A Magazine of the Priory · Issue #55
· March/April 2013
The 2013 Gala has Arrived! Let’s go
Back to the 50’s
TOC TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
Woodside Priory School Celebrating 55 Years of Benedictine Education In This Issue Fall at a Glance. Pages 4-7 2013 Gala Auction. Pages 8-9 A Slam Dunk: Korinn Myers. Page 16-19 Lessons from India by Stephanie Brugger ‘13. Page 18-20 Investing in the Future: Ray Rothrock. Page 22-24 Teaching in China by Alyssa Cheung ‘08. Pages 25-27 Alumni Class Notes. Page 28-30 The Green Page. Page 31
Board of Directors Abbot Mark Cooper, OSB Brother Edward Englund, OSB Abbot Matthew Leavy, OSB Father Martin Mager, OSB Father William Sullivan, OSB
Board of Trustees Brian Axe Father Timothy Backous, OSB John Brew Lisa Carlos Jennie Chiu Sherri Coats Monica Corman Laura Cornish Eileen DiGiorgio Kathy Feldman Mark Gainey Hilary Giles Sally Harris George Hohnsbeen Peter Kasenchak Andy Koontz Steve Krausz Bob Latta Rick Magnuson Bruce McAuley Bud McElroy ‘83 Tim Molak Cecilia Montalvo Jami Nachtsheim Father Maurus Nemeth, OSB Guy Nohra Peg and Bill Phelps Ray Rothrock Maureen Sansbury Bill Souders Keith Van Sickle Lisa Wan
Priorities magazine is published in March/April, June/July, and December/January 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.
Board of Directors and Trustees
On the cover: A stern Head of School corrals a car full of joy-riding jocks. They drive a 1957 Oldsmobile graciously donated for the photo by Ron Raimes, owner of Ron Raimes Automotive in Portola Valley.
Editor: Sean Mclain Brown Contributing Writers: Sean Mclain Brown, Karen Macklin, Stephanie Brugger ‘13 Design/Production: Jim Kirkland, Copperline Multimedia Photos: Sean Mclain Brown, Jim Kirkland, Fr. Martin 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 All are welcome.
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FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Dear Priory Community, Quiet reigns on the campus right now; as I write this, we are in the midst of our Winter Break and the beginning days of Lent. Before the students left we held our Ash Wednesday service for our students, faculty and staff. Fr. Martin explained the purpose of this season and how through fasting, prayer and almsgiving we can come to know ourselves better. He also mentioned how important it is for us to reflect on our role as individuals in the Priory community and how we need to take this time to find the ways that “God works in us, through us and for us” ( our Priory Mission). He reminded us that the gifts/talents we have been given need to be action based to serve our local and global communities. Abbot Mark, newly elected, was on the campus in January for Board meetings and to help us celebrate our 55th anniversary. He honored our Monks for their 210 years of service as Benedictines to the communities of Pannonhalma in Hungary, Saint Anselm in New Hampshire, and the Priory. We have been blessed with four unique religious men who are dedicated to service to one another and their beloved ministry here at the Priory. We have never been prouder to say we’ve Got Monks! In this issue of Priorities you will read about: • Our Spring Gala auction and fashion show entitled Back to the 50’s! The article provides a glimpse of silent and live auction items, ways to underwrite or support, and pictures of an evening you won’t want to miss. Come one, come all to show your support for our academic programs, our faculty and staff, and the Monks! • Our Athletic Hall of Fame inducted seven new members at a school assembly before the Break. They included two children of faculty member Paul Trudelle, a collegiate soccer All American and Olympian, a San Mateo leading scorer in basketball, the tallest player in the NCAA two years ago, and a Yale team captain. Theirs are amazing stories of past Priory athletes who have pursued their dreams. • 55th anniversary highlights many pictures of the evening of celebration for the Priory, past, present and future. Our values are timeless, our community is real, and our vision is far reaching. • The Green Page provides an update on the progress of The Franklin Garden made possible by a generous donation from alum parent Ingrid Lai and her husband William Shu. We have fenced in the area, installed irrigation and electricity, built 30 planting boxes and will be ready for the all important planting season. • Sports Medicine features a look at the 1st annual High School Sports Medicine Seminar in conjunction with the Golden State Warriors. It is organized by our Athletic Trainer – Korinn Myers. • Alum parent Ray Rothrock and former Board Chair reflects on his years at the Priory, the changes he has seen, and the stellar academic program we offer to our students. Right before we left for the Break, our faculty and staff gathered at Vallombrosa Center in Menlo Park for our annual retreat. We welcomed Sister Deborah from a Benedictine Abbey in Covington, Kentucky who shared her insights on The Rule of Saint Benedict and how it can reshape our minds, hearts, and relationships as educators and people. The day provided time for reflection, exercise, meditation, meals, and prayer, emulating a day in the life of a Monk. At the end of the day, as in previous years, we passed a candle around our circle and mentioned our hopes, dreams, gratitude or appreciation. This is always the highlight of the day and brings us closer as an adult community. The genuine care, concern, and affection that we have for one another and the Priory is very evident in the words spoken in that circle and make a powerful statement for the Benedictine ministry we are involved in. When you receive this issue, Spring should be right around the corner and Easter not far behind. On the campus it becomes even more beautiful with flowers and trees blossoming, and the Seniors feeling the end creeping up on them. All of us here at 302 Portola Road are glad that we are 55 and still alive and continue to celebrate the wonders of young people, our extraordinary faculty and staff, and a dream that our Monks never leave us. Sincerely,
Head of School
From our humble beginnings and founding in 1956 the Priory has, decade by decade, continued to think strategically and to position itself as one of the top college prep schools in the area.
