ANNUAL REPORT
2013 - 2014
Year in Review The Class of 2014 2013 grads look back Financial Report
The theme for the 2014-2015 Annual Fund is:
“I give to Country Day because…” “I give to Country Day because I value my education and lasting relationships I gained through my time there as a student. I cherish my memories and hope another student will benefit from the alumni donations.”
Sally Dwyer ’05 Make your gift today and tell us why YOU give to Country Day! Make your secure online gift at www.countryday.net/go/ccds or call us at 513-979-0283 to make your contribution.
2
ANNUAL REPORT
The Annual Report is published by the Development Office of Country Day. Photos by contributing alumni, students, parents, faculty, and staff. If you believe any donor information is incorrect, please contact Heather Kaufman at (513) 979-0283 kaufmanh@countryday. net. For any other questions please contact Ralph Javens at (513) 9790234 or javensr@countryday.net.
Parents of graduates, if you have been receiving CCDS mail for your graduate at your home address, and they have a permanent mailing address elsewhere, please let us know how to best reach them. We want to stay in touch with our alumni community, not to mention save paper and postage. Please contact Alumni Director, Paula Brock at brockp@ countryday.net or 513-979-0282 with updated information Or you can send address changes to addresschanges@CountryDay.net.
Your classmates and the Country Day Community would like to hear from you. Please submit Class Notes to Paula Brock at brockp@CountryDay.net
Cincinnati Country Day School does not discriminate against any person in admission, employment or otherwise because of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, gender, or age in violation of existing state or federal law or regulations.
Y0u
Tube
.
ANNUAL REPORT
2013 - 2014
IN THE ANNUAL REPORT
4 Leadership A note from the Head of School
6
Financial Information at a Glance Graphs of 2014 and an admission update
8
2014 Highlights A look at some of the highlights from 2014 with additional highlights
online
10
Making a Difference
Larry and Barbara Kellar
12
First Year in College
2013 grads Meg Lazarus and Edwin Sam talk about their experiences
in college and how CCDS helped to prepare them.
14
Annual Giving
A thank you to the community and chairs who made it all possible
with a list of donors online
16 Commencement
A complete look at matriculation, lifers, and Country Day’s 88th
Commencement ceremonies with additional information and photos
online
24
Annual Awards
Upper and Middle School
26 Alumni ON THE COVERS
Regional Representatives and Holiday fun!
Front Cover:
Fourth graders Djasahn English, Nathan Cohen and Lila Ann Lauch exit the new Lower School Niehoff Commons.
Back Cover:
Commencement 2014
ONLINE ANNUAL REPORT For additional online content visit: Commencement 2014: www.CountryDay.net/go/Grad
Highlights: www.CountryDay.net/go/HL Donor lists: www.CountryDay.net/go/Donors 3
Leadership Dear Members of the Country Day Community: The 2013-2014 Annual Report recognizes the many donors who have made Country Day a philanthropic priority. With their generous support, we sustain the strong academic programs, talented faculty, and caring sense of community that distinguishes the Country Day experience. Their participation in the life of our school demonstrates the strength of their commitment to our students, and we are deeply grateful. An important component of our yearly fundraising efforts is the Annual Fund. Like all independent schools, Country Day relies on Annual Fund contributions to help offset yearly expenses associated with running the school day-today. Strong participation in our annual giving effort makes the difference between a good school and a great one. I want to thank the 20132014 Annual Fund Chairs: Debbie and Jodie ’87 Brant; Grandparent Committee Co-Chairs Barbara and Larry Kellar and Kitty Strauss. Through their tireless efforts, we raised more than $660,000 to support programmatic costs not covered by tuition.
4
ANNUAL REPORT
Thanks to the magnanimous support of our parents, grandparents, faculty, staff, trustees and alumni, Country Day is well positioned for healthy growth and an exciting future, one that includes new programs, new infrastructure, and new leadership. I know the momentum we are experiencing today, along with our community’s solid support, will help us grow stronger in the years to come. Sincerely,
Cabinet 2013-2014 Robert Macrae Head of School Jennifer Aquino Head of Lower School Robert Baker Director of Technology Michael Busch Director of Facilities Theresa Hirschauer Head of Middle School/ Athletic Director Aaron Kellenberger
Robert P. Macrae Head of School
Director of Admission Stephanie Luebbers Head of Upper School Ashley Ward Assistant to the Head of School Todd Witt Chief Financial Officer Christopher Woodside Director of Development
Board of Trustees 2013-2014 Charles Pettengill ’79 President of the Board of Trustees Christopher Bortz ’92 Kyle Brooks ’81 Marianne Castrucci Richard Durand ’73 Julie Gentile Jon Hall Amy Hanson William Hardigg III ’96 Connie Hodson Lori Jeffries ’90 Shailesh Jejurikar Lucy Haverland Joffe ’90 Macy Kirkland Anne Maier Peter Niehoff ’05
New Format
Enhanced online coverage: Commencement 2014 Donor lists 2014 Highlights Each year, Country Day produces an Annual Report that includes a list of donors and financial information. This year, we have added a Commencement section, along with a list of highlights. In addition, we also now list our donors in the online version only. Though we spend countless hours ensuring the accuracy of our data, there is always the possibility of error, and with an online only list, we will be able to make corrections, if and when, an error occurs.
