S P R I N G 2 019
LUMEN THE
MAGAZINE
OF
NEWARK
INSPIRING CONNECTIONS Newark Academy Connections Last a Lifetime
ACADEMY
S P R I N G 2 019
CONTENTS
F E AT U R E S
10 Building for Belonging by Jeff Vinikoor
23 Endless Possibilities: The Benefits of Taking a Gap Year Before College by Debra Marr
32 Lifelong Connections and Friendships at Newark Academy by Garrett Caldwell
IN THIS ISSUE
2 Perspectives
4 NA News
27 Advancement
41 Alumni News
44 Class Notes
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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
S P R I N G 2 019 Donald M. Austin Head of School
FROM DONALD M. AUSTIN, HEAD OF SCHOOL
Lisa Grider Assistant Head of School for External Affairs EDITOR
Hannah Wyrzykowski Director of Communications ASSISTANT EDITORS
David Beckman Matt Sugam CONTRIBUTORS
Garrett Caldwell Debra Marr
Evan Nisenson ’99 Jeff Vinikoor
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Executive Committee David D. McGraw ’77 Chairman Lawrence G. Cetrulo ’67 Secretary Marika Alzadon ’89 Donald M. Austin John H. Bess ’69 Patricia Budziak Samuel W. Croll III ’68
Lauren Hedvat ’01 Jeffrey Kaplan Wayne D. Kent ’85 Patrick Wang Larry S. Wieseneck
Connections Formed through Newark Academy Moments
Trustees Scott L. Hayward Nino Badridze Andrew Kogan ’90 Maria Rice Bellamy ’85 Robert Marcus Lara Coraci-Basile ’88 Lisa Powers Cuong Do Michael Rockoff ’87 Anjali Gupta Melissa Tassé Karen Guy-Smith Glenn A. Waldorf ’90
The return of the red-winged blackbird, announced
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
annually by Mr. Parlin, heralds the arrival of spring at Newark Academy. This year, as always, his morning meeting announcement and demonstration of the bird call created great excitement about warmer weather
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF GOVERNORS
and the approaching end of the school year. It is one
Glenn A. Waldorf ’90 President Amanda Addison ’06 Rohit Bawa ’93 Michele Chiles-Hickman ’86 Asha Talwar Coco ’99 Daniel D. Cronheim ’72 Christopher Davis ’12 Jacqueline Lipsius Fleysher ’93 Rebecca Moll Freed ’94 Justin Garrod ’93 Kumar Ghafoor ’10 Susan Goldberg ’79 Peter Gruenberg ’81 Shannon Hedvat ’03 Allison Hyans ’11 Lauren Jacobs-Lazer ’98
of many uniquely NA moments, appreciated by
Gillian Javetski ’07 Katherine Johnson ’11 Lauren Kaplan ’09 Steve Lozowick ’63 Jennifer Mandelbaum ’11 Giulia Mercuri ’10 Ed Pursell ’02 Jed Rosenthal ’93 Brett Rubin ’05 Alex Senchak ’02 Evan Sills ’03 Andrew Somberg ’07 Alexandra Swanson ’09 Joelle Tutela '90 Pamela Helfant Vichengrad ’94
generations of students.
Such rituals are a marker of strong communities – from schools to houses of worship to extended family clans – and every strong community is characterized by and fosters close communal relationships. As Thomas Merton wrote, “In the end…it is the reality of personal relationships that saves everything.” Recognizing that reality in our last Strategic Plan, we highlighted the value and centrality of relationshipcentered learning across constituencies: among students, faculty
Emeriti Lance Aronson ’74 Leo Gordon ’69 J. Richard Beltram ’41* Jeffrey Silverman ’82 John Bess ’69 William Stroh ’48* Richard Watson ’50
colleagues, administrative leaders, alumni and parents, as well as between teachers and students. In this issue of LUMEN magazine, you will read about the various ways that such connections, formed at Newark Academy, remain strong for decades after graduation.
Newark Academy Office of Institutional Advancement 91 South Orange Avenue, Livingston, NJ 07039 Telephone: (973) 992-7000 Email: hwyrzykowski@newarka.edu www.newarka.edu *Deceased
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Certain signature NA programs create friendships between students from different grades and divisions. This year’s winter musical, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, followed the tradition of including participants from every
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These activities deepen and reinforce connections not only within the community, but also to the values that Newark Academy stands for: intellectual engagement, love of learning and generosity of spirit.”
grade. The Peer Leadership program fosters bonds between seniors and freshmen as they meet regularly to process the academic and social challenges of adjusting to high school. The popular Classroom Intern Associate program (brainchild of Dan Eatroff ’13) allows seniors to serve as teaching assistants to Middle School teachers. Students of all ages forge strong connections through countless hours spent working together on athletic teams, in musical groups or in clubs. The challenging experiences of traveling on immersion trips and working in community service programs also foster lasting friendships. Finally, the many all-school morning meetings and Global Speaker assemblies throughout the year reaffirm both the value of our community and the roles that each individual can play within it.
Within the larger Newark Academy
for: intellectual engagement, love of
community, alumni and parent engage-
learning and generosity of spirit.
ment has grown significantly in recent years. The annual New York City Networking Night (May 16) and regional alumni events bring together graduates of different ages to foster professional development. Many parents in STEM fields have been instrumental in helping students to secure internships that provide research opportunities. Both parents and alumni in scientific fields have given presentations to science classes and to groups after school, and our teachers regularly lead book clubs
One can point to no better example of the enduring bonds formed among Newark Academy students than the Class of 1969. The initial friendships of those boys growing up in the turbulent ’60s have only become stronger during the 50 years since they graduated; they remain loyal to one another and to the school. Please enjoy the following articles celebrating such NA connections – and plan a visit back to campus soon!
for parents. These activities deepen and reinforce connections not only within the community but also to the values that Newark Academy stands
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FACULTY FOCUS
Faculty achievements Garrett Caldwell (Humanities) is Newark Academy’s new archivist. He recently traveled to HarvardWestlake School in los Angeles to tour the school’s archives and to pick up ideas about how best to utilize NA’s inventory of artifacts and newly digitized archival system. Cori Eggert (Math), Sarah Guelich (Business office), Seraphine Hamilton (english), Kirsti Morin (Middle School counselor), Rachael Reeves (Science), and Alexis Sommers (Admission office) attended the New Jersey Association of independent Schools’ four-part professional development series “grit and grace: An institute for female leaders in education.” Sarah Fischer (Humanities) is serving a threeyear term on the Madison Board of education’s education and policy committees.
Teachers Take on New Roles at Newark Academy
LOU SCERRA Director of iNStitutioNAl reSeArcH AND StrAtegy As the director of institutional research and strategy, lou Scerra will coordinate NA’s institutional research efforts, ranging from the analysis of current surveys to targeted forward-looking research in strategic areas. lou’s experience as a teacher, coach and former department chair, coupled with his M.B.A. training and his interest in strategy, make him a great fit for this role. He will continue to teach three sections of english, coach varsity tennis, and chair the Professional Development committee.
Rob Rezvani (Math) earned his M.A. in computing in education from teachers college, columbia university. Julius Tolentino (Jazz), who has founded a new platform called Jtole Music to help students and educators across the globe, has several exciting initiatives this year, including a new format for student jam sessions, the roselle Park Jazz festival and Vocal competition, and a workshop for band directors in texas. Julius also presented and performed in reno, Nevada, as a second-year board member at the Jazz education Network conference. He was the artist-in-residence at Mount olive High School in flanders, New Jersey, and a clinician at several festivals across the country.
JEFF VINIKOOR Director of StuDieS
2019 COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER: RESHMA SAUJANI the class of 2019 will hear from reshma Saujani at commencement on June 9, 2019. reshma is the founder and ceo of girls Who code, a national nonprofit organization working to close the gender gap in technology and change the image of what a programmer looks like and does. Her husband is Nihal Mehta ’95. For more information on Reshma, visit www.reshmasaujani.com.
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in his new role as director of studies, Jeff Vinikoor will oversee the Newark Academy curriculum, chair the curriculum committee, and continue to lead in the development of skills-based approaches to teaching and learning. Jeff is uniquely qualified for this role, having chaired the Humanities Department for eight years and having coordinated NA’s June term. Jeff will continue to teach two sections of humanities courses.
NA NEWS
Connecting Students to the Real World Field trips, guest visits and club activities play an important role in the Newark Academy educational journey, exposing students to new perspectives, cultures, and environments and further shaping their global perspectives.
ENHANCING THEATER EDUCATION
Twenty-four NA theater students visited New York to gain first-hand knowledge of theater education. They had opportunities to meet with a variety of professionals in the field: a stage manager for Broadway’s King Kong; a talent agent at an iconic theater agency; editor and Viacom producer Kate Baldwin; the cast of Superhero; and the writers of Dear Evan Hansen. This enriching day empowered students to explore possible future careers and to bring what they learned back to their NA educational experiences.
INTRODUCTION INTO HEALTHCARE
NA Upper School students in the Support Women in STEM Club took part in an afternoon program at the global healthcare company Novartis. The students were first welcomed by Vice President and U.S. Country Head for Diversity and Inclusion Marion Brooks. Fabrice Chouraqui, NA parent and president of Novartis Pharmaceuticals U.S., shared insights about his career and provided an overview of the company. A panel of Novartis associates also shared details about their current roles and advice on education and career paths. Having an opportunity to network with the Novartis associates allowed students to explore possible career paths.
SPARKING DEBATE
Thirty-nine students in NA’s Model UN Club gained incredible international relations experience at Session XXII of the Johns Hopkins University Model United Nations Conference. They debated a wide range of topics in committees and played a variety of roles in boardrooms, commissions, councils, courts, organizations, unions and more. Over the course of the four-day session, students honed their research, public speaking, team building, writing and debating skills, which they will use in their NA classes, in college and beyond.
1,200 BOOKS
Middle School students in NA’s Girls Education Fund (GEF) Club collected more than 1,200 books (surpassing their goal of 1,000) to create a library for a school in Tema, Ghana, through the African Library Project. Additionally, they raised more than $500 to ship the books to Ghana. “After working for a couple of years to try to send girls to school in different parts of the world, our club decided we wanted to do something different this year,” says Paige Schachtel ’23, a founding executive board member of the GEF Club. “After doing some research, we found the African Library Project and fell in love with the idea of building a library in Africa. Not only was this a fun activity for all the grades to participate in, but it also helped us to inform everyone about the importance of education.”
