable Carmen Marnell. All

BY JACK PARISEAU ’74

bringing their very special viewpoint to the conundrum that is boys becoming men. I can never thank them enough, quite simply we are blessed. In the day, we traveled in packs of 3 to 5, and crews or teams of 8 to 20. Of course, with time the pack shrinks, and I’m known to miss these men. Nash, Forbes, Schlobohm. Griggs, McIntyre, Tarnell. Icangelo, Boyle, Weiss, Stanton, and Eastman. With permission, I will speak to those I knew.

Scott McIntyre appeared reserved yet full of mischief. He resided in L.A. and last we visited over whisky at our 25th reunion at Montclair Country Club. We traded Jerry Garcia ties. We lost him weeks later in a car accident. I miss him all the more for our last time shared. Nick Eastman graduated a year later, I think. More importantly, his sisters will kill me if I don’t talk about him. Nick, Mike Adams, Tom Weissenborn, Scott McIntyre, and I shared time in elementary school. Nick was kind and quiet until he hit a stageany stage. Nick was a character in its purest form and well spent his life as an actor in Manhattan

Andrew Tarnell was a fellow graduate of Outward Bound School and a hard-working Cougar driving good times. A powerful football guard and linebacker, he was always ready to help a fellow student or athlete. And, Gary Nash was always the biggest mouth in our class. No, really, he had a huge mouth, a huge laugh, and an even bigger heart. In my view a very good man.

Now for you ugly mugs. We did a great job raising each other. Yes, of course, our coaches, teachers, and families helped; but largely and for good or for mischief we were our preferred mentors, which I believe makes us a fraternity of brothers. I am proud to be a member of this fraternity, the last class in a 100-plus year tradition, a Montclair Academy man. So, I want you to know it is simply, sublimely sweet to be here with you this weekend.

Congratulations to Dr. John Campanile on opening a cardiology practice, Campanile Cardiology, in Caldwell. He is a board-certified clinical and preventative cardiologist with an illustrious career marked by dedication, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of advancing cardiac care. His daughter, Francesca Campanile ’07 is a nurse practitioner and will be working alongside him.

1976. Mrs. Sara Close, 76 Wootton Rd, Essex Fells, NJ 07021; dmjcrowther@comcast.net

1977.

Mr. Robert Hubsmith roberthubsmith24@gmail.com

Mr. Andrew Pedersen apedersenco@gmail.com

David Jones writes, “Jodi and I are enjoying the summer here at the beach house in Mattapoisett, MA. I am still working as Director of Customer Development but looking forward to winding it down in a couple of years. Son Craig is a Biomedical Engineer, married 6 years ago and they have two kids. Daughter Jessica, is a Physical Therapist, moved out to Seattle last year, just married her longtime boyfriend last month in Hawaii. My youngest son Trent, 26, Chemical Engineer, working in South Boston at Ginkgo Bioworks in the Genetic Engineering field.

Rick Jenkins writes, “I am still holding down the fort in Montclair, but fewer and fewer ‘77ers left in the area.” Rick’s kids, all MKA lifers are scattered too. Emma ’12 is married, living and working in NYC; Greg ’18 is in Boston and working in Real Estate; Charlotte ’18 is in grad school in Paris. Rick is headed

to the ultimate golf road trip to Scotland in late July. His eighth trip there, with the first one being with Billy Baird in 1980.

Steve Cowles is still working hard every day at Havas New York. He will be travelling north and south a lot between Boston and Fort Lauderdale visiting his daughters Emma and Ava in post grad schools. Andy Read writes that he is enjoying a comfortable retirement in Staunton, VA with family, friends and plenty of golf. Paul Hastaba and wife Lori are enjoying life in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Son Danny, daughter-in-law Nikki, and granddaughters Cammy and Kennedy live nearby. They have visited several of the MKA Class of ’77 Florida alumni.

As for me, Robert Hubsmith, I celebrated my 65th this past year as many of you have or will have. My wife Mary Ellen threw a surprise birthday party for me at our new home in Summerville, SC. Stopping in to surprise me were the Cowles (Vicki & Steve), the Hastabas (Lori & Paul), and Andy Read. We had a lot of fun and got into as much trouble as we could at our aforementioned ages at some of Charleston’s finer drinking and eating establishments.

In early June, we cruised to the Dominican Republic, St. Thomas, Tortula, and the Bahamas. Doug Mahler and wife Holly spent eleven-day touring Norway on a cruise. They returned home in late June to host the Protas, Hastaba, Werksman, and Hubsmith gang at their lovely new high-rise apartment in Riviera Beach with a breathtaking panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean. They will be spending four months in northern Jersey visiting their sons Derek and Lukas and

various friends. Meryl Connelly & Marco Casta have been quite busy. Meryl reports that they both live in FLA. Meryl’s son Jamie was married to his love Rain with Marco standing in for Rain’s dad and walking her down the aisle. Attending were classmates Marcy Pope, Frank Godlewski (’76) , and Cheryl and Peter McMullen

Mike Platt has moved from SoCal to SoFla. Bev Hall is loving life in Wyoming, especially since it was an easy winter. She says, “I am still working for the Veterans Administration, mostly from home, which is real good. Life is good for the kids and the animals- cows, horses, dogs, and Mom’s cat, too!” David Pinkham gave me a quick thumbs up text that he is enjoying a nice comfy life in northwestern Jersey. Joe Sullivan writes that he is expecting his eighth grandkid in August. He spoke to Lauren Waters recently and she is doing well and living happily in Vermont. Cheryl & Peter McMullen are enjoying their grandkids and are looking forward to hosting our 50th reunion in 2027 (sorry I had to throw that in there!). That is TBD…Keith Ridings says retired life is awesome and highly recommends it. He and wife Marguerite and some friends from Colgate travelled throughout Alaska. Keith also took in Hot Tuna’s “Gone Fishin” farewell tour and caught shows throughout the Northeast and the Fur Peace Ranch in Ohio. Nancy Dainesi happily retired in early May. She spent 2 ½ weeks in Israel as a volunteer helping farmers in need- pruning trees, harvesting fruits and vegetables. It was an amazing experience (and she is still rooting for the right hockey team).

Jay Hopkins (Jay ever the jokester) writes, “Hi all! Hubby caught up with me and is twisting my arm to write this. hope everybody is doing well. I am still practicing law in my office in Long Branch, NJ. Yes, at lunch I generally drive by the beach. I have not run into too many classmates lately. I saw Peter McMullen and Bill Dioguardi (Class of ’76). He is a shore person too. If you are in the area, drop in. Well, I turn the pen over to the next of Hubby’s victims.” Andy Dobbin writes “I’ve been getting well from my 'last' operation, either finally or once again." He’s up to operation number 25 in less than six years, but Andy says he feels good and looks marvelous according to his friends and Billy Crystal. Andy adds that he’s getting out and seeing some of the same bands we loved in high school with MKA friends. Pat Berry reports that she is visiting Orleans on the Cape this Summer with Deb Rasin Jacobson after logging adventures in Thailand and Portugal with husband Mitch. Pat left Montclair for a townhouse in West Orange, it’s big enough to host all three girls and significant others when they visit.

Jason Apter says retirement is not coming soon enoughthree kids in college for pre-med, pre-law, and forensic psychology. Jason reports he is opening another funeral home and is enjoying the sporting life of Northwest Jersey, riding and shooting! Brad Protas had his 27th annual trip to Sebring Raceway in March with classmates Mike Werksman, Chris Brenner, Meryl Connelly, Marco Casta for a near week of racing, grilling, reminiscing, and other stuff we can’t print. Chris Brenner texts that he and wife June are now fulltime

residents on Cape Cod. Chris is representing owners on the development side of Senior Living and Hospitality and June is enjoying her new role as Concierge. They both report to their son Ryan, the best boss ever! Daughter Brittney is about to bless the family with granddaughter # 2 in August. Mike Werksman welcomed first granddaughter, Natalie Campbell Werkman into the family on August 25, 2023. He plays an occasional round of golf with his sons Joey and Matt. Joe Ciccolini just moved down to Boynton Beach, FL where he is redoing bathrooms and kitchen. He’ll be a close neighbor of Brad Protas and Mike Werksman.

I’ve had a few exchanges with Michele Saucy Mitchell and Jared Randall on Facebook Messenger. I’d love to hear from other members of the class so please messenger me when you have a moment.

We were saddened to learn of the passing of Scott Conway on December 8, 2023. Heartfelt condolences to the Conway family. Also, condolences to Marty Cohn and family for the passing of his Mom at 101.

1978. Ms. Pamela Zeug, 60 W. 57th Street, #15F New York, NY 10019; pzeug@downinggroup.com

1979. Dr. John Brink, 1246 Beach Haven Road, Atlanta, GA 30324

Mrs. Shawn Ortiz, 2163 Gilbride Road, Martinsville, NJ 08836; csaortiz@optonline.net

Mr. Bruce Eng, 1032 Irving St., #727, San Francisco, CA 94122; Lattjiu@aol.com

1980. India Hayes Larrier was spotlighted by the New Jersey Democratic State Committee for Women’s History Month. India is a Senior Project Manager for Community Catalyst, a national health advocacy organization focused on health justice and racial equity. She is currently a Maplewood Democratic Committee district leader and Co-Chair of our NJDSC Older Adult Caucus.

1981. Mrs. Laura Reisch

Itzkowitz, 37 Nottingham Road, Manalapan, NJ 077261834; howardandlaura@ optonline.net

1982. Congratulations to Pam Holding on being named to Barron’s 100 Most Influential Women in Finance for the fourth year in a row. Pam is the Co-Head of Equity and Asset Management Lead on Sustainable Investing at Fidelity Investments.

1983. Mr. Walter J. Davis, 66 Oakwood Drive, New Providence, NJ 07974; davisteam@comcast.net

Mrs. Maureen Natkin (J.P.), 5 Riverview Road, Irvington, NY 10533; mtnatkin@me.com

1984. Mrs. Jennifer Jones Ladda, 17 Belleclaire Place, Verona, NJ 07044; jjonesladda@gmail.com

1985. Congratulations to Melissa Bradley one of the recipients of the 2024 John Carroll Award. Melissa is a Washington-based entrepreneur and venture capitalist and is the founder of 1863 Ventures, a small business platform to accelerate New Majority entrepreneurs from high potential to high growth. Founded in 1950 by the Georgetown University Alumni Association, the John Carroll Awards recognize volunteer and civic achievement among its 200,000 alumni worldwide.

1986. Ms. Jennifer Remington-Knodel, 44 Hamilton Drive East, North Caldwell, NJ 07006; jenremknodel@aol.com

Congratulations to Joseph Yudin on being named to the 2024 Conde Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist List for the 14th

year in a row.

1987. Mr. Dennis Rodano, 3 Byron Road, North Caldwell, NJ 07006; rodanod@verizon.net

Ms. Lynne Yellin, 413 Ridgecrest Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514; lynneyellin@gmail.com

Congrats to Evan Wittenberg and the Pivot Bio team for being named a Finalist in the agriculture category of Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Awards for 2024.

1988. Alec Schwartz; alec@ateamhomeheroes.com

Danielle DeVita; ddevita27@gmail.com

We are saddened to share the passing of David Haight, Jr., father of David Haight III and Deborah Haight ’96. He passed away on January 25, 2024, at the age of 91.

1989. Mr. Louis Lessig, 2009 Morris Drive, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003; llessig@brownconnery.com

MICHAEL FELDMAN '80

Tell us about your work. I am the Chair of Pathology at Indiana University. I provide medical leadership to about 1,200 men and women medical lab scientists, technicians, clinical lab scientists, and physicians who specialize in different parts of the body or testing disciplines to run blood and body fluid tests in and analyze tissue in our medical labs. We run chemical analysis, RNA, and DNA sequencing, analyze tissue or cells removed from your body, and send reports back to doctors for their patients. My team takes care of about 35% of the State of Indiana, which is over 2 million people.

Why Pathology? How did you first become interested in your profession? This goes back to my time at MKA. I was always really enamored with science, and had some great teachers at MKA who were skilled educators including some with PhD level educations. They were passionate and cared about each student. I also went to school with some incredibly bright students. MKA was the right pot that mixed together great students and great teachers and helped me find my passion for science.

My advanced biology teacher Judy Kemlitz was a terrific educator. One of my classmate's brothers was a faculty member at JHU School of Medicine, and he came to school as a guest speaker in my AP Biology class one day. He opened my eyes to a world I did not know existed. After that, I was off and running.

What is the biggest career challenge you have faced, and what did you learn from it? COVID-19. My clinical team was asked to do all the testing for the health system and our university when test supplies were very limited. We scaled our existing test platforms and eventually had to build out a new laboratory space and hire hundreds of new people. We had clinical testing partners identify vendors who could guarantee supplies and then bring that all together over a few months. Over the next two years, we ran more than 2 million COVID tests. For two years, I learned a great deal about staying calm under pressure and using the resources that were available to me.

How would you like to be remembered? I like to fancy myself as a servant leader because I want to help people get things done, do the right thing, and come together in service to each other. That's why I moved to Indiana. The university just wants to take care of everybody in Indiana and do the best we can to elevate health in the state. That vision resonates with me and I can get behind it.

What is your proudest accomplishment? My wife and my kids. My son is working towards his pilot’s license, and my daughter is finishing school to be a teacher.

In what ways did MKA prepare you for the path your life has taken? MKA was a place where you got to know people who had profound influences on my life. MKA brought me my best friend, Albert Van Erde ’73. Albert had just finished college and started a new job teaching at MKA. He was my homeroom teacher, turned mentor. We became really close friends and were each other’s best man at our weddings.

“...MKA was the right pot that mixed together great students and great teachers and helped me find my passion for science.”

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Mr. Josh Raymond, 33 Oak Place, North Caldwell, NJ 07006; jraymond@msbnj.com

Congratulations to Geoff Krouse on being named the Associate Dean for Alumni & Development and Senior Lecturing Fellow at Duke Law School. Geoff is a 1997 graduate of Duke Law and has worked for the alumni relations and fundraising program for the last eight years.

Adam Sussman has been the President at Epic Games for the last four years. In February, Epic Games announced that they will be collaborating with The Walt Disney Company on an all-new games and entertainment universe that will further expand the reach of beloved Disney stories and experiences

1990. Our deepest condolences to the Williamson family on the passing of their father, Robert, on March 7, 2024. Our thoughts and prayers are with his children Robyn, Joseph ’93 (Marcy Shapiro ’95), and Daniel ’94

Loyd Godwin, Charles Lee, Naveen Ballem, and Meredith McGowan on the golf course in April 2024. 5

On May 4, Montclair held its eighth Literary Festival. This year, New York Times best-selling author of Hello Beautiful, Ann Napolitano spoke about her reissued special paperback edition of Within Arm’s Reach. Many MKA community members were in attendance, including Rhoan Jones, Senior Associate Director of Athletics Patty Sullivan, and former faculty member Bernice Belverio. 6

1991. Ms. Dara Marmon, 330 E. 39th, Apt. 21D, New York, NY 10016; daramarmon@gmail.com

Mr. Luke Sarsfield, 105 Franklin Street, Apt. 4, New York, NY 10013; lasarsfield@gmail.com

1992. Dr. Enrique Neblett; enrique.neblett@gmail.com

1993. Eric Kusseluk played in the 2023 Maccabiah Games in Buenos Aires with four assists! Maccabi World Union is the

world's largest Jewish sports and education organization reaching 450,000 people in over 70 countries across six continents. It provides opportunities for Jews – regardless of affiliation and especially for those not affiliated with the organized Jewish community – for engagement, personal growth, education, and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. Eric played collegiate soccer at Cornell University and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2010. 7

1994. Mr. Jason Awerdick, 23 Greenbrook Drive, Bloomfield, NJ 07003; jasonawerdick@gmail.com

1996. Ms. Tanya Barnes; barnes.tanya@gmail.com

Ms. Erica Hirsch, 10 West 15th Street, #710, New York, NY 10011; ehirsch77@yahoo.com

Mr. Lee Vartan, 3 Swayze Lane, Chester, NJ 07930; lvartan@csglaw.com

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of former faculty member Rich Reiter. He is survived by his wife and best friend of 52 years, former faculty member Susan, two children Michael and Martha Shapiro ’98, and five grandchildren.

We are saddened to share the passing of David Haight, Jr., father of David Haight III ’88 and Deborah Haight. He passed away on January 25, 2024, at the age of 91.

1997. It is with a heavy heart that we share that Peter Ebling passed away on February 6, 2024, at the age of 79. He worked at MKA for 30 years, from September 1976 to June 2006. He was renowned for his academic rigor and high standards established for himself and students alike. Peter was a special person who dedicated his life to service, teaching, and above all spreading values and lessons that will be cherished by those who were in his presence. He is survived by his three children, Matthew ’95, Kira, and Peter ’01, and grandson Jackson.

1998. Ms. Gemma Giantomasi Diaco, 80 Avon Drive, Essex Fells, NJ 07021; gemma.diaco@gmail.com

Congratulations to Tai Cooper on being named to ROI Influencers’ Power List 2024 for Economic Development. Tai is the Chief Community Development Officer at New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA).

1999. Mr. Alexander Holz, 217 East 10th St, Apt 18, New York, NY 10003; alexbhlz@gmail.com

Ms. Sandra Tritt; sandratritt@gmail.com

Congratulations to the incredible Phil Mazo on being awarded a 2024 Individual Artist Fellowship from The New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Phil was among 76 artists selected from 692 eligible applicants in six artistic disciplines. He received a fellowship for Film and Video in the amount of $16,500. We can't wait to see what he does next!

2000. Ms. Anna Cook, 5 Highview Court, Wayne, NJ 07470; anna_labowsky@yahoo.com

Mr. John Garippa, 2741 NE 58th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308; jgarippa@gmail.com

Mrs. Jaclyn Spedaliere, 60 E. Oak Street, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920; jaclynspedaliere@gmail.com

On January 28, 2024, Kevin Koenig was on Anderson Cooper’s show The Whole Truth. He discussed oligarch yachts, greenwashing, and Jeff Bezos with CNN's Alisyn Camerota. Kevin is a writer and journalist in the marine sector, specifically covering yachts and the boating industry.