Jeanne Parlin Steve Schwartz ’80 Robin Sheakley Todd Stegman Hemella Sweatt-Duplechan Charles Thomas III ’80
For additional online content visit: Commencement 2014: www.CountryDay.net/go/Grad Highlights: www.CountryDay.net/go/HL Donor lists: www.CountryDay.net/go/Donors
Gordon Wright ’85
5
FISCAL YEAR 2013-2014
FINANCIAL INFORMATION REVENUES Tuition Income Gifts from Endowment Annual Giving Other Income
84.2% 4.8% 4.3% 6.9%
ANNUAL GIVING Total
Unrestricted Annual Fund Restricted Tuition Aid Other Restricted Giving Annual Giving
EVENTS
$ 666,849 $ 30,343 $ 26,078 $ 723,270
CountryDate
$ 216,910
Total Events
$ 216,910
FOUNDATION GIVING
Unrestricted
$
3,772
Scholarship $ 577,345
EXPENSES Salaries & Benefits Tuition Assistance Program Plant Operations Office
45.9% 26.3% 9.3% 10.9% 7.6%
Other Restricted Giving
$ 154,023
Total Foundation Giving
$ 735,140
CAPITAL (BUILDING FUND) GIVING
Lower School Renovations
$ 448,535
Wright Tennis Complex
$ 103,890
Early Childhood Center
$ 150,000
Total Capital Giving
$ 702,425
Total Annual, Events, Foundation & Capital Giving
$
2,377,745
Endowment Market Value as of 6/30/14 $ 19,833,622
Contribute online at www.CountryDay.net/go/CCDS 6
ANNUAL REPORT
Enrollment growth continues For the fifth straight year, student enrollment at Country Day has grown in every division. With an enrollment of 760 students in 2009-2010, Country Day is projected to exceed 850 students by the close of the 14-15 year. This marks a nearly 12% increase since 2009-2010, and the School has seen both an increase in new student enrollment and current student retention. New recruitment and retention strategies have played an important part in this growth. Students, parents, faculty, staff, and alumni have been engaged in a campaign led by the Head of School and the Admission Office to bring friends, neighbors, and family members to campus. Initiatives have included student and parent ambassador programs, an alumni/friend referral program, merit scholarship program, and a print/social
media marketing strategy known as the “My Day” campaign. The overriding success of our enrollment growth can be mostly attributed to “grassroots” efforts. While many of our competitors have taken more traditional routes of increased marketing including television, billboards, radio, direct mail, and mall kiosks, we have decided to invest in our greatest asset – our community – our students, parents, and alumni. Community members have assisted with recruitment efforts such as conducting tours during campus events, following up with students after campus visits, delivering accepted student welcome bags, and serving as “buddies” to new families. Country Day continues to attract families from all over Greater Cincinnati, including
Northern Kentucky and Eastern Indiana. The school community now includes students from more than 60 zip codes. The chart at the bottom shows the top 10 neighborhoods where students reside. Your referrals of potential students matter, and we value the power of our community and their enthusiasm for identifying prospective families. Thus, we have developed an easy way for you to refer a prospective family to our school. Simply go to the “refer a friend” webpage at www.countryday.net/go/referafriend and give us some basic information. We’ll take it from there by contacting the family and introducing them to the benefits of a Country Day education. -Aaron B. Kellenberger, Director of Admission
Enrollment By Geographic Area ZIP CODE NEIGHBORHOOD
# OF STUDENTS
45243
Indian Hill/Madeira
187
45140
Loveland
106
45242 Montgomery/Blue Ash 57 45150 Milford 44 45069 West Chester 42 45244 Anderson 39 45040 Mason 38 45039 Maineville 30 45208 Hyde Park 27 45236 Kenwood 23 A complete list of donors can be found online at www.CountryDay.net/go/Donors 7
Month by Month Highlights Here are a few highlights from the past year. For more visit www.CountryDay.net/go/HL
The National, an Indie rock band, lead by CCDS graduates and brothers Bryce ’94 and Aaron ’94 Dessner are nominated for a GRAMMY.
Country Day continues excellent enrollment trend reaching largest enrollment since 2005-06.
Danielle Wolf ’15 finishes third in Singles at the State Tennis Tournament.
2 0 1 3
July
August
September
October
November
December
Seven students honored by the National Merit Scholarship program.
Country Day 2013 Summer Programs have record enrollment of more than 600 participants.
Football team goes undefeated reaches playoffs. Coach Tim Dunn records 200th victory and named AP Coach of the Year.
Additional highlights can be found online at www.CountryDay.net/go/HL 8
ANNUAL REPORT
Allie Wooden ’15 finishes runner-up in the 200-meter freestyle at State.
Boys tennis team sweeps state awards.
“All Shook Up” is a smash hit on the Keeler Theater Stage.
January
February
The new lower school addition, and the Betsy ’05 and Peter ’05 Niehoff Commons, is dedicated during the state of the school meeting.
March
April
May
2 0 1 4
June
CountryDate, led by Anne Maier, Julie Gentile and a host of volunteers, is a phenomenal success.
8th grade Stock Market Game team wins trip to NYC. 9
Making a difference at Country Day The Kellar stage in the Lower School Barbara Kellar’s affection for Cincinnati Country Day began when she taught third grade at the school for five years. That attachment grew when Larry and Barbara Kellar’s granddaughter, Ava Kellar, enrolled as a three-year old. The Kellars co-chaired the Annual Fund’s Grandparents’ Committee for two years and expanded their giving by funding the construction of the Lower School’s stage in the new Betsy ’05 and Peter ’05 Niehoff Commons. They named the stage for Ava, now an eighth grader. Ava’s experience at Country Day inspired them to make the generous donation.
“Country Day
gives Ava the best education and makes her happy every day, and if she’s happy, we’re happy.” Barbara Kellar “Country Day gives Ava the best education and makes her happy every day, and if she’s happy, we’re happy,” Barbara said. Larry added, “Our incentive was the fact that Ava loves the school so much. She loves the teachers. The teachers are fabulous. We’ve just become more attached to the school as a result of our involvement with our granddaughter.” “I’m extremely impressed by what she’s learning and, if she can learn all that and enjoy it, it’s got to be a great experience,” Larry said. “She has very nice friends there.” Providing the funds for the stage made sense, Barbara said, because of Ava’s passion for dance. She has danced nine years in the Cincinnati Ballet’s “Nutcracker,” Starring as “Clara” in 2012 and 2013. Throughout the year, Ava can be found taking classes and performing at the
10
ANNUAL REPORT
Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy. She has a leading role in the eighth grade play as “Belle” in “Beauty and the Beast JR.”
and providing educational games for grades 1-3, 4-6 and 7-8 in all STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) categories.
Larry and Barbara are actively engaged in Ava’s education. Ava’s mother, Ainsley Kellar, works fulltime at ARK Productions, her own digital production business that creates television commercials and industrial videos. So the Kellars assist Ainsley whenever needed, whether it’s driving Ava to school or helping with homework. They also join Ainsley in attending Ava’s performances or on the sidelines of her swim meets and softball games.