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while the typical newark academy school day can include a rigorous schedule of advanced Placement and international Baccalaureate (iB) classes, there is one class that engages both the mind and body in a unique way: iB dance.
dancing through cultures for more than a decade During the two-year international Baccalaureate Dance course students focus on composition, performance and analysis as they study dance forms and styles from a range of cultures and traditions, both familiar and unfamiliar. Students also apply the skills they develop in other academic classes as they research and write several substantial essays. the beginning of the spring semester is devoted to the study of world dance, as professional dancers come to teach master classes in a variety of forms — including, this year, Bharatanatyam, Salsa, capoeira, fosse and Hip Hop. learning new dance styles can inspire
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student-dancers to bring new movement vocabularies, rhythmic patterns, choreographic styles and intentions into their own practice. “As a dancer, the more styles of dance you learn, the more expressive and creative you can become as you find your choreographic voice," says iB Dance teacher yvette luxenberg. yvette has been teaching at NA since 2003 and introduced the iB Dance class 11 years ago. She understands the importance of bringing in experts to broaden the range of her teaching, and, as a model for lifelong learning, she takes an active role in absorbing the new styles alongside her students.
the class also serves as an important cultural resource for the whole school, including through an annual performance at NAPA’s international Dinner (pictured above). this year, the students danced the Bharatanatyam piece called “Pushpanjali” — an offering of flowers — while dressed in authentic Bharatanatyam costumes. “it’s a cool experience to be a part of the night,” says iB Dance student Sophie gilbert ’19. “it pushes you out of your comfort zone in a comfortable place in front of your parents.” reflecting on her experience in the course, she says, “i’ve gotten a lot more exposure to different dance styles and have become more of a worldly dancer.”
New Space for Students as students returned from winter Break, they had a new place to hang out: the Rose student activities center. the large office suite, which includes offices for the dean of students, associate dean of student life and director of community service, along with a conference table, couches, chairs and a selection of games, is a perfect space for students to decompress and for clubs to host events. “Because many students hang out there, it’s been a great way to combine entertainment with education,” says grace Bu ’20.
“i’ve gotten a lot more exposure to different dance styles and have become more of a worldly dancer.” – Sophie gilbert ’19 indeed, a primary goal of the class “is to encourage students to learn things outside of what is familiar to them,” according to yvette. “Dance is a universal language that can be used to connect people. When you learn another form of dance, you appreciate someone else’s culture and you can see how your culture, your language and your knowledge may be both different and similar. this is extremely important for our students because we want them to be global citizens who can respect and appreciate other cultures.”
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NA’s Oxfam Hunger Banquet Provides Perspective on Poverty and Income Inequality A January effort to dive deeper into the NA Community
Experiential Learning Activity
Service Council’s (CSS) yearlong theme of poverty
Seventy members of the NA community, including Upper and Middle School students, faculty, staff and administrators, engaged in this experiential learning activity. The NA dining room was divided into three sections, and attendees randomly selected tickets designating them as high-, middle- or low-income earners – demonstrating how “the luck of the draw” can determine where one ends up. Some participants subsequently moved up or down in status due to “life circumstances,” such as job changes or natural disasters. The food and drinks that were served differed between income levels, with high-income earners eating name-brand popcorn and drinking bottled beverages and low-income earners drinking tap water. Table centerpieces focused on food insecurity around the world to help raise awareness and spark conversations.
and income inequality resulted in the CSS, Food Club, Mi Casa Club and HUBUN hosting a Hunger Banquet in conjunction with Oxfam, a global organization working to end poverty and foster hunger awareness.
The interactive event encouraged attendees to think critically about advantages in their lives, to look more closely at their implicit bias and to learn more about the realities of different income levels. The result was a true community conversation, one that participants were challenged to continue during NAPA’s International Dinner later that evening.
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ANONYMOUS REFLECTIONS FROM THE HUNGER BANQUET “circumstances in which one is born change everything.”
“Being in the low-income group, i realized the day-to-day insecurity that exists. while i was originally in the middle-income group, a flood – completely out of my control – proved to be tragic.”
“i never really realized how privileged we are. it really gave me perspective.”
“climate change affects the lower class more than any other.”
“there is a fine line between the lower and middle classes. however, there is a large gap between the upper class and the others.”
“as a member of the low-income group, i learned about how much we take for granted. generally, bread is the first component of all meals, given for free in restaurants. however, in our group it was the only component of the meal!”
“Being directly across from a group of low-income people while being in the high-income group made me highly uncomfortable. i was served plates of food and drinks. all they had was one common loaf of bread and water. it was incredibly unfair.”
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BUILDING BELONGING
NA NEWS
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By J e f f V i N i ko o r
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A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
French writer and aviator antoine de saint-exupéry’s statement reminds us that imagining a shared future is only the beginning of one of the most important tasks an organization can undertake. newark academy’s storied history and myriad accomplishments are foundational, but our school’s ability to remain a dynamic institution requires that we plan for the years yet to come. anticipating opportunities and challenges and developing strategies to respond advantageously are primary responsibilities of the na Board of trustees, and the results are brought to light in each new iteration of the school’s strategic Plan.
the Strategic Planning committee, consisting of trustees and school administration, recently developed the 2019-2023 Strategic Plan after considering a number of key ques-
Here we highlight some of the diversity and inclusion initiatives already in place and the ways in which they are enriching the student experience and strengthening the NA community.
tions about Newark Academy’s future. Among these: “How do we foster a sense of belonging once [our] gifted students, faculty and staff are in the building?” the committee included the following statement as part of the finished plan (available at www.newarka.edu/ strategicplan): “the plan that follows offers thoughtful, actionable and measurable responses to these questions through various initiatives bound by a single belief: that a sense of belonging, shared by all constituents, is essential if we are to raise the level of excellence at newark academy. the attention devoted to matters of equity and inclusion in this plan translates to a commitment not only to recruiting students, faculty and staff who are socially and economically diverse, but also to ensuring that all members of our diverse community feel a true sense of belonging. in a rapidly changing world, na reaffirms its belief in the importance of human
Equity and Inclusion: “A Constellation of Opportunities” When he arrived at Newark Academy this past August, Director of equity and inclusion gardy guiteau was delighted to learn about existing programs that seek to make the NA experience equitable and inclusive for all students, families, faculty and staff. Still, he set his sights on a more complete incorporation of these principles into the fabric of the community. “i envision Newark Academy as a place where all constituencies engage with the work of creating an equitable and inclusive school,” says gardy. “there should be many opportunities to learn, to reflect, to engage in difficult conversations. there should also be joyous celebrations of the diversity found in this community. there should be many ways for students to act as thoughtful, culturally competent leaders. i envision a constellation of opportunities.”
to develop this constellation, gardy has reached out to members of the faculty and administration in order to build upon existing programs and to develop new ones. “i want to ensure that our students experience an intentional trajectory for growth, one that allows them to develop the skills of cultural competency from the first weeks of 6th grade to commencement,” he says. He has also connected strongly with students. gardy has opened his office to students, who affectionately call him “Mr. g,” and is a frequent face at club meetings and student events. He also served this year as an 8th grade advisor. “that opportunity gave me real insight into the experiences of the student body,” says gardy, who enjoyed developing connections with his advisees.
connections across differences and in the capacity for mutual empathy.”
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“the kids,” he reflects, “have made my time at Newark Academy enjoyable and worthwhile.”
Holding Peer-to-Peer Conversations What does it mean to be a member of the Newark Academy community who is mindful of equity and inclusion? throughout the spring semester, this question has animated the work of Peer leaders, seniors who serve as group facilitators and role models for 9th grade students. guided by gardy, 16 seniors have engaged groups of freshmen in discussions about identity, inclusion, stereotypes and social bias. Senior Peer leader Samantha keller has found the work of engaging 9th graders in discussions of inclusion to be a particularly powerful way to help build a stronger school community. “About half of my peer group consists of students who are new to Newark Academy,” says Samantha. “We want to make sure these new students,
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co-founder of the consultancy Teaching
We want to make sure these new students, and all students, understand the importance of not only respecting each other’s differences but learning from them, too.” – samantha keller
While White, asked attendees to reflect on their own experiences of gender and race and to understand the varied experiences of their students. the workshop created space for structured conversations, while Jenna also offered insights and practical tips. During breakout sessions, academic departments discussed curricula and teaching practices, as administrators and professional staff considered
and all students, understand the importance of not only respecting each other’s differences but learning from them, too.”
questions of school climate and policy.
in future years, gardy envisions students on the equity and inclusion team, a student and faculty leadership group, working with Peer leaders to co-facilitate discussions with 9th grade students. “there’s great power in peer-to-peer conversations about inclusivity,” notes gardy. “We want to create opportunities for those connections, which will serve as the foundation of a community in which all members feel a sense of belonging.”
individually in order to deepen
the program aligned well with the ongoing work that many faculty and staff members have undertaken their understanding of themselves, students and the curriculum in relation to equity and inclusion.
Partnering with Parents this past September, gardy addressed members of the Newark Academy Parents Association during one of the first weeks of the school year and one of his first weeks at NA. in a talk titled
Engaging in Professional Development
From Diversity to Belonging: Parents and Families as Partners in Equity and Inclusion, gardy sought to share with
on a crisp morning in february, the
current parents his philosophy and
entire Newark Academy faculty, staff
approach to equity and inclusion
and administration gathered to learn
work as well as his intended themes
about the skills needed to ensure that
for the year. He also invited parents to
the school is an inclusive, equitable
partner with him and other members
community. During a 90-minute workshop, Jenna chandler-Ward, educator and
of the administration in creating a school community that, as he says, “continues to prioritize and foster belonging for all members.” in his talk, gardy explained the importance of diversity as well as how the strength of a school community and the aims of student academic success are entwined.
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Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. on the morning of Monday, January 18, environmental activist tanya fields addressed a crowd of more than 100 members of the Newark Academy community, including students, faculty, staff, administration, parents and alumni. tanya was the keynote speaker at the first Newark Academy Mlk Day of Service, a morning of service and community engagement that occurred on the annual school holiday in honor of Dr. Martin luther king, Jr. Working with alumni, parents, student leaders and administrators, Director of community Service Sarah fischer helped initiate the day with gardy. “We wanted to move beyond a single service project and use the day to engage the community in thought about Mlk’s dedication to addressing income inequality,” Sarah says. “the day connected with our year-long focus on poverty.” in her address, tanya discussed the role that community gardens can play in creating healthier environments for families, especially those with
limited access to fresh food. She also challenged the audience to think about institutional practices that reinforce poverty. following tanya’s presentation, participants were able to engage in one of three activities: a questionand-answer breakout session with her, an on-campus service project, or an interactive simulation designed to illustrate inequity in community resources. “it was wonderful to see so many members of the community coming together in learning and reflection,” says Sarah, who is already thinking about next year’s Mlk Day of Service.
Connecting Students and Alumni of Color While attending the Alumni of color Breakfast during Homecoming & reunion two years ago, Lena Ryals ’94 recognized that, while Newark Academy has changed in many ways since her days as a student, the challenges many students of color face today are similar to those that she and her contemporaries encountered. “As a student, i would have benefited from talking with alumni who understood my experiences as a student of color,” says lena. She is now working with gardy to create ways for alumni of color to connect with and support current students of color.
“As a student, I would have benefited from talking with alumni who understood my experiences as a student of color.
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in the months since his presentation, gardy has had opportunities to meet with, work with and counsel parents. “Parents of all backgrounds and of students in both the Middle School and upper School have felt comfortable reaching out to me for support in learning about matters of equity and inclusion,” he says. “from building connections at school-sponsored events, to supporting the Black and latino families Network, i have had very good interactions with parents thus far, and i look forward to continuing to partner with them.”
As a complement to those efforts, gardy is developing a Students of color lunch Series. these lunches aim to offer space for selfidentified students of color to connect with one another and to learn from each other about the similarities and differences between their respective experiences at Newark Academy. Students who attended the 2018 National Association of independent Schools Student Diversity leadership conference last fall returned from there eager to help launch the series. once the lunch series has launched, gardy hopes to invite lena and other alumni of color to an event each school year. “Alumni can bring a unique perspective,” reflects lena. “We know the strength of the Newark Academy alumni network, and we can partner with students to help them make the most of their experiences while on campus and after graduation.”
