WELCOME to our latest issue

About a decade ago, when we lived in Trenton, NJ, my then six-year-old daughter Logan (currently a senior at MKA) and I were crossing a busy intersection in the city. As we were hurrying to reach the other side of the street, Logan stopped to pick up some garbage on the road. I told her that we shouldn’t do that, urging her forward, the way a parent does holding their child’s hand, especially as the light was about to change. She stopped moving those little feet, turned to me, and said, “But if we don’t stop to pick it up, then who will?” Fortunately, as the light turned green, the drivers didn’t honk their horns–they could see what was happening.

In the grand scheme of things, picking up a piece of trash that day didn’t have a significant effect on the city or the world, nor did it contribute to a larger discourse or understanding about sustainability. But it did have an effect on me. It takes just one person to remind us that we have a responsibility to care for our environment and that we can make a difference. I am thankful to be surrounded by so many individuals at MKA who lend their voices, their energy, and their hearts and come together to work on behalf of themselves and future generations toward a more just and sustainable world. We are in good hands, indeed.

I hope you enjoy, reflect upon, and synthesize the rich ideas embedded in the Spring 2023 issue of the Review magazine. I am thrilled that we are sharing and celebrating the school’s commitment to sustainability. Environmental stewardship is a foundational responsibility at MKA and is important to me and to so many members of our community. In the following pages, you will see and learn about the sustainability initiatives in our physical spaces, organizational culture, and educational program. It is due to the concerted effort on the part of many that MKA has emerged as a leading steward of the environment though, in reality, the seeds are planted one person at a time.

With gratitude,

Nigel D. Furlonge, Head of School

EDITORS

Gretchen Berra

Kim Saunders

ASSISTANT EDITOR/COPY EDITOR

Marnie McNany

DESIGN

Mercer Design www.mercerdesign.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS

Ashley Conde

Madison Kilduff

Laela Perkins

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Michael Branscom

Steve Clayton

Michael Mineo

Derek Morf

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

On the cover: artists in second grade started off the year sharpening their observation skills by practicing blind contour line drawing. Blind contour line drawing is when the artist draws the outline and shapes of a subject while slowly drawing its contours in a continuous line without looking at the paper. This drawing exercise forces students to slow down, look carefully at an object, and allow their eyes to guide their hand.They started by exploring a variety of subjects and ended by rendering plants. Using only a sharpie, they drew the lines using blind contour line drawing technique. They then painted their drawings using watercolors.