Congratulations to Anthony Gray and his spouse Raluca on the birth of their first child, Jack Sebastian Gray on February 23, 2024.

2002. Miss Emily Santangelo; emilyannesantangelo@gmail.com

Mrs. Melissa Fortunato Slomienski, 58 Oldchester Road, Essex Fells, NJ 07021; slomienski@icloud.com

KRISTINE SOVA '95

Tell us about your work. I am an employment lawyer. I have been practicing law for the past 22 years, the last 12 of which I have been running my own solo law practice where focus on day-to-day advice and counseling. My clients range from small businesses to international corporations, and see myself as their human resources (HR) lifeline.

Why law? How did you first become interested in your profession? My father put the idea into my head when I was a junior in college. I was interning at a publishing company and was working in their HR department when realized I enjoyed the work. This set the scene for me to pursue a career in employment law.

How has your profession impacted you? When I was young, I was super shy, a bit of a people pleaser, and not someone to speak up or take action. But as a young lawyer, I spent a lot of time in court where it was my job to advocate for my clients. My work put me in a position where I had to speak up. This was a turning point for me, especially on a personal level. Those who know me in my life today, know me as someone who is not afraid to speak up or use my voice.

What is your proudest accomplishment? My proudest accomplishment is starting my solo law practice. To some, a one-person shop might not sound like a big deal, but it was really important for me to build a practice that reflects my values. As a single mother, an added bonus is that I have been able to structure my schedule and workload better to really be there for my children.

“MKA provided me with so many different opportunities and taught me to think critically, be courageous, and take risks in a professional context.”

In what ways did MKA prepare you for the path your life has taken? The motto of Knowledge, Vision, and Integrity has been a compass for any level of success I have achieved. There have been moments in my life where I have found myself straying from the motto and things have gone awry. I think that it is really important to always stay true to your own vision and always act with integrity. I credit MKA for teaching me these values.

2003. Ms. Judith Ferreira, 819 Clifton Avenue, Newark, NJ 07104-3211; jferreir@pratt.edu

Mrs. Melanie Bieber, 462 Vance Ave, Wyckoff, NJ 07481; mel.braverman@gmail.com

Congratulations to Precious Nwankwo for being named to the 2024 LCLD Fellows Program at Winston & Strawn LLP. She has been an associate with the firm for a year now.

2391; 201-617-5312, manav.lalwani@gmail.com

Congratulations to Laura Jackson-Johnson and her husband Kenneth on the birth of their first child, Olivia Lourdes, on May 9, 2024.

2006. Ms. Natalie Azzoli Sparks; nat6888@gmail.com

Ms. Angela McCaffrey; angelamccaffrey@gmail.com

the birth of their second child, Atlas.

Congratulations to Kate Clark Thompson and her husband Neil on the birth of their second son, Luke Clark, on January 8, 2024. 10

Congratulations to Sam Szwed and her partner Kyle Carbonell on the birth of their daughter, Autumn Rose Carbonell, on January 4, 2024.

Supriya Golas is the Senior Manager of Programs and Products at Intuit for Education. She is currently leading the development of a new financial literacy platform, Intuit 4 Education, that provides high school teachers and students with free personal and entrepreneurial finance courses. They have set a goal to help 50 million students become more financially literate, capable, and confident by 2030.

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Congratulations to Mallory Singer Thau and her husband Barry on the birth of their third child, Nala Aviva, on June 14, 2024.

2004. Brendan McCaffrey, 235 West 102nd Street, Apt. 10i, New York, NY 10025; brendan.a.mccaffrey@ gmail.com

Ms. Katherine Santoro, 333 River Street, Apt. 539, Hoboken, NJ 07030; kate. santoro@gmail.com

Congratulations to Alyssa Farrelly Heath and her husband Drew Heath on the birth of their first child, Myles Kenzo, on November 16, 2023. 8

Richard Cherchio, father of Matthew Cherchio and Francesca Cherchio ’16 passed away on April 1, 2024.

Congratulations to Trevor Bell and his wife Juliana on the birth of daughter, Mia Grace, in May 2024. 11

Congratulations to Ashley Krones Hamilton and her husband Paul on the birth of their second child, Aerin Rose, on June 17, 2024. 14

2010. Ms. Devon Barrett; 1devonbarrett@gmail.com

Congratulations to Jared Kass on his marriage to Amanda Chernin on May 18, 2024, in Kingston, New York. 12

13. 14.

On February 22, MKA's Black Student Affinity (BSA) group held its annual Black History Month Dinner in the Upper School Dining Hall celebrating Black Excellence. Sheldon Fields was the featured guest speaker who spoke about the importance of finding your passion and pursuing it. Sheldon has made a career for himself in the sports and tech industries. He received his MBA at UCLA and currently works at Meta. Thank you, Sheldon, for giving back to the MKA community by supporting and mentoring our students!

2005. Mr. Edmund Kozak; e.g.kozak@gmail.com

Mr. Manav Lalwani, 1 32 Blue Heron Drive, Riverside Court, Secaucus, NJ 07094-

Congratulations to Eleanor Amari on being named by Business Insider as one of their “Rising Stars” in Public Relations. Eleanor is the Creative & Brand Director at DADA Goldberg. She was recognized for creating design-led brands on Instagram, leading their visual direction, and pairing social and PR holistically across design, real estate, and culture.

Congratulations to Liz Miller and her husband Daniel Lee on the birth of their first child, Hannah, in February 2024.

Congratulations to Michael Perri and his wife Abby on the birth of their first child, Louis Alfred, in June 2024. 9

2007. Mr. Brian May; bmay88@gmail.com

Mr. Harry Raymond; raymond.harry@gmail.com

Mr. Stuart Harwood; stuartmharwood@gmail.com

Congratulations to Chukwuka Chiemelu and his wife Ebony on

2008. Mr. Matthew Metzger, 235 Elizabeth Street, Apt #1B, New York, NY 10012; metzgermd@gmail.com

Congratulations to Brigid Frey Camier and her husband on the birth of their first child, Connor Michael, on April 11, 2024. 13

Congratulations to Dwight Jackson and his wife Anna on the birth of their third boy, August Lou Lyons, on June 4, 2024.

2009. Mr. Brian Purcell; bnpurcell4@gmail.com

Ms. Jane Stanton; janestanton18@gmail.com

Congratulations to Andrew Stern and his wife Daniella on the birth of their daughter, Rosa Shoshana Stern.

Mr. Matthew Palmisano; matt.r.palmisano@gmail.com

Joseph Cassini, father of Caroline Cassini, passed away on January 19, 2024. He was a distinguished individual who dedicated 33 years of his life to serving as a judge in New Jersey, including 20 years in the State's Superior Court.

Our deepest condolences to James Connell on the passing of his father, James who passed away on February 15, 2024, at the age of 73.

Congratulations to Robert Frungillo and his wife Sarah on the birth of their second child, Alessa Lucia, on January 24, 2024.

Alexa Franco is returning to Duke as a Facial Plastic Surgeon in September 2024. She will be joining the Department of Head and Neck Surgery as a faculty member and providing her patients with facial rejuvenation surgeries (including facelift, neck lift, upper and lower

LIZ BERSHAD '07

Tell us about your work. I started my career in management consulting at Bain & Company and now have my own consulting practice focusing on social impact. Most of my work recently has been related to philanthropy and the environment. One example is that I’ve been supporting the launch of a new organization called Redwoods Collective, which is focused on limiting the effects of climate change. At Redwoods, we help philanthropists accelerate non-profit funding to climate solutions that can change the future of our planet. We provide climate education, vetted giving opportunities, and peer support so that philanthropists can feel confident in quickly giving major gifts.

Why social impact consulting? How did you first become interested in your profession? I’ve been interested in the intersection of business and social impact since taking economics at MKA in the twelfth grade, taught by Dr. Maxwell. Part of her class was reading “The Economist,” and each week, we’d discuss one article as a group. I was fascinated by the global perspective and the impact of business, economics, and finance on the well-being of people worldwide. Since then, I’ve worked and volunteered in several related fields, including international development, microfinance, and mental health innovation. I also studied social impact and sustainability in business school. I like having my own consulting practice because I have the autonomy to choose my projects.

What is the biggest career challenge you have faced, and what did you learn from it? About five years ago, I was diagnosed with chronic migraine, which is defined as 15 or more headache days per month. Since then I’ve had to reorient my life so I’m putting my health first, instead of my career. My career has always been a huge part of my identity, and when I was younger, I felt proud of being able to work long hours and take on any workrelated challenges that came my way. Balancing health with my career has been an important change. Throughout this time, I’ve been incredibly lucky to have support from family, friends, and co-workers who have helped me continue doing the work I love while adjusting to a new normal.

What is your proudest accomplishment? In terms of my career, launching the Redwoods Collective this year has been a major highlight. We already have about 50 members using our services, and we're on track to activate $20M+ to climaterelated philanthropic giving in the next year. We’ve built fantastic partnerships, including one with Climate Lead, a non-profit organization that has guided billions of philanthropic dollars in the past five years.

From a personal standpoint, I’m proud of my relationships with family and friends, which are the foundation and motivation for everything else. I’m also proud of the efforts I’ve put into my own well-being: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Some of my happiest moments have been in Jewish community, Buddhist meditation retreats, and at Burning Man - these are groups I’m proud to be a part of.

In what ways did MKA prepare you for the path your life has taken? After 14 years of school at MKA, it’s hard to describe all the ways! If any friends, classmates, or teachers are reading: thank you for the ways that you helped me learn and grow. We were all in it together.

The Upper School opened my mind to the larger world and how I might play a positive role in it, for example, with incredible speakers from around the world. I specifically remember Loung Ung, author of First They Killed My Father, which recounted her personal experience in the Cambodian genocide. I ended up studying genocide in both college and graduate school, and now volunteer for an anti-genocide non-profit. Middle School brought critical thinking skills, organization, and resilience in the face of challenges (Survival!). At Brookside, I learned about basic values, deep friendships, creativity, and of course, the alphabet – which I still use every day.

BRANDON BOST '09

Tell us about your work. I am a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum-selling record producer and mixing engineer. I spent ten years working at the historic Electric Lady Studios in New York, and throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working with artists like Adele, Frank Ocean, David Bowie, Lady Gaga, Mumford and Sons, and Mark Ronson.

Why music? How did you first become interested in your profession? Many of my earliest memories involve making some sort of noise around the house, whether writing songs on the piano or banging away on the drums. Growing up in an age where the music format was constantly shifting and the industry evolving, I was captivated by the undeniable feeling of discovering new music and playing it on repeat. It’s what really lit a flame in me, and when I realized I could actually make music for a living, it felt like a pretty clear path to explore.

What is the biggest career challenge you have faced, and what did you learn from it?

Working on the Barbie movie was easily the most challenging project I’ve been a part of, as I had never worked on a film score in such an involved capacity. My role for the project was recording engineer, programmer, and orchestrator for co-composers Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt. Many of the hurdles we faced were technical, requiring us to use our everyday tools in entirely new ways. Throughout the creative process of scoring to picture, the film edit continually evolved, demanding constant conformations and musical rewrites, even after the orchestra recording dates. Definitely not something any of us were accustomed to from our record-making backgrounds. The project proved fulfilling and inspiring, offering a new lens on music and cementing an invaluable experience to build on.

What areas of opportunity in your industry excite you the most right now? Sorry to bring it here, but AI is absolutely the most interesting thing happening in music. With emerging regulations aimed at safeguarding intellectual property in AI implementation, I’m personally excited about the potential of integrating AI into my production toolbox. It’s an exciting and innovative time in music, and I’m eager to see how AI will shape the creative process.

What is your proudest accomplishment? Working in music was a dream from a young age, but working with musical heroes was never something I quite imagined. I feel fortunate to have a career in doing what I love.

In what ways did MKA prepare you for the path your life has taken?

As a Lifer, MKA made a significant impact on me. It facilitated a curiosity in continual learning and created a safe space for me to chase a dream. I have so many memories from band and being in the pit that my professional journey would feel incomplete without them.

“It’s an exciting and innovative time in music, and I’m eager to see how AI will shape the creative process.”

“MKA nurtured my passion for science and encouraged making a difference in my community.”

ALEXA FRANCO '10

Tell us about your work. I am a Facial Plastic Surgeon specializing in facial cosmetic procedures including facelifts, neck lifts, eyelid lifts, rhinoplasty, lasers, and injectables. After completing a five-year ENT-Head and Neck surgery residency at NYU, spent a year completing a Facial Plastic Surgery Fellowship in Princeton, NJ to further subspecialize in my field and refine my skills. In September, I will be joining the Department of Head and Neck Surgery at Duke as an Assistant Professor of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Why Plastic Surgery? How did you first become interested in your profession? I knew I wanted to be a surgeon at a young age. Becoming a surgeon was a way for me to merge my passions for science, anatomy, and art in a hands-on way. As I progressed in my medical training, I was drawn to the types of surgeries that required meticulous attention to detail and creativity. The plastic surgeries I perform are transformative for the patient not only physically but emotionally as well. Being able to restore a patient’s self-esteem and confidence is incredibly rewarding.

What is the biggest career challenge you have faced, and what did you learn from it? When the COVID pandemic began in 2020, I was in my second year of surgical residency and was deployed to work in the COVID ICU. The pressure, uncertainty, and emotional toll of caring for critically ill patients in such

unprecedented times was overwhelming. Learning to manage your own emotions while providing care to others and to quickly adapt to evolving circumstances and protocols were crucial skills that I developed during this challenging period.

What is your proudest accomplishment? The path to becoming a Facial Plastic Surgeon is long and difficult, with many years of grueling training. You have to make a lot of personal sacrifices to pursue a career in medicine, especially in surgery. The perseverance to pursue this lifelong dream that I’ve had since I was eight years old, despite the many obstacles I faced, is my proudest accomplishment.

In what ways did MKA prepare you for the path your life has taken? My time at MKA was instrumental in my success, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without the education I received there. MKA nurtured my passion for science and encouraged making a difference in my community. I was taught to think critically, to be a leader, and to act ethically. Becoming a responsible physician requires dedication to practicing medicine with integrity. All of these values were instilled in me at MKA.

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Tag @MKAAlumni in your posts and check out our social media accounts: /mkaalumni /MontclairKimberleyAcademyAlumni /MKAcademy

CHELSEA STRICKLAND '10

Tell us about your work. I am on the Strategy & Operations team within the Communications & Public Affairs group at Meta. I lead a team responsible for managing key processes to empower the Communications function and guide the organization through strategy development and planning.

Why Strategy & Operations? How did you first become interested in your profession? From very early on in my career, I recognized that I most enjoyed project-based work focused on solving complex problems and working cross-functionally and that this type of work is often managed by internal strategy groups. My current role at Meta is my third Strategy & Ops role, and each experience has enabled me to continue building a highly transferable skill set, empowering me to grow my career across three distinct industries so far – finance, consumer retail, and now, big tech.

What is the biggest career challenge you have faced, and what did you learn from it? struggled in the early days of my first leadership role. I held myself to an unrealistic standard of never showing weakness or uncertainty, as I thought that would garner respect from my team. This leadership philosophy was exhausting and unproductive when building trust, and I soon realized that showing vulnerability and promoting openness and honesty was much more inspiring. This experience taught me that prioritizing transparency and authenticity is a more natural and genuine way for me to lead.

Tell us about your work. My career has taken a very non-linear path, starting in Sales & Analytics at Bloomberg and making stops in broadcast journalism at Bloomberg, Global Marketing Solutions at Meta, business school at Columbia University, and even culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu Paris – all leading up to my current role as an Associate in integrative consulting at McKinsey & Company.

Telling people I am a consultant often raises more questions than it answers, but essentially, I work on teams that help companies in a variety of industries reach ambitious goals and solve tough problems. As a consultant, I have been on teams tasked with building apps, advising on market entry or acquisition questions, and creating plans to stand up net-new capabilities for clients. My career is still evolving, but I feel confident that my current role is preparing me to succeed in whatever comes next.

Why consulting? How did you first become interested in your profession? I chose to go into consulting because it allows me to follow my curiosity for different industries and functions without changing jobs. Moving between industries in my early career, I was building uber-specific skill sets that were not necessarily transferable outside of a singular problem type or content area. Consulting has allowed me to explore new topics,

industries, and problems while continually building upon a toolkit of highly transferable skills.

What is your proudest accomplishment? My proudest career accomplishment is getting an MBA. As someone with an undergraduate degree in Theology, it was a very different kind of learning environment than I was used to, and I’m grateful I got the opportunity to push myself and approach topics that once intimidated me. Outside of my career, my proudest accomplishment is attending culinary school. Pursuing cooking at a professional level purely for the sake of doing something I love was a true privilege.

In what ways did MKA prepare you for the path your life has taken? MKA provided me with my earliest leadership experiences, which gave me the confidence to take on more serious leadership roles in college and beyond. Most of all, MKA taught me that you’re not going to thrive everywhere but that doesn’t mean you won’t thrive anywhere. My experience at MKA taught me the importance of finding my people and spaces (shout out to Hoppe’s office) and maintaining confidence in myself and my abilities in environments that might make me doubtful.

“...I am incredibly grateful to MKA faculty for building my confidence.”

What is your proudest accomplishment? I am proud of having the courage to take time off from the workforce and pursue business school full-time during the height of COVID. In early 2020, I was at an inflection point in my career, and while I was excited about pursuing higher education, I was concerned that leaving my stable career in finance was an unwise decision given the uncertainty of early COVID days. Despite my apprehension and conflicting opinions of mentors and friends, I took the plunge and started business school in August of 2020 – and I am incredibly grateful that I did. My business school experience will undoubtedly be one of the most fulfilling and memorable periods of my life, and my graduate degree has enabled me to pivot into new industries and accelerate my career.

In what ways did MKA prepare you for the path your life has taken? MKA’s emphasis on honing students’ writing skills was incredibly formative for me. I have the fondest memories of English/Language Arts classes, and of consistently feeling empowered and encouraged to develop my writing style. Strong written communication skills have been essential in the generalist career path I’ve chosen, so I am incredibly grateful to MKA faculty for building my confidence.

