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LUMEN THE
MAGAZINE
OF
NEWARK
ACADEMY
Newark Academy’s Entrepreneurs and Innovative Thinkers
MAKE THEIR MARK
Faculty Reflections
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35 CONTENTS
F E AT U R E S
10 Faculty Reflections: Newark Academy Encourages Fresh and Imaginative Teaching
25 Empowering Student Leaders By Jeff Vinikoor
35 Newark Academy’s Entrepreneurs and Innovative Thinkers Make Their Mark
IN THIS ISSUE
2 Perspectives
4 NA News
33 Advancement
48 Alumni News
60 Class Notes
31 VISIT NA on the web at www.newarka.edu LIKE NA on Facebook @newarkacademy FOLLOW NA on Twitter @newarkacademy FOLLOW NA on Instagram @newarkacademy
LUMEN
PERSPECTIVES
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Donald M. Austin Head of School
FROM DONALD M. AUSTIN, HEAD OF SCHOOL
Lisa Grider Assistant Head of School for External Affairs EDITOR
Erbach Communications Group Hannah Wyrzykowski ASSISTANT EDITORS
David Beckman Matt Sugam CONTRIBUTORS
Jessica Lubow Alexandra Mahoney
Evan Nisenson ’99 Jeff Vinikoor
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Executive Committee David D. McGraw ’77 Chairman Lawrence G. Cetrulo ’67 Secretary Samuel W. Croll III ’68 Marika Alzadon ’89 Lauren Hedvat ’01 Donald M. Austin Wayne D. Kent ’85 John H. Bess ’69 Patrick Wang Patricia Budziak Larry S. Wieseneck
Making Meaningful and Original Contributions to the World
Trustees Andrew Kogan ’90 Maria Rice Bellamy ’85 Robert Marcus Lara Coraci-Basile ’88 Lisa Powers Ajay Dhankhar Michael Rockoff ’87 Cuong Do Melissa Tassé Anjali Gupta Valerie Radwaner Virany Karen Guy-Smith Glenn A. Waldorf ’90 Mae Hacking
This issue of LUMEN profiles a number of alumni who
Emeriti Louis V. Aronson II ’41 Nancy Baird Harwood ’75 Paul Busse ’38* K. Kelly Marx ’51 Robert Del Tufo ’51* John L. McGraw ’49 William D. Green ’69 Robert S. Puder ’38* William D. Hardin ’44* Gary Rose William T. Wachenfeld ’44
have made marks on the world by creating their own businesses. What did they learn at Newark Academy that may have contributed to their success? Emily Li Mandri ’05 credits the experience she had here in studio art
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF GOVERNORS
classes with the sense of validation and self-confidence
Glenn A. Waldorf ’90 President
that has propelled her clothing, textile, and accessories
Allison Hyans ’11 Amanda Addison ’06 Lauren Jacobs-Lazer ’98 Rohit Bawa ’93 Gillian Javetski ’07 Michele Chiles-Hickman ’86 Katherine Johnson ’11 Asha Talwar Coco ’99 Lauren Kaplan ’09 Daniel D. Cronheim ’72 Steve Lozowick ’63 Christopher Davis ’12 Jennifer Mandelbaum ’11 Jacqueline Lipsius Fleysher ’93 Ed Pursell ’02 Rebecca Moll Freed ’94 Jed Rosenthal ’93 Justin Garrod ’93 Brett Rubin ’05 Kumar Ghafoor ’10 Lena Hill Ryals ’94 Susan Goldberg ’79 Alex Senchak ’02 Peter Gruenberg ’81 Alexandra Swanson ’09 Shannon Hedvat ’03 Pamela Helfant Vichengrad ’94
businesses. Nihal Mehta ’95, founder of the investment firm Eniac Ventures, says of his time at NA, “I got an amazing education, but it was the hours after school from 2:30 to 9 p.m., working on the Minuteman, serving as captain of the cross-country team, and playing in the band that were the most formative in the long run.” Reflecting on his current role, he continues: “My ability
Emeriti Lance Aronson ’74 Leo Gordon ’69 J. Richard Beltram ’41* Jeffrey Silverman ’82 John H. Bess ’69 William Stroh ’48* Richard Watson ’50
to work with a variety of constituents on very different tasks is something I learned in high school, and it has stuck with me ever since.”
Newark Academy Office of Institutional Advancement 91 South Orange Avenue, Livingston, NJ 07039 Telephone: (973) 992-7000 Email: communications@newarka.edu www.newarka.edu *Deceased
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Newark Academy creates an environment rich in opportunities for students to acquire skills and habits of mind. Beyond the important content of their core academic classes, students develop skills of collaboration, creative
‘‘
Newark Academy creates an environment rich in opportunities for students to acquire skills and habits of mind.”
problem-solving, risk-taking and leadership. These abilities bring substantial personal growth, helping to build confi-
and parents speaking about how their
many opportunities current students
dence and reveal untapped potential.
professions are changing. Two parents
have for creativity and leadership are
We regularly hear how well our gradu-
who are business consultants shared
described in the feature articles by
ates find they are prepared for college
a McKinsey report on the skills of the
Jeff Vinikoor and Jessica Lubow.
– and later for the work force – and it is
future: in addition to basic digital
striking how often they ascend to roles
proficiency and advanced IT capacity,
of leadership and influence.
these include creativity, entrepreneurship and leadership.
I believe there is a clear through-line between the skills that students learn at Newark Academy – both in the classroom and through the rich array
One noteworthy feature of the current job market is that, although technical
As you read the profiles of Newark
of athletics, community service, clubs
and information skills are desirable,
Academy alumni who are successful
and other experiences – and the
many employers still identify “soft
entrepreneurs and innovative thinkers,
demonstrated capacity of our gradu-
skills” as essential. Our sophomores
you will see that they combine compe-
ates to make meaningful and original
and juniors recently heard precisely this
tency in their given fields with the social
contributions to the world.
message in a special “Future of Work”
and emotional skills that are necessary
program that included many alumni
for effective leadership. Similarly, the
NEWARK ACADEMY
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newark aCaDemy CeLebrates the CLass of 2019 Founder and CEO of Girls Who Code Reshma Saujani delivered an inspiring keynote address to the Class of 2019 for their Commencement ceremony on June 9. Reshma created her nonprofit organization with a mission to close the gender gap in tech and to change the idea of what a programmer looks like and does. She told the Class of 2019, “You can build a movement without the perfect credentials.” Following the address, to the enthusiastic applause of family, friends, faculty and staff, the 106 members of the Class of 2019 received copies of Reshma’s book, Brave Not Perfect, along with their diplomas.
CoLLege Destinations for the CLass of 2019 Jason amalraj Lehigh University
James blume University of Pennsylvania
matthew Ciccone Rutgers University
spencer glassman Harvard University
gioia basile Georgetown University
bridget bowen Fordham University
Caitlin Clancy University of Notre Dame
simon gorbaty Duke University
rahul bendre Emory University
Zachary burd Duke University
gillian Cohen Columbia University
nia grundy Hampton University
adam berns University of Wisconsin-Madison
samantha burggraf Babson College
emily Contreras George Washington University
thomas hales Fordham University
Quinn butler New York University
kyra Cooperman Duke University
elizabeth hawk Oberlin College
ivy bethea Pennsylvania State University
andrew Cen University of California-San Diego
Liam Corliss Boston University
Pierce henderson Syracuse University
tyler bisk Cornell University
antoine Chouraqui Georgetown University
Jordan Craig Wesleyan University
Lauren holtzman Hamilton College
Joshua Cruz Rutgers University
ariel hsieh New York University
samarth Desu Cornell University
william hutchinson Lafayette College
stephanie Do Dartmouth College
monique iben University of Virginia
Lauren Dougherty Lehigh University
mario iturria Lafayette College
rebecca Dunayev Tufts University
ailie Jack Pennsylvania State University
molly feldman George Washington University
alice Jiang New York University
Drew flanagan Duke University
spencer Josloff Tulane University
Caiden galvin-scott Gap Year
maya kannan Hamilton College
hailey bernstein Bucknell University
Dylan gawron Syracuse University
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sophia gilbert Northwestern University
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sanjana sridhar Lehigh University
emma karp Savannah College of Art and Design
alex stourton Denison University
samantha keller Vanderbilt University
Jacob tepper Tulane University
mackenzie kent University of Texas-Austin
magnolia wang University of Pennsylvania
Zachary kessel Northwestern University kianni keys New York University
ethan mandel Northeastern University
nathan Perrello McGill University
Connor klein University of Pennsylvania
madeline mcevoy Hobart and William Smith Colleges
samantha Powell Howard University
madison kolek University of St. Andrews alexander kotzen Columbia University
annika mctamaney University of Colorado Boulder
amit kundra Brown University
Paris miller Seton Hall University
tyler kung Washington University
william mulligan Franklin & Marshall College
Jonathan kuo Boston University
gabriella neibart University of Pittsburgh
Daniel Laks Juniata College
unnathy nellutla Tufts University
samuel Lawler University of Richmond
anish nuni University of California Berkeley
alexander Leaf Cornell University madeleine Levinsohn New York University sophie Licostie Yale University
abigale Parker University of North Carolina Chapel Hill summer Peace University of Pennsylvania
alessandra Quigley University College London aaron ramos Bates College micah rivas Drew University ian rzeszowski University of St. Andrews alyssa sabando Elon University Jonathan schier Cornell University Justine seo University of Pennsylvania John snyder iii Swarthmore College giulia socolof Stanford University
spencer wang Emory University melanie weintraub George Washington University taj wilson Syracuse University roman wright Princeton University melisa yaman University of Michigan David you Carnegie Mellon University kai youngren U.S. Military AcademyWest Point maxwell yu Harvard University Veronica Zhang New York University elaine Zhou Emory University benjamin Zimmerman Brown University
Juliana soranno New York University
alan Lin Yale University margot Lopez-silvero University of Wisconsin-Madison ryan Lowry Villanova University evan macgregor Worcester Polytechnic Institute neha maddali University of North Carolina Chapel Hill ethan magistro Princeton University anthony maldonado Northeastern University
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NA Celebrates 246th Convocation On September 4, new and returning Newark Academy students, faculty, administrators and staff came together for the school’s 246th Convocation. The annual ceremony is a time-honored tradition whereby the school community celebrates the start of a new academic year and also recognizes long-serving faculty. This year’s keynote speaker was Jonathan Glynn ’69, the founding director of Wings Over Haiti, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the children of Haiti with food and medical supplies after the devasting earthquake in 2010. Jonathan encouraged students to look for opportunities to pursue their passions even while completing their educations. “If there’s something that you love or you think you love, do your work,” he urged. “Let your mind and your abilities go to the area that you’re interested in and communicate that with your parents, friends and family now. Let them help you. Get what you need to continue to do your work well, but just remember that life is all about finding opportunities.”
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faCuLty miLestones Newark Academy’s faculty is noteworthy for its longevity. At Convocation the following faculty were recognized for longevity milestones. 35 years: Dan Erlandson Von Rollenhagen 30 years: Amy Emeliano Amy Hone
25 years: Elaine Brodie 20 years: William Blomn Patricia Neary Tom Ashburn Amy Rubin Schottland
10 years: Lou Scerra Ed Pursell Mary Lysinger
5 years: Caitlin Ciampaglio Mike Thayer Erik Jacobsen Dave Kapferer
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weLCome new faCuLty members Larita hamilton, upper school english, b.a. Carnegie mellon university, m.ed. george mason university LaRita Hamilton taught literature and English as an additional language in the Philippines, Ukraine and China. In China, LaRita served as project coordinator for an International Baccalaureate middle years program and coached middle and high school track and field.
keith malinak, upper school biology, b.s. william Patterson university Prior to coming to NA, Keith Malinak taught various levels at both Tenafly and Bergenfield High Schools. His current passion is ethology, and more specifically the cognitive limitations of animals in their understanding of the environment and responses to stimuli. Keith has also worked in a laboratory with honeybees, testing synthetic chemicals in an attempt to increase foraging behavior.
Dan reed, upper school english, b.a. middlebury College Dan Reed comes to NA after three years at the Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Connecticut, where he taught English, coached squash and tennis, and was head of a boys’ dormitory. During the summers, Dan has worked as head of the Trip Program at Camp Pemigewassett, a boys’ summer camp founded by his great-grandfather in Wentworth, New Hampshire. He is currently taking a hiatus of several summers as he pursues his M.A. at Middlebury’s Bread Loaf School of English. At NA, Dan is teaching freshman and senior English and coaching girls’ and boys’ JV tennis.
scott rowling, upper school mathematics, b.a. university of new hampshire, m.a. university of new hampshire Scott Rowling joins the NA community as both a teacher of Upper School math and coach of the girls’ varsity soccer team. Scott spent the previous four years teaching and coaching at private schools in New York City, dividing his time between Village Community School and The Hewitt School. Before moving to New York, Scott spent four years working at Tilton School in New Hampshire, where he helped build the girls’ soccer program into a New England Preparatory School Athletic Council title contender and led the team to its most successful seasons in school history. Scott grew up outside of Philadelphia and earned a D-I soccer scholarship to the University of New Hampshire, where he was a four-year starter at center midfield and a two-year captain. He has represented Team USA in the Maccabiah Games, and he captained the team to its first-ever gold medal in 2013.
richard stilliard, upper school humanities (economics), b.a. university of Leeds (u.k.), m.a. suny buffalo Richard Stilliard is originally from Sandhurst, a small town outside of London. He began his teaching career in 2004, working in both North London and South Leeds. In 2010, he and his wife moved to Kuwait, where he taught high school political science, law and world history for three years. Starting in 2013, he taught history (including International Baccalaureate) to grades 6–12 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In 2015, he moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, introducing and teaching the IB Economics course to students at Rancho Solano Preparatory School. In addition to his formal teaching experience, Richard is an IB History and Extended Essay examiner, has written an IB History textbook, contributed to online IB teacher preparatory courses in history and economics, and was involved with the IB pilot scheme on Approaches to Teaching and Learning (ATL).