– lena Ryals ’94
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sPecial guest visitoR at winteR musical ReheaRsal Newark Academy’s Winter Musical cast members were thrilled to welcome telly leung, who played Aladdin on Broadway for two years, to one of their dress rehearsals for The Mystery of Edwin Drood. telly shared his experiences, watched the students rehearse and gave feedback.
a mysteRy musical for the final Winter Musical performances in the rose Auditorium, The Mystery of Edwin Drood allowed the audience to enter the action and become the ultimate detectives. the show, based on charles Dickens’ unfinished novel of the same name, was written by rupert Holmes and is set in the small town of cloisterham, england, where the young and charming edwin Drood has been mysteriously murdered. the show’s audience plays an active role in helping to solve the mystery at each performance.
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“this hilarious, who-done-it mystery was the perfect swan song for the Rose auditorium, as the actors included the audience in the fun throughout the production, stepping off the stage and traveling up the aisles, belting out songs and speaking directly to those in the seats.” – elaine BRodie aRts dePaRtment chaiR
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annual community aRt exhiBit Receives neaRly 90 suBmissions How do the habitats we build reflect our inner states? What makes a house a home and what images or symbols relay that sentiment? these are the questions the NA community was asked when invited to submit art works to this winter’s 16th annual community art exhibit, House & Home. eighty-eight students, faculty, staff and alumni shared their creativity and their notions of home in various mediums:
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36 sculptures
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ATHLETICS
College Athletes of Tomorrow From the soccer and lacrosse fields to the baseball diamond and the tennis courts, Newark Academy continues its tradition of preparing student-athletes to play their chosen sports in college. This year, the Minutemen have 13 athletes who will be competing in college, with five going on to the Division I level. Matt Ciccone ’19 Division I Baseball at Rutgers University
Matt Ciccone ’19 was dreaming of the day he would sign his National Letter of Intent (NLI) even before he began his baseball career at Newark Academy. When the moment finally came, he was happy to finish the process. “It was a proud moment for me and my family,” says Matt, who signed his NLI to play on Rutgers University’s baseball team with his parents, two brothers, classmates and teachers looking on. Those who have long followed his athletic career knew this day was coming. Matt took to the NA diamond as a varsity player for the fourth time this spring. He has already been named to the All-Non-Public B Team once, to the All-Prep B
Team twice, and to the SEC American Division Team three times. He helped the Minutemen baseball team win the State Preps and State Sectional Final in 2017. Matt was also a two-time letter winner in football. “Newark Academy has helped me establish a work ethic,” Matt says. “I’ve been playing baseball my whole life, but just having a good work ethic and getting school work and other things done when I need to is going to help me in college.” At the prospect of playing for his home-state school, “I’m proud,” Matt says with a smile. “My family can come to every game – and just to represent the state of New Jersey, I’m excited for that.”
Back row: Tommy Ciccone ’14, Frankie Ciccone Front tow: Tom Ciccone, Matt Ciccone ’19, Sylvia Ciccone
Alex Kotzen ’19 Division I Tennis at Columbia University
Alex Kotzen’s ’19 tennis career has already taken him all around the globe, and the next stop will be Columbia University, where he will play on the D-I Lions men’s tennis team.
Alex played for the Minutemen over the past four years as he also spent time overseas to hone his tennis skills. He spent eighth grade living and training at a tennis academy in Barcelona and returned to the same facility for the fall semester of his senior year, (continued on page 18)
Jeffrey Kotzen, Alex Kotzen ’19, Danielle Voogt, Nicolas Kotzen ’22
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(continued from page 17)
traveling also to Tunisia, where he played in seven tournaments, and to Turkey for another tournament. “Playing against and training with men who make a living playing the sport, and those who aspire to do the same, was a humbling experience,” Alex says. “Everyone thinks that playing a sport professionally is the best job ever,
Gabriella Neibart ’19 Division I Soccer at University of Pittsburgh
Gabriella Neibart ’19 has wanted to play soccer in college since she started playing for her club team, Match Fit Academy Elite Club National League. Having
and of course most of the people I met loved tennis, but it is still a job. Arriving early, making sure you have everything you need, and most importantly having that professional mentality day in and day out: that has been the most important thing for me to learn and implement into my life and game since having this experience.”
Alex will arrive at Columbia with an already impressive list of accomplishments from his time in the storied NA tennis program. He was named First Team All-SEC American Division and Second Team NonPublic B, and he helped NA win the State Sectional, State Final and Tournament of Champions titles.
“If you had told me five years ago that I would be in this position today, I wouldn't have believed you,” Alex says. But thanks to his time at NA, he has been prepared not only to get to the college level but to excel there. “At Newark Academy I have had to be more or less a college athlete. Time management is the biggest part of being a college athlete and NA has taught me that.”
now trained at the highest level and traveled the country playing in tournaments, Gabriella will achieve her dream when she heads to the University of Pittsburgh in the fall.
sport,” Gabriella says. “Soccer keeps me in shape, and I become a different person when I am on the field, organizing my teammates, creating opportunities to goal, and protecting the goal with my skills and athleticism. When I play in the ACC next year at the University of Pittsburgh, it will be one of the most competitive environments that I have been a part of, and I can't wait to see how I develop and succeed as a student-athlete.”
advisors with helping her to succeed.
“My desire to play in college stems from my love for the
Playing in a D-I program in a Power 5 conference isn’t always easy, but fortunately Gabriella’s time at NA has prepared her for the rigors that await her on and off the field. “It hasn't always been easy balancing school, soccer and extracurriculars, but I’ve got to say hard work really does pay off. Newark Academy has helped me become a more developed student and athlete.” Bottom row, left to right: Francis Clark, Gabriella Neibart ’19, Sarah Neibart, Steven Neibart. Top row, left to right: Shane Neibart ’12, Kathleen Neibart, Joshua Barer, Ed Khawaja.
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Gabriella also credits the support and generosity of her teachers and academic
Gabriella’s list of accomplishments on the field is already long. As a freshman at NA, she was Honorable Mention Super Essex Conference (SEC) Liberty Division. The following year, she was named Second Team Prep B and Honorable Mention SEC American Division. During her junior year, she was named Second Team SEC American Division. She was also named First Team SEC Liberty Division, helping the girls’ team reach the state sectional finals. “After a few months of being committed to the University of Pittsburgh and being accepted into the School of Nursing, I can finally process and grasp this moment,” Gabriella now says. “I am very proud of myself, and my family and friends are as well. This accomplishment is just the beginning of a great future.”
Preparing Student-Athletes to Play in College Whether you’re the Gatorade Basketball State Player of the Year who goes on to be a Division I athlete or a Division III runner, the Newark Academy athletic experience helps prepare student-athletes to be successful on the field, in the classroom and in their communities at the collegiate level. Jocelyn Willoughby ’16 Division I Basketball at University of Virginia
Jocelyn Willoughby ’16 decided to come to NA so she could “grow intellectually as well as athletically.” That is
exactly what she did as an NA student, when she learned to handle the types of responsibilities that come with being
a scholar-athlete at one of the most prestigious public colleges in the country, the University of Virginia (UVA). “Newark Academy equipped me with the critical reading, writing, analytical and study skills I needed to be successful,” Jocelyn says. “I grew accustomed to long days with demanding schedules and learned how to juggle multiple activities.” Currently a junior at UVA, Jocelyn is a representative on the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee, a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, and a peer advisor. This busy schedule hasn’t kept her from excelling in the classroom: she was also named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) academic team during her freshman and sophomore years at UVA. On the court, Jocelyn surpassed the 1,000 career point mark in February 2019.
Ashley Ulrich ’11 Division I Cross Country, Dartmouth College in 2013, Ashley ulrich ’11 was an alumna chaperone on an NA pre-season cross country trip to Brewster Academy, located on lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. “the trip was a great
chance to reconnect with old coaches and help the new class of runners prepare for their season,” says Ashley, who ran cross country at NA during her senior year. this past fall, Ashley started at fordham university School of law while also training for the 2019 Boston Marathon – her third. “competing in organized
Now, after being in the starting lineup for nearly 100 NCAA basketball games, Jocelyn still views her time at NA as the foundation for her success. “Playing at NA helped me understand team dynamics and how to navigate them as a leader,” Jocelyn says. “Throughout high school, I developed a wellrounded game with an inside and outside presence. I became a player that could handle and shoot the ball from the outside, in addition to being able to drive, post up, and finish near the basket. My development at NA made me a valuable asset on the court in college.” Jocelyn graduated from UVA in May 2019 with a major in global studies and a concentration in global development. She is pursuing a master’s in public policy at UVA’s Frank Batten School for Leadership and Public Policy, with one year of NCAA athletic eligibility remaining.
sports for so long has shown me the importance of focusing on incremental goals,” Ashley says, reflecting on both of these pursuits. “it can be overwhelming to consider all the hard work and effort to achieve really big, long-term goals. However, breaking down the steps makes it more approachable.”
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ATHLETICS
until their teen years. That’s what happened to Sydney Persing ’15, who first picked up fencing as a freshman at Newark Academy.
Sydney Persing ’15 Division I Fencing at University of North Carolina
Some student-athletes don’t initially plan to compete in college, but thanks to motiva-
tion from coaches, they can become Division I athletes in sports they didn’t even start
As a member and captain of the University of North Carolina (UNC) fencing team, Sydney played a pivotal role in helping win the 2018 ACC Championship. Sydney claimed the critical bout to beat Duke, resulting in the program’s first-ever conference title. As a two-time team captain at UNC, Sydney credits NA with making her a strong leader. Sydney’s time at NA and the rigors that came with being a student-athlete set her up for
Johnny Capobianco ’16 Division III Cross Country and Track and Field at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Minuteman Athletics prepares students to succeed at the next level. Johnny Capobianco ’16 came to Newark Academy wanting to increase his potential to compete at a collegiate level in both cross country and track and field, which is exactly what he has done at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). “Learning to balance my coursework, extracurricular activities and athletics at NA taught me how to manage my time efficiently, and most importantly, I believe, to relax and not let the pressure overwhelm me,” says Johnny,
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who was named to the RPI Conference Academic Honor Roll. “I was more than prepared to handle the academics of an engineering school and the time commitment of a dedicated athletic program.” While at NA, Johnny was a team captain for cross country and track, helping win the State Group Championship when he was a senior, and was named to the All-County Team. Johnny’s time running around NA’s 68-acre campus prepared him for the trails ahead at the small private institution in upstate New York. “Running cross country and track and field at NA
taught me how to be a leader, trust in my abilities, and never stop working hard in order to improve because there is always room to grow,” Johnny says. “Here at RPI I have used everything that NA taught me and have seen great improvement in my athletic ability and enjoyed every moment of my athletic career.” Johnny is majoring in environmental engineering and will graduate in May 2020.
such success. “One of my favorite things about NA is how academically challenging it is,” Sydney says. “On top of my workload, I practiced with our high school team and trained with my club team. I also competed in the tristate area most weekends and traveled at least once a month for national tournaments.” Sydney graduated from UNC in May 2019 with a double major in political science and media and journalism and with a concentration in broadcast journalism.
