PRI RITIES A Magazine of Woodside Priory School
JULY 2003
DRAMA!
Celebrating Our 45th Year of Benedictine Education
Woodside Priory School Celebrating 45 Years of Benedictine Education In This Issue Concerts, plays, and performances were blooming throughout the late spring, Priory families were out walking for the American Cancer Society, and the freshman class helped young Special Olympics competitors with a “fun relay” in the sun. Students hosted for themselves their second annual old-fashioned carnival—a perfect antidote to end-of-semester stress. See Spring at a Glance, pages 4-5. Spring at a Glance, Page 4-5
Class of 2003, Page 6-7
The Class of 2003 graduated in a beautiful ceremony on a beautiful morning. Abbot Matthew Levy urged the Class of 2003 to remember the positive impact of even a small decision made in support of good values. Graduation speakers Marie Sobieski and Hobie Thompson brought laughter in their reflections on past years. See Class of 2003, pages 6-7. Tom Carter, graduation speaker for the Class of 2007, offered unorthodox advice, student speaker Laura Hohnsbeen thanked classmates and faculty for giving her the courage to face scary things, and Headmaster Tim Molak urged the graduates not to underestimate the importance of what they have already achieved, together and as individuals. See Class of 2007, pages 8-9. Accomplishments in academics and athletics were honored this spring. See pages 10-13, and the two graduation articles. Positive results in treating babies with congenital heart defects have led to a new interest among cardiologists—treating the adult survivors. Priory alumnus Daniel Murphy, a pediatric cardiologist, is a leader in both fields. He says he especially enjoys the opportunity guide young doctors at Stanford Medical School/Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. See Alumni Profile, page 14.
Class of 2007, Page 8-9
Alumni News & Notes, Page 15-18
They’re learning Icelandic and Swahili. They’re graduating in psychology, microbiology, broadcast journalism, fine arts and political science. They’re starting businesses, getting married, living all over the world. Alumni from 1962 to 2002 contributed bits of information for News and Notes. One alumnus asked about classmates serving in the military, and that led to 10 alumni being specially mentioned in the monks’ prayers. See News & Notes, pages 15-18. Soccer—the passion of the monks who settled on the Priory grounds 45 years ago—dominated the day at the annual Alumni Reunion. All of the monks joined returnees at lunch, and Headmaster Tim Molak brought everyone up to date on past accomplishments and future changes. See Alumni Reunion, Pages 19-20. Paul Trudelle combines outstanding teaching skills with an unending fascination with his subject, and he has an unerring instinct for adding a Benedictine perspective—usually without words. Perhaps that’s why he was elected by his peers to receive the WPS Board of Trustees’ first teaching award. The award will become an annual event. See Academics, pages 21-22. On the cover: WPS’s Middle School production, The Fairy Tale Files: Murder on Sesame Street. All participants tapped into a creative range of experiences—not just acting. See the story on page 5. In this scene, Tristan Sansbury plays the ultimate detective (in another scene, he is the curly-haired Goldie Locks). Senior Gretchen Burch (inset photo) started as an actor in Middle School, then switched in her freshman year to assistant director and tech director roles. After three years of experience working with nearly every production, she blends youthful gusto with seasoned aplomb.
Board of Directors Abbott Matthew Leavy, OSB Father Mark Cooper, OSB Brother Edward Englund, OSB Father Martin Mager, OSB Father William Sullivan, OSB Board of Trustees Mr. Dave Arnold Dr. Kristen Brew Mr. Peter Campagna Mrs. Liz Cirino Mr. Al Ebneter Ms. Betsy Haehl Mrs. Anne Hannigan Mrs. Dotty Hayes Father Eric Hollas Mr. George Huertas Mr. Craig Johnson Mrs. Virginia Kavanaugh Mr. Steven Krausz Mrs. Mary Lemuth Fr. Maurus Memeth, OSB Mrs. Janiece Bacon Oblak Mr. Bill Roberts Ms. Alicia Rodriguez Mr. Ray Rothrock Mr. Andy Schilling Mr. Bob Simon Dr. Stuart Young Priorities magazine is published in October, January, April and July by Woodside Priory School for its alumni, parents, students, neighbors and friends. Contact the Communications Office at 650-851-6193 or the school at 650-851-8221. Editor: Carolyn Dobervich Design: Jim Kirkland, Copperline Multimedia Photos: Carolyn Dobervich, Father Martin Mager, Peggy Schmidt, Betsy Haehl, Jim Kirkland. Chapel Services Masses at 7:30 a.m. Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m. Sunday 11:00 a.m. Sunday Hungarian service 8 p.m. third Friday (Taize) ecumenical
From the Headmaster Dear Parents and Guardians,
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s I write this, we are experiencing the last quiet moments between the departure of our students and the arrival of Camp Unique. Dozens of youngsters live in the dorms, eat in the dining hall and enjoy traditional summer camp activities here. Even when our students are gone, our campus is alive with community activities. As I watched two beautiful graduation ceremonies this spring, I felt as always that mixture of emotions that includes both missing the families and students who will be leaving and being excited for their new beginning. To everyone that will not be returning, I want to thank you and wish you good luck in your new school environment. What we tell the students in Chapel is true—a part of your spirit will always be here and you are always welcome to come back to the campus “where everybody knows your name.” To all the parents and students who volunteered their time at the Priory’s many functions and events over the past year, I send a heartfelt thank you. The monastic community and I appreciate your interest and willingness to be the energy that allows these activities to happen. We said good-bye this spring to some teachers whom many of you will remember with gratitude. Tom Carter, chair of the performing arts department, Dave Hafleigh, science teacher, Jim Lawhon, history and humanities teacher, and Wendy Potloff, English and French teacher, are going on to new challenges. Tom will be writing and working with choirs, Dave is retiring, Jim is accompanying his wife to a new job in Switzerland, and Wendy will be offering tutoring services while she is at home with her toddler. If you would like to get in touch with any of them, please contact Pat Reed, preed@woodsidepriory.com, and she will help you.
I also want to thank four retiring members of our Board of Trustees— Wayne Davison, Robert Klein, Father Pius, Bob Ward, and Donna WengertNeff— for their dedicated and active volunteer service. Wayne, Bob and Donna will continue their membership on the Golden Jubilee Campaign Leadership Team, which Wayne chairs. We concluded our fiscal year in June and I can report with gratitude that financial support from all of our communities—parents, alumni, alumni parents and friends—is continuing to meet our annual need. This is nothing short of miraculous in these times and is, in effect, essential to a school like ours with no endowment cushion. Our Golden Jubilee campaign projects continue to go well—see page 23 for details. We will hold a dedication ceremony for our renovated Chapel this fall. The Maas Family Commons on-campus housing will be ready for occupancy on July 15. The Priory now has three residential lots on the market. When they sell, the proceeds will fund the monks’ retirement and start a school endowment. The Performing Arts Center is our current focus. We have pledges for sixty percent of our $7 million goal. We are facing a December 31 deadline for the remaining $2.9 million. This summer and next fall are a crucial fundraising period if we hope to keep to our plan of opening the PAC in fall 2005. In the fall, we will begin school with a new schedule, several new classes, and renewed energy from faculty taking advantage of the summer grants program. My friend and neighbor, Paul Trudelle, commented in the article on Page 15 that the Benedictine saying, “Always we begin again” provides a wonderfully freeing perspective. We are never stuck with the status quo. As our forty-fifth anniversary year draws to a close, I reflect with thanks on a job well done by those who came before us, and I look forward to the 2003-2004 school year. Sincerely,
Tim Molak, Headmaster
This summer and next fall are a crucial fundraising period if we hope to keep to our plan of opening the new Performing Arts Center in fall 2005.