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margaret tolmie, upper school english, b.a. washington and Lee university, m.a. Columbia university, m.a. middlebury College Margaret Tolmie joins the faculty at NA as a 9th- and 10th-grade English teacher. She comes from New York City, where she earned an M.A. in independent school leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to that, Margaret taught English for four years at Virginia Episcopal School, a boarding school in Lynchburg, Virginia, where she also coached soccer and wrestling, advised the school’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA), and was a faculty mentor to student dorm leaders.
tao Zhu, upper school mathematics, b.a. hunan university, m.a. university of massachusetts amherst Tao Zhu has been teaching mathematics to grades 9–12 since 2001, including all levels from Algebra I to AP Calculus BC. She has served as an advisor to freshmen and seniors and as a club advisor to the Mu Alpha Theta Math Society and to a Chinese Club.
fan Luo, middle school mandarin, b.s. Changsha university, m.s. university of southern maine Fan Luo comes to NA from the Hyde School in Bath, Maine, where she worked as a teacher, coach and international coordinator for the past nine years. In 2006, Fan received her undergraduate degree in computer science from Changsha University of Science and Technology in China, with an intention to prove that girls can enjoy and be successful in science courses. Through that work, she discovered a passion for classroom teaching.
Faculty Achievements Andrew Alford, a member of the NA Math Department and teacher of computer science, has had one of his fiction pieces, “Erasure”, published in the Spring 2019 issue of the Sweet Tree Review, which is available online. Rob Downes, a member of the NA Math Department, recently had an article, An Elementary Geometric Justification for the Cofactor Expansion of a 3 × 3 Determinant, accepted for publication. It is scheduled to appear in the journal The Mathematical Gazette in July 2020.
hernando santamaria, middle school spanish, b.a. st. Peter’s College, m.s. mercy College Hernando Santamaria joins NA as a middle-school Spanish teacher and assistant head coach of boys’ varsity soccer. He previously worked at The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York, as a middle-school Spanish teacher and middle-school athletic coordinator for four years. He also coached college soccer for six years.
tia swanson, middle school english (part time), b.a. swarthmore College, m.Phil. oxford university Teaching middle-school English, Tia Swanson returns to the classroom after serving as a long-term substitute last year. The mother of four children, she began her career as a newspaper reporter, columnist and editor.
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“Hobbiton”, New Zealand
Bayon Temple, Cambodia
Elizabeth Sparacino
Kamo’okoa Ridge, Kauai
Jeff Vinikoor
Sandy Palmer
Newark Academy Encourages Fresh and Imaginative Teaching Newark Academy students are not the only ones in the community who benefit from immersive learning. Each year, up to three faculty members who have been with NA for at least three years are awarded a Summer Travel Grant, a school-funded opportunity to explore a topic in their respective fields and use this experience to enhance their teaching when they return to campus in September. The three faculty members awarded the grant this past year reflect on their recent travels.
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Investigating the Māori in New Zealand: Connecting Cultures ELiZABETH SPARACiNO
The darkness began to settle as we entered Waipoua Forest on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island. Our guide sang Māori waiata, or chants, as we approached Te Matua Ngahere, the “Father of the Forest” – the oldest known kauri tree in the world, estimated to be more than 2,500 years old. As we stood looking at the 16-foot-wide trunk, we contemplated the fact that this tree was actually alive when Socrates taught in Athens. There are few places in New Jersey where one can easily mark time in millennia. Our forest guide was a local elementary school teacher by day. At night, she explained the myths of the tree along with the successful integration of Māori culture into New Zealand’s schools. Currently, every school teaches Māori culture, and by 2025 Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern wants the te reo Māori language to be taught in every primary school; by 2040, the goal is to have more than one million residents who speak the language. My journey
from New Jersey to the majestic Kauri tree was enriched by the fact that our guide was also a school teacher. Newark Academy’s Summer Travel Grant program for faculty caught my eye when I first applied to teach at the school 12 years ago. I knew I had only one chance at this generous opportunity, so I did not want to waste it. When I learned about the relative success of the biculturalism of the indigenous Māori and the British Pākehā, I knew a New Zealand trip was one that could serve our NA community well. I could learn about a new culture as well as explore the rich and varied landscape of a part of the world that few ever experience – the southern portion of the blue Pacific hemisphere.
Left: Te Matua Ngahere, the Father of the Forest; the eldest known Kauri tree in the world Right: Māori Cultural Performance at wharenui or meeting house
Mangawhai Cliffs in the region where the first people arrived by waka
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By learning the customs and history of the Māori people, I knew I would gain new examples of political, economic and social patterns to add depth to my teaching of culture in the NA Middle School. I found the political history of New Zealand to be quite interesting. While early interactions with the British did result in the familiar patterns laid out by UCLA professor Jared Diamond in his book Guns, Germs and Steel, with a staggering loss of life and land in the 19th century, there were also strikingly unique elements in the story of New Zealand. By 1876, the Māori had been granted four seats in Parliament; entering the 20th century with legitimate power in government, they were able to further grow their political strength both formally and informally over time, resulting in laws that specifically protect and promote Māori culture. These laws laid the foundation for the current resurgence in Māori culture and language. There are Māori-led tours for almost every site one would want to visit, creating economic opportunities and incentives for Māori people. As a visitor, I had the real sense that the Māori were empowered and in charge of their own destiny, even if complete equality has not yet been achieved. The revival of Māori culture is centered in Te Puia, in the city of Rotorua on the North Island, where the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute promotes and teaches all aspects of culture, including weaving and wood, bone and stone carving. The facility, opened in 1963, is modern and immaculate following a recent renovation. There, elders train talented students in a workshop format. As soon as I entered the workshops – where students worked on individual or group projects as teachers circulated, giving pointers – I realized it had the exact same feeling as the classroom of my colleague Deb Tavares, who teaches 6th grade science in NA’s Middle School. In the Te Puia workshops, I was actually witnessing the key elements of a culture being transferred from one generation to the next – the process of cultural survival in a world that could easily have extinguished that culture’s
Waitangi Treaty Grounds waka taua (war canoe) named Ngātokimatawhaorua
beauty and uniqueness. The guide at Te Puia also indicated that the success of the cultural resurgence was due to monetary support from government programs. While it was my intent to study the cultural patterns that support the success of biculturalism, the tragic Christchurch mosque shootings occurred on the South Island during my visit. I witnessed a nation grapple with, and respond to, its deadliest mass shooting. New Zealanders, known as Kiwis, were adamant about banning military-style weapons and were determined to pass legislation more quickly than Australia had after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. The shock and sadness expressed by the Kiwis in Auckland reminded me of how frequently we have shootings in the United States and made me reflect on the nature of our own responses. The respect for cultures in New Zealand was evident when Prime Minister Ardern wore the hijab during a press conference, essentially to say, “You are us.” I look forward to sharing these experiences with NA students this year and for many years to come.
Hokianga Harbour on the North island where some of the earliest settlers arrived on the west coast
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Summer Palace, China
A Powerful Journey through East and Southeast Asia JEFF ViNiKOOR
An ancient Asian proverb offers wisdom to aspiring travelers: Better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times. Having journeyed through East and Southeast Asia for seven weeks this summer, I can affirm the truth of this maxim, as I have lived it. Although I had never visited Asia before this summer, I have long been interested in the region, and especially in its economic and political development since the turn of the last century. As a teacher of Newark Academy’s World Cultures course, I have taught scores of students about Asia, and I have delighted in helping them understand aspects of Asian cultures. In traveling to Asia, I sought to develop a personal understanding of these cultures – as well as to visit places of historical and cultural significance, to consider how history is shaped and shared, and to develop a more complete grasp of the economic and geopolitical issues facing the region today.
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
inari Shrine, Japan
Street scene, South Korea
My itinerary included visits to Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Singapore – a tour that allowed me to experience a wide variety of aspects and flavors of Asia, from bustling, ultramodern cities to verdant, rural villages. The intense summer heat made my explorations challenging at times, but I’m glad I pressed on in order to be wowed, over and over again, by places of ancient and
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modern significance, from the Great Wall of China, to the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, to the National Palace Museum in Taipei, to Angkor Wat. I left Asia with a deep appreciation for the region – an appreciation that will, for many years, inform not only my personal understanding of contemporary world affairs but also my work to ensure that the NA curriculum remains global in scope and spirit. At the same time, I have many questions and a desire to learn more about the people I met and the nations I visited. Indeed, I hope one day to return to this region and to once again experience and stand in awe of its remarkable cultures. La Han Bay, Vietnam
A Trip with Surprising Dividends SANDY PALMER
As a middle-school Earth Science teacher, I was thrilled to receive a travel grant for the summer of 2019. I designed a trip to Hawaii to deepen my own knowledge of geology and to give myself first-hand experiences that would make my lessons come to life. I have studied and taught about volcanoes for many years, but this was my first time visiting a volcanic area. Each day was filled with hands-on opportunities to learn how volcanoes have shaped and continue to define the landscape throughout the Hawaiian Islands. I spent a total of two weeks exploring the beauty and diversity of the Hawaiian Islands. During the first week, I traveled with other science teachers as part of an educational tour with the geoscience education and outreach organization GEOetc. We spent the entirety of the week on the Big Island, exploring the volcanoes, eruption products, plate tectonics and natural hazards associated with active volcanoes. Our trip leader introduced us to the unique
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Left: Rainbow Falls in Hilo, Hawaii Right: Kamo’okoa Ridge on Kauai
geology of Hawaii, the history of eruptions and the activity of the various volcanoes, giving us concrete examples we could share with our students. From the summit of Kilauea in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, my group and I were able to view the Halema’uma’u crater. We also witnessed steam vents and saw the formation of sulfur crystals as the lava cooled. In the Kīlauea Iki Crater, we walked across a frozen lava lake and hiked directly into a steam vent. During my journey, I saw countless features and objects I had previously only read about. We traveled to a sea arch (a rarity
with lava rocks), a green sand beach, and a black sand beach. Along the way, I was able to collect both lava and sand samples, which I will be sharing with my students during our unit on volcanoes – and of course I took many, many pictures. During my second week, I toured the other three Hawaiian Islands and had the unique opportunity to snorkel with manta rays in Kona. I will be sharing a video of this experience with my students when we discuss the classification of organisms. I returned to NA this fall with so much more than the samples and stories I collected during my travels. Although I learned a tremendous amount about geology, equally transformative was what I learned about myself. Physically, the hiking and climbing were far more intense than anything I had done before. We often talk to our students about risk-taking, but in crawling through a lava tube (a tunnel formed by trapped air as molten lava travels down the side of a volcano) I was putting those words into action, and I can now model for my students how pushing through your own fears can lead to great rewards. This academic year, I will bring new enthusiasm and context to my science lessons, as well as a new way to present material to my students. Through the travel grant, I was able to print my photos onto large canvases which now decorate my classroom. It’s one thing to search for a picture of a green sand beach online, or to explain how a lava tube is formed, but it’s quite a different experience to see a photo that your own teacher took in one of these remarkable places. Since returning from Hawaii, I continue to break down personal barriers, too, coaching both middle school field hockey and girls’ basketball for the first time in my 18 years at NA. The confidence I gained on this trip inspired me to take a chance on something new. I hope all of my NA colleagues will have this opportunity for summer travel and the growth that comes with it.
Lava flow from Mauna Loa and the volcano Mauna Kea, Hawaii
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New English Teachers’ Recommended Reading Four new teachers joined the English Department this year ready to empower Newark Academy students to develop their communication skills and enhance their creative self-expression through new teaching strategies and texts in the curriculum. Here, they share with us their (current) favorite reads, in the hopes that you can begin to get to know them and get a glimpse of their passion for literature. (Read more about them on pages 8 and 9).
LARiTA HAMiLTON, 10TH AND 11TH GRADE
Everything’s an Argument by Andrea A. Lunsford, John J. Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters “Is it a textbook? Yes, but it’s incredibly well written. The examples are smart and funny. Everyone should read this book. A colleague of mine recommended this book to me and I was surprised that it was such a good read. I think this book is great for anyone who is interested in understanding how and why we communicate the way we do.”
DAN REED, 9TH AND 12TH GRADE
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro “I always know where this is on my bookshelf; it’s a go-to when I’m looking for an old favorite, though you never know if it will make you laugh or cry. On the surface, this is an amusing story about a conventional English butler struggling to evolve with the changes in his career post-WWI (he has a particularly hard time learning to ‘banter’ with his new, American employer), but the underlying messages about dignity, loyalty, and complicity make it a meaningful read. And the movie is great, too!”
TiA SWANSON, 8TH GRADE
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen “My current favorites come and go, but Elizabeth Bennett remains – still the smartest, funniest, sassiest, most self-deprecating heroine I know. She is always an inspiration and a reminder that reading is, above all else, a great joy.”
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MARGARET TOLMiE, 9TH AND 10TH GRADE
Man Alive by Thomas Page McBee “Man Alive is a complex story about learning to love yourself in the midst of trauma, violence, and social expectations. From the perspective of a trans man, this spectacular memoir grapples with what it means to be a man, and how our gendered bodies can both miraculously protect us and unexpectedly endanger us. This book reminds me how crucial kindness, patience, communication and forgiveness are and most importantly that representation matters.”
PoP-uP bookCLub BY ALExANDRA MAHONEY Newark Academy’s Pop-up Bookclub was born one
unbudgeted generosity? “To promote reading, of course!”
morning last fall when I walked up to the lectern at
exclaims Jean, who provided copies of The Hate U Give
Morning Meeting after the third or fourth Upper School
by Angie Thomas and Aristotle and Dante Discover the
student had told me that I should read Little Fires
Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz.
Everywhere by Celeste Ng. As an English teacher, I try to jump on any crazed teenage book bandwagon and also follow the recommendations of trusted current and former students who love to
Some of the books we read are Young Adult and some aren’t. No matter the classification, one of the beauties of Pop-up Bookclub is that the reading is utterly
read – habits that have brought joy (The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown), suffering (Divergent by Veronica Roth), and new summer reading books for 9th-grade English (Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang). The response I got from both adults and students to my unpremeditated announcement launching the Popup Bookclub brought together a healthy little community of readers, which coalesced and morphed and attracted enough attention that NA librarian Jean Moroz offered to give away free books to interested
voluntary and there are absolutely no expectations whatsoever. So, while Pop-up Bookclub isn’t very “pop-up” anymore, we retain the name to hold onto the notion that the pleasure of reading and the thrill of discussion exist outside of the world of obligations. The experience creates a kind of “pure” exchange of thoughts, emotions, perspectives and ideas as teachers, staff and students connect on a completely level playing field, where no one’s the expert and everyone’s a learner.
students and teachers. Why the
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I like that the reading suggestions come from the students. Reading young adult stuff reminds me of what it felt like to read as a teen.” – MARY LYSiNGER FRENCH TEACHER AND CHAIR OF THE LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT
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FACULTY FOCUS
Rochelle Edwards HUMANiTiES DEPARTMENT CHAiR
what are your goals as the new humanities Department Chair? My goals for the department are to foster a collegial and collaborative environment while ensuring that the department is offering students a skills-based curriculum and a diverse set of electives that cover a variety of topics and disciplines under the umbrella of humanities.