Larry is currently on the board of directors of Frisch’s and recently retired as chairman of another Cincinnati-based company, MultiColor Corporation, that prints labels worldwide for consumer products, wine and spirits. He’s also served local organizations in many capacities, including past chairman of the Urban Design Review Board for the City of Cincinnati.
The Kellars encourage other grandparents to get involved at Country Day by financially supporting the school and volunteering. “I think, for all grandparents, that the most important thing they can provide is a good education,” Barbara said. “Whether you’re a grandparent or a parent, what’s the most important thing you do for a child? After loving them, you make sure they have a good education.” The Kellars are known for their generosity throughout the Cincinnati area. Among the beneficiaries are Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and CET, where Barbara has her own show “Showcase with Barbara Kellar,” at 8 p.m. Sundays on the CET Arts channel 48.3.
The Kellars have been selected for the 2014 Philanthropists of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. They were nominated by CET, Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Country Day School, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Clever Crazes for Kids and the University of Cincinnati. The Kellars will be honored in November. They’ll remain familiar faces around Cincinnati Country Day School. “We plan to continue being involved,” Barbara said. “Country Day feels like a family. We really enjoy being a part of it.”
Barbara is also a member of the University of Cincinnati Foundation Board of Directors and involved with the Clever Crazes for Kids. Clever Crazes is a foundation that promotes healthy minds and bodies In the Pattison Courtyard, Larry and Barbara are seated with by encouraging Ainsley and Ava standing. physical activities
highlight a fund
11
Edwin Sam
healthy or make your bed. You have to be self-motivated.
College: University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business, Philadelphia Majors: Marketing and finance
What do you like least about college? What I probably like the least is the food. You go from having gourmet meals in high school and, when you go to college, the dining hall food isn’t the best. There’s not much of a choice here.
Why did you choose the University of Pennsylvania? For me, it was between UPenn and Notre Dame, because they’re both top notch business schools. When I visited U Penn, I got a sense it was really focused on academics and priorities later in life, while balancing that with the present and having fun.
2013 graduates Edwin Sam and Meg Lazarus talk about their first year in college. 12
ANNUAL REPORT
What was the biggest adjustment you had to make? The biggest adjustment was choosing all my classes. In high school, your schedule is given to you, but in college you have to schedule your own classes at different times and different days. Choosing your own schedule and managing your time are a little bit tougher. How did you get involved in college outside of classes? They had a huge club fair, and I joined a few clubs. I’m on the board of Wharton Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Club, which hosts speaker events with businesses in Philadelphia. I’m in Marketing Club and a fraternity, Kappa Sigma. I wasn’t sure about Kappa Sigma, at first, because I thought it was going to be too time consuming, but the more I put into it, the more I realized I met some of my best friends who will be friends for life, guys that will be coming to my wedding. It’s a ton of fun. I also play intramural soccer on a team with a group of my friends. What was the biggest surprise about college? Probably the biggest thing I didn’t expect at Wharton was that most classes are on a curve, because it’s extremely competitive. At Country Day, what you got on your test was your grade. It didn’t matter what everyone else got. Going from a collaborative environment to a competitive culture was a shock to me. What do you like best about college? The freedom is the best part, but it’s also the biggest challenge, because there are so many things you can do and so many things you have to do. In the beginning stages, it’s a little bit tough. Nobody is telling you to eat
What did you do over the summer? I worked with a couple of friends to start a club at UPenn, the Wharton Leadership Institute, to teach students in the Philadelphia area to become leaders. We’ll be mentors for students in schools around the city and will do leadership training. We’re trying to get the logistics down. On top of that, I worked at Vector Marketing selling cutlery for a company called CUTCO and did some leadership work there, too.
“In the beginning
stages, it’s a little bit tough. Nobody is telling you to eat healthy or make your bed. You have to be self-motivated. ” Edwin Sam Anything special coming up during your sophomore year? I am taking a lot more classes in the business school. I’m really excited, because I have been taking a lot of general classes. Now, they’re more specialized, and I’ll eventually declare a concentration. I’m living in my fraternity house this year. What is your career goal? I want to work in marketing. I probably want to work globally for a company like Kroger, GE or P&G. I also want to come back to Cincinnati after college, whether it’s immediately or in 15 or 20 years. How well did Cincinnati Country Day prepare you for college? They prepared us extremely well. It was challenging, and teachers gave us the type of assignments you see in
college. For example, I have to do a lot of writing in college. A lot of kids here didn’t know how to write an essay or manage their time. The teachers at Country Day did a good job in giving us the tools to grow. I got a lot of problems out of the way in high school. I think Country Day really helped me grow and prepared me 110% for college. Advice to seniors at Country Day? Challenge yourself. If you learn to manage your time quickly, that is an important skill you’ll have for the rest of your life. Little things like waking up 15 minutes early and planning out your day help you to manage your time and be more efficient.
Meg Lazarus College: Emory University, Atlanta Majors: Spanish and history Why did you choose Emory? I applied to 14 different schools, big and small, but after coming from a small graduating class at Cincinnati Country Day, I decided I needed something small. The final decision was between NYU and Emory University. What ultimately made the decision easy for me were the resources that were going to be open to me for the major that I wanted and then also the nice southern vibe and wealth of opportunity within the city of Atlanta during the year and during the summer. What was the biggest adjustment you had to make? Taking even more responsibility for my education. At Country Day, they definitely tell you to take responsibility for your education and go see your professors. They’re not going to seek you out. In college, it’s completely up to you to go to office hours, to make the appointment, to form a relationship with your teacher. That was difficult for me to not be able to walk into a classroom and talk to my teacher about their life or about the material every day. What did you do to get involved in college outside of classes? Ultimately, what got me very involved was joining my sorority (Kappa Alpha Zeta), just getting involved in volunteer projects and social projects. I’m a part of
Volunteer Emory, this overarching large organization that sends out groups of people on a weekly basis to things like garden projects or to tutor children. I’m in the club, FLO Food Emory. FLO Food is affordable, sustainable, fair trade food. I’m also involved in FLO Food Atlanta, so I go to a lot of different meetings within Atlanta to talk about that kind of stuff. I’ve met a lot of really cool people through that. I’m also a student ambassador at Emory.
me to write that essay. I have the vocabulary, all the tools in my pocket to do really well in English and also in Spanish because I took AP Lit and Language. Math and science are really challenging, but through the tools that Country Day gave me for time management and organization skills, I really felt like I was on top of all academic life.
