NA LUMEN Fall 2024

The Class of 2025 cheers before participating in the Senior Chocolate Slide tradition at the Back-to-School BBQ.

Photo by James Worrell

Donald M. Austin Head of School

Lou Scerra Chief Strategy Officer

EDITORS

Dr. Renée Walker

Director of Communications and Marketing

Julie Kayzerman

Associate Director of Communications and Marketing

ASSISTANT EDITORS

David Beckman

Evan Nisenson ’99

Lou Scerra

Barbara Sine

DESIGNER

Symmetre Design Group

COVER IMAGE

Michael Branscom

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Executive Committee

Samuel W. Croll III ’68

Chairman

Lawrence G. Cetrulo ’67

Secretary

Donald M. Austin

John H. Bess ’69

Patricia Budziak

Lauren Hedvat ’01

Robert Marcus

Trustees

Rohit Bawa ’93

Katy Burns

Debra Caplan

David Castelblanco

Elizabeth Christou Woodall

David Crall

Dr. Ajay Dhankhar

Robert Fink

Millwood Hobbs, Jr. Basel Kayyali

Robert Kunzweiler

Rebecca Moll-Freed ’94

Alexander Opper

Marc Schwartz

Wendy Short Bartie

Rasheea S. Williams Hall ’95

Dr. Kalenah Witcher ’87

Louis V. Aronson II ’41

William Bloom

Paul Busse ’38*

Robert Del Tufo ’51*

William D. Green ’69

David Hardin ’73

William D. Hardin ’44*

Nancy Baird Harwood ’75

Kim Hirsh ’80

Jeff Kaplan

K. Kelly Marx ’51

FROM DONALD M. AUSTIN, HEAD OF SCHOOL

A More Sustainable Future

Greetings from Livingston, the home of the Minutemen!

It has been an exciting and busy fall at Newark Academy as we’ve welcomed a record 674 students and a large cohort of new faculty and staff.

Joe McGrath ’81

David McGraw ’77

John L. McGraw ’49

Jon Olesky ’74

Ellen Polaner

Robert S. Puder ’38*

Gary Rose

Julianne Rose

Bob Silver

Jane Wilf Emeriti

William T. Wachenfeld ’44*

*Deceased

Newark Academy

Office of Communications and Marketing

91 South Orange Avenue, Livingston, NJ 07039

Telephone: (973) 992-7000

Email: communications@newarka.edu www.newarka.edu

LUMEN is produced twice a year by the Newark Academy Office of Communications and Marketing.

During the month of September, we celebrated Spirit Week and Homecoming, while also hosting Admission on-campus events to build on last year’s record-breaking number of applicants. And, of course, the Board of Trustees concluded its national search, naming current Middle School Principal Tom Ashburn as the 50th Head of School of Newark Academy.

This fall, we also transitioned to a new daily schedule for the first time in 25 years. Our new schedule features longer class periods, fewer transitions during the school day and more time for community building. Meanwhile, a group of students are currently working on a massive sustainable sculpture composed of plastic water bottles under the guidance of renowned upcycler and artist, Willie Cole. The sculpture will be a visual reminder of Newark Academy’s commitment to sustainability, the central theme of this issue.

I credit many of our students and faculty members as well as Director of Sustainability Neil Stourton with advocating for more environmentally conscious practices on campus as well as education around sustainability. Increasingly, students are linking their service projects to environmental stewardship. We have made substantive progress over recent years, including building the LEED-certified Petrello Upper School Academic Center and updating various systems (e.g. HVAC) to be more fuel efficient.

As you’ll see later in the issue, we have started the process to install solar panels on the Newark Academy roof and we are committed to making impactful steps to reduce our carbon footprint. Sustainability has rightfully been included as one of the central goals of Putting People First, our current strategic plan, and this issue of LUMEN will capture both our work to date and our future plans.

While this issue reaffirms our commitment to environmental sustainability, it is worth noting that resilience and adaptability are core ingredients of this school’s success and sustainability over time. I often tell prospective families that Newark Academy has in its institutional DNA a drive to

Can You Find the Red-Winged Blackbird?

For many years, the annual return of the red-winged blackbird to the Newark Academy campus was announced by former Assistant Head for Academic Affairs, Dean of Faculty and Archivist Blackwood “Blackie” Parlin during Morning Meeting, heralding the arrival of spring. While Blackie retired in 2017, this beloved tradition continues and remains one of many unique traditions held by generations of NA students.

In each issue of LUMEN, there is a hidden red-winged blackbird (see above) located somewhere in the pages of the magazine. Can you find it?

Once you spot it, email us at communications@ newarka.edu by January 3, 2025, with its location to be entered for a chance to win NA SWAG!

Did you find it in the Spring 2024 issue? It was located on page 42.

Red-winged blackbird illustration by Tess Kesler ’22.

continually ask ourselves how we can improve and best prepare our students for the future. With our 250th celebration in the rearview mirror, now is the perfect time to look forward and ensure that Newark Academy will not only educate the next generation of ethical leaders, but also help build a more sustainable future for all of us.

Photo by Da Ping Luo

CELEBRATING 250 YEARS!

More than 600 members of the Newark Academy community gathered on campus to celebrate the school’s 250th anniversary on May 4, 2024. The celebration brought together generations of NA alumni — some of whom attended the school in Newark — for an evening of reunions, tours, archival presentations, special classes, magic shows, dancing, fireworks and more.

Photos by Da Ping Luo

WATCH! Scan the QR code to view the recap video

NEWARK ACADEMY NAMES

Tom A shburn AS ITS NEXT HEAD OF SCHOOL

The Board of Trustees of Newark Academy appointed current Middle School Principal Tom Ashburn to serve as the next Head of School for Newark Academy, effective July 1, 2025.

Tom has a long tenure as a teacher and administrator at Newark Academy. After seven years as an Upper School English teacher, he has served as the Middle School Principal for 17 years. In this capacity, Tom has been instrumental in fostering a joyful and respectful school culture, leading initiatives that have expanded student enrollment, enhanced academic programs and promoted diversity and inclusion.

Newark Academy’s core values of a standard of excellence and a generosity of spirit have been at the heart of Tom’s work, and he is eager to contribute further to the school’s success as its next Head of School.

“I am incredibly humbled and honored to accept the role of Head of School at Newark Academy. It’s all the more meaningful to follow in the footsteps of the transformational leadership of Don Austin,” Tom says.

“Newark Academy is a dynamic and distinguished school and I am committed to continuing to foster an environment where our students are inspired to grow, find joy and

Tom Ashburn

embrace meaningful challenges. As I begin this new chapter, I am energized by the opportunity to lead such a strong, inclusive and vibrant community. We will continue to live out our shared values and build relationships that help us learn and grow together. I am sincerely grateful for the trust placed in me and pledge to honor that trust through thoughtful leadership and dedication to the Academy’s mission.”

elevated both academic rigor and personal growth opportunities for students. Tom is also deeply invested in supporting faculty and consistently promotes collaboration and innovation among his colleagues. He believes that building strong relationships with students, faculty and parents is essential to fostering a thriving learning environment, and he has excelled in doing so throughout his career.

Tom’s leadership extends well beyond the Middle School program. He played a critical role in the planning, fundraising, design and construction of the Wilf Middle School building and in revitalizing Newark Academy’s summer programs, which he helped grow into a vibrant and financially successful initiative. Additionally, as a key member of the Return-to-School Task Force during the pandemic, Tom worked diligently to ensure that students’ academic and emotional needs were met, maintaining continuity of learning during one of the most challenging times in the school’s history.

I am sincerely grateful for the trust placed in me and pledge to honor that trust through thoughtful leadership and dedication to the Academy’s mission.”

– Tom Ashburn

During his tenure at NA, Tom spearheaded numerous transformative initiatives in the Middle School, including the shift to experiential, skills-based learning, the development of comprehensive skill rubrics and the introduction of Capstone Experiences. These efforts have

Tom grew up in New Hampshire and earned a B.A. in English from Marist College and an M.A. in educational leadership from the University of Saint Elizabeth. The emphasis of his study was servant leadership in middle and secondary education. Tom lives in Long Valley, NJ, with his wife, Stacy, and his three children, Matthew, Caitlin and Brady.

MEET OUR NEW TRUSTEES

Wendy Short Bartie — Current NA Parent

Wendy is the Senior Vice President (SVP) and general manager of U.S. Hematology and Oncology for Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS). She joined BMS in 2021 and was previously SVP of U.S. Oncology and SVP and Chief of Staff to the CEO. Prior to BMS, Wendy was Vice President and Head of Commercial Operations for U.S. Oncology at Merck.

Wendy began her career as a public defender in Washington, D.C., and the Bronx. She received her bachelor’s degree from Clark Atlanta University and her juris doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

Wendy and her husband, Jared, are current NA parents to Madison ’26.

Katy Burns — NAPA President

Katy has been an active parent volunteer at Newark Academy since her son Miller ’22 enrolled in 2018 and currently serves as the President of the Newark Academy Parents Association (NAPA).

Katy previously held the position of NAPA Vice President from 2023 – 24 and served as a Parent Liaison from 2022 – 24. Additionally, she has been an Annual Fund Parent Ambassador from 2019 – 24, a Regional Parent Ambassador from 2023 – 24 and an Admission Parent Ambassador from 2020 – 24.

Katy is currently pursuing a clinical fellowship in speech language pathology. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and Spanish from SUNY Fredonia, a master’s degree in communicative sciences and disorders from NYU, and a master’s in elementary education with a focus on English as a second language from DePaul University.

Katy and her husband, Chris, live in South Orange with their four children: Miller ’22, Cecily ’25, Arden ’27 and Serena.

Robert Kunzweiler — Current NA Parent

Robert is a Principal and Founder of Stonecutter Capital Management, which develops and invests across various real estate asset classes and adjacent operating businesses. Prior to forming Stonecutter, Robert worked at CDC Capital Markets and its successor organizations, IXIS and Natixis. He focused on the origination, structuring and underwriting of complex real estate transactions for the bank’s principal operation as well as for execution in the capital markets.

Robert ultimately served as the Managing Director heading Natixis’s mid-west regional office based in Chicago. He graduated from Columbia University with a bachelor’s degree in economics.

Robert and his wife, Brenda, have four children who graduated from or currently attend NA: Charlie ’23, Jeffrey ’25, Henry ’27 and Zachary ’29.

(Continued on page 8)

Alexander “Alex” Opper — Current NA Parent

Alex is the owner of Brentwood Realty, LLC, a real estate investment and management company formed from The Opper Group. Prior to assuming ownership of Brentwood Realty in 2021, Alex spent most of his career at The Opper Group as a buyer and developer of multi-family, retail, industrial and flex commercial real estate throughout New Jersey, New York and North Carolina. Prior to joining the

family real-estate business, Alex worked for U.S. Trust (now Bank of America Private Bank). Alex holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and economics from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Alex and his wife, Melinda “Mindy” Opper, have three children who currently attend NA: Emily ’26, Olivia ’28 and Caleb ’30.