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Above L-R: John Sugden and Tina Paulson perform Comedy Tonight for the 55th Anniversary attendees. Right: Mark Fiore ‘87 Far Right: Father Martin reminisces.
Above: Joseph and Sergio Calderon perform Above Right: Abbott Mark and Fr. Williams receive the St. Benedict Award. Far Left: Ben Veghte takes aim at the annual MS Dodgeball Tournament. Left: A colorful and spirit filled stadium of Middle Schoolers ready for dodgeball glory!
GLANCE Above L-R: The 6th Grade helped christen the new garden! The Franklin Garden was made possible through a generous donation from alum parent Ingrid Lai and her husband William Shu. Left: Cameron Cronwall helps fill the garden beds with soil.
Above: Middle Schoolers at the Japanese Garden in SF. Panther Pals: Above Right L-R: Luka Kolemejec and Houton Bozorghadad Right L-R: Shoshana Levitt and Joshua Thibaut Right L-R: Cameron Cronwell and Cullen Mo
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AT A GLANCE
WINTER
Above: Elizabeth Schilling makes a sprint to the basket.
Above Left: Stephanie Brugger for the shot. Above Middle L-R: Samuel Oguinieye on defense as teammate Andy John Isokpehi makes a shot. Far Right: Andy Dolezalek airbourne for the shot.
Above: Sarah Zuckerman takes control of the ball.
Above L-R: Tim Molak pictured with 2013 Athletic Hall of Fame inductees Robert Christian ‘01, Laura Trudelle ‘05, and Steve Trudelle ‘00.
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Left: Mariana Galvan ‘13 at Mexico’s training field. Mariana was selected for the honor of training with Mexico’s Under-20 team. Left Inset and above: Mariana signs her letter of intent to play for Santa Clara University.
Left L-R: Middle School S.T.E.A.M. build team Zoe Weiss, Brenda Uribe, John Gregory, and Jasmine Tang. Above, Middle School teams launch their balloon powered cars.
Michael Brett invites an officer of the law to the Priory Gala “Back to the 50’s” (following pages) in an attempt to get out of a ticket. Word on the grapevine is that it worked.
8 Dear Patty, This class is SO boring. I hate learning about Sputnik! Any ideas what we can do later? Xxoo Catherine Dear Catherine, Sputnik is boring. You need to go to the “2013 Priory Gala “Back to the 50’s.” Everyone from school is going to be there -- last year about 700 people came. And over 100 of our own high school students model in the fashion show too! Come to watch them and to bid on the cool items in the live and silent auctions. This is a big deal… The Gala raises over $450, 000 for our school! Luv ya, Patty
Cool. I’ll be there. Should I wear my prom dress or jeans? Do I need to find a date? Xxoo Catherine You can wear whatever you want! And I’m sure Rich will say yes… Don is wearing jeans and I might break out the poodle skirt. And there will be valet parking for the hot rods! Glad you are going to make the scene. It’s going to be a blast. I’m telling all my friends to be there or be square. Luv ya, Patty
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Be there or be square‌ 2013 Priory Gala Saturday, May 11, 2013 Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel 4290 El Camino Real, Palo Alto
Matinee 1:30 Tea and Fashion Show Tickets: $75 reserved seating $50 open seating • $25 students Evening Gala 5:30 Cocktails, Silent & Live Auctions Dinner and Fashion Show Tickets: $250 runway reserved seating $150 general reserved seating RSVP online by April 19 at www.prioryca.org/support/gala 50s attire encouraged
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David Bentley poses with his best girl, Betty Boop.