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Inspiring young minds is the most powerful weapon I have to help change the world.”
why humanities? what inspired you to become a humanities teacher? In my classroom I have a quote from Nelson Mandela displayed: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” After more than a decade of practicing law and working in corporate America, I came to realize that inspiring young minds is the most powerful weapon I have to help change the world.
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how do your students inspire you? My students inspire me with their many talents and their ability to do so many things so well and to get it all done. Many of them are juggling their studies along with participating in sports, student clubs, the arts, and many other interests. I am also inspired by the obstacles I witness them overcome on a daily basis. We ask a lot of our students, and sometimes I think we forget how young they are.
Diana Fernandes HEALTH DEPARTMENT CHAiR
what are your goals as the new health Department Chair? My goal is to create a student experience that fosters a love for wellness in all forms. Through our curriculum, I believe students will learn lifelong skills and develop the tools to make confident decisions regarding their well-being. I want students to value themselves and to appreciate the benefits of movement. Like the passionate members of our department, I want our classes to reflect our students’ interests, to be a space to stretch their muscles (literally and figuratively), and of course to be a place to have fun.
why health? what inspired you to become a health teacher? Surprisingly, I wasn’t always a health and physical education teacher, but I returned to school to earn my second degree because I was fascinated by how the body and mind work. My students have heard me say health is amazing because it’s every day!
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Health is incredibly important to me, and what I love most is that one size does not fit all.”
The decisions we make affect how we feel physically and mentally, and they can affect how we make others feel. Health is incredibly important to me, and what I love most is that one size does not fit all. There are different exercises, opinions and practices that can make an individual healthy, and I knew that was something I wanted to teach others.
how do your students inspire you? We have the most incredible students. It’s difficult not to be in awe of them. They inspire me daily with their passion and their willingness to learn. Similar to health, NA students are always evolving. They are strong individuals who always want to know more and who push themselves out of their comfort zones – and they inspire me to do the same. I consider myself very lucky to teach and connect with such amazing students.
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Newark Academy Welcomes New Trustees Ajay Dhankhar, Current Parent Ajay and his wife Nidhi have two sons; one, Riann ’21, is at NA, while the other, Ishan, is in 8th grade at Far Hills Country Day School. Ajay serves on the Strategic Planning Committee of the NA Board of Trustees. Since 1997, Ajay has been a senior partner with McKinsey & Company. With a background in computer science and biochemistry, Ajay leads McKinsey’s work on research and development with pharmaceutical and medical products companies. He has helped leading healthcare companies across North America, Europe and Asia increase research and development productivity by enhancing discipline, performance management and creativity. Ajay has also worked closely with clients to forge value-creating mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures, including management of large post-merger integrations. Previously, Ajay was a teaching fellow in the Biochemistry Department at Yale University. He holds a Ph.D. and M.Phil. in molecular biophysics and biochemistry from Yale, and a B.S. in physics and computer science from Angelo State University.
Mae Hacking, Parent, NAPA Representative to the Board Mae and her husband, Alex, have two children at NA, Nick ’24 and Millie ’26. Upon joining the community in 2017, Mae immediately jumped into volunteer leadership by serving on the NAPA Executive Board. During the 2018-19 school year she served as vice-president/president-elect, and she assumed her duties as president of NAPA in July 2019. Mae holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She and her family reside in Chatham. In addition to leading NAPA, Mae is a member of the Board of Trustees’ Constituent Relations Subcommittee of the Advancement Committee.
Valerie Radwaner Virany, Current Parent Valerie and her husband, Steve, have a son, Josh ’22, at NA. Valerie is deputy chair of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, and is a member of the firm’s Management Committee, working with the chair of the firm to develop, oversee and implement the firm’s strategic priorities. Val has extensive experience representing major corporations, financial institutions, hedge funds and private equity sponsors. She has been involved in representing clients in a wide range of industries, with a particular focus on the fashion, retail and luxury brand sectors. She is a member of the Global Advisory Board of the Women in Law Empowerment Forum and sits on the Thomson Reuters Women’s Transformative Leadership Advisory Board. Val was profiled in LEADERS magazine’s January 2018 “Women Leaders” edition. She is also a member of the 30% Club and serves on the Northeast Board of Directors of the Israel Tennis Centers Foundations. She earned her B.A. from Brandeis University, magna cum laude, and her J.D. from New York University School of Law. Val serves on the Finance Committee of the NA Board of Trustees.
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Fostering a Sense of Belonging newark academy Creates two new affinity groups for na families How Newark Academy fosters a sense of belonging once members of the community are in the building is one of the key points in the 2019 – 2023 Strategic Plan, and a priority for the school. Toward that end, NA continues to implement new diversity and inclusion initiatives that motivate the school’s growing – and diverse – community to have thoughtful discussions and connect with one another. Strengthening Newark Academy Family Networks Last year, Director of Equity and Inclusion Gardy Guiteau, Newark Academy Parents Association (NAPA) President Mae Hacking and Chair of the NAPA Engagement Committee Nino Badridze attended Far Brook School’s third annual diversity conference for New Jersey independent schools, titled “From Attending to Belonging: Reimagining Independent Schools for our Intersectional Communities.” To say that the three left the conference motivated and inspired is an understatement. The focus of the conference “naturally resonated with one of NAPA’s most prominent goals of fostering the sense of belonging to the Newark Academy community,” Nino says. “The discussions reaffirmed our commitment to continue working on supporting our diverse community in meaningful ways.” And thus, two new affinity groups were born at NA: LGBTQ+ Families and Allies, and First-Generation Immigrant Families and Friends.
MORE THAN JUST A NAME a few years ago, student members of the gay-straight alliance began discussing the possibility of changing the group’s name to gender sexuality alliance (gsa) – a change that was finalized last year. “the goal was to give the group a name that was more inclusive and better represented its membership: not only students who identify as gay or who are allies, but also those who identify across the LgbtQ+ spectrum,” gsa advisor David beckman says. while the group can hold the same acronym of gsa, the name change is in line with a trend among schools nationally to move away from the formerly common “gay-straight alliance” model. “we have the opportunity to speak to a larger community,” says gardy guiteau, director of equity and inclusion.
Working with the Office of Equity and Inclusion, the NAPA Engagement Committee explored new ways to help parents connect with each other by creating events that accommodate various interests and schedules. In October, NAPA organized two dinners for NA families. The LGBTQ+ Families and Allies Dinner provided an opportunity for families to learn about ongoing initiatives aimed at supporting and celebrating NA’s LGBTQ+ students and families, and those who act as allies. Additionally, the First-Generation Immigrant Families and Friends Dinner brought together
NA’s families who moved to the United States relatively recently. NAPA “strives to be a resource for all of our constituents, to help them successfully navigate their Newark Academy journey,” says Nino. “By supporting parents and fostering a sense of belonging, NAPA helps strengthen the dynamic Newark Academy community, whose ultimate goal is to provide our children with the best possible educational experiences as well as inspiring them on their journeys to becoming their best selves.”
UPPER SCHOOL iDENTiTY-BASED AFFiNiTY GROUPS recognizing the need for students to connect with, and support, one another – and the benefits that result from those connections – na’s office of equity and inclusion is launching several identity-based affinity groups in the upper school this year, including na students of Color and young men of na. these groups will provide opportunities for the school to support students with positive social identity development and will raise awareness of how social group memberships impact students’ perceptions of and interactions with one another. for more information, please visit www.newarka.edu/equityprograms. 21
NA NEWS
A Priceless Experience Former Newark Academy parents Bruce and Ilene Jacobs wanted to give students the ability to gain exposure to, and familiarity with, a prudent approach to investing. Motivated by Bruce’s own passion for investing – which ultimately became a career in managing portfolios for endowments, foundations and retirement funds – the Jacobses gave a generous donation to NA in August 2000 to establish the Bruce Jacobs Student-Managed Endowment Fund. The fund is now managed each year by a group of students who gain insight into the world of finance and investment through experiential learning. Meeting quarterly, the group of students – known as the Student Endowment Committee – is supervised by NA Director of Business and Finance Sam Goldfischer. The Bruce Jacobs Fund has allowed students to gain familiarity with the capital markets and to gain investment experience in managing an endowment or personal portfolio using a variety of low-cost index funds (including various stock and bond funds) at the Vanguard Group. Additionally, income from the Jacobs’ gift is used to support various school activities related to economics and investments, such as a field trip to the New York Stock Exchange and a subscription to the Wall Street Journal. A Seat at the Table Thanks to what Sam refers to as “some real movers and shakers,” the student group has thrived, growing the endowment by
2.5 times, with several students standing out through the years. One of these was Christopher Davis ’12, who joined the club while still in Middle School after a suggestion from a faculty advisor. For Christopher, the opportunity was invaluable. “I had a literal seat at the table, because the top one or two people from the Student Endowment Committee had to present to the Investment Committee of the Newark Academy Board of Trustees,” he says. “Talk about a total confidence builder. If you can handle those questions from very senior, very talented investment professionals, that is just a phenomenal experience because making a presentation to an investment committee is
Members of the 2019 Student Endowment Committee discussing investment strategies
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staying ConneCteD to our roots through Community serViCe for most of newark academy’s 245-year history, students from the city of newark filled the halls of the school’s three campuses there. since 1964, when na relocated to Livingston, our community has continued to welcome students from its founding city and to remain connected through community service efforts. This year, the Community Service Council launched a new initiative to further strengthen NA’s community service efforts in Newark. One component of this initiative is to continue to Spencer Glassman ’19 and Koby Cohen ’20
build and strengthen NA’s partnerships with organizations based there, such as the Apostles’ House, which provides comprehensive social services to at-risk individuals and
a mid-to-late career responsibility for most people who go into finance.” Christopher, who graduated from Columbia University, is now a partner at Hudson Value Partners, a New York-based value investment boutique that he recently started with his father.
families in Essex County. This partnership is a perfect entry point for larger conversations about maintaining connections to NA’s roots. “It gives us a chance to focus on what sustainable connections look like and fosters intentional discussions about our responsibility to the city of Newark,” says Director of Community Service
Valuable Training
Sarah Fischer. “Strengthening our connections with key part-
Zach Burd ’19 also recognizes the value of the Student Endowment Committee as a primer for college and the world of finance. A freshman at Duke University, Zach plans to major in economics with a concentration in finance, aiming for a career on Wall Street. Zach has already learned the basic ins and outs of the financial markets, from industry jargon to the pros and cons of portfolio relocation.
ners like the Apostles’ House versus following a model of
“My experience on the Student Endowment Committee was much more valuable than participating in a stock market game or finance simulation because what we did mattered – we were controlling vast sums of real money for a real endowment, not playing with fake money,” Zach says. “Our meetings were consumed with long and heated debates over proposed transactions, in which club members needed to be able to defend their point of view from the probing questions of other members.”
trips to Newark as a way to offer more opportunities for the
Anish Nuni ’19, a freshman at the University of California, Berkeley, also realizes just how valuable this experience was for his educational and professional journey, providing connections in the finance industry. In presenting to the Board in May 2019, the students impressed Trustee Larry Wieseneck, who was then chair of the Finance Committee and who is co-president of Cowen and Company. Anish recalls, “Mr. Wieseneck was kind enough to allow Zach and me to visit his company for a day to meet people working in different areas of investment banking.”
one-time events complements NA’s approach of ‘doing with’ versus ‘doing for’ a community and corresponds with the understanding of service as one component of the social justice work being done on campus.” Additionally, three of the Field Trip Day trips for the junior class this year were two locations in Newark. “Together, we are working with various NA groups and classes to encourage field NA community to get to know Newark beyond a service framework,” Sarah says.
NEWARK ACADEMY AND THE APOSTLES’ HOUSE: A PARTNERSHiP TO CELEBRATE n
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before the 2019 – 20 school year even began, na students, faculty and staff demonstrated their generosity of spirit and collected 36 cases of water that were donated to the apostles’ house to help those affected by newark’s lead water crisis. na hosts the annual apostles’ house holiday Party for families in December. the office of Community service is developing a mentoring program with residents of the apostles’ house through the organization’s transitional housing Program. na will host the annual family Picnic for apostles’ house families on april 25, 2020.
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NA NEWS
A STEMtastic Summer for newark academy students During the summer of 2019, more than 40 Upper School students participated in a variety of STEM-related programs. These exciting opportunities included the following: n n n
Participating in internships and mentorships at Rutgers University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, and NYU. Shadowing physicians in area hospitals Interning at local corporations focused on artificial intelligence
Above: Molly Cantillon ’21 participated in the GSTEM summer program offered through NYU’s Courant institute of Mathematical Sciences. Left: Warren Sunada-Wong ’20 (second from right) took part in a summer program at New Jersey Governor’s School of Engineering & Technology.
uPComing gLobaL sPeakers the newark academy community is looking forward to welcoming two guest speakers to campus in spring 2020 as part of the global speaker series. JOHN BUL DAU | JANUARY 16, 2020 | MiDDLE SCHOOL John Bul Dau (also known as Dhieu-Deng Leek) is one of the Lost Boys of Sudan who was featured in the 2006 award-winning documentary God Grew Tired of Us. He is a father and a human rights activist for the people of South Sudan. DR. BENEDETTA BERTi | MARCH 6, 2020 | ALL SCHOOL Dr. Benedetta Berti is a foreign policy and security researcher, analyst, consultant, author and lecturer. Her work focuses on armed groups and internal wars, analyzing the impact of insecurity on civilians and studying how more peaceful and resilient communities can be built. Dr. Berti currently serves as head of policy planning in the Office of the Secretary General at NATO. for more information on both speakers, please visit www.newarka.edu/global
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Empowering Student Leaders BY JEFF VINIKOOR
In
and out of the classroom,
on the field and onstage, newark academy empowers its students to lead. the school’s curricular and extracurricular programs seek to ensure that all students develop the qualities they will need to be effective leaders – now and long into the future – through a focus on skill development that extends far beyond what one might find at a typical school, where leadership is often seen as the domain of students serving on student government or organizing club activities. the dedication and innovation of na’s faculty and coaches help students become young adults who are not only driven to contribute to their communities but also practiced in inspiring others to join them. here we highlight three of the many ways in which lessons in leadership come alive on campus.