Marc Schwartz — Current NA Parent

Marc is a Principal at Taconic Capital Advisors, L.P., a multi-strategy hedge fund founded in 1999. He is focused on North American credit, distressed investments and litigation finance. He is also Assistant Portfolio Manager of Taconic’s Market Dislocation Fund III and Credit Dislocation Fund IV and serves on the Portfolio Risk Management committee. Prior to joining Taconic, Marc worked at Morgan Stanley and also spent over three years at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP as a bankruptcy associate.

Marc received a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the University of

Emma Yin ’26 Named to Top 50 Biolympiad and Leadership Academy

Emma Yin ’26 placed in the top 50 of the 2024 Biolympiad, earning a recognition of Academic Excellence. Over 4,000 students participated in the nationwide biology competition for high school students.

Separately, Emma was also selected through a highly competitive process to be one of just five New Jersey high school students in her grade to participate in the 4-H Leadership Academy through the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station of Rutgers University. Students in this program spend two years building leadership and civic engagement skills by identifying a community issue and designing and carrying out a long-term project to address the issue. Emma is leading a craft fair for children, from which all proceeds benefit the Children’s Specialized Hospital Foundation, where she volunteers.

Pennsylvania and a juris doctor from Fordham University School of Law.

Marc recently completed his tenure as Chair of the Board of the Far Brook School (FBS). He has served on the FBS board since 2014 on several committees including the Executive Committee, Finance Committee, Investment Committee and Committee on Trustees.

Marc and his wife, Robyn Bennett, have three children who currently attend NA: Nathan ’25, Juliet ’27 and Elizabeth ’30.

Emma Yin ’26

Friday Night Fans

That first home game, Friday night feeling

Spanish Exchange

¡Bienvenidos a NA! We were so pleased to welcome 22 Spanish exchange students to Newark Academy in September. The students from IES do Castro hosted 22 Newark Academy students during the Immersion Experience trip to Spain this past summer, making their arrival to NA a wonderful reunion of “host siblings!”

Homecoming

Thanks to all who came out to celebrate their NA pride at Homecoming! The day was filled with fun activities, Minutemen Athletics games, live music, delicious food and more.

Malawi Book Drive

Newark Academy’s Middle School Girls Education Fund Club held a book drive that collected over 500 books to donate to the Annie Lemani Girls Foundation in Malawi, Africa.

Photo by Da Ping Luo

Photo by Vinny Carchietta

FROM THE DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY: NEIL STOURTON

Ad Lumen. We are taking our motto very literally at Newark Academy, with applications currently in for solar panels on the Middle School roof next year! Our mission statement calls for graduates instilled with a generosity of spirit, and the concept of environmental stewardship must be central to that understanding of giving back — not just to the wider community, but to future generations as well. This venerable institution knows a little bit about playing the long game. Our students work hard to go on to great colleges, but we must also prepare them to lead in green jobs in a future when society will fight the impact of climate change and pivot to renewable energy.

The Board of Trustees identified sustainability as a key priority in the 2023 – 27 Strategic Plan, and I was appointed Director of Sustainability to lead the charge. My background running the International Baccalaureate Program at NA for 17 years allows me to work with each department on weaving sustainability themes into classes across grade levels and throughout the curriculum. I seek to share my love of nature from 14 years running Immersion trips to the American Southwest by reminding students to take a mental health break through weekly “Monday Meanders” on our Carol Heaney Nature Trail. I also run the new Sustainability Council, made up of students who work with our Community Service program and Office of Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, to spread awareness about environmental issues and get students involved in sustainability. Composting is our focus this year!

My goal is to change habits of mind in the ways we do things around the school — from small steps like handing out reusable water bottles and coffee mugs to asking bigger questions about energy use.”

– Neil Stourton, Director of Sustainability

Although I’m an English teacher by training, my office is now upstairs in the science wing, in case you’re interested in visiting! I’m taking classes through Harvard University on corporate sustainability to connect with other experts around the world and to learn about the latest advancements. My goal is to change habits of mind in the ways we do things around the school — from small steps like handing out reusable water bottles and coffee mugs to asking bigger questions about energy use — first establishing a baseline, then making the building more efficient, and striving to eliminate emissions.

At Newark Academy we have the resources and the freedom to be thought leaders and an example to other schools. The decisions we make about our building can also be an inspiration to our students. I’m eager to connect with alums already working in the field of sustainability and to set up internships for our current students — and more broadly with anyone interested in being a good citizen of the earth and a good ancestor. The planet is getting hotter; we are rapidly depleting our natural resources, and we are responsible for the sixth great species extinction. The work couldn’t be more urgent. The threats are so daunting, but action feels a lot better than despair — and NA students love a good challenge!

STUDENTS of SUSTAINABILITY

By Andrea Dawson

For lessons on climate consciousness, science classes are the standard terrain. But peer into Newark Academy’s classrooms and it’s clear the school is taking a much broader approach.

“We want to change the conception that sustainability is something only the Science Department handles. Our big push is to spread it across disciplines,” explains Director of Sustainability Neil Stourton.

Stretching the bounds of a traditionally siloed area of study and weaving it throughout NA’s curriculum is intentional and strategic.

“Our students will be doing the work of saving our planet, so it’s our responsibility to expose them to the many ways sustainability arises across areas of study, to raise their consciousness and to give them the skills to go out and make a difference,” Neil adds.

Nurturing environmental awareness and engagement has long been central to Newark Academy’s mission. But with the establishment of Neil’s new role, a newfound energy fueling the pedagogy of sustainability can be felt on campus. While this energy pervades many areas of campus life, it is particularly noticeable in the classroom.

Just ask the students.

“It’s been a mindset change for me,” shares Veera Jetley ’25, a member of NA’s newly launched Sustainability Council. She cites her physics and IB French classes last year as two examples of courses in which discussions around this pressing global issue arose. “I’ve definitely started consuming more news and being more aware of the environment around me, what my impact is, and how we can make a difference,” she explains.

On the next pages, a peek at just a few of the classes — science and otherwise — that are challenging and enlightening NA students, charting a purposeful path for dynamic, cross-disciplinary environmental awareness and engagement. ›››

“NA strives for excellence in every way, and educating students to fully understand issues of sustainability is part of this mission.”

— Neil Stourton, Director of Sustainability

MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASSES

Analyzing Pond and River Water Samples

Rachael Reeves, Middle School Sustainability Coordinator and Grade 8 Science Teacher, asks her students to compare water samples from the campus pond to those in the Passaic River — which the pond flows into — to understand how campus activity impacts the quality of the latter.

Learning in NA’s Sustainable House

Where better to engage in experiential, project-based work involving sustainable design and renewable energy than the school’s Sustainable House? It serves as a powerful learning hub for Debra Tavares’s Grade 6 science classes.

“It is exciting that NA is professing sustainability as a goal and wanting to teach kids to better understand their impact and the power they have to enact change. There’s a lot of curricular potential that I’m really looking forward to watching unfold.”

— Rachael Reeves, Middle School Science Teacher

Reflecting, Writing . . . and Time Capsules

Drawing on literature of the natural world, Grade 8 English students — guided by teachers Betsy LaPadula and Alexandra Mahoney — pen personal reflections and speeches rooted in the environment. Sealed in time capsules and buried beside saplings, the reflections will be rediscovered when students return to campus as alumni.

by

Photo

Michael Branscom

Exploring Ocean Health

This past school year, Upper School Science Teacher Kristin Duszak Russo introduced a marine biology elective. Through fieldwork — including sampling techniques, dissection, and critically interpreting scientific information — students make meaningful connections between environmental justice/sustainability and topics like fisheries, aquaculture, ocean acidification and water pollution.

Digging into Sustainable Development

In IB Economics, co-taught by Haifa Nouaime, Benson Hawk and Richard Stilliard, students extensively examine sustainability concepts like poverty traps, tragedy of the commons and externalities through the lens of economic development.

Analyzing the Issues through Literature

“We want

students

to

have a broad understanding of the wide-ranging application of economics, including its crucial role in sustainability. Learning that there are policy solutions to issues of sustainability — from market solutions to government intervention — will hopefully empower them to effect positive change.”

— Haifa Nouaime, IB Economics Teacher

Octavia Butler’s The Parable of the Sower and Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, which depict dystopian, environmentally ravaged futures, are launching points for energized conversations and analysis in English classes.

Students on the Sustainability Front

With many determined and passionate students wanting to see a more sustainable Newark Academy, the time was right for the formation of a student-run Sustainability Council last year. We checked in with two members of the new council, Sadie Trynin ’26 and Carly Dub ’26, to see why they got involved, what they’ve learned so far and what they hope to accomplish.

SADIE TRYNIN ’26

Reasons for joining the Sustainability Council

I have grown up living in nature and spending time at the beach and in the outdoors, and I would hate for future generations to not be able to experience the world how I have because we decided to not preserve our environment.

Lessons Learned

The importance of teamwork and collaboration! When we work together on our projects, we have better results and more well-rounded work. The planet is not going to be helped by just one person. We need to all band together to help, and working on a collaborative council really emphasizes that point.

Goals

for the School Year

To implement sustainable practices that continue after I graduate, such as minimizing paper waste and reducing carbon emissions. We have a great group of people that I know can come up with some very feasible and impactful programs to set Newark Academy on the right path to making a difference.

CARLY DUB ’26

Reasons for joining the Sustainability Council

I have always been passionate about establishing an eco-friendly environment and making a difference in my school community!

Lessons Learned

How to be a leader and member of a team. I have had unique experiences and opportunities to learn from others and practice my own leadership skills through leading presentations and working on projects that align with our mission to make NA as eco-friendly as possible.

Goals for the School Year

HERE @ NA

Bring awareness to issues of waste and consumption and how we can improve the practices of our school and community. By setting goals to improve our eco-friendly practices, the Sustainability Council can lead our school to a cleaner and greener environment.

Council Initiative: Composting

As part of a Creativity, Activity, Service project for the International Baccalaureate Diploma, the Sustainability Council is focusing on implementing composting during the 2024 –25 school year. In partnership with SAGE Dining Services, council members will gather leftover food waste, break it down through the composting process and use it to fertilize planting on campus.

Middle Schoolers Take FOOD WASTE TO FOOD RESCUE

By William Corprew ’20

A crew of dedicated Newark Academy Middle School students gather, package and label excess food from the Dining Room at the end of each week. This project — now officially the Food Rescue Club — first began in April 2023 when Ashlyn Wolfe ’29, Rhea Vasavada ’29, Nitya Damodaran ’29, Ava Lavian ’29 and Julia Neu ’29 voiced their concern over the large amounts of uneaten cafeteria food being sent to landfills instead of the many local food-insecure communities.

“We saw excess food in the cafeteria garbage containers and we thought this could be eaten by other people,” Ashlyn told the West Essex Tribune. “We saw a problem and wanted to find a solution that would reduce the amount of waste produced by the students while also giving back to those in need.” Sixth Grade Science Teacher

Debra Tavares listened and helped the students form an official Food Rescue Club at NA, becoming their advisor.