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PRIORY Cool
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Guess Who’s Who Find the answers on page 13
Extra points if you can identify this student
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A Preview of
Live Auction
Luxury Arctic Cruise Adventure to Polar Bear Country Two week (8/7/14 - 8/21/14) ALL INCLUSIVE arctic cruise for two to Polar Bear country with Abercrombie and Kent, the world’s foremost luxury travel company. Your adventure begins in and includes round trip airfare to Oslo. Once there, you will board the luxury cruise ship “Le Boreal” and travel from Norway into the northern islands to view the magical wildlife and flora of these regions. “Le Boreal” provides every amenity and the ultimate personalized attention to the 199 guests on board. Can we remind you again? This is an all Inclusive luxury cruise adventure!
Watch an America’s Cup Match Up Close on the Bay You and six friends can enjoy a close up view of an America’s Cup race to take place on Sunday, September 8, 2013 in San Francisco. Enjoy a day on the water watching Oracle Team USA race against the winner of the Luis Vuitton Cup. You will sail aboard a new J/111, a high performance racing boat, and enjoy a fully catered lunch, including wine with your friends. Ahoy!
Items
13 Fine Wine, Fine Food, Fine Fun! Indulge yourself and seven others with a fabulous dinner in a private dining room at a brand new San Francisco restaurant “1760”. Michelin starred chef Suzanne Gresham will delight your palate, while Priory parent Wilf Jaeger serves as Sommelier at the event, offering fine wines from his vineyard in France, as well as other California cult wines such as Screaming Eagle and Harlan Estates. This is very exciting and should appeal to all the foodies at the Priory!
Diamond and Pearl Beauties Darren McClung Jewelers is offering this pair of beautiful diamond and South Sea white/pink oval shaped pearl earrings. The earrings are set in platinum with two round brilliant cut diamonds that are bezel-set. The diamonds are G color, VVS clarity with a total weight of 0.5 cts. The white/pink 12 mm pearls detach from the diamond studs so that the diamonds can be worn alone. These are the ultimate “goto” earrings. Wear the diamond studs everyday then add the pearls for that special occasion! Just in time for Mother’s Day!
Show Time & Snow Time in Deer Valley, Utah Here is your opportunity to pursue your love of film and winter sport at the same time! Make your way to Deer Valley and Park City, Utah for a five night stay (1/21/14 - 1/26/14) during the world famous 2014 Sundance Film Festival. Although tickets to the movies are not included, your airfare for four is! This 6 bedroom, 5.5 bath home includes all the perks: gourmet kitchen, hot tub, pool table, sauna and a game room with ping pong, air hockey and video games. Play at home, on the nearby slopes, or shop, dine and scout for celebrities on Main Street in Park City. There is something here for everyone.
Staff photo answers: A. Camille Yost B. Brian Schlaak C. Caitha Ambler D. Doug Sargent E. Kathy Gonzalez F. Kelly Sargent G. Matt Lai H. Matt McWright I. Nancy Newman J. Paul Trudelle K. Rose Guerra L. Ruth Benz M. Scott Parker N. Tim Molak O. Todd Turner P. Al Zappelli Q. Joe Montero Extra points: Al Zappelli
More Fabulous and Unique Auction items are in the works. And, returning again by popular demand, some cherished and long-time Priory favorites. • Father Martin’s Tall Clock • Father Maurus’ Hungarian Duck Dinner • Brother Edward & Father Martin’s Lobster Dinner • Rick Riebhoff’s Custom Surfboard • And Cakes…. Yummy, yummy cakes!!!
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The Fashion Club Every Tuesday, Priory’s Fashion Club (aka Project Priory) buzzes with excitement and creativity. Eight talented high school students are busy turning their creative visions into gorgeous collections. These aspiring designers are passionate about fashion and are learning the “ins and outs” of fashion design and construction from a team of dedicated mentors. Priory’s Fashion Show continues to be the only bay area high school show featuring original student designs on the runway. Also featured this year are fashions from Macy’s, Juicy Couture, Nike, and designers such as Camelia Skikos and Azadeh Couture. The 2013 Fashion Club members: Angelina Laus Anjali Eichbaum Anna Weber Katherine Sze Kaylen Chung Micah Aguila Nariko Ruiz Zoey Lin Parent: Wai Mo Instructor: Claire Sanders Faculty Advisor: Teri Scott
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Priory Fashion Show A Conversation with Veteran Organizer and Priory Parent Chris Willhite
How did this all begin? When Priory was an all-boys school there were several shows during the 1980’s that showcased boy’s fashions. The Fashion Show reappeared in community life at Priory in 2008. How did you become involved? I remember that day very clearly. As I was walking across the campus, a Priory parent ran up to me with excitement. She said and I quote, “You are Chris Willhite. I’m so excited that you volunteered to coordinate the fashion show here at the Priory!” Well, needless to say, I didn’t know my sister in-law Stana Willhite volunteered me, but forgot to tell me. How did you get started on the first show? Personally, it was the beginning of a great journey. I began by recruiting students to sign up for the show. It was not an easy task, initially, because the students felt they needed to have a certain look. The first year, it was a great opportunity to help celebrate and honor Priory’s 50th Anniversary. What are your primary goals for the Fashion Show every year? Actually, the Fashion Show is not really about goals for me as much as it is about my passion to make this an opportunity for the students to come and have fun. It’s not academic. It’s not competitive sports. They don’t have to be the popular kid at school, and most importantly, anyone can become a model. How you’re shaped, your height, your color -- none of these things matter.