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Spring at a Glance
What could feel better on a hot spring day than a cooling Slip ‘n Slide? Students relaxed and geared up for final exams with a second annual Carnival Day, sponsored by the student government. Clubs and classes put together the activities, which ranged from a “Knock the Tyrant’s Top Off” booth where you throw balls at dictators, to a duck pond where you fish for prizes, to an old-fashioned cotton candy making machine. The good vibes rolled on all afternoon.
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The lawn was alive with young competitors from schools all over the Peninsula when the Priory Freshman class sponsored a Special Olympics morning for children with physical and mental challenges. The sign on the winners’ platform says “Let me WIN; But if I can’t win, let me be brave in the ATTEMPT.” The morning featured scores of relays, medals and smiles.
Priory Middle School students holding their Relay for Life team banner are (from left) Kristof Szoke, Mark Simons, Bennett Holland, Ian Brent and team captain Alicia Kriewall. The sixth grade, eighth grade and high school all fielded teams for the American Cancer Society’s annual fund-raiser. Students from other grade levels and many parents also took part in the upbeat May 17 weekend.
Performing arts blossomed this spring with nine oncampus drama and music presentations—and the String Quartet was invited to an off-campus gig. Music included the Middle School’s presentation of the score to Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat (left) and the annual spring concert, held outdoors in the graduation tent (below), plus two Cookies ‘n Classics recitals. While the choirs and orchestras were setting up on the lawn, student visual artists were doing the same in the Assembly Hall for their annual gallery showing (above). Audiences moved from one event to the next. Pictured above is Jennifer Dhaliwal (center) with Sarah and Rebecca Rappaport; at left, choral director Brandon Adams with students Zoe Ciupitu, Dion Diederich, Alex Schreiner, Nathaniel Rothrock, Peter Hurtubise, Robert Sherman, Alec Schilling, and Molly Dellheim. Below, from left, Concertmaster Scott Sul, with Daniel Wenger and Paul Kwon.
How can one sixth grade girl switch before your eyes from the sweet little bear on the left to the tough young lady on the cover? Grace Goldberg would probably say improvisation and teamwork had a lot to do with it. Director John Sugman and the cast of The Fairy Tale Files: Murder on Sesame Street built their show themselves, starting with a blank sheet of paper nine weeks before opening night. The students’ wild, improvised characters led to John’s script, and additional improvisation helped students develop the multiple roles they played. The story line had masses of fairytale folks dropping out of sight, but it all turned out well and everything was restored to normal in the end. These days, WPS’s drama program is giving participants more input to the creative product and more opportuniy for insight into what makes people tick. (Priory alumnus Liesl Yost, now in college, explained it this way: “I learned a lot about who I am by playing characters that I’m not.”) Other drama productions during the spring semester included the seventh and eighth grade class plays, and the all-school-cast production.
The Class of 2003 Raymond James Austin *
Jan Krizansky
Nicolas Merlot Balogh
Chi-Chun Lee *
University of California, Santa Cruz Union College
Univerzita Komenskeho
University of Southern California
Esperanza Bedolla Verduzco * Miranda Kate Maas University of Southern California
University of Hawaii, Manoa
Hillary Fanya Berman
Caitlin Ruth McCarthy
Bradley Dane Loren Burton **
Julie Elizabeth Melen
William James Camisa *
Christopher James Nemetz
Elizabeth Caitlin Cauley
Brittany Merrae Paulus
Christian Michael DeMartini
Whitney Marjorie Peterson
Zayra Nallely Diaz *
Aubrey Mailliard Rawlins
University of California, Davis Stanford University Carleton College
Willamette University Regis University
Universitiy of the Pacific
Saint Mary’s College
University of Southern California San Jose State University
Marymount Manhattan College University of Redlands New York University
Aimee Mikhaile Epstein **
Bryan James Riches
Jesse King chats with his National Honor Society advisor, Paul Trudelle.
Falon Roz Fatemi
Mia Lynn Romano*
Emily Catharine Strawn*
Marta Fedorkova
Michael Walter Ruiz
Won-Ki Scott Sul
Lisa Marie Flagg
Tara Brooke Scarioni*
Barton Parry Thompson
Amanda Paige Hafleigh**
John Arthur Schofield
Peter Paul Trudelle
Carolyn Damon Hayes*
Scott Thomas Sheinbaum
Fu-Kai Tsao*
Elena Michelle Herzen
Louis Ran Shi
Jessica Kate Uphoff
Aidan Henry Jobe Sea
Stephanie Marie Sibal
Monika Elizabeth Varga
Mark Gerald Simmons**
David Triest Waylonis**
Marie Elizabeth Sobieski*
Michael Peter Sullivan Yost*
Stanford University
Santa Clara University
Karlova Univerzita, Prague Undecided
University of California, Los Angeles Oberlin College
Loyola Marymount University California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo
Scott Walter Kimball Xavier University
Jesse Michael King * University of California, Berkeley
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University of Utah Wagner College
Saint Mary’s College
Loyola Marymount University University of Chicago
University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Barbara University of Hawaii, Manoa
University of California, Berkeley Scripps College
Lewis and Clark College
San Francisco State University Occidental College
College of San Mateo
University of California, Davis Gonzaga University
Santa Clara University
California Institute of Technology University of California, Davis * Dean’s Honors ** Headmaster’s Honors
New graduates poured from the tent into a sea of well-wishers. The four boys here are (left to right) are Brad Burton, Jesse King, Aubrey Rawlins and Brian Riches.
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oodside Priory School celebrated its graduation of the Class of 2003 on Saturday, May 23 at 10 a.m. Ceremonies were held under a white awning on the school’s varsity playing field and were followed by a reception for graduates and guests in the school gym. Continuing two traditions, faculty and students entered the awning in a procession led by two bagpipers, and concluded the ceremony with the faculty forming a circle outside the awning. The graduates moved around the circle receiving personal congratulations from each of their teachers. In honor of the school’s forty-fifth anniversary, Abbot Matthew Leavy addressed the graduates. Abbot Matthew joined the Woodside Priory community in 1970 at the age of 18, having just decided that he wanted to become a monk. He is now head of the Priory’s parent abbey, St. Anselm, in New Hampshire. He recalled for the students a much smaller Woodside Priory with few trees, no girls, and Saturday classes. The growth through good and difficult times was the result of the stewards’ good choices, he said. He encouraged the graduates to realize that their individual choices are meaningful and important and will also shape the future in positive or destructive ways. Student speakers Hobie Thompson and Marie Sobieski reflected on Benedictine values, especially the slogan “All are welcome (with honor and respect)” which is often heard around the campus. Headmaster Tim Molak also referred to that slogan, reminding students that in today’s global climate, an attitude of open hospitality is needed more than ever.
Monika Varga gets a hug from French teacher Ruth Benz.
Esperanza Bedolla smiles as she reaches the podium to accept her diploma.