SYDNEY MCNEAL '11

blepharoplasty, brow lift), primary and revision rhinoplasty, botox, filler, and more.

Willie Vayianos was on Good Morning America on April 12, 2024, for a food segment where the anchors shared their favorite comfort food spots in New Jersey and New York. Willie is the owner of Star Tavern in Orange, NJ. Anchor and former professional football player Michael Strahan chose Star Tavern as his favorite pizza place.

Congratulations to Julie Longthorne on her marriage to Christopher Dempsey on April 26, at the Scranton Cultural Center. 15

2011. Mr. Seth Bynum; seth.bynum1@gmail.com

Ms. Carina Wong; carinamwong@gmail.com

Congratulations to Blair Landolfi on marrying Jon Fredericks on January 20, 2024.

Carina Wong presented the premiere of her first feature documentary at South by Southwest’s (SXSW) 2024 Film Festival in Austin, TX in March 2024. We Can Be Heroes tells the story of a group of neurodivergent, queer, and self-proclaimed nerdy teenagers who find solace at a LARP (live-action roleplay) summer camp. They discover inner strength, heal from traumas, and emerge as their own heroes: both in fantasy and reality.

Congratulations to Mallory McDonagh Ogden and her husband Nick on the birth of their first child, Cooper Christopher, in April 2024.

Congratulations to Ashley Bishop on her marriage to Nick Bucci on June 15, 2024. 16

2012. Ms. Casey Holden; casey.musicant@gmail.com

Mr. Ed Rosini; erosini32@gmail.com

Congratulations to Erika Rademaker on her engagement to Tyler Canady in February 2023.

Congratulations to Kieran Powell on his marriage to Amanda Tachon on March 9, 2024. 17

Congratulations to Blake Rohde and his wife Stephanie on the birth of their daughter, Harper Magnolia, on March 28, 2024. 18

Congratulations to Cameron Brazill on his engagement to Allie DeBellis in May 2024.

2013. Ms. Elizabeth “Lizzie” Amato; Liz.J.amato@gmail.com

Mr. Edward Bozik; bozik@me.com

Congratulations to Emma Layton Rougraff and her husband Nicholas on the birth of their first child, Lucy Naomi, on March 4, 2024. 19

Joseph Weber and Jeanne Weber (Primary School third grade teacher) were married on July 22, 2023. Pictured: Matthew and Lucia Weber P’13, ’17, along with Primary School faculty members Ralph Pacifico, Amy Pacifico, Daniela Vespucci, and Brittany O'Neill. 20

Congratulations to Liz Amato on her engagement to Matt Yeager on May 25, 2024, in Edgartown, MA. 21

Congratulations to Matt Lane and the Don Bosco Prep Boys Lacrosse team on winning the NJSIAA Non-Public A State Championship for the second time in four years. DBP defeated Seton Hall Prep 13-8.

Congratulations to Claudia Sheer and Ed Haracz on their engagement. These high school sweethearts have been together since 2013!

2014. Ms. Kassandra Fotiadis; kassandra.fotiadis@gmail.com

Congratulations to Nadia Uberoi on her engagement to Michael Van Saun in Vail, Colorado, in April 2024. 22

Congratulations to Carly Pickett on her engagement to Robertson McClure in April 2024.

Congratulations to Kassie Fotiadis on her Law School Note, #EmployersToo: Expanding Vicarious Liability for Sexual Harassment in Title VII and Tort Law, being selected for publication in Michigan Law Review. Her Note envisions a theory of

change that centers real and widespread institutional accountability, instead of individual liability or incarceration, for sexual harassment.

Congratulations to John Higgins on his marriage to Emily Wilson on June 15, 2024. 23

2015. Ms. Korinne “Kori” Durando; koridurando@gmail.com

In February, Evin Henriquez-Groves and Ibrahim Abukwaik came back to MKA to speak with the Entrepreneurship Club to discuss their experiences launching startups and leading companies as people of color. Evin founded ENVI in 2023 to enable small business owners in the consumer product sector to build strong business foundations and pursue growth. Ibrahim buys struggling companies, spends 12-24 months fixing them up, and then sells them. He got his start as an entrepreneur building a company during MKA's May Term, which he then sold. 24

Graham Glusman is at Covington & Burling LLP in New York City and recently graduated from Columbia Law School. His article, “Justice from the General Assembly: An International Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression in Ukraine,” was published in the Chicago Journal of International Law

Morgan Hersh has worked for the San Francisco 49ers as the Player & Alumni Engagement Fellow for the last two years. Her main priorities include educating, supporting, and providing resources to players to help them succeed on and off the field. Morgan’s favorite memory with the organization is being a part of the team’s journey to winning the NFC championship during the 2023 season. Previously, Morgan worked for the New York Jets in their Football Operations Department. She received her Bachelor's Degree and MBA from Duke University and spent six years working in Operations for Duke Football.

2016. Ms. Zoe Bieler; zoe.bieler@gmail.com

Mr. Charles Rilli; crilli33@gmail.com 21. 22. 23. 24. 27. 25. 26.

Lily Andres; lily.andres@gmail.com

Congratulations to Charles Rilli on his engagement to Mollie Schulman in March 2024 in Sunset Cliffs, San Diego, CA. 25

Our deepest condolences to Matthew Cherchio ’07 and Francesca Cherchio whose father, Richard Cherchio, passed away on April 1, 2024.

2017. Ms. Jenna Donatiello; jdonatiello2021@ gmail.com

Mr. Matthew ‘Matt’ Rubenstein; mattrubenstein98@gmail.com

2018. Ms. Lailanni Lucien; llucien05@gmail.com

Mr. Keenan McAuliffe; keenmac13@gmail.com

Ms. Kerri McGuire; kerri.mcguire11@gmail.com

2019. Ms. Michela Bellapianta; michelabella21@ gmail.com

Ms. Claire Brown; claiirebrown@gmail.com

Mr. Patrick Morisseau; ptricky24@gmail.com

2021. Congratulations to OB Sedransk and the Tufts University Men’s Lacrosse Team on winning the NCAA Division III championship title on May 26. 26

2023. Congratulations to Bella Douglas on being named Boston College Women's Soccer Rookie of the Year. 27

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CONGRATULATIONS TO ISAIAH KRAMER ’16 ON HIS MARRIAGE TO SIJIA LAI ON JULY

29, 2023. MANY MKA ALUMNI WERE IN ATTENDANCE. PICTURED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

LARRY KRAMER ’78, CONOR WRIGHT ’16, MARC ROUBE ’16, PAYSON RUHL ’15, ISAIAH, SIJIA, HANNAH KRAMER ’16, MALENA ORDUNG ’17, AND DILLON CARROLL ’16.

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My idea of happiness is a run in the woods NIGEL D. FURLONGE

I make the best scrambled eggs (Don't Sweat the Technique) The thing I value most is time with family and friends I discovered Honeycrisp apples for the first time in the spring of 2024 and I love them Clothes shopping is one of my greatest fears

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10 I’m allergic to chocolate what...?! I was born in Canada I’ve never had a cup of coffee (I took a sip of it once in Turkey, and it was too strong)

10 THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT OUR HEAD OF SCHOOL

201 VALLEY ROAD, MONTCLAIR, NJ 07042

Giving on

Welcome to the Montclair Kimberley Academy’s Annual Report on Giving. As we reflect on the past year, we are reminded of our core values: Knowledge, Vision, and Integrity. These guiding principles have not only shaped our educational mission but also have driven our collective efforts in fostering a culture of philanthropy within our community.

This report is a testament to the generosity and unwavering support of our donors—alumni, parents, faculty, staff, grandparents, and friends—who believe in the transformative power of education. Your contributions have enabled us to enhance our academic programs, support innovative initiatives, and provide invaluable resources to our students and faculty.

Together, we are empowering the next generation of leaders and making a lasting impact on our school and community. Thank you for being an integral part of the Montclair Kimberley Academy family.

Annual Budget Financial Overview Expenses

Transformative Giving

$250,000 AND UP

Ann and Thomas Johnson

The Johnson Family Foundation, Inc.

The McMullen Family Foundation

Margaret and Richard Wager

$100,000-$249,999

Linny and Rick Andlinger

Kathleen Beebe and Jeffrey Szilagyi

Heather and Vincent Benjamin

Lauren and Jason Fass

Efua and Louis Feldman

Jessica and Brian Glatt

Dennis Goldstein ‘83

Karen Heath-Wade and Kirk Wade

The Parents Association of Montclair

Kimberley Academy

The Pinkerton Foundation

Limor and Bob Regular

Katherine and Rob Ruberton

Connie Serota ‘39

Julie and Matt Sherman

Alison Slone and Adam Miller

Katie and Cameron Williams

$50,000-$99,999

Bernadette Aulestia-Lynch and Kristian Lynch

John Brandow ‘71

Kristina and Tom Burke

Georgia S. Carrington ‘54

Edwin and Kathryn Davison

Carla Harris and Victor Franklin

Lauren Kaplan ‘93 and Douglas Kaplan

Stephanie and Glenn Salzman

Rachel Yang and Dayong Wang

We are extremely grateful for the new, major commitments and donations that support our goals to enhance our facilities, boost our endowment, fund special initiatives, and support the operating fund. This remarkable generosity allows us to provide an exceptional educational experience for our students. The following individuals are recognized for their transformative contributions, representing their cumulative investments during the 2023-2024 academic year.

$20,000-$49,999

Anya Buenger Barrett ‘89 and John C. Barrett

Kirsten and Christopher Brown

Katie and Mike Cocco

Paige Cottingham-Streater ‘79

Liz and Doug Coyle ‘86

Sybil Eng and Tad Roselund

Eric Fox and Daniel Helmick

Melanie Girton and Craig Marshall

Carolyn and Michael Goldman

Silvia Henriquez and Luis Villafana

Kate Logan and Edmund Rung

Sandra and Gerardo Mejia

Diana and Devang Nagrecha

Besa and David Owen

Stacey Rappaport and Craig Solomon

Jodi and Luke Sarsfield ‘91

$10,000 - $19,999

Priya and Naveen Ballem ‘90

Jen and Victoria Barbetta

Christy Burke Cara and Dan Cesareo

Evelyn and Stephen T. Colbert

Paul Dackow ‘72

Nicole and Nigel Furlonge

Melissa Goldman-Williams

Alex Holz ‘99

Janice and Jeffrey Jacobson

Nancy Booth Kelly ‘52

Christina and Joshua King

Sapna and Vejay Lalla ‘93

Zandi and Thomas Nammack

Anne and Patrick Naughton

Mona Patel and Adeep Thumar

Carol Traenkle ‘55

Scott Weiner ‘92

Sunny Zhao and Gavin Gao

Anonymous

Facilities, Special Projects, and Endowment

Thank you to the donors who support MKA’s facility aspirations, programming goals, and endowment priorities in the 2023-2024 school year

Facilities and Special Projects

New Commitments

Carmen Marnell Legacy Initiative

Thomas Brueckner ‘72

Craig Cameron ‘66

Allan Cox ‘74

Mike Ehrenberg ‘75

Harlan Gibbs ‘72

Joe Hare ‘65

Marc Kirschner ‘60

Philip Leone ‘60

Peter Perretti ‘72

Cheer Program

Melissa Goldman-Williams

Special Projects

Efua and Louis Feldman

Inquiry and Innovation

Linny and Rick Andlinger

Bernadette Aulestia-Lynch and Kristian Lynch

Heather and Vincent Benjamin

Ashish and Sneha Bhatia

John Brandow ‘71

Kirsten and Christopher Brown

Christy Burke

Ingrid Burke

Kristina and Tom Burke

Katie and Mike Cocco

Paige Cottingham-Streater ‘79

Edwin and Kathryn Davison

Sybil Eng and Tad Roselund

Emily and Adam Gasthalter

Melanie Girton and Craig Marshall

Jessica and Brian Glatt

Emma and Marshall Hatcher

Liza and Keith Helwig

Megan and Craig Holzer

Janice and Jeffrey Jacobson

Renee and Christopher Johnston

Cristina Junquera and Dar Miranda

Sumeet and Kabir Kapoor

Rebecca and Jon Kelly

Patricia Krogman and Erik Corlett

Amy and Jordan Lissauer

Yang Lou and Vince Jia

Rachael and Michael Ryan Masters

Latisse Mays-Stovall and James Stovall

Fatou Mbaye and Mten Halsey

Paris McLean

Danielle and Franklin Mitola

Liz and Niall Mullane

Diana and Devang Nagrecha

Liz and Miguel Nieves

Amma Osei and Will Eaves

Besa and David Owen

The Parents Association of

Montclair Kimberley Academy

Mona Patel and Adeep Thumar

Camilla and Nik Petrika

Laura Popp-Rosenberg and David Rosenberg

Valerie and Wesley Puryear

Kaivon and Lauren Rahaghi

Ongoing Commitments

Faculty Excellence Fellowship

Linda and Brian Sterling

Board Designated Support to MKA

Stacey Rappaport and Craig Solomon

Inquiry and Innovation

Bob August ‘73

David Brandley ‘73

Lee Cohn ‘73

Susan Galligan ‘74 and Thomas Galligan ‘73

Jeffrey Kindler ‘73

Gregory Lackey ‘73

Peter Redpath ‘73

Anonymous

MKA Active: Middle School Fields

Lisa and Andrew Abramson ‘71

Jen and Victoria Barbetta

Anya Buenger Barrett ‘89 and John C. Barrett

Bonnie and Michael Carter

Cara and Dan Cesareo

Leigh and Patrick Conforti

Larry and Lynda Hollander

Rosemary Iversen

Mary and Joel Jeffrey

Kerry and Paul Murphy

Samantha and Ryan Schinman ‘89

Middle School Tennis Pavilion

The Everson Family

Lauren and Jason Fass

Eric Fox and Daniel Helmick

Jessica and Brian Glatt

Carolyn and Michael Goldman

Dennis Goldstein ‘83

Karen Heath-Wade and Kirk Wade

Marjorie Lopus Jameson ‘77

Ann and Thomas Johnson

The Johnson Family Foundation

Sapna and Vejay Lalla ‘93

Yonette and Michael McLean

The McMullen Family Foundation

Sandra and Gerardo Mejia

Diana and Devang Nagrecha

Besa and David Owen

The Parents Association of

Montclair Kimberley Academy

Mona Patel and Adeep Thumar

The Pinkerton Foundation

Limor and Bob Regular

Jamie and Matt Reichstein ‘01

Katherine and Rob Ruberton

Stephanie and Glenn Salzman

Jodi and Luke Sarsfield ‘91

Julie and Matt Sherman

Alison Slone and Adam Miller

Margaret and Richard Wager

Katie and Cameron Williams

Thomas M. Wood ‘73

Sunny Zhao and Gavin Gao

Middle School Library

Cynthia and Kwaku Amo

Yanett and Hamid Bagce

Matilda Baye-Akaho and Wisdom Akaho

Ashish and Sneha Bhatia

Britton and Drew Bitterman

Kristin Bochicchio and Sebastian von Renouard

Kirsten and Christopher Brown

Tamara Castro-Conteh and Pa Conteh

Corinne and Elie Chakhtoura

Kimberly and Robert Clark

Katie and Mike Cocco

Monica Conley and Eric Newman

Beth and Shane Cooney

Helen Walter Crossen ‘95 and David Crossen

Laura Demaria

Rowan Johnson DiFeo and Brian DiFeo

Carmel and Gregory Dineen

Adam Dobrick

Jenn Dozier and Anindya Chakraberti

Sara and David Elwell

Sybil Eng and Tad Roselund

Lauren and Jason Fass

Efua and Louis Feldman

Nicole and Nigel Furlonge

Meredith and Aaron Gardner

Jamie and Matt Reichstein ‘01

Katherine and Rob Ruberton

Moushumi Sanghavi and Daniel Khublall

Jonathan Schwartz and Kate Zernike

Keri Setaro and Lee Mars

Deirdre Sheridan

Aimee and Len Siter

Alison Slone and Adam Miller

Twyla and Terance Takyi

Madalena and Vernal Taylor

Salamishah Tillet and Solomon Steplight ‘93

Natalie and Tommaso Trento

Margaret and Richard Wager

Aly Waldman ‘99 and Matt Waldman ‘98

Ming Wang and James Liu

Julie and Jyri-Pekka Wilska

Jillian and Michael Yellin

Anonymous (2)

Primary School Library

The Albert Payson Terhune Foundation

Professional Development:

Equal Justice Initiative

Carla Harris and Victor Franklin

Weiss Auditorium

Laurie and Jon Ewing

Endowment Gifts

New Commitments

The Elliot Furbert Award

Tanner Gill ‘14

Michael Melitz ‘14

Booth Kelly Family Endowment Fund

Nancy Booth Kelly ‘52

The Everett Glenn ‘11 Family Scholarship Fund

Rob Gelberg ‘10

The Scott Johnson Memorial Scholarship Fund

Maggie and Tom Cowing

Balaji Gandhi ‘91

Jeffrey Glasser ‘92

Lynn Glasser

Montclair Academy Class of ‘65 Scholarship Fund

V. Allen ‘65

The Linda and Brian Sterling Endowed Scholarship

and Robert Di Geronimo

Ongoing Commitments

The Arnold A. Dicke Fund

Amanda Spagnoletti ‘97 and Paul Spagnoletti

The Elliot Furbert Award

Lora and Calworth Furbert

Coach Edwards Cougar Athletic Fund Alexander Gephart ‘06

Thomas W. Nammack Community Scholarship

Whitney and Dan Carson ‘83

Bonnie and Michael Carter Meredith and Aaron Gardner

The Philip McNeal Leadership Program

and Michael Carter

and Patrick Fouché

The Seth Morris Endowed Scholarship

Morris-Piccolo and Mark Piccolo

List of All Other Named Funds

TUITION ASSISTANCE

The Amy Louise Timmons Scholarship Fund

Bud Mekeel Scholarship Fund

The Community Scholars Endowment

Beatrice C. Crawford Memorial Scholarship

The Brogan Memorial Scholarship Fund

The Denise and Ira Wagner Endowed Scholarship Fund

The Denise Farandatos Anastasiou ’62 Memorial Scholarship Fund

The Don Knowlton Scholarship Fund

The Downsbrough Scholarship Fund

The George Hrab Family Scholarship Endowment

The Mary-Anne Treene Evans Scholarship Fund

The Mildred B. and David G. Baird Scholarship Fund

Margaret Ann Mullins Tortoriello Scholarship

The Robert Hemmeter Memorial Scholarship Fund

The Seth Morris Endowed Scholarship Fund

The Watkins Family Endowed Scholarship Fund

FACULTY SUPPORT

The Drukker Foundation Faculty Educational Fund

The Peter & Terry Greer Faculty Compensation Fund

Mary K. Robertson Faculty Salary Fund

STUDENT AWARDS

The Elizabeth O’Neil Feagley Award Fund

Dr. Peter R. Greer Character Award

The Timmons Scholarship Fund

GENERAL ENDOWMENT FUNDS

Dehlia Sunshine Endowment Fund

Special Events

MKA Golf Classic

October 16, 2023

This year’s event welcomed 93 guests to Somerset Hills Country Club on October 16, 2023 to raise funds for MKA’s students and faculty. We are especially grateful to our generous sponsors.