To Chris & Wai,... we sure will miss you next year. Friends and fashionistas forever! Luv, Sharon & Ida
What message would you send to the students from this experience? Being involved in the Fashion Show is not about replicating an image we often see projected on the front pages of glamour magazines or in Hollywood. This is about having a positive self-image on or off the runway. After six years working on the Fashion Show, what would you like to say to the Priory community? They say it takes a village to raise a child. It takes a village to grow a production. The scope, magnitude, and popularity of the show would not have occurred without the dedication and help of the students, parents, faculty and staff. The Gala Fashion Show highlights the Project Priory student-designed work and bolsters community visibility by including local vendors and designers.
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A SLAM
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Priory’s Athletic Trainer Korinn Myers organizes the 1st Annual Northern California High Schools Sports Medicine Seminar (which includes a ticket to the Warriors game).
by Karen Macklin
Lukas Sarnow as Aramis, Darbus Oldham
A strong sports department has long been a tradition at the Priory, turning out hundreds of capable and well-rounded athletes over the years who have gone on to play for schools like Yale, and earn titles such as team captain (Leslie Barkmann, class of 2009); Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year (Reggie Willhite, class of 2007); and 1st Team All American Volleyball (Cassie Perret, class of 2001). But the student athletes at Priory don’t only learn the rules and strategies of their sports, they learn how to prevent and treat their own injuries in Priory’s unique Sports Medicine Program. And, on March 13, the students took that education to the next level—at the 1st Annual Northern California High Schools Sports Medicine Seminar, held at the Oracle Arena in Oakland. The regional event was organized by Priory’s own athletic trainer, Korinn Myers, who was selected for the position by the National Honor Society of Sports Medicine, of which she is chapter chair. The purpose of the event was to offer a platform for hundreds of high school students to learn more about the field of sports medicine. There were 12 lab stations, run by 20 local college students, for an expected 400 high school students to rotate through. Each lab station taught a different sports medicine technique like stretching and foam rolling, balance exercises, free-throwing, and how to test an athlete for a concussion. There were also talks given by keynote speakers like shoulder specialist Charles Preston, MD, and concussion specialist Anthony Saglimbeni, MD. As an extra bonus, a ticket to the event came with a ticket to the Warriors vs. Pistons game that night. Tickets for the whole event ranged from $20-$45. “As an athletic trainer and an educator, I felt extremely honored to be selected to organize such a wonderful event,” said Myers at press time, a month before the event. “I hope that this high school seminar is a great success and that I can continue to offer it to all northern California students for years to come.” The event has been traditionally held, for the last five years, in Los Angeles at the Staples Center. This was the first time it was held in Northern California. Myers believes that, while Sports Medicine is typically not taught until college, it’s a tremendous asset for students at Priory to learn about this subject in high school. She says that it not only opens their minds to new career opportunities in the sports field, but it also teaches them to better understand the workings of their own bodies. “We’re teaching students how to be independent and take care of themselves,” she said. “They learn what’s going on in their bodies, and how to heal their own injuries. They become better athletes for it. Sports medicine is not something that most high schools offer, but it’s starting to become more popular. Our program gives the kids the opportunity to see what it’s about [before college], and see if it’s something they want to pursue further.” When Myers is not diagnosing, treating, or rehabilitating the injuries of Priory athletes on the field, she’s teaching a much-lauded sports medicine class that school
17 athletes, and even non-athletes, attend. Myers takes a very hands-on approach in her teaching. All of her students learn practical sports medicine techniques, are expected to intern with her at her office for 20 hours per semester, and are required to get certified in CPR. “Korinn is a great teacher,” says her supervisor, Director of Athletics Mark Stogner. “Her Kinesiology course is very popular and has drawn students from athletic as well as non-athletic backgrounds. Most importantly, her students and our athletes love her.” Stephanie Swan, a senior volleyball player and science student at Priory, said she was drawn to Sports Medicine when she got bicep tendinitis from playing volleyball, and credits Myers for being able to help her play through the injury while helping it heal. At press time, she was enthusiastic about the upcoming seminar. “The high school sports medicine seminar is important because it is bringing a lot of new and exciting information together at one place,” she said. “A lot of high school students play competitive sports in their free time and most of them are undereducated in how to take care of their bodies in case of injury.” Sophomore Dominic Eugene Willoughby, a varsity soccer player at Priory and also a student of Myers, was planning to attend the event at press time. He was most enthusiastic about learning more about what it’s like to be a trainer for a professional sports team. He said that Myers awoke an academic interest in him that may turn into a career path. “Ms. Myers’ class is probably the most engaging and interesting class I have taken,” said Willoughby. “It’s sparked a real interest in the field of sports medicine for me, and I’m really interested to see where this takes me.” Willoughby said that it’s been fascinating to him to gain a better understanding of body mechanics in soccer. “One of the most important things I’ve learned from the class is how to take care of myself when out on the field. After going over a lot of the major muscles and most common injuries to different regions of the body, I’m more aware of how I’m playing and I’m able to avoid injuries more often.” The field of sports medicine falls in line with Benedictine values, said Myers, because it teaches individuality as well as community. One of the things she most enjoys seeing in her students is the way they take care of one another on the field. “Concussions are fairly common,” she said. “But sometimes kids won’t say anything [when they sustain a head injury] because they don’t want it to seem like they’re not tough enough.” Armed with sports medicine training and the compassion taught at Priory, a teammate will then approach Myers and let her know that the other student took a hit on the field that might warrant an examination. “They look out for one another,” she said.
