A Magazine of the Priory · Issue #47
· June/July 2010
The Class of 2010 Sets Out to
“Begin Again”
TOC TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
Woodside Priory School Celebrating 52 Years of Benedictine Education In This Issue Spring at a Glance. Pages 4-7 Out of the Middle - Middle School Graduation. Pages 8-9 Begin Again - High School Graudation. Page 10-13 High School/Middle School Awards. Page 14-15
Design Thinking: The How, What and Why of Senior Project. Pages 10-13 Building Trust. Pages 18-19 Kitchen Confidential. Pages 20-23 Faculty Profile: Nancy Newman. Pages 22-23 Class Notes. Pages 26-30 Monastery News. Page 31
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 Janet Brownstone Peter Campagna Lisa Carlos Monica Corman Hugh Cornish Wayne Davison Kathy Feldman Chris Galli ‘84 Hilary Giles George Hohnsbeen Father Eric Hollas, OSB Peter Kasenchak Indu Khanna Rick Magnuson Bud McElroy ‘83 Cecilia Montalvo Father Tom Moran Jami Nachtsheim Father Maurus Nemeth, OSB Dale Pfau Hank Plain Patti Plummer Ray Rothrock Kari Rust Ken Tehaney ‘66 Paul Titterton ‘82 Dan Turner Lisa Wan Mark Wilson Andrea Zulberti
Priorities magazine is published in March/ April, June/July, and November/December 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: Sean Mclain Brown Contributing Writers: Fr. Martin and Thea Sullivan Design/Production: Jim Kirkland, Copperline Multimedia Photos: Sean Mclain Brown, Father Martin, Jim Kirkland, Kelly Sargent Printing: Communications on the Mark, Mark W. Allen
Chapel Services
Masses at 7:15 a.m. Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m. Sunday 11:00 a.m. Sunday Hungarian service 8 p.m. third Friday (Taize) ecumenical service All are welcome.
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FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Dear Priory Community, Summer has arrived on the Priory campus, and I know that because the sounds have changed from the voices of students to the sounds of jack hammers, graders and electric saws. The Priory never stands still, and this summer is no exception. Since the early 1990’s, the Priory has been on an upward trajectory in all aspects that pertain to creating and maintaining a quality school. Our Monks and Benedictine roots have provided us with a long tradition to be proud of, and a set of guidelines which assist us in shaping our curriculum and the types of courses and activities that we offer to our students. A Benedictine education is one to be valued – because it educates the whole person. That is what the Priory does better than any school around – daily and weekly we take time to “educate” our hearts and souls. “The mind is a terrible thing to waste” is a phrase we have heard many times before, but to waste our hearts and souls is a real tragedy and contrary to everything Saint Benedict wrote about in his Rule for religious communities. The Rule states that every member is valuable and, whether young or old, their opinions and thoughts are to be respected because one never knows where wisdom may come from. We believe that the strength of any community comes from a place, as it says in our Mission. “where everyone is known and loved.” The class of 2010 was the 50th graduating class of the Priory. The first class was in 1961, with nine young men receiving their diplomas. Jim Ruffo ’61 was in attendance at this year’s graduation and reflected on how far the Priory has come since those first days living and learning in the original “ranch house.” I said in my welcome remarks, “I am sure all of the Founding Monks, especially Fathers Egon and Christopher, who many of us also knew, are up above today, and even with their Benedictine humility, are filled with a sense of fulfillment and pride.” The class of 1961 was a brave group of young men. They traveled to a place called Woodside, a somewhat Western frontier at the time, and put their lives and education in the hands of Hungarian Benedictines. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions they ever made. In this issue of Priorities there are several very interesting articles. One is called “Kitchen Confidential,” and you will get a chance to meet a number of Priory alums who work in the culinary industry; some near the school and some far away. One is a renowned pastry chef, and a couple of others are just getting started. I hope the article makes your mouth water. The other article takes a look at the Board of Trustees from 2000-2010 – a decade of dramatic change in the Priory – and the four men who were the Board chairs during that period. We owe a great deal of appreciation to Wayne Davison, Ray Rothrock, Peter Campagna and Rick Magnuson for their leadership and dedication to the mission and vision of the Priory. On June 9, Father Pius celebrated his 50th year at the Priory. It was the day of our Faculty and Staff Appreciation luncheon hosted by Priory parents. Though Father Pius is retired, he continues to delight us with his emails that always give us something to ponder or laugh at. His presence is still felt on campus and we love seeing him in Founders Hall almost daily. Finally, we recently honored two members of our staff with the Saint Stephen award. This award is given annually to a faculty and to a staff member who model our Benedictine values and are selected by their colleagues. This year, our two recipients were John Sugden, Chair of the Performaing Arts Department, and Nate Spears in the kitchen. Congratulations to both of them. The Priory could not accomplish what it does without your support and prayers every year. Thanks from the monks, faculty and staff for keeping us as part of your world.
Tim Molak, Head of School
“The flow of every school year is a bit different, and that makes for the excitement that working in a school environment brings to students and teachers alike.“
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AT A
SPRING
Below Left: Briana Willhite gets her make-over for the fashion show. Right: Clara Johnson struts down the catwalk. Below: Adrian Lavalle as Michael Jackson.
Above: The cast and crew of Urinetown performed marvelously and put on a spectacular show.
Left: Daisy Alvarado MuĂąoz gets in the creative spirit for the annual Arts Day. Below: Faculty Rick Riebhoff demonstrates clay throwing. Below right: Tom Latta performs on Arts Day along with the Priory Orchestra.
GLANCE Above: Priory students at Arrayaneo National Park on their tour of Argentina.
Above: Dormers enjoy their annual whitewater rafting trip down the American River. Left: Dormers volunteer and make a difference at the SF Food Bank.
Priory students on their cultural whirlwind tour of Japan.
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AT A GLANCE
SPRING
Left: The winning dodgeball team (L-R) Benny Kovacky, Scott DiGiorgio, Alex Peyser, Melissa Perna, and Ray Ross. Far Left: Emre Sonnez targets an opponent. Below: Matt Putnam, Michael Wan, Ariana Bickell and Devon Errington strike a pose.
Right: Brigid White outmaneuvers an opponent.
Below: L-R Kiki Sargent, Madison Hughes, Maddie Frappier, Brigsy Hamren, Margaret Shields, Michaela Koval, Katie Nachtsheim, and Liz Schilling have fun before practice
Above: The middle school boys basketball team enjoyed a rigorous and successful season.
Below: Scotty Harris scores against Pinewood.
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Above: The middle school cast and crew of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Left: Students with the Marine Oceans Cruise learn about Marine Biology with Science faculty Christine Muir.
Bottom Left: L-R Cindy Cheung, Courtney Cheung and grandmother Margaret. Bottom Left: Cullen Mo and grandmother Doris. Below: Wyatt Farino and grandfather Lloyd enjoy a laugh together.