Awards
The valedictorian award went to David Waylonis (for highest GPA) and the salutatorian award (for academic, social and personal contributions to the school community) to Aimee Epstein. Department awards went to Marie Sobieski, theology; Mia Romano, English; David Waylonis, mathematics; Zayra Diaz, visual arts; Mark Simmons, science and technology; Aubrey Rawlins and Elena Herzen, performing arts; John Schofield, social studies; and Zayra Diaz, modern languages. National Merit Commended Scholar awards went to Bradley Burton, William Camisa, Aimee Epstein, Amanda Hafleigh, Aidan Jobe Sea, John Schofield, Marie Sobieski and Monika Varga, and National Merit Scholar certificates were awarded to Carolyn Hayes, Jesse King and David Waylonis. The Dean of Students’ Community Service award was presented to Bradley Burton; Headmaster’s award for school service to Mia Romano and Tara Scarioni; the Father Benignus Barat Citizenship award to Amanda Hafleigh, the Academic Dean’s award for demonstrated joy in learning to Mark Simmons; and the school’s highest award, the Saint Benedict Award, was presented to Michael Yost.
The Class of 2007 Graduates in the Chapel
Shawna Trujillo, Middle School Dean, and Laura Hahnsbeen, Valedictorian, lead the Class of ’07 from the Chapel following the graduation exercises.
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hirty-seven eighth graders followed their gowned faculty in formal procession into the Woodside Priory School chapel for graduation ceremonies at 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 5. As is tradition, the girls carried a flower and the boys wore boutonnieres pinned on their jackets by Dean of the Faculty Nancy Newman (also a seventh grade science teacher) and Middle School Dean Shawna Trujillo (also an eighth grade health teacher). Headmaster Tim Molak urged the students not to underestimate what they have accomplished in reaching Middle School graduation—a big job involving physical, emotional, social and academic growth. Laura Hohnsbeen, class valedictorian, talked about the help she’s had from her classmates and teachers along the way. Describing a climb up a very scary mountain during outdoor education, Laura said she had already failed once and was wondering whether she would be too embarrassed to try again when Ms. Trujillo helped her decide by giving up her own place in line. With everybody cheering and telling her where the handholds and footholds were, Laura made it to the top despite fear that had her shaking furiously with every move, she said.
Nancy Newman, Dean of the Faculty, pins a flower on Brian Yam’s jacket.
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In the same spirit, she was cheered through scary math, embarrassing drama, perplexing science and surprising art, she reported. The students asked Tom Carter, their drama teacher and head of the performing arts department, to be their commencement speaker. After many funny recollections of the students, Mr. Carter left the class with the advice that “Wherever you are, whatever you do, do it with an open mind, an open heart, and always treat each other as you have this last year—with love, support, sensitivity and kindness.” Katie Lampert and Anna Taylor sang a song to the class, “Time of Your Life”—especially appropriate because this is the first year the entire Priory Middle School is studying choral music. Ms. Trujillo presented the following awards: Scholar Athlete to Laura Kruberg and Mark Simons; academic achievement (for demonstrated joy in learning and academic excellence) to Kim Nguyen; leadership award to Alicia Kriewall; the St. Cecilia music award to Ian Brent; and the St. Benedict award (the school’s highest honor) to Bennett Holland.
Enjoying the postgraduation reception on Red Square are Bennett Holland, Gregory Wegman, Alex Schreiner, Blaine Tehaney, Eric Frasch, Andrew Chow, and Kyle Felix.
The Class of 2007* Ian Ross Brent Mary Bien Castaneda Samuel Fernando Chavez Andrew Marcus Chow Nika Christine Clark Nicholas Evan Coombs Kelsey Leigh Corkery Eleanor Anne DeGuigne Dion Shin Diederich Lauren Elizabeth Duncan William Lloyd Farino John Cameron Kiely Felix Eric Richard David Frasch Stefanie Vittoria Giovannotto Eleanor Ruth Gold Nolan Matthew Green William Owen Harryman Juliana Elizabeth Herzen Kristen Marie Conrad Hiller Bennett Charles Holland Laura Walworth Hohnsbeen Alicia Haehl Kriewall Laura Elisabeth Kruberg Katherine Anne Lampert Kim Yen Nguyen Christopher Mehta Pistritto Marc Russell Scarioni George Alexander Schreiner Mark Stephen Simons Kristof Daniel Szoke Christina Schmidt Tabacco Anna Marie Taylor Blaine Christopher Tehaney Christina Therese Trudelle Gregory Mark Wegman Sarah Bronwyn Will Brian Ko Yam
Will Harryman shows his sibs his plaque with hand-written congratulations from his teachers.
Kiki Hiller, left, and Lauren Duncan, right, get a congratulatory hug from Mrs. Trujillo.
Happy grads on Red Square following the ceremony are, from left, Christina Tabacco, Sarah Will, Laura Hahnsbeen, Mary Castaneda, Nika Clark, Will Farino, Ian Brent, and Bennett Holland
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Presented at the Spring Awards Assembly Awards presented at graduation exercises are listed with those articles in other parts of the magazine.
Department Awards Theology World Religions: Aracely Aceves Christian Scriptures: Cynthia Sleight Morality and Social Justice: Alexis Smith Mathematics Algebra 1: Taylor Franklin Geometry: Laura Hohnsbeen Michael Yost (left), the fourth in his family Albebra II: Myles Lam to graduate from the Priory, was joined at PreCalculus: Kristof Horompoly commencement by brother Kevin, Director of Probability and Statistics: Nicole Verhalen Admissions Al Zappelli, and sisters Liesl and AP Calculus BC: Tim Kovachy Jeanine. Michael was presented with the St. AP Statistics: Megan Noice Benedict award Linear Algebra: Laura Brent Science and Technology Physics: Myles Lam Biology: Thomas Flint Chemistry: Sean Moreau AP Biology: Daniel Wenger AP Chemistry: Francys Scott AP Physics: Timothy Kovachy Electronics of Radio: Conor Fitzpatrick Computer Science: Myles Lam AP Computer Science: Laura Brent English Introduction to Literature: Elyse Romano Transitional English and Writing and Structure: Michael Lo Writing Lab and Research Skills: Kristof Horompoly Writing Lab: The Most Improved Student: Aracely Aceves British Literature: Inga Diederich American Literature: Alexis Smith Social Studies World Cultures: Kristof Horompoly AP European History: Daniel Wenger United States History: James Eaneman AP United States History: Peter Zaffaroni AP Economics: Ashley Kustu
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Modern Languages & Literature French French I: Jocelyn Chambers French II: Thomas Flint French III: Elaine Haegele French IV: Jennifer Dhaliwal Spanish Spanish I: Ben Pekarek Spanish II: Aracely Aceves Spanish III Laura Trudelle Spanish IV: Alexis Smith Japanese: Japanese I: Brian Chung Japanese II: Myles Lam Japanese III: Loren Yu Japanese IV: Lori Teraoka Performing Arts Speech: Jennifer Dhaliwal Drama I: Cynthis Sleight Drama II: Bryan Tehaney High School Chamber Symphony: Rebecca Rappaport Chamber Singers: Jesse Lampert Concert Choir: Cynthia Sleight Vocal Music: R. J. Castaneda Visual Arts Drawing and Painting: Kimberly Chow Metalsmithing: Stephanie Wegman Visual Media: Charles Magnuson Photography: Nicole Verhalen National Honor Society Grade 10 Benjamin Archer Inga Diederich Lauren Frash Jocelyn Gamburd Elaine Haegele Timothy Kovachy Jesse Lampert Kyle McAuley Cynthia Sleight Laura Trudelle Daniel Wenger
Grade 11 Laura Brent Gretchen Burch Allyn Coats Ashley Kustu Aaron Mandle Katie Noice Megan Noice Sharaf Rizvi Cheung-Yu Shih Alexis Smith Andrew Smith Model United Nations Award Ashley Kustu School Awards Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Award: Jerry Shih Worcester Polytechnic Institute Award: George Schnurle Universitiy of Rochester Humanities/Social Studies Award: Conor Fitzpatrick Massachusetts Institute of Technology Award: Evan Green Saint Anselm Prize: Megan Noice Yale Book Award: Ashley Kustu Wellesley College Book Award: Alexis Smith Harvard Book Award: Laura Brent
Presented by the Menlo Park Rotary Club
On March 28 at the East Palo Alto Boys and Girls Clubs English Language Arts: Daniel Wenger Visual Arts AP Art: Emily Strawn Art Foundations: Inga Diederich Metals: Nicole Verhalen Ceramics: Ashley Will Photography: Elizabeth Cauley Visual Media: Charles Magnuson Science & Technology: AP Biology: Jesse Lampert Chemistry: Michael Lee Physics: Timothy Kovachy Environmental Science: Monika Varga Computer Science; Laura Brent Service Community: Julia Melen School: Aimee Epstein Leadership: Brad Burton
Headmaster’s Award Aaron Mandle
Foreign Language: French: Brad Burton Japanese: Michael Yost Spanish Esperanza Bedolla
Saint Benedict Award: Grade 6: Matt Kramer Grade 7: Max Magnuson Grade 9: Molly Magnuson Grade 10: Cynthia Sleight Grade 11: Michael Jernick
Social Studies US History: Laura Brent European History: Elaine Haegele AP Economics: Mark Simmons American Government: Jack Schofield Theology: Zayre Diaz
Presented by Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth
Mathematics: Algebra II: Daniel Wenger Pre-Calculus: Jesse Lampert AP Calculus: Timothy Kovachy Linear Algebra: David Waylonis AP Statistics: Mark Siommons
At Cal State University, Hayward, on May 31 for high scores on academic tests. Alyssa Cheung Alex Dehnert* Eleanor Gold Peter Hurtubise Kimyen Nguyen Tristan Sansbury *scored highest in state in two categories
Priory choir students at an adjudication session during their trip to the Heritage Festival in Seattle, Washington. The school choirs and orchestras brought back two silver awards and a bronze award.