A lot of high school students play competitive sports in their free time and most of them are undereducated in how to take care of their bodies in case of injury.
Lukas Sarnow as Aramis, Darbus Oldham
Lukas Sarnow as Aramis, Darbus Oldham
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As I sat by the window on a 14-hour plane ride back from India, I had a decision to make after my experience in the beautiful country I had just left. I could choose to finish writing in my ragged journal, close it up, and say, “Gee, what an experience!” Or I could choose to make a difference for others who need help. I chose the latter, and after an unforgettable time spent in India, I learned about the great sadness of the world and am now trying to make a small amount of happiness for others. I had no idea what to expect. Sure, I read the Rough Guide of India and looked up all the various facts regarding population, climate, and travelling dangers. I thought I was ready to experience a thirdworld country. However, nothing in my life or my readings could prepare me for the absolute poverty, corruption, and waste I was about to experience. Traveling through the cities of India by bus, we saw dead dogs in the hustling streets of Delhi, we saw mothers in Jaipur holding drugged “sleeping” babies begging against our windows, we saw elephants, horses, and camels in Johdpur tortured for rides, and we saw countless children running barefoot through traffic asking for 20 rupees (about 35¢). And this is what I, along with 15 other highschool students, saw only through the small windows of our bus. We
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OM INDI
by Stephanie Brugger
smelled rotting diapers, feces, food, and plastic baking in the hot sun. We held the small, leathery hands of the children of Galthani, the town we stayed in, as they screamed at the contact of such Western aliens. We tasted the buttery, toasty chapatti, hot daahl with lentils, and the ever-present rice and potatoes. We heard the feathery, smooth syllables of Hindi and our botched attempts to say, “Mira nama Stephanie hai.” I became totally absorbed in the culture of Northern India and I loved the beauty. Every day I was there, I learned something new about India, but there are a few instances that I will never forget that have taught me lessons I am sure no one else could have taught me.
Lesson #1:
Every day I was there, I learned something new about India, but there are a few instances that I will never forget that have taught me lessons I am sure no one else could have taught me.
Disabled people never want sympathy or pity; they want our respect. Our first service project was working with blind students in the local National Association of the Blind School in Mount Abu, Rajasthan. There, I made a friend, Samjeet, who, despite his blindness, could find his way up and down stairs, across roads, and through local markets. He could read Braille and type. Samjeet was not someone to be sorry for—he made his weakness his strength. Volunteering with Samjeet and other blind students taught me how obstacles are put in our way so that we can overcome them.
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Lesson #2: There is a great moral dilemma when handing out money to beggars. One small boy, missing teeth, shoes, and clean clothes, tugged lightly on the corner of my shirt, and asked for some “dhana” to buy medicine for his foot, pointing to the infected scab on his ankle. We gave him all the food in our backpacks, but he was not satisfied. Then he sang and dance for us. He got 200 rupees and asked for more. As soon as he got all the money he could get, he ran off. We were walking down the street ten minutes later and saw the little boy handing all of his money to an older man. Sadness overwhelmed me. I realized how desperate this boy was and there was no out for him; the caste system had dug him in a hole that would be extremely hard to climb out of. However, seeing this poverty makes my gratitude for my resources, family, and house ineffable.