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Out of the
MIDDLE Middle School students transition to High School
Parents held bouquets of flowers or mylar balloons for their honored students, and even more were ready with cameras, trying to capture the memory of a momentous step. The audience erupted with applause and rose to their feet as boys wearing neckties and girls in high heels filed in to the very non-traditional Star Wars theme song. Middle School Dean Caitha Ambler doled out witty, yet sound advice to the students advising them not to “grow up too fast” and to “enjoy the simple things in life, like milk shakes and puppies.” Student speakers looked back over their three years as well as forward to what awaits them. Valedictorian Marc Talbott implored his fellow classmates to follow their passions in life and to celebrate individuality. Talbott added, “Will Rogers said, ‘The schools ain’t what they used to be and never was.’ That is not true of the Priory, this is one of the best schools in Northern California.”
Shivani Dayal said, “we’ll all find our own place in the world. Our class is so unique because we have incredible talent, skill and personality and I look forward to seeing how we shape the world.” Dayal recounted her mother’s advice and reminded her classmates that “grades are someone else’s measure of you but it’s more important that you grade yourself on how you live life.” The Middle School students chose Social Studies faculty, Adam Siler, as their commencement speaker. “I have really come to admire these students intellectually,” said Mr. Siler, “and I’m truly flattered that they would want me to speak on their big day.” Siler advised students to “play like champions” and to continue their rigorous pursuit of intellectual and emotional growth. At the end of his speech, Mr. Siler revealed a pilot’s flight suit under his robes and stood next to the banner, “Mission Accomplished” underscoring the overall playful atmosphere of the graduation.
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The Class of 2014* Melanie Katherine Biles Conor John Bonfiglio Luis Paolino Castro Andrew Jordan Christensen Shivani Amanda Dayal Madeleine Juptner Frappier Christopher James Gregory Marine Hall Poirier Dianne Briggs Hamren Edwin James Hannay Madison Perry Hughes Sophie Emily Charlotte Hulme Austin James Klein Michaela Katherine Koval Koto Stan Kuboi Thomas Palmer Latta William Gordon Latta
Kyle David Lee William Logan Lee Austin Steven Mirabella Lefteris Sebastian Nakos Camille Diane Nohra Juan Damian Perez Sean Francis Xavier Perez Sarah Nicole Reid Margaret Butler Shields Benjamin Michael Taft Marcus Ben Talbott David Joseph Theis Brian Thomas White Christian James Wookey Laura Elizabeth Wu Brandon Babak Zarringhalam
*The Priory identifies the class year of its students as the year they would normally graduate from high school. This is done in order to place emphasis on the school’s seven year college preparatory program, grades six through twelve.
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If you love what you do, then it’s all worth it. Taylor Eigsti 2010 Commencment Speaker
Taylor Eigsti ‘02, commencement speaker
Ray Ross, student speaker
Marisa Martinson, student speaker
Priory Graduates
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Benedictine Square buzzed with Priory seniors as they adjusted their graduation robes and caps. Some laughed, some cried, all were excited as they lined up and began the ceremonial march to the legato and grace notes of bagpipes, heralding the Priory’s 50th graduation. 57 Priory seniors filed down to the Father Christopher field through the gauntlet of cameras flashes and joyous family and friends on a warm sunny Portola Valley Saturday. A cool breeze whispered through the tent as Head of School, Tim Molak, welcomed family and friends to the celebration. Mr. Molak gave a special acknowledgement to Jim Ruffo, class of 1961, the Priory’s very first graduating class. Mr. Molak said that any sadness he feels for the loss of the seniors is replaced with the knowledge that “their legacy” will ripple out into “a world in need of their gifts.” He left the seniors and the audience with the wisdom of the four stages of life: “You believe in Santa Claus. You don’t believe in Santa Claus. You are Santa Claus. You look like Santa Claus.” “Change is the only constant in life,” said student speaker Marisa Martinson. She said that unexpected changes, like the death of the Priory’s beloved Dr. John Erkman, while sad, helped them [seniors] learn how to cherish life and each other. Ray Ross, student speaker, said that while the school is small, the students aren’t “too sheltered.” Unlike larger schools where students can hide in cliques, at the Priory, students must learn to work through differences to collaborate successfully. Two-time Grammy nominated Jazz musician and 2002 Priory alum, Taylor Eigsti, was the commencement speaker. “I know what some of you must be thinking…who in the world is Taylor Eigsti?” said Eigsti. “Who listens to Jazz music? Aren’t all jazz musicians broke?” On a more serious note, Eigsti recounted how, while at the Priory, he lost both his sister and father to cancer. Eigsti confided that he chose to live in the present moment, and no matter how difficult the reality, he wouldn’t let any tragedy prevent him from living his life to the fullest. “A few years ago, I performed at Superbowl 40 in Detroit,” said Eigsti. “Had I chosen in 7th grade to turn into a different, darker, cynical person longing for the past, then perhaps I would have missed many amazing events.” Eigsti implored the graduates to take themselves seriously and observed that every profession carries with it hardship and nonsense, but that “if you love what you do, then it’s all worth it.”
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“Begin Again� Jim Ruffo, a member of the first
Priory graduating class of 1961
was guest of honor at this, the 50th graduation cerimony.
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The Class of 2010 Lauren Elizabeth Allen *** William Garratt Alvarez Dominic R. Becker *** David Andrew Bessin * August Alan Browning Keaton Lawrence Carano * Massiel Mavissa Castellanos Rockwell Alexander Chan * Adriana Cortes Christopher Richard D’Elia ** Adrian Kathleen Dannis * Scott Christopher DiGiorgio Richard Alexander Dolezalek Elizabeth Louise Draeger * Wyatt Preston Farino Katharine Nell Finlay * Alixandra Franklin Meaghan Suzanne Gerhart Alexandria Marie Goodyear ** Jack Thompson Hearst Tristan Veloso Herrera Samantha Hamilton Hiller Shinichi Inoue Sahil Khanna * Soo Bin Koh Benjamin Light Kovachy *** Arthur Wells Lansing Chih-yu Liu *
Marie Trudelle is all smiles as she walks the procession.
Monica Weber adjests her cap before the procession.
Drew Yoxsimer and Father Maurus.