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NA NEWS
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Leaders make the people around them better.” – LOU SCERRA, NA TENNiS COACH
Tennis Greats “We over me.” Three simple words, the mantra of the boys’ varsity tennis team last year, reflect a key aspect of the coaching philosophy of tennis coach Lou Scerra. Lou’s approach seeks to help his players develop more than just a powerful serve; he wants them to develop the skills of leadership – of listening to others, of putting team before self, and of acquitting oneself with character and grace. These, says Lou, are lifelong skills that will lead to success on and off the court. “Leaders make the people around them better,” reflects Lou, who, in addition to coaching girls’ and boys’ tennis, teaches English, serves as NA’s director of institutional strategy and research, and recently earned his M.B.A. from Duke University with a concentration in leadership and ethics. “There’s a misplaced notion that high school tennis is an individual sport,” he says. “We work hard to reframe the tennis experience as one that prioritizes teamwork and collective growth.”
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all players must see themselves as leaders – every practice, every performance. no one can shirk that responsibility and try to blend in with the crowd.” – JULiUS TOLENTiNO, NA JAZZ DiRECTOR
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The team’s outstanding record reflects the impact of Lou’s philosophy. Last year, the team went 23–3, winning the conference, county and state titles; they ended the season ranked second in the state of New Jersey. While Lou is rightfully proud of the team’s tournament successes, he is equally proud of the ways in which his players have embraced the title and role of leader.
Major Intervals To jazz musician and NA Jazz Director Julius Tolentino, leadership and musicianship go hand in hand. “Students and adults often think leaders are the most outspoken people in a group,” says Julius. “I try to foster leaders that first think of inclusion, listening to their fellow musicians and encouraging everyone’s strengths.” Real leaders, he notes, ensure that everyone’s voice is heard. “The star of the band is the band,” he tells his students.
Julius’ approach to student leadership development has attracted the attention of educators far beyond the band room at NA. In August 2019, he presented his philosophy of leadership development to Newark Academy’s varsity sports coaches, offering a profound yet simple message: “All players must see themselves as leaders – every practice, every performance. No one can shirk that responsibility and try to blend in with the crowd.” In February, Julius will deliver a keynote address on the same topic at the Jazz Outreach Initiative’s national conference in Las Vegas.
consecutive years, Chameleon has placed first at the New Jersey Association for Jazz Education Band Competition. While Julius credits much of the group’s success to his players’ technical skills, he is quick to point out that it rests equally on the leadership skills students practice every time they pick up their instruments.
Under Julius’s directorship, Chameleon, NA’s elite jazz band, has qualified to compete five times in Essentially Ellington, the national competition of high-school jazz bands, placing second in the nation in 2018. For 10
‘‘ Leading Everyday Middle School Principal Tom Ashburn knows that leadership is something early adolescents both yearn for from others and seek to exercise themselves. “Middle-school-aged kids want boundaries,” reflects Tom, “but they also want to have a say in shaping those boundaries. When we give them that say, when we make them leaders, the entire community benefits.” The 8th Grade Community Leadership Day is one of the ways that eighth graders at NA – often the de facto leaders in the Middle School – learn the importance of leadership and the ways in which they can and must be leaders. Throughout the day, students not only explore concepts of community, leadership and service but also develop the skills of advocacy, empathy and teamwork.
middle-school-aged kids want boundaries, but they also want to have a say in shaping those boundaries. when we give them they say, when we make them leaders, the entire community benefits.” – TOM ASHBURN MiDDLE SCHOOL PRiNCiPAL
Each year, the day is full of engaging work. In the morning, students participate in simulations and roleplay activities. In the afternoon, small groups complete service projects on campus. “It is such a joy to have time for deep conversations about why community matters and to give students the opportunity to practice leadership,” reflects science teacher and 8th Grade Team Leader Rachael Reeves, who helps organize the day each year. “Students have a lot of fun,” she says, “but more than that, they learn that they can lead in myriad ways – from standing up for others, to supporting younger students, to doing what’s right even when no one is watching.”
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UPCOMiNG ARTS EVENTS the arts Department offers a number of events throughout the year for newark academy’s budding artists to showcase their passions for singing, dancing, acting, playing musical instruments, painting, and more. Discover what makes our students and the na arts program so special by attending one or more of these upcoming events. aLL eVents at newark aCaDemy unLess otherwise noteD.
grade 6 works-in-Progress instrumental and Choral Concert Thursday, December 19, 4:30 p.m. middle school mini musical: the wizard of oz Monday, January 13, 7:00 p.m. 13th annual newark academy Community art exhibit: figuratively speaking January 15 – February 13 Reception: Tuesday, January 21, 2:30 p.m.
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upper school orchestra and Chamber Concert Sunday, January 12, 7:00 p.m.
upper school spring Choral Concert Wednesday, April 15, 7:30 p.m.
upper school Choral Cabaret Saturday, May 2 7:00 p.m.
24-hour Playwriting festival Friday, January 24, 7:30 p.m.
ib/advanced acting evening of theater Friday, April 24, 7:30 p.m.
upper school spring instrumental Concert Date TBD
winter musical Thursday – Saturday, February 27 – 29, 7:30 p.m. Bickford Theatre at The Morris Museum
middle school evening of the arts Thursday, April 30 Art Reception: 6:00 p.m. Concert: 7:00 p.m.
middle school Play Thursday & Friday, May 7 – 8, 7:00 p.m.
evening of Jazz for newtown Friday, April 3, 7:30 p.m. Bickford Theatre at The Morris Museum
spring Dance Concert Thursday, May 21, 7:30 p.m. Bickford Theatre at The Morris Museum
NA NEWS
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ATHLETiCS
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I believe that a rising tide lifts all boats, and that should be the case here.”
Newark Academy Welcomes Director of Athletics John Amosa after 25 years in jobs that have taken him all over the world, newark academy Director of athletics John amosa finally feels like he’s home. sure, he is a world away from his native new Zealand, but his wife, Jennifer, grew up in the garden state. and with their grade-school-aged children Carter and eden getting older, the amosas saw the value of settling in new Jersey.
John takes on this leadership role at NA after serving five years as director of athletics at Atlanta International School. His prior experience also includes work as director of athletics at the American International School of Johannesburg in South Africa and as a regional director for USA Rugby. John earned a B.A. in English and history from the University of Auckland in New Zealand and an M.A.Ed. in educational leadership and athletic administration from Michigan State University. He is a certified athletic administrator and also holds a Certificate of International School Leadership
from the Principals’ Training Center in Miami. John played professional rugby internationally and is also a former teacher and department chair. With his global perspective, his knowledge of athletic administration, his understanding of team dynamics, and his work in both academics and student life, John brings a unique set of skills and experiences to NA. “We can put lots of different things in place to make sure that our students have a quality experience here at the school,” he says.
John recognizes that NA is an educational institution first, and he views all sports in an equal manner. “The promotion of the athletic program shouldn’t be on the shoulders of one sport. It should be spread across the school, spread across the community, and spread across all sports,” John says. “I believe that a rising tide lifts all boats, and that should be the case here. As one team is really successful, we celebrate that, inspiring other teams to be as successful.”
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Fall 2019 was another strong season for Minuteman Athletics as teams added trophies to the cases and rewrote the record books. n
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The varsity boys’ cross-country team won the Non-Public B State Title for the second straight year. The varsity girls’ cross-country team tied for first place in the American Division of Super Essex Conference for the first time since 2010. The varsity girls’ soccer team had one of the best seasons in more than a decade under first-year coach Scott Rowling. They won the 2019 SEC Liberty Division Championship, their first conference title since 2011, and made it to the Prep B Finals for the first time in school history. Varsity girls’ tennis team members Joyce Wang ’20 (captain) and Melanie Kramarchuk ’22 won the Essex County Girls’ Tennis Doubles Title. The varsity girls’ tennis team won the NJSIAA Non-Public B North Sectional Title for the seventh consecutive year.
Boys’ Varsity Tennis Team Spring 2019 Accomplishments It was a senior sweep for NA at the NJSIAA singles and doubles boys’ tennis Tournament of Champions with Alex Kotzen ’19 winning the singles title and Aaron Ramos ’19 and Drew Flanagan ’19 winning the doubles title. Alex was also named NJ.com’s boys’ tennis Player of the Year for 2019 and is currently ranked 75th nationally as a freshman at Columbia University.
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Celebrating each other school spirit is about more than just wearing school colors. it is about encouraging bonds between all community members and supporting one another in the classroom, on the stage and on the field. this year, the student Council has made school spirit a focus and is working with all members of the community to actively promote na Pride.
“The School Council is committed to sponsoring initiatives and events that simply brighten up people’s days,” says School Council President Sophia Ludtke ’20. “With Morning Meetings in the gym this year as opposed to the auditorium, which is under renovation [see page 33], it literally feels like we have a bigger space to fill, and it is our hope to fill that space with as much spirit and energy as possible. We will definitely continue to do what we can to support both athletics and the arts, helping to promote events and encouraging students and teachers to come out and support one another.”
The NA Athletic Department has used social media as an important tool for connecting students, parents, faculty, staff and alumni with the latest NA athletics news. (See page 32 for a list of Minuteman social media channels.) Regular posts include previews of upcoming athletic seasons, announcements of games of the week, and features honoring players and teams of the week. “Athletics play an important role in how school spirit is ‘bumped’ up,” says Director of Athletics John Amosa.
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get the full rundown of athletic news, scores and game schedules for the winter season at www.newarka.edu Join the conversation! twitter: @na_minutemen instagram: @na_minutemen facebook: @gonaminutemen
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A DVA N C E M E N T
Debu uting g in Summerr 2020
The Corraci Perfor o maance Hall
The Newark Academy Hard Hats Have Returned The unmistakable sights and sounds of construction returned to campus in June 2019 as work began on the transformation of the auditorium – the heart of Newark Academy – into the Coraci Performance Hall.
Serving as the home for Morning Meetings and a place for NA students to shine as budding artists, the renovated space will include expanded seating capacity, updated backstage spaces, and modern acoustics, lighting and theatrical technology. The project is supported by gifts to Rise & Flourish: The Campaign for Newark Academy and is the final project funded by the Campaign.
Theater crews of years past left their marks (literally) in the auditorium. During construction on the Coraci Performance Hall, signatures emerged behind the scenes where old catwalks once were.
Construction continues on the interior space with new piping, sprinklers, fire doors, fireproof glass and an HVAC system. Crews have also started to tackle the new lobby footing to expand the auditorium on the current front patio.
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A DVA N C E M E N T
GIVING, GROWING, THRIVING For six consecutive years, 100 percent of Newark Academy’s faculty and staff have made gifts to the Annual Fund. Small and large, these gifts not only help to enhance all aspects of the school but also symbolize the confidence that faculty and staff members have in the Newark Academy mission and experience. Everyone has their own reasons for giving. Whether it’s to support professional development opportunities, financial aid, academic programs, state-of-the-art technology, the arts or athletics, or other extracurricular opportunities, each gift matters and each gift plants a seed for the success of students, faculty and staff.
Learn more about why faculty and staff give to the Newark Academy Annual Fund at www.newarka.edu/giving/parent-support.
“I give because education isn’t a one-size-fits-all commodity. We need to meet each child where they’re coming from educationally to be the best teachers we can be.” – Benson Hawk, Humanities Teacher “I give because of the kindness I experienced as a new faculty member from all the members of the NA community.” – Nick Manfreda, Mathematics Teacher “For me, it’s simple. I give because together I believe we can make a difference.” – Deb Tavares, Science Teacher “Why give to the Annual Fund? The greatness of our community is measured by the compassion of our faculty and staff, which makes it such a wonderful place to be employed.” – Eileen Petrillo, Accounts Payable
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NA’s Entrepreneurs and Innovative Thinkers Make Their Mark
Newark Academy may be one of the nation’s oldest independent schools, but since its inception in 1774 it has been guided by the forward-thinking values of inclusiveness and engagement with the larger world. Far from an ivory tower, in the 1800s NA was unique among its peer schools for offering classes in trade and business; it even established a division for young women long
By Jessica Lubow
before becoming fully co-educational in 1972.
Today, NA’s tradition of innovation in education continues. As an International Baccalaureate (IB) school, NA exposes its students to a truly global curriculum at the highest levels of intellectual inquiry. All students participate in a required immersion experience, and seniors spend their final weeks engaged in off-campus projects, often finding inspiration that will spark their future career choices. As Director of Studies Jeff Vinikoor explains, NA students learn to take risks both in their classes and in their extracurricular activities: “Whether they are pushing through intellectual barriers in an IB discussion or designing preseason training routines as team captains, NA promotes creativity and independent thinking in all aspects of our students’ lives.” With its long history of looking out at the world in which its students will ultimately make their way, perhaps it is no surprise that NA’s alumni family counts so many entrepreneurial and innovative thinkers among its ranks. ❯❯❯
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NIHAL MEHTA
ihal Mehta ’95 has founded five technology-
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based start-ups since graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1999. Two of these
thrived and were eventually purchased by larger companies, but it was the three that failed that have helped make Nihal the successful businessperson he is today.
For the past ten years, Nihal and his three business partners, friends since their college days, have been at the helm of Eniac Ventures. The company was named for the first computer, a roomsized behemoth built for the military in the 1940s and originally housed at UPenn. The original ENIAC machine may seem like a dinosaur by contemporary standards, but it was highly innovative for its time, embodying the best of that day’s technology – much like the start-ups Nihal works with at Eniac Ventures. Start-ups are dependent on investors to help them get off the ground, but Nihal sees his venture capital company as far more than a source of funding for its clients. “My partners and I have been in the trenches, founding companies ourselves,” he explains. “We have developed scar tissue from our failures, and best practices from our successes, so we know how to guide a new company through the early stages of business development all the way to that crystallizing moment when their idea takes shape and they’re launched.” Nihal is energized by working with a company in the “seed stage,” when it is securing its first round of funding and is constantly evolving, reacting to the market’s demands and morphing into a business with real prospects for success.
PARTNERSHIP The success of any business is 90 percent about the team.”
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Eniac works almost exclusively with technology companies, many of which have a
‘‘
The team has to balance each other out. They need people with technical expertise to develop the best possible product, but they also need someone with charisma.”
marketing focus, much like Nihal’s own early enterprises. His ideal client, he says, is a team of founders who have already been through a start-up, failed, and come
In fact, this is exactly the dynamic at Eniac,
raising money and hiring staff,” he says.
back with a new idea – collaboratively.
where Nihal and his partners recently
“My ability to work with a variety of con-
“The success of any business is 90 per-
retained a coach to help them work even
stituents on very different tasks is some-
cent about the team,” he says. “A start-up
better as a team. “My partners and I have
thing I learned in high school, and it has
has to make so many changes in the early
been together for a long time, so we felt
stuck with me ever since.”
stages; they might evolve into something
we could benefit from some outside per-
totally different from the original vision as
spective,” he says. “The coach helped each
they learn what will work in the market-
of us identify our ‘superpower,’ from the
place, but the constant that holds it all
extroverted networker (that’s me), to the
together are the people at the helm.”
diligent spreadsheet guru, the portfolio
Nihal believes that a company with a
manager, and the computer science whiz.”
diverse leadership team from a variety of backgrounds has the greatest potential for success. “The team has to balance each other out. They need people with technical expertise to develop the best possible product, but they also need someone with charisma.”