Lesson #3: Education is a tool for empowerment, and every human born on this earth should have the right to an education. Much of the service we encountered in India focused on the school systems: laying the foundation for cricket pitches so kids in public schools could possibly create a career out of the idolized sport, picking up trash to teach the children that we need to conserve the planet, and working in classrooms with limited resources even in the nicest of private schools. However, a man who dedicated his life towards empowering young woman by funding their education to private schools inspired me tremendously. Dalput Singh funded sixteen girls out of the thirty girls attending a private school of 400 students, through his own income and donations. His passion for dedicating his life to this one problem India faced inspired me to focus my efforts and love for helping a specific cause. Which brings us to where I am now, a few months after inspiring India, after learning so much, and what decision I chose to make on that 14 hour plane ride back home. My decision is to help in a small way. The education I received in India wasn’t out of a textbook or a classroom. It was a lesson in humility and something I will carry with me the rest of my life. Just as Dr. Martin Luther King said that the goal of true education is “intelligence plus character,” my experiences in India made me think critically about life, what my purpose is, and how I am going to make a difference. This critical evaluation of myself allowed me to apply my passion for helping in my community as I am currently fundraising to give back to fund girls in Indian private schools and my efforts will culminate in a senior project, trying to make as much of an impact I can. My decision to help in a small way truly defines my character: realistic, determined, passionate, and charitable. And it is the result of my character and the wisdom I have gained from my time in India that I have found the true goal of education: to be a life long learner and giver.
The education I received in India wasn’t out of a textbook or a classroom. It was a lesson in humility, and something I will carry with me the rest of my life.
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Dear Friends of the Priory, During this season of Lent, we are reminded of our gratitude for your generosity to Priory School. We continue to be grateful for your philanthropy and support. After working as an Associate Director of Development at Priory for the past eight years, I have recently been appointed to succeed John Baldwin as Director of Development. My background also includes experience as a Priory parent, having had two sons graduate from Priory Middle School, and as a practicing attorney in Silicon Valley for many years. Combined, these experiences have given me a passion for philanthropy, an insider’s perspective of what makes Priory so special, and a firm belief in Priory’s mission. I am pleased to say that our Annual Fund is doing well. Our 6th grade class was the first to reach 100% participation. Overall, current parent participation is at 90%. Last year, the Class of 2012 started the first Senior Legacy Fund. The goal of this program is to allow each class to create and continually support a permanent endowment at Priory. Each class fund will be unique and personalized to reflect the class’ own interests. The opening of the Performing Art Center in 2007 serves as a daily reminder that new spaces create new opportunities. This summer we plan to continue to create new student opportunities as we begin the long-planned renovations of all our classroom buildings. Students returning to school this Fall will enter larger, more energy efficient and technology-integrated classrooms. These improvements will provide the flexible space needed to better teach our students. When informed about the purpose of this campaign, our faculty and staff responded with near 100% support within a day. Our Board of Trustees responded equally as well with 100% participation. I cannot think of a stronger testament to the importance of these renovations than to have the professionals most familiar with their educational impact respond so quickly and enthusiastically. Upon completion of the renovations, we plan to begin construction of a new Academic Center on Benedictine Square and construction of a new state of the art Science Center. The total cost of all these improvements is estimated to be $15M. Because tuition and annual fund gifts cover only the operating costs of the school, we are currently meeting individually with families to ask for their support. If you wish to meet with us to discuss any of these transformational plans in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact me or anyone on the Campaign Leadership Team. I do hope you will join us at our 55th Anniversary Auction and Fashion Show, Back to the Fifties, to be held on May 11th. This year we will once again have an afternoon tea and an evening dinner. This is a great way to support the school, to build community and to have fun. Finally, as the new Director, I am thankful for the countless ways all our volunteers contribute their time, talents and treasures to make a world-class Benedictine education possible for all our students. On behalf of all my colleagues and the Priory community, thank you! Sincerely,
Siobhán Lawlor Director of Development
Students returning to school this Fall will enter larger, more energy efficient and technology integrated classrooms. Campaign Leadership Team Mike Calbert..................Chair Mike Carusi...................Co-Chair Michelle Galloway..........Co-Chair Jennie Chiu Br. Edward Englund Siobhan Lawlor Rick Magnuson Tim Molak Cecilia Montalvo Jami Nachtsheim Guy Nohra Ray Rothrock Brian Schlaak Ken Tehaney
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Meet a venture capitalist whose vision goes way beyond Wall Street.