David Henri Low ** Marisa Janette Martinson * Cassandra Leigh Montalvo Kathryn Sara Neckowitz David Garibotto Nimer * Joshua Goodrich Nimer ** Eleanor Hammer Oates *** Melissa Elizabeth Perna ** Alexander Thomas Peyser Kathryn Marleigh Pfau Avery Christine Plough *** Emma Pendleton Rogers Raymond O’Neill Ross Lauren Tang Schilling * Jocelyn Overton Schreiner * Thomas Francis Shields Jeffrey Robert Souders * Jennifer Leslie Swan ** Maia Julianne Thielen Linh Viet Tran * Marie Clara Trudelle Scott Key Turner Monica Irene Weber ** Elana Michelle Wenger *** Samuel Joseph Wolfe Sarah Jane Wookey Jonathan Michael Yam Andrew Caskey Yoxsimer Sean Ashkan Zarringhalam **
Academic Honors at Commencement
Academic honors at Commencement are awarded to graduates who have earned a cumulative grade point average by the end of the first semester of the Senior year: *** Benedictine Honors - GPA of 4.0 plus ** Head of School’s Honors - GPA of 3.81 to 3.99 * Dean’s Honors - GPA 3.5 to 3.80
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College and University Acceptances (*) Indicates multiple acceptances by the college. Schools noted in bold are those where Priory graduates will be attending in the fall. American University* Art Center College of Design, Pasadena Art Institute of Chicago Bard College Boston College * Boston University * Bowdoin College Brown University California State University, East Bay Fresno Los Angeles California State Polytechnic University Pomona San Luis Obispo Carleton College Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University Chapman University * Claremont McKenna College Colby College Colorado College Cornell University * Creighton University Dartmouth College Davidson College DePaul University * Dickinson College * Dominican College Elon University * Emory University Fashion Institute Of Design Georgetown University Gonzaga University Harvard College Harvey Mudd College Hawaii Pacific University Humboldt State University Indiana University* James Madison University Lafayette College* Lake Forest College Lewis & Clark College London School of the Arts Loyola College, Maryland Loyola Marymount University* Loyola University, Chicago Marquette University Menlo College * Middlebury College Montana State University * Northeastern University * Northwestern University Notre Dame da Namur University Occidental College* Parsons School of Design* Pennsylvania State University Pitzer College * Pratt Institute *
Purdue University Queens College (Canada) Reed College Rose Hulman Inst. Technology Sacramento State University San Francisco State University * San Jose State University * Santa Clara University * Sarah Lawrence College Scripps College * Seattle University * Skidmore College * Sonoma State University * Southern Methodist University St. Anselm College St. Mary’s College (Moraga) * Stanford University * The Citadel Trinity College * Trinity University Tufts University University of Arizona * University of California, Berkeley * Davis * Irvine * Los Angeles * Merced * Riverside * San Diego Santa Barbara * Santa Cruz University of Colorado, Boulder * University of Denver University of Illinois, Chicago Urbana University of Miami University of New Haven University of Oregon * University of Pacific University of Pittsburgh University of Portland * University of Puget Sound * University of Redlands * University of Rochester * University of San Diego * University of San Francisco * University of Southern California * University of Texas, Austin Villanova University Wagner College Wake Forest University Washington University * Westmont College * Wheaton College (Illinois) Whittier College * Willamette University * Williams College
Dean of Students Scott Parker with Melissa Perna.
Faculty Patricia Emerson with Dominic Becker.
Monica Weber hugs a fellow graduate.
14 High School Awards
Middle School Awards
Theology Department Grade 9 – Courtney Cheung Grade 10 – Camilla Opperman Grade 11 – Veronique Filloux
Saint Ambrose: Patron of Learning Award for Humanities Grade 6 – Brooks Royals Grade 7 – Bruno Geoly Grade 8 – Tom Latta
Mathematics Department Grade 9 – Hazemach Grade 10 – Millen Wan Grade 11 – Aran Nayebi Keaton Carano and Head of School Tim Molak
Graduation Photos are now available for purchase! Be looking in the mail for order forms to purchase graduation photos from our photographer Jim Kirkland. Photos may be viewed on his website:
www.copperline.com Click on ‘login’. Both the login and password is
‘grads2010’
Jim can be contacted at ennis@copperline.com with questions.
Science and Technology Grade 9 – Brian DiGiorgio Grade 10 – Kat Gregory Grade 11 – Corey Cheung English Department Grade 9 – Jackson Larango Grade 10 – Alexandra Smith Grade 11 – Arturo Ferrari Grade 12 – Veronique Filloux Social Studies Grade 9 – Joe Farned Grade 10 – Kat Gregory Grade 11 – Katherine Taylor World Languages Grade 9 – Robert Perez Grade 10 – Alwyn Lansing Grade 11 – Matthew Hill Performing Arts Grade 9 – Benjamin Krausz Grade 10 – Krysten Pfau Grade 11 – Veronique Filloux Fine Arts Grade 10 – Alana Colville Grade 11 – Travis Johnson Grade 12 – Veronique Filloux
Saint Albert: The Patron of Science Award for Science and Math Grade 6 – Rebecca Whitman Grade 7 – Patrick Tornes Grade 8 – Will Latta Saint Catherine of Bologna Award for Fine Arts and Performing Arts Grade 6 – Carolyn Akers Grade 7 – Molly Schreiner Grade 8 – Christopher Gregory
National Honor Society Awards National Honor Society Inductees Abigail Faisal, Emily Fockler, Kat Gregory, Brooke Hobbs, Lauren Hyver, Alwyn Lansing, Camilla Opperman, Krysten Pfau, Anthony Shu, Alexandra Smith, Eric Theis, Selena Chung, Mina Kim, Ivy Liu, Audrey Weber Sustaining Members of the National Honor Society Grade 11 Kim Carlisle, Corey Cheung, Nur Dilangalen, Arturo Ferrari, Veronique Filloux, Jiang Jiachen, Matt Hill, Jae Kim, Aran Nayebi, Jennifer Suh, Katie Taylor, Jimmy Tran, Rebecca Wilson
College and University and Scientific Societies Awards Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award Corey Cheung George Eastman Young Leaders Award Devon Errington Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award in Humanities Danielle Rinat Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Award Kyle Montgomery Williams College Book Award Emma Wrenn The Wellesley College Book Award Katie Taylor The Harvard Book Award Corey Cheung Saint Benedict Award Grade 6 – Alex Kost Grade 7 – Liam McCarthy Grade 8 - Michaela Koval Grade 9 – Daisy Alvarado-Muñoz Grade 10 – Allegra Thomas Grade 11 – Veronique Filloux
15 Academic Honors and Awards For Class of 2010 Valedictorians Lauren Allen Dominic Becker Benjamin Kovachy Eleanor Oates Avery Plough Elana Wenger Salutatorian Monica Weber Rev. Benignus Barat, O.S.B. Citizenship Award Elizabeth Draeger
Department Awards For Class of 2010 Theology Maia Thielen A. Vernon Sohlberg Award for English Melissa Perna Mathematics Dominic Becker
Ellie Oates, Josh and David Nimer
Computer Science David Low Science Dominic Becker
The Dean’s Award Alexandria Goodyear
Performing Arts Eleanor Oates
Dean of Student’s Award Melissa Perna
Visual Arts Adrian Dannis
Saint Benedict Award Jeffrey Souders
World Languages Avery Plough Social Studies Jocelyn Schreiner Residential Life Jeffrey Souders Service Lauren Allen
Mark Allen with his daughter Lauren Allen
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Design Thinking: The
W O H WH AT WHY of Senior Project
By Scott Parker
Will you please describe, in 20 seconds, how you are changing the world? For the past
three years, Priory graduates have answered that very question, by way of the senior project. Sarah Montgomery ’09 and Claire Watson ’09 decided that they wanted to share their own gifts with girls in Kenya. Sarah and Claire, through their research of the educational disparities faced by African girls, found a way to share their particular athletic and artistic talents with female high school students in Kenya. The Priory seniors designed a project to raise funds to purchase soccer and art supplies for the Daraja Academy, an all girls boarding school in Kenya. The fundraising was a component of a much larger project goal: to develop and personally deliver physical education and arts curricula to the Daraja students. Weeks after graduating from Priory, Sarah and Claire traveled to Kenya to meet the Daraja girls in person, deliver the art and athletic supplies, and sow the seeds of a lasting relationship. It was a life-changing experience for both Priory graduates, and a perfect example of the wide-open possibilities of an educational experience that matches a student’s talents and curiosities with a perceived need in the world. Senior Project at the Priory flows from the headwaters of two very different discussions. First, was a concern, voiced several years ago by the faculty that the school was not doing enough to encourage independent learning in our students, especially as they prepared for a life in college that would require a higher degree of self-direction and problem solving. The other stream related to the phenomenon of the second semester senior. Brian Schlaak, Academic Dean and Asst. Head of School, challenged the faculty to address the apparent fade-away experience of the senior who, with college acceptances in hand, is less motivated to finish strong. Mr. Schlaak likened a senior’s last quarter to air escaping from a balloon. “We do social/emotional closure for our students better than anyone. A student’s academic closure should be as impressive,” said Schlaak. The semester-long graduation requirement, intends to harness a senior’s energy by asking her/him to apply personal gifts to a perceived need, problem, or under-explored area of opportunity, known to the students simply as the NPO. Senior Project at Priory gives students the opportunity to challenge and stretch themselves as individuals and intellectuals. Individually, in that every student is asked to identify talents, skills, or interests that are unique to him/her. Intellectually, in that students are allowed to design a project that draws upon many years of school and different courses of study. This year, Priory seniors worked with educators from the Stanford Design School, who introduced students to the concept of design thinking. Part of the
Adrian Dannis and her senior project chickens for the Priory garden.