The Salzman Family

PAMKA Spring Gala

Many thanks to Event Chairs Cara Cesareo and Danielle Mitola and the entire outstanding Gala Team. Thanks to their hard work this past year close to 300 guests attended this incredible evening.

In the 2023-2024 School Year the Parents Association of Montclair Kimberley Academy supported the following MKA Programs and Projects:

Fleming 5K

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2024 Fleming 5K on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at Brookdale Park. The funds raised at this event were donated to the Special Olympics New Jersey and The MKA Fleming Fund. This fund provides financial resources to student-athletes who require assistance to meet additional athletic expenses such as team trips, equipment, and apparel packages.

Florence and Derrick Arcilla

Adenah Bayoh and Michael Monxhwedey

Kathleen Beebe and Jeffrey Szilagyi

Shalini and Aman Datta

Joanna and Daniel Debski

Lisa Detig and Stefan Karytko

Laura Dorson

Sybil Eng and Tad Roselund

Salka Fernandez and Angel Pineiro

Michelle Fertig

Kelly Flippin

Wanda and Monique French-Brown

Debi Gordon and Ben Goodrich

Xinping He and Hao Shen

Rebecca and Jonathan Hirsh ‘95

Lauren Kaplan ‘93 and Douglas Kaplan

Michelle Kehily and Jonathan Leslie

Madison Kilduff

Patricia Krogman and Erik Corlett

Allison and Eric Kusseluk ‘93

Justyna and Jan Kwapniewski

Iguana and Morrease Leftwich

Maria and Daniel Lewis

Piper and Michael Magera

Meg Menzel and Aaron Kissel

Amy Meyers and Anthony Rizzo

Amanda and Scott Milleisen

Julie and James Millon

Pam and Surasit Nithikasem

Besa and David Owen

Anna and Andras Pataki

Laela Perkins and Michael Thwaite ‘97

Lakshmi Priya Rajagopal and Jagan Rangarajan

Jamie and Matt Reichstein ‘01

Vicki and Dennis Sasso

Jennifer and Jay Thibodaux

Margaret and Richard Wager

Julie and Jyri-Pekka Wilska

Qianting Yao and Kai Liu

Anonymous (2)

Blue and Green Society Donors

30+ Years

31 Donors

Ashley Greene ‘85

Ashley Griffin ‘00

Alexandra Guccione ‘09

Lisa Gunn-Becker

Gael Habernickel ‘54 and Duke Habernickel ‘51

Deborah Haight ‘96

Kristin Halvey

Lesley Hand ‘77

Emma and Marshall Hatcher

Hatfield Schwartz Law Group

Marc Hauser ‘91

Rebecca Hayes

Rhonda and Stratton Heath

Amanda Langan

10+ Years

218 Donors

India Larrier ‘80 and John Larrier

Jill Porter Larson ‘90

Phillip Lazier ‘53

Iguana and Morrease Leftwich

John Leister

Dominic Leone ‘12

Philip Leone ‘60

Meredith Levine and Andrew Heller

Rachel Levine ‘06

The Levy Family

Ebonee Lewis

Ellen and Jonathan Lewis

Maria and Daniel Lewis

Karen Heath-Wade and Kirk Wade

Elizabeth and Marek Hejna

Colleen Helsel

Liza and Keith Helwig

Jennifer Hendrian ‘77

Madge Henning ‘70

Silvia Henriquez and Luis Villafana

Laini Hester

Danielle and Kevin Higgins

Rebecca and Jonathan Hirsh ‘95

William Hitchcock ‘19

Iris Holloman

Arlene Hong and Darren Duffy

Lauren Hooper-Rogers ‘00

Richard Hopkins ‘50

Nicole and David Hoppe

Susan Huang ‘72

Elise Hubert and Joseph Borrelli

Miller and Stephen Hughes

Monic and Archer Hutchinson

The Ievers Family

Catherine and Phil Irwin

Rosemary Iversen

Dwight Jackson ‘08

Marjorie Lopus Jameson ‘77

Hope and David Jeffrey

Mary and Joel Jeffrey

Kate and Brady Jenkins

Asa Johnson ‘75

Douglas Johnson ‘62

Celeste and Tony Jones

Tina Jordan and Kevin Rendino

Cristina Junquera and Dar Miranda

Sandra and Greg Kahn

Le Kang and Geng Liu

Sumeet and Kabir Kapoor

Donald Karp ‘54

Michelle Kehily and Jonathan Leslie

Rebecca and Jon Kelly

Charlie Kenrick ‘23

Peggy and Chris Kenrick

Maryanne Kesler

Daniella and Bryan Kessler

Madison Kilduff

Judy Kim and Daniel Lim

Injoo Han King and Michael King

Marc Kirschner ‘60

Christina Klais and Roland Turck

Amanda Klepfer and Ryan Sankarpersad

Becky Koch and James Kilcoyne

Janet Koskoff ‘56

Monica Kurpiewski and Robert Kilcullen

Andrew Kyrejko ‘05

Gregory Lackey ‘73

Sapna and Vejay Lalla ‘93

Dena and Keith Lambie

Cara Landolfi ‘05

Jiang Li and Tianwei Yao

Charlotte Lillard

Caroline Lilore-Sciancalepore and

Anthony Sciancalepore

Amy and David Lim

Robert Lipman ‘71

Yael Lipton and Matthew Glasofer

Mei Liu and Yingjun Sun

Wendy Liu and Jingsheng Hua

Fay and Bryan Lonsinger

Victor Lopez-Quiros

Yang Lou and Vince Jia

Tricia and John Mac Evoy

Anu and Dileep Madgavkar

Piper and Michael Magera

Helen Makohon

Ellen Malcolm ‘65

Tara Mallon

Barbara and Dennis Mamchur

Rob and Nicole Masella

Kelly and William R. Massey

Latisse Mays-Stovall and James Stovall

Fatou Mbaye and Mten Halsey

Angela McCaffrey ‘06

Kerri McGuire ‘18

Lhenée McKoy ‘05

June McManus ‘81

Erin and James McMenamin

Helen and Jim McMenamin

Marnie McNany

Courtney and Christopher Meeker

Lucia and Ian Melhuish ‘99

Michael Melitz ‘14

Lynn Menschenfreund and Paulo Silva

Meg Menzel and Aaron Kissel

Leah and Steven Meranus

Amy Meyers and Anthony Rizzo

Hazar Michael and Amer Elkhouri

Helena and Svetislav Milic

Jeannette and Philip Miller

Julie and James Millon

Luz and Luis Miranda

Lauren Mirman ‘01 and Matt Mirman

Ruchi Misra and Nicholas Hailey

Sharon Moe ‘92 and Eric Moe

Christina Montgomery ‘81

Lois Montorio

James Moore

Maria Moreno

Derek Morf

Kristin Morisseau ‘13

Rebekkah and Peter Morral

The Mortimore Family

Sarah Mueller

Chadd Mukete ‘11

Liz and Niall Mullane

Charles Mund ‘74

3+ Years

522 Donors

Jennifer Murawski-Boyar and Howard Boyar

Diana and Ryan Murelli

Diana and Devang Nagrecha

The Narucki Family

Judy Nesbit

Huma Niazi

Liz and Miguel Nieves

Kelly-Anne and Joseph Nigro

Irene Ning

Helen and Christopher Noble ‘84

Samora Noguera ‘02

Geraldine Nolin ‘74

David Nolle ‘79

Wendy Roome ‘66

Erin and Paul Rooney

Peri and Thomas Rosamilia

Iris Rosario and Luis Martinez

Michael Rosenberg ‘76

Emily Rosenblum and Steve Lucas

Stacy and Scott Rosenblum

Liz and Dan Ross

Terry and Jani Ross

Tom Ruddy

Kristen and Jim Rugel

Olga and David Rukshin

Sheereen and Ahmad Russell

Emily Ryan ‘04

Ed Thompson

Elizabeth and Wallace Thompson

Pat and Ed Thwaite

Amy Mai Tierney

Salamishah Tillet and Solomon Steplight ‘93

Marie Tobia

Nidhi Tomar and Rama Variankaval

Emily Tompsett

Cynthia Treene ‘54

Natalie and Tommaso Trento

Nicholas Tricarico

Marc Tuazon

Becky Turcotte

Heather and Michael Nowak

Kimberly and John O’Kane

Brittany O’Neill

Karin and John Odell

Hank Ohls

Alexandra Okun and Craig Dubitsky

Doreen Oliver ‘92 and Ayoola Akinnuoye

Gwynne Oosterbaan and John-Michael Maas

Carol Ottenberg ‘56

Natalija Ovsjanikovska and Andrey Apinis

Besa and David Owen

Amy and Ralph Pacifico

Henry Park ‘86

Bruce Pastorini ‘71

Anna and Andras Pataki

Mona Patel and Adeep Thumar

Tameka and David Pearce

Judith and Brewster Perkins

Laela Perkins and Michael Thwaite ‘97

Lora and Todd Perlow

Doreen Perna

Peter Perretti ‘72

Laura and John Phillips ‘78, P ‘09, P ‘10

The Pinkerton Foundation

Robert Piotrowski

Adele Poholsky ‘60

Laura Popp-Rosenberg and David Rosenberg

Shawn and David Portner

Gary Powell ‘83

Marie Louise Purdy and Roger Seifter

Deepti Purohit and Mohit Bhargava

Spencer Pyke

Melissa Raak and Ernest Nardone

Kaivon and Lauren Rahaghi

Luis Ramirez

Juan Ramos

Lauren Ramos

Kimberly and David Ramsay

Joseph and John Randolph

Maubra Randolph

Michelle and Jordan Raper

Priya and Avi Raval

Yesenia Ravelo-Rodriguez and Erik Rodriguez

Bhavana Ravindranath and Harsha

Bhupalam Haribhaktha

Limor and Bob Regular

Jamie and Matt Reichstein ‘01

Courtney Reinisch and Eric Seid

Diana Reiter ‘01 and Sean Mersten

Rhonda and Stephen Richard

Richard Ridgway

Sabrina and Adam Rodgers

Laura and Victor Rodriguez

Joe Romaglia

Lisa Hyman Sackman and Joel Sackman

Shelley Sakolsky

Jennifer Salinas and Christian Mendoza

Kyle and Sam Salkin

Casey Salzman ‘22

Nicole Sandler ‘01 and Jonathan Sandler

Moushumi Sanghavi and Daniel Khublall

Betsy Santarlasci ‘79

Jessica Sarfati

Mike Sasso ‘12

Petra Sauer

Bianca Scalzo ‘28

Colleen and Robert Scalzo

Jonathan Schwartz and Kate Zernike

Natalie and Robert Schwartz

Jeanine and Gary Schwartzbard ‘93

Eric Schwarz ‘76

Karen Segall and Jeremy Bass

Edwin Sena

Connie Serota ‘39

Guada Cabido Shade and Leon Shade ‘98

Neha Shah and Saiful Khan

Roshni Shah

Carl Shaifer ‘49

Amy and Jay Shapiro

Maria Shepard Mendez

Julie and Matt Sherman

Anna Shin and Stephen Kwon

Kristen Sigler

Meredith and Justin Silver

Andrea Simon ‘65

Fangzhou and Sevan Simon

Elizabeth Sinn

Alison Slone and Adam Miller

Nancy and Anthony Slone

Jodi and Jeffrey Smith

Robin Smith ‘73

Sabrina Sodja and Aaron Kramer

Camilla Solari ‘91

Jennie and JT Sowers

Nicole St Pierre

Kathryn Stallings and Stan Chiu

Aaron Sterling ‘14

Emma Sterling ‘12

Peter Stern ‘65

Margaret Stone and Jonathan Dee

April and Brett Straten

Nicole and Rahmaan Streater

Sharon Sudol ‘76

Iris and Josiah Swasey

Su-Yun and Armin Szegedi

Johanna and Edward Szerencsits

Madalena and Vernal Taylor

Anjali Tekriwal and Renzo Bautista

Meg and Harry Temkin

Jennifer and Jay Thibodaux

Adeline and Jean Thomas

Teanna and Jack Tycher

Naureen and Nkere Udofia

Nadine and Bradley Vaiana

Mary Valentine and Shanie Israel

Edwin Van Wyck ‘60

Greta Velez De Villa-Dowdell and Michael Dowdell

Stefania and Jeffrey Venezia

Sonia Vora and Carlos Gonzalez

Shelley Walchak ‘69

Herbert Waldman

Kim and Geoff Walls

Samuel Walter ‘06

Marla and Mark Wander

Lisa Wang and Leo Shilkrot

Nancy Ward ‘56

Rene and Marc Watkins

Valbona and Todd Watkins

Angelo Weber ‘17

Kimberly and Samuel Wechsler

Lori and Parker Weil

Suzanne and Mark Weinberg

Amy Weppner and Irakli Endeladze

Carol and David Weppner

Michelle and Jovan Willford

Katie and Cameron Williams

Julie and Jyri-Pekka Wilska

Gail Wilson ‘56

Jill Wimmer Jim Windolf ‘82

Julie and Spencer Wolfson

Thomas M. Wood ‘73

Nicole Xu and Jonathan To

Rachel Yang and Dayong Wang

Qianting Yao and Kai Liu

Laura (Eng) Yeu ‘89 and Patrick Yeu

Jennifer Young Damon Zeigler ‘86

Veronica Zeron and Alexis Mendoza

Sunny Zhao and Gavin Gao

Jonathan Zweifler ‘97

Aonymous (19)

The MKA Fund

The MKA Fund, our annual giving program, is essential to the operation of MKA. It strengthens our ability to provide incredible opportunities for our students through areas such as academics, the arts, athletics, technology, professional development for faculty and staff, and financial assistance, including The Kimberley Fund and Community Scholars.

We extend our deepest gratitude to the 1,329 individuals who generously contributed over $1.4 million this year. Your support is crucial in delivering the highest quality education to our students, profoundly impacting their lives. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our mission.

Academics

Arts

Athletics

Diversity, Inclusivity,

Facilities

Faculty Professional

Financial

Unrestricted

1974 Leadership Society

Visionary Society

$25,000+

Heather and Vincent Benjamin

Kristina and Tom Burke

Georgia S. Carrington ‘54

Liz and Doug Coyle ‘86

Kate Logan and Edmund Rung

The Pinkerton Foundation

Stacey Rappaport and Craig Solomon

Jodi and Luke Sarsfield ‘91

Connie Serota ‘39

Katie and Cameron Williams

Luz Miranda-Crespo and Luis Crespo

Elisabeth Nietsch ‘74

Gwynne Oosterbaan and John-Michael Maas

Kaivon and Lauren Rahaghi

Yining Ren and Yunpeng Xu

Amy and Ruth Ro

Sheereen and Ahmad Russell

Eric Schwarz ‘76

Kate and James Stanford

Suzanne and Mark Weinberg

Head of School Society

($10,000 - $24,999)

Priya and Naveen Ballem ‘90 M.D., F.A.C.S.

Jen and Victoria Barbetta

Anya Buenger Barrett ‘89 and John C. Barrett

Kathleen Beebe and Jeffrey Szilagyi

Cara and Dan Cesareo

Evelyn and Stephen T. Colbert

Paul Dackow ‘72

Sybil Eng and Tad Roselund

Lauren and Jason Fass

Efua and Louis Feldman

Melanie Girton and Craig Marshall

Carolyn and Michael Goldman

Karen Heath-Wade and Kirk Wade

Silvia Henriquez and Luis Villafana

Alex Holz ‘99

Ann and Thomas Johnson

The Johnson Family Foundation, Inc.

Lauren Kaplan ‘93 and Doug Kaplan

Christina and Joshua King

Diana and Devang Nagrecha

Zandi and Thomas Nammack

Anne and Patrick Naughton

Katherine and Rob Ruberton

Stephanie and Glenn Salzman

Julie and Matt Sherman

Alison Slone and Adam Miller

Carol Traenkle ‘55

Margaret and Richard Wager

Rachel Yang and Dayong Wang

Sunny Zhao and Gavin Gao

Anonymous

The Handbells Society

($5,000 - $9,999)

Rekha Ale and Akshay Kapoor

Henry V. Allen ‘65

Betsy Bacot-Aigner ‘80

Susan Bacot-Davis ‘84

Elizabeth and J. Martin Brayboy ‘80

Estella Chen and Michael Graham

Dore and Mike DuHaime

Holly and Ruben Fleischer

Lori and Patrick Fouché

Nicole and Nigel Furlonge

Dennis Goldstein ‘83

Kathleen and Dave Harrison

Amanda and Bret Hirsh ‘00

Janice and Jeffrey Jacobson

Rebecca and Jon Kelly

Cheryl D’Alessandro McMullen ‘77 and

Peter S. McMullen ‘77

Courtney and Christopher Meeker

Sandra and Gerardo Mejia

Luz and Luis Miranda

Founders Society*

($1,000 - $4,999)

*As of July 1, 2024 the Founders Society will recognize gifts at a minimum of $1,974.