Investing in the
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FUTURE by Karen Macklin
Ray Rothrock
is a highly successful venture capitalist who has created and guided more than 50 innovative startup companies over the past two decades. He’s chair of the National Venture Capital Association, and was ranked #49 on the 2012 Forbes’ Midas List of Tech’s Top Investors. But like the wisest investors, Rothrock doesn’t only invest in businesses—he invests in the future. That means he’s a strong philanthropic supporter of the things that matter most to him. “When you create wealth,” he says, “you can do something with it.” A Woodside Priory alumni parent who is also a longtime member on the Board of Trustees, Rothrock was chairman of the campaign for the new Performing Arts Center. He not only invested (along with his wife, Meredith) a significant amount in the project, but he became a chief organizer for the initiative, helping to obtain the necessary permits and rallying other parents and alumni to contribute to the cause. He even spoke at town hall meetings to help persuade those who live in the area that the expansion of the performing arts program—and the school, itself—would add value to Portola Valley. The result, of course, was a beautiful new multimillion dollar performing arts facility with a state of the art 400-seat proscenium theater aptly named Rothrock Performance Hall. Rothrock has always loved piloting new projects. After a short career as a nuclear engineer, a field he found to be lacking in creativity, Rothrock came to Silicon Valley to take part of the technological revolution in the early ‘80s. He began as a software programmer, but quickly realized his talent for recognizing an innovative product and convincing others to get behind it. After a
successful run at Sun Microsystems as a leader in sales, marketing, and promotion, Rothrock’s mentors urged him to go to business school. He graduated with top honors from Harvard Business School and landed a job as a venture capitalist with the Rockefeller family in New York City at a Rockefeller partnership called Venrock. Twentyfive years later, he’s still with Venrock—though now he works out of the company’s Silicon Valley headquarters. “I was really taken by this whole venture capital thing,” he says. “I like to work with young people with fresh ideas. I can take a germ of an idea and form it into a product that people like. I’m good at talking to customers and raising money … and, as my wife says, I have a cool job because I get to see the future.” Rothrock has been strongly influenced by his time spent with the Rockefellers, who are known for their generous philanthropic gestures over the last century. “The idea was always to create wealth that they could give away as a family,” says Rothrock, who had a front seat at many meetings where the Rockefeller family members decided what to fund and by how much. The generosity of the Rockefellers inspired Rothrock to start giving substantial contributions early on in life to the causes he most cares about, like education and the arts. Rothrock, himself, is a lifelong musician who has played multiple instruments, including clarinet, piano, sax, oboe, and bass guitar. He had a modest, middle-class upbringing in Fort Worth, Texas, but is grateful for having had the means necessary to pursue his artistic interests. (His parents, he recalls, once sold a horse to buy him a piano when he was a kid.) These days, he recognizes that not all young artists have the resources they need to develop their abilities,
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I have a cool job because I get to see the future.
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Seen here in his home recording studio, Ray has pulled together a band called Up to the Right, which includes son Nathaniel (class of ‘08).
and he sees the dearth in means for artists as an impediment toward progress. “[Art is] what leads our society,” he says. “[We need] people thinking out of the box.” Rothrock started combining his love for the arts with his entrepreneurial prowess at a young age. When he attended Texas A&M University in the 1970s, it had just opened its doors to civilian students like himself, and only Core of Cadets had the opportunity to play music. So Rothrock, along with a group of other civilian students, formed the Texas A&M Symphonic Band, which still exists today. “We had to get permits. We had to find a director. It was very entrepreneurial,” he says. He then returned in the late 90s to implement an even bigger idea. “As a venture capitalist, I found myself with a little bit of wealth and an opportunity to go back to Texas A&M and change it again,” he says. The university did not have an undergrad music degree program for civilian students. Rothrock offered to fund a chair for the department, on the condition that the school would create a degree program in music, and the administration rose to the challenge. Rothrock also helped raise money for a new College of Liberal Arts Building that will open this spring, to offer practice and performance space for music students. Another reason that Rothrock is such a strong supporter of arts for youth is because his son, Nathaniel, is also an artist; the Woodside Priory alumni recently graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont with degrees in music and theater. The father
and son have even formed their own 4-person band called Up and to the Right, which will be performing at the Great American Music Hall in May. “I play base and he plays lead guitar and sings,” says Rothrock. “He’s got a hell of a voice. It’s a blast.” Rothrock finds it easy to support an institution like Priory because his values as a venture capitalist have a lot of crossover with Benedictine values. Like the Benedictines, Rothrock believes in the power, enthusiasm and endless imagination of youth, the importance of education, and the development of fresh ideas. Benedictines, he says, are committed to innovation. “Every Benedictine has a craft and they take what they learn [from their teachers] and improve upon it. They are always asking the question, ‘Can this be done better? Can this fit into the world better? Is it easier on the environment to do things this way?” Also, like the Benedictines, Rothrock believes we are only borrowing this time and place, and that it is our duty to leave it better than when we arrived. In line with this idea, he recalls a fundraising speech he gave one night at the Priory, in the middle of the campaign for the new Performing Arts Center. “In my business, you always want your companies to grow,” he says. “If you think of a chart, where time is on the X axis and revenue is on the Y axis, that curve should always be ‘up and to the right’. That expression has since become something of a moniker at Priory, and it’s even what I named our band. That’s what all of this philanthropy is about—so that, for the kids, things will be ‘up and to the right’.”