it was another strong winter season for Minutemen Athletics, adding trophies to the cases and rewriting the record books. the varsity girls’ swimming team won its first essex county title in school history en route to a second straight appearance in the Non-Public B final, where Danning Hu ’20 broke school records in 200 individual medley (iM) and 100 freestyle. Maya Knoller ’22, Bridget Bowen ’19, Monique Iben ’19 and Danning also notched the 200 and 400 freestyle relay school record this year. Danning, Maya, Emily Tang ’21 and Monique were essex county and Super essex conference (Sec) champs in 200 iM relay, while Claire Ou ’21, Bridget, Maya and Danning were the county/conference champs in 400 freestyle relay. Selah Dungey ’22 won the Non-Public B high jump at NJSiAA indoor track group championships and was one of two freshmen of the group meet weekend to win an individual event. Michael Pyo ’22 went undefeated in nine bouts to win the individual foil in the District 3 fencing championships while Abby Parker ’19 placed first in the individual saber on the girls’ side. on the hardwood, Samantha Keller ’19 and Ivy Bethea ’19 each passed the 1,000 career points lists, doing so in the same game, while the varsity boys basketball team won the oratory Prep christmas tournament. get the full rundown of athletic news and scores at www.newarka.edu Join the conversation! twitter: @naminutemen instagram: @naathletics Facebook: @gonaminutemen
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Newark Academy Partners with Pulse Sports Camps newark academy has partnered with Pulse sports camps to offer an array of specialized week-long summer sports programs for children ages 5 to 15. the sports camps are open to all skill levels and take place from JUNE 24 TO AUGUST 2, 2019, on the na campus. “Newark Academy’s partnership with Pulse Sports camps allows us to offer our best-in-class facilities to young athletes throughout our area,” says NA Assistant Head of School lisa grider. “Pulse Sports camps shares our commitment to providing students with quality athletic experiences where skill-building and competition not only foster growth but are fun.” summer camp offerings from Pulse sports camps at newark academy include: ◗ Premier multi-sports camps for boys and girls ages 5–14 ◗ Premier Basketball camps for boys and girls ages 6–14
◗ Premier tennis camps for boys and girls ages 6–14
◗ Premier soccer camps for boys and girls ages 6 –14 ◗ Premier volleyball camps for girls ages 10 –15
“on behalf of everyone associated with Pulse Sports, we are truly excited about our new summer camp partnership with Newark Academy,” says Pulse Director liam roche. “the school has all of the necessary facilities to provide the highest quality sports camp to the local community and surrounding towns. We are delighted that we can provide our exceptional sports camps on the school’s outstanding facilities in the summer of 2019 and beyond.”
For more information or to register for Pulse sports camps at newark academy for this summer, visit http://pulsecamps.com/locations/pulse-camps/newark-academy. na’s discount code is Ps19na15%.
Additional Summer Opportunities at Newark Academy newark academy’s summer session, June 24 – august 2: Students can discover their passions at Newark Academy’s Summer Session, an unparalleled academic experience for students in grades 1 through 12. online registration is now open at www.newarka.edu/summer. newark academy’s mott-leeney Baseball camp, June 24 – July 26: campers from ages 5 to 13 can hone their skills in pitching, catching, infield play, outfield play, hitting and base running at NA’s Mott-leeney Baseball camp, which offers week-long sessions. online registration is now open at www.newarka.edu/summer. 22
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Endless Possibilities THE BENEFITS OF TAKING A GAP YEAR BEFORE COLLEGE By d e B R a m a R R
in may 2016, the office of First lady michelle obama announced that her daughter malia would defer admission to harvard and pursue a gap year, thus shining a national spotlight on what has become a growing trend among high school students who are transitioning to their college careers. taking time off between life stages provides time for traveling, volunteering, learning a new language, or experiencing opportunities for personal growth. For many students, there are no rules when planning a gap year, so there is an endless array of exciting possibilities. ❯❯❯
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NA NEWS
M
ore and more, colleges and universities are lauding the benefits of the gap year experience and are designing programs and services to support students who choose that option. Colorado College recently launched a Gap Year Research Consortium to study the outcomes of taking an intentional gap year before college. Many universities and colleges that have long been proponents of meaningful gap years are participating in the consortium, including Colby College,
Duke, Florida State, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Tufts and Yale, among others. Admission staff at these schools are working together to conduct research on gap year outcomes and to communicate the many positive benefits that a year away from the classroom can provide.
Newark Academy’s Office of College Counseling hosts an annual
Jonathan (Jon) Charette ’18 graduated from Newark
gap year fair and has seen a growing number of students seeking
Academy last June. He was admitted to Princeton University
alternatives to going directly to college. “The college planning
but chose to enroll in Princeton’s Bridge Year Program before
process is about opening up options,” says Director of College
reentering the classroom. Participants in the program engage
Counseling Kerry Winiarski. “For many, exploring options
in international community service work while living with a
includes – or should include – investigating gap year possibilities.
host family and volunteering with organizations that serve the
We usually advise students to go through the college application
needs of local communities.
process at the same time they explore gap year options.” Jon is nearing the end – and savoring every minute – of what he calls his “once-in-a-lifetime” experience. He has been living and working in the vibrant city of Jogjakarta, Indonesia, for the better part of a year with his host family: Ibu (mom), Bapak (dad) and dua adik laki laki (two younger brothers). Through them, he has been able to experience Indonesian life in a very personal
Jonathan Cha attire to en rette ’18 and his gr ou ter the tom b of the fi p dressed in traditio rst Mataram nal Javane se king.
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Jessica Li
m ’14 on he r City Ye AmeriCor ps experien ar ce.
way – by sharing in significant family events, such as weddings, funerals and births, as well as simple evenings at home. Jon’s days are filled with a multitude of activities, including morning language classes and sustained work with local NGOs on animal conservation, education and environmental issues. He also works as an intern coordinator at Project Child Indonesia and teaches a dance class at one of the program sites. In the evenings, frequent local festivals and art exhibitions provide dynamic opportunities for enlightening cultural exchange. Jon says that educational fatigue was a motivating factor in his decision to pursue the gap year option: “To take a break from classroom studies has allowed me to refresh and discover new passions that will ultimately help me to take full advantage of the academic opportunities at Princeton when I return.” That perspective is echoed on the website of Middlebury College: “Students who step off the academic treadmill for a semester or a year typically bring more to their college experience and as a result, derive more from it. They also hold a higher number of leadership positions on campus and, on average, perform better academically.”
Jessica Lim ’14 wanted to take a year off before enrolling at the University of Pennsylvania, and her desire to make a difference in the world led her to apply for a City Year AmeriCorps position. City Year members work with at-risk students in high-need schools to help them stay on track to graduate. Jessica was assigned to work full-time with a fifth-grade class in New Hampshire. Her duties extended beyond the classroom as she ran an after-school programs, including a “Tech-4-Girls” club that introduced coding concepts to girls in grades 3– 5. Jessica says her gap year experience helped her put life into perspective. Not only did she learn to navigate “real-world” responsibilities – such as moving into an apartment and paying for rent, gas and electricity – but she developed close and collaborative friendships with her supervisor and other members of her team. She also learned to connect deeply with students and families whose life experiences were very different from her own. Continued
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NA NEWS
Katy Kim ’18 wanted to pursue a semester-long experience outside her comfort zone before settling into the academic rigors of life at Middlebury College. She also hoped the experience would provide clarity for her academic focus and beyond. Katy joined a trekking group for a month-long adventure at the Mount Everest Base Camp in Nepal. She found it both enlightening and refreshing to meet people of different ages and from many different walks of life. She daily traversed the
Katy Kim '18 visited a traditional Korean tea house in Seoul while traveling during her semesterlong gap experience .
awe-inspiring terrain in Nepal while growing abundantly in both physical and mental strength. Katy’s journey continued on to India, where she interacted with
Katy finished her gap experience in Seoul, South Korea, where
Tibetan Buddhist monks through informal English conversation
she spent two months at her grandparents’ home. She immersed
classes. “It was exciting to recall knowledge of the Buddhist con-
herself in the culture of her heritage and took lessons to become
cepts I learned in my eighth-grade World Cultures class at NA,”
more fluent in the language. The whole experience was transfor-
Katy says. “And it was inspiring to ask questions to monks
mational for Katy and produced a deeper sense of self-confidence
who are actually practicing it.” Katy’s IB History class also
and awareness.
provided the foundation for understanding the divisions on the India-Pakistan border when she visited that area.
i chose to take a gap year because i thought it was an amazing opportunity to learn outside of the traditional confines of a classroom, to grow as a whole person not just a student, and to experience a different way of living in another country i knew so little about.” – Jonathan charrette ’18
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A DVA N C E M E N T
Finale with a Flourish
A Community Effort
Rise & Flourish: The Campaign for Newark Academy
We engaged our community on every level, encouraging each person, each family to make a gift that felt right for them, resulting in 1,100 gifts to Rise & Flourish, in amounts ranging from $10 to $3.5 million. And every single one of those gifts mattered! n
Our shared journey began more than 3,000 days ago. Along the way,
n
more than 770 people came together, generously giving Newark
n
Academy a level of support unseen in its 245-year history. When we
n
began, our goals were audacious: four new facilities totaling 43,500 square feet, the creation of the
n
Newark Scholars Program, and a 33 percent increase in the NA endowment. Thanks to our gener-
n
ous supporters, who were inspired
n
by their deep connections to NA’s mission, values and vision, we rose to the challenge and exceeded every goal, securing
n
We met with more than 500 individuals, including alumni, parents, grandparents and foundation leaders. We hosted 144 events for nearly 4,000 people to share the story of our plans for the school and our need for support. We called on alumni from coast to coast to remember the impact that NA had on their lives and to invest in the school’s future. We called on current parents, whose commitment to educating their children at NA fueled their generosity, and we called on alumni parents to help provide that same experience to another generation of students. We reached out to young alumni, asking them to help us finish strong by making a gift toward one seat in our new auditorium – resulting in an additional $100,000 and still counting! We received nine gifts of $1 million or more. We only broke ground on a new building project when we had 50 percent of its cost and when the preceding project had been fully pledged. We provided more than $22 million for facilities and added nearly $9 million to NA’s endowment, ensuring the school’s financial stability long into the future.
more than $41 million in support. NeWArk ACAdemy
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A DVA N C E M E N T
‘‘
When we began Rise & Flourish in may 2010, classrooms – the place where the real magic happens at NA – had not been improved since 1964, when the Livingston campus opened. The school was out of space and, frankly, out of date. Thanks to [the] support of Rise & Flourish, Newark Academy’s physical plant has been transformed – one step, one project at a time. Today, we have spaces that meet the needs of our students ... I take great pride in the fact that we have created spaces that truly reflect the values of Newark Academy. Our Upper School Academic Center is a reflection of the rigor, the challenge and the quality of the Upper School academic program. Our outdoor athletic complex reflects NA’s commitment to excellence and the value of teamwork. The Wilf middle School perfectly reflects the joyful nature of the NA middle School experience. And, soon, the Coraci Performance Hall will signal the importance of belonging, the power of our community and the vital role that the arts play in teaching, learning and living.” – Jeff kaplan, Chairman of Rise & Flourish: The Campaign for Newark Academy, at the campaign-ending celebration event on January 26, 2019.