What was the biggest surprise about college? Just that you’re really starting your life. There’s no one to tell you it’s time to study or it’s time to come home. You have a lot of freedom, which is a good thing and bad thing.
about the workload. I felt like Country Day really prepared me. ”
What do you like best about college? I really love how challenged I am on a daily basis, by my peers, by the professors that I choose to have relationships with, by friends, by clubs, just how involved you can get. It’s really what you make it. What do you like least about college? Living arrangements. I have had to share a room before, but learning somebody’s personality, while also trying to not make it awkward because you live and you sleep five feet away from them. It’s tough. It’s an intense relationship, whether you’re friends or you’re not friends. Anything special coming up during your sophomore year? I’m a part of the executive board for my sorority, a financial chair. Hopefully, I’ll be getting an internship doing research in the Spanish department and continuing to involve myself even further within the community. What is your career goal? Maybe law school and then maybe business school but, after that, I’m not totally sure. How well did Cincinnati Country Day prepare you for college? I wasn’t surprised about the workload. I felt that Country Day really prepared me. I felt more prepared than a lot of my peers, especially in the area of writing essays. I was able to skip over freshman English just because of my AP experience at Country Day, so I was in my English class with juniors and seniors, which should have been very intimidating, but I feel like Country Day really prepared
“I wasn’t surprised Meg Lazarus
What did you do this summer? I studied abroad in Argentina for six weeks with Emory University. I was studying human rights, but I was taking three classes completely in Spanish, which was really intense, but very cool. My home stay mother and I actually spoke no English, but because of my AP Spanish at Cincinnati Country Day School, along with two semesters of college Spanish, I was fine. The only thing that was really challenging is, that Argentina, and specifically in Buenos Aires, speak Castellano. A subset of Spanish, a lot of the words are pronounced differently, and they have an entire slang system that the rest of the Spanish-speaking world does not use. I also traveled to Iguazu Falls, which was awesome, and Mendoza. At home, I volunteered for State Rep. Connie Pillich’s campaign for Ohio State Treasurer, doing mostly research and intern work. Advice to seniors at Country Day? Keep an open mind when you’re taking classes and picking classes because, for the first time in your life, you’re completely free to make your own decisions. If you want to be premed, take one liberal arts class. Mix it up. You might just find that you need the balance. Taking all liberal arts classes is really difficult, honestly. It gets kind of monotonous, and you get less excited about it. Throw in a math class if you know you want to be a liberal arts major or vice versa.
13
Annual Giving $723,270 Annual Fund Chair Invest in our Country Day. Country Day strives to be the best independent school in the Midwest—if not the entire country. Reaching this aggressive goal requires dedication and involvement from the entire CCDS community. We count on Country Day parents, alumni, grandparents, past parents, faculty, staff, and friends to help us by investing in Country Day. This year, with the efforts of our Annual Fund Chairs, Jody ’87 and Debbie Brant and our wonderful volunteers, our community generously gave over $723,270 to our annual giving program. We are grateful for their work to ensure our students have the best
Country Day experience possible. Annual giving supports a variety of programs including academics, faculty development, the arts, athletics, college counseling and technology. These gifts help Country Day to recruit outstanding faculty and offer them professional development opportunities, provide need-based financial assistance for students, and maintain our campus and facilities to the highest standards. We thank you for making this special investment.
The Brant Family: Debbie, Samantha ’19, Nora ’21, and Jody ’87
Parents $412,997 Cincinnati Country Day’s commitment to excellence is made possible by the ongoing kindness of our parents. Their generosity helps sustain a rigorous academic program, a faculty dedicated to teaching and scholarship, campus maintenance, and opportunities for our students to engage in leadership and community service. Each contribution assists CCDS in capitalizing on unanticipated opportunities and meeting needs not funded by tuition and endowment revenue. With the help of our volunteers, our parents raised nearly $413,000 for the CCDS annual giving program. The enthusiasm and dedication of our parents help ensure Country Day students are provided with the best tools possible to prepare them for college and beyond. Parent Annual Fund Volunteers Robin Barnett Monica Berghausen ’77 Debbie Brant Jody Brant ’87 Cindy Barton Beth Chopra Kimberley Crawford Sonya Engelke Lesley Folan Julie Gentile Teresa Hess Mary Horton Anne Maier Mark McAndrew Christa McAndrew Kathy Paff Chip Pettengill ’79 Jeanné Ross Steve Schwartz ’80 Lori Smith Jane Stewart Ashley Ward Stacey Wooden Gordon Wright ’85 Susan Wright
A complete list of donors can be found online at www.CountryDay.net/go/donors 14
ANNUAL REPORT
Alumni $158,246 Alumni contributions reaffirm the impact of a Country Day education and how it has shaped each graduate. Alumni gifts provide vital support for our students, faculty and facilities. In 2013-2014, alumni gifts totaled over $158,000. Support from alumni is a measure of satisfaction and pride in our institution, and we cannot thank our alumni enough for their generosity. Alumni Council 2013-2014 Ben Hardigg ’96, President Prithvi Bhaskar ’00 Jody Brant ’87 David Briggs ’83 J.R. Foster ’98 David Hornberger ’98 Kyle Hynden ’04 Lucy Haverland Joffe ’90 Tom Langlois ’77 Steve Lazarus ’81 Pamela Long ’01 Cadence Moore ’01 Holly Oblinger Mott ’95 Bree Murdock ’90 Anne Oblinger ’04 Arthur Richard ’83 Matt Strauss ’88 Charles Thomas III ’80 Gordon Wright ’85 Robert Zimmerman ’98
Grandparents
Faculty/Staff
$56,501
$30,124
Under the leadership of the Grandparents’ Committee chairs, Kitty Strauss and Larry and Barbara Kellar, Country Day grandparents contributed over $56,000 to CCDS’s annual giving program. We are grateful to Kitty, Barbara, Larry, the committee and all Country Day grandparents, who so lovingly contributed to the Grandparents’ Fund ensuring our students receive the best education possible.
Every day, the Country Day faculty and staff work to ensure our children receive the highest quality teaching. They believe passionately in the school and its mission. During 2013-2014, our faculty and staff contributed $30,124 in annual giving support. This speaks to the dedication and commitment found at Country Day.