Performing Arts: Drama: Mia Romano Instrumental Music: Carolyn Hayes Vocal Music: Jesse Lampert
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Presented at the Middle School Sports Awards Program
Will Camisa, boys Athlete of the Year, was captain of the baseball, basketball and soccer teams, and was athlete of the year in his sophomore and junior years. He was named an all-league soccer player in his sophomore, junior and senior years, and all-league baseball in this, his senior year.
Fall Sports
Sixth Grade Girls Basketball Most Inspirational Player: Adrian Holland Most Improved Player: Aly Romano Most Valuable Player - Kiley McDermott, Consi Hiller
SSIL Volleyball Most Improved Player: Alec Schilling Most Inspirational Player: Kelsey Corkery Most Valuable Player: Alicia Kriewall
Sixth Grade Boys Basketball Most Improved Player: Ryan Harryman Most Inspirational Player: Nathan Feldman Most Valuable Player: Tyler Starling
Sixth Grade Volleyball Most Improved Player: Margaret Bussmann Most Inspirational Player: Justine Desmond Most Valuable Player: Consi Hiller
Seventh Grade Girls Basketball Most Improved Player: Whitney Greswold Most Inspirational Player: Allison Frisbee Most Valuable Player: Alyssa Cheung
Seventh Grade Volleyball Most Improved Player: Shelley Lowe Most Inspirational Player: Lauren Jones Most Valuable Player: Katherine Gorman
Seventh Grade Boys Basketball Most Improved: Connor Pierson Most Inspirational: Peter Hurtibise Most Valuable Player: Tristan Sansbury
Eighth Grade Volleyball Most Improved Player – Chrissa Trudelle Coaches Award – Laura Kruberg Most Valuable Player – Kiki Hiller
Eighth Grade Boys Basketball Most Improved Player: Kyle Felix Co-Most Valuable Players: Alex Schreiner, Bennett Holland
White Flag Football Most Improved Player: Greg Wegman Most Inspirational Player: Kyle Felix, Dylan Skinner-Rosenberg Coaches Award: Nathan Feldman Most Valuable Player: Andrew Chow Blue Flag Football Leadership Award: Mark Simons Defensive MVP: William Harryman Offensive MVP: Tristan Sansbury Most Valuable Player: Bennett Holland Cross Country Peter Hurtubise Teagan Corkery
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Winter Sports
Spring Sports Tennis Most Improved Player: Alicia Kriewall, Brian Yam Coaches Award: Alec Schilling Most Valuable Player: John Helfrich Boys Soccer MVP: Blaine Tehaney Most Inspirational: Tristan Sansbury Most Improved: Noel Laporte, Pat Daly Rookie of the Year: Servando Barriga Girls Soccer MVP: Abby Havern Most Improved: Darcy Lachtman Most Inspirational: Anna Taylor Defender of the Year: Adrian Holland Midfielder of the Year: Kiley McDermott Offensive Player(s) of the Year: Christina Tobacco and Justine Desmond
Rookies of the Year Kylie McDermott, Consi Hiller, Nathan Feldman Most Inspirational Players Tristan Sansbury, Abby Havern Athletes of the Year Kiki Hiller, Bennett Holland
Presented at the High School Sports Award Program Athletic Director’s Awards: Nick Balogh Mandy Hafleigh Jesse King, Jessica Uphoff Chris Nemetz LisaFlagg Mark Simmons Aimee Epstein Peter Trudelle Ray Austin
Six graders ended the year with an afternoon of games, food, and splashing around in the Priory swimming pool.
Rookies of theYear Hap Plain and Taylor Franklin Most Improved Athletes Leon Johnson Christian DeMartini Rachel Moody Lori Teraoka Most Inspirational Athletes: Scott Kimball and Laura Brent Athletes of the Year Will Camisa and Laura Trudelle
Julia Duncan (third from right) read her committee’s report at a public meeting of Congressional Rep. Anna Eshoo’s Student Advisory Board. The board’s topic was Internet privacy and the report was read into the Congressional Record. The students concluded, among other things, that while government should do more to ensure privacy, individuals also have a responsibility to understand misuse and protect themselves. the board’s survey of five high schools indicated that most students are not well enoung informed. Other Priory students on the Board included Mike Yost, Peter Zaffaroni, Zayra Diaz, and Daniel Wenger.
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Alumni Profile
Daniel J. Murphy, Jr. WPS Class of 1970
Wife: Candy Family: Three sons Education: USC Medical School; Residency and Fellowship, Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio Current Assignments: Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University Medical School and Associate Chief of Pediatric Cardiology at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. Director of the Adult Congenital Cardiac Program at Stanford.