Lesley and Melih Abdulhayoglu

Roberta and Peter Adams

Linda and Saurabh Agarwal ‘92

Aubin Ames ‘54

Valerie Anders

Suzette Baez and Mark Garner

Sarah and Craig Barrack

Joe Bellapianta ‘93

Amy Bersh ‘93

Britton and Drew Bitterman

Kristin Bochicchio and Sebastian von Renouard

Stacey Bradford-Greenberg and Rick Greenberg

John Brandow ‘71

Regina and Bill Bronson

Kirsten and Christopher Brown

Debbie and Bill Brown

Erica Budd

Ingrid Burke

Anthony Celentano ‘74

Dianna and Dohyun Cha

Siu Chan-Lui and John Lui

Hongfan Chen and Gaoran Yu

Ru Chen and Pengfei Wang

Liang Cheng and Yue Shentu

Nina and Suraj Chopra

Sonia Chudasama-Patel and Amish Patel

Catherine Chung and David Livshiz

Terry and Ryan Citron-Sanders

Jenna Clancey ‘03

Katie and Mike Cocco

Stacy Cochran ‘77

Ms. Susan Cole ‘78 P ‘10

Leigh and Patrick Conforti

Paige Cottingham-Streater ‘79

Rupa and Karl Coutinho

Allan Cox ‘74

Barbara Creed ‘62

Kathy Critchley ‘87 and Michael Critchley

Helen Walter Crossen ‘95 and

David Crossen

Kranthi Darapu and Kamesh Puthur Loganathan

Shalini and Aman Datta

Edwin and Kathryn Davison

Carmen and David DeMatteis ‘95

Reena and Ronak Desai

Caitlin DiRuggiero ‘06

Jenn Dozier and Anindya Chakraberti

Sara and David Elwell

Noel Estes ‘66

Laurie and Jon Ewing

Diana and John Fennelly

Megan and Kevin Fischbeck

Barbara Flessas ‘72 and Robert David

Megan and Chad Flick

Anne and David Flocco

Filomena and Demetrios Fotinopoulos

Eric Fox and Daniel Helmick

Jessica and Michael Freeman

Karen and Henry Furst

Meredith and Aaron Gardner

Caroline Gentile and Peter Herrigel

Harlan Gibbs ‘72

June McManus ‘81

Leslie Meek-Wohl and Ethan Wohl

Laura and Manes Merrit

Rebecca and Edward Meyer

Amy Meyers and Anthony Rizzo

Hazar Michael and Amer Elkhouri

Amanda and Scott Milleisen

Melissa and Mark Miller

Julie and James Millon

Lauren Mirman ‘01 and Matt Mirman

Rebekkah and Peter Morral

Monique Mutharika and Fred Hubert

Karen and Thomas Newman

Robert Cottingham ‘84

Salamishah Tillet and Solomon Steplight ‘93

Nidhi Tomar and Rama Variankaval

Teanna and Jack Tycher

Naureen and Nkere Udofia

Olga and Alexandre Urben

Erica Rowe Urquhart and Marc Urquhart

Nadine and Bradley Vaiana

Amy Van Eepoel and Steve Valentine

Edwin Van Wyck ‘60

Sonia Vora and Carlos Gonzalez

Aly Waldman ‘99 and Matt Waldman ‘98

Flora Go and Ronald Sutedja

Mary Ellen and David Gray

Nick Graziano ‘90

Gael Habernickel ‘54 and Duke

Habernickel ‘51

Mary Hack ‘65

Kristin Halvey

Susan and Alan Hammer

Kathryn Hatfield

Rhonda and Stratton Heath

Andrea and Brad Hecht

Liza and Keith Helwig

Madge Henning ‘70

Frank Herrmann ‘02

Rebecca and Jonathan Hirsh ‘95

Ashley and Craig Hirsh ‘01

Pam Holding ‘82

H. Schuyler Horn ‘59

David Hughes ‘76

Monica Jain and Eric Anderson

Jackie and Rick Jenkins ‘77

Owen Jennings ‘07

Asa Johnson ‘75

Sandra and Greg Kahn

Lizzie and Jason Katz

Michelle Kehily and Jonathan Leslie

Nancy Booth Kelly ‘52

Gail Kerr ‘52

Christina Klais and Roland Turck

Amanda Klepfer and Ryan Sankarpersad

Becky Koch and James Kilcoyne

Lisa Krizner-George and David George

Patricia Krogman and Erik Corlett

Michael Kurtz ‘57

Andrew Kyrejko ‘05

Kendra and Stephen Lanzo

Michelle and James Lee

Jodie and Joshua Leitner

Meredith Levine and Andrew Heller

Leslie Levine ‘74 and Peter Levine

Ebonee Lewis

Jiang Li and Tianwei Yao

Amy and Jordan Lissauer

Mei Liu and Yingjun Sun

Yang Lou and Vince Jia

Gemma and Richard Lury

Anu and Dileep Madgavkar

Piper and Michael Magera

Ellen Malcolm ‘65

Shrinidi Mani and Naveen Allam

Tyra and Richard Manso

Rich Margolin

Laurinda Martins

Kelly and William R. Massey

Rachael and Michael Ryan Masters

Angela McCaffrey ‘06

Whitney and Brett McMahon

Liz and Miguel Nieves

Kristine O’Connor ‘83 and Michael O’Connor

Kimberly and John O’Kane

Alexandra Okun and Craig Dubitsky

Talia Ortega ‘00

Amma Osei and Will Eaves

Natalija Ovsjanikovska and Andrey Apinis

Besa and David Owen

Eric Pai ‘79 and Judy Pai

Nilie Pajoohi ‘89 and Hossein Ekrami

Ben Parker ‘96

Anna and Andras Pataki

Mona Patel and Adeep Thumar

Zain and Steve Ejiofor Peoples

Laela Perkins and Michael Thwaite ‘97

Amy Peterson and Jose Sandoval

Stacey Polanskyj ‘92 and Peter Polanskyj

Shawn and David Portner

Kathryn Auw Prasad ‘01

Melinda and Antoine Puget

Deepti Purohit and Mohit Bhargava

Anne and Geoffrey Quart

Priyanka Rath and Debu Mishra

Jamie and Matt Reichstein ‘01

Richard Ridgway

Gabriella Risatti and Sean Mills

Sabrina and Adam Rodgers

Barbara and Martin Rosen ‘58

Emily Rosenblum and Steve Lucas

Liz and Dan Ross

Jin and Daniel Rubenstein

Olga and David Rukshin

Nitu and Saras Rustagi

Charles Sage ‘52

Jennifer Salinas and Christian Mendoza

Moushumi Sanghavi and Daniel Khublall

Colleen and Robert Scalzo

Deirdre Sheridan

Anna Shin and Stephen Kwon

Adreme Shubrick

Meredith and Justin Silver

Karen and Emanuel Slater

Salaam Coleman Smith

Jennie and JT Sowers

Kathryn Stallings and Stan Chiu

Peter Stern ‘65

Margaret Stone and Jonathan Dee

April and Brett Straten

Mary Stuart and Angus Gephart

Shannon and Terry Sullivan

Su-Yun and Armin Szegedi

Tim Taylor ‘73

Elizabeth Tervenski and Sara Matsuzaka

Sara Tesfaye and Yilma Abebe

Brian Thomas ‘74

Alison Thomas-Cottingham ‘84 and

Kim and Geoff Walls

Margo and Frank Walter

Di Wang and Edward Goldstein

Lisa Wang and Leo Shilkrot

Patricia Webb ‘59

Scott Weiner ‘92

Rebecca and Heath Weisberg

Amy Weppner and Irakli Endeladze

Julie and Jyri-Pekka Wilska

Nicole Xu and Jonathan To Qianting Yao and Kai Liu

Shazia and Sajid Zaidi

Veronica Zeron and Alexis Mendoza

Anonymous(7)

Young Alumni Cougar Society

Jack Amirata ‘23

Elliott Baratta ‘23

Ronny Bhatia ‘19

Dillon Carroll ‘16

Julia Conforti ‘21

Ryan Dancy ‘18

Harry Davison ‘20

Charlotte Davison ‘18

Abigail Erbes ‘17

Adam Erbes ‘19

Taylor Everson ‘21

Logan Furlonge ‘23

Gina Guccione ‘14

Matthew Harwood ‘14

Katherine Hulse ‘22

Caitlyn Jeffrey ‘23

Katherine Kallay ‘20

Charlie Kenrick ‘23

Aidan Meeker ‘23

Heather Milke ‘15

Ryan Napoli ‘15

Kelsey O’Connor ‘14

Warren Roth ‘23

Casey Salzman ‘22

Ryan Salzman ‘20

Alexander Sandoval ‘17

Marshall Sandoval ‘14

Regan Sandoval ‘21

Allie Sherman ‘22

Ben Sherman ‘22

Aaron Sterling ‘14

Angelo Weber ‘17

Trey Wilson ‘19

Sebastian Young ‘23

Leah and Steven Meranus

Zakkiya Miller

Julie and James Millon

The Mortimore Family

Liz and Niall Mullane

Kaivon and Lauren Rahaghi

Joseph and John Randolph

Bhavana Ravindranath and Harsha Bhupalam Haribhaktha

Liz and Dan Ross

Moushumi Sanghavi and Daniel Khublall

Sarah Abdul Sater and Fadi El-Atat

Meredith and Justin Silver

Joanna Steckler and Max Goldman

Su-Yun and Armin Szegedi

Tera and Michael Tarulli

Teanna and Jack Tycher

Margaret and Richard Wager

Katie and Cameron Williams

Julie and Jyri-Pekka Wilska

Eric Wong and Jerad Ashby

Nicole Xu and Jonathan To

Anonymous

CLASS OF 2033

CherylAnne and Michael Amendola

Sara and Jamie Anthony

Nicole and Charbel Chalfoun

Nina and Suraj Chopra

Erin and Tom Chung

Deanna and James Copeland

Mimi and Rafael Cuellar

Kranthi Darapu and Kamesh Puthur Loganathan

Jenelle Decoteau and Greg Baker

Laura Demaria

Carmel and Gregory Dineen

Sara and David Elwell

Meredith and Aaron Gardner

Emily and Adam Gasthalter

Jessica and Brian Glatt

Danielle and Kevin Higgins

Nicole and David Hoppe

Elise Hubert and Joseph Borrelli

Sumeet and Kabir Kapoor

Amy and Jordan Lissauer

Yang Lou and Vince Jia

Lana and David Masor

Jill and Michael Maza

Jennifer Murawski-Boyar and Howard Boyar

Meghan Murray and Jack Stadtlander

Diana and Devang Nagrecha

Liz and Miguel Nieves

Lakshmi and Vivek Pappu

Anna and Andras Pataki

Deepti Purohit and Mohit Bhargava

Valerie and Wesley Puryear

Jackie and Pasquale Ranalli

Yesenia Ravelo-Rodriguez and Erik Rodriguez

Jamie and Matt Reichstein ‘01

Diana Reiter ‘01 and Sean Mersten

Gabriella Risatti and Sean Mills

Erin and Paul Rooney

Kristen and Jim Rugel

Nicole Sandler ‘01 and Jonathan Sandler

Guada Cabido Shade and Leon Shade ‘98

Alison Slone and Adam Miller

Jennie and JT Sowers

Tera and Michael Tarulli

Teanna and Jack Tycher

Stefania and Jeffrey Venezia

Kimberly and Samuel Wechsler

Michelle and Jovan Willford

Anonymous

CLASS OF 2034

Jen and Victoria Barbetta

Heather and Vincent Benjamin

Kirsten and Christopher Brown

Susan Busch and Roberto Santellana

Abigail and Edward Chung

Katie and Mike Cocco

Monica Conley and Eric Newman

Beth and Shane Cooney

Jessica Eckert and Jason Spies

Efua and Louis Feldman

Megan and Chad Flick

Eric Fox and Daniel Helmick

Catherine and Pete Gaynor

Amandine Gohl and Thibault Girard

Melissa and Dereje Haile-Mariam

Kathleen and Dave Harrison

Liza and Keith Helwig

Ashley and Craig Hirsh ‘01

Monic and Archer Hutchinson

Alice and Matt Iversen ‘96

Daniella and Bryan Kessler

Patricia Krogman and Erik Corlett

Meredith Levine and Andrew Heller

Lauren Mirman ‘01 and Matt Mirman

Diana and Ryan Murelli

Helen Nie and Dennis Hu

Besa and David Owen

Mona Patel and Adeep Thumar

Lora and Todd Perlow

Sheereen and Ahmad Russell

Jennifer Salinas and Christian Mendoza

Moushumi Sanghavi and Daniel Khublall

Sarah Abdul Sater and Fadi El-Atat

Karen Segall and Jeremy Bass

Guada Cabido Shade and Leon Shade ‘98

Fangzhou and Sevan Simon

Sherrese Clarke Soares and Roger Soares

Salamishah Tillet and Solomon Steplight ‘93

Natalie and Tommaso Trento

Greta Velez De Villa-Dowdell and

Michael Dowdell

Amy Weppner and Irakli Endeladze

Julie and Jyri-Pekka Wilska

Eric Wong and Jerad Ashby

Anonymous

CLASS OF 2035

Alison Ainsworth and Edward Felsenthal

Elena Araoz and Justin Townsend

Britton and Drew Bitterman

Shayla and William Bridges

Estella Chen and Michael Graham

Ru Chen and Pengfei Wang

Catherine Chung and David Livshiz

Deanna and James Copeland

Sarah Dee and Eric Miller

Reena and Ronak Desai

Carmel and Gregory Dineen

Jenn Dozier and Anindya Chakraberti

Catherine Fears and Russell Zack

Holly and Ruben Fleischer

Megan and Chad Flick

Lauren and Nathan Gardner

Flora Go and Ronald Sutedja

Injoo Han King and Michael King

Carly and Andrew Kaskel

Amanda Klepfer and Ryan Sankarpersad

Jessica and Manish Kukreti

Amy and Jordan Lissauer

Shrinidi Mani and Naveen Allam

Rob and Nicole Masella

Jessica Meade and Dean Cerio

Leah and Steven Meranus

Diana and Devang Nagrecha

Liz and Miguel Nieves

Raina and Jack Pitts

Jackie and Pasquale Ranalli

Diana Reiter ‘01 and Sean Mersten

Yining Ren and Yunpeng Xu

Yikang Shi and Jing Wang

Joanna Steckler and Max Goldman

Twyla and Terance Takyi

Anjali Tekriwal and Renzo Bautista

Jennifer and Jay Thibodaux

Michelle and Jovan Willford

Julie and Spencer Wolfson

Qianting Yao and Kai Liu

Anonymous

Alumni

CLASS

Connie

CLASS OF

Joan

Kathryn

Patricia

Dudley

Ann

Patricia

CLASS OF 2036

Astha and Pranav Aggarwal

Archana Anantharamu and Karthik Narayan

Sara and Jamie Anthony

Yanett and Hamid Bagce

Kristin Bochicchio and Sebastian von Renouard

Allison Brown ‘04 and Steve Brown

Dayana Campo and Roger Walter

Alanagh and Ethan Coleman

Beth and Shane Cooney

Rupa and Karl Coutinho

Lisa Detig and Stefan Karytko

Rowan Johnson DiFeo and Brian DiFeo

Jessica Eckert and Jason Spies

Sara and David Elwell

Katherine and Ryan Guercio

Ashley and Craig Hirsh ‘01

Jodi and Noah Kessler ‘04

Ivana Ristova Kovach

Patricia Krogman and Erik Corlett

Rachael and Michael Ryan Masters

Erin and James McMenamin

Danielle and Franklin Mitola

Besa and David Owen

Anna and Andras Pataki

Mona Patel and Adeep Thumar

Laela Perkins and Michael Thwaite ‘97

Lora and Todd Perlow

Camilla and Nik Petrika

Elodie Poons and Benoit Veryser

Jamie and Matt Reichstein ‘01

Nicole Sandler ‘01 and Jonathan Sandler

Sterling Shepard

Jon Snyder and Evan Greenberg

Sabrina Sodja and Aaron Kramer

Su-Yun and Armin Szegedi

Tera and Michael Tarulli

Erica Tricarico-DeTrolio and James DeTrolio

Christine Voigt and Peter Waldron

Ming Wang and James Liu

Danielle Alvarez Wolf and Eric Wolf ‘01

Jillian and Michael Yellin

Yan Yan and Feng Zeng

Anonymous

CLASS OF 2037

Hongfan Chen and Gaoran Yu

Terry and Ryan Citron-Sanders

Zain and Steve Ejiofor Peoples

Marissa Ferrazzo-Weller and Dan Weller ‘01

Kathleen and Dave Harrison

Emma and Marshall Hatcher

Lydia Hu and Craig Haughton

Carly and Andrew Kaskel

Rebecca and Jon Kelly

Jessica and Manish Kukreti

Meredith Levine and Andrew Heller

Elena Lobo and Jason Spears

Shrinidi Mani and Naveen Allam

Whitney and Brett McMahon

Maria and Brian Nolan ‘05

Amma Osei and Will Eaves

Melinda and Antoine Puget

Meagan Redman-Gomez and Ricardo Gomez

Yining Ren and Yunpeng Xu Kyle and Sam Salkin

Keri Setaro

Deusen

CLASS OF 1955

Leigh Brenza

Thank you to our alumni volunteers and to every member of the alumni community who made a commitment to The MKA Fund this past academic year. A special thank you to each of our generous supporters who participated in our 2024 Giving Day on February 29, 2024! Our community’s giving unlocked a $100,000 matching gift from MKA’s oldest living alum, Connie Serota ‘39, resulting in our most successful giving day to date!