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design -thinking process is “building to think.” Other aspects involve identifying and working within strict constraints. For a second semester senior with six other classes, the constraints of time and access to experts is considerable. Senior Dominic Becker ’10 applied his remarkable design and computer science skills to the task of creating a social media application to monitor and share one’s energy usage with his/her friends on Facebook. He called the project “Social Power.” Dominic’s research led him to the Persuasive Technologies Lab at Stanford University, but ultimately to his own bedroom, where he logged countless hours creating his application. By the way, it works! While some schools have adopted a senior project as a culminating event for graduates, one is hardpressed to find a model that so seamlessly fits within the mission of a school, as does Priory’s. Senior Project draws directly upon the school’s mission and learning goals. It is the mission of the school to help develop life-long learners who will productively serve a world in need of their gifts. While Priory’s “graduate outcomes” statement identifies three key competencies for our students: effective communication, appreciation of the world’s interdependence, and creative problem solving. At the end of school year, seniors are required to present their projects to a school-wide audience. They are asked to present their project in 10 minutes, with five minutes for questions. Further, seniors are expected to describe their learning goals in what is called a “20 second story.” Here is Dominic’s: “Social Power is about providing a way for people to reduce their energy usage. The approach, though, isn’t the traditional “You have to do this or the polar bears will die!” Social Power capitalizes on the ever-growing space of social media. The idea is that people will want to reduce their consumption because it’s not only the right thing to do, but also the ‘cool’ thing to do.“ It is common to hear that the future belongs to the innovators. Now more than ever, young people will have to jump the line with their own ideas and solutions to problems, or insights into under-explored opportunities. Priory kids are keenly aware of the myriad problems that the world faces. They are also familiar with the notion that they will likely be doing jobs that do not yet exist. Graduating students who will willingly serve a world in need of their gifts is the school’s “great work.” Showing students how to be better problem seekers and solvers is the great work of the senior project.
Faculty with Stanford’s Design School help students understand the fundamentals of project design.
We do social/emotional closure for our students better than anyone. A student’s academic closure should be as impressive. Brian Schlaak Academic Dean
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Building Trust Reflecting on the past and looking to the future
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L-R: Rick Magnuson, Ray Rothrock, Wayne Davison, and Peter Campagna
Thea Sullivan
In 1986, Priory was in a difficult period. Numbers in the monastic community were decreasing and the school faced a crisis in both enrollment and financial leadership. In response to these challenges, the Abbot of St. Anselm Abbey in New Hampshire sent Father William to Priory with the charge to create a Board of Trustees for the school. He explains, “We had very educated people (in the monastic community) but they were educated as educators, not as business people. It was pretty obvious that the mom and pop operation of a school that had been perfectly fine for a number of years was no longer viable in the modern world. Priory just couldn’t survive that way given the competition and the need to make sure that academic standards were kept high.” Father William gathered a group of twelve to fifteen laymen and women—some parents at the school, some who came to Priory’s chapel to worship, all of whom felt a connection to Priory and its monastic community—and Priory’s first Board of Trustees was born. Their role was not to run the school—the Headmaster and Board of Directors did that—but to support the Headmaster, spearhead fundraising efforts, and ensure the vision and longevity of the school. The expertise and connections the new trustees brought to Priory were impressive, Father William remembers. “People had connections to foundations, connections to philanthropists in the area, and were able to get grants for the school. It created a very good atmosphere for the headmaster. He had people he could rely on now to give him expert advice in many areas, people to rely on for fundraising. It really provided the mechanism for the school to come into its own, and even survive.” What really stood out, though, was the passion for Priory that the trustees brought to their role. “The commitment of the people that served was amazing, the amount of time they put in,” Father William says, “They just had that commitment to make sure the school would do well. I think the amazing thing is the great love for the Priory that many of them had.” That love of Priory has continued to motivate the Board members to do great things for the school. Over the past ten years, Wayne Davison, Ray Rothrock, Peter Campagna, and Rick Magnuson have each served as Board Chair, and over that decade—a particularly exciting and growth-filled one for Priory—each of them has contributed to the school in immeasurable ways.