If you can do what you love, in a situation that speaks to your values, why wouldn’t you want to work hard at it? 14
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aniel J. Murphy, Jr. seems to have a passion for the road less taken. He chose the unexpected path in selecting the Priory for high school in the late 1960s; his close friends were choosing Bellarmine. When he chose a medical career midway through college, he wasn’t following in anybody’s path; in fact, he can’t remember what steered him away from his plans to teach math. When he chose a subspecialty in pediatric cardiology, he was going into a relatively unknown and untried field. He was attracted to a small community of skilled and committed colleagues, and the opportunity to work with children, he said. Dr. Murphy’s focus today on the rewards of shaping the next generation of cardiologists might be considered an unexpected turn away from the typical emphasis on research. The unifying thread to all these choices, he says, is his love for small communities and for work in an environment of values and excellence. That description fit his Priory experience, and those are the qualities that lured him last year from Cincinnati to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, where he is Associate Chief of Pediatric Cardiology. Almost every heart problem a pediatric cardiologist sees is congenital—that is, the baby is born with it. “Now we can diagnose problems before babies are born. We are starting to perform procedures even before birth.” Treatment has been so successful over the past decades that cardiologists now are beginning to study treatments for adults who have survived childhood with a heart defect. “Until recently, we didn’t have survivors to study in adulthood, now surgical repair is possible for virtually all congenital heart defects from valve problems to correcting hearts that have only two chambers— half a heart. Our mortality rate (at LPCH) in the last 12 months was less than 2 percent. Spectacular!” “Today, we have pediatric and adult patients, and the opportunity to train a whole new generation of cardiologists,” he remarked. Like most of his LPCH colleagues, Dr. Murphy is involved in research, teaching, and clinical practice—and in his case administrative leadership as well. It’s never dull, he said.
“I don’t have a ‘typical day.’ Every day is unique. Sometimes I spend whole days and nights caring for patients at their bedsides or in the nursery. There are also days when I read echocardiograms (diagnostic studies) and guide treatment. I write books and articles, and I teach. In administration, I serve on hospital committees and work on long-range planning. Our group is heavily involved in research and I enjoy my role in directing and supporting that.” He especially values the time he spends teaching, he said. “I remember hundreds and hundreds of babies and families and that’s pretty special. I’ve been blessed. What I hope to do is pass on what I have to the next generation (of physicians). I’m an organized guy who knows how to teach and that part is really very satisfying. And I still like walking into the clinic every day and picking up a new baby. My wife thinks the babies is what I really like the best!” People often think the hospital must be depressing, but a children’s hospital is just the opposite, he says. There is an upbeat atmosphere despite the obvious tragedy and illness. The administration and staff work to make it so, and it’s in the nature of children to feel positive, he explains. The downside to his career choice—lots of hard work and very little free time—isn’t necessarily a bad thing, Dr. Murphy says. In a way, he thinks it reflects the values of the Priory’s founders. “Look at the Hungarians who founded the school. I don’t think they ever rested. If they weren’t working, they were at prayer. Isn’t that the Benedictine motto? Ora et labora? “I think you need to have balance, but leisure for its own sake may be given a higher value than it deserves. If you can do what you love, in a situation that speaks to your values, why wouldn’t you want to work hard at it?” On the home front, he speaks with gratitude of a wonderful partner who assumed most of the family duties during his three sons’ growing-up years. His wife, Candy, now teaches sixth grade math at Menlo School. Their oldest son graduated Phi Beta Kappa in political science from Stanford in June; their second son is starting at UC Santa Barbara in the fall, and their third son will be a sophomore at Palo Alto High School.
Alumni News & Notes John Lanzone, class of 1962, and his wife, Annie, are enjoying life in Amelia, Ohio. He sends his greetings to his classmates. James Gaffney, class of 1967, is currently the Managing Partner of the Portland office of Moss Adams, a regional firm of certified public accountants, headquartered in Seattle. He is also in his third year of service on the Oregon Board of Accountancy and a past president of the Oregon Society of CPAs. He and his wife, Barbara, will celebrate their 32nd wedding anniversary in September. Their daughter, Karen (25), participated in a six man relay swim across the English Channel in July 2001. She is the only person with Downs Syndrome to be recorded for an official swim across the Channel. She works as a teacher’s aide and gives approximately 35 inspirational talks per year around the United States. James and Barbara also have a son, Brian (23). Mark Apton, class of 1971, tells us that his company, Apton Associates Technical Staffing has picked up a long term contract with BBC Technologies. His wife has launched her new fine jewelry design web site, www.uniqjewelryd esigns.com as part of fulfilling a requirement that earned her an MBA. In addition to designing she also runs her two consignment clothing and jewelry stores in Los Altos and looks after their two small boys, one-year-old Christopher and two-year-old Mark. Philip Gregory, class of 1972, has joined the firm of Ropers, Majeski, Kohn & Bentley. He does business litigation in the firm’s San Jose office. He has also moved to Woodside, CA from Los Altos, CA since last year’s reunion. Duncan Clarke, class of 1976, with his wife and daughters, spent 70 days last summer travelling through Greece, Turkey and Egypt. This summer he plans to stay home and do some gardening. Sherman “Chip” Swan, class of 1977, reports that his family is growing up fast, with daughters ages 10 and 7 and a son age 3. All of the children are avid readers, so he feels that he and his wife will be in for a lot of fun the next couple of decades. His business, Cygnusoft Inc., is taking off after a slow beginning. He wishes happiness, health, and all the blessing of God to his classmates and the whole Priory School Community. Chris Tayler, class of 1979, says he is happily living the single life in the waterfront home he purchased in 1998. When not working or socializing, he enjoys competitive race car driving on five California tracks and is an active member of the Golden Gate Chapter of the Porsche Club of America. In addition he enjoys sail racing every week of the season, crewing with 11 others on an experimental Australian racing boat residing in Monterey at the Santa Cruz Yacht Club. He left one successful business venture and has started another. Jim Gogan, class of 1981, and his wife Nancy, along with their older son, Alex, completed the adoption of a son, Alberto, from Ecuador. Alberto is now two-and-a half. Dan Hart, class of 1981, writes from Bangor, Maine, that he has taken a position as Physician Liaison, Marketing Director and Public Relations Director for Northeast Cardiology Associates in Bangor, Maine. They are the largest cardiology group in Maine. Dan plans to visit the Priory and his California friends the first week of August. Hernan Valdes, class of 1981, has been living in the Dominican Republic for the past two and a half years after spending almost three years in Venezuela. He works as the director for maritime logistics for Cemex Dominicana, a Mexico-based company that is the third largest producer of cement in the world. The family just bought an apartment in the Dominican Republic and is enjoying living there, he says. Chris Pieper, class of 1985, is residing in Taos, New Mexico with his wife, Elana Lombard and two children: Gwendolyn, age 5, and Reed, age 3. They own Mudd-n-Flood (an outdoor mountain shop). Chris enjoys gardening, hiking, rock climbing, river rafting and skiing. William Sokol, class of 1985, was married to Paola, a professional chef, on March 22, 2003. They are living in Mexico City and will be moving to a new house in June. Jim Nell, class of 1986, married Susan Mary Little of Hughson, CA on April 1, 2000. They recently had their second child, Carolyn Elizabeth, who was born on March 3, 2003 (that’s 03/03/03 – what a neat birthday!) She joins her brother, James Edward, Jr., who was born on June 12, 2001. Jim and his family currently live in Sunnyvale, CA and Jim has been employed at Sun Microsystems for over five years. Guy Cross, class of 1988, married Erika Nelson in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, at the beginning of May. In attendance were fellow Priory alumni Steve Sanders, Erik Hansen, and Chris Pieper (all members of the Priory six-year club) as well as former Panther, Jim Medica. Guy does strategic planning and business development for Oracle Corporation, lives in San Francisco, and still plays competitive soccer in Portola Valley and SF with his former Priory teammate and goalie, Steve Sanders. Weston Miller, class of 1990, lives in Watsonville, CA and teaches high school biology, chemistry, and environmental studies at Mt. Madonna School. He has been married for nearly two years.