& Grandparents of Alumni
Grandparents’ Committee Gibby and A.K. Carey Richard ’62 and Sue Rae Fleischer Bill and Margy Gale Brian and Helen Heekin Phil ’60 and Sharan Hinkle Stephen and Sandra Joffe Larry and Barbara Kellar James and Linda Miller Dave ’64 and Linda Parlin Ted Schwartz Kitty Strauss Brenda Walker Jim and Alison Zimmerman
Faculty & Staff Annual Fund Chairs Peter Fossett ’80, US Chair Ann Gardner, LS Chair Nate Johnston, MS Chair Ashley Ward, Staff Chair
Class Notes We want to hear from you! Email brockp@countryday.net with updates to be included in the Class Notes, Alumni section of Connections.
New Address
Send address changes to alumniaddresschanges@countryday.net.
Leadership Reception Members of our 1926 Society gathered twice during the year to celebrate Country Day. In September of 2013, Craig and Lucy Joffe hosted a reception honoring those who have given $1,000 or more to Country Day. Head of School Rob Macrae, along with Chip Pettengill ’79, President of the Board of Trustees, thanked this special group of donors for their kindness and generosity to CCDS. In May of 2014, the group came together again at the Broadwell House on campus to learn more about the state of the school. The 1926 Society enjoyed an evening of food, friends and fun as they celebrated the completion of the Lower School and learned more about the north campus projects. The group will assemble again on December 4, 2014 to enjoy wine selections prepared by Winecraft and Boca, with expert food pairings by Eatwell. Some of Country Day’s accomplished piano students will provide the evening’s entertainment. To learn more about the 1926 Society, contact Heather Kaufman at 513-979-0283 or kaufmanh@countryday.net. 15
COMMENCEMENT 2014
16
ANNUAL REPORT
COUNTRY DAY
LIFERS
CLASS OF 2014
First row – Casey Pfister, Victoria Paff, Emma Hoenemeyer, Chase Frederick, Lucy Patterson, Jessica Hall, Kelsey Bardach, Annie Mullee Middle row – Matt Valido, Katie Barton, Carson Aquino, Charlotte Ward, Carter McMaster Back row – Brooks Warner, James Ott, Elijah Engelke, Patrick Wildman Absent: Grant Swinton
Additional graduation photos can be found online at www.CountryDay.net/go/Grad 17
The Class
Front Row – Elizabeth Weisenfelder, Susan Brownstein, Rachel Epstein, Kit Morgan, Shelley Menifee, Evelyn Nkooyooyo, Aneesh Jain, Sofia DiFrancesco, Emma Hoenemeyer, Lauren Wiley, Annalise Tereck, Casey Pfister, Sonia Bhati, Luke Stacy, Kat Mapes, Sabrina Finn, Matt Valido, Madison Komnick, Victoria Paff, Grant Swinton, Brian McSwiggen, Jack Findley Middle Row – Paige Bennett, Lucy Patterson, Kiersten Bannerman, Sarah Mueller, Annie Mullee, Kelsey Bardach, Sydney Menifee, Charlotte Ward, Mayme Acklen, Katie Barton, Jessica Hall, Austin Harden, Ishan Ghildyal, Ashley Streit, Kelsey Zimmers, Julian Braxton, Nate Grossoehme, Alex Levenson, Jason Cox, Drew Eichel, Cavan Scheetz, James Ott
Contribute online at www.CountryDay.net/go/CCDS 18
ANNUAL REPORT
s of 2014
Back Row – Reid Gaede, George Chantilas, Omar Mustafa, JR Menifee, Madeline Elkin, Carson Aquino, Brooks Warner, Nia Blasingame, Lucas Mairal-Cruz, Patrick Wildman, Blake Thomas, Elijah Engelke, Hanna Gottschalk, Chase Frederick, Anand Mehta, Douglas Tallmadge, Matt Walton, Carter McMaster Not pictured: Evan Ashwell, Briana Barnett, Dominic Isadore Photo by Nicholas Viltrakis Photography
Additional graduation photos can be found online at www.CountryDay.net/go/Grad 19
Class of 2014 M Mayme Acklen University of Colorado at Boulder
Susan Brownstein Butler University
Reid Gaede Washington and Lee University
Carson Aquino Hanover College
George Chantilas Purdue University
Ishan Ghildyal Tulane University
Evan Ashwell Elon University
Jason Cox University of Cincinnati
Hanna Gottschalk The Ohio State University
Kiersten Bannerman Miami University, Oxford
Sofia DiFrancesco Rice University
Nathaniel Grossoehme Western Michigan University
Kelsey Bardach Indiana University at Bloomington
Andrew Eichel Indiana University at Bloomington
Jessica Hall Elon University
Briana Barnett Saint Louis University
Madeline Elkin Hanover College
Austin Harden Vanderbilt University
Katherine Barton Dickinson College
Elijah Engelke Brown University
Emma Hoenemeyer Centre College
Paige Bennett The Ohio State University
Rachel Epstein Denison University
Dominic Isadore Hanover College
Sonia Bhati Miami University, Oxford
Jack Findley Rochester Institute of Technology
Aneesh Jain Miami University, Oxford
Nia Blasingame Howard University
Sabrina Finn New College of Florida
Madison Komnick Ohio University
Julian Braxton Harvard College
Rebecca Frederick Boston College
Alexander Levenson Purdue University
Matriculation Lucas Mairal-Cruz The Ohio State University
Omar Mustafa Xavier University
Annalise Tereck Centre College
Kathryn Mapes Mount St. Joseph University
Evelyn Nkooyooyo Grinnell College
Blakely Thomas University of Vermont
Carter McMaster Miami University, Oxford
James Ott Kenyon College
Matthew Valido Colorado College
Brian McSwiggen Princeton University
Victoria Paff Sewanee: The University of the South
Matthew Walton Wittenberg University
Anand Mehta Indiana University at Bloomington
Lucy Patterson The University of Iowa
JR Menifee Wittenberg University
Casey Pfister Trinity University
Brooks Warner University of Cincinnati Clermont College
Shelley Menifee Northern Kentucky University
Cavan Scheetz Earlham College
Elizabeth Weisenfelder Belmont University
Sydney Menifee University of Toledo
William Stacy Ohio Wesleyan University
Patrick Wildman Claremont McKenna College
Christopher Morgan Colorado College
Ashley Streit University of St. Andrews
Lauren Wiley Butler University
Sarah Mueller Roanoke College
Grant Swinton Yale University
Kelsey Zimmers Murray State University
Ann Mullee Chapman University
Douglas Tallmadge Dartmouth College
Charlotte Ward Northeastern University
Commencem
Dr. Robert P. Macrae, Head of School CCDS Graduation 2014 Of all the months, weeks, and days that comprise our academic calendar, this hour has to be my favorite moment of each year. It’s an hour that honors the culmination of years of hard work and breakthroughs, disappointments and successes, tears and triumphs. Seniors, we send you off prepared for your next educational challenge. And, though you leave us, you’ll always remain a part of Country Day.