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Rise & Flourish: The Campaign for Newark Academy Timeline SePTember 2011 Upper School Academic Center Construction kick-Off event SePTember 2012 Grand Opening of the Upper School Academic Center OCTOber 2012 dedication of renovated, turfed and lighted kacur Field JANUAry 2013 Rise & Flourish Campaign kick-Off event AUGUST 2013 Ad Lumen Society event: sneak peek at new outdoor athletic facilities SePTember 2013 Coursen Field, Track and Concession Facility opens NOvember 2013 Coursen Field dedication Ceremony APrIL 2016 Groundbreaking for the middle School expansion Project APrIL 2017 Completion of the middle School expansion Project SePTember 2017 middle School dedication Ceremony OCTOber 2017 Rise & Flourish reaches campaign goal of $30 million JANUAry 2019 Rise & Flourish Campaign-ending Celebration FINAL PHASe renovation of rose Auditorium (construction to begin June 2019)
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A DVA N C E M E N T
The Greatest Day! Newark Academy’s fifth annual day of Giving was not just fun – it was the greatest fundraising day ever!
More than $270,000 was raised for the Annual Fund in the 24-hour period, which brought together all members of the NA community, including alumni, parents, faculty and staff. The support – from volunteers and donors alike – was outstanding and reflected a generosity of spirit in true NA style.
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O N e
D dO A Ny EF O r
A R C H N 6A, N AY F m OA r
2 0 1 9
TOTAL AmOUNT rAISed
$272,277 SOCIAL medIA COmPeTITION WINNer
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AdrIAN GrAHAm ’97
vOLUNTeer CALLerS
TOP ALUmNI CLASSeS PArTICIPATION
1969 – 17% 1994 – 11%
25,000
$
LArGeST GIFT
137 emAILS SeNT
57 ALUmNI CLASSeS HAd AT LeAST ONe member PArTICIPATe
TOP INSTAGrAm POST
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83
PrOFILe vISITS
LIkeS
754
403
PeOPLe reACHed
vIdeO vIeWS
Check out videos, photos and more at www.newarka.edu/onedayforNA
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Lifelong Connections and Friendships at N e wa r k ac a d e m y By Garrett Caldwell
the Greek philosopher aristotle had a theory about happiness which he developed over many years while a student at the famous academy in athens. to be happy, he thought, was the proper goal of life; and one key to happiness, he believed, was friendship. more than 2,000 years later, alumni of another academy – Newark academy – say much the same thing. the best part of Na, they say, is the people: the friends they made and the connections they’ve maintained. One is struck by the joy that Na alumni exude when they talk about how they still keep in touch with their friends – how they still hang out, have dinner together, go on trips, and even work together. Na is a great and important institution in many ways. It prepares young men and women for college; it helps to instill civic virtue in its graduates; it provides the life skills, above and beyond academic content, necessary for professional success. But perhaps its most important – and most successful – function is to bring people together in friendships that last a lifetime.
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50 YEARS
October 19, 2019, will be a special day for the
of Friendship
class of 1969: close to 30 members of the class will once again walk the halls of Newark academy for their 50th reunion. But while
the event will bring together these classmates for a weekend filled with reminiscing, the group’s continual efforts has kept them closely connected throughout the years.
50 YEARS
of Friendship
Since attending Na
LeO GOrdON ’69 has organized many events and worked to keep his classmates in touch. an Na lifer, Leo took part in a variety of activities at Na that brought him into contact with just about everyone in his grade – including participating in the drama club, working on the school newspaper, and playing on the varsity basketball team. “Newark academy is very important to me and helped provide the foundation for me to be successful in life,” Leo says. Since leaving Na, he has always looked for ways to “pay it forward – to bring some joy to my friends from the academy, to help the school out now.”
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Members of the Class of 1969 at a recent “Steakfest” get-together.
50 YEARS
of Friendship
“SteakfeSt” Get-tOGetherS about 20 years ago, some members of the class of 1969 began attending the Nyc Networking Night alumni event and would gather for dinner afterwards. when they changed the venue to a steak restaurant in fair Lawn, New Jersey, even more members of the class attended and the group began to meet every few months for their “Steakfest” get-togethers, often coordinating with out-of-staters’ travel plans. turnout at the dinners today averages between ten and twenty alumni, with some occasional alumni from other years joining the festivities as well.
Leo, the driving force behind the Steakfests, says the events allow “different cohorts in the class to mingle and trade stories. We have so many memories together.” As in any large group of people, the Class of 1969 included different sub-groups of friends. “Life has a way of changing you, though,” Leo says, “and over time it’s amazing how much common ground you find with guys who were just acquaintances in high school.”
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TOMMY SEMINARA ’69 reconnected with his classmates at the Steakfest after having been out of touch for more than 40 years (he moved to the West Coast as a young man), which had always been a source of sadness for him. After recently moving back to the East Coast – to New Hope, Pennsylvania, with his partner – he reconnected with Leo and began attending the Steakfest dinner events. “It was beautiful to come back into the fold,” Tommy says. Tommy exudes joy as he relates the story of his first Steakfest: “The experience of walking into the restaurant and seeing all the guys with so many smiles and hugs – it was just wonderful. Through my eyes, nothing really changed. Yes, a few more wrinkles and a few more pounds, but for me, I was back with my friends at NA.” He remembered how he and his classmates spent a lot of time together at NA and were involved in each other’s lives – on the football field, in the theater, in the pool, and at weekend gatherings. He looks back at his NA experience and says, “There was nothing better than those formative years, growing from boys to men ready for college.
50 YEARS
of Friendship
Members of the Class of 1969 Peter Behrle, Leo Gordon, Ed DeFabio, and Tommy Seminara at Tommy's Christmas party.
50 YEARS
of Friendship
PauL kaSOff ’69, like tommy, makes the trip from Pennsylvania to New Jersey for the Steakfests. Paul attends almost all of the dinners and many of the other social gatherings held by his Na friends. Like Leo, he notes that, although he and his classmates were not all equally close friends back then, “we all get along really so well today; it’s just about having fun and trading stories. though we all have various levels of professional and financial success, there is no pressure to talk about any of that.” the guys, he says, much prefer talking about the Na days, like the time when some of his football buddies at a poolside post-game gathering hurled him into the water – clothes, shoes, wallet and all.
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50 YEARS
of Friendship
Jeff GerhOLd ’69 has a significantly greater distance to travel to the Steakfests than many of his classmates. he drives up from maryland and has attended four of the events. (he points out that others have traveled much farther than he has – from california, colorado and florida.) he, too, appreciates the opportunity to reconnect with guys he was not particularly close with while at Na, including faculty. Jeff recalls a Steakfest when former football coach robert hendrickson flew in from arizona to attend, and the other attendees surprised the coach by making him an honorary member of the class of 1969. Jeff prepared a song about hendrickson that he sang for the group.
John Cranley ’81 and Jeff Heller ’81
aNNuaL GOLf trIP JEFF HELLER ’81 and some of his Newark Academy classmates go on a golfing trip every year. Founded and organized three decades ago by Joe McGrath ’81, the golf weekend is at Colgate University’s golf course in Hamilton, New York. The groups follows the same routine every year: they golf on the same course, stay in the same hotel, eat at the same places. “From its humble beginnings, the trip is now a legacy gathering, as our sons attend,” Jeff says. The date is set year after year, he says, so “we all plan our lives around that date – just about everything else in life is open, but not that weekend!” Attendees include NA Class of 1981 alumni Peter Gruenberg, Steve Ochs, Jeff Wachenfeld, Glen Anastasio and John Cranley, along with some fellow alumni from Colgate (Joe’s alma mater). What Jeff likes most about the trip is the “family gathering atmosphere” of the guys. They all get along so well and revel in talking about the old NA days – like when he and his friends used to pile into a car during free periods and lap the center circle.
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Members of the Class of 2006 stay in touch by hosting “Skooking” nights.
SkOOkING tradItION Newark academy class of 2006 alumni matt Brodie, megan Shand, Sam Berlin and tracy Jacobson have a “Skooking” tradition: they pick a recipe, cook it and eat it together – but they do it all over Skype video chat. Since graduating from Na, their educational and professional pursuits have spread them across the country. Skooking emerged as a way for the group to keep enjoying shared experiences despite the physical distances among them. matt (who lives in New Jersey), megan and Sam (who live in massachusetts) and tracey (who lives in washington) Skook together about once a month. the Skook leader of the month sends out a list of ingredients and acts as a cooking-show chef, leading the others through the cooking process. when the food is ready, they all sit down with their computers, enjoy a meal together, and share stories from their Na days.
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acrOSS cLaSS yearS – makING a dIffereNce Jackson Boyar ’08, George Boyar ’11 and emma Baumgartner ’11 all work together in an educational startup in Boston called mentor collective. the company, which gets lots of media attention and has won numerous awards – including a spot on the Forbes “30 under 30” lists – helps students adapt to change by providing personalized mentorship. Jackson started mentor collective in 2014; he was joined by George in 2015 and by emma in 2018. Newark academy provided Jackson and George with the opportunity to study in china through School year abroad, which challenged them significantly. as a result of this experience, they saw a potential need for specialized mentors to help students adapt to change. when the company needed a head of finances and operations, Emma Baumgartner ’11, Jackson Boyer ’08 and George Boyer ’11 work together at Mentor Collective.
Jackson and George thought to bring in emma. Succeeding in the startup world is difficult, according to George, and “having friends you can rely on makes a big difference.” Sharing a laugh with friends at work is a great way to keep stress levels down and to overcome challenges, he says. George’s Na friend group in Boston now includes Jackson, emma, Nate Schwalb ’08, Brenna Gormally ’11 and (until recently) rachel charow ’11.
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ceLeBratING LIfe mILeStONeS tOGether LAURA SCHOTTLAND GISKE ’06 and her NA friends have all attended each other’s weddings as both guests and bridesmaids, and they continue to enjoy regular dinners, workouts and book club meetings with one other. “We keep in contact through an NA group text chat,” Laura says. “Whenever we’re all in the city, we try to get group dinners together.” Laura and LANI MANDELBAUM STERLING ’06 were each other’s bridesmaids, signed each other's ketubahs at their weddings, and are now sharing the next chapter of their lives together: raising children. “We feel lucky that NA has brought us together to be with each other through life’s milestones,” says Laura.
Paul Giske, Lani Mandelbaum Sterling ’06, Keith Sterling, Laura Schottland Giske ’06
keePING IN tOuch thrOuGh SOcIaL medIa rasheea williams hall ’95 has lived in Los angeles for 13 years and uses social media to keep in touch with Newark academy friends near and far. “I especially adore watching my friends’ kids grow up through apps like facebook and Instagram,” says rasheea. “I also encourage my Na pals to reach out when they are visiting Los angeles. Last summer, I was able to catch up with Scheherazade tillet ’96 as well as Seema Patel ’95 and her family.” Leah Gipson, Scheherazade Tillet ’96, Rasheea Williams Hall ’95.