David Lawrence

Traenkle

CLASS OF 1956

Robert Fischbein

Patricia Littman

Alexander Mead

Arthur Rosen

CLASS OF 1962

Carolyn Cariello

Barbara Creed

John Grubin

Douglas Johnson

CLASS OF 1963

Thomas Alpren

Mary Jane Knapp

Bronson Van Wyck

Susan Wood

CLASS OF 1957

Glick

Hardman

Kurtz

Neithold

CLASS OF 1958

CLASS OF 1965

Henry V. Allen

Victor Bernstein

Marilyn Blackwell

Ellen Curtin

Mary Hack

Joe Hare

Robert Livesey

Ellen Malcolm

Ruth Morine

Andrea Simon

Peter Stern

Susan Wright

Anonymous

CLASS OF 1959

CLASS OF 1966

Sally Appenzellar

Craig Cameron

Francine Crawford

Noel Estes

Peter Orgain

Wendy Roome

CLASS OF 1967

CLASS OF 1960

Minard Adele Poholsky

Eric Sandwall

Edwin Van Wyck

CLASS OF 1961

David Bruck

Claire Coles

Suzanne Hardy

Julia Bonsal

John Cosentino

Joe Marino

John Rudd

CLASS OF 1968

Susan Awerdick

Gregg Deehan

CLASS OF 1969

Christine Hannon

Frederic Miller

668 donors raised a total of $357,832

Richard D. C. Noyes

Shelley Walchak

CLASS OF 1970

Thane Benson

Roger Cole

Madge Henning

Lisa Shapiro

CLASS OF 1971

John Brandow

James Bryan

Geoffrey Close

John Guttmann

David Hoffman

Robert Lipman

Bruce Pastorini

CLASS OF 1972

Denise Chezek

Paul Dackow

Barbara Flessas

Harlan Gibbs

Louis Gioffre

Susan Huang

Kate Curtin Lindsey

Michael Vitale

CLASS OF 1973

Bob August

Thomas Galligan

Robert Nagel

Robin Smith

Tim Taylor

Yancy Thompson

CLASS OF 1974

Anne Anspach

Mark Baran

Seton Beckwith

Suzan Bierly

Roberta Blau

Dirk Buikema

Anthony Celentano

Nancy Citti

Allan Cox

Erin Crawford

Adrienne Crowther

Martha Day

Susan Day

Lisa Ericson

Michael Frost

Susan Galligan

Cathy Hipple

David Kwan

Leslie Levine

Bruce Marsh

Charles Mund

Margaret Murphy

Elisabeth Nietsch

Geraldine Nolin

John Pariseau

Robert Powell

Kathleen Rekucki

Brian Thomas

Ben Thompson

Christian Varkala

Bonnie Wallin

Mary Will

Henry Williams

Sara Winokur

Patricia Worthington

CLASS OF 1975

Frank Gallo

Douglas Hamilton

Thomas Isenberg

Asa Johnson

Nancy Lee

Harry Nimmergut

Ken Rockhill

Jeffrey Schiffman

CLASS OF 1976

Lisa Aufzien

Sara Close

Eugene D’Altrui

David Hughes

Ray Knox

Michael Rosenberg

Eric Schwarz

Sharon Sudol

Charles Talbert

Rosanne Ugone

CLASS OF 1977

Stacy Cochran

Jennifer Hendrian

Robert Hubsmith

Rick Jenkins

Lesley Hand

Cheryl D McMullen

Peter S. McMullen

CLASS OF 1978

Jane Burkhard

Ms. Susan Cole ‘78 P ‘10

Lawrence Kramer Madeline Martell

John Phillips ‘78, P ‘09, P ‘10

Lisa Sloan

CLASS OF 1979

Anthony Barnes

Paige Cottingham-Streater

Stephen Dodd

Ted Fall

Tracy Frager

Anne Morey

David Nolle

Alison O’Neill

Shawn Ortiz

Eric Pai

Betsy Santarlasci Lamarr Tsufura

CLASS OF 1980

Betsy Bacot-Aigner

J. Martin Brayboy

India Larrier

Jonathan Parker

CLASS OF 1981

Karen Boyle

Carolyn Calnan

Steven Chambers

June McManus

Christina Montgomery

Joanne Wallace

CLASS OF 1982

Kyle Curtin

Pam Holding

Thomas Robbins

Jim Windolf

CLASS OF 1983

Dennis Goldstein

Marshall Hendrian

Laura La Corte

Kristine O’Connor

Gary Powell

CLASS OF 1984

Susan Bacot-Davis

Catherine Bennett

Robert Cottingham

Marc Klein

Stephanie Newman

Diane Ridley, MD

CLASS OF 1991

Balaji Gandhi

Owen Grover

Marc Hauser

Kimberly Kohlman

Dara Marmon

Douglas Rosen

Luke Sarsfield

Camilla Solari

Seth Traum

CLASS OF 1992

Saurabh Agarwal

Clifford Finkle IV

Serena Godwin

Julie Kim

Sharon Moe

Doreen Oliver

Stacey Polanskyj

Jennifer Rutherford

Scott Weiner

CLASS OF 1993

Joe Bellapianta

Amy Bersh

Renee Ciccarella

Fenwick Garvey

Jennifer Garvey

Lauren Kaplan

Eric Kusseluk

Elizabeth Rothenberg

Jordan Safirstein

Gary Schwartzbard

Solomon Steplight

CLASS OF 1994

Jason Awerdick

Angela Garretson

Jared Lustbader

Alexander Opper

Kiwitta Paschal

Joe Pathuri

Lisa Ramos-Hillegers

Joshua Rozan

Jill Finkle Worth

CLASS OF 1995

Parkins Burger

Helen Walter Crossen

Kristen Dawes

David DeMatteis

Jonathan Hirsh

Christine Little

Karen Paty

Anonymous (2)

Nicole Sandler

Natalia Torres-Ildefonso

Laura Vassilowitch

Louis Waldman

Dan Weller

Eric Wolf

CLASS OF 2002

Anthony Gray

Frank Herrmann

Erin Hotchkiss

Dagmara Jastrzebska

Morgan Mouchette

Samora Noguera

Emily Santangelo

Sofia Tomé

Anonymous

CLASS OF 2003

Cionna Almeida

Casey Breslow-Glugeth

Amanda Chase

Jenna Clancey

Mark Fortunato

Bonnie Gill

Alex Langbein

Precious Nwankwo

Denise Sarkor

Carla Woldt

CLASS OF 2004

Jessica Bishop

William Boss

Allison Brown

Sheldon Fields

Kevin Hu

Noah Kessler

Christine Megariotis

Emily Ryan

CLASS OF 2005

Devin Bukowczyk

Jacqueline Caroprese

Nicholas Galasso

Andrew Kyrejko

Cara Landolfi

Michele Leardo

Rebecca MacGregor

Lhenée McKoy

Brian Nolan

Chisako Sugiyama-Murray

Frank Walter

Max Weary

James Wreschner

CLASS OF 1996

Lawrence Rosen

Alison Thomas-Cottingham

Laura Wilson

CLASS OF 1985

Ashley Greene

CLASS OF 1986

Paul Colatrella

Doug Coyle

George Dolatly

Erica Lubetkin

Henry Park

Mary Louise Rubin

David Schwartzbard

Damon Zeigler

CLASS OF 1987

Francis Blesso

Kathy Critchley

Deborah Glazer

Raj Gona

Lisa Parada

CLASS OF 1988

David Haight III

Melissa Maddox-Evans

Alec Schwartz

CLASS OF 1989

David Ames

Ralph Amirata

Anya Buenger Barrett

John Blesso

Ayana Goore

Michael Hnatow

Nilie Pajoohi

Laura (Eng) Yeu Bram Zeigler

CLASS OF 1990 Naveen Ballem ‘90 M.D., F.A.C.S.

Christopher Benedict

Lisa Bombardieri

Loyd Godwin

Nick Graziano

Emily Nisbet

Jill Porter Larson

Deborah Haight

Matt Iversen

Ben Parker

CLASS OF 1997

Kate Corcoran

Brian Holz

Alexis Ring

Tracey Sylvester

Devasena Vallabhaneni

Jonathan Zweifler

CLASS OF 1998

Arnoldas Pranckevicius

Klaudia Pyz

April Schott-Auerbach

Cara Summit

Matt Waldman

Anonymous

CLASS OF 1999

Igor Alves

Benjamin Aronson

Alex Holz

Phil Mazo

Ian Melhuish

David Newman

Geoffrey Roehm

Jessica Simpson-Cook

Aly Waldman

CLASS OF 2000

Kimberly Baker

Ashley Griffin

Bret Hirsh

Lauren Hooper-Rogers

Talia Ortega

Jaclyn Spedaliere

CLASS OF 2001

Jared Cook

Lindsay Forman

Craig Hirsh

Lauren Mirman

Kathryn Auw Prasad

Matt Reichstein

Diana Reiter

CLASS OF 2006

Antonia Amico

Andrew Barchenko

Caitlin DiRuggiero

Jeffrey Festa

Sean Gaffney

Rachel Levine

CLASS OF 2007 Daniel Allen

Chiemelu

CLASS OF 2008

Byrne

Conley

Gephart

Goekbora

Jackson

Richardson

Trabka

CLASS OF 2009 Paige Barrett

Bergstrom Alexandra Guccione Brian Purcell

CLASS OF 2010

Matthew Palmisano

CLASS OF 2011

Stephen Bezer

Bynum Salvatore Guccione

Landolfi

Lim

Mukete

Snow

Parents of Alumni

Lesley and Melih Abdulhayoglu

Linda and Saurabh Agarwal ‘92

Linda and Edward Almeida

Aubin Ames ‘54

Florence and Derrick Arcilla

Christie and Ingram Austin

Susan Awerdick ‘68

Anne and Martin Baum

Matilda Baye-Akaho and Wisdom Akaho

Kathleen Beebe and Jeffrey Szilagyi

Jeff Beer

Carlaina Bell

John Bishop

Jacqueline and Frank Blesso

Karen and Gordon Braverman

Catherine Brown and Lawrence Kramer ‘78

Debbie and Bill Brown

Denise Brown-Allen and Douglas Allen

Amy and James Burger

Jean and Michael Caggiano

Alison and Rolando Carrascosa

Sandra and James Carter

Tamara Castro-Conteh and Pa Conteh

Dianna and Dohyun Cha

Siu Chan-Lui and John Lui

Wenfang Chen and Peter Young

Nathan Chickering

Pam Christian

Deborah and Steven Clayton

Elizabeth and James Clothier

Evelyn and Stephen T. Colbert

Ms. Susan Cole ‘78 P ‘10

Leigh and Patrick Conforti

Patricia Park Connell

Patricia and Edward Currie

Pat and Barry Dancy

Edwin and Kathryn Davison

Martha Day ‘74 and Neal Day

Margaret and Gregg Deehan ‘68

Linda Dunn-Landolfi and Robert Landolfi

Mary and Edward Elliott

Sybil Eng and Tad Roselund

Dorothy and John Esposito

Fay Fawcett ‘52 and Edward Fawcett

Diana and John Fennelly

Barbara Flessas ‘72 and Robert David

Anne and David Flocco

Nancy and Donald Foster

Filomena and Demetrios Fotinopoulos

Lori and Patrick Fouché

Lora and Calworth Furbert

Nicole and Nigel Furlonge

Sharon Gill

Thank you to the parents of alumni who continue to provide critical support for our school with gifts to The MKA Fund.

Maria Gilmartin and Dimitri Hadjipetkov

Alisha and Jonathan Glaser

Mary Ellen and David Gray

Shelly Grossman

Diana and Salvatore Guccione

Kristin Halvey

Susan and Jan Hansen

Mildred and Jack Hardman ‘57

Eileen and Scott Harwood

Kathryn Hatfield

Rebecca Hayes

Rhonda and Stratton Heath

Pilar Henriquez-Groves and Richard Groves

Ann and Dave Hessler

Ellen and Stephen Higgins

Alice and Steven Hirsh

Marcia Holz

Debbie Horn and Ronald Wolfson

Myra and George Hrab

Julianne Hunt and David Korfhage

Dorothy Jefferson

Mary and Joel Jeffrey

Jackie and Rick Jenkins ‘77

Deborah and Dana Jennings

Alissa and Curt Johnson

Ann and Thomas Johnson

Celeste and Tony Jones

Susan and Rees Jones

Barbara Kane and Jack Schwartz

Lizzie and Jason Katz

Peggy and Chris Kenrick

Gail Kerr ‘52

Ruth Kidde

Christina Klais and Roland Turck

Virginia Kriegel

Mary and Matt Kunka

Justyna and Jan Kwapniewski

Dena and Keith Lambie

India Larrier ‘80 and John Larrier

Wendy Lazarus and David Glotzer

Leslie Levine ‘74 and Peter Levine

Ellen and Jonathan Lewis

Caroline Lilore-Sciancalepore and Anthony Sciancalepore

Diana Little ‘58

Kate Logan and Edmund Rung

Gemma and Richard Lury

Barbara and Dennis Mamchur

Paul and Joe Marino ‘67

Rob and Nicole Masella

Kelly and William R. Massey

Louise and Guy Maxwell

Audrey McBratney-Bittner ‘50

Siobhan McDermott and George Abraham

Suzanne and Joseph McGuire

Cheryl D’Alessandro McMullen ‘77 and

Peter S. McMullen ‘77

Tracy McVeigh

Leslie Meek-Wohl and Ethan Wohl

Courtney and Christopher Meeker

Lynn Menschenfreund and Paulo Silva

Laura and Manes Merrit

Jeannette and Philip Miller

Ruth Miller

Kathleen and Jonathan Morisseau

Rebekkah and Peter Morral

Kerry and Paul Murphy

Zandi and Thomas Nammack

The Narucki Family

Karen and Thomas Newman

Helen and Christopher Noble ‘84

Alexandra and Michael Nolan

Kristine O’Connor ‘83 and Michael O’Connor

Alexandra Okun and Craig Dubitsky

Natalija Ovsjanikovska and Andrey Apinis

Amy and Ralph Pacifico

Eric Pai ‘79 and Judy Pai

Laura and John Perkins

Trish and Tom Perlmutter

Amy Peterson and Jose Sandoval

Laura and John Phillips ‘78, P ‘09, P ‘10

Shelley and Keith Phillips

Stacey Polanskyj ‘92 and Peter Polanskyj

Marie Louise Purdy and Roger Seifter

Kim and Luca Puzzo

Anne and Geoffrey Quart

Melissa Raak and Ernest Nardone

Kimberly and David Ramsay

Robert Reif

Lyn and Glenn Reiter

Rhonda and Stephen Richard

Eileen and Robert Richardson

Alexa Richman-La Londe and Scott La Londe

Janet Robertson and Mark Bishop

Peri and Thomas Rosamilia

Iris Rosario and Luis Martinez

Arthur Rosen ‘61

Barbara and Martin Rosen ‘58

Jin and Daniel Rubenstein

Grandparents

Roberta and Peter Adams

Valerie Anders

Donna and Edward August

Jane Barr and John Graham

Sharon and Larry Beebe

Judy and Peter Berkowitz

Merrill and Lloyd Brotman

Kristina and Tom Burke

Mary and Chris Cahill

Sukjung and Inyoung Chung

Audeth and Desmond Clarke

Donna and Sal Cocco

Paige Cottingham-Streater ‘79

Patricia and Edward Currie

Carla and Donato Di Trolio

Judith and Charles Dickerson

Former Trustees

Linda Almeida

Evelyn Colbert

Martha Day ‘74

Fay Fawcett ‘52

Tom Ruddy

Olga and David Rukshin

Shelley Sakolsky

Stephanie and Glenn Salzman

Dori and Noel Sedransk

Guada Cabido Shade and Leon Shade ‘98

Alexandra and Amit Sharma

Julie and Matt Sherman

Tripti Singh and Samarpal Bhatia

Jane and Ken Smith

Jodi and Jeffrey Smith

Laurie and Jeffrey Smith

Sheila and Todd Smith

Venus and Sung-Sau So

Kate Sonnenberg and Tom Zaubler

Brook and Bill Stites

Jennifer and Thomas Strollo

Mary Stuart and Angus Gephart

Alison Thomas-Cottingham ‘84 and Robert Cottingham ‘84

Pat and Ed Thwaite

Naureen and Nkere Udofia

Erica Rowe Urquhart and Marc Urquhart

Sonia Vora and Carlos Gonzalez

Denise and Ira Wagner

Herbert Waldman

Margo and Frank Walter

Kristen Weaver and David Polinchock

Lori and Parker Weil

Suzanne and Mark Weinberg

Rebecca and Heath Weisberg

Keith Wiggs and Edmund LeFevre

Laura Wilson ‘84 and Andrew Wilson

Patricia Worthington ‘74 and Mark Worthington

Laura (Eng) Yeu ‘89 and Patrick Yeu Anonymous (4)

Grandparents are treasured members of our community and we are grateful for the following individuals who made gifts this past fiscal year to The MKA Fund in honor of their grandchildren.

Jane and Tom Dyszkiewicz

Patricia Ewing

Sally Firth

Bette Fox and Richard Liss

Yvette and McDonald Furlonge

Karen and Henry Furst

Marge and Ed Gasthalter

Tobi and Herbert Glatt

Susan and Alan Hammer

Carol and Mike Helmick

Alice and Steven Hirsh

Iris Holloman

Jackie and Larry Horn

Doris Janes

Hope and David Jeffrey

Ann and Thomas Johnson

Barbara Kane and Jack Schwartz

Barbara and Leslie Kaplan

Patricia Kearns

Carol Ann and Dean Krogman

Lark and Mark Lamontagne

Denese Lombardi

Jamil Majeed

Deborah and Jeffrey Marshall

Sayoko and Yoichi Matsuzaka

Lorraine and Bruce McMahon

Helen and Jim McMenamin

Luz and Luis Miranda

Jean Mitchell

Ada and Angelo Mogavero

Myra and Phillip Nevius

Alexandra and Michael Nolan

Thank you to the following individuals who maintain their commitment to our school with gifts to the MKA Fund.