Some of you have been here for as long as 17 years, enrolling as toddlers at the house in 1997. During your time at Country Day, you celebrated 100th Day, sounded out words with Mrs. Healy, tie-dyed shirts for field day, performed an enchanting version of the “Wizard of Oz,” sat for steerage as immigrants coming to the new world, learned your state and world capitals,
22
ANNUAL REPORT
wrote your autobiographies, hid under the floorboards from slave bounty hunters, hiked to the top of Clingmans Dome, invested in the stock market, took a journey “Into the Woods,” recreated the Continental Congress, paddled West Virginia’s Gauley River, sat for ERBs, OGTs, PSATs, ACTs and SATs, wrote and rewrote (and, some of you, rewrote yet again) your junior paper, pulled off the perfect senior prank with ponds and palm trees in the Alumni Commons (Mr. Carey would have been proud), cleverly asked out your prom dates, basked in the applause of underclassmen and teachers at the clap-out, and finally, arrived here, today, in cap and gown, for the closing act of your Country Day experience.
determined at birth have fixed mindsets. To them, effort is fruitless since you’re born with certain innate abilities. Fixed mind sets want to look smart.
Before you leave us, I have just a few words of parting advice. The faculty has worked hard to build your knowledge base, but part of your Country Day education has involved developing grit and resilience, traits that are as important as academic ability in determining success in life. So next year, as you settle into some of the finest colleges and universities here and abroad, I encourage you not to shy away from the difficult and demanding. Embrace those situations. They will afford some of life’s best learning opportunities. At Country Day, we gave you ample occasions to wrangle with challenging, even fear-inducing, situations. Whether it was beating out Mr. Brownstein in the lunch line on Cookie Wednesday or standing tall when Mr. Gilmore threatened to make you his next Wall of Shame inductee, you’re stronger for it.
To possess a growth mindset, you must accept that mistakes are a part of learning. We’re hopelessly hardwired to side step situations that are unpleasant, perplexing or challenging, but more and more, we’re realizing the value of life’s obstacles.
Instinctively, we’ve always known the power of persistence. But now, researchers are conducting studies that prove the adage that “Rome was not built in a day.” Stanford professor Carol Dweck has conducted decades of research on achievement and success to understand the differences between what she calls fixed and growth mindsets.
Congratulations to the Class of 2014.
Students who feel intelligence is
They undertake projects that’ll confirm their intelligence. Fixed mindsets tune out or take offense to negative feedback, even if it’s helpful. On the other side of the spectrum are students with growth mindsets, those who feel intelligence can be developed through education and effort. They believe the brain, like a muscle, is strengthened through use. They see endless capacity for intellectual growth and value constructive criticism.
We shouldn’t think of mistakes as a step back, but a stepping stone to growth and improvement. They are part of the path to mastery and help cultivate resilience and determination. With a growth mindset, our best gets better, and even our worst improves. Next fall will be primetime for tapping into your powers of positive thinking. How you react to the inevitable freshman year speed bumps will set your course for college. So remember when you stumble, brush yourselves off, dig a little deeper, and you’ll be stronger for it.
ment Remarks
Charles Pettengill ’79, President, Board of Trustees The Fox and the Hedgehog It’s an honor to stand before you on this glorious evening as we celebrate the many accomplishments of our 65 graduates. And as our newest alums start to pursue the next chapter in their life, I would like to suggest some thoughts on what makes a life meaningful. While there are many factors, like intelligence, a good education, thoughtful plans, one factor that I think deserves particular attention is dedication to a plan despite the inevitable doubts and distractions. Some of you may have heard of the ancient Greek parable about the Fox and the Hedgehog. In this parable, the creative Fox, often gets distracted, while the focused Hedgehog is relentless in pursuing its goal. Let me share with you two stories that I think breathe life into this ancient tale.
they took slightly different routes. The weather had turned clear and calm, and it would be possible for Amundsen to make one final push to reach the Pole that day. So, what did Amundsen do? He went his designated 16 miles, stopped, slept and went 16 miles each of the next two days. Amundsen pursued his goal with “hedgehog-like” discipline. Because of this, his team made better progress, arrived at the Pole first, was in better condition, and returned safely to base camp. Scott and his team, who weren’t as disciplined, made uneven progress, reached the pole after Amundsen, and sadly, all died from exhaustion on the return trip. Hedgehog-like discipline proved to be
The first takes place in 1911 as two expedition teams competed to be the first to reach the South Pole. One team was led by Britain’s Robert Scott, the other by Norway’s Roald Amundsen. Starting within days of each other, both teams faced a grueling roundtrip journey of more than 1,400 miles (farther than walking from here to New York City and back). And they made this journey in an unforgiving environment of gale force winds and sub-zero temperatures. And remember, this was 1911, so, there were no communication systems. No radios. No cell phones. And, God help them all, NO TWITTER! Scott chose to travel as far as he could when conditions were favorable and rest when conditions were bad. Amundsen, on the other hand, traveled 16 miles every day, regardless of conditions. Having lost the race to the North Pole, Amundsen desperately wanted to beat Scott to the South Pole. On December 12, 1911, 56 days after starting his expedition, Roald Amundsen was only 45 miles from the Pole, but he didn’t know if Scott was ahead of him because
had no apparent physical gifts except that “he bled well.” But Antuofermo had other attributes you couldn’t see, including a tremendous will to win. Vito Antuofermo absorbed the punishment dealt out by his physical superior, and did it so well that by the fifth round, Hart began to tire, not physically but mentally. Seizing the moment, Antuofermo attacked and delivered a series of quick blows that knocked the big puncher down, ending the fight. But here’s the interesting part. When the fighters returned to their locker rooms, which were separated by a curtain, Hart apparently overheard his opponent say, “Every time Cyclone hit me with that left hook, I thought it was over. After the second round, I thought if he hits me again, it’ll be over. I thought the same thing after the fourth round. Then he didn’t hit me anymore.” At that moment, the heavily favored Cyclone Hart began to weep because he now understood that Antuofermo had FELT the same way he did, perhaps even more so. The only thing separating these two boxers was what they DID, not how they FELT. They were both human. They both had doubts and fears. But Hart let himself get distracted by his doubts and fears, while Antuofermo, like the hedgehog, did not.