19 Keeping Priory thriving When Wayne Davison became Chair of the Board in 1999, Priory was just emerging from a tough period. “We were in a time of building up the enrollment and the reputation of the school was coming along,” Davison says. As Chair, he led an effort to dramatically increase teacher pay and set in motion the school’s largest fundraising effort ever, the Golden Jubilee campaign. Davison says, “The school hadn’t done a capital campaign before. So going out and having a campaign that would go over a period of 5 years and raise 25 million dollars was, hmm, something new and different!” Ray Rothrock adds, “Before, fundraising was two people on the phones occasionally. We’re five hundred feet off the road, and there had always been this introverted sense—we do it all ourselves. But we couldn’t do 25 million by ourselves. It was a real head-shift for everyone, the staff, the monks, the culture, the board.” Wayne agrees, “There was a real sea change. Now we worry about keeping enrollment in check!” When Ray Rothrock took over as Board Chair in 2002, the Golden Jubilee campaign was in full swing. “We had a strategic plan, we had a master plan, we had done all that campus planning, but we had the simultaneous tasks of raising the money to execute it and getting the permits passed by the town, which was no minor feat. And to build it, on plan and on schedule, as best we could, at a time when the market was absolute nuclear winter. So there was a lot of cheerleading and a lot of strategic thinking.” In 2007, by the time the PAC was completed, Peter Campagna was Board Chair. “I was honored to be there for the first assembly in the new building. It was thrilling to see how excited the community was by the new space, and to see how the hard work of so many board members, past board chairs, and donors had paid off in such an amazing way.” For current Board Chair, Rick Magnuson, the goal has been to keep things running smoothly in the face of the economic downturn. “I contrast all the fireworks that happened over the previous ten years to my stepping into the role as Chair and then the whole financial crisis happening. We can’t stand still at the Priory. The competition keeps investing, we need to keep investing. But for the past two years, it’s been, just keep things steady.” Keeping Benedictine values strong The role of the Board of Trustees is not just to ensure the financial health of the school but also to support the Priory’s unique identity as a Benedictine institution. Rothrock remembers when then-chair Davison led the board in a look back at Benedictine history. “This was important because the board had never really thought about it that much,” Rothrock admitted. With the monastic community gradually decreasing in number, they knew a critical transition for the
school would be to figure out how to take the Benedictine values and carry them forward as a community. Soon after, the board’s Mission Committee came into being. With the help of that committee and the school-wide discussions that ensued, Davison observes, “the school as a whole started thinking of itself as Benedictine, in a sense that it hadn’t before.” Peter Campagna recalls a meeting with parents, students, faculty and the Board of Trustees when the issue of the monastery’s declining numbers came up. “A member of the faculty asked would the Board of Trustees ‘own’ the school when all the monks were gone. My immediate response was that the key issue is ownership of the goals and ideals of the Priory, and that everyone in the room and connected with the school carried that responsibility.” His answer, he says, came directly from what he had learned from serving on the Board: “We are all responsible for carrying on the Benedictine traditions that have made the Priory what it is today.” Looking ahead The Priory has made great strides in the past ten years. All four Board Chairs revel in the school’s increased reputation, strong academic program, and good financial health. Still, there are challenges ahead. In Father William’s words, “What’s really going to make or break the future is the ability to amass some type of endowment. It’s really a tight squeeze, especially when you get into an economic slump like we’re in now. You can only raise tuition to a certain extent, and yet if you don’t do that, there are problems of justice about what happens with the people working for the school.” Wayne Davison concurs. “The endowment is about ten times what it was when I started, but it’s maybe twenty percent of what we need. That would provide a ballast and a staying power for the school to handle some of the ups and downs.” Peter Campagna says, “I hope that the Priory can continue to serve its mission well into the 21st century. Recently, the school has a more visible emphasis on environmental sustainability. But the Priory is part of the 1500 year Benedictine tradition – talk about sustaining! In everything we do, our focus should be on the long-term impact of those actions.” When he visits Priory now from St. Anselm College in New Hampshire, Father William loves to see how the school has sustained itself—and grown—since his arrival here twenty-five years ago. “When I came, we were probably at the bottom of our history. There were, I think, only 75 or 80 students. There was a financial deficit, and without the board, we wouldn’t have been able to solve that. And now, to see where the school is at is just thrilling to me. I’m just amazed when I see the things that the kids are doing in the Performing Arts Center, and in their other classes. It’s just phenomenal!”
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Priory’s Own
Kitchen Confidential By Thea Sullivan
Question: What do the restaurant business and the Rule of Benedict have in common? Answer: A lot more than you’d think! These seven Priory alums and one current Priory parent give us a glimpse into the culinary world, where every day they create community, express their individuality, and extend a special kind of hospitality. To that we say, “Yum!”
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James Klimowski, ’02, works as lead line cook doing fish sauté at Madera Restaurant, part of the Rosewood Hotel in Menlo Park. What’s the best thing on the menu? I’m going to shoot myself in the foot for saying this because everyone who reads this is going to want one: my halibut dish at Madera. It’s pan seared halibut with Maitaki mushrooms, crab mushrooms, snap peas, smoked zucchini and pea tendrils, with a lime butter glaze, coconut lime basil nage, and passion fruit. It looks and tastes like heaven. Your greatest culinary triumph? Graduating culinary school with honors, even though I’d never stepped into a professional kitchen prior to that. Any surprises about the path you’ve taken? I went to Humboldt State for economics and business, and now I cook for a living! How did Priory prepare you for where you are now? Priory helped in giving me the work ethic I have today. What was your favorite meal in the dining hall? Father Martin’s pesto pizza, hands down. Dave Rogers ‘71, works at award-winning Windsor Vineyards in Healdsburg and their tasting room in Tiburon. What’s your favorite wine, and why? Zinfandel. It has the most saponins and resveratrol for health benefits. Do you order red wine with seafood? Yes! Especially grilled salmon, ahi tuna, barbecued oysters or Cajun prawns. Have you ever stomped the grapes? No, but I do go to the annual grape stomp at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair in October. There’s both a stomper and a swabbie on each team. The stomper acts as a human piston, and the swabbie swabs the juice into a little cup and runs to fill up a numbered cylinder with grape juice. The winner is the one who has the most juice in the cylinder after five minutes. It’s the most entertaining five minutes in the world, and the winners get big money. What part did Priory play in your journey? It taught me that both discipline and a sense of humor are needed to complete any project satisfactorily.
Laura Timpe, ’98, attended culinary school at Napa Valley College and then trained at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena. She now works as a pastry chef in the banquet kitchen at the Santa Clara Marriott. What’s the best part of your job? When I worked at Bouchon Bakery in Yountville, we had a window in the kitchen and we could look out at the customers enjoying the baked goods. I think the look on people’s faces after trying something I made is one of the best parts of the job. Your greatest culinary triumph? Getting the approving nod from my grandparents after I made biscotti for my grandpa. The recipe is a family recipe from Italy, and my grandpa’s cousin is the one person who could make it really well— until I got my hands on it! Favorite Priory memory? During spirit week of senior year, we convinced Father Maurus and Father Martin to let us borrow the school bus. We decorated the bus in the senior colors and one of the fathers drove us to Red Square where the rally was being held. The class of ‘98 really came together for that project. The looks on the other classes’ faces were priceless! How was the food at Priory? I always liked the food in the cafeteria. But more so I loved the people that made the food. Juliana, Kathy, Nate and the whole crew. Juliana would greet me so kindly, and always had a wonderful smile on her face! Ethan Howard, ’91, is the
pastry chef for the Cavallo Point Lodge at Fort Baker in Sausalito, CA, and for its restaurant, Murray Circle. His resume includes stints at Buchon Bakery and French Laundry in Yountville, Paillard Patisserie and Bistro in New York City, and Fleur de Lis in San Francisco, as well as Martini House in St. Helena which he opened with chef Todd Humphreys. Your greatest culinary triumph? In my early 20s, I got a dish on the menu at The French Laundry that Thomas Keller, the chef and owner, liked. It was a sweet potato custard served with a mulled wine reduction, with candied pistachios, a little sweet bourbon Chantilly, and fried yam chips seasoned with sugar and cinnamon on top. To be able to create something and get his approval to plate it for the dining public was something that I’ll never forget.