Cliff Finkle ‘92

David Gray

Janice Jacobson Rick Jenkins ‘77

MKA Faculty and Staff

Sarah Bradley ‘12

Isabel Alexander

Michael Alexander

David Allen

CherylAnne Amendola

Chaequan Anderson

Kelley Arau

Meg Arcadia

Dagny Baker Mario Baldino

Sandrine Beddou

Jeff Beer

Carlaina Bell

Dominique Benson

Berra

Bracchitta

Branigan

Brown ‘04

Gail Kerr ‘52

Peter S. McMullen ‘77

Thomas Nammack

Michael Nolan

Hank Ohls

Comfort Osei

Manuela and Jesus Paz

Judith and Brewster Perkins

Barbara Petrie

Marc Piegaro

Maubra Randolph

Lyn and Glenn Reiter

Laura and Victor Rodriguez

Jane and Sholom Rosen

Tina Rosenberg and Howard Lowell

Terry and Jani Ross

Lorna Service

Cheri Shepard

Janet Sheridan

Elizabeth Sinn

Nancy and Anthony Slone

Cheryl and Marc Slutzky

Cindy and Tom Spies

Margaret Stone and Jonathan Dee

Iris and Josiah Swasey

Johanna and Edward Szerencsits

Janet and Louis Tenore

JoAnn and Brian Tervenski

Elizabeth and Wallace Thompson

Pat and Ed Thwaite

Herbert Waldman

Marla and Mark Wander

Carol and David Weppner

Bernice Yacenda Anonymous

Kristine O’Connor ‘83

Eric Pai ‘79

John Phillips ‘78, P ‘09, P ‘10

Shelley Phillips

We are immensely grateful for the dedication and commitment of the MKA faculty and staff to our students and their generous support of the MKA Fund.

Leonard Chang Jacqy

‘08

Deanna Donnelly Alek Duba

Robin Dyer

Megan Ehrenfeld

Monica Elmore

Melinda Costa Fernandes

Gina Fernicola

David Flocco

Susan Foley

Cerna

Cerracchio

Jodi Smith

Jaclyn Spedaliere ‘00

Denise Wagner

Suzanne Giarrusso

Gilmartin Alisha Glaser

Students and Friends

Thank you to this generous community, which includes current students, associate alumni, grandparents of former MKA students, former faculty and staff, relatives, and friends. We deeply appreciate your commitment and belief in the importance of supporting our school through gifts to The MKA Fund.

Ashley Davis

Seline Abdulhayoglu ‘28

Lilly Auerbach ‘28

Christie Austin

Andrew Avalos ‘24

Irena Avalos ‘25

Susan Awerdick ‘68

Tej Bakaya ‘29

Sandra and Bevan Baker

Agnes Balogh and Yungjin Oh

Katie Banks

Jen and Victoria Barbetta

Alise and Damien Barrett

Aspen Basra ‘32

Maureen Bates

Sharon and Larry Beebe

Bernice Belverio

Ava Benjamin ‘32

Blake Bhatia

Jessica Bishop ‘04

Tyna Davis ‘24

Pippa Davison ‘25

Brendan Demaria ‘33

Bridie Demaria ‘29

Laura Demaria

Elizabeth DeRose

Judith and Charles Dickerson

Adam Dobrick

Malcolm Donaldson ‘28

Laura and Robert Doto

Sean Duffy

Jane and Tom Dyszkiewicz

LJ Eaves ‘37

Courtney and Kirk Effinger

Zach Ehrenreich ‘24

Mary and Edward Elliott

Jasmine Elmore ‘24

Julia Elmore ‘29

Shea Branigan ‘24

Regina and Bill Bronson

Bill Brown

Denise Brown-Allen

James Burger

Savannah Burke ‘32

Bridget and Eric Carlson

Candice and Tim Carlson

Eva Cha ‘28

Kayden Chalfoun ‘29

Katharine Chazen

Nina and Suraj Chopra

Erin and Tom Chung

Alexa Clayton ‘25

Sara Close ‘76

Nate Conforti ‘25

Tim Cook

Jaxson Cooney ‘34

Lillian Cooney ‘36

Serena Coutinho ‘32

Fiona Cunningham

Janet D’Innocenzio

Pat and Barry Dancy

Henry Elwell ‘33

Piper Elwell ‘36

Shirley and Willie Eng

Eric Epstein

Emel Ersan

Hannah Ewing ‘24

Jordan Fass ‘29

Skylar Fass ‘31

Jocelyn Fine and Javier Ferrandiz

Alexis and Clifford Finkle IV ‘92

Sue Fossett

Nancy Foster

Kingsley-Rae Francisco ‘32

Yvette and McDonald Furlonge

Patricia and Steven Gamcsik

Aviva Gardner ‘31

Jonah Gardner ‘35

Maria Gilmartin and Dimitri Hadjipetkov

Madeline Goldman ‘32

Sebastian Gonzalez ‘24

Leyna Greenberg ‘24

Dorry Groh-Tompsett

Riley Guarino ‘28

Gael Habernickel ‘54 and Duke

Habernickel ‘51

Susan and Alan Hammer

Kasey Harrington

Emma Hatcher

Stephen Hatfield ‘24

Rebecca Hayes

Lisa Hazard and Tim Lynch

Jonah Hecht ‘26

Jackie and Larry Horn

George Hrab

Bonnie Huang and Mark Preston

Carol Ippisch

Marjorie Lopus Jameson ‘77

Hope and David Jeffrey

Deborah and Dana Jennings

Ananya Jetley ‘28

Avery Jia ‘33

Alissa and Curt Johnson

Latisse Mays-Stovall and James Stovall

Deborah Mazzone

Ashe McMahon ‘37

Thomas Meeker ‘26

Ella Meranus ‘32

Luz and Luis Miranda

Luz Miranda-Crespo and Luis Crespo

Lorraine Monchak

Lois Montorio

Virginia Theofanides Muller and Olivier Muller

Zandi and Thomas Nammack

Judy Nesbit

Eva Newman ‘31

Joey Nigro ‘25

Kimberly and John O’Kane

Karin and John Odell

Will Odell ‘28

Hank Ohls

Bianca Scalzo ‘28

Orly Sedransk ‘24

Namya Shah ‘29

Meredith and Justin Silver

Robert Skinner

Meg Slotkin

Jodi Smith

Ken Smith

Jennie and JT Sowers

Brook Stites

April and Brett Straten

Johanna and Edward Szerencsits

Ella Szilagyi ‘28

Jazmine Taylor ‘28

Mimi Temkin ‘24

Justin Tessier

Elizabeth and Wallace Thompson

Pat and Ed Thwaite

Ryan Thwaite ‘36

Susan Jones

Gianni Kafantaris ‘36

Sankirtha Kapoor ‘29

Ruth Kidde

Dillyn Kim ‘24

Julie Kim ‘92 and Sung Kim

Christina and Joshua King

Owen King ‘32

Zachary King ‘35

Sydney Kittles ‘28

Pier Kooistra

Virginia Kriegel

Kala Kukreti ‘35

Gina and Sanjay Lalla

Kaira Lalwani ‘29

Lark and Mark Lamontagne

Danielle and Mitchell Lee

Emily Lieberman ‘24

Fay and Bryan Lonsinger

Aidan Maas ‘24

Tricia and John Mac Evoy

Barbara Mamchur

Rich Margolin

Gwynne Oosterbaan and John-Michael Maas

Eliza Owen ‘36

Everett Owen ‘34

Sapana Patel and Brian Bernberg

Lesley and Matthew Peller

Judith and Brewster Perkins

Laela Perkins and Michael Thwaite ‘97

Myles Perlow ‘34

Tessa Perlow ‘36

Amy Peterson and Jose Sandoval

Shreya Ramesh ‘28

Jackie and Pasquale Ranalli

Michelle and Jordan Raper

Courtney Reinisch and Eric Seid

Maya Riera Lamenza ‘32

Katherine and Rob Ruberton

Olivia Rubin ‘29

Martha and Thomas Ruddy

Caroline Sachs ‘24

Luca and Kassandra Samman

Lincoln Sandoval

Kathy and Bob Sasena

Marie Tobia

Becky Turcotte

Brady Tycher ‘32

Drew Tycher ‘33

Nadine and Bradley Vaiana K.J. Wade ‘28

Elizabeth Wager ‘28

Margaret and Richard Wager

Matthew Wager ‘32

Scott Wager ‘30

Archer Waldman ‘30

Valbona and Todd Watkins

Keith Wiggs

Kitty Williams ‘24

Laura Wilson ‘84 and Andrew Wilson Jim Windolf ‘82

Charlie Wolff ‘26

Anonymous (2)

Corporate and Foundation Grants and Corporate Matching Gifts

We are incredibly grateful to the following organizations who have supported

during the 2023-2024 school year. Additionally, we would like to recognize the individuals who amplified their support by participating in their employer’s matching

Jabeen Ahmed

Tribute Gifts

The following individuals gave in honor or memory of their family, friends, students, teachers, and classmates.

Honorary Gifts

In Honor of Aashvee Aggarwal ‘36

Astha and Pranav Aggarwal

In Honor of Prisha Aggarwal ‘36

Astha and Pranav Aggarwal

In Honor of Kelley Arau Yungjin Oh

In Honor Of Jeffrey Arthur ‘71

Roger Cole ‘70

In Honor of Lucas Restituyo August ‘34

Donna and Edward August

In Honor of Finn Balan ‘26

Marrah and Lee Balan

In Honor of Naveen Ballem ‘90 M.D., F.A.C.S.

Ronny Bhatia ‘19

In Honor of Casey Barrett Alise and Damien Barrett

In Honor of Maggie Barrett Alise and Damien Barrett

In Honor of Sena Bezirkan ‘30

Dilek and Abdurrahman Bezirkan

Emel Ersan

In Honor of Ciara Branigan ‘25 Gillian and Geoff Branigan

In Honor of Shea Branigan ‘24 Gillian and Geoff Branigan

In Honor of Alex Crespo ‘26

Luz and Luis Miranda

In Honor of Dylan Crespo ‘27

Luz and Luis Miranda

In Honor of Hunter Crespo

Luz and Luis Miranda

In Honor of Luis Crespo ‘24

Luz and Luis Miranda

In Honor of Aeryn Curren ‘24

Kate and Evan Curren

In Honor of Charlotte Davison ‘18

Gretchen Berra

In Honor of Harry Davison ‘20

Eric Epstein

In Honor of Katarina DeMatteis ‘32

Karen and Henry Furst

In Honor of LJ Eaves ‘37

Amma Osei and Will Eaves Comfort Osei

In Honor of Paul Edwards

Alex Melitz ‘18

In Honor of Tyler Eng ‘23

Shirley and Willie Eng

In Honor of Hannah Ewing ‘24

Patricia Ewing

In Honor of Geoff Branigan Gwynne Oosterbaan and John-Michael Maas

In Honor of Kenna Bukowczyk Devin Bukowczyk ‘05

In Honor of Liam Campbell Gwynne Oosterbaan and John-Michael Maas

In Honor of Bonnie Carter Zandi and Thomas Nammack

In Honor of Barry Centanni ‘77 John Leister

In Honor of Sloka Lakshmi Chenna ‘28 Shardha and Ravi Chenna

In Honor of Daniel Chung ‘27

Sukjung and Inyoung Chung

Doris Janes

In Honor of Joanna Chung ‘34

Sukjung and Inyoung Chung

Doris Janes

In Honor of Ricky Citron-Sanders ‘37 Terry and Ryan Citron-Sanders

In Honor of Jenna Clancey ‘03

Shelley Sakolsky

In Honor of Class of 1999

Alex Holz ‘99

In Honor of Class of MA 1958

Meritt Gavin ‘58

In Honor of Charlie Cocco ‘34

Donna and Sal Cocco

In Honor of Rosie Cocco ‘31

Donna and Sal Cocco

In Honor of Julia Conforti ‘21

Nate Conforti ‘25

In Honor of Nate Conforti ‘25

Julia Conforti ‘21

Barbara Petrie

In Honor of Scott Coronis

Luca and Kassandra Samman

In Honor of Mason Ewing ‘28

Patricia Ewing

In Honor of Natalie Ewing ‘25

Patricia Ewing

In Honor of Dave Flocco

Jenna Clancey ‘03

Gwynne Oosterbaan and John-Michael Maas

Stephanie and Glenn Salzman

In Honor of Amy Fossett

Sue Fossett

In Honor of Caleb Fosset ‘22

Sue Fossett

In Honor of Betsy Gasthalter ‘33

Marge and Ed Gasthalter

In Honor of Connor Graham ‘35

Jane Barr and John Graham

In Honor of Cooper Graham ‘32 Jane Barr and John Graham

In Honor of Jonah Hecht ‘26

Andrea and Brad Hecht

In Honor of Helmick-Fox family

Bette Fox and Richard Liss

In Honor of Colleen Helsel

Yungjin Oh

In Honor of Alex Holz ‘99

Marcia Holz

In Honor of Brian Holz ‘97

Marcia Holz

In Honor of George Hrab Dana and Pier Kooistra

In Honor of The Hrab Family

Michael Hnatow ‘89

In Honor of Gretchen Ievers

Yungjin Oh

In Honor of Drew Jennings ‘04

Deborah and Dana Jennings

In Honor of Charlie Kenrick ‘23

Peggy and Chris Kenrick

In Honor of Henry Kilcoyne ‘24

Becky Koch and James Kilcoyne

In honor of Sharon and Wally Kyrejko

Andrew Kyrejko ‘05

In honor of Connor LeFevre ‘19

Keith Wiggs and Edmund LeFevre

In honor of Taylor LeFevre ‘19

Keith Wiggs and Edmund LeFevre

In Honor of Audrey Magera ‘29 Piper and Michael Magera

In Honor of Norah Magera ‘31 Piper and Michael Magera

In Honor of Helen Makohon Yungjin Oh

In Honor of Omar Martinez ‘23

Iris Rosario and Luis Martinez

In Honor of The McLean Family Yonette and Michael McLean

In Honor of Ashe McMahon ‘37

Lorraine and Bruce McMahon

In Honor of Maria Shepard Mendez

Alison Ainsworth and Edward Felsenthal

Aidan Maas ‘24

In Honor of Aidan Meeker ‘23 Courtney and Christopher Meeker

In Honor of Rishab Rao ‘32

Bhavana Ravindranath and Harsha

Bhupalam Haribhaktha

In Honor of Casey Reichstein ‘36

Judy and Peter Berkowitz

In Honor of Molly Reichstein ‘33

Judy and Peter Berkowitz

In Honor of Gabriel Rodriguez ‘31

Laura and Victor Rodriguez

In Honor of Nicolás Rodriguez ‘33

Laura and Victor Rodriguez

In Honor of Gustavo Rosen ‘27

Jane and Sholom Rosen

In Honor of Stella Samman

Luca and Kassandra Samman

In Honor of Cali Shepard ‘36

Sterling Shepard

In Honor of Meliora Shi ‘35

Yikang Shi and Jing Wang

In Honor of Alex Shilkrot ‘26

Lisa Wang and Leo Shilkrot

In Honor of Jane Smith

Yungjin Oh

In Honor of August Lobo Spears ‘37

Denese Lombardi

In Honor of Thomas Meeker ‘26

Jane and Tom Dyszkiewicz

In Honor

In

Mary Will ‘74

Sara Winokur ‘74

Patricia Worthington ‘74

In Honor of Helen Noble

Yungjin Oh

In Honor of William T. Odell ‘28 Elizabeth and Wallace Thompson

In Honor of Ralph Pacifico Alex Holz ‘99 Virginia Kriegel

In Honor of Laela Perkins

Jamie and Matt Reichstein ‘01

In Honor of Peter N. Perretti ‘72 Thane Benson ‘70

In Honor of Lola Spies ‘36

Jessica Eckert and Jason Spies

Cindy and Tom Spies

In Honor of Roxanne Spies ‘34

Jessica Eckert and Jason Spies

Cindy and Tom Spies

In Honor of Seneca Steplight-Tillet ‘30

Salamishah Tillet and Solomon Steplight ‘93

In Honor of Sidney Steplight-Tillet ‘34

Salamishah Tillet and Solomon Steplight ‘93

In honor Of J.C. Svec Matthew Palmisano ‘10

In Honor of Ella Szilagyi ‘28

Sharon and Larry Beebe

In Honor of Gracia Tao ‘35

Flora Go and Ronald Sutedja

In Honor of The Teachers

Anonymous

In Honor of Ryan Thwaite ‘36

Judith and Brewster Perkins

In Honor of Marianne Traina

Elizabeth DeRose

In Honor of Pam Valentine

Mary Valentine and Shanie Israel

In Honor of Benjamin Wolfson ‘24

Jackie and Larry Horn

In Honor of Jacob Wolfson ‘22

Jackie and Larry Horn

In Honor of Elizabeth Yellin ‘36

Jillian and Michael Yellin

In Honor of Jeremy Zeng ‘31

Yan Yan and Feng Zeng

In Honor of Patricia Zeng ‘36

Yan Yan and Feng Zeng

Memorial Gifts

In Memory of Anantharamu BL

Archana Anantharamu and Karthik Narayan

In Memory of Denise Anastasiou ‘62

Carolyn Cariello ‘62

In Memory of Rose Lillian Baker

Michael Baker ‘59

In Memory of Etta Bellin

Howard Bellin ‘53

In Memory of Richard S. Benson ‘39

Thane Benson ‘70

In memory of William Breen ‘73

Allan Cox ‘74

In Memory of Ronnie Califano

Doreen Perna

Anonymous

In Memory of Tony Cuneo

Nicole and David Hoppe

In Memory of Anne Curtin ‘39

Kate Curtin Lindsey ‘72

In Memory of David Dollar ‘72

Harlan Gibbs ‘72

In Memory of Tom Fleming

Kelly and William R. Massey

In Memory of Martin Fossett

Jeff Beer

Sue Fossett

In Memory of John Foster ‘54

June Foster ‘54

In Memory of Elliot L. Furbert ‘14

Michael Melitz ‘14

Ariana Puzzo ‘14

In memory of Nancy and Ken Gibson

Rebecca Hayes

In Memory of Everett Glenn ‘11

Chadd Mukete ‘11

In Memory of Gretchen Godwin ‘88

Nathan Chickering

Laura (Eng) Yeu ‘89 and Patrick Yeu

In Memory of Vanessa Good ‘79

Helen and Christopher Noble ‘84

In Memory of In Lulu Johnson ‘25

Alissa and Curt Johnson

In Memory of Scott M. Johnson ‘93

Renee Ciccarella ‘93

Balaji Gandhi ‘91

Ann and Thomas Johnson

Margaret and Richard Wager

In Memory of Thomas Johnson ‘91

Ann and Thomas Johnson

Margaret and Richard Wager

In Memory of William N. Klank

Kristen Dawes ‘95 and Kai Dawes

Tracey Sylvester ‘97

In Memory of Deanna Lawatsch

Arnoldas Pranckevicius ‘98

In Memory of Nancy LeFevre

Keith Wiggs and Edmund LeFevre

In Memory of Craig Lilore ‘90

Andrea Simon ‘65

In Memory of Betty Logan

Shelley Walchak ‘69

In Memory of Sarah Love

Kimberly Baker ‘00

In Memory of Carmen Marnell Steven Chambers ‘81

Ashley and Craig Hirsh ‘01

In Memory of Richard Moskowitz ‘81

Lisa Sloan ‘78

In Memory of Winifred Nazarian

Larry Nazarian ‘56

In Memory of Jean H. Noyes ‘37

Richard D. C. Noyes ‘69

In Memory of Dean Paolucci ‘73

Cheryl D’Alessandro McMullen ‘77 and Peter S. McMullen ‘77

Shelley and Keith Phillips

Susan Galligan ‘74 and Thomas Galligan ‘73 Deborah Mazzone Dianna Mazzone Singh and Herman Singh Craig Schweitzer ‘12 Mary Stuart and Angus Gephart

Tim Taylor ‘73

In Memory of In Al Rehus

Dwight Jackson ‘08

Brian Purcell ‘09

In Memory of Rich Reiter

Rachel Levine ‘06

In Memory of Susan Widmark Ridgway ‘74

Richard Ridgway

In Memory of Frederick Rimmele ‘86

Paul Colatrella ‘86

In Memory of Peter Sandwall ‘66

Eric Sandwall ‘60

In Memory of Christopher H. Smith ‘85

Salaam Coleman Smith

In Memory of Natalie P. Smith

Dudley Smith ‘49

In Memory of Eli Snyder Joshua Rozan ‘94

In Memory of Elias Synder

Barbara and Dennis Mamchur

In Memory of David Tervenski

JoAnn and Brian Tervenski

In Memory of Frank Traina

Marianne Traina

In Memory of Charles Yacenda

Bernice Yacenda

In Memory of Stanley Zack Catherine Fears and Russell Zack

Heritage Society

The Heritage Society was established to honor the exceptional generosity of donors who have included Montclair Kimberley Academy in their legacy plans. This generosity will benefits students and faculty for generations to come, leaving an enduring impact on our community.