the difference between success and failure, life and death. My second story is about a boxing match that took place when I was fourteen. The match was between a well-known big puncher, Cyclone Hart, who was heavily favored against an unknown boxer, Vito Antuofermo. Those of you who saw this match, know that Hart came out throwing left hooks so powerful they sometimes lifted his opponent off the ground. Commentators said that Antuofermo
So, my final thought for our graduates is to be creative like the fox but disciplined like the hedgehog. Don’t get distracted. Stay focused on your goals and never give up. Having a good strategy is often not the hardest part of success; sticking with that strategy, despite the doubts and fears, is more often the key to success. You will have plenty of doubts and fears in your life. We all do. Success depends on how you deal with those doubts and fears. Find your passion, stay with it, and don’t let anyone knock you off course. If you can do that, you’ll have many, many successes in a long, wonderful, and meaningful life.
23
Country D
UPPER SCHOOL
National Achievement Scholarship Recipient Julian Braxton ’14
Class Scholars
National Merit Finalists Julian Braxton ’14, Brian McSwiggen ’14, Austin Harden ’14, Grant Swinton ’14
Templeton Briggs Memorial Award (9th Grade Class Scholars) Nicholas Krammer, Grace Pettengill
Alumni Award
(10th Grade Class Scholars) Taylor Boggs, Nathan Grant, Margaret Hodson
Herbert M. Davison Award
National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar Lucas Mairal-Cruz ’14 National Merit Commended Students Chase Frederick ’14, Lucas Mairal-Cruz ’14, Douglas Tallmadge ’14
(11th Grade Class Scholars) Mia Fatuzzo, Elizabeth Miller, Alexandra Sukin
Athletic
Julius Fleischmann Memorial Award
Sydney Menifee ’14, JR Menifee ’14
(12th Grade Class Scholars) Julian Braxton, Brian McSwiggen, Grant Swinton, Douglas Tallmadge
Country Day Mission Awards Peter Levinson Memorial Award Will Cohen ’15, Kaitlin Harden ’15
Country Day Award
James A. Wright Sportsmanship Award Letterman Leadership Awards
Hanna Gottschalk ’14, Kathryn Mapes ’14, Patrick Wildman ’14
Shirley Heinichen Outstanding Female Athlete Shelley Menifee ’14
J. David McDaniel Outstanding Male Athlete
Ishan Ghildyal ’14
Scholastic
Cameron Alldred ’15
Clement L. Buenger FISC Award Shelley Menifee ’14
Fine Arts
Cum Laude Society
Class of 2014 inducted in their junior year: Julian Braxton, Chase Frederick, Austin Harden, Lucas Mairal-Cruz, Grant Swinton, Douglas Tallmadge, Lauren Wiley Class of 2014 inducted this year: Sonia Bhati, Reid Gaede, Hanna Gottschalk, Brian McSwiggen, Casey Pfister, Annalise Tereck Class of 2015 inducted this year: Mia Fatuzzo, Elizabeth Grace, Kaitlin Harden, Elizabeth Miller, Augusta Pohlman, Alexandra Sukin, Hannah Taylor
Julian Braxton ’14
Lee S. Pattison History Award Reid Gaede ’14
Martha W. Burton Award in French Emma Hoenemeyer ’14
Spanish Award
Sophia DiFrancesco ’14
Romance Languages Award Brian McSwiggen ’14
Ash Mathematics Award
Brian McSwiggen ’14, Grant Swinton ’14
David E. Laird Computer Science Award Julian Braxton ’14
Indian Hill Historical Society Outstanding Achievement in American History Alexandra Sukin ’15
Extracurricular Awards
Joseph F. Hofmeister Scroll Award (Student Newspaper) Elizabeth Miller ’15, Alexandra Sukin ’15
Archive Award (Yearbook)
Drama Award
Victoria Paff ’14
Casey Pfister ’14, Elizabeth Weisenfelder ’14, Taylor Boggs ’16
Music Award – Vocal
InWords Award (Literary Magazine)
Carson Aquino ’14
Music Award – Band Grant Swinton ’14
Visual Arts Award Sarah Mueller ’14
William H. Chatfield Award Sabrina Finn ’14
William Messer ’66 Photography Award Lindsey Jarrell ’15
National Merit
Gordon R. Wright Science Award
U.S. Presidential Scholarship Semifinalist Brian McSwiggen ’14
Departmental
National Merit Scholarship Recipients Austin Harden ’14
Grant Swinton ’14
Robinson-Bye Award in English
Rachel Epstein ’14 - Senior Editor
Robert Patterson Award for Poetry Nia Blasingame ’14, James Ott ’14
Robert Patterson Award for Prose Victoria Paff ’14
Tony Strauss Service Learning Award
Sonia Bhati ’14, Patrick Wildman ’14, Madeline Elkin ’14, Ishan Ghildyal ’14, Emma Hoenemeyer ’14, Kathryn Mapes ’14, Evelyn Nkooyooyo ’14, Annalise Tereck ’14, Matt Valido ’14, Lauren Wiley ’14
Thomas D. Gettler ’76 Creative Writing Award Alexandra Sukin ’15
Bausch & Lomb Science Award Mia Fatuzzo ’15
Contribute online at www.CountryDay.net/go/CCDS 24
ANNUAL REPORT
Day Awards MIDDLE SCHOOL
Charles F. Yeiser ’39 Scholar Award
Recognizes a new student with potential for high academic achievement, exhibits excellent citizenship skills, and are leaders in co-curricular activities. 5th Grade-Griffin McAndrew 6th Grade-Anushka Nair 7th Grade-Annabel Forman 8th Grade-Kaitlyn Hardesty
The William H. Hopple, Jr. ’39 Award
6th Grade Class Scholars with the highest numeric grade averages. Will Beyreis, Riley Michalski, Anushka Nair, Abby Smith
The Bobby Pogue Prize
7th Grade Class Scholars with the highest numeric grade averages. Samantha Brant, Abby Maggard, Nathan Riemann, Nellie Shih
The Herbert Snyder Award
8th Grade Class Scholars with the highest numeric grade averages. Max DelBello, Kaitlyn Hardesty, Moya Ly
The Ramsey Runyon Wright Award
The award goes to the 8th grade student who most exemplifies the humor and creativity of Ramsey Runyon Wright. Sam Schwartz
The Dr. Charles F. Clark Character Award 5th Grade-Ella Beyreis 6th Grade-Will Sommer 7th Grade-Eric Fleischmann 8th Grade-Elena Murley