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Takaya Yamaguchi, class of 1993, visited the Priory and is now back in Japan hoping for notification of acceptance from USC. If he does attend school there he hopes to visit the Priory often. Salvador Garcia Atance, class of 1991, has made some significant changes in his life over the past year. He left his job in equity derivatives at Deutsche Bank London and got married. In September 2002, he started a company that provides child care services (basically education and pediatrics) for corporations and institutions. The company is doing well and has been given much press and TV coverage, he says. Tinyee Hoang, class of 1995, attended UC Davis and is now working toward his doctorate in the area of food science, at Washington State University in Pulman, WA. He is focusing his research on flavor binding – how they make that fat-free food taste better. Caitlin Kane, class of 1995, is engaged to Justin Davis and will be getting married in February 2004. They have just purchased a house in Redwood City, CA. Mark Popovich, class of 1995, will be getting married on June 28 in Saratoga, CA and moving to the East Bay. Brook Compton, class of 1997, has just moved to a new apartment in Wisconsin and is starting a new job at Apria Healthcare. Ian Kotchian, class of 1997, is working as a Special Agent, Defense Security Service, San Diego Field Office, Department of Defense. Young Lee, class of 1997, is currently working for an information technology company focusing on virtual reality, web3D and image solution. The company is business partners with a company called Zoomify, which is located in Santa Cruz, CA. Anne (Mecham) Hawkins, class of 1998, will graduate from UC Santa Barbara in June. After celebrating their first wedding anniversary on June 29, Jacob and Anne will investigate buying a house in Tucson, Arizona. In August she will start graduate school for genetic counseling at the University of Arizona. Gloria Lando, class of 1998, will be graduating from San Jose State University in December 2003 with a degree in Administration of Justice and a minor in Mexican American Studies. She is hoping to find a career as an investigator and is currently serving an internship with the Alternate Defender’s Office in Santa Clara County with the investigation division. Luigi Quisumbing, class of 1998, is currently working as a legislative aide in the office of Senator Rodolfo G. Biazon, of the Philippines Senate. He will be starting law school in June. Laura Timpe, class of 1998, graduated from Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, CA on May 24 with a degree in Fine Arts and is now starting her job search. She also is traveling to Washington, DC with fellow alum Suzi Kovacs and then, in October, will go to Provence, France for a cooking tour with her mother. Terese Falaschi, class of 1999, completed her master’s degree at Stanford this year. Graduation was June 15, 2003. Michael Mastman, class of 1999, graduated from Oberlin College with a BA in Political Science. During his last semester at Oberlin he interned for Sharrod Brown, Representative to the US Congress from Ohio, and he also learned welding techniques at a community college near Oberlin — just to give his education a little rounding out. Jen Moss, class of 1999, graduated fromUC Santa Cruz with a BA in Psychology on June 14. Darren Zulberti, class of 1999, graduated in May from the University of Southern California with a BA in broadcast Journalism and a minor in Law and Public Policy. James Cirino, class of 2000, just completed his Junior year on the Dean’s list at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. Jonathan Morgan, class of 2000, is traveling in Europe through June and early July. He is visiting Jesse Dienner (2000) in Granada, Spain for a week is also planning to see Greece, more of Spain, and France. After his travels this summer he will be returning to SurroMed, a biotech firm with headquarters in Mountain View, CA, for summer work. In the fall, he will return to St. John’s College, Santa Fe, NM where he is a junior and an editor on the campus paper. Erin Johnson, class of 2000, will be travelling to Iceland to learn the language fluently, research her ancestry, be immersed in the culture, live with distant relatives, and see all of Iceland through the “Snorri Program.” More details of the program may be found at www.snorri.is. She is very excited and starting to learn a lot of Islansku (Icelandic) as she will leave June 13 and won’t return until the end of July. Brittany Voelker, class of 2000, is currently a junior at Chapman University in Orange, CA. She is majoring in sociology and spent last summer studying at the University of Greenwich in a suburb of London, England. During her free time, she toured in Scotland, France and Ireland. Brittany is a member of Alpha Gamma Delta, a new sorority at Chapman, and is serving as its first chapter president.
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Devin Coats, class of 2001, loves New York. She just finished her term as an Associate Managing Editor at the Columbia Spectator. She is going to be at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland next year for study abroad. She is interning this summer at Lucasfilm in licensing and product development. Charles Kou, class of 2001, is studying Shakespeare at Oxford, England and touring part of Western Europe this summer. He will return to Stanford for his Junior year in the fall. Roxanne Lundin-Crittenden, class of 2001, gave up her planned biology internship working with flammulated owls this summer when she and a friend received grant money for a different project. The two will study the effects of non-pilgrimage trekking on the more than 1000-year-old pilgrimage route known as El Camino de Santiago. It stretches from France across northern Spain and ends some 450 miles later at the site of St. James’ tomb. Roxanne will be home for two weeks in mid to late July, then will leave for six months of study in Tanzania. She plans to complete courses in Swahili, human evolution, and biological carrying capacity, as well as a major independent project. After Christmas, she will return to Colorado College to complete her Junior year, and to resume her role as a resident assistant in one of the dorms on campus. She is still using her Colorado College email address while in Europe, and probably while in Africa: r_ulundincrit@coloradocollege.edu. Liesl Yost, class of 2001, is continuing her involvement with drama, pursuing a theatre degree at St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN. Her performance in “Medea” this year led to her nomination for the Irene Ryan Award, for which she will compete at the American College Theatre Festival next year. Chrissy Spanoghe, class of 2002, has successfully completed her first year at Whittier College and declared her major as Earth Sciences with a focus on mineralogy.
Serving in the Military Wayne (Jack) Poshusta, class of 1972, has been serving in the National Guard for the past 22 years. For the past 13 years he has been with the 152nd Medical Squadron of the Nevada Air National Guard. He serves as the Supervisor of Nursing Services and as a medic. Rob Dixon, class of 1979, was reported to be serving in Iraq as of late spring. James Jenson, class of 1980, and his wife Colleen have been deployed since mid December with the Army. They were assigned to different areas and apart for five months. Two weeks ago Colleen was transferred to the same area as James and they are now happily reunited. Chris Bulkey, class of 1981, was called from Army Reserves to active duty. He is a Major in the 445th Civil Affairs Battalion, stationed in Mountain View. As of late April, he was serving in Afghanistan with the possibility of being sent to Syria if problems arise there, said he wife, Jo Anne. She invited anyone who would like to get in touch with Chris to contact her at jsuzuki@davis.com Rene Kirchhoefer, class of 1988, is currently serving in the Navy in an EOD unit. Royce Yaka, class of 1988, is reported to be serving in the military, and is stationed in San Diego Clare Van Dalsem, class of 1996, is a Specialist in the Army Signal Corps stationed in Ft. Riley, Kansas. John Gonczol, class of 1991, was reported to be serving in Afghanistan as of late spring. Greg Fleishman, class of 1997, is serving in the Army and was stationed at Ft. Jackson, SC until moving to MOS school at another location. Doug Kirkland, class of 1998, is a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force and currently stationed at Malmstrom AFB in Great Falls, MT. He completed his training in Space & Missiles and is now on active duty as a Missilier. Kevin Yost, class of 1999, graduated from the Naval Academy in May and received his commission as an Ensign in the US Navy. After working with the incoming freshmen all summer he will be moving to Pensacola, Florida to start flight school. —P. Reed Editor’s note: Alumnus John Lanzone asked whether the Priory community was offering prayers for alumni in military combat. The school had offered prayers for the few alumni we knew were serving. We asked our alumni email list to let us know of more, and they are now also in the monks’ prayers.