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What is the most challenging part of being a pastry chef? To be able to replicate what you do every day. Anybody can make the perfect apple pie. But the trick is to make the perfect apple pie consistently, every day. Your favorite dish to make? Ice cream. We like to do different flavors, different seasonal ice creams and sorbets. Right now we’re doing a cherry brickle, so we’re roasting cherries and add a little candied pecan. What is the busiest day of the year? Mother’s Day. You’re trying to crunch in maybe three times the number of people you usually do at brunch. I’ve noticed people on the wait staff and even the kitchen staff saying, “You know what, I’ll work Thanksgiving, I’ll work Christmas Eve and I’ll work Christmas Day, but I will not work Mother’s Day. At all.” What Priory teachers stand out in your memory? I would go back in a minute for Paul Trudelle and Father Maurus. If I ever see Mr. Trudelle again—I still call him Mr. Trudelle!—I would say, I thank you. It’s only when you leave, when you grow up, do you really realize how truly lucky we were to have the teachers we had. If you weren’t a chef, what might you be doing? I know myself well enough to know that I couldn’t sit there working on a computer. If I were going to be pursuing biology, which is what I studied, it would probably be in a laboratory setting. Then again, if I were in a laboratory right now, I know I would be like, Oh man, I wish I were cooking. But every day, here, I never think, Oh, I wish I were in a lab.
Diana (Klob) Kincaid, ‘95
first learned to bake from her mother. Now she works in the kitchen at Katrina Rozelle Desserts and Pastries, an upscale bakery in Alamo, CA. What’s a normal day for you? I typically work from 3:00 AM to 11:00 AM baking cookies, filling cakes with freshly made mousse, and making cookie doughs and buttercreams. After work, I go home, study or do homework for classes, pick up my kids from school, and then get dinner ready. What’s the best part of your job? I love helping create something that will make someone happy. The look on a bride’s face when she first sees her wedding cake is priceless! What’s the best thing on the menu? My favorite seasonal items are the cranberry-walnut tarts and the Pumpkin Sonatas, which are pumpkin spice cakes filled with sugared
pecans and whipped cream, then covered with marzipan to look like a pumpkin. All year round, it’s the Erica cake, which is devil’s food cake with layers of our milk chocolate caramel. How did Priory prepare you for where you are now? I currently work in a male-dominated field, and when I went to the Priory, I was in the first class to graduate with girls, so there were only nine of us. Because of the small class sizes, I couldn’t just fade away into the background hoping no one would notice me. I had to have strong, intelligent opinions on whatever subject was being discussed at the time and be willing to back myself up. The Priory helped ready me for this career path by helping me become a stronger female.
Elena Basegio, ‘01,
did a three-year apprenticeship in Luzern, Switzerland as a confectioner and Swisscertified chocolatier and is currently the Pastry Sous Chef at Oracle. Your greatest culinary triumph? Completing my apprenticeship in Switzerland. The Swiss don’t give the title of Swiss Chocolatier to an American without making them work hard for it. In order to get my certificate I had to complete eight different exams, all in German, from general education exams in economics and Swiss law to chocolate writing and food science. After that came an eight-hour practical exam where I was required to make fifty different products and was graded on each one individually. I’m proud to say I beat most of my Swiss classmates and ranked top in the state. What’s the best thing on the menu? Tres Leches—at least it’s the one I am always asked to bring to parties. It’s a sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk: condensed milk, evaporated milk, and cream. It tastes a bit like Captain Crunch cereal to me. Craziest time of the year? The week before Christmas! I used to enjoy Christmas before I became a pastry chef. Now I just get anxious when I think of all the Yule Logs and Stollen. What part did Priory play in your journey? I spent most of my time socializing with students and teachers as opposed to studying and doing homework. I got a lot of grief for that, but I gained a lot of people skills that have taken me far. I got a great education at the Priory, even if my report cards never showed it!
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For Peter Giovanotto, ’05, restaurant work is a family affair. Though primarily in the real estate business, the family also owns and operates the popular La Strada and Joya restaurants—family-friendly Italian and trendy tapas, respectively—which sit next door to each other on University
Avenue in Palo Alto. What is the best part of being in the restaurant business? I really, really like being able to get a free lunch. Also, it’s a great way to meet people. You have a lot of people who come in who you become pretty close with. Restaurants are almost an extension of family. What is the most challenging part? Every day there’s something that goes wrong. Either an ice machine might be down, or the grill isn’t working, or someone didn’t show up. What is your favorite thing on the menu at the moment? At La Strada, the calamari and the sausage pizza are awesome, and the house signature ravioli—a pork, sage and brown butter ravioli—is amazing. At Joya, I love the Kobe beef sliders, one of the tapas. I think I’ve had four of them this week and it’s only Monday. I’ll probably have sixteen by the end of the week. What do you do on date night? My family is not very pleased to see us at competition restaurants for dates. But the thing about owning a family restaurant is that your family is around the restaurant all the time. With that in mind, I usually go somewhere else unless I’m comfortable enough with the girl for her to meet my family. It’s pretty much a given that they will see her, and somebody will rat me out later. Most inspirational teacher at Priory? Coach Joe Montero, hands down. He taught me about positive mental attitude. In college, whenever I got to the point where I felt overwhelmed—I was doing two sports teams and finished a major in a year—I remembered Coach saying, if you’re not going to be tough, then get off the field. So I just clamped down and did my work.
When Lara and Gar Trupelli, parents of current Priory student Seaira, ’11, opened the popular Beach Chalet restaurant in San Francisco fourteen years ago, the historic oceanfront building had been vacant for twenty-five years. Next came the Park Chalet in Golden Gate Park, and just last year, The Lake Chalet
on Lake Merritt in Oakland. What do you love hearing people say about your restaurants? That’s where I met my wife or husband, or, This was my favorite restaurant growing up. I love that we’re part of people’s lives at that level. What’s the most challenging part about running a restaurant? That we’re essentially always open. The Beach Chalet is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and all three restaurants are open on the weekends for brunch, lunch, and dinner, so there’s very little downtime. What is the biggest perk? That it’s allowed us to get really involved in the communities and to leverage what we’re doing to support local environmental and community efforts. At the Park Chalet, for example, we’ll do a surf night with live music, and if you donate ten dollars to Surfrider Save the Waves, you can have the happy hour prices for the whole night. You can donate that ten dollars without it having any big impact on your evening, and it’s fun. What’s your favorite thing on the menu right now? At the Beach Chalet, I love our crab cakes. At the Park Chalet, we have a small plate, Pistachio-Mint Lamb Riblets with rose blossom yogurt and mint gastric. At the Lake Chalet, my new favorite is grilled prawns served in tequila foam—at the bottom are these delicious lemon-curry potatoes. What’s you’re favorite thing about Priory? The community. The balance between strong academics and good athletics and just a nurturing environment. And it’s a beautiful school. Do you hope your kids follow in your footsteps? Only if they want to. It’s not a career for everyone, that’s for sure. It’s a very intense and somewhat crazy business. It can be really fun, but it’s a lot of work.
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Faculty Profile: A conversation with
Nancy Newman What are some of your teaching goals for your students? I want my students to learn that hard work and taking responsibility for their own learning will lead to success. Math is not everyone’s favorite subject, but I believe that everyone can learn to be good at it if they spend the time and ask for help when they need it. I believe that there is always a way to explain a new math concept that will resonate with each student and their learning style. The hard part for students is taking the extra time to ask the questions until we find the explanation that works for them. I want them to say, “I am good at math”! When/how did you discover your love for mathematics? I have always been good at math and my parents encouraged me. I am just comfortable with numbers the way other people are comfortable with spelling and writing. I love puzzles and thinking outside of the box. I love it when something in the “real world” can be explained with an equation. During my MBA program, I once tried to put the admissions process into an equation that Directors of Admission could use to predict enrollment numbers. How would you describe your teaching style? I have high expectations of my students. I take what I do seriously, and I expect them to do the same. I try to be crystal clear in my explanations but try hard to re-explain an idea in another way if a student is having a hard time with a concept. I care a lot about my students and will go the extra mile with someone if they want to master the material and are willing to put in the necessary time. What were early influences that shaped your career and personal development? Fellow staff members who showed me the effort and dedication that it takes to be a great teacher were the best role models for my career. Personally, my parents’ influence is at the heart of who I am. It is pretty simple really - work hard, family comes first, and play golf when you get the chance.