In their quest to tackle both food waste and food insecurity, the Middle Schoolers teamed up with the New Jersey-based food rescue organization, Table to Table, to help deliver fresh foods to organizations that serve food-insecure communities in Essex and three other northern New Jersey counties. They also presented to the school’s food service provider, Sage Dining Services, about what they wanted to do. Since then, Sage has been reserving surplus meals for the students to prepare and donate. “After organizing meetings, we focused on implementing our plan, putting up posters and creating signup sheets [for volunteers],” Rhea adds. The founders’ passion for sustainability and community service soon inspired their peers. Hannah Lazer ’30, a member of the club, sees the project as a means to promote empathy.

Another member, Ashleen Callahan ’30, recognizes the project’s power to unite.

“We have learned that when working together, no task is impossible,” she says. “It started as a group of five students who wanted to make a small change. Now we have assembled a whole team that can help provide almost 100 meals weekly to those

SAGE Dining &

in need. We have learned so much about how to be intentional and proactive when participating in environmentally sustainable practices like donating, recycling or even composting.”

Sustainability HERE @ NA

SAGE Dining Services, Newark Academy’s food service partner, makes a conscientious effort to minimize waste and implement environmentally-responsible business practices including:

n Sourcing products from local suppliers who farm sustainably

n Batch cooking to minimize waste

n Using ENERGY STAR certified appliances

n Implementing trayless dining to promote water and energy conservation

n Using reusable or biodegradable servingware

n Measuring to reduce food waste through the U+SAGE™ program

Newark Academy Middle School students help donate leftovers to those in need through the Food Rescue Club.

Sculpting Sustainably:

Renowned Upcycler Guides Students Through the Creation of a Water Bottle Chandelier

Contemporary sculptor and renowned upcycler Willie Cole held a six-week artist-in-residency at Newark Academy this fall, and during his time at NA he guided students through the creation of a piece of sustainable art.

Cole visited NA five times throughout the fall to instruct students how to create one of his signature water bottle chandeliers — made entirely from 4,000 recycled plastic 16-oz. water bottles.

Cole’s artist-in-residency engaged the entire school in this sustainable initiative as all community members came together to collect the 4,000 water bottles. Middle School students gathered to wash them out, and Upper School art students built the chandelier, which is currently on display in the David Teiger ’47 Gallery for Studio Arts. In addition, Cole served as the school’s Signature Speaker during his first visit on Wednesday, September 25, and wowed students with his ability to transform ordinary objects into powerful works of art. He also exhibited a body of sustainable artwork in the Teiger Gallery.

by James Worrell

“It’s important for my generation to pass knowledge down to the next generation, whether it be about recycling or anything else, because that knowledge will be more important in their world than it is in mine,” Cole says. “[These students] are going to be living with the consequences of [my generation] not being aware of environmental issues.”

In order to pass down that knowledge, Cole likes to engage with students in these types of projects, giving them opportunities to visualize what mass amounts of waste actually look like — in this case 4,000 water bottles. Cole notes that when students can visualize the amount of waste that even the small NA community generates, they can begin to understand the mass amount of waste that is generated worldwide and be inspired to take action.

“Usually after these kinds of projects, students cannot stop recycling!” he says.

A photo of the completed water bottle chandelier was not available at the time of publication. Head over to Newark Academy’s social media channels (@newarkacademy) to view the final product!

It’s important for my generation to pass knowledge down to the next generation, whether it be about recycling or anything else, because that knowledge will be more important in their world than it is in mine.”

– Willie Cole, sculptor and upcycler

Photos

BEYOND THE BUZZWORD:

Svan Mura ’24 Pushes Sustainable Action Forward

“For decades, ‘sustainable’ has been a buzzword of an environmental movement that preaches sacrifice,” says recent Newark Academy graduate

Svanfridur “Svan” Mura ’24. Still, few will make the conscious effort to sacrifice unsustainable products from their daily lives.

Svan is one of the few. In fact, Svan’s daily habits go well beyond the use of sustainable products. Since her freshman year at NA, Svan spent much of her free time pushing forward the New Jersey Green Amendment — an attempt to amend the NJ Constitution to include environmental rights because, as Svan says, “a sustainable future with clean air, water and land is a fundamental human right.” She even testified on behalf of the bill during a hearing in Trenton alongside the organization Green Amendments for the Generations.

“These rights are individual and nobody is above them,” says Svan.

I care about sustainability, because that’s the only way to live — hopefully happily — ‘without interruption or weakening.’ ”

Svan, who co-chaired the NJ Student Sustainability Coalition and was a member of NA’s Sustainability Council, is currently on a gap year with the Americorps NCCC Forest Corps program, in which young adults dedicate 10 months to serving national forests via wildfire mitigation and reforestation services.

“Sustainability just means something that can be maintained ‘at length without interruption or weakening,’ according to Merriam Webster,” Svan says. “Don’t we want sustainability not just for our planet, but also our mental health, our work ethic, our bodies?”

“I care about sustainability, because that’s the only way to live — hopefully happily — ‘without interruption or weakening.’”

As Newark Academy now looks ahead to the future on the heels of its recent 250th anniversary, Svan hopes the NA community will take this time to consider the role of sustainability in maintaining longevity for another 250 years and beyond.

“Recent NA programs have made strides in improving awareness of sustainability, and [the] administration is working on sustainability behind the scenes, but more must be done to make it a community value,” Svan says. “Ultimately, I think if everyone starts asking real questions about your values, how you live those values and what will make you happy, the answers will lead you to sustainability.”

– Svan Mura ’24

Photos by Reid Carrescia

I SPY

SUSTAINABLE SPACES

A TOUR OF NEWARK ACADEMY’S SUSTAINABLE FACILITIES

Newark Academy prioritized sustainability and pursued LEED Gold certification during the construction of the Catherine and Frank Petrello Upper School Academic Center in 2012. This forward-thinking initiative provided a template for sustainable building that has been utilized in every subsequent facility renovation.

Follow along as we take you on a tour through the many parts of Newark Academy’s campus that were built with sustainability top of mind.

Rubber Cork Flooring

Instead of conventional tile, this flooring combines rapidly renewable cork and recycled rubber. The acoustic properties of the rubber cork flooring help absorb foot traffic noise to keep the space quiet for high-level learning.

Bamboo Wood

All the trim in Kaltenbacher Hall, from the doors to the paneling to the floor, is made from bamboo wood. Bamboo wood, which can also be found throughout the entire school, is a much more sustainable option than any tree wood because the life cycle of bamboo is much shorter. This means it takes fewer resources, less water and less energy to harvest bamboo.

Low-Emitting Materials

Everything from the adhesives and paints to the sealants, caulks and flooring that is used in all new construction at Newark Academy is low-emitting for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This helps to keep harmful chemicals out of the environment and maintain safer air quality for students, faculty and staff.

Recycled Textile

The new carpeting in the front hallway actually isn’t a traditional carpet. It’s a resilient textile made with very high amounts of recycled content that are specifically designed to absorb noise and last forever in areas with high foot traffic.

Low-Flow Faucets and Toilet Fixtures

All updated bathrooms are equipped with low-flow faucets and low-flow toilets with touchless sensors. The low-flow toilet fixtures help reduce water waste by using just 1.5 gallons of water instead of the traditional 5 gallons.

LED Lights & Light Harvesting

Light harvesting is a standard in updated Newark Academy classrooms that have windows in order to maximize natural light usage and reduce energy consumption. When windows are providing enough natural light to brighten the room, photosensors dim the interior lights.

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) Systems

Throughout the school, energy-efficient HVAC systems showcase high air exchange rates, cycling air out of the building and replacing it with fresh outdoor air to keep the air quality extremely clean. Every HVAC system in the school works through the school’s Building Management System (BMS). This allows Director of Operations Brian Stephenson to remotely maintain comfortable temperature levels and stay updated on required maintenance — both of which ultimately deliver energy efficiency and lower operating costs.

Fume Hoods

In the Upper School science wing, because of the use of chemicals during experiments, there are university-grade, state-of-the-art fume hoods that work in conjunction with Merve 13 HVAC systems to replace indoor air with 100 percent fresh outdoor air an impressive 10 – 12 times an hour, keeping the air quality of the environment clean as well as safe.

Native Plant Species

The Operations Department prioritizes the planting of native species around Newark Academy’s 68-acre campus. This helps with water conservation as there is no need for irrigation since native plants are meant to live in the area and can thrive naturally.

LEADERS OF THE FUTURE

Siyona Bordia ’25 was selected to attend the 2024 United Nations Economic and Social Council Youth Forum this past April. The forum served as a massive gathering of student leaders who engaged in dialogue about how to build a sustainable and innovative future. The input from this forum will be considered at many key upcoming United Nations (UN) meetings.

“This was one of the most fantastic experiences of my life, as I got to meet people from all over the world and share my work on the UN’s sustainable goal of gender equity,” Siyona says.

Siyona Bordia ’25

The Future of SUSTAINABILITY AT NA

Going Solar

The previous pages capture all of the ways in which Newark Academy is currently prioritizing a more sustainable future, but the school is not just focused on short term goals.

Director of Sustainability Neil Stourton, in partnership with the administration and Board of Trustees, has started the creation of a long-term Sustainability Plan.

Several of the plan’s priorities include expanding on the sustainable features highlighted on pages 20 – 25 in all current and future renovation projects, while the most exciting and immediate outcome will be NA’s first installation of solar panels!

Solar panels generate renewable energy, which provides opportunities for the school to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by dayto-day operations. Last year, Head of School Donald M. Austin greenlighted the first phase of this project, the installation of solar panels on the roof of the Wilf Middle School to immediately reduce NA’s carbon emissions by five percent.

“I’m very excited. We’ve never had solar before and I think it’s long

The first installation of solar panels will go on the Wilf Middle School roof.

overdue,” says Director of Operations Brian Stephenson. “Going solar shows our commitment to sustainability and I’m hoping the panels on the Middle School roof will be just the first of a multi-phase installation of solar panels at Newark Academy. By going solar, we can make a difference not just at Newark Academy, but in the world itself.”

An Institutional Priority

Newark Academy has been proudly building sustainably in every campus

Campus Master Plan

The Newark Academy Properties Committee conducted a school-wide facilities assessment to determine which areas of the school should be prioritized for renovations in a new Campus Master Plan that will be formulated during the 2024 – 25 school year, providing a long-term vision for a sustainable, student-centered campus.

construction project and renovation since 2012. Now, the Board of Trustees is committed to taking even more steps toward a sustainable NA outside of the facility sphere. With the Board naming sustainability as a key priority in the 2023 – 2027 Strategic Plan, the school is recommitting to infuse sustainability in a number of strategic institutional initiatives including the following:

n Professional development opportunities for faculty and staff

n Plans to measure the environmental footprint of day-to-day operations

n Adding sustainability as a key fundraising initiative

n Creating a new Campus Master Plan with sustainability at its heart

“The scope of the challenge is daunting, but the potential reward is unparalleled — we have the chance to build a sustainable, equitable society now and for future generations,” Neil says. “Newark Academy students will lead the way!”

by

Photo

Michael Branscom

Chameleon Jazz Band Named NO. 1 IN THE COUNTRY

Newark Academy’s jazz band, Chameleon, was named the No. 1 high school jazz band in the country at the Essentially Ellington (EE) High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival, held at Jazz at Lincoln Center this past May.