As proud as Nihal is of his successful partnership with his Eniac co-founders, he knows he has partnered at least as well in
As Nihal reflects on his career so far, he recognizes that despite his technical expertise and engineering background, it is the “softer skills” he has developed that account for much of his success. “At Newark Academy, I was involved in so many different activities,” he recalls. “I got an amazing education, but it was the hours after school from 2:30 to 9 p.m. working on the Minuteman, serving as
his personal life. His wife, Reshma Saujani,
captain of the cross country team and
founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, was
playing in the band that were the most
NA’s Commencement speaker this past
formative in the long run.” These activities
June (see page 4). Nihal recalls receiving a
taught him more about leadership and
call from Head of School Don Austin, who
motivation than he could have learned in
asked him to prepare some remarks for the
a classroom. “As cross country captain I
ceremony. “When I realized what he really
had to inspire dozens of people to follow
wanted was for me to offer a two-minute
a single direction; this is what successful
introduction and then step aside, I had to
companies do every day.”
laugh. As I’ve always known, partnering with someone incredible can bring you
Nihal especially values the culture at NA
places you could never go on your own.”
that was never about pigeon-holing students into being good at just one thing. “In my early start-up ventures I was responsible for everything from coding to sales to
Nihal and his wife, Reshma, their son, Shaan, and dog, Stanley.
NEWARK ACADEMY
37
alter Schubert’s ’75 student days at
W
Newark Academy are more than 40 years behind him now, but he still sees
himself as a Minuteman, always ready to fight for what
WALTER SCHUBERT
matters. In 1994, Walter made history by becoming the first openly gay member of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). In fact, he was one of just a handful of openly gay professionals working in the financial services industry at the time. Walter’s coming out was not only a personal revelation: he made sure it was an awakening for Wall Street culture at large.
In 1994, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was more than just the official policy of the U.S. military; it was the culture of most institutions in the country when it came to sexual orientation, and Wall Street was no exception. On the surface, Walter appeared to be the ultimate Wall Street insider, a dyed-in-the-wool member of its white, male, heterosexual culture. At the age of 21, Walter had become the youngest member of the NYSE, inheriting his seat from his father, whose unexpected death sent the family reeling. “I became the main breadwinner for my mother and my college-aged siblings,” he recalls. “We had household bills and tuition to pay, and I was driven to fill the void left by my dad.” For the next 15 years, Walter worked diligently to live up to his father’s legacy and, in the process, created one of his own, building a hugely successful broker-dealer business with more than $10
TRUE
million in annual revenue. But somewhere along the way, he realized he had been ignoring a big part of his identity, and his denial was starting to take a personal toll. “As I entered my mid-thirties, I realized not only that I was gay, but that there was so much about my entire identity I had yet to explore,” he says. The single-minded focus of his early career gave way to more introspection, and Walter resolved to speak openly. “Before coming out, I talked to my closest friends in the industry, and every one of them advised me not to do it,” Walter recalls. “They told me coming out would ruin my career. But as the ‘insider’ I appeared to be, I felt even more responsibility to be honest about who I really was – and if that made me a lightning rod, so be it.”
When people are accepted and appreciated for who they are, they are in a better position to thrive professionally as well as personally.”
Soon after coming out, Walter gathered his employees and told them he would understand if they chose to leave the company. “Being openly gay on Wall Street was uncharted territory, and if people were worried that we would lose customers, I wanted to give them the option to leave with the understanding that I would welcome them back at any time.” After coming out, Schubert found renewed energy for his work. He was driven to rise above anyone’s doubt and to prove the value of his company (and of himself) through grit and determination.
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The GFN thrived from the start. By early 2000, the company was valued at $25 million, and Walter seriously considered accepting a lucrative opportunity to sell the business. GFN’s success gave other gay entrepreneurs the boost they needed to create like-minded organizations. Walter went on to serve as the first board member of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. Unfortunately, the technology bubble was soon to burst, and Walter had to rely on his own funding to see the company through the next several years. Always a fighter, he stayed in the ring with GFN Working against the backdrop of his newly
plan for their futures – while being trans-
public gay identity got Walter thinking
parent about their personal circumstances.
about the many ways the culture of Wall Street was limiting financial opportunities not just for the gay community but for everyone. “In 1994 there were 1,253 pieces of legislation pertaining to personal finance,” he observes, “and not one of them employed a term other than ‘husband,’ ‘wife,’ or ‘spouse.’” Walter saw that, when it came to investing, protecting and transferring assets, gay and lesbian employees and their partners were being left out of the conversation.
through an unforgiving economic landscape and through several personal bouts with cancer, but in 2008 he decided to
“When people are accepted and appreci-
close the company and turn his focus
ated for who they are, they are in a better
toward healing, advocacy and mentorship.
position to thrive professionally as well as
“In many ways, cancer has given me an
personally,” Walter says. He knew that if
opportunity to pare down my life to the
employers could recognize this, it would be
essentials and live my deepest values,” he
a victory for both sides. “I met with senior
says. “Each day, I strive to share the gifts
management at all the major banks and
of my professional and personal experi-
made the business case that participating
ence with the next generation of entrepre-
in the GFN would be a boost for their
neurs, advocates and seekers.”
employees’ productivity and would expand their client base at the same time.” Not only did the banks agree, but soon the very
In 1998, Walter combined his long-standing
NYSE members who had been so skeptical
interest in technology, his deep under-
about Walter publicly identifying as a gay
standing of investing, and his new passion
man became the most ardent supporters
for advocacy within the gay community to
of his new venture. “They may not have
launch the Gay Financial Network (GFN),
understood me on a personal level, but they
a digital platform where people could turn
knew I was smart about technology and
for expert advice on asset management.
investing, that I had the ear of a large and
Now there was a place for gay profession-
powerful gay community, and that combin-
als to connect with gay-friendly bankers,
ing these elements together would create
lawyers, brokers and accountants – all the
something new and important in the finan-
professional service providers they needed
cial services marketplace. They wanted in!”
Walter is a life-long learner, a trait he traces back to his NA days. His interests include history, poetry, astrophysics and Buddhism, and these intellectual and spiritual pursuits have given his life great depth and meaning. Reflecting on his triumphs and challenges, Walter remains optimistic that gay citizens and businesspeople will continue their journey toward greater equality and prosperity.
to grow and protect their assets and to
‘‘
…they knew I was smart about technology and investing, that I had the ear of a large and powerful gay community, and that combining these elements together would create something new and important in the financial services marketplace.”
NEWARK ACADEMY
39
ANDREW MARTINO
artender,’ was not the first job my mother
“‘B
wanted to see on my resume, but it helped pay the bills in college,” says
Andrew Martino. Not only did his first job have practical benefits, but it ultimately led Andrew to his passion, reimagining the restaurant business for today’s consumer.
Andrew’s journey through the hospitality industry began just after he graduated from Syracuse University in 2006, when a friend needed help with her family business on New Jersey’s Long Beach Island. “It was supposed to be a summer job to tide me over until I figured out my next move,” he recalls. “But the restaurant had recently changed ownership and it turned out to be a great opportunity for a rookie like me to grow and learn in a place that was open to new ideas.” Andrew helped with hiring and training staff, improving the quality of service, and ultimately opening an outdoor bar that brought a new energy to the historic venue. “I had a lot of responsibility at a very young age,” he says, “but I learned so many aspects of the business – from service, to construction, to the operation of a kitchen. I was really thrown into the deep end but I loved it, and the summer soon turned into six years.” 2012 brought Superstorm Sandy to the New Jersey coast, and Long Beach Island was hit particularly hard. “This was a regrouping moment for me,” says Andrew. “The restaurant had to
TAKEOUT BUSINESS
close, my house was severely damaged, and I needed to make a change.” He joined up with some friends heading to San Diego and took his hospitality experience to the West Coast. Andrew found success working his way up the ranks in a variety of bars and restaurants, and he eventually formed a consulting business, using his expertise to guide hospitality entrepreneurs on a successful path. “I worked with music venues, cocktail lounges, and restaurants of all varieties from casual dining to high-end,” he says. “The work was satisfying but non-stop, and
I was inspired by the concept of a group of friends gathered in someone’s home deciding what to order for dinner…”
I needed a break.” On a visit back to New Jersey, Andrew reconnected with a friend from his Long Beach Island days and the two are now married. “My wife, Giuliette, and I agreed that I would have to find a new opportunity back east, and I was happy to return to friends and family. I was also getting the urge to be my own boss,” he says. Andrew’s return to New Jersey also brought him back together with his former Newark Academy basketball teammates. “My
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high school team was very close,” he
there were technology-based solutions
recalls. “Many of us have stayed in touch,
to the challenges of inventory, ordering
and several of my teammates were in my
and payment, and if he could find a way
wedding party.”
to fuse his areas of expertise, he would really be on to something.
Andrew maintained his consulting business during his move back to New Jersey,
Andrew worked for his clients by day and
and his work with two particular clients
in the evenings began developing a busi-
got his wheels turning. “One was develop-
ness plan for his own budding venture – a
ing a fast-casual eatery, and the other was
takeout operation that would offer multi-
focused on food technology. It occurred
ple cuisines with a user-friendly ordering
did most of the build-out himself, and
to me that aspects of their businesses
and delivery system. “I was inspired by the
after nine months he was ready to roll out
could actually be combined to create
concept of a group of friends gathered in
his virtual fleet of food trucks. “The con-
something ground-breaking in the take-
someone’s home deciding what to order
cept behind Ghost Truck Kitchen is to
out food space.”
for dinner and trying to reconcile several
offer a limited number of items in a variety
competing ideas about what to eat,” he
of cuisines, as if you were at a park or on
recalls. “I wanted to find a way to bring the
a city street with multiple food trucks
food truck experience – a variety of
from which to choose,” he explains. “A
cuisines available in close proximity – into
family or a group of friends might not be
people’s living rooms.”
able to agree on one type of food to
During his years in San Diego, Andrew spent time with a technology start-up that was pioneering a paperless hiring system. He was intrigued by the efficiencies this platform had to offer, and he
Ghost Truck Kitchen, Jersey City, NJ
order, but if there’s somewhere they can
thought a lot about how he could lever-
One leap of faith and a Kickstarter cam-
age the paperless concept in the restau-
paign later, Andrew signed a lease on a
rant industry. He was convinced that
Jersey City space that needed work. He
(virtually) ‘go’ together and each get what they want, it’s a win for all.” Andrew offers organic, antibiotic-free meats and vegetables cooked to order
‘‘
and packaged in sustainable materials. In
I wanted to find a way to bring the food truck experience – a variety of cuisines available in close proximity – into people’s living rooms.”
fact, he takes his preparations one step further, not only testing recipes for taste but also putting them through the “30minute bag test.” He explains: “If a dish has to sit in its takeout package for an average of thirty minutes before it’s in the customer’s hands, I want to make sure it can stand up to that reality. We sell food that is expertly prepared, tastes great, and holds up to the delays inherent in the takeout environment.” For now, Andrew operates out of just one kitchen, but as he continues to experiment with different “trucks,” seasonal offerings, and all the ways he can tailor the takeout experience to his customers’ desires, another Ghost Truck Kitchen just may appear in a neighborhood near you.
NEWARK ACADEMY
41
EMILY LI MANDRI
mily Li Mandri ’05 first heard the call to create
E
in faculty member Jay Torson’s art studio as a freshman at Newark Academy. “Painting was my
first creative outlet,” she recalls. Emily pursued the visual arts throughout her time at NA but surprised her friends and teachers by choosing to attend Johns Hopkins University and to follow a pre-med path while majoring in art history. While there, though, Emily found she missed the studio art classes she had so enjoyed before. She enrolled in a local art school in Baltimore, where she experimented with new materials, ultimately making a series of silk-screened T-shirts that got her thinking about the possibility of combining art and business.
“I have always been an entrepreneur at heart,” Emily says. “As a teenager, I used to lifeguard, but I preferred being my own boss, so I began teaching swimming lessons instead. I had a similar feeling about my art: if I could create something I would wear, like that T-shirt, maybe I could scale it up into a business.” Soon, Emily’s business Natty Paint was born, and before she knew it,
DESIGNING
she was supporting herself financially with her T-shirt sales – a particular advantage for a college student graduating into the bleak job market of 2009. Emily loved the self-reliance her clothing business afforded her, and she soon branched out into a greater variety of items, ultimately creating a clothing line for the retailer Urban Outfitters and designing textiles for the women’s apparel company
I have always been an entrepreneur at heart.”
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‘‘
My accessories are all made-to-order. This allows me to operate with very little inventory. I am free to experiment with new designs, customize orders, and truly make the entire business a reflection of my own aesthetic.”
Coldwater Creek. These partnerships sus-
industry to pursue this new passion, and
do think my interest in color and texture,
tained her for a number of years, but as
she found great success designing web-
and the joy I get from working with my
her wholesale business grew, she learned
sites that significantly increased her
hands, must be connected somehow to
more about large-scale production and
clients’ online sales – in one case, even
this family legacy.”
found that many aspects of wholesale ran
doubling them. “Once again, I got the bug
counter to her values as an artist and a
to be my own boss in this new arena.”
with art at NA has shaped her career,
small businessperson. “There is a tremendous amount of fabric waste in the fashion industry, especially when you are creating products at a relatively high volume,” says Emily. This waste frustrated her, and the industry’s high return rate (nearly 30 percent) for online clothing sales meant that she had less control over her inventory than she had been accustomed to when her line was smaller and focused on just a few items. While Emily was managing her growing
Emily’s years in clothing design and sales
Emily notes that being exposed to media
had exposed her to the accessories busi-
like pottery and oil paint illuminated new
ness, which was leaner and less wasteful
creative paths. “At NA, art is very much a
on the production side and enjoys a sig-
part of the curriculum. Being held
nificantly lower return rate for online pur-
accountable for projects was new for me,
chases. MLE by Emily Antonian Li Mandri,
and my relationship with art became
the online accessories business Emily
more formal than the playful experiment-
launched in the fall of 2018, was her
ing I did as a child,” she says. That
opportunity to incorporate the many les-
increased rigor was taken to a new level
sons she learned in the fashion business
during an intensive summer experience
and marry those with her expertise in dig-
at the New Jersey Governor’s School, a
ital marketing and website design.
program for which she was nominated by her NA teachers. These formative experi-
wholesale business, she was also pursuing her M.B.A. at New York University, where she became particularly interested in digital marketing and e-commerce. In 2015, she took a step back from the fashion
Reflecting back on how her experience
“My accessories are all made-to-order,” Emily says. “This allows me to operate with very little inventory. I am free to
ences gave Emily an understanding that her art was worth taking seriously, a confidence that still fuels her work today.
experiment with new designs, customize orders, and truly make the entire business
Emily continues to consult with various
a reflection of my own aesthetic.” On the
digital marketing clients, a side venture
business side, she has deepened her
that allows her to learn about new indus-
knowledge of coding and takes great
tries while deepening her e-commerce
pleasure in running the business from all
experience. Consultant, artist, designer and
angles – creative, technical and financial.
marketer, Emily cherishes the flexibility and
Emily now has MLE pieces carried at
creativity her entrepreneurial path has
Nordstrom and Anthropologie.
made possible. To learn more about Emily and MLE, visit www.madebymle.com.