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Members of the Class of 2011 hit the slopes in Utah every year!
memBerS Of the cLaSS Of 2011 hIt the SLOPeS every year, Sarah mcGrath ’11 and fellow class of 2011 members emily heller, callie marx, christina kovar, hannah davidson, Sydney hershman, Jodi feinberg, Leigh wolfson, allie hyans, Jack Bloom, tJ redmond, Neil Sethi, adam hyatt, Steven wilf, Jason diamond and Jake Gillman attend the annual Sundance film festival in Park city, utah, where they ski, hang out, laugh, share old memories and create new ones. “Our group of friends at Newark academy remains incredibly close,” Sarah says. “eight years out of high school and the calls, texts, dinners and celebrations continue as much as they did in the halls of Na.” Sarah particularly values the continuity of these relationships over years in which so much else has changed. “while our lives are much different than they were at Newark academy, the new milestones, memories and celebrations are something that keep us together now and in the future,” she says.
Picture on left: Sarah McGrath, Emily Heller, Callie Marx, Hannah Davidson, Sydney Hershman, Christina Kovar. Picture on right: TJ Redmond, Neil Sethi, Steven Wilf.
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ALUMNI NEWS
Message from Glenn Waldorf ’90 President, Alumni Board of Governors The Newark Academy Alumni Board of Governors (BOG) is a dynamic leadership group of the NA alumni community who are dedicated to serving as catalysts for engagement between NA and its alumni. Together, we work to foster lifelong alumni connections with other NA alumni and with our alma mater. With alumni governors ranging in class years from the 1960s to the 2010s, we engage more than 500 NA alumni each year in a number of ways: Connecting Alumni with Current Students
Connecting Alumni with Each Other
Connecting Alumni with the Larger NA Community
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Each year, alumni volunteers help dozens of NA juniors prepare for their college interviews at the College Interview Night. This year, 20 alumni helped 34 juniors hone their interview skills. The Alumni of Color Breakfast provides current students the opportunity to share and compare experiences with alumni, as well as discuss NA’s past and present equity and inclusion efforts. The BOG plays an active role in NA’s community service programs and, this year, co-sponsored NA’s inaugural MLK Day of Service. Alumni share their career and life experiences with students as guest speakers throughout the school year. The BOG hosts the annual Senior Breakfast to welcome our youngest alumni to this strong network and explain the value of staying involved with NA during the next chapter of their lives.
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Throughout the year, alumni reconnect, network and engage with each other at regional events in New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Los Angeles (see pages 42 & 43). If you live in or near one of these cities, please join other alumni to go bowling, participate in a wine tasting, see a baseball game, perform community service, and more! In January, the annual NYC Networking Night and In-College Workshop brought together close to 90 alumni for an evening filled with presentations and opportunities to share experiences. Our dedicated volunteer Class Ambassadors stay in touch with classmates, share updates about the school and old friends, and encourage financial support for the school. We honor and share memories with our senior alumni who graduated 50 or more years ago at the Old Guard Luncheon during June Commencement. This esteemed group of alumni bridges generations and leads our seniors to their places for the graduation ceremony.
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The Newark Academy Parents Association sends young alumni in their freshmen year of college NA Care Packages. All alumni are encouraged to return to campus for annual Homecoming & Reunion events. This year’s festivities are on October 19, 2019. Watch our teams in action, attend the Women of NA Luncheon, support your peers at the Alumni Awards Reception, and, if it’s your reunion year, celebrate your classmates at your Reunion dinner. Why wait for your reunion year to return to NA? There are always reasons to come back to campus, re-connect with teachers, cheer on Minutemen teams and more!
Thank you for your ongoing participation in and encouragement of our efforts. The Board of Governors welcomes your suggestions for ways to improve our alumni engagement. We hope to see you at one of events soon.
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WHERE WE’VE BEEN …
NA Alumni in Boston NOVEMBER 2, 2018
Boston Escape Room
Washington DC Event
Boston alumni worked together to escape the room at Trapology Boston and enjoyed dinner and conversation following a successful escape.
NA Alumni in Washington DC NOVEMBER 15, 2018 Alumni gathered in Washington, D.C., and had an opportunity to catch up with former faculty member Joe Ball.
Alumni Soccer Alumni Cabaret
NA Alumni Soccer Match NOVEMBER 24, 2018 The annual Alumni Soccer Game attracted a large number of players and fans over Thanksgiving weekend.
Alumni Cabaret DECEMBER 28, 2018 Alumni, parents, faculty and friends filled NA’s Lautenberg Theater to hear alumni perform in the first Alumni Cabaret. We’re already looking forward to next year’s event! College Interview Night
In-College Career Workshop JANUARY 10, 2019 In-college alumni attended a special workshop led by Nikki Goldman ’08, where they heard excellent advice on successfully navigating the job search process.
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WHERE WE’RE GOING … For current information about upcoming alumni events, visit www.newarka.edu/alumni.
Here are some highlights!
Networking Night
NYC Networking Night JANUARY 10, 2019 This year’s Networking Night featured Jeb Banegas ’03, editor at VICE Media, Inc.; Asha Talwar Coco ’99, vice president, sales and business development, at Givaudan; Adam Somberg ’10, associate at Blackstone; and Emily Weinstein ’99, deputy food editor at The New York Times. The panel discussion was followed by a reception where alumni had a chance to talk to the speakers and network with one another.
May 16 NYC Alumni Meet-Up Many alumni refer to this as the “Boat Basin Event,” but we’re moving it this year to a rooftop. Join us at RARE View Chelsea, 156 W. 26th St. (between Sixth and Seventh Avenues) for food, drinks and a phenomenal view of New York City. Hope to see you there!
NA Alumni in San Francisco JANUARY 30, 2019 San Francisco alumni had a great time reconnecting with other alumni in the area while bowling at Lucky Strike.
June 3 Minuteman Golf and Tennis Invitational A beautiful day of golf, tennis and other activities with NA alumni, parents and friends at our new location, Cedar Hill Country Club in Livingston. Added activities will include a beginners’ golf clinic and wine tasting.
June 9 Commencement and Old Guard Luncheon Just before we celebrate our newest graduates, we honor our alumni of 50+ years. LA Event
NA Alumni in Los Angeles FEBRUARY 8, 2019 Alumni enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the Velvet Lounge at the Culver Hotel in Culver City and had the opportunity to catch up with Mr. and Mrs. Jacoby.
October 19 Homecoming and Reunion The planning is well underway. Come back to NA for a day of activities as we celebrate years ending in 4 and 9.
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1940 Peter Schaub completed his first book, Wanna Buy A Bridge? (No, Not the Brooklyn Bridge). The novel is described as “the fascinating story about the financing, building, buying and selling of privately owned toll bridges and the personalities who pioneered in this unusual field.”
Greatorex. Mercer and Frank hadn’t seen each other since their Newark Academy graduation. Their wives couldn’t get over their parallel careers after NA: the U.S. Air Force during the Cold War, postgraduate degrees, managerial corporate positions and, now, their retiring to New England.
1958 CONTACT:
Stephen Knee shknee@hotmail.com
1959 60th Reunion CONTACT:
Douglas B. Slade Dslade542@aol.com
1952 1960
William Van Winkle billvw7334@aol.com
CONTACT:
1954 1961 CONTACT:
75th Reunion
1955
CONTACT:
Curtis Cetrulo Curt.cetrulo@gmail.com
CONTACT:
Robert Lee (561) 747-4331
Edward L. Levitt eezyed@comcast.net
1946
1957
CONTACT:
Robert Cronheim rdc@cronheim.com
1951 CONTACT:
K. Kelly Marx (973) 376-0777 mercer Blanchard and his wife, Mary Louise, enjoyed dining with Ardy and Frank
David Shapiro still has a quiet practice doing outpatient surgery and teaching at USF College of Medicine. He is an avid saltwater fisherman and diver and has begun playing golf, a form of masochism. He also continues his martial arts training, which he has pursued for almost 40 years. He hopes to see some other notes from his classmates.
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 early May 2019. He is finishing his 49th year of running his leadership development/training company, loving it as much as ever, and he plans to make two more motion pictures this year. Roger’s son Kenny is an anesthesiologist at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York; his son Jonny is
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Bud D’avella reports nice get-togethers with Ken Fischer, Jim cundari, carl ill, ronnie nolan, ralph Pellecchia, ralph rosamilia, George Lampros, Frank mccabe, and Pat ciccone. And good tidings from Steph Sotkin. mickey Yaeger and his wife, Linda, have a great set-up: all four of their children, with nine grandchildren (ages 1 through 23), live within 35 miles of them in northern Virginia, their home for the last 40 years. The whole family recently traveled to Texas to honor their grandfather, Jimmy Douglas, at the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Mickey’s great-great grandfather, James Douglas, won soccer’s America’s Cup in the 1880’s.
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Celebrate and Reconnect with NA!
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Learn more: www.newarka.edu/alumni
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Bernard J. D’Avella, Jr. bud@davellafamily business.com
Frederick Katz, Jr. katzjr@optonline.net
1944
1962 CONTACT:
CONTACT:
65th Reunion
buying and rehabbing apartment buildings; and his son Charlie is in his 14th year running his integrated marketing communications firm, Propeller Communications. Roger always thinks of Mrs. Lynham, his NA English teacher, who taught him how to “write right!” Life is good!
rick Firtel and his wife, Judy, are doing great. Rick finally retired last spring, closing his laboratory and giving up his administrative positions. He’s finding things to do, and Judy is continuing her pet therapy work in a variety of venues, including hospice, the VA San Diego Healthcare System, Mercy Cancer Center, some local schools, and the county jails and state prison near San Diego. The Firtels love La Jolla, even though this winter had the coldest February on record; on the good side, they’ve had record snows in the mountains up north. They spend the “winters” in La Jolla and travel and spend the summers in Sun Valley, ID. (Rick mostly fly fishes.) Their three sons and their families (seven grandchildren) are doing great and are all nearby – one in San Diego and two in Los Angeles. Rick sends best wishes to all. “Hard sometimes to believe where we are in life.” Ken Fischer is retired and spends his time in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and Mantoloking, NJ, entertaining friends. whitney russell has no news in western Massachusetts, except that he keeps reading about Steve Sotkin on Facebook. He says, “We’re so lucky!!” Tom Keith retired as a district attorney for Forsyth County, GA, in December 2009 after having been elected five times, beginning in 1991. Georgia’s governor asked him in 2017 to be the interim DA in an adjoining county after that DA’s sudden resignation and indictment. Tom remarried five years ago this September to a sweet woman who works as a CPA. Tom stays on their farm in an 1835 farmhouse with their five dogs, four old tractors,
numerous old pickup trucks, a few goats and a horse. He works constantly on various projects and cooks a few one-pot meals for his wife. Retirement is a lot of work! But he does do a lot of fly fishing on the New River for smallmouth bass and goes turkey hunting in his backyard. His wife, Becky, has three grown children who live on the East Coast. They all are very successful at being starving actors. Tom’s own two daughters are 30 miles away in Greensboro. Tom doesn’t know when he will slow down. He looks forward to seeing everyone at the 60th Reunion.
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Dick Fowler spent the winter in Vermont skiing and is now in South Carolina enjoying the weather in the 70’s and 80’s. He hopes all classmates are doing well wherever life has taken them. Henry Lesher is glad that so many members of the class are still healthy.