Duke Ellington’s

The annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival is one of the most innovative jazz education events in the world. Known as the “Super Bowl” of high school jazz band competitions, it attracts the top programs in the country to make audition tapes. From over 100 submissions, Jazz at Lincoln Center selects 15 bands through a rigorous screening process. The 15 finalist

and

bands traveled to New York City to spend three days immersed in workshops, jam sessions, rehearsals and performances in Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall (the “House of Swing”).

Under the leadership of NA Director of Band Julius Tolentino, Chameleon has been named an EE finalist six times before, but this was the first year the band earned first place at the competition.

As the judges pointed out, the 15 bands at Essentially Ellington continue to raise the level, and to be top in the nation with the best of the best is unreal.”

– Julius Tolentino, NA Director of Band

“This is an accomplishment that our whole community will relish — and for the band and myself — for a lifetime,” says Julius. “As the judges pointed out, the 15 bands at Essentially Ellington continue to raise the level, and to be top in the nation with the best of the best is unreal.”

Chameleon performed Duke Ellington’s “Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue” and earned outstanding accolades for its trombone and rhythm sections. Several students were recognized with individual awards:

Outstanding Tenor Saxophone

Anirudh Chakravarthy ’24

Outstanding Trombone

Vanessa Fang ’24

Outstanding Trumpet

Jacob Tolentino ’24

Outstanding Piano

Ben Collins-Siegel ’25

“NA’s music program has always been so professional,” says Anirudh. “Mr. Tolentino always seeks to mentor every individual in Chameleon, both as musicians and as humans. We spent a lot of time rehearsing the music in preparation for Essentially Ellington, but when we actually performed at Lincoln Center, we all just locked in on the flow of the music. I think that is what won us first place — we had the fundamentals from earlier practices, so we just had fun and enjoyed ourselves during the performance.”

The victory was all the sweeter given that NA beat out several much larger high schools from across the nation, many of which specialize in music programs.

(Continued on page 28)

NA’s jazz band, Chameleon, performs

“Diminuendo

Crescendo in Blue” at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Photos by James Worrell

“The combination of 11 senior leaders, the whole band buying into a culture of listening to the music and each other, a focused drive to get to that next level at each rehearsal, and soloists and a rhythm section playing at a pro level is what it took,” says Julius. “This has been a personal goal of mine that I never thought would happen, and I’m happier than I could ever be, doing it with this group of students. I think it was meant to be.”

IN THE NEWS

Chameleon wins first place at the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival.

WATCH!

Scan the QR code to watch Chameleon at EE!

Tolentino Earns Lifetime Achievement Award

Newark Academy Director of Band Julius Tolentino has been named the recipient of a DownBeat Lifetime Achievement Award in Jazz Education by DownBeat magazine, a national music publication devoted to jazz, blues and beyond.

The award is presented to a very select group of people who have worked diligently to help bring the next generation of jazz artists and their music to the world.

“I’ve been a fan of DownBeat magazine since I started playing jazz in high school, so it’s a huge honor to be in a select group of educators for this award,” says Julius. “It’s definitely a testament to the work that we have done at Newark Academy for me to be considered for a Lifetime Achievement Award. I want to thank all the students that have been invested in the program and the community for supporting the music I love so much. I feel like I have another lifetime of work to share with our musicians!”

Middle School Chamber Music Performs in Prestigious Program

Newark Academy’s Middle School Chamber Music was selected as one of just 14 middle school ensembles in the New York City metropolitan area to perform in Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Society (CMS) Young Ensembles Program in the Daniel and Joanna S. Rose Studio at CMS on May 23, 2024.

Under the leadership of Orchestra Director Oliver Hagen, the ensemble – featuring Rohit Barua ’28 (cello), Mia Li ’28 (violin) and Sathvik Subramanian ’27 (piano) – performed the second movement of Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49. As part of the program, the NA musicians also received professional coaching from CMS pianist Sahun Sam Hong prior to taking the stage.

“This is an incredible achievement for NA’s Middle School program to be recognized by one of the top chamber music performing organizations in the country, and to have the opportunity to work with one of their world-class artists,” says Oliver.

HERE @ NA

Upcoming Arts Events

Winter Choral Concert – December 5

Middle School Drama 7

Performance – December 6

IB/Advanced Student Art Reception –December 11

Winter Dance Concert – December 13

Grade 6 Instrumental and Choral Concert – December 19

Orchestra and Chamber Music Concert – January 16

Jazz and Wind Ensemble Concert –January 17

Community Art Exhibit – January 21

IB/Advanced Theatre Playwriting Festival – January 24

Upper School Musical – March 6 – 8

Middle School Junior Cabaret –March 14

Spring Choral Concert – April 10

Evening of Jazz – April 11

Chamber Music Concert – April 14

Spring Instrumental Concert – April 24

Upper School IB/Advanced Evening of Theater – April 25

Middle School Evening of the Arts –May 1

Upper School Choral Cabaret – May 10

Middle School Play – May 14

Spring Dance Concert – May 21

Orchestra Director Oliver Hagen, violinist Mia Li ’28, pianist Sathvik Subramanian ’27 and cellist Rohit Barua ’28.

Photo by Da Ping Luo

BOYS’ TENNIS CAPTAINS NAMED ALL-AMERICANS

Joshua Mandelbaum ’24 and Andrew Kotzen ’24 are the only two players from New Jersey to make the list

Joshua Mandelbaum ’24 and Andrew Kotzen ’24 were the only two boys’ tennis student-athletes from the state of New Jersey to be named All-Americans by the National High School Tennis All-American Foundation this past spring. These accolades also made NA the only school in the nation with two honorees on the boys’ tennis list. AllAmerican is the highest honor in high school athletics.

During their time at NA, Josh and Andrew led the squad to an 89-3 record with incredible individual match records of 60-0 and 76-3, respectively. As captains, they guided the team to three conference, four county, four state and two Tournament of Champions titles. For the entirety of their high school careers, NA boys’ tennis has been ranked in the top three in the state. Both now

Andrew and Josh are so incredibly deserving of this honor. We’re very proud of them and we can’t wait to see all they achieve as they embark on their college tennis journeys.”

– Lou Scerra, Former Boys’ Tennis Head Coach

play Division I tennis: Josh at Rice University and Andrew at Columbia University.

Former Boys’ Tennis Head Coach Lou Scerra coached Josh and Andrew since their freshman year and named them team captains during their junior season. “Andrew and Josh are so incredibly deserving of this honor,” Lou says. “They are both fantastic players, but they’ve also been tremendous leaders for our program on and off the court. In a sport traditionally thought of as individual, Andrew and Josh have both been team-first throughout their careers. We’re very proud of them

and we can’t wait to see all they achieve in their college tennis journeys.”

Lou began his coaching career at NA in 2007 as an assistant under longtime tennis coach Arky Crook and later took over the boys’ program in 2019 and the girls’ in 2020. At the conclusion of the Spring 2024 season, Lou stepped down as varsity head coach, having led both programs to a combined two Tournament of Champions, six state, six sectional, five county and five conference titles, and a 166-21 record.

Joshua Mandelbaum ’24

Andrew Kotzen ’24

FROM NA TO NCAA

Newark Academy Graduates Record Number of College Athletes in Recent Years

By Ed Lisovic

Last spring, the Newark Academy community celebrated 16 studentathletes who committed to play their respective sports in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) upon graduation. They were cheered on by Newark Academy faculty, staff, friends and family while posing for photos in their college gear in Kaltenbacher Hall to capture the symbolic next step in their athletic careers.

This marked the highest number of student-athletes Newark Academy has sent to the NCAA in recent years, with six going on to play Division I. Just as the day represented years of hard work for the athletes, so too was the record-breaking day a result of diligence and teamwork. The seeds for this success were planted back in 2019 when the Board of Trustees identified athletic excellence as an institutional priority.

In the years that followed, the Board has authorized additional investments into Athletics, including facilities improvements, greater support and compensation for coaches as well as the implementation of new enrollment strategies to attract and enroll students who will contribute to the life of the NA outside of the classroom.

The results speak for themselves: the 2024-2025 academic year saw a 48 percent increase in difference-making rated artists and athletes.

Additionally, over the last five years, Newark Academy resurfaced the tennis courts, Kacur Field and the William E. Simon ’46 Natatorium pool floor, completed renovations of the Cetrulo Family Fencing Center, Danko Family Fitness Center and locker rooms, upgraded equipment including swimming blocks, wrestling mats and a baseball scoreboard, installed video cameras to livestream games and enhanced Minuteman Athletics branding in the Simon Family Field House, including the installation of a wall wrap. Future athletic facility plans will include new batting cages at the softball field and seating at the tennis complex.

“Through their words and actions, the Board of Trustees has clearly made ‘excellence beyond the classroom’ an institutional priority,” says Lou Scerra, the school’s Chief Strategy Officer and member of the Board’s Strategic Planning Committee. “The Board’s leadership and commitment to supporting NA Athletics and all our

The Board’s leadership and commitment to supporting NA Athletics and all our co-curricular programs continue to push us toward the standard of excellence in our mission statement.”

– Lou Scerra, Chief Strategy Officer

co-curricular programs continue to push us toward the standard of excellence in our mission statement.”

A Balanced Approach

Of course, the pursuit of excellence is not limited to any single facet of student life. Here, athletes are encouraged not only to hone their skills on the field but also to excel academically and engage in a myriad of extracurricular activities which reflect their goals and interests.

This approach is driven by NA’s wideranging support system of teachers, coaches and counselors who ensure that student-athletes find balance between their athletic pursuits and academic responsibilities.

“It’s a great time to be a student-athlete at Newark Academy,” says Director of Athletics Seth Lieberman. “Students

and their families know that we are as committed as they are to achieving success.”

Perhaps nowhere is this balance better displayed than in the experiences of NA students who will go on to play Division 1 sports. D1 schools are not only looking for exceptional athletes, but committed students who are able to balance the academic demands of higher education with the dedication and focus needed to excel at a high competitive level in one sport.

Owen Markowitz ’24, a recent Minuteman graduate, is swimming as a Blue Devil at Duke University this year. His goals include scoring for Duke at the conference championships and qualifying for Olympic trials. He also intends to hold himself to a high academic standard, a value that he notes was instilled in him at Newark Academy.

Moving on to Duke, I see the transition as more of a simple step-up in challenge and rigor, rather than a complete change. Newark Academy has provided an excellent foundation that will allow me to thrive as a collegiate student-athlete.”