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Reunion!
Soccer —the game first brought to the mid-Peninsula by the Priory
monks in the late 1950s—ruled the day as Priory alumni gathered for the annual reunion on June 7. Some 15 players ranging in age from Juan Maya, Class of 1990, to several from—well, much earlier classes, paired off in teams for a game of pick-up. Dan Begin, Class of 1985 and Bob Kamangar, Class of 1984 were organizers. About 40 alumni, plus about a dozen wives, one parent, and ten children, gathered in the morning to enjoy the soccer. Children were treated to pony rides supervised by current student Megan Noice, plus a jump house, and a swim in the Priory pool with lifeguards and alums Liesl Yost, Class of 2001, and Steve Trudelle, Class of 2000. All five monks joined the group for lunch in the Father Christopher Room. Dave Arnold, Class of 1984 and Rob Hammond, Class of 1988, reported to the group on progress towards a more formal Alumni Association. Following a brainstorming session with about 20 alumni in January, the two are working to put together committees responsible for events, the alumni fund, communications and networking, and an alumni newsletter. A mission statement committee is already at work drafting its document. Members are Dave Arnold, Class of 1984, Dan Lockwood, Class of 1978, Rob Hammond, Class of 1988, Bob Kamangar, Class of 1984, Brooke Berry, Class of 1997, and Bernadette Austin, Class of 1998. A few factoids about this reunion: • Oldest alumnus present: Bob Dougherty, Class of 1963, and his wife, Heidi. Next-oldest is Mark Apton, Class of ’71. • Coming the farthest in the state: Royce Yaka, Class of 1988, who came from San Diego. • Coming the farthest from outside the state: Brian Kelley came from Montana and brought his mother, Sandra. • Most recently married: There’s an unverified report that Steve Sanders, Class of 1988, cancelled his plans for the reunion because the date conflicted with his wedding. If it isn’t Steve, then it is Anne Mecham Hawkins, Class of 1998, who celebrated her first anniversary with husband Jacob on June 29. • Record for most reunions attended: Dan Begin and his family have been to five. • Class with the most members in attendance: 1983 had 15, followed by 1988 with 8. The ’83 group reportedly celebrated their status by retiring to Rossotti’s (now the Alpine Inn), then to Gordon Biersch Brewery in Palo Alto, where they had dinner and closed the place.
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A
B
Photo A: Guy Cross, class of 1988 (left), Carlo Bello (friend-center), Lars Haitz, class of 1986 (right). Photo B: Bryce Larsen, class of 2000. Photo C: Carlo Bello, Guy Cross, Paul Titterton, class of 1982, and Dan Begin, Class of 1985. Photo D: Paul Titterton (left) and Guy Cross (right). Photo E: Lars Haitz (left and Dave Arnold (right). Photo F: Guy Cross (left) and Dave Arnold (right). Correction: In the January issue, Father Martin and Bryan Patton, class of 1995, were pictured on a motorcycle identified as a Honda. The bike was definitely a Harley. A really cool Harley.
C
D
E
Photos by Father Martin Mager
F
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Paul Trudelle Is First To Receive A New Teaching Award Ed. Note: Paul Trudelle was elected by his colleagues to receive the school’s first Teacher of the Year award, which was presented by Board Chair Wayne Davison at the annual Faculty-Staff Appreciation Luncheon in May. The Board initiated the annual award, and a perpetual plaque in Founders Hall will carry names of recipients. A check for $1,000, the gift of a former Board member, accompanied the award.
Wayne Davison, left, chair of the Woodside Priory Board of Trustees, presented the award to Paul Trudelle
Paul’s classroom is filled with gadgets that look like toys but illustrate common principles of nature— such as electrical force, which can lift the hair on troll dolls and pop metal pie tins up into the air like frisbees.
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Walk
into science teacher Paul Trudelle’s classroom 10 minutes after the last bell. You will see parents and kids. The used-book market is about to open. The counters are covered with science gadgets that look and act like toys but teach you something. One student is taking a make-up exam and another is working with a tutor. Student work and science posters cover every available space on the walls. Homework assignments and clues to solving problems cover the blackboard. Up in front, by the whiteboard, Paul is talking to a middle schooler. “…so you see this boiled egg over the beaker, and it’s traveled halfway into the neck of the beaker. What would cause that to happen? What do you know that could create a force without touching it?” Something pushing? Something pulling?” Before long, there are equations all over the whiteboard having to do with water molecules and what happens when they are heated and cooled. The student finally explains to Paul that she thinks you can push the egg in by lowering the air pressure in the beaker, and pop it out by raising the temperature. Cold lowers the pressure, heat has the
opposite effect. Paul wants to know how she could test that theory. “That was great! I’m really proud of you! ” Paul calls after the child, who glows at the praise and disappears down the hall. The scene speaks for itself in explaining why the Priory faculty elected Paul Trundle, a classroom veteran of 20 years, to receive the school’s first teaching award. He is the tall, sometimes rumpled, always patient, forever enthusiastic embodiment of the Priory approach. It’s about each individual student, about being part of a professional team who “are in this together.” It’s making community service second nature and staying in the forefront of both your subject and your teaching skills. It’s about taking your guitar in hand, singing out, and living your faith. To ask Paul why he teaches is almost like asking him why he breathes. He says he loves it more every year, and he means it. “I love it when a kid comes in after class because they’ve read about something in a book and they want to share it. I love when a student emails me a cool web site. I love seeing that dawning realization, the great ‘I get it now!’ moment. That’s worth its weight in gold. I love seeing the growth from beginning eighth grader to end of freshman year. It’s phenomenal.” He loves it when his students share his bent for scientific inquiry—and he loves the opportunity to become and remain friends even when they aren’t especially interested in science. Many of his students stay in touch for years. Paul sees science as a powerful lens through which to view the world. His young scientists learn about natural laws through the crack of a baseball bat, the weird drop in sound a car makes when it whirrs by, the swirl of color in soap bubbles or oil slicks. Students can’t wait to take his class because it’s known as the place where you use electricity to toss Frisbees around the room, and gasses to explode balloons, and a soprano’s highest “C” note to shatter glass. Sixth and seventh graders watch his eighth and ninth grade classes make inventions and solve problems with hands-on contraptions they
build themselves. They expect Paul’s class to be a non-stop light and magic show. The reality is a little different. Class is fun if you like his brand of science, but it is always hard work. He says it may not be a popular idea, but he has noticed that the students’ “aha moments” frequently come right after a period of concentrated study. Paul thinks students need more than just “right answers.” He cares a lot that they be able to take what they know and apply it to solving a problem they’ve never seen before. To ask Paul a question is to get a barrage of Socratic inquiry that forces you, the asker, to do the answering. He can pull from his rolled-up sleeve at least 50 tricks to get you to “think critically.” “I’m aware that many students don’t find my class to be easy. With the help of many colleagues, I try to create a classroom that’s both fun and challenging and at the same time prepares students with the skills and techniques they will need in stringent upper division science courses in high school or college,” he says reflectively. As head of the legendarily large Trudelle tribe—six children, four of whom have been or are now Priory students, and a fifth is coming in the fall—Paul joins parents who worry about the increasing academic pressure on students. His own children feel it. “I’m concerned that the trade-off not be opportunity for joy and creative expression,” he comments. “Why do some parents and students push for so many AP and honors classes? High School is a time for students to try new activities, form lifelong friendships and pursue special interests outside the classroom. I’ve seen so many ultrabusy, upper classmen chasing college dreams while bypassing the simple joys of high school. I realize that appropriate academic challenge is important as students pursue goals of getting into top colleges. But I’m hoping we will remember the Benedictine principles of moderation and balance.” He urges his students to look beyond the perfect high school resume and past the fear of trying something new. “I hear seniors every year say how sorry they are that they waited until junior or
senior year to get to know some of their classmates better or to try something they might like but might not be very good at. I challenge my students not to let that happen to them.” Paul said he is influenced as an individual and a teacher by his Christian faith and the Benedictine rule. “Jesus was asked, ‘What is the greatest of all the commandments.’ He answered ‘Love God with all your heart, mind, body and soul, and love others as yourself.’ That’s a goal worth shooting for,’” he explained. The Benedictine maxim “Always we begin again” is “wonderfully freeing. We’re never hopelessly stuck in the mire of past failures, no matter how badly we’ve messed up, if we try to allow God to constantly recreate us,” he reports with a twinkle in the eye. “When I think of the Benedictine adage, ‘Listen with the ear of your heart,’ I think of how much I have learned from watching my fellow teachers do that (listen compassionately) very effectively with their students. They are an inspiration to me, and I find myself willing to try harder, “ he said. Paul claims his students keep him fresh in his subject by the questions they ask, but he has some help from the local science community as well. He has contributed—as student, teacher or curriculum writer—at Lawrence Hall of Science, Stanford Linear Accelerator, the Association of Chemistry Teachers, and for nine years the Exploratorium science museum summer institute, where he won the “Iron Science Teacher” award a few summers ago. He has been a master training teacher to middle and high school science teachers, and was a teacher in college. In the Priory science program, his touch is everywhere, from interdisciplinary and project based learning to peer tutoring to the first AP and Honors chemistry courses. At least one of his colleagues says, “Like Peter Pan—who he slightly resembles—he’s never going to grow old.” If attitude is a measure, Paul probably never will.