Emily is not the only member of her family to make a living through art and design. “I have relatives who are tailors, and others who design fine jewelry,” she says. “I
NEWARK ACADEMY
43
IF
Kamaal Bennett ’97 could give new entrepreneurs any advice it would be, “Think collaboratively, and think bigger than yourself.” The
idea for Kamaal’s New Jersey Education Consortium
KAMAAL BENNETT
(NJEC) began in 2007 as a simple plan to provide access to sports facilities for Newark students in underresourced schools. Today, the organization has grown to encompass not only an athletic league but also a purchasing cooperative for schools, negotiating competitive rates for goods and services ranging from school supplies to transportation to employee benefits. NJEC’s mission, “to create and leverage economies of scale for the benefit of schools and children,” is far more ambitious than Kamaal could have imagined back in 2007, when his first victory was bringing a basketball program to four Newark charter schools.
A few years after graduating from Loyola University Maryland, Kamaal was working in real estate and had the opportunity to visit a small public school in East Orange, New Jersey. “My first thought was, Where is the gym?” Kamaal recalls. “I was a lacrosse player at Newark Academy, and sports were always very important to me. I also understood, through my mother’s experience as a teacher, the necessity of physical activity for establishing healthy habits, especially for middle school students.” Kamaal was struck by the lack of resources at this school and others like it. He soon learned that many small public school districts, along with private and charter schools, were unable to
GROWTH
sustain any kind of sports program due to insufficient space and financial resources. These limitations are particularly significant for middle schools, which are generally a lower funding priority for their districts than high schools. Kamaal was determined to fix this problem. Basketball seemed like the obvious place to start, as it requires only simple equipment and a relatively small space. With support from Newark’s New Community Corporation (NCC), Kamaal found his first major booster. “Monsignor Linder, founder of the
Think collaboratively, and think bigger than yourself.”
NCC, came from the charter school world and was extremely understanding of the circumstances these kids were in,” Kamaal recalls. “He was also in a position to bring us together with the leadership at the New Community Neighborhood Center in Newark’s Central Ward, and they agreed to give us several hours per week of gym access.” With these necessary resources secured, Kamaal created a small league of four schools around Newark and East Orange, and the Charter School Athletic League (CSAL) was born.
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‘‘
Athletics gave us our first way into a wonderful community of schools, and we are thrilled to continue to serve them in new ways and help them focus on what they do best.”
Initially, Kamaal envisioned his venture as
programs in soccer, cross-country running
so they can focus on the needs of their stu-
a small nonprofit, but when the financial
and track, flag football, volleyball, and
dents,” Kamaal says. “Athletics gave us our
markets collapsed in 2008 and philan-
cheerleading.
first way into a wonderful community of
thropic support became less available, he began to think differently. “Even though we had strong early support from local charitable foundations, I decided I needed to find another way, so we would be able to run our program without being dependent on the ups and downs of fundraising dollars.”
schools, and we are thrilled to continue to Inspired by the success of the athletic league and by the many positive effects
serve them in new ways and help them focus on what they do best.”
its participants enjoyed, Kamaal began to consider how he might harness the col-
Kamaal explains that the most satisfying
lective power of his member schools to
part of his work is the positive effect the
negotiate better rates on a range of
cooperative has had on middle schools
goods and services, including classroom
in Newark and surrounding areas.
materials, cleaning products, office sup-
“Enabling these schools to thrive has a
Member schools paid dues to participate
plies, audio-visual equipment, and more.
ripple effect that can transform kids’
in CSAL, and Kamaal was careful to scale
From there, the cooperative took on its
lives,” he says. With increased access to
up slowly, building revenue and then
next challenge: health insurance, which
athletics and stronger, better-functioning
investing it in the program. As the CSAL
offered a huge opportunity for savings.
schools, the students’ eyes are opened to
basketball program grew, other commu-
“Offering our member schools the oppor-
a new world of possibilities. “Several of
nity organizations took notice. “Under
tunity to purchase employee health insur-
our CSAL alumni have gone on to attend
their previous ownership, the New Jersey
ance as a group allowed us to leverage
Newark Academy and other excellent
Devils hockey team helped arrange for
their collective size and pay much lower
independent schools – notably, basketball
the New Community Neighborhood
rates,” he recalls. In its first year, member
stand out Jocelyn Willoughby, who is a
Center to become an NHL Street Hockey
schools realized more than $1 million in
member of the NA Class of 2016 and
Program site,” says Kamaal. “The Devils
savings on premiums, and additional sav-
graduated from the University of Virginia
sent players and equipment to the center
ings on administrative costs.
in May 2019 and is currently pursuing her
and sponsored clinics to drum up excitement.” Now the basketball league was joined by a robust street hockey program and CSAL’s profile in the community continued to grow.
masters in her final year of eligibility,” he Schools that participate in NJEC’s purchasing group save not only money but also time. “The Consortium reduces its member schools’ operating expenses, but just as importantly we take on time-consuming
The more Kamaal worked with leaders in
says. Kamaal looks forward to many more years of strengthening connections between Newark Academy and his schools in Newark, where the roots of today’s NA were planted many years ago.
tasks like purchasing and transportation,
the charter school community, the more he became aware of the other needs of these small, under-resourced schools. “Charter schools, along with small public school districts and Catholic schools, struggle to fund many aspects of their programs,” says Kamaal. So he gradually expanded the athletic league to include additional sports and transportation. “We grew in small increments, adding new sports and facilities as our membership grew,” he says. The league has an à la carte structure that allows schools to pay only for what they want and use. The league now encompasses 67 schools across multiple New Jersey counties, with additional
NEWARK ACADEMY
45
AJAY KULKARNI
would probably surprise his colleagues in the
IT
tech world to learn that Ajay Kulkarni’s ’97 first start-up involved no complex coding or algo-
rithms, and it would certainly surprise his first customers to learn that the founders of the kosher candy company “Chocolate Guilt” were non-Jewish former computer science majors, one of whom (Ajay himself) had dual degrees from MIT. “My first company was definitely the most fun,” Ajay recalls. He and two childhood friends founded the company during their early years on Wall Street, seeking a more creative outlet than their desk jobs provided. “We packaged the candy with passiveaggressive messages like, ‘The telephone works both ways, you know,’ and came up with similar quips for a line of fortune cookies we sold to kosher Chinese restaurants.” The business was a lot of fun for the founders and taught them valuable early lessons in customer service and marketing strategies.
Five years later, Ajay put his computer science background to more typical use, developing an enhanced electronic address book for use on Blackberry devices. “It was 2009, right at the start of the smartphone boom, and the timing was right for this type of technology,” he says. He sold the business to another start-up, and it was later sold to Skype and ultimately to
DATA
Microsoft. Ajay’s next and current venture began three years ago, when he joined forces with an MIT classmate to create iobeam – now called Timescale – a database technology company that helps businesses make use of the vast amounts of data they collect from their products, with the goal of enhancing the experience for the end user.
Companies have the ability to collect vast amounts of data about how their products are performing…”
“Computing has gone through many transformations since the first mainframes of the 1950s,” explains Ajay. “From those giant machines evolved PCs, then smartphones, and now we are in an era where even the smallest devices in our homes contain powerful computers.” This phenomenon of “smart products” is often referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT). “Companies have the ability to collect vast amounts of data about how their products are performing, and they need a platform with which they can decipher what that data is telling them.”
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One of Timescale’s customers manufactures home security cameras. “The camera is a great example of a device that needs to function properly when no one is there to monitor it,” says Ajay. “The software we created takes signals from the camera’s internal computer and relays them back to a database that analyzes its performance and can spot errors if they occur, so the end users can be confident they are getting the functioning devices they are
“When companies know how to use the
Timescale’s recent and exponential
counting on to protect their homes.”
data they collect to analyze their products’
growth. “As a new start-up we had a way
performance or to create more efficient
of doing business that worked for our
processes, that’s where you see data really
small scale, but as we gained customers
transforming people’s lives,” he says. “Our
and required more engineers to work with
strategy is to see a business from our
them, we had to evolve accordingly. The
client’s perspective and understand what
type of leadership a four-person company
problems they need to solve. This drives
needs is entirely different once that com-
our software development.”
pany has grown to 50 employees.”
One of the biggest and most satisfying
Ajay likens the process of growing his
challenges for Ajay and his team has been
business to parenting – an adventure upon
In addition to the IoT side of the business, Timescale creates software that allows companies to extract specific data from moments in the past and to use this information to predict future conditions, which is especially useful for Timescale’s clients in the energy and finance sectors. Ajay’s interests have always been at the intersection of technology and people.
which he and his wife, Seema, recently embarked. “Once you know everything
‘‘
about the stage you’re in and how to man-
Our strategy is to see a business from our client’s perspective and understand what problems they need to solve. This drives our software development.”
age it, the child (or business) grows into a new phase and everything you think you know is obsolete!” Newark Academy students interested in technology would be wise to get to know Ajay and Timescale. Over the years, the company’s New York office has hosted several NA seniors working on Senior Projects. The students who work with Timescale have made valuable contributions, especially in blog-writing. “Technology is constantly changing and evolving, and blogs are often the best way to spread the word about what we are doing,” says Ajay. “It’s not easy to synthesize the complex, technical work we do into accessible language. One thing that has not changed since my student days is that Newark Academy trains great writers, which is exactly what we need to reach potential customers.”
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ALUMNI NEWS
Message from Glenn Waldorf ’90 President, Alumni Board of Governors I am very proud to update the Newark Academy alumni community on the Alumni Board of Governors’ continuing efforts to improve the alumni experience – and, specifically, on two new initiatives that will help forge and strengthen connections among our alumni. The first initiative is a direct response to alumni requests that we expand networking opportunities within the NA community. The Alumni Board of Governors recently convened an alumni task force to assess and improve platforms for helping our alumni with career development. We are grateful to Asha Talwar Coco ’99, Laurie (Samach) Davis ’97, Susan Goldberg ’79, Steve Lozowick ’63, Jennifer Mandelbaum ’11, David Mazzuca ’03, Jonathan Olesky ’74 and Brett (Finkelstein) Rubin ’05 for their service on the task force. This team of alumni researched and made recommendations for NA to enhance its alumni networking services, specifically by offering a new, free, highly functional web and mobile device app.
growth and career transitions is an incredible service, and we encourage all our alumni to leverage this great offering. To access NA connect, go to www.naalumni.com and download the app to your desktop or mobile device.
Now we are pleased to introduce Newark Academy Connect, a website and mobile app running on the Graduway platform. NA Connect is a valuable resource for connecting with fellow alumni and includes a fully searchable alumni directory available exclusively to the NA community. The new platform also allows alumni to post and search job and internship opportunities, and it facilitates connections between alumni seeking a mentor and those volunteering to fill that role. Finally, NA Connect also creates a space where alumni can share news with the NA community and stay informed about alumni events offered throughout the year.
day of festivities on Saturday. That
We believe that providing easy access to alumni who are willing to help with career
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The second initiative is an exciting restructuring of NA’s annual Reunion celebration. Beginning in May 2020, NA alumni are invited to a full reunion weekend experience in the spring of each year.
2019 – 2020 ALumni ASSoCiATion BoARd oF GoveRnoRS Glenn A. Waldorf ’90 President Amanda Addison ’06 Rohit Bawa ’93 michele Chiles-Hickman ’86 Asha Talwar Coco ’99 daniel d. Cronheim ’72
Please mark your calendars now
Christopher davis ’12
for may 29 – 30, 2020, for nA’s first
Jacqueline Lipsius Fleysher ’93
spring Reunion weekend, with a kick-
Rebecca moll Freed ’94
off celebration and Alumni Cabaret
Justin Garrod ’93
on Friday evening, followed by a full
Kumar Ghafoor ’10
day’s events will include a number of panel discussions with alumni and faculty, a hard-hat tour of the new Coraci Performance Hall, the Head of School Luncheon and Awards Ceremony, and more. Saturday
Susan Goldberg ’79 Peter Gruenberg ’81 Shannon Hedvat ’03 Allison Hyans ’11 Lauren Jacobs-Lazer ’98 Gillian Javetski ’07 Katherine Johnson ’11 Lauren Kaplan ’09
evening will bring the reunion class
Steve Lozowick ’63
celebrations (which in 2020 will
Jennifer mandelbaum ’11
highlight alumni from graduation
ed Pursell ’02
years ending in 5 and 0) and a spe-
Jed Rosenthal ’93
cial surprise to top off the festivities.
Brett Rubin ’05 Lena Hill Ryals ’94 Alex Senchak ’02
I look forward to seeing many members of the NA alumni community – and especially my fellow 1990 graduates – at this fantastic spring Reunion celebration!
Alexandra Swanson ’09 Pamela Helfant vichengrad ’94
SAve THe dATe
neW SPRinG Reunion WeeKend! Newark Academy alumni have a new event to look forward to this spring: our first-ever Spring Reunion Weekend. Open to all alumni, this highly anticipated event from May 29 – 30, 2020, will feature classes ending in 0 and 5. The weekend will commence with a Friday night kickoff celebration and alumni cabaret. (Alumni are encouraged not only to attend but also to perform!) Saturday will include panel discussions, talks and workshops, a Head of School Luncheon, alumni awards, reunion dinners, fireworks, and more. Alumni will also have a special opportunity to take a hard hat tour of the Coraci Performance Hall, which is scheduled to open for the 2020 – 21 school year with nearly 200 more seats than the current auditorium, state-of-the-art acoustics, superior lighting, a two-floor production booth, and a new, larger video screen. (Please see page 33 for more details.) dedicating an entire weekend for Reunion allows us to create a robust program that celebrates alumni, features faculty and reveals the great things that have been happening at nA. “We have worked to make each Reunion memorable and unique, and we are delighted that our alumni and faculty will have the opportunity to share their diverse talents and interests,” says director of Alumni Relations evan nisenson ’99. “There are truly incredible things happening on campus and in our alumni’s lives.”