– Owen Markowitz ’24

“Even with my rigorous swimming schedule and high school competitions, I was still able to thrive academically at Newark Academy,” says Owen. Now, Owen is confident that he is much more prepared for the transition into being a Division I athlete. “Moving on to Duke, I see the transition as more of a simple step-up in challenge and

rigor, rather than a complete change,” he says. “Newark Academy has provided an excellent foundation that will allow me to thrive as a collegiate student-athlete.”

As Newark Academy continues to celebrate its legacy of athletic and academic excellence, the school remains steadfast in its commitment to prepar-

ing students for the challenges and opportunities that await them beyond graduation. By intentionally fostering a culture of achievement and balance, NA ensures that every student has the chance to reach their full potential, both on and off the field.

COACH SHI IS A HALL OF FAMER!

Congratulations to NA Varsity Field Hockey and Girls’ Lacrosse Head Coach Noelle Shirey for being named to the Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) Devils Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024. “Coach Shi” was inducted for her contributions to both the field hockey and lacrosse programs. During her time at FDU, Noelle contributed to four Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom conference titles in lacrosse and one in field hockey as well as a combined five NCAA tournament appearances. During her lacrosse career at FDU, she earned numerous MAC postseason honors, including being named Offensive Player of the Year and crossing the 100-career-goal threshold.

“I am incredibly honored to be inducted into FDU’s Athletic Hall of Fame. This recognition represents not only my dedication as an athlete but also the support of my teammates, coaches and family,” Noelle says.

“The lessons I learned during my athletic career — about resilience, leadership and teamwork — have directly shaped the coach I am today at Newark Academy. I carry those values into my coaching, always striving to instill the same principles in my players that helped me succeed both on and off the field.”

NA Welcomes New Faculty & Staff!

Jenna Feltey Alden –Upper School Humanities

Ph.D. in U.S. history, Columbia University

B.A. in American studies, Wesleyan University

FUN FACT: Jenna is an enthusiastic knitter who designs a new “sweater” for the tree in her front yard each year. (Some people call it “yarn bombing,” but that seems a bit too explosive for her relatively calm neighborhood.)

Landon Allen –Upper School English

M.Phil. in education, University of Cambridge

B.A. in English and psychology, Yale University

FUN FACT: Landon now works at the same summer camp he has attended since he was eight years old!

Scott Barkett –Upper School Humanities

M.A. in education, The College of Saint Scholastica

B.A. in secondary social studies education, Miami University (OH)

FUN FACT: He holds curiously strong opinions about coffee and the boundaries of the Midwest. His wife, Kendall, is an NA alum from the Class of 2012!

Alexis Chestnut-Andrews –Middle School Mathematics

Ph.D. in educational psychology, City University of New York

M.A. in education philosophy, City University of New York

M.A. in elementary education –mathematics, Queens College

B.A. in history education, University of the State of New York – Regents College

FUN FACT: Alexis is an avid runner and has run in numerous marathons. She enjoys introducing young girls to the thrill of running through the Girls on the Run nonprofit organization.

Stacey

Clark –Learning Specialist

M.S. in special education, Walden University

B.A. in speech communications, Old Dominion University

FUN FACT: Stacey has been the Director of the Jump Start program in Newark Academy’s Summer Session for the past 15 years.

Tee Crincoli –Middle School Music and Choral Accompanist

Dual B.A. in music education and vocal performance, Rutgers University

FUN FACT: When not teaching or performing, you can find Tee drawing comics and trying to sample every matcha latte in the tri-state area.

Anna Curtis –

Language Faculty- French

M.A. in French, Middlebury Language Schools

B.A. in sociology, Union College

FUN FACT: Anna spent time teaching English abroad in France and is currently learning to play the guitar.

Deanna Donnelly –Director of Advancement, Major Gifts

M.B.A., University of Dayton

B.S. in business administration marketing, Towson University

FUN FACT: Deanna is currently seeking to gain her Italian citizenship (her father was born there) and learn more of the language as well.

Andrew Farman –Media Support Specialist

M.A. in teaching, Simmons College

B.A. in English with a focus on film, Colorado College

FUN FACT: Andrew enjoys playing lacrosse and rooting for all of the Boston sports teams. He is also an avid watcher of movies and reader of fantasy novels.

Sydney Fullilove ’20 –Admission and Financial Aid Coordinator

B.S. in psychological sciences, College of William and Mary

FUN FACT: Sydney learned to dictate the alphabet backwards in preschool and can still do it!

Fond Farewell: Mary Lysinger Retires

Mary Lysinger retired at the end of the 2023 –24 school year after 16 years of service to Newark Academy. During her time at NA, Mary was the Language Department chair and a dedicated teacher committed to the skill development of her students.

Mary created Le petit-déjeuner français, a memorable French breakfast in which sixth grade students learn the correct etiquette for eating pastries, practice their French and sip hot chocolate from ceramic bowls they had each painted for the occasion. She also spearheaded trips to France for seventh, eighth and ninth grade students during which they stayed with host families — making the trips a precursor to NA’s Immersion Experience graduation requirement, instituted in 2009.

“Mary has been an invaluable member of the language department” says NA Language Teacher Debra Ronan. “She was our department chair on two different occasions and is responsible for creating the A, B and C levels that we have in our Middle School today. The creation of these three levels gives our Middle School students the space to put together everything they learned in prior years while advancing their skills. She will be greatly missed!”

Abigail Garaban –Advancement Coordinator

B.A. in psychology, Western New England University

FUN FACT: Abby is a coffee connoisseur; she loves to travel around to nearby towns in search of the best cup of coffee.

Kayla Hudson –Technology Support Technician

B.A. in economics and humanities, New York University

Profe Serrano Earns Children’s Book Committee Award

Newark Academy Spanish Teacher Inma Serrano’s La dama del árbol, a Spanish translation of The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever, was named by the Bank Street College of Education Children’s Book Committee to its 2024 list of the Best Children’s Books of the Year in Spanish.

FUN FACT: Kayla loves using a 3D printer to create animal and anime-related accessories. Her collection includes snakes, dragons, rings, masks and necklaces.

Shareef

Porterfield-Jackson – Upper School Mathematics

M.S. in engineering management, Case Western Reserve University

B.S. in electrical engineering, Brown University

FUN FACT: Shareef was a special guest at the final NASA shuttle launch in 2011 and the NASA Landsat 40th anniversary celebration in 2012.

Erica Jannetta –Middle School Science

M.A. in science education, New York University

B.S. in marine biology and environmental science, Dalhousie University

FUN FACT: Hailing from Canada, Erica recently became an American citizen after living here for more than half her life.

Jim Knable –Upper School English

M.F.A. in dramatic writing, New York University

B.A. in theater studies, Yale University

FUN FACT: Jim is a singer-songwriter and has recorded, toured and still performs and releases albums with and without his band The Randy Bandits.

Patience Lusamba –Upper School Science

M.S. in nutrition and food science, Montclair State University

B.A. in biology and biological science, Caldwell University

FUN FACT: Patience can speak French and has traveled to many places including Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Gabon and South Africa, to name a few.

Tianna

Marquez –Athletic Trainer

B.S. in athletic training, Kean University

FUN FACT: Tianna studied dance for four years at Passaic County Technical Institute.

Brielle McArdle –Assistant to the Director of Upper School Student Life

B.A. in English and journalism, Montclair State University

A.A. in music, Montclair State University

FUN FACT: Brielle has started two theater companies and loves the outdoors, including hiking and swimming.

Brandon McCallister –Assistant Director of College Counseling

M.S.Ed. in higher education, University of Pennsylvania

B.A. in comparative human development and theater and performance studies, University of Chicago

FUN FACT: Brandon spends most of his free time with his two adopted cats or tending to his vinyl record collection.

NA Adds Upper School Assistant Principal

Former English Department Chair Dan Reed is now Newark Academy’s first Upper School Assistant Principal. In this newly created role, Dan works closely with the rest of the NA administration to develop and enhance academic and experiential learning programs in the Upper School.

Along with the addition of a Middle School Assistant Principal last year, the Upper School Assistant Principal position is another step forward in accomplishing NA’s strategic planning initiative to prioritize an excellent student experience and provide more support to faculty and staff.

Dan’s responsibilities include coordinating the intersection of NA’s academic program with signature experiential learning programs, such as Immersion Experiences, June Term, Community Service and Off-Campus Study. In addition, Dan will help guide sophomores as they chart out plans and goals for their remaining time at NA.

“This role is exciting to me for a lot of reasons, high among them is the opportunity to work with more people in the school community,” says Dan. “I’m excited to spend more time with a wider range of NA students outside the realms of the English classroom, the tennis courts and my yearly American Southwest Immersion trips. I enjoy collaborating with our families, who can be our most effective partners in providing a meaningful and empowering education for our students.”

Natalia “Nat” Molina –Upper School Science

Ph.D in chemistry, Temple University

B.S. in chemistry, Temple University

FUN FACT: Nat can often be found behind the screen of her Kindle reading (and re-reading) her favorite comfort books. Nat is a proud dog mom to Boey & Mookie, loves to watch documentaries and is an avid volleyball player and coach.

Andre Ramsey –Security Guard

B.S. in criminal justice, Rutgers University

FUN FACT: Andre has been a friendly face in the halls of Newark Academy as a security guard over the past year and now joins the NA community full-time. He comes from a long family line of law enforcement personnel and is passionate about serving and protecting his community.

Role Changes

Jack Bender is now the Choral Director, leading the sixth grade choir, the advanced Middle School chorus, the Upper School concert choir, the Upper School select choral ensemble Academy Voices, and the contemporary a cappella group LumeNAtion.

Dennis “DJ” Schuck –Upper School Humanities

J.D. from Seton Hall School of Law

B.A. in political science and economics, Seton Hall University

FUN FACT: DJ has traveled around the country building homes with Habitat for Humanity.

Jason

Tebbe

–Upper School Humanities

Ph.D in history, University of Illinois

M.A. in social sciences, University of Chicago

B.A. in history, Creighton University

FUN FACT: Jason enjoys reading, hiking, collecting records and road trips.

Cori Eggert has taken on the role of June Term Director in addition to her duties as Math Department Chair. She will organize and oversee the June Term program, in which Upper School students spend the final two weeks of the year immersing themselves in a single intensive course featuring handson experiences and field trips.

Matt Grimaldi is now the Instructional Technologist. In this role, he will help develop and implement academic technology initiatives across disciplines for the school community.

Charles Grossen has been named STEM Program Director; in this role, he will cultivate interest in and develop meaningful programming for STEM-related fields for the Newark Academy community.

Stephanie Hammond has been named NA’s first Director of Digital Learning and Literacy. In this role, she will create and implement the vision and strategy for the school’s library and educational technology initiatives.

Julie Kayzerman is now the Associate Director of Communications and Marketing. In this role, she will lead several communications and marketing initiatives across the school, including producing and editing LUMEN and managing NA’s main social media channels and public relations efforts.

Maaike Kuen is now the Administrative Data Coordinator in the Admissions Department. In her role, Maaike supports the school’s admissions, enrollment and re-enrollment efforts by processing materials; she also welcomes and assists families throughout the admission process.