1963 CONTACT:
Charles A. Fischbein cafpac@Earthlink.net
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1964 55th Reunion CONTACT:
Michael R. Yogg michaelyogg@gmail.com mark Belnick recently starred in a production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons at the Lounge Theatre in Los Angeles. Stuart Lawrence is retired.
1. Members of the class of 1986 Pete Hutchinson, Tony D’Amore, Andrew Freeman, Jamie Schachtel, Bob Staub, Darren Burns, Ron Drake and Rob Chiapetta (not pictured) enjoyed the Giants vs. Falcons game at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
1965
2. Ami Sheth ’96 in VOGUE India.
CONTACT:
Van S. Stevens drvanstevens@gmail.com
3. Artie Williams ’81, Mac Harris ’81 and Bernhardt Romer ’81. 4. Art Wynne ’79 and Cindy Pollock ’79.
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Leo M. Gordon gordon43b@gmail.com
new BuSineSS VenTureS Rick Beltram ’69
1971 as rick Beltram ’69 prepares to celebrate his 50th reunion on october 19, he recently launched an extensive economic development project in the Dominican Republic with his son, Steven, and his business partner, June Bond. Responding to a need for development in the country’s emerging economy, the project was initiated as a mission opportunity through Rick’s local church, First PresbyterianSpartanburg in South Carolina.
CONTACT:
With NA giving him “the foundation to think
Daniel D. Cronheim ddc@cronheim.com
about new projects and develop sound plans,” Rick understands first-hand the value of a Newark Academy education and being taught to think globally. “The world is culturally and economically linked,” he says. “The Dominican Republic is part of the Central American Trade Agreement that has been a huge success, and the Dominican Republic imports large quantities of United States products.” The group working on the project is establishing a network of Dominican growers and American buyers and is ready to ship container loads of crops, including tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, eggplant and avocados, to the states. The three farms they are supporting and mentoring are currently harvesting the first crops, and the team is working on logistic quotes.
Scott russell shared an article about the passing of Bob caprio ’53, who was an allState baseball player while at NA and went on to become the first and longest-serving athletic director at Parsippany Hills High School.
1966 CONTACT:
Warren G. Soare wsoare@optonline.net
1967 CONTACT:
Matthew Leone mleone@colgate.edu
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Larry cetrulo is happy to report that he and his wife, Lynn, are expecting grandchildren numbers six and seven. Kate Ellena Cetrulo and her husband, Kyle Bjornlund, are expecting their first child in May and will move from Charlestown to Cambridge in June. Kate (Harvard ’09, Tufts University School of Medicine M.P.H. ’18, Northeastern University School of Law ’19) is awaiting the results of the Massachusetts Bar Exam, and Kyle is a partner at Cetrulo LLP. Drs. Nick and Kayla Cetrulo are expecting their first child in August. Nick (Harvard ’06, Tufts University School of Medicine ’12) is on the faculty
of surgery at the University of Washington Medical School and is on the staff of Seattle’s Northwest Hospital as a general surgeon.
1968 CONTACT:
Stephan G. Kravitz sgkravitz@gmail.com Franklin C. Phifer, Jr. fphifer@hecht.com
1969 50th Reunion See pages 33–36. CONTACT:
John H. Bess bessjh@gmail.com
William D. Hardin, Jr. whardin@ptd.net Mark Menza menza613ha1@aol.com earl Trent shared the news that classmate edward Bowser iii passed away on February 6, 2019.
1972
Harry Hazelwood III drhazelwood@massmed.org John Pearson and his wife, Suzanne, are expecting a grandchild for the first time this May!
1974 45th Reunion CONTACT:
Lance T. Aronson lancetrezevant@aol.com
1975 CONTACT:
William J. York wyork@smallfeat.org
1976 CONTACT:
Donald C. DeFabio drdefabio@aol.com Robin Lechter Frank ontheqt1231@aol.com
1978 Geoffrey Brunet is retiring after 10 years working as a civil engineer with the County of Mendocino, CA. He and his wife, Mary, are
focusing on their next big adventure: their move from California to the Denver area, where their son George and his wife, Meghan, live. Geoffrey and Mary’s daughters, Catherine and Margaret, plan to move there eventually. Geoffrey enjoyed seeing so many classmates at his 40th Reunion, including Scott Bevans, ed Gangemi, amy Lebowitz, Lesly D’ambola, Katie weiss and George Lorenze. Katherine DiSabito joyfully announces the birth of her first grandchild, Isabella Alexandria, born last August to her son David and his wife, Liz.
responsible for international sales at Orkla, a large consumer products company based in Norway. Bernhardt romer, who attended Newark Academy as an exchange student from Germany in 1980–1981, returned to visit the school in March 2019 and spent time with mac Harris and art williams.
40th Reunion CONTACT:
Michael Schneck Mschneck@schnecklaw.com art wynne is now the business manager/CFO for Riverstone International School in Boise, ID. Riverstone is an independent school, preschool through 12th grade, that offers the International Baccalaureate curriculum across all grade levels. Art has caught up with cindy Pollock while in Boise and looks forward to being back in New Jersey for his 40th Reunion!
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1984 35th Reunion CONTACT:
William E. Markstein WEMarkstein@gmail.com
1985 1979
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CONTACT:
Kimberley Griffinger Wachtel kgwachtel@gmail.com
1986 CONTACT:
Betsy Dollinger Bernstein bdb1@mac.com James C. Schachtel Jschachtel@verizon.net Betsy Dollinger Bernstein caught up with Scott Jacoby while she was in La Jolla, CA, for the opening of Diana, a new musical that she is co-producing.
1987 1980 CONTACT:
Kim S. Hirsh KHirsh@jfedgmw.org
1981 CONTACT:
Arthur (Artie) Williams IV artiekid@aol.com Hans Petter (HP) evensen visited art williams and John roegner last fall. HP is
eric walker and his wife, Celeste, have been working with Julie Brodie magid ’88 to plan her eldest daughter Bella’s Bat Mitzvah. Loren weiss Selig’s daughter, Zoe, has been drafted to manage the games for the evening. Eric and Celeste were the recent planning and DJ services for Zoe’s Bat Mitzvah.
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5. Betsy Dollinger Bernstein ’86 and former NA teacher Scott Jacoby. 6. Norm Grossblatt ’52, Micky Grossblatt, Beverly Van Winkle and Bill Van Winkle ’52. 7. Pat Ciccone ’62 and Bud D’Avella ’62 in Bradley Beach. 8. Members of the Class of 1978 Ed Gangemi, Scott Bevans, George Lorenze, Katie Weiss, Amy Lebowitz, Lesly D’Ambola and Geoffrey Brunet enjoyed their 40th Reunion in October 2018. 9. David Robusto ’15 performed with Syracuse University’s a cappella group, The Otto Tunes, at the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
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We Fondly Remember Maria S. Oh ’94 April 2019
C L A S S N OT E S
1988 CONTACT:
Lara Coraci Basile ljc@norpak.net
Joseph A. Meyer ’48 March 27, 2019
Matthew McTamaney mattheynow@yahoo.com
Arthur Lomker ’52 March 10, 2019
Melissa Dollinger Shein msheinus@yahoo.com
David Kislak ’45 February 20, 2019 Laura Ann Gianna Pettola ’79 February 16, 2019 Celestine Brunson Ross ’85 February 14, 2019 Edward Bowser III ’71 February 6, 2019 Robert Capiro ’53 January 29, 2019
matt (“ralo”) mcTamaney set a new scoring record with an assist in NA’s Thanksgiving Alumni Soccer Game. Ralo eclipsed matt Dolan’s 12 total points. Dolan went wild in 1991, scoring eight goals in a memorable appearance, and he has promised to recapture his title in 2019.
1989
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.
nneka Bennett started a new position as a graphic designer at NBC Entertainment. Jason Berlin has started a new organization called Field Team 6 (www.field team6.org).
30th Reunion
Edward M. Stuart ’51 December 10, 2018 Roger Cole ’51 December 12, 2018
CONTACT:
1991
Stacey Bradford stacey.bradford@gmail.com
CONTACT:
1990
Alan Augenblick ’42 June 23, 2017
Richard L. Worth richardworth2001@ yahoo.com
Robert Austin Segal ’42 June 20, 2017
melissa Josloff is the founder of Puddin’ Me On!, a non-GMO, organic, dairy-free, soy-free, low-glycemic, keto-friendly, chocolate avocado pudding. Drew weisholtz is currently a staff writer for TODAY.com
1994 25th Reunion CONTACT:
Pamela Helfant Vichengrad pamelavich@hotmail.com
CONTACT:
Glenn A. Waldorf gwaldorf@bellenvironmental.com
Jed S. Rosenthal jedrosenthal@gmail.com
1993 CONTACT:
Timothy E. Herburger burgermac@mac.com
rebecca moll Freed was named one of the top 50 women in business this year by NJBIZ and was honored
meeT Your cLaSS amBaSSaDor: Amanda Black ’97 amanda Black ’97 decided to become a class ambassador because she “had such a wonderful experience at na.” By serving as a class ambassador, amanda provides her classmates with updates on events and opportunities to get more involved. This role “has helped me stay connected,” she says. As a second-generation NA student, Amanda enjoyed having some of the same experiences as her father, John Rubinstein ’64, and his brothers Jeffrey ’66 and Peter ’69. “I loved having some of the same teachers that my dad and uncles had, like Mr. Parlin, and hearing stories of when they were at NA and how things were either the same or different,” Amanda says. “From what I’ve been told, I took school a bit more seriously than my dad. My favorite example of this is when Mr. Parlin read my paper out loud to the class as an example of how to write a paper. 30 years prior, Mr. Parlin had used my dad’s paper as how not to write a paper!”
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at an awards program on March 25 at the Palace at Somerset Park. The annual event recognizes leading women shaping their organizations, industries and the economic landscape of the Garden State.
Ami Sheth ’96 Named One of
ToP 50 moST inFLuenTiaL GLoBaL inDianS newark academy alumna ami Sheth ’96 was recently named one of the Top 50 most influential indians by Vogue India for her work
1995
as an actor. ami, who played the role of Sana,
CONTACT:
a feminist artist and acid attack survivor in
Kathleen Mangunay Pergament katmango@aol.com
amc’s series Dietland, called the recognition an “honor and surprise.” Acting was not the career Ami expected to pursue when she studied at Boston University
1996
to become a veterinarian. However, when the
CONTACT:
Jason S. Granet grizo1222@yahoo.com
opportunity arose for her to film a pilot for
Andrew Slutzky andrewzky@gmail.com
the chance to merge two of her passions,
the Animal Planet network, she jumped at and while she never thought she could make a living as an artist, she has.
1997
Ami’s time at NA laid the groundwork for her current work, and she describes
CONTACT:
her experiences at the school as being “paramount in my foundation for the
Amanda Rubinstein Black amandahblack@gmail.com
arts, teaching me so much in theater and a cappella. In English, we read such a diverse array of poetry, literature and plays. I also distinctly remember
Kristen KindzierskimcLaughlin joined the medical team at Florida Coastal Dermatology and practices medicine as a certified physician assistant, focusing on general and cosmetic dermatology. She currently lives in Naples, FL, with her husband and two children.
going into New York on a field trip to watch The Tempest and on a separate occasion a group of short plays. All of these experiences really shaped my love of the arts and left me with a deep love and admiration.”