Get updates on the full schedule for Spring 2020 Reunion Weekend at www.newarka.edu/alumni
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ALUMNI NEWS
BeLonGinG And ConneCTinG AT nA: THe ALumni oF CoLoR BReAKFAST The breakfast gathering provided generations of alumni of color an opportunity to hear from current students as they shared their nA experiences, while providing attendees with the space to reflect on their own. Joined by director of equity and inclusion Gardy Guiteau, the students facilitated this engaging and powerful dialogue about belonging and connection within our school community, and the future of diversity and inclusion at nA.
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left to right: Zakeer Siraj ’20, Ruqaiyyah Lucas-Caldwell ’20, Director of Equity and Inclusion Gardy Guiteau, Andrew Binger ’09, Lena Hill Ryals ’94, Jacqueline Rodriguez ’21, Jeffrey Keys ’21.
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ALUMNI NEWS
CeLeBRATinG THe Women oF nA
“
Today we are going to recognize a range of NA women who are making their
Alumni, trustees, faculty and students celebrated and recognized a group of alumnae who are making their mark on newark Academy, their professions and our global community at the 11th Annual Women of nA Luncheon. These women epitomize the mission of nA. individually, they are inspiring; collectively, they are integral parts of the fabric of this school.
mark on this school, their professions and our global community. The women we honor today enrich the lives of students, advocate for those not heard, and meet the challenges of changing times in the worlds of business, law, medicine, science and the arts.” – DON AUSTIN, HEAD OF SCHOOL
CONGRATULATIONS TO NA’S HONOREES AND WOMEN OF DISTINCTION left to right, top row: Leslie Abney Ford ’74, Kia Calhoun Grundy ’89, Rachel Lieb ’09, Head of School Don Austin, Meeta Budhwani ’94, Nesochi Okeke-Igbokwe ’99 left to right, bottom row: Carrie Somberg, Amy Rubin Schottland, Hillary Dixler Canavan ’04, Susan Goldberg ’79 (not pictured: Jodi Schiele Arden ’99, Phyllis Rothschild ’84, Courtney Luing ’14)
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ALUMNI NEWS
ALumni ASSoCiATion AWARdS ReCePTion Honored for their lasting contributions to the nA community through their generosity and dedication.
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left to right: Athletic Hall of Fame inductees Scott Redmond ’09, Martin King ’59, Distinguished Faculty Award Winner Cathy Pursell, Fulton H. MacArthur Award Winner John Bess ’69, Head of School Don Austin, Alumni Achievement Award Winner Leo Gordon ’69 and Glenn Waldorf ’90.
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ALUMNI NEWS
REUNION 2019 SATuRdAy, oCToBeR 19
CELEBRATING 4S AND 9S Alumni of all ages enjoyed cocktails and dinner while reconnecting and reminiscing with classmates, friends and favorite faculty members!
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WHeRe We’Re GoinG… For current information about upcoming alumni events, visit www.newarka.edu/alumni.
Here are some highlights!
January 9 NYC Networking Night Don’t miss this year’s Networking Night, a great opportunity for alumni to network with each other at the Harvard Club in New York. in-college alumni will have a special career workshop preceding the main event.
January 12 Alumni Networking Night The Harvard Club of New York City THuRSdAy, JAnuARy 9, 2020 6:30 – 8:30 P.m.
nA Alumni in Atlanta We’re heading to Atlanta for a new event. More details to come.
February 6 nA Alumni in San Francisco Join San Francisco-area alumni for a night of food, drinks and fun!
February 7 nA Alumni in Los Angeles
JOIN US FOR
We’re heading back to LA after a wonderful event last year and look forward to seeing everyone there.
Newark Academy’s New
Spring Reunion Weekend Featuring Classes ending in 0 and 5 mAy 29 – 30, 2020
may 29–30 Spring Reunion Weekend Our brand-new Spring Reunion commences with an alumni cabaret celebration on Friday evening and continues on Saturday with a full day of activities including panel discussions, tours, reunion dinners, fireworks and more.
June 7 Commencement & old Guard Luncheon Just before we celebrate the newest alumni, we honor our alumni of 50+ years.
June 11 nyC Alumni meet-up Our annual New York City social returns. Hope to see you there!
Minuteman Golf and Tennis Invitational Join us in Fall 2020 at the Minuteman Golf and Tennis Invitational! More details to come.
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1952 CONTACT:
William (Bill) Van Winkle billvw7334@aol.com
1939 donald Schlenger celebrated his 80th reunion at Homecoming & Reunion in October 2019.
In August 2019, Bill Van Winkle and Mercer Blanchard ’51 met at the Center Lovell Market in Maine.
1955 CONTACT:
Edward L. Levitt eezyed@comcast.net
1944 CONTACT:
Robert Lee (561) 747-4331
1958 CONTACT:
Stephen Knee shknee@hotmail.com
1946 Robert Cronheim rdc@cronheim.com
1959 CONTACT:
Douglas B. Slade Dslade542@aol.com
1951 CONTACT:
K. Kelly Marx (973) 376-0777 richard Castellane wrote and executive produced his first comedy feature film, Hail Mary! Get Ready for the Sumo Bowl, which is being distributed worldwide by MVD International. The film was released on Amazon and other digital channels in July 2019. Richard’s current project is Little Hippino, an animated feature film based on his children’s book of the same name.
Marty King was inducted into the NA Athletic Hall of Fame at the Alumni Awards Ceremony at Homecoming & Reunion in October 2019.
1960 CONTACT:
Frederick Katz, Jr. katzjr@optonline.net Charles Breitstadt is still working! He lives in Dublin, OH, and works in the
2019–2020
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1961 CONTACT:
Curtis Cetrulo Curt.cetrulo@gmail.com Peter Papademetriou papadem@cs.com MacKinnon Simpson MacKinnon96816@gmail.com roger Flax’s audiobook No Stopping You: How to Win the Game of Life was released in May 2019.
1962
CONTACT:
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Nationwide Insurance general counsel’s office as a director of state insurance regulatory matters. He hopes all is well at NA!
CONTACT:
Bernard J. D’Avella, Jr. bud@davellafamily business.com
1963 CONTACT:
Charles A. Fischbein cafpac@Earthlink.net Steve lozowick’s NA buddies came for a visit and lunch in Asbury Park, NJ. They had a great time! lanny davis, Steve lozowick and pat Ciccone enjoyed getting together and hearing Lanny speak at an event in Bradley Beach, NJ.
1964 CONTACT:
Michael R. Yogg michaelyogg@gmail.com Mark Belnick is playing the lead role in a Los Angeles revival of The Best Man, Gore Vidal’s timely political classic about a heated presidential election. Any alumni or other NA community members in the L.A. area who would like to see the show should contact Mark, as he would be delighted to provide complimentary tickets. In Spring 2020, he will teach the Civil Liberties course at Princeton University, in his 14th year as a visiting lecturer in politics. Stuart lawrence retired from practicing pediatric medicine in Lake Oswego, OR. During his career, he took part in a medical mission to the Soviet Far East and was involved with the Russian immigrant population in Woodburn, OR. Stuart began his study of the Russian language and culture with John W. Strahan at NA. richard rubin spent the last decade in Vermont researching developmental disabilities. He also taught at Dartmouth Medical School. He and his wife, Annette, currently live in Taos, NM, where he supports environmental and literary endeavors and is steward of pioneering conservationist Aldo Leopold’s 1912 cabin.
Every gift makes a difference every day. Support NA: www.newarka.edu/donate
1965 CONTACT:
Van S. Stevens drvanstevens@gmail.com
1966 CONTACT:
Warren G. Soare wsoare@optonline.net
Jonathan Glynn delivered NA’s 246th Convocation Address in September 2019. At the Alumni Awards Ceremony at Homecoming & Reunion in October 2019, leo Gordon was presented with the 2019 Alumni Achievement Award and John Bess was presented with the Fulton H. MacArthur Award for his service to NA.
1967 CONTACT:
Matthew Leone mleone@colgate.edu NA’s Assistant Head of School for External Relations Lisa Grider met with robert (Bob) Weisenfeld and Trustee larry Cetrulo in Boston. Bob and Larry are both lawyers, and Bob’s son is a second-year law school associate at Larry’s firm, Cetrulo LLP.
1968
1971
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2
3
CONTACT:
William D. Hardin, Jr. whardin@ptd.net Mark Menza menza613ha1@aol.com
1972 CONTACT:
Daniel D. Cronheim ddc@cronheim.com Harry Hazelwood III drhazelwood@massmed.org
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CONTACT:
Stephan G. Kravitz sgkravitz@gmail.com Franklin C. Phifer, Jr. fphifer@hecht.com
1974 CONTACT:
Lance T. Aronson lancetrezevant@aol.com
Class of 1968 friends John ritota, Barry Higgins and roy Alvarez attended the Florida Gators vs. Auburn Tigers game in Gainesville, FL. It was a great game, which the Gators won 24–13.
leslie Abney Ford was recognized as a Woman of Distinction at the 2019 Women of NA Luncheon at Homecoming & Reunion in October 2019.
1969
1975
CONTACT:
CONTACT:
John H. Bess bessjh@gmail.com
William J. York wyork@smallfeat.org
Leo M. Gordon gordon43b@gmail.com
1976
1. Mercer Blanchard ’51 and Bill Van Winkle ’52 at the Center Lovell Market in Maine
CONTACT:
2. John Deermount ’63, Steve Lozowick ’63, George Worthington ’63 and Bob Pasquin ’63 at lunch in Asbury Park, NJ
Will Green and Wayne Kent ’85 ran into former NA Board of Trustees Chair Gary Rose at dinner. Will is also a former Board chair.
Donald C. DeFabio drdefabio@aol.com Robin Lechter Frank ontheqt1231@aol.com
3. Steve Lozowick ’63, Laney Davis ’63 and Pat Ciccone ’62 at Bradley Beach, NJ 4. Robert Weisenfeld ’67, Newark Academy Trustee Larry Cetrulo ’67 and Newark Academy’s Assistant Head of School for External Affairs Lisa Grider in Boston
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C L A S S N OT E S
New Alumnii N Nettworking ki Pl Platfo f rm — exclusively for the t NA communiity! • Search for old classmates and d friends
NEWARK ACADEMY CONNECT
• Network with like-minded ind dividuals • Look for and p post job opportunities • Share your professional o and p personal content with tthe NA Alumni Community • And more…allll in one place
www.NAalumni.com
TO DOWNLOAD THE APP TO YOUR R PHONE: iOS users – Search “Graduw way Comm munity” in the App SStore and installl. Once installed, tyype “Newark Acad demy” as the organ nization and sele ect when it populates. A Android users – Search “ “Newark Academy Connect” in Google Play
If you have any questions please contaact Evan Nisenson, Director of Alumni Relaations at enisenson@newarka.edu or (973) 992-7 7000 ext. 36 67.
Francey Kanengiser Burke received a Congressional Proclamation for her work as founder and director of the annual Burke Motor Group Car Show, which benefits veterans.
fied creatures in a 1999 video from an undersea observatory as whipnose anglerfish.
Kate Weiss diSabito is proud to announce the graduation of her son John this past May with a B.A., cum laude, in communication from UMass Amherst. That makes all five of her kids successfully through college! dr. Jon Moore, a fisheries biologist at Florida Atlantic University, was recently featured in an article in The New York Times for having identi-
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CONTACT:
Arthur (Artie) Williams IV artiekid@aol.com
1979 CONTACT:
1978
1981
Michael Schneck Mschneck@schnecklaw.com Susan Goldberg was recognized as a Woman of Distinction at the 2019 Women of NA Luncheon at Homecoming & Reunion in October 2019.
1980 CONTACT:
Kim S. Hirsh KHirsh@jfedgmw.org
Andrew Mulvihill was appointed vice president of the New Jersey State Board of Education in July 2019.
1983 elissa Cohen Krebs saw ellen Berkowitz at a Grateful Dead show at Citi Field last summer and saw Stacey Kent perform at Birdland in December. Elissa also had dinner with Jeff Jacobs and Gary rothschild in February, and with denise Jamieson in May. This past summer, she traveled to Kenya to teach at the Ndonyo Wasin School in the
area of Samburu, and then traveled to Port Elizabeth, South Africa, where she taught at ArtWorks for Youth. Elissa has returned to the Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn to teach middleand upper-school English and to serve as the head of the English Department.
1984 CONTACT:
William E. Markstein WEMarkstein@gmail.com phyllis rothschild Golnik was recognized as a Woman of Distinction at the 2019 Women of NA Luncheon at Homecoming & Reunion in October 2019.
1985 CONTACT:
Kimberley Griffinger Wachtel kgwachtel@gmail.com In September 2019, Amy einhorn was named president and publisher of Macmillan Publishing’s Henry Holt Division.
1986 CONTACT:
Betsy Dollinger Bernstein bdb1@mac.com James C. Schachtel Jschachtel@verizon.net
1988 CONTACT:
Lara Coraci Basile ljc@norpak.net Matthew McTamaney mattheynow@yahoo.com Melissa Dollinger Shein msheinus@yahoo.com Matt Mctamaney accepted the Ad Lumen Award on behalf of the Class of 1988 at the Alumni Awards Ceremony at Homecoming & Reunion in October 2019. The award is presented in recognition of the NA class that posts the largest percentage increase to the Annual Fund in a given year. The Class of 1988 increased its Annual Fund participation from 8 percent to 18 percent between 2018 and 2019.
1989 CONTACT:
Stacey Bradford stacey.bradford@gmail.com Kia Calhoun Grundy was recognized as a Woman of Distinction at the 2019 Women of NA Luncheon at Homecoming & Reunion in October 2019
donald Stroh is enjoying his second year living in Singapore after spending the prior three years in London – all due to his wife’s career. He and his family are still adjusting to the heat, but his 10-year-old son is enjoying the experience! Donald is sorry to have missed his 30th reunion.