Andrea Lankin is the new English Department Chair, overseeing the English curriculum and program with the best interests of students and teachers in mind.

Faculty and Staff Milestone Awards

At Convocation, the following faculty and staff were recognized for longevity milestones:

A. 5 YEARS: Fan Luo, Renée Walker, Charles Crosby, Sarah Morgan, Dan Reed, Scott Rowling, Richard Stilliard, Hernando Santamaria (not pictured)

B. 10 YEARS: Kerri Speck, Caitlin Ciampaglio, Mike Thayer, Dave Kapferer, Erik Jacobsen

C. 15 YEARS: Ed Pursell ’02, Lou Scerra

D. 20 YEARS: Karen Kuser, Neil Stourton, Kirsti Morin

E. 25 YEARS: Billy Blomn, Pat Neary (not pictured)

F. 40 YEARS: Dan Erlandson

B.

C.

D.

E.

A.

F.

Elise Pacicco is now the Arts Department Chair in addition to her role as dance teacher. In her new role, she will oversee all eight disciplines of the arts program: photography, dance, choral music, instrumental music, theater, visual arts, film and technical theater.

Samad Siddiqui is now the Systems Engineer; in this role, he is primarily responsible for building, maintaining and troubleshooting Newark Academy’s

information and operational support systems. He will continue to provide advanced hardware and software support to the Newark Academy community.

Alexis Sommers is now the Director of Enrollment Management and Financial Aid; she is responsible for designing and implementing the short- and long-term strategic enrollment management plan for Newark Academy, including oversight of the school’s recruitment

and retention efforts and analysis of market trends. In her new role, Alexis will also continue to oversee the Admission and Financial Aid offices and their day-to-day operations.

Richard Stilliard will continue to serve as the IB Coordinator, overseeing all aspects of the International Baccalaureate Diploma program in addition to teaching economics.

NA Names New Director of Equity and Belonging

In an ongoing commitment to foster a diverse and inclusive school community, Newark Academy named Russell Marsh as its Director of Equity and Belonging.

Russell Marsh brings to NA a passion for creating a school environment where everyone feels valued. He has more than 20 years of teaching and leadership experience and has worn many hats. Most recently, Russell served as the Prep Division (grades 8-12) Equity and Inclusion Coordinator at Columbia Grammar and Prep School. In this capacity, he developed and taught the anti-bias curriculum for grades 8 – 11 and oversaw student programming, including several clubs, alliance groups, assemblies, and other student-led initiatives. He also served as an administrative liaison for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Board Committee and Parent AllSchool Multicultural Committee. Prior to Columbia Grammar and Prep, Russell spent six years at Ethical Culture Fieldston School, beginning his tenure as the Upper School DEI Coordinator before becoming the school’s Director of Community and Inclusion.

Russell holds a dual bachelor’s degree in music and general humanities from Montclair State University and a certificate in diversity, equity and inclusion from Cornell University. He was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, where he attended Newark Boys Chorus School and St. Benedict’s Prep.

Russell is a trained vocalist and was a music teacher for 20 years. In his free time, he enjoys listening to Classic R&B and spending time with his wife and four children.

I am excited to become part of the Newark Academy community. Ever since I visited the campus, the community felt very warm and welcoming. I feel very connected to Newark Academy. I was born and raised in New Jersey, so this feels like a homecoming to me. I’m very excited for the chance to grow and learn with my new community.”

– Russell Marsh, Director of Equity and Belonging

The Impact of Scholarship: Jordan Jett ’11 Honors Betty Newman’s Legacy Through Service

Jordan Jett ’11 began his journey at Newark Academy in 2007 with a significant accomplishment — he was named the Betty Newman Scholar. This designation afforded Jordan the opportunity to attend NA in honor of the legendary Betty Newman, who served the school for over 30 years as an American government and humanities teacher and founder of the school’s award-winning Community Service Program.

“Betty’s legacy is marked by generations of students who are well-versed in civic responsibilities and committed to making a positive impact on their community,” says Middle School Principal Tom Ashburn.

Jordan was a natural choice for this honor, given his palpable enthusiasm, energy, academic talents and exceptional commitment to community service.

For Jordan, the scholarship was more than just an award: it was a catalyst for a transformative educational experience.

While at Newark Academy, Jordan fully engaged with everything the school offered and made a lasting impact on the community. In the classroom, he wasn’t just a participant — he was a leader, driving discussions and exploring new ideas with genuine curiosity. Beyond academics, Jordan was a vital part of the school culture, excelling as a three-sport varsity captain and actively engaging in clubs and volunteer efforts.

Jordan went on to attend the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business after graduation and is now a vice president at AEA Investors. He credits a lot of his success to the opportunities provided by NA.

“My time at the school was foundational in allowing me to pursue my goals in college and beyond,” says Jordan. “It was truly a formative experience, and I am

grateful for the opportunities I had while attending.” He also credits the academic rigor and diverse experiences at NA with helping him succeed both in college and his career, allowing him to hit the ground running.

Jordan’s commitment to serving his community, one of the many reasons he was chosen as a Betty Newman Scholar, continues to impact Newark Academy to this day. He is a member of the NA Alumni Board of Governors and hopes his contributions and service in that role will help current and future students explore their passions and feel prepared for life beyond NA. He urges fellow alumni to remember that “small acts of time and generosity can make more impact on lives than we may appreciate in the moment.”

(Continued on page 44)

My time [at NA] was foundational in allowing me to pursue my goals in college and beyond.”

– Jordan Jett ’ 11

Jordan Jett ’11 attended NA through the Betty Newman Scholarship.

Betty Newman’s legacy lives on through her namesake scholarship.

Jordan’s journey and the lasting legacy of Betty Newman serve as testaments to the enduring power of dedicated educators and passionate students. Newark Academy continues to thrive, thanks to the remarkable individuals who have walked its halls and the unwavering commitment to excellence that defines its community.

Remembering Betty Newman

The Betty Newman Scholarship Fund was established by her sons, John ’69 and Scott ’73 in 2005. “Often when we’ve met new people over the last three decades, it’s remarkable how quickly the conversation turns to something like this as soon as they realize who we are: ‘You’re Betty Newman’s son. I will never forget her. The impact she made on me was instrumental in my life and is still with me every day.’ Mom was deeply gratified that so many of her students appreciated her efforts and kept in touch with her for decades, even inviting her to their weddings.”

For more information on the Betty Newman Scholarship Fund, contact Chief Advancement Officer Rose McSween at (973) 992 -7000 ext. 303 or rmcsween@newarka.edu.

2023-2024

8 BETTY NEWMAN SCHOLARS

There have been since the fund’s inception in 2005

IMPACT REPORT on giving

In a historic year for Newark Academy, we proudly celebrated its 250th anniversary and reached a remarkable fundraising milestone — the 2023-2024 Newark Academy Fund raised the highest amount in school history! Thank you for being part of this monumental achievement. Your support directly impacted our students, teachers and the programs that make Newark Academy exceptional.

In keeping with our sustainability goals, we’ve published our annual Impact Report online. You’ll find a message from Head of School Donald M. Austin, Board Chair Samuel W. Croll III '68 and Chief Advancement Officer Rose McSween, last year’s philanthropy highlights, our list of donors and much more.

Explore the report at newarkacademyimpact.org or scan the QR code to see the difference your contributions have made.

$601,422 THE FUND CURRENTLY HOLDS

$611,474

TOTAL AMOUNT RAISED

169 ALUMNI CLASSES WITH AT LEAST ONE GIFT

The fun started early this year with our 12th annual Day of Giving on October 2 3, 2024!

495

TOTAL # OF DONORS

70 FIRST TIME DONORS

128 TOTAL # OF VOLUNTEERS

The annual Day of Giving campaign supports the Newark Academy Fund. Did you know you can choose the area that most interests you when making your gift?

Reporting from War Zones and Overcoming Anxiety

Q&A WITH ABC NEWS CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT MATT GUTMAN ’96

By Evan Nisenson ’99

Whether swimming with sharks, demonstrating how to escape a flash flood or reporting in the midst of war zones, Matt Gutman ’96 has built a distinguished career as a journalist, renowned for his compelling storytelling and in-depth reporting. As Chief National Correspondent for ABC News, Matt has covered a broad spectrum of critical events across the globe, from natural disasters to major political developments. His insightful and often daring reporting has not only informed the public but also garnered numerous awards.

Following a visit to Newark Academy as a Signature Speaker, Matt sat down with Director of Alumni Relations and Giving Evan Nisenson ’99 to chat a bit about his homecoming to NA, his journalistic career and his most recent book, No Time to Panic.

EN : You recently returned to Newark Academy to speak to our students. What was that experience like for you?

MG: It wasn’t just a trip down memory lane; it was a psychological firing of so many neurons, because I hadn’t anticipated how much change there would be at the school, and yet how much it would seem the same. Reuniting with

Von Rollenhagen, Alexandra Mahoney, Nancy Celente and other teachers I first met 35 years ago made me feel ancient and young at the same time. I was blown away by the students: how intelligent they are, how clever and thoughtful their questions were, and how engaged in the world around them they are. That was very impressive. And it actually gave me a surge of pride, knowing that NA is still producing these whip-smart kids who are precocious and just all-around stellar.

EN : The students really connected with you and we all enjoyed having you back. Can you talk about the importance of connections, especially the uniqueness of the NA community and how you have experienced this first-hand, connecting with alumni such as Doug Vollmayer ’05 and Lane Jaffe ’94 well after your time at NA?

MG: Doug and I started working together [at ABC] before we realized we were fellow NA alums. But pretty instantly, there was the New Jersey connection and then the NA one and we also both played football at NA, so there was so much in common and that was a chance connection that has now become a really close friendship and collaboration.

Lane and I hadn’t been in touch for many years, but we reconnected in January 2020 when I got suspended for making a terrible mistake: I had a panic attack on air reporting on the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash. Lane enticed me to come [practice breathwork with him] during the suspension, when I was in a really low place in my life. It was this out-of-body altered state through holotropic breathwork that I experienced with Lane, which really helped me on my journey of healing. So even in LA,

Director of Alumni Relations and Giving Evan Nisenson ’99 catches up with Matt Gutman ’96.

SIGNATURE SPEAKER

ABC News Chief National Correspondent and Newark Academy alumnus Matt Gutman ’96 spoke about his experience as a war zone reporter to NA students on May 8, 2024 as part of the school’s Signature Speaker Series.

which is pretty far from NA, there are those Newark Academy associations and deep connections.

EN : I’m curious to know what the process is for being assigned stories at ABC. Are you always ready to hop on a plane and be sent crosscountry, or do you typically have some time to plan?

MG: That’s a good question. I think all of the above is the answer. I have multiple bags packed at all times in different locations. In my car right now, I have a disaster pack for things like fires or floods. I have another carry-on suitcase that’s more geared towards conflict reporting which has items like regular shirts, and I have a whole pile of anti-mosquito stuff and multiple kits. One has all the extra food that I would need, one is more for rainforest-type items and then I have my day-to-day go bag, so I’m ready to go at any time for regular travel around the country. When October 7 happened and war broke out in Israel, there was 20 minutes of heads-up before I had to be at the airport. It was literally, go go go, grab whatever you can get on the way out the door.