Tell us about your first teaching job. When I got my MA in Education and teaching credential, there were very few teaching jobs in the Bay Area. I was sure that I was going to have to support us with my typing skills, which was very scary since I typed like a turtle. At the last minute, a week before school started, I got an interview at the College Preparatory School in Oakland which was, at the time, a very small and relatively new independent school. I know the head of school thought I was too young and inexperienced - my student teaching had been at a continuation high school in Daly City - but desperation won the day and he hired me to teach Biology, AP Biology and Algebra II. It was a great school for a new teacher. It was also my first experience at an independent school, and I was struck by the connections we made with the students and the way we all worked together to make CPS the best school it could be. Everyone put in long hours and picked up jobs whenever they needed to be done. I painted my classroom, drove the school station wagons to games and field trips, and developed my own summer school courses in math and marine biology. It was an amazing place to start a career. I was there for 6 years before a transfer to Hong Kong took me away.
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A
Dear Alumni, As I review the happenings of 2009-2010, I remember all the unique and impressive alumni I was able to meet over the last 10 months, beginning with Reunion Weekend in September 2009. More than 100 alumni visited the campus, some from as far away as China, London, Mexico, and Paris. For the second year we had the weekend reunion format for 5-year classes, and it continues to be enjoyed greatly by all who return for the festivities. Reunion Weekend 2010 is September 10-12 for all classes whose year ends in zero or five, and we hope for even more participation this year. Please look for invitations in the mail later this summer. In the Fall, Father Martin and I traveled to Washington and Oregon for our first Alumni Receptions outside California. We had a blast, and I couldn’t have been more pleased by the turnout of Priory alumni and friends. I enjoyed traveling to those cities and getting to meet a number of alumni that hadn’t been back to Priory in years and, in some cases, since graduation. In December, we had the annual “Home for the Holidays” party for our college-age alumni. This tradition is one that I look forward to every year. Alumni from the classes of 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 gathered in Founders Hall for Father Martin’s pizza and some good ol’ socializing. It is a wonderful way for alumni to share stories of college life and also to reminisce about their Priory days with lifelong friends. Our 2nd Annual San Francisco Alumni Reception in April was the largest “after work social” to date, with more than 30 people in attendance. Despite the many years that had passed since some alums had seen one another, it was obvious that their strong Priory bonds were still there. I look forward to seeing everyone at this splendid event again next spring. Lastly, I would like to welcome the Class of 2010 to the alumni association. They are not only the 50th graduating class of the Priory, but they also bring a wide range of talents and brilliance to our alumni group. I wish them all the best as they enter the next chapter of their lives and I hope to see many of them at the next Priory alumni event! Congratulations to all 58 of them! May you have a restful and fun-filled summer…see you all next year! Sincerely,
CaseyWynn Alumni Relations P.S. Tentative plans are in the works for an Asian Alumni event in Hong Kong, possibly in October. Look for updates in your email as plans proceed.
April 2010 San Francisco Alumni Reception attendees
March 2010 Los Altos Alumni Reception attendees
Alumni from the classes of 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 gathered in Founders Hall for Father Martin’s pizza and some good ol’ socializing. It is a wonderful way for alumni to share stories of college life and also to reminisce about their Priory days with lifelong friends.
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CLASS
ALUMNI Note: Class Agents’ names appear at the beginning of each Reunion class year. If your year is not represented, or if you would like to become a Class Agent, please contact the Alumni Office at alumni@prioryca. org or (650) 851-6137. And don’t forget to check out Woodside Priory Alumni Association on Facebook for additional photos and updates!
REUNION YEARS: 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005
1965
45th Reunion Year
1970
40th Reunion Year
1975
35th Reunion Year
1980
30th Reunion Year
1985
25th Reunion Year
Class Agent: Dan Begin
1986
Toshio Utsumi is currently a FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) RAP (Refereeing Assistance Programme) Physical Fitness Instructor. He will be in Tshwane/ Pretoria South Africa from June 1st to July 11th, to take care of all the match officials’ physical conditioning during FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010. After that, he will go to Singapore in August to take care of the match officials involved with men’s & women’s football during the inaugural Summer Youth Olympics Singapore 2010.
1987
Mark Fiore won a Pulitzer Prize in April for political cartooning.
1990
20th Reunion Year
Class Agent: Ryan Lugbauer
1991
John Gonczol Jr., member of the U.S. Marine Corps. (Force Recon) was deployed abroad in May 2010.
1994
Justin Mouren has become a father! His baby boy, Koa Devaughn Mouren, was born May 23rd and was 7lbs 2oz and 21 inches.
NOTES
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1995
15th Reunion Year
Carrie Immel married Ronnie Montez on April 10, 2010 in Newport Beach, Ca.
1997 Brooke Appelblom Gibson and her husband Kevin welcomed their first baby girl on May 5, 2010! Her name is Kaleigh Marie Rose Gibson, and she was 7lbs 3oz and 19.5 inches.
1998 Bernadette Austin-Bower brought her baby girl, Zen, by for a visit and to pick up her younger brother Hazemach ’13 after school. Ben Dusastre just obtained his MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. He will be staying in Los Angeles after graduation working for Credit Suisse Private Banking providing asset management services to ultra high network investors. He also just celebrated his four-year anniversary with wife, Fanny. Patrick Simon graduated from Harvard Business School in May with an MBA degree.
2000
10th Reunion Year
Class Agents: Emily (Cohen) Chapman, Alexandra DeMartini and David White Steve Trudelle, Peter Trudelle ‘03, Laura Trudelle ’05, Chrissa Trudelle ’07, celebrate with the newest family member to become a Priory Alum, Marie Trudelle ’10. Brittany Voelker graduated from Chapman University in 2004 with a Bachelors in Sociology. She is currently working full time at Stanford University as a Psych I Course Assistant. She has worked and gone to school full time at San Jose State University for the last three years. In May, she graduated with honors from San Jose State University. She received her Masters of Education with an emphasis in Counseling and Student Services. stationed.