1999 20th Reunion CONTACT:
1998 CONTACT:
Jack A. Hyman jahyman@gmail.com Lauren Jacobs-Lazer laurenjacobslazer@gmail.com Smita Ramanadham smitar2280md@gmail.com Jenna Smith Schwerdt jenna@smithdesign.com
John Gregory Jcg681@gmail.com Asha K. Coco asha.talwar@gmail.com On January 10, asha Talwar coco and emily weinstein spoke on a panel at this year’s NA NYC Networking Night. Asha is vice president of sales and business at Givaudan and Emily is deputy food editor at The New York Times.
2000
2002
CONTACT:
CONTACT:
Alison Poole Lasher alisonklasher@gmail.com
Joshua Jacobs joshua.s.jacobs@gmail.com
Taffi ayodele and her husband, JG, were featured for their compnay, Thando’s, on Facebook’s Community Voices, which celebrates how people are bring the world closer together.
Marcelo C. Porto mark.c.porto@gmail.com Alexander C. Senchak alex.senchak@gmail.com
2001 CONTACT:
Colin R. Griggs cgriggs13@yahoo.com Brian McGaughan bmcgaughan@gmail.com
In March of this year, andrew martino opened Ghost Truck Kitchen, a new restaurant in downtown Jersey City inspired by food trucks and offering only takeout and delivery. Andrew will marry Giuliette Trentacosti in May at the Asbury Hotel in Asbury Park, NJ. Fellow
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alumni Brad Greenman ’01, Donald Platner, Tim rawding, Tim Koprowski ’01 and noah Gold ’01 will be among the wedding party.
2003 CONTACT:
Lauren H. Anderson lauren.h.anderson@gmail.com
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David N. Rattner drattner07@gmail.com
After six years in Manhattan, mike Kirwan, his wife, Bailey, and their daughter, Lula (18 months), moved to Atlanta, where Mike took a job in consulting after graduating from Columbia Business School last spring. They miss good bagels but are loving the warm weather!
2005 CONTACT:
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Evan P. Sills evan.sills@gmail.com
Jonathan Allocca jonathan.allocca@gmail.com
On January 10, Jeb Banegas spoke on a panel at this year’s NA NYC Networking Night. Jeb is an editor at VICE Media.
Gabriel Gaviola gabe.c.gaviola@gmail.com
Kevin Fritze accepted a new position as manager, talent management, with the paper company Domtar. After spending five years on the company’s environmental and sustainability team, he is excited to apply his analytical skills and strategic thinking to a new area. Kevin and Dorian muench-Fritze are still enjoying life in Charlotte, NC, with their two children, the oldest of whom is just finishing kindergarten.
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2004 15th Reunion CONTACT:
Danielle Grunebaum White dlsimon85@gmail.com Kathryn Pagos katie.pagos@gmail.com Stephanie Reingold simma.reingold@gmail.com Louise Ball Schutte louisehira@gmail.com
10. Joan and Michael Yogg ’64 with grandchildren Greta Yogg and Asa Comerchero. 11. Jocelyn Willoughby ’16. 12. Lauren Chaleff ’10 and Ella Schwalb ’10. 13. Chez D'Annunzio ’81, Mac Harris ’81 and Artie Williams ’81.
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eric carniol has been practicing facial plastic surgery outside of Boston. This summer, he and his wife, Aliza, will move back to northern New Jersey where he will join his father, Paul, at Carniol Plastic Surgery.
Molly McGaughan molly.mcgaughan@gmail.com Bridget Duffy Raines Bridgetpraines@gmail.com
2006 CONTACT:
Julia Appel appel.julie@gmail.com Sarah Marcus Hansen sarahmarcushansen@ gmail.com Brandon Hedvat bhedvat@gmail.com Ilana Mandelbaum Sterling ilana.mandelbaum@ gmail.com Asia Stewart asiamstewart@gmail.com
2007 CONTACT:
David Doobin doobind@gmail.com Catherine Pfeffer catherine.pfeffer@gmail.com Emily Simon emily.c.simon@me.com Andrew Somberg asomberg@gmail.com
Brad Chernock ’03 and Dana Chernock ’08
na SiBLinGS connecT THrouGH arTS anD Science it came about by happenstance. while attending rutgers new Jersey medical School, as part of his third-year pediatrics clerkship, Brad chernock ’03 visited matheny medical and educational center, a special hospital and educational facility in Peapack, new Jersey, for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Brad mentioned to his sister, Dana chernock ’08, how impressed he was with the facility’s arts access program. as Dana manages highprofile collections, projects and important auctions in the Global old master Paintings Department at Sotheby’s new York, Brad asked her if Sotheby’s might be able to sponsor some sort of charity event with the matheny center. As a result, Dana arranged for Sotheby’s New York to host an exhibition in February titled The Art of Choice, featuring 55 works by five artists from the Matheny program – all of whom are non-verbal and have disabilities that inhibit the use of their limbs. Seventeen original artworks and many prints and merchandise items were sold over the three-day exhibition. The Chernock siblings say their time at NA influenced their initiative to take on such an endeavor. “There is an inherent integration of the arts and sciences at NA,” Brad says. “The experiences at NA that I had stuck with me through college, graduate school and now medical school. My sister and I have rather diverging interests, so it’s great to have had an opportunity for collaboration.” Dana agrees. “Brad and I each pursued ‘separate tracks’ that were constantly intertwined by the ways in which the arts and science curriculum were presented throughout our time at NA. We both emerged with a respect for the other’s interests and an awareness of how they continue to intersect in our adult lives and career fields.”
Gallery photos courtesy of Keith Bratcher.
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David Hardin married Whitney Dardik Hardin ’06 on October 19, 2018 in Newport, RI.
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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
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Jackson Boyar made the 2019 Forbes “30 Under 30” list for education as a cofounder of Mentor Collective. The company is hiring. Interested candidates should visit https://angel.co/ mentorcollective/jobs. melissa Bryson received a master’s in taxation (LL.M.) from New York University’s School of Law in 2017. She is now practicing estate planning at Davidson, Dawson & Clark, LLP and is licensed to practice in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. natalie Friedman Lampert and her husband, Gary, welcomed their first child, Joshua Gene, on December 25, 2018. Joshua is named after Natalie’s late mother, Joyce, and Gary’s late grandmother, Gina. Jesse Friedman ’10 is a very proud uncle!
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2009 10th Reunion CONTACT:
Andrew S. Binger abinger1990@gmail.com 14. Mark Belnick ’64 starred in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons. 15. Matt McTamaney ’88 and Jeff Kacur. 16. Members of the Class of 2016 enjoyed a football game at the University of Michigan (vs. Indiana University). 17. Natalie Friedman’s ’08 son, Joshua Gene, was born on December 25, 2018. 18. Rebecca Moll Freed ’94. 19. Left to Right: David G. Hardin ’73, Peter Hardin ’75, Eric Rattner ’07, David W. Hardin ’07, Whitney Hardin ’06, Chris Kirkinis ’04, Billy Hardin ’71, Katie Kirkinis ’06, Ryan Keur ’07, Andy Somberg '07, Chris Russo '07, Doug Milanes '07.
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Christina A. Colizza christina.colizza@gmail.com Rebecca Curwin rebecca.curwin@gmail.com Shannon Lam Webster shannonrlam@gmail.com
Brian L. Silver briansilver0711@gmail.com ilana maccia lives in Portland, OR, and is a project manager at EDP Renewables, developing utility-scale wind, solar and battery storage projects across the western United States. Ilana is excited to be a part of the recently announced Crossing Trails Wind Farm in eastern Colorado, a 104-megawatt project, enough to power 47,000 homes.
2010 CONTACT:
Lisa Fischer lisasuefischer@gmail.com Patrick Kelly patrick.o.d.kelly@gmail.com Brian McHugh mchugh.brian10@gmail.com Lauren chaleff and ella Schwalb got together last December in Philadelphia, where Ella is a kindergarten teacher. Lauren lives in Sweden and is passionate about permaculture.
2011 CONTACT:
Jordan I. Jett jordanjett13@gmail.com Jennifer Mandelbaum jmande15@bu.edu Jourdan McGhee jourdan.mcghee@gmail.com
2012 CONTACT:
Christopher P. Davis davis.cp@gmail.com Shane S. Neibart ssneibart@gmail.com Carissa E. Szlosek szlosek@wisc.edu
2018–2019
na annuaL FunD 2013 CONTACT:
SaVonne Anderson savonneanderson@gmail.com Matt Cowen mcowen95@gmail.com ryan mcDonnell got his first full-time job after college at Everest Reinsurance in Liberty Corner, NJ as an actuarial analyst in July 2018.
2014 5th Reunion CONTACT:
Jai Ghose jghose@andrew.cmu.edu Thomas Pan tpan14@gmail.com Lauren Whelan lmw025@bucknell.edu Jacob Wieseneck jwieseneck@gmail.com emma coffey was featured in BC Law, Boston College Law School’s magazine. She is the first student in the 3+3 Program, which enables BC undergraduates to combine senior year with the first year of law school.
Since late July, eddison ugaddan has been working full-time as a substation design engineer with PPL Electric in Allentown, PA. In his free time, Eddison has continued dancing (K-pop, hip hop and Latin) at Lehigh University and has taken some beginner breakdancing lessons at a nearby dance studio.
2015 CONTACT:
Imagine the possibilities your gift can have. SuPPorT na: www.newarka.edu/donate
David robusto performed at Radio City Music Hall with Syracuse University’s a cappella group, The Otto Tunes, opening for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
2016 CONTACT:
Courtney Cooperman courtneycooperman@ comcast.net Jacob Furst Jacobfurst20@gmail.com
Madeline DeLamielleure maddydelamielleure15@ gmail.com
Joshua Martin Martinjoshua029@gmail.com
Jasmine Gamboa jgamboa19@amherst.edu
Elizabeth Merrigan Elizabeth.merrigan16@ gmail.com
Nicholas Murray nsm407@gmail.com
Samuel Vazir samvazir@gmail.com
Zachary Persing zcpersing@gmail.com
Bryan Wilensky bryanwsemail@gmail.com
Matthew Thekkethala matt@learnforlife foundation.org
Mackenna Woods Mackennavalle@gmail.com
Sydney Persing was recently profiled in an article in The Daily Tar Heel, the independent student newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Sydney is a reporter for Carolina Week, the weekly news broadcast of the UNC School of Media and Journalism.
Virginia women’s basketball junior guard Jocelyn willoughby has been named to the Google Cloud Academic All-District III women’s basketball team.
2017 Lauren Katz is a sophomore at Northwestern who is majoring in theatre and English and getting a certificate in integrated marketing. She is a co-writing coordinator for Northwestern’s 88th annual Waa-Mu Show, For the Record, which tells the story of one Chicago journalist who embarks on a project to chronicle the lives of three of history’s most incredible women: Ida B. Wells, Gene Grabeel and Julie d’Aubigny. The Waa-Mu Show produces original musical theatre works written, orchestrated, produced and performed by students. christina Lu is studying government and economics at Cornell University. Last fall, she founded The Cornell Diplomat, a magazine that examines a variety of international issues. The magazine can be accessed at www.thecornelldiplomat.com.
newarK acaDemY
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2019 REUNION – OCTOBER 19 Celebrating years ending in 4 and 9
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