EN : I’m fascinated by that! Clearly, in addition to being a well-prepared journalist, you’ve also said that you have really been able to connect with victims and “speak grief,” partially because you experienced grief at a very young age when your dad passed away from a plane crash. Can you talk about that?

MG: I feel like I speak in what I call the mutual language of grief. As you said, my dad died when I was 12, and it was an earth-shattering experience. I had just started at NA and had been there for a year and it was a very difficult time, but NA was extremely supportive, as were my friends. From this experience, I learned a certain lexicon of grief, and I feel like I can communicate with people in that language of grief no matter where I am in the world because I’ve experienced something that is difficult. I often see people who are having their worst days, and there’s a certain kind of sensitivity that I realized I was good at. Not only am I able to get the story but I also give them support and understanding, both of which they would not expect from a journalist.

EN : Not everyone would feel that way and it’s such a gift that you have, Matt. I’d like to talk about your most recent book, No Time to Panic. How did the writing of this book and its release change your life, if at all, now that everyone is aware of your panic attacks?

MG: When I first announced the book was coming out, I hadn’t anticipated that [my panic attacks would be seen as] this rubicon that was crossed. Suddenly everyone started coming out of the woodwork and that was a lot of pressure on me. I was supposed to have cured myself, but now there was so much more scrutiny, which was what caused me to have panic attacks in the first place: the expectation of perfec-

tion, people watching you for the most minute failure. And now I was even more under the microscope, so it was really intense. The personal success of the book was that I was able to understand what was making me extremely anxious and make the kind of changes that reduce the anxiety. I did the things that were good for me. I tried meditating more. I was trying to practice more mindfulness. I exercised more and cut out alcohol for six months. I drank a lot less caffeine. By fine tuning things as small as my diet, I was able to feel better. That was the realization that I was actually practicing all of the things that I talk about in the book.

EN : You’ve experienced so many situations in your career as a journalist. What’s something you haven’t done yet that you would still like to do?

MG: Skydive on air! I’ve not yet jumped from a plane, and given my family history it sounds a little weird, but I would like to skydive or get into one of those wingsuits and jump off a cliff and parachute. I’m obsessed with that. It’s because it’s so anathema to human existence to jump off a cliff and soar and fly, and it’s the one way in which humans can experience unaided flight, like birds, which is very intriguing to me. Slightly ridiculous and dangerous, especially given our advanced age of late 40’s; it’s probably not something we should start doing.

Alumni Musicians Return to the NA Stage for an EVENING

OF JAZZ

by

Prominent NA alumni musicians Coleman Hughes ’14 (trombone), Sammi Powell ’19 (vocals), Nathan Rice ’13 (saxophone) and Brian Simontacchi ’10 (trombone) returned to the NA stage for an Evening of Jazz on April 12, 2024, in honor of the school’s 250th anniversary.

“This year we brought back NA alumni to be our special guests to help celebrate our 250th year as a school,” says Director of Band Julius Tolentino. “Our jazz program continues to flourish, creating a tradition where the torch of musical excellence is passed from one year to the next, fostering commitment, community and respect. This is an amazing way to show how this torch has been passed through the years.”

The Evening of Jazz is a 12-year tradition that brings the NA community together for an intimate night of great jazz music and raising funds for the Ana Grace Project — a nonprofit formed in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook School shooting. “My dear friends Jimmy and Nelba lost their daughter Ana Grace in the Sandy Hook shootings in 2012,” Julius says. “The Ana Grace Project emerged as a beacon of hope, embracing the slogan ‘Love Wins’ to promote love, community and connection. Our NA community has raised over $20,000 since 2012 to support their cause and the families of the Sandy Hook shooting.”

TOP:

Brian Simontacchi ’10, Coleman Hughes ’14 and Nathan Rice ’13 return to the NA stage during the Evening of Jazz.

BOTTOM:

Vocalists Sammi Powell ’19 (center) and Akshra Yagnik ’25 (left) enjoy a celebratory moment with Director of Band Julius Tolentino (right).

Photos

James Worrell

New Alumni Board of Governors for 20 24 – 25

The Newark Academy Alumni Board of Governors (BOG) welcomes new members to the group for the 2024-25 school year. The BOG works closely with the Office of Institutional Advancement to plan and manage more than 20 alumni events and programs each year. Meet the new members:

Juliane Corman ’05

M.A., Columbia University

M.P.A., Syracuse University

B.A., Barnard College

In her career as an Executive Leadership Coach and Organizational Consultant, Juliane has largely centered on leadership, team and organizational development. Though she has worked across many industries, her current clients are largely founders or senior leaders within the tech space. Juliane also trains independent consultants and internal HR practitioners and is working to build a new company focusing on neurodivergent leaders. She lives in Montclair with her husband and two sons.

Robin

Feldman ’03

B.A., University of Richmond

Robin is a Newark Academy Hall of Famer for her tennis achievements, including being the first woman from NA to win the New Jersey State Singles Championship. Robin held senior positions at the advertising firm PHD in Manhattan, representing several Fortune 500 corporations. Robin and her husband, Jake ’04, reside in Short Hills with their two children.

(Continued on page 50)

Alumni Association 2024 – 2 5 Board of Governors

Rebecca Moll Freed ’94

President

Nicole Andrzejewski ’13

Juliane Corman ’05

Matt Cowen ’13

Daniel Cronheim ’72

Robin Carter Feldman ’03

Justin Garrod ’93

Kumar Ghafoor ’10

Susan Goldberg ’79

Jade-Addon Hall ’98

Shannon Hedvat ’03

Sydney Hershman ’11

Lauren Jacobs-Lazer ’98

Jordan Jett ’11

Lauren Kaplan ’09

Steve Lozowick ’63

Dr. Kathleen Mangunay Pergament ’95

Nicholas Murray ’15

Dr. Naishami Patel ’01

Jackie Dorsky Pinchuk ’05

Ed Pursell ’02

Jed Rosenthal ’93

Lena Hill Ryals ’94

Seema Sangani ’95

Emeriti

Lance Aronson ’74

J. Richard Beltram ’41*

John H. Bess ’69

Hon. Leo Gordon ’69

Jeffrey Silverman ’82

William Stroh ’48*

Dr. Richard Watson ’50

*Deceased

Dr. Naishami Patel ’01

D.O., New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine

B.S., New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine

Naishami is a board-certified family medicine physician and has worked as the Vice President, Medical Director at Prudential for the past four years. She has a decade of patient care experience in the fields of primary care, occupational and urgent care medicine. In her free time, Naishami loves being with her family, traveling, reading and cooking. She currently resides in Florham Park with her husband and two young children.

Jackie Dorsky Pinchuk ’05

M.B.A., New York University

B.S., Brown University

As a marketing leader in the medical technology industry, Jackie has leveraged her unique background in healthcare, business and the sciences to launch innovative products and drive growth for multiple early-stage companies. She is looking forward to supporting execution of Newark Academy’s vision by fostering alumni engagement.

1964

The Class of 1964 wishes to thank Alice and John Rubinstein for hosting a cocktail party at their home last May.

Bill Annitto studied medicine in Bologna, Italy, and served his residency at Bellevue Hospital, specializing in psychopharmacology.

Burton “Burt” Rothberg has been married to Carol since 1973. They have a daughter who works for the National Hockey League and a son who is a Broadway musician. Burt has worked as a commodities trader, hedge fund portfolio manager and proprietary trader in New York. He was thinking of retiring 15 years ago but found the 2008 financial crisis “the most exciting time of my professional life” and kept working. He is now retired, and his major hobby is cycling. One of his vehicles, piloted by an Olympic cyclist, held a world record for a while some years ago.

Michael Yogg has also been married since 1973. He and his wife Joan, have three children and six grandchildren. Since

NA Convocation Speaker

Ben Cohen ’06

NA alumnus Ben Cohen ’06 returned to Newark Academy to deliver the keynote address during Convocation to kick off the 2024 –25 school year for students, faculty and staff.

Ben reminisced about his first-ever newspaper job with Newark Academy’s Minuteman newspaper. He went on to become a hugely successful sports reporter at The Wall Street Journal for many years, where he now pens a business column.

“There’s no way any of this would have happened if not for Newark Academy,” he said. “It was right here, from teachers on this stage, where I learned how to write and how to think.”

Following the event, Ben had a fun reunion with classmate and NA History Teacher Daniel Petrillo ’06.

retiring from the investment management business in 2012, he has published Passion for Reality, the biography of investor Paul Cabot, which was a Boston Globe bestseller and a “Book of the Year” in 2014 at a trade publication. Besides his family and writing, he enjoys travel, hiking and skiing.

1981

Artie Williams visited Hans Petter Evensen in Norway in

July 2024. Hans Petter spent the 1980 – 81 academic year at NA as an exchange student.

Pete Gruenberg and Artie Williams were inducted into the Lafayette College Athletic Hall of Fame for their participation on the 1983 Lafayette College men’s tennis team. In subsequent years, Pete and Artie won the East Coast Athletic Conference Doubles Championships and played in the NCAA Doubles Championships, where they

lost to Harvard at Princeton University.

1994

Jed Goldstein’s band Workingman’s Jed played at NA Homecoming on Saturday, September 28 to a great crowd of parents, students and alumni!

Dr. Youshaa Patel is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Lafayette College. His debut book, The Muslim Difference (Yale University Press, 2022), was announced as a finalist by the American Academy of Religion Book Awards for “Best First Book in the History of Religions” and “Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion, Textual Studies.” The American Academy of Religion is the flagship scholarly guild for religious studies scholars in North America.

1. Director of Immersion Experiences María Teresa McNeilly-Anta ’93 (left) and Associate Director of College Counseling Kerri Speck (right) reconnected with alumna Micaela Alpert ’21 during an NA Model Congress trip to the University of Pennsylvania, where Micaela currently studies.

2. Thomas “TJ” Lutz ’12 earned his MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business in May 2024.

3.

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY SENIOR THESIS SPOTLIGHT

Ethan Magistro ’19

Ethan Magistro ’19, a 2024 graduate of Princeton University, was featured in a story on the school’s website for his senior thesis, “Eternalism, Ethics and the Spirit of Philosophy.” His thesis explores the concept of eternalism, which holds that all moments in the past, present and future are equally real and now exist within the universe.

Ethan’s thesis earned multiple awards from Princeton, including a Department of Philosophy Class of 1869 Prize for theses in moral or social philosophy and a departmental Tomb Prize for theses in philosophy of time; it was also among those awarded a 2024 Senior Thesis Prize from the University Center for Human Values.

2003

Scan the QR code to read more

David Mazzuca connected with Owen Wade ’87 while visiting Kochi, Japan.

2005

Asher Grodman wrote and directed the viral Jacksonville Jaguars 2023 Schedule Release – a mockumentary about the NFL being scripted, which won awards at Cannes, Tribeca Film Festival and the Webby Awards.