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2005
5th Reunion Year
Class Agents: Jocelyn Gamburd and Olin Montalvo In March, the Tulane History of Medicine Society awarded Ben Archer, the 2010 Rudolph Matas Award for the most outstanding paper presented on the history of medicine. His paper was titled “The Evolution of Military Medicine and its Effect on Civilian Medical Care.” Ben is a Navy Ensign and a medical student at Tulane. Susan Lyon got her dream job working directly with the senior climate strategist at the Center for American Progress, a progressive think tank and ‘action tank.’ She’s on the energy team, and they work to influence the policy debate and actually shape policy/legislation on Capitol Hill. Cynthia Sleight graduated from Barnard College, Columbia University last May, and then took a month-long tour of France, Italy and the Netherlands visiting family and friends. Since then, she has returned to the Bay Area and is currently teaching preschool (ages 3-5) at the Children’s Center of the Stanford Community. She was thrilled to return to the Priory Theatre this Spring as the Assistant Director and Production Stage Manager for the Middle School play: “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” This summer, she will be working at the Stanford Jazz Workshop, studying for the GRE’s and catching up with old friends at the Priory Reunion.
2006 Michelle Bradford graduated from Loyola Marymount with Honors in Sociology and is now living and working in West Hollywood for a Public Relations Firm, EMC Bowery. Clint Campagna graduated from Claremont McKenna with a major in Economics / Philosophy Politics and Government (PPE Fellow). He will be attending Santa Clara Law School in August 2010. Michael Cauley graduated from Willamette University in Salem, OR with a Bachelors Degree in History. Christopher Chan graduated from USC in May 2010. Myles Lam won the Stanford Terman Engineering Award (one of two in mechanical engineering) in April. He will be working towards his masters next year while he works for Sandia Labs in Livermore. Myles said Mr. Tang’s AP Chem class and lab reports helped prepare him especially well for the rigors of Stanford Engineering School. Man On Li graduated from Pepperdine University in May with a B.S. in International Business.
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Molly Magnuson graduated from Dickinson College in May with a major in French Education. She will be traveling to Ecuador this summer to volunteer and to learn Spanish. Diego Moncada graduated from Dartmouth College this Spring with a major in Engineering Sciences. He will be teaching high school math at Scottsdale Preparatory Academy in Scottsdale, AZ. Rachel Moody graduated from Wellesley College with a major in Spanish and Latin American Studies. She volunteered in Costa Rica, New Orleans and studied abroad in Puebla, Mexico. She is looking forward to coming home to California. Kailani Novotny graduated from University of Cincinnati with a major in Architectural Interior Design. Victoria Patton graduated from University of San Diego with a major in History. Katya Sarkisov graduated from University of California Santa Cruz this year with a major in Economics. Alexandra Swan graduated from University of California San Diego this year with a major in Economics and Political Science – International Relations. She received Provost’s Honors and plans to travel to Australia and Southeast Asia this summer. Edward Tseng graduated from University of Illinois with a major in Urban and Regional Planning. He is now attending Grad school.
2007
Ellie Gold is currently attending Whitman College and will be a senior English major next year. She recently received a 2010 Louis B. Perry Summer Research Award to do research with her major adviser, Dr. Sharon Alker, on models of Scottish masculinity in the novels of Romanticist John Galt. Ellie will be working with Dr. Alker this summer compiling annotated bibliographies for her article. She also recently received an Abshire Research Award towards a paper she will be co-authoring with another professor, Dr. Christopher Leise, this fall on modern analogues of Faulkner’s novel, As I Lay Dying. Mariana Shtukina went on a medical brigade with the MedLife organization. She signed up mid February, and only then realized that ‘05 grad Thomas Flint is an intern for the organization in Riobamba, Ecuador. In March they met for the first time in 5 years and spent 5 days traveling to different villages in the Cebadas region of Ecuador providing medical care to people who do not have the means to travel to their closest hospital for treatment. Thomas has been interning since last September, and in May Mariana received a competitive internship grant to work alongside Thomas in Lima, Peru this summer for MedLife. They will be there for two months while they organize clinical brigades in rural villages, shadow Peruvian doctors, conduct health research in the area, start a sustainable health education program in conjunction with their MedLife services, and teach English.
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Chrissa Trudelle was one of five Track and Field athletes who represented Westmont College at the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships in March in Johnson City, Tenn. She ran the women’s 3000 meter preliminary in a time of 10:30.56 which was good enough for an eleventh place finish and a spot in the finals. She finished twelfth in the finals with a time of 10:43.36. She qualified for her 6th Nationals appearance in both the 5K and 10K. In the 10K she finished 16th out of 44 in the finals!
2008 Kayley Colville competed in the U.S. Collegiate Synchronized Swimming Championships for Ohio State. Her routine finished fourth and the team won the NCAA Championships! Max Magnuson is participating in Ride for Darfur this summer with another Stanford student. Their mission is to commemorate the heroic journey of the Sudanese Lost Boys by setting out on a journey of their own: a 3,000 mile, 45 day cross-country bike ride to raise awareness and money for victims of the conflicts in Sudan. As Stanford students and activists, they have seen firsthand the value of education. With that in mind, they will donate all proceeds from their trans-America ride to the Valentino Achak Deng Foundation. This organization is centered in San Francisco, is run by a former Stanford student, and is focused on establishing schools in Sudan to emphasize the importance of education as a rehabilitating and rejuvenating force in a war-torn country. Hope Marquardt attended Priory graduation this June and is very proud of friend and 2010 Priory graduate, David Bessin. Alec Schilling ‘08, Noel Laporte ’09, and David Calbert ’09 attended the Priory 2010 Graduation in June.
2009 Consi Hiller plays on the USC women’s water polo team which beat Stanford in a thrilling 10-9 final to win the 2010 NCAA Championship! Sarah Montgomery will be traveling back to Kenya this summer to work at the Daraja Academy of Kenya. She will be doing a creative writing workshop with the girls (among other things). She left June 26th and will return home on August 16th. She created a blog to update everyone on what she is up to during her time there. Her blog is: http://sarahmontgomery.wordpress.com. She will also be updating on the Daraja Academy’s blog: http://daraja-academy.org/blog.
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Father Martin with retired Bishop Wong, of the San Francisco Archdiocese, holding one of Father Martin’s crosiers.
Father Martin’s skill as a woodworker is renowned. His clocks are exquisite, his canoes
are works of art, and he’s even crafted small homes for our fine feathery friends on campus. What most people don’t know is that the greater Catholic community highly prizes one very unique wooden item that Father Martin crafts. Father Martin makes crosiers that numerous bishops in the United States and in Rome, Italy regularly use in ceremonies. In fact, Cardinal Leveda, who holds one of the highest offices in Rome, possesses one of Father Martin’s crosiers. Father Martin said that in the 1970’s, the Bishop of Manchester, Odore Gendron, in New Hampshire heard about a crosier he had made for a bishop at St. Anselms and asked him to make one for him. After that, “word spread” and since then he’s made almost a dozen crosiers for bishops all over the United States, including: Boston, San Francisco, Maine, and Delaware just to name a few. In Western Christianity, the crozier is shaped like a shepherd’s crook. A bishop/head of church bears this staff as “shepherd of the flock of God.” Symbolism of the Crosier Father Martin put his own unique spin on the symbolism of the crosier (pictured above). The “crook” part is constructed of three pieces of black walnut, which is from the southern states, and two pieces of Brazilian rosewood. The transitional pieces are made of ebony from Africa. The node and staff are made of cherry wood from the northeastern states. The four inset stones on the node are jade, which represents Asia, and set in silver which represents California. As a whole, the crosier represents the universality of the Church.
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Celebrating Our 52nd Year