Aubin Ames ‘54

Frances Ames ‘40 *

Linny and Rick Andlinger

Polly Barrows ‘42 * Howard Bellin ‘53

Karen Boyle ‘81

Elizabeth and J. Martin Brayboy ‘80

Sheldon Buck ‘54

Joan Carlisle ‘46

Georgia S. Carrington ‘54

Kathleen and Randy Carroll

Anthony Celentano ‘74

Philip Cheek ‘46 *

Barbara Creed ‘62

Kyle Curtin ‘82

Barbara and Richard Dolven

Philip Ehrlich ‘82

Charlotte Fitch ‘29 *

Lora and Calworth Furbert

Susan Galligan ‘74 and Thomas Galligan ‘73

Everett Glenn ‘11 * Helen Gordon ‘42 *

David Haight III ‘88

Christine Hannon ‘69

Barbara Hanson ‘47 *

Varick Harrison ‘48 * H. Schuyler Horn ‘59

Susan Huang ‘72

Mark Jaffe ‘58

Marjorie Lopus Jameson ‘77

Susan and Rees Jones

Susan Karlin ‘41 * Nancy Booth Kelly ‘52

Ruth Kidde

Bill LaPlant ‘63

Kate Curtin Lindsey ‘72

Frederick Little ‘40 * James Mackey ‘43 * Jean Manley ‘36 *

Gail Marentette ‘51

Caroline Mark ‘36 * David Marrocco ‘57 * Vincent Mascia ‘72

Janet Mason ‘48 * Lucile Mason ‘43 * Joan Murray ‘49 * Judy Nesbit

Harry Nimmergut ‘75

Jean Noyes ‘37 * Margaret Overholser ‘45

Drika Purves ‘57 * Bob Rafner ‘47

Diane Ridley, MD ‘84

Mary Louise Rubin ‘86

Curtis Rudbart ‘78

Susan Ruddick ‘54 * Richard Sandler ‘48

Rudy Schlobohm ‘74 * Elizabeth Schmitz ‘36 * W. Ford Schumann * Leigh B. Smith ‘45 (Former Faculty)

Philip Smith ‘53 * Jean Suidmak * Paul Tiranno ‘89

Virginia Usher ‘42 * James Vandermade ‘35 * Olive Watson ‘36 * George Weilepp ‘50 * Pearl Wolf Anonymous (2) * Deceased

MKA Volunteer Leadership

Board of Trustees

Naveen Ballem M.D., F.A.C.S. ’90,

President

Paige Cottingham-Streater ’79,

Vice President

Luke Sarsfield ‘91, Vice President

Jeffrey Szilagyi, Treasurer

Stephanie Salzman, Secretary

Rick Andlinger

Jen Barbetta

Anya Buenger Barrett ‘89

Heather Benjamin

Dan Cesareo

Caitlin DiRuggiero ’06

Sybil Eng

Nigel Furlonge

Lauren Kaplan ’93

Kate Logan Rob Ruberton

Matt Sherman

Alison Slone

Craig Solomon

Solomon Steplight ’93

Margaret Wager

Affiliate Trustees

Lauren Fass

Brian Glatt

Dennis Goldstein ‘83

Karen Heath-Wade

Scott Rosenberg

Honorary Trustees

Aubin Ames ’54

John Garippa

Alice Hirsh

Michael Johnson

Newton Schott

MKA’s Development

Committee

Margaret Wager, Chair

Naveen Ballem M.D., F.A.C.S. ’90,

President

Anya Buenger Barrett ‘89

Heather Benjamin

Lauren Fass

Brian Glatt

Dennis Goldstein ‘83

Karen Heath-Wade

Scott Rosenberg

Stephanie Salzman

Alison Slone

Craig Solomon

Solomon Steplight ’93

Alumni Council

Caitlin DiRuggiero ’06 - President/

Treasurer

Stephen Bezer ’11 - Senior VP

Stuart Harwood ’07 – Executive VP

Lhenée McKoy ’05 – Secretary

Devin Bukowczyk ‘05

Seth Bynum ‘11

Kelly Byrne ‘08

Jenna Clancey ‘03

Geoffrey Close ’71

Aron Dyadyuk ’21

Jeffrey Festa ‘06

Frank Godlewski ’76

Lisa Goldsman ’15

Alex Holz ’99

Cara Landolfi ‘05

Dominic Leone ‘12

Angela McCaffrey ’06

Chadd Mukete ’11

Samora Noguera ’02

Kelsey O’Connor ’14

John Snow ’11

Parents Association of Montclair Kimberley Academy Board

Alison Slone, President

Cocco, Secretary

Ballem

Conforti

French-Brown

Nagrecha Moushumi Sanghavi

April Straten

Sonia Vora

Nancy Wheeler

Volunteers

Development Ambassadors

Matilda Akaho

Dilek Bezirkan

Britton Bitterman

Maritza Chang-Chavez

Liang Cheng

Greta Velez De Villa-Dowdell

Michelle Drewry

Sara Elwell

Jesscia Freeman

Karen Heath-Wade

Renee Johnston

Wendy Liu

Nicole Masella

Doreen Oliver

Amy Peterson

Joe Randolph

Jamie Reichstein

Alison Slone

Nicole Streater

Amy Weppner

MKA Fund Faculty

Ambassadors

Cort Bosc

Suzanne Giarrusso

Marshall Hatcher

Parents Association of Montclair Kimberley

Academy Volunteers

Linda Adebola

Astha Aggarwal

Jacqueline Ahern

Alison Ainsworth

Erica Ajayi

Matilda Baye-Akaho

Asad Ali

CherylAnne Amendola

Archana Anantharamu

Diana Anders

Sara Anthony

Argetina Aquino

Elena Araoz

Florence Arcilla

Elizabeth August

Joe Avalos

Suzette Baez Yanett Bagce Pooja Bakri

Marrah Balan

Priya Ballem Leena Bansal

Angela Barreto

Anya Buenger Barrett ‘89 Arvind Basra

Liz Bate

Adenah Bayoh

Morgan Bellapianta ‘99

Heather Benjamin

Dilek Bezirkan

Sneha Bhatia

Britton Bitterman

Nelli Black

Kristin Bochicchio

Carolee Boi

Lisa Bombardieri ‘90

Tim Borzell

Stacey Bradford-Greenberg

Nakeyl Branch-Johnson

Carole Brandford

Shayla Bridges

Markus Brilling

Regina Bronson

Kirsten Brown

Christy Burke

Ingrid Burke

Susan Busch

Dayana Campo

Deon Carter

Karen Carter

Grace Cecilio-Dueno

Cara Cesareo

Corinne Chakhtoura

Nicole Chalfoun

Ato Chase

Lebra Turman Chase

Estella Chen Hongfan Chen

Liang Cheng

Nathan Chickering

Nina Chopra

Sonia Chudasama-Patel

Abigai Chung

Alanagh Coleman

Leigh Conforti

Monica Conley

Beth Cooney

Deanna Copeland

Erik Corlett

Rupa Coutinho

Liz Coyle

Tahirah Crawford

Kathy Critchley ‘87

Helen Walter Crossen ‘95

Mimi Cuellar

Greta Velez De Villa-Dowdell

Jenelle Decoteau

Jamie Decter ‘93

Sarah Dee

Demi Demetrios-Avalos

Dan Derian ‘87

Maisha Desai-Green

Reena Desai

Rowan Johnson DiFeo

Hazel Dike

Carmel Dineen

Gregory Dineen

Jennifer DiPace

Jenn Dozier

Jessica Eckert

Dean Ehrich

Nicole Ehrich

Sara Elwell

Sybil Eng

Andrea Erickson

Laurie Ewing

Lauren Fass

Catherine Fears

Efua Feldman

Louis Feldman

Salka Fernandez

Holly Fleischer

Megan Flick

Patricia Gamcsik

Aaron Gardner

Meredith Gardner

Emily Gasthalter

Caroline Gentile

Melanie Girton

Amandine Gohl

Stacey Gold

Dara Goldberg

Michelle Goldstein

Lisa Goodman

Ayana Goore ‘89

Sudipta Goswami

Shelly Grossman

Maria Guarino

Katherine Guercio

Mary Guldin

Monica Gupta

Claudia Gutierrez

Melissa Haile-Mariam

Nicholas Hailey

Rebecca Hardiman

Jade Harris

Emma Hatcher

Elizabeth Hejna

Liza Helwig

Silvia Henriquez

Danielle Higgins

Ashley Hirsh

Becki Hirsh

Nicole Hoppe

Carol Hsu

Elise Hubert

Karen Hudson

Archer Hutchinson

Monic Hutchinson

Chanel Godchaux

Olivia Ing

Catherine Irwin

Naoko Ishibe

Tina Jordan Eun Jung Cris Junquera

Lauren Kaplan

Sumeet Kapoor

Carly Kaskel

Liz Katz Jon Kelly

Rebecca Kelly

Daniel Khublall

Somi Kim Aaron Kissel

Amanda Klepfer Ivana Ristova Kovach

Kimberly Koserowski

Tom Krieglstein

Lisa Krizner-George

Patricia Krogman

Allison Kusseluk

Justyna Kwapniewski

Sonali Lalwani

Stephanie Lamenza

Kendra Lanzo

Lisa Lazarus

Michelle Lee

Jodie Leitner

Lisa Lesser

Meredith Levine

Ani Levy

Daniel Lewis

Ebonee Lewis

Maria Lewis

Jiang Li Andrea Liechenstein

Caroline Lilore-Sciancalepore

Amy Lissauer Jordan Lissauer

James Liu Wendy Liu

‘99

Zernike Veronia Zeron

Sunny Zhao

Student Alumni Relations Council

Katie Chung ‘24

Eunice Fernandez ‘24

Dylan Fishman ‘24

Chris Hernandez ‘24

Azariah Johnson ‘24

Amira Kittles ‘24

Maya Koserowski ‘24

Shivam Kwatra ‘24

Hannah Lewis ‘24

Ava Moore ‘24

Rianne Okai ‘24

Caroline Sachs ‘24

Sophie Spitz ‘24

Noah Winters ‘24

Class Agents

Enid Hyde ’41

Leigh Smith ’45

Gail Marentette ’51

Martha Moran ’52

Howard Bellin ‘53

Sheldon Buck ’54

Georgia Carrington ’54

Susan Ferdinand ’56

Larry Nazarian ‘56

Diana Little ’58

Jarvis Nolan ‘59

David Bruck ’61

Suzanne Hardy ’61

Barbara Creed ’62

Andrew Pedersen ’77

Pamela Zeug ’78

John Brink ’79

Bruce Eng ’79

Shawn Ortiz ’79

Laura Itzkowitz ‘81

Bunker Davis ‘83

Maureen Natkin ‘83

Jennifer Jones Ladda ’84

Jennifer Remington-Knodel ’86

Dennis Rodano ’87

Lynne Yellin ’87

Danielle DeVita ’88

Alec Schwartz ’88

Louis Lessig ’89

Josh Raymond ’89

Dara Marmon ’91

Luke Sarsfield ’91

Enrique Neblett ‘92

Jason Awerdick ’94

Tanya Barnes ’96

Erica Hirsch ’96

Lee Vartan ’96

Gemma Diaco ‘98

Alex Holz ‘99

Sandra Tritt ’99

Anna Cook ’00

John Garippa ’00

Jaclyn Spedaliere ’00

Emily Santangelo ’02

Melissa Slomienski ‘02

Melanie Bieber ’03

Judith Ferreira ’03

Brendan McCaffrey ’04

Katherine Santoro ’04

Edmund Kozak ’05

Manav Lalwani ’05

Natalie Sparks ‘06

Angela McCaffrey ’06

Stuart Harwood ’07

Brian May ’07

Harry Raymond ’07

Matthew Metzger ’08

Brian Purcell ’09

Jane Stanton ’09

Devon Barrett ’10

Matthew Palmisano ’10

Seth Bynum ’11

Carina Wong ’11

Casey Holden ’12

Ed Rosini ’12

Liz Amato ‘13

Edward Bozik ’13

Kassandra Fotiadis ’14

Kori Durando ‘15

Lily Andres ’16

Michela Bellapianta ’19

Ronny Bhatia ’19

John Blondel ’74

Casey Breslow-Glugeth ’03

Claire Brown ’19

Steve Carr ’74

Dillon Carroll ‘16

Patricia Chin-Sweeney ’99

Hayley Cirenza ’20

Sarah Coffel ’17

Paige Cottingham-Streater ‘79

Allan Cox ’74

Erin Crawford ’74

Anthony Cristello ’79

Martha Day ’74

Morgan Decter ’23

Brian Donahue ’94

Kyle Duca ’11

Bruce Eng ’79

Adam Fanslau ‘11

Sheldon Fields ’04

Jillian Fishback ’20

Angie Flocco ‘22

Alexandra Fotinopoulos ’13

Kimani Freeman ‘16

Kelly Fritz ‘93

Emily Fusco ‘19

Justin Goldsman ’11

Rebecca Grillo ’03

Owen Grover ’91

Martine Gulliver ’22

Evin Henriquez-Groves ‘15

Nell Hryshko ‘12

Dwight Jackson ‘08

Trrusha Jariwalla ‘22

Julie Kim ’92

Geoffrey Krouse ’89

Jennifer Jones Ladda ’84

Dom Leone ’12

Patrick Livesey ‘10

Angela McCaffrey ‘06

Ashvin Melwani ’12

Jake Morissaeu ’19

Kristen Morisseau ‘13

Petia Morozov ‘84

Danny Nasti ’15

Daisy Nishigaya ‘89

Enrique Noguera ’04

Brian Nolan ‘05

Kelsey O’Connor ‘14

Matthew O’Donnell ’20

Olivia Okun-Dubitsky ‘22

Brian Purcell ’09

Bianca Roses ’09

Schneider Ryan ’14

Jordan Safirstein ‘93

Doug Donald ‘62

Kitty Haines ‘65

Jessie Boyer ’66

Craig Cameron ‘66

Douglas Fitzpatrick ’66

Craig Perry ’67

Geoff Gregg ’68

Avie Kalker ‘68

Edward Griggs ‘69

Christine Hannon ’69

Leslie Bryan ’70

Jim Castiglia ‘70

Peter Webb ’70

Philippa Bowles ’71

Jeffrey Jones ’71

Anthony Vitale ’71

Barbara Flessas ’72

Purohit

Puryear

Ramesh

Susan Read ’73

Thomas Galligan ‘73

Gregory Lackey ’73

Erin Crawford ‘74

Paul Zuckerberg ’75

Sara Close ’76

Robert Hubsmith ’77

Zoe Bieler ’16

Charles Rilli ”16

Jenna Donatiello ’17

Matthew Rubenstein ‘17

Lailanni Lucien ’18

Keenan McAuliffe ’18

Kerri McGuire ’18

Michela Bellapianta ’19

Claire Brown ’19

Patrick Morisseau ’19

Alumni Volunteers

Kian Abrishami ‘19

Abe Abukwaik ‘15

Igor Alves ’99

Antonia Amico ‘06

Vanessa Amsinger ’21

Anne Anspach ’74

Paul Arcoleo ’10

Naveen Ballem ‘90 M.D., F.A.C.S.

Jonah Barbin ’21

Anya Buenger Barrett ‘89

Nick Baum ’23

Thomas Beach ’04

Luke Sarsfield ‘91

Jessica Simpson-Cook ’99

Polly Smith ‘67

Chisako Sugiyama-Murray ‘05

Sofia Tomé ‘02

LeRoy Watkins ’99

Joseph Weber ‘13

Noah Weinberg ’22

Lisa Westheimer ’79

Carina Wong ‘11

We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this report. However, despite our best efforts, errors sometimes still occur, and for this we apologize in advance. All donors are recognized for their gifts between July 1, 2023 – June 20, 2024. If you have questions about your recognition or would like more information about giving opportunities, please contact Laela Perkins, Director of Development, at lperkins@mka.org. For more information, please visit www.mka.org/supportmka