Doug Vollmayer produced a Good Morning America segment that showed the method for saving someone in the ocean caught in a rip current. The segment

by Matthew Raspanti

featured a familiar face: Ryan Adeleye’s!

2006

NA Varsity Boys’ Basketball Coach Dan Petrillo was named the Super Essex Conference – Freedom Division Coach of the Year.

2008

Natalie (Friedman) Lampert and her husband Gary welcomed their son Zachary Dov on May 29, 2024. Big brother Joshua (5) and big sister Melody (3) are totally in love with the newest member of their family!

Tyler Mudge ’18 spoke about his career in architecture to students in the From Sketches to Structures: An Introduction to Architecture June Term course on May 28, 2024.

4. Dylan Gawron ’19, Abby Neate ’23 and Anna Jack ’23 returned to Newark Academy as alumni mentors for 2024 June Term courses.

Photo

IMMERSION REUNIONS

Anu Sharma ’15 (left photo, left), Meghna Padmanabhan ’17 right photo, left) and Newark Academy Director of Immersion Experiences Maria Teresa McNeilly-Anta ’93 (right photo, center) reunited with Raquel Garcia Extremaduro (right), who was a Spanish host during Anu and Meghna’s Spain Immersion Experience in 2012. The friends reunited when Raquel returned to NA this past September during the Immersion Spanish exchange student visit as a faculty leader from NA’s partner school, IES do Castro.

WE FONDLY REMEMBER

William Wachenfeld ’44, NA Trustee Emeritus

May 10, 2024

NA Board of Trustee Emeritus William “Bill” Wachenfeld, a member of Newark Academy’s Class of 1944, passed away on May 10, 2024. Service to others had been the hallmark of Bill’s life. He served his country in the military during WWII and the Korean War and later worked as president and CEO of the Charles Hayden Foundation which promotes the mental, moral and physical development of children in the New York and Boston areas. During his time as a Newark Academy Trustee, Bill was a member of the Financial Policy and Executive committees. Bill’s loyal contributions and dedicated service to Newark Academy were recognized in 2004 when he was named the Fulton H. MacArthur recipient. He will be missed.

W e Fondly R emember

Class of 1943

Dr. Francis A. Wood – Aug. 13, 2024

Class of 1944

William Wachenfeld, NA Trustee Emeritus – May 10, 2024

Class of 1948

Roger J. Kopstein – March 27, 2024

Class of 1949

Hon. Alan B. Handler – May 23, 2024

Class of 1950

John S. Ferguson – Sept. 23, 2024

Louis V. Henston – July 11, 2024

Class of 1952

Joseph Fitzsimmons – Oct. 18, 2024

Paul C. Forman – Jan. 24, 2024

Tom Swatland – June 3, 2024

Class of 1953

Ralph T. Meloro – June 7, 2024

Class of 1955

Anthony J. DePaul – June 22, 2024

Class of 1960

Stephen R. Erickson – June 8, 2024

WE FONDLY REMEMBER

Hon. Alan B. Handler ’49

May 2 3, 2024

Former longstanding member of the New Jersey Supreme Court and NA alumnus, Hon. Alan B. Handler ’49, died on May 23, 2024 at 92 years old.

Over the course of his career as a judge, he authored close to 500 opinions, including dissents and concurrences, according to his obituary. As an appellate court justice, in 1974, Alan wrote the majority opinion giving females the right to play Little League baseball in the State of New Jersey. In 1975, he decided M.T. v J.T. which is believed to be the first case in the nation to address the right of transsexual people to marry, divorce and claim spousal support.

Class of 1963

Richard Howard – Oct. 22, 2024

Peter J. Moorman – June 15, 2024

Class of 1965

James W. Lee – Aug. 17, 2024

Class of 1967

Leigh Bandekow – Aug. 27, 2024

Class of 1968

Dr. Scott A. Fox – April 24, 2023

Class of 1976

Joanne Stein – Aug. 28, 2024

BECOME A REUNION AMBASSADOR!

Does your class year end in 0 or 5? If so, this is your reunion year, and we are looking for Reunion Ambassadors. Reunion Ambassadors perform a valuable service to the NA alumni community by encouraging attendance at class Reunions and participation in the Newark Academy Fund. Ambassadors also help communicate school and class news, serving as liaisons between the school and alumni.

Email eberger@newarka.edu

2010

Maya Hayes was promoted to associate head coach of the University of Minnesota women’s soccer team.

2012

Elizabeth Coscia married Thomas Campbell on August 24, 2024, in Maplecrest, NY.

Thomas “TJ” Lutz earned his MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business in May 2024.

2019

Dylan Gawron came home to NA to be an assistant in the “Parlez-vous Elvish? The Art and Science of Language Construction” June Term course.

2020

6. NA classmates Bob Dalrymple ’69 and Peter Behrle ’69 got together in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Bob’s NA Alumni Achievement Award.

7. Clark Wagner ’22 met up with the Spanish Exchange students visiting NA as part of the Immersion Experiences program at the United States Military Academy West Point, which he currently attends.

Olivia Mudrick and Ellis Thomas joined the Southwest Immersion Experience this past June as alumni chaperones. (See photo 5)

Kennedy McNeilly-Anta was an alumni chaperone on the Spain Immersion Experience trip this past June.

2021

Sam Goidel won the NCAA Division III championship with the University of Chicago men’s tennis team in June 2024 – Sam’s second NCAA championship with the team.

2023

Alex Atlas was an alumni chaperone on the Guatemala Immersion Experience trip last spring.

Anna Jack and Abby Neate returned to NA as mentors during June Term. Anna helped students in the “Art of Ceramic Raku Firing” course and Abby assisted in “Adventures in Time Travel: Alexandria, 689 CE” (See photo 4 on page 52).

5. Olivia Mudrick ’20 and Ellis Thomas ’20 joined the Southwest Immersion Experience this past June as alumni chaperones.

8. David Mazzuca ’03 (left) met up with Owen Wade ’87 (right) in Kochi, Japan. They are pictured in front of Kochi Castle.

Bob Corcoran ’79 (far left), Jessica Einstein ’78 (second from right) and Wendy Berton ’79 (far right) having fun in New York City.

10. Artie Williams ’81 visited Hans Petter Evensen in Norway in July 2024. Hans Petter spent the 1980 – 81 academic year at NA as an exchange student.

11. Bill Kaplan ’69 and Larissa Shnayder ’04 accidentally hosted their own reunion at a knowledge management conference in Dublin, Ireland.

12. Dr. Youshaa Patel’s ’94 debut book, The Muslim Difference, was announced as a finalist for the American Academy of Religion Book Awards for “Best First Book in the History of Religions” and “Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion, Textual Studies.”

14. Newark Academy tennis alumna and former coach Gen Gramatica ’00 returned to campus as coach for Oak Knoll’s tennis team during a match against NA in September. She reunited with her former NA coach Richard DiBianca and Eleni Dakos ’16, a fellow NA alumna and current tennis assistant coach.

15. Class of 2022 alumni Max Gorbaty, Logan Pak, Andy Nagpal, Luke Waskow, Miller Burns, Ilan Brauns, Max Alter, Josh Horowitz, Max Weidhorn, Jackson Derman, Nicolas Kotzen, Max Falkin and Aryan Mishra spent a week together in Sun Valley, Idaho.

9. Anna Ibbotson ’97 and Gemma Fraser ’95 visited NA from the UK with both of their families.

13.

FORMER FACULTY UPDATES

Bill Blaskopf

Bill Blaskopf, former NA coach and mathematics teacher of 40 years, was inducted into the Hackettstown Area Seniors Hall of Fame alongside his wife, Fran, for their contributions to the Heath Village Retirement Community, in which they now live, as well as to the Trinity United Methodist Church in Hackettstown.

Dr. Teresa Anta San Pedro

Dr. Teresa Anta San Pedro, mother of Director of Immersion Experiences Maria Teresa McNeilly-Anta ’93, visited NA and caught up with Middle School Science Teacher Debra Tavares.

NYC ALUMNI NIGHT

Newark Academy alumni, faculty and staff reconnected during the NYC Alumni Night on September 12, 2024 at Periyali.

A. Vikram Bala ’20, Kerri Speck, Andrew Wilf ’20, Connor Epstein ’20 and Rohan Mirchandani ’20

B. Stephen Bonsall ’16 and Caroline Shim

C. Miranda Jiang ’23 and Kiki Afolabi ’23

D. Michele Chiles-Hickman ’86 and Pinakin Jethwa ’98

E. Connor Klein ’19 and Van Stevens ’65

16. Jed Goldstein’s ’94 band, Workingman’s Jed, played at NA’s Homecoming on Saturday, September 28, in front of an enthusiastic crowd of parents, students and alumni. Giacomo Messina ’25 even joined on stage to play guitar alongside Jed during the song, “Iko Iko.”

17. Pat Ciccone ’62, Van Stevens ’65 and Steve Lozowick ’63 reminisced about their time as students at Newark Academy over lunch in Bradley Beach on Thursday, September 26.

PLANNED GIVING:

Kim Hirsh ’80 Honors Former NA Faculty Betty Newman Through Planned Gift

Kim Hirsh ’80 fondly recalls AP U.S. History classes with beloved NA Faculty Member Betty Newman, whom she largely credits for her success.

“Mrs. Newman was whip-smart, confident, outspoken and dedicated to making a difference in the world through leading volunteer work outside of school,” says Kim. “I believe some of my choices in life — including pursuing a career in the nonprofit world — were shaped by lessons from Mrs. Newman.” Since 2005, Kim has worked at the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest NJ, where she serves as the executive director.

Newark Academy Board of Trustees Chair Samuel W. Croll III ’68 inducts Kim Hirsh ’80 as a trustee emerita.

Today, Kim chooses to remain connected to Newark Academy. She sent her three children — Elana ’10, Zack ’12 and Sara ’15 — to the school and also became actively involved in supporting NA’s future on both NA’s Board of Governors and the Board of Trustees. In 2020, Kim was awarded the Fulton MacArthur Award in recognition of her service to NA.

Kim credits her success and commitment to community service to Betty Newman, who was both a mentor and role model. “Without Mrs. Newman’s influence, my life would have taken a very different path,” she says.

In gratitude to Newark Academy, Kim has made a $100,000 bequest to support the Betty Newman Scholarship fund. In the future, this gift will help other deserving students attend NA, while honoring the legacy of Betty Newman.

“Newark Academy has given me and my family so much. I am proud to have the ability to pay it forward,” Kim says.

If you are interested in exploring a bequest or other planned gift, please call or email Director of Advancement Services and Planned Giving Barbara Sine at (973) 992-7000, ext. 362, or bsine@newarka.edu.

Newark Academy

91 South Orange Avenue

Livingston, NJ 07039

P (973) 992 -700 0

E communications@newarka.edu www.newarka.edu

Parents of alumni: If this publication is addressed to your child and he or she no longer maintains a permanent residence at your home, please notify Newark Academy at alumni@newarka.edu. This