The Richard O. Schwab ’69 Middle School Award
The National Spanish Exam
The following students earned a national ranking: Kaitlyn Hardesty, 1st Level, 01 John Pettengill, 1st Level 1 Vincent DiFrancesco, 1st Level 1 with experience Maddie Morales, 2nd Level 1
The Richard O. Schwab Middle School Award is the Middle School’s highest award. It recognizes the boy and girl in each grade who exemplify the following qualities: positive attitude, dedication to school work and school activities, leadership, respect for others, and kindness to everyone. 5th Grade-Abby Blum, Sam Pettengill 6th Grade-Will Beyreis, Natalie de Beer 7th Grade-Nevie Smith, Sean Stewart 8th Grade-Blake Lykins, Maddie Morales
The Middle School Alumni Writing Contest
Gilmore Award
Eighth Grade Science Award Moya Ly
A new award, The Gilmore Award, was established in honor of Park Gilmore, who served as eighth grade U.S. history and English teacher for 26 years. Marlo Bryant (8th grade)
Ruth Kramer
Fine Arts
Eighth Grade Fine Arts Award Performing Art- Vincent DiFrancesco Visual Art- Keyra English
Departmental
Eighth Grade Mathematics Award Max DelBello
Eighth Grade History Award Adam Danielski
The National French Contest
The following students earned a national ranking on the exam: Sean Stewart, 5th Level 01 Ruth Kramer, 1st Level 1 Moya Ly, 3rd Level 2 Emily Snyder, 5th Level 1 Megan Jarrell, 9th Level 1 Daniel Nesbitt, 10th Level 1
8th Grade Recognition
A complete list of donors can be found online at www.CountryDay.net/go/Donors 25
Country Day Alumni Alumni Council 2013 - 2014 Ben Hardigg ’96, President Prithvi Bhaskar ’00 Jody Brant ’87 David Briggs ’83 J.R. Foster ’98 David Hornberger ’98 Kyle Hynden ’04 Lucy Haverland Joffe’90 Tom Langlois ’77 Steve Lazarus ’81 Pamela Long ’01 Cadence Moore ’01 Holly Oblinger Mott ’95 Bree Murdock ’90 Anne Oblinger ’04 Arthur Richard ’83 Matt Strauss ’88 Charles Thomas III ’80 Gordon Wright ’85 Robert Zimmerman ’98
Thanksgiving Alumni Fun Please join fellow alumni and faculty for our second annual
All-Alumni Happy Hour There is no cost for this event but reservations are necessary. Friday, November 28, 2014 5-7 p.m. The Mariemont Inn - Private Room Drinks and appetizers RSVP today Paula Brock, CCDS Alumni Director brockp@countryday.net
Regional Alumni Representatives We are asking for alumni to serve as CCDS Regional Alumni Representatives. One of the greatest benefits of a Country Day education is the impressive network of accomplished alumni across the world. Whether a fellow alumnus is looking for a great place to eat, for housing in a new city, or for help securing an interview, we are seeking committed alumni who would be willing to offer assistance to fellow graduates with networking. Helping the alumni director with area event planning and aiding the alumni annual fund campaign by encouraging alumni to support their alma mater are also important roles of the job. Our goal is to have several alumni in cities across the US and the world to help strengthen alumni relationships in any way possible. With the knowledge that CCDS will continue helping its students long after they graduate, we hope to maintain our position as the top school in the region and beyond. By becoming a Regional Alumni Representative, we will be well on our way to accomplishing that. If you would like to join this dynamic group, please contact Paula Brock, Alumni Director, brockp@countryday.net or 513-979-0282.
UPCOMING
FEATURES
Alumni in education or fashion
For an upcoming Connections, we are exploring the possibility of stories about alumni working in: Education (teaching or administrative capacity) Fashion industry
If you are involved in one of these areas and would like to be considered, please contact Paula Brock, Director of Alumni Relations at brockp@countryday.net, or at (513) 979-0282.
Contribute online at www.CountryDay.net/go/CCDS 26
ANNUAL REPORT
LEAVE YOUR LEGACY AT COUNTRY DAY
Country Day transforms the lives of STUDENTS, enabling them to seek answers, find passions, serve others, live with integrity, and find success in college and life. The FACULTY makes Country Day an exceptional institution by melding creativity, knowledge, and wisdom into new ideas and visionary thinking. Country Day’s success requires a COMMUNITY effort of friends, families, and supporters.
KNOWLEDGE is the currency our students will carry into the future ,
and your planned gift can help ensure they are well prepared. Your planned gift contributes to the education of tomorrow’s leaders while providing financial and tax benefits for you and your family.
Join us in our commitment to further the Country Day legacy. For additional information, please contact: Chris Woodside, Director of Development woodsidec@countryday.net (513) 979-0285
A complete list of donors can be found online at www.CountryDay.net/go/Donors 27
6905 Given Road Cincinnati, OH 45243-2989 Y0u
Tube
.
Address Service Requested
Parents of alumni: If this publication is addressed to your son or daughter who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify CCDS of his or her new mailing address by emailing the change to alumniaddresschanges@countryday.net A copy of this publication was sent to each of our constituents, regardless of duplicate addresses, in order to update our database.
Non-profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Cincinnati, OH Permit No. 871