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6
7
1990 CONTACT:
Glenn A. Waldorf gwaldorf@bellenvironmental.com In August, Alex Bernstein completed development of Flow Chelsea, Manhattan’s tallest residential rental Passive House. Through the storage and later use of ambient heat and cold, the Passive House program for energy efficiency can save residents more than 70 percent in heating and cooling costs. This green technology is slated to become NYC’s Department of Buildings standard by 2025. The 55unit Flow Chelsea project has both affordable and market-rate apartments.
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1991 CONTACT:
Richard L. Worth richardworth2001@ yahoo.com
1993 CONTACT:
Timothy E. Herburger burgermac@mac.com Jed S. Rosenthal jedrosenthal@gmail.com
1994
5. Class of 1968 friends John Ritota, Barry Higgins and Roy Alvarez at the Florida Gator vs. Auburn Tiger game in Gainesville, FL 6. Wayne Kent ’85, former Board of Trustee chairs Will Green ’69 and Gary Rose
CONTACT:
7. Scott Jacoby, Melissa Boyd Harrison ’96, and Julie Jacoby in San Francisco
Pamela Helfant Vichengrad pamelavich@hotmail.com
8. Lisa Podell Boss ’98 appeared on Charlotte Today 9. Julie Jacobs ’01 and Ari Selman’s son Joshua Daniel Selman 10. Misa Dikengil Lindberg’s ’01 son Kenzo George Lewis
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We Fondly Remember Jack Gansler ’52 December 4, 2018
1999
2002
CONTACT:
CONTACT:
CONTACT:
Jason S. Granet grizo1222@yahoo.com
John Gregory Jcg681@gmail.com
Joshua Jacobs joshua.s.jacobs@gmail.com
Richard Craw ’38 March 17, 2019
Andrew Slutzky andrewzky@gmail.com
Asha K. Coco asha.talwar@gmail.com
Marcelo C. Porto mark.c.porto@gmail.com
ABC News Correspondent Matt Gutman and Good Morning America Producer doug Vollmayer ’05 have worked together to produce segments showing how to survive a stampede, what to do if there’s a live wire near your car, and, most recently, how to survive a flash flood.
At Homecoming & Reunion in October 2019, Nesochi okeke-Igbokwe was honored at the 2019 Women of NA Luncheon and delivered the keynote address. Jodi Schiele Arden was also recognized as a Woman of Distinction at the luncheon.
Alexander C. Senchak alex.senchak@gmail.com
Melissa Boyd Harrison recently saw Scott and Julie Jacoby in San Francisco.
2000
Evan P. Sills evan.sills@gmail.com
Thomas (Tom) William McMenimen ’63 May 13, 2019 Daniel Knee ’63 May 14, 2019 Lionel Levey ’39 May 20, 2019 Jeffery Tennyson Andrews ’68 Jun 22, 2019 Gus Stager ’43 July 6, 2019 Anthony Carrino ’58 July 14, 2019
1997 CONTACT:
Amanda Rubinstein Black amandahblack@gmail.com
1998
Thomas Behr (Former Faculty) September 11, 2019
Lauren Jacobs-Lazer laurenjacobslazer@gmail.com
CONTACT:
Kathleen Mangunay Pergament katmango@aol.com
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2001 CONTACT:
Colin R. Griggs cgriggs13@yahoo.com
David Kimowitz ’97 August 3, 2019
1995
CONTACT:
Alison Poole Lasher alisonklasher@gmail.com
CONTACT:
At Homecoming & Reunion in October 2019, Meeta datwani Budhwani was recognized as a Woman of Distinction at the 2019 Women of NA Luncheon, and Shilpa Mankikar was presented with the 2019 Alumni Artistic Achievement Award at the Alumni Awards Ceremony.
luMeN
1996
William Hosking ’42 March 6, 2019
Ridgely (Chip) Harrison III ’70 April 22, 2019
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C L A S S N OT E S
Jack A. Hyman jahyman@gmail.com
Smita Ramanadham smitar2280md@gmail.com Jenna Smith Schwerdt jenna@smithdesign.com lisa podell Boss appeared on Charlotte Today and spoke about how to increase a child’s independence around homework. Lisa is the founder and lead coach of Better Sessions, a service providing customized coaching to empower students, adults and small businesses to work better, learn better and live better.
Brian McGaughan bmcgaughan@gmail.com Julie Jacobs and Ari Selman welcomed their son Joshua Daniel Selman on April 10, 2019. Misa dikengil lindberg welcomed a son, Kenzo George Lewis, on August 26, 2019.
2003 CONTACT:
Lauren H. Anderson lauren.h.anderson@gmail.com David N. Rattner drattner07@gmail.com
Brad Chernock received his medical doctorate with distinction in education from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) in May; he also received honors as a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and of the Gold Humanism Honor Society. Brad began his residency in general surgery at Rutgers NJMS in Newark last July.
2004 CONTACT:
Danielle Grunebaum Barrett dlsimon85@gmail.com Kathryn Pagos katie.pagos@gmail.com
BeCoMe A ClASS AMBASSAdor! Class ambassadors perform a valuable service to the NA alumni community: they communicate school and class news, support key initiatives such as Reunion, and encourage participation in the Annual Fund. Sign up online at www.newarka.edu/classambassador.
Stephanie Reingold simma.reingold@gmail.com Louise Ball Schutte louisehira@gmail.com
CHooSING extrAordINAry Zack Oates ’04, Founder & CEO of Ovation
eric Carniol moved back to New Jersey this past summer, and he and his wife welcomed their first child, David, in August. David loves his NA pacifier and onesie! Eric joined Carniol Plastic Surgery, where he performs facial plastic surgery and hair restoration.
Fifteen years after his Newark Academy graduation, Zack oates ’04 still draws on his NA experiences as he runs his business, ovation, which he launched in 2018. A relationship enablement platform for restaurants and retailers, ovation makes it easy for end users to rate their experiences, as well as for restaurants and
Hillary dixler Canavan was recognized as a Woman of Distinction at the 2019 Women of NA Luncheon at Homecoming & Reunion in October 2019.
retailers to bring back happy customers and chat with unhappy ones. Zack’s inspiration for Ovation actually stemmed from his dating life. After going
Zach oates is the founder and CEO of Ovation, a relationship enablement platform for restaurants and retailers, and he recently raised close to $1 million in seed funding. Melissa lamarre is the founder of Mel’s Butter Blends, a company that creates natural products made primarily from aloe and mango butter for fullbody use, providing natural solutions to common hair and skin issues such as eczema and alopecia. The company was recently featured in the Target Small Business Market at CultureCon and completed the Pennovation Works Accelerator Program.
on more than 1,000 dates before getting married (something Zack wrote about in his book Dating Never Works…Until It Does), he realized there wasn’t an easy way for him to remember all of the places he had visited on those dates, including which he liked and which he wanted to leave reviews for. “It seemed crazy to me that online there were so many tools to remarket to happy customers and live-chat with unhappy customers, but for restaurants and retailers, there was almost nothing,” Zack says. “It was a huge gap in the market that needed to be filled.” Ovation is prospering in the tech world as the company recently raised $1 million in seed funding and graduated from the 500 Startups accelerator in San Francisco as part of Batch 24. (More than 1,800 tech start-ups from around the world applied to the program, and Ovation was one of 20 companies accepted.) “One of our most important values at Ovation is ‘Keep focus. Family, beliefs, health, job – get it done in order,’” Zack says. “It’s my hope that no matter where I am in life, I can keep those priorities!” Starting a business is no easy feat, but Zack’s time at NA and “the open-
2005 CONTACT:
Jonathan Allocca jonathan.allocca@gmail.com
minded community and culture” of the school really inspired him to go out and try new things. “NA helped me try everything. From fencing to football, from acting to astronomy, from photography to physics – there was nothing that said, ‘You don’t belong here.’”
Gabriel Gaviola gabe.c.gaviola@gmail.com
When asked what advice he has for anyone interested in starting a business,
Molly McGaughan molly.mcgaughan@gmail.com
will always be waiting. If you have an opportunity to create value in the word,
Zack’s answer was simple but powerful: “Choose extraordinary, for ordinary do it!”
Bridget Duffy Raines Bridgetpraines@gmail.com
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12
2006
2009
CONTACT:
CONTACT:
Julia Appel appel.julie@gmail.com
Andrew S. Binger abinger1990@gmail.com
Sarah Marcus Hansen sarahmarcushansen@ gmail.com
Christina A. Colizza christina.colizza@gmail.com
Brandon Hedvat bhedvat@gmail.com Ilana Mandelbaum Sterling ilana.mandelbaum@ gmail.com
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Asia Stewart asiamstewart@gmail.com
2007 CONTACT:
David Doobin doobind@gmail.com Catherine Pfeffer catherine.pfeffer@gmail.com Emily Crystal emily.c.simon@me.com Andrew Somberg asomberg@gmail.com While rafting in Colorado, Andrew Somberg and his wife, Nikki, met Brett and Heidi Cohen, parents of Koby ’20 and Kayla ’21.
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2008 CONTACT:
David Frank david.frank44@gmail.com Alexa Gruber Kitchin alexa.gruber@richmond.edu Maximilian C. Staiger mstaiger41@me.com
11. Eric Carniol ’04, his wife Aliza, and son, David 12. Melissa Lamarre ’04 13. Brett and Heidi Cohen (parents of Koby ’20 and Kayla ’21) and Andrew Somberg ’07 and his wife Nikki 14. Laura Schottland Giske ’06 and her son Jackson, Lani Mandelbaum Sterling ’06 and her daughter Sophie
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Sam Kelly married Mike Thompson in June on Lake Como in Italy with a number of NA alumni in attendance, including lynn olesky leyden, Joe Greenaway, pat Kelly ’10, Ian leyden ’03 and Kevin Kelly ’06.
Rebecca Curwin rebecca.curwin@gmail.com Shannon Lam Webster shannonrlam@gmail.com Brian L. Silver briansilver0711@gmail.com At Homecoming & Reunion in October 2019, rachel lieb was recognized as a Woman of Distinction at the 2019 Women of NA Luncheon, and Scott redmond was inducted into the Newark Academy Athletic Hall of Fame at the Alumni Awards Ceremony.
2010 CONTACT:
Lisa Fischer lisasuefischer@gmail.com Patrick Kelly patrick.o.d.kelly@gmail.com Brian McHugh mchugh.brian10@gmail.com Caroline Ackerman is excited to announce her engagement to her college sweetheart, Paul Sackstein. Caroline and Paul met at Georgetown and recently moved back to Washington, D.C., where Caroline works as an attorney representing survivors of human trafficking. Caroline offers a shout-out and thank you to Ms. Schottland, who was an incredible mentor for her IB extended essay on human trafficking in 2010!
2011 CONTACT:
Sydney Hershman Smhershman@gmail.com Jordan I. Jett jordanjett13@gmail.com
priyam parikh was on the team at Fable Studio that developed the interactive VR film Wolves in the Walls, which received the 2019 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Innovation in Interactive Media.
Jennifer Mandelbaum jmande15@bu.edu Jourdan McGhee jourdan.mcghee@gmail.com Sam peinado ran into NA students from Green & Blue Committee at the Global Climate Strike in New York.
2012
2013 SaVonne Anderson savonneanderson@gmail.com Nicole Andrzejewski nicole@go.wustl.edu Matt Cowen mcowen95@gmail.com
2014 CONTACT:
2016 CONTACT:
Jacob Wieseneck jwieseneck@gmail.com Courtney luing was recognized as a Woman of Distinction at the 2019 Women of NA Luncheon at Homecoming & Reunion in October 2019.
CONTACT:
CONTACT:
Christopher P. Davis davis.cp@gmail.com
Lauren Whelan lmw025@bucknell.edu
2015
Courtney Cooperman courtneycooperman@ comcast.net Jacob Furst Jacobfurst20@gmail.com Joshua Martin Martinjoshua029@gmail.com Elizabeth Merrigan Elizabeth.merrigan16@ gmail.com
CONTACT:
Madeline DeLamielleure maddydelamielleure15 @gmail.com Jasmine Gamboa jgamboa19@amherst.edu Nicholas Murray nsm407@gmail.com
Shane S. Neibart ssneibart@gmail.com
Jai Ghose jghose@andrew.cmu.edu
Zachary Persing zcpersing@gmail.com
Carissa E. Szlosek szlosek@wisc.edu
Thomas Pan tpan14@gmail.com
Matthew Thekkethala matt@learnforlife foundation.org
Samuel Vazir samvazir@gmail.com Bryan Wilensky bryanwsemail@gmail.com Mackenna Woods Mackennavalle@gmail.com Johnny Capobianco is a senior at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and has been elected as a captain of the cross country team. Kimberly McGrath is a senior at Colgate University, where she has earned the Spring 2019 Dean’s Award with Distinction.
Meet your ClASS AMBASSAdor
2017
Jake Wieseneck ’14
CONTACT:
Being a Class Ambassador has enabled Jake Wieseneck ’14 to retain a close connection to Newark Academy – a place that, he says, “played a huge part in seven of the best years of my life.” Jake is thrilled that the Class Ambassadors’ efforts “enable future generations of NA students to have the same impactful experiences that the Class of 2014 had, both inside and outside of the classroom.” As an NA “lifer,” Jake found that his initiation as an NA senior at the Back-to-School BBQ was “a memory I will never forget and a perfect beginning to a year filled with our class coming together for important traditions and having tons of fun.” He enjoyed the opportunity to return to campus in October to celebrate his 5th reunion with his classmates.
Chloe Yu chloeyu@college. harvard.edu
2019 Alex Kotzen helped with 2014 U.S. Open Champion Marin Čilić’s final preparation for the 2019 Open serving as Marin’s hitting partner at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
NeWArK ACAdeMy
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C L A S S N OT E S
GoING tHe dIStANCe Congratulations to Newark Academy alumni who ran the tCS 2019 New york City Marathon in November!
Nicole Andrzejewski ’13
15
16
17
Nihal Meta ’95
Christian Lim ’97
Lisa Fischer ’10
Hunter Schone ’18
15. Pat Kelly ’10, Ian Leyden ’03, Lynn Olesky Leyden ’08, Sam Kelly ’08, Joe Greenaway ’08, and Kevin Kelly ’06 at Sam’s wedding in June 16. Priyam Parikh ’12 (left) helped develop the interactive VR film Wolves in the Walls, which received the 2019 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Innovation in Interactive Media.
17. Alex Kotzen ’19 (center) at Arthur Ashe Stadium with Tennis Pro Marin Čilić (left) 68
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I WINTER 2019
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All New
Panel Discussions and Workshops
Special T Tours ours and an nd Activities
2Reunion 2020 0 i M Y 29 – 30 MA
Desserts and Fireworks s