Paul Trudelle BA: Loyola Marymount, 1978 MA: Secondary Education, CSU San Francisco, 1991 Teaching credential: K-13 Life Science and Chemistry Lives on campus with wife, Sylvia, and six children ages 7 to 21 Current assignments: Eighth grade science and freshman physics. National Honor Society advisor.
“Jesus said, ‘Love God with all your heart, mind, body and soul, and love others as yourself.’ That’s a goal worth shooting for.”
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Spring/Early Summer Activity: • The Maas Family Commons was completed in mid-June on schedule and on budget. • $4.1 million of the $7 million needed for the Performing Arts Center is pledged. Funding activities are continuing. • The PAC’s preliminary plans are complete and potential architects are being interviewed. • WPS has completed several studies and written a proposed revision to the school’s conditional use permit. The request will go to Portola Valley town officials this summer. • Chapel renovation is on schedule. Funding activities are under way. • Residential lots intended for sale are on the market. Proceeds will be used for monks’ retirement and school endowment. Next Targets: • $2.9 million by December 31, 2003 for the PAC. • PAC architects identified by fall 2003. • Celebration of Maas Family Commons this fall. • Celebration of Chapel renovation on September 7.
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Maas Family Commons Is this the welcome mat? The red carpet? Actually, it’s the preliminary work for the driveway. The seven on-campus residences will be ready for occupancy in mid-July. See more photos on the Golden Jubilee campaign Web site—www.woodsidepriory.com/campaign/housing.
First Residents in the Maas Family Commons • Therese Inkmann, Campus Ministry and Community Services • Terri Dillon, Visual Arts faculty, and husband Jason • Alicia Parker, Director of Residential Life, and Scott Parker, Theology Department Chair • Rebecca Harper, Director of Information Technology, husband Dave and daughter Lesley • Igor Golden, Theology faculty • Jeff Wise, Foreign Languages faculty, wife Janey and son Henry • Doug Sargent, Computer Science and Physical Education faculty, wife Kelly and children Samantha and Kiani • Jack Hundley, Director of Finance and Operations, and wife Sandy • Todd Turner, Math, Science and Technology, and Physical Education faculty
Chapel Campaign Chairs Hope To Complete Funding This Summer The Chapel that has served as the center of the Woodside Priory School community for almost half a century is the focus of attention this summer. Last expanded in 1981, it happily needs modification again to meet the growing needs of communities within and without the school, said Kerry Gormley, Associate Director of Development. Peter Kasenchak and Jane Yates—longtime friends of the Priory and the Chapel communities— are spearheading the funding campaign, which was kicked off in May. Reaching the goal of $200,000 now will ensure that the project can be completed as soon as possible—hopefully by early fall. The outlook is good. Chapel supporters have already come forward with time, resources and generous gifts. Also, project directors are taking advantage of several cost-saving opportunities, including shared resources and use of in-house employees wherever possible, said Kerry. The Chapel’s planned renovations include a 320-square-foot Blessed Sacrement Chapel, which will provide a place for the Eucharist to reside as well as a quiet place for reflection and prayer. Other improvements may include a new bell tower and expanded entryway and foyer, a new electric organ and upgraded sound system, and rearranged space in the main Chapel. With the newly arranged space, every member of the Priory community will have a place to sit during morning prayers. Currently, many must stand in the back. Father Martin, head of the Benedictine community, noted that the Chapel is both the literal and figurative “heart of the community.” The renovations that are under way will assure that it remains so for years to come, he said.
The new Blessed Sacrement chapel will offer natural light and a natural setting (artist rendering).
Priory Chapel top view.
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Highlights: All League Athletes Private Schools Athletic League Baseball Will Camisa: First Team Scott Kimball: Second Team Swimming Mark Simmons: First Team Tennis Mark Waylonis: Honorable Mention Track & Field Peter Trudelle: First Team Almost Peter Pan
Good-bye #6
Lisa Flagg’s jersey will go on display in the gym with those of her key teammates from the girls volleyball “Dream Team.” The team won three league championships, two NorCal championships and were state champions in 2000. Lisa, together with Francesca Centofanti and Cassie Perret (both in the Class of 2002), were the foundation of the team’s success.
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Look for an athletic activity that involves flight without benefit of support and chances are Taylor Franklin has excelled at it. She has competed successfully in gymnastics, performed with the acrobatic Cirque de San Jose, and won the US Sports Acrobatic National Championships in tumbling for two years running (2000 and 2001). Now, after two years of training with Casey Roche, founder of the women’s pole vaulting program at Stanford, this Priory freshman is a force to be reckoned with in that field as well. In her first year of competition she made Central Coast Sectionals’ second highest jump of the year (11 feet six inches). Local sports reporters have noticed. She’s been Athlete of the Week and received three Honorable Mentions. Lisa’s mom, Sue Lowe, said the Priory coaches’ support played no small part in those big vaulting numbers. Coaches Matt Lai and Mark Stogner helped with speed training, finding extra competitions and locating additional coaching. Her tennis and soccer coaches helped by giving Taylor a little time off to keep up with homework and Stanford training.
Golf Michael Jernick: First Team West Bay Athletic League Track & Field Taylor Franklin: First Team Softball Julie Henderson: First Team Mandy Hafleigh: First Team Lori Teraoka: Second Team Emily Strawn: Second Team Ashley Will: Honorable Mention Laura Brent: Honorable Mention Rachel Moody: Honorable Mention Championships Middle School Swimming Team, first in seven-school meet White Flag Football Sixth Grade Girls Basketball Middle School Boys Soccer Middle School Girls Soccer
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Celebrating Our 45th Year