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[We need] people thinking out of the box.
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普陀山 Priory alum, Alyssa Chueng, class of 2008, has found her way to the small island of Putuoshan off the coast of China where she teaches English. Director of Communications Sean Mclain Brown, caught up with Alyssa on campus to conduct this interview.
How did you end up teaching in China, what do you teach and where? I’m a volunteer English teacher to bhikkhu and bhikkhuni (Buddhist monks and nuns) students at a Buddhist college on an island called Putuoshan in southeastern China. It is considered one of four sacred Buddhist mountains in the country, Putuoshan being the abode of Guan Yin, or Avalokite-vara, Bodhisattva of compassion. I was introduced to the place by the Buddhist chaplain at my school, who knows a few Chinese bhikkhuni living in a temple in Queens, NY who graduated from the Buddhist college on Putuoshan and had suggested he visit the mountain. When he was there, he spoke to the teachers and students at the college and essentially asked “How can I be helpful?” They told him they were in need of an English teacher, so he discussed the idea with me. I didn’t have solid plans after graduating and had not really considered teaching, but when I heard about this, I got the feeling that this was the right thing for me to be doing.
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Alyssa and a few friends ascend the hundreds of stairs to Foding Shan, upon which Huiji temple sits.
Alyssa poses with a few of the bhikkhu students whom she teaches at the main campus of the college.
Do you see any parallels to teaching in China and your experience at the Priory? I’d say the sense of community. Priory is really fortunate to be small enough so you can get to know everyone, including students, teachers, and staff. Weekly chapels, going to friends’ sports games, seeing friends’ art projects, and so on – there were always opportunities to come together and see both new and familiar faces. I know that I really appreciated that when I was here. At the temple, a sense of community is vital. The bhikkhuni eat, sleep, learn, and live in the same quarters for most of the year; most of the students have been here for four to six years. I can only really think of two possible outcomes to this – either you get so sick of each other that things start to fall apart, or you learn to put down your own wants and needs for others and really come together as a community. And that kind of community, which I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of briefly, is incredibly resilient and warm. What do you enjoy most about your experiences teaching in China? So many things. The vegetarian food is the most delicious I’ve ever had. The temple and surrounding views are beautiful. I get to learn some Mandarin. The simplicity of temple life. But if I had to choose, it’d be the students I work with. Many people think that all monastics are serious, introverted, and stern. Having never encountered monastics my age (the students I teach are between 20-35 years old), I also had this impression. But after living with them, I’ve learned that they’re people too, with great senses of humor, emotions, and imperfections. They’re more my friends than my students, and I often feel like I should be the one learning from them. What was most challenging for you teaching in China? Trying to send mail to the U.S.! I think I was the first person in years to send a package to the States from the island, and it took about an hour with multiple phone calls to supervisors and other post offices to send my box on its way. More seriously though, teaching is a lot tougher than I thought it’d be. The students are really busy with other classes, are all at different skill levels, and are so used to learning languages through rote memorization that it’s hard to get them to adopt more interactive ways of learning. I’ve gained a tremendous appreciation and respect for all the teachers I’ve had. It’s really one thing to know a subject and another to teach it well.
The front entrance to Yuantong temple, where Alyssa lives and teaches, is a welcome sight for visitors who make the steep trek up the hill.
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How did your experiences at the Priory prepare you for what you’re doing now and when you were in college? Priory emphasized the value of individual reflection. A memory that stands out was during a sixth grade theology class. We were asked to write on a piece of paper something we wanted to let go of – a fear, regret, or something else-- and then we burned the papers and released the ashes in a nearby creek. In high school, we had chapels and class retreats – all were important times for reflection. At the time, I sometimes chafed at “obligatory” reflection periods, but these are things I’ve come to appreciate in retrospect. I’ve really tried to cultivate this practice in school and continuing forward.Especially now, in a very foreign place. Values, ways of living, ambitions – mine are challenged on a daily basis at Putuoshan. Sometimes it can be disorienting, but by being able to look inwardly and process my reactions and thoughts, I’ve been able to learn a lot about myself and stay grounded. What are some of the things you’ve learned since teaching in China? Learning to slow down and pay attention to what I do. It sounds cliché, “being mindful,” but when there’s nothing to distract you, appreciating everything you do, even the mundane, becomes critical. The things that fill your day, supposedly giving meaning, progress, and accomplishment to your life – they’re not there. The first week, I kept thinking that I had made the wrong decision, thinking about what else I could be doing to ‘get ahead’—internships, jobs, grad school— it was pointless and unhealthy. I finally picked up a book I had brought along, and in the first few pages the author talks about paying attention to what you’re doing, or else it’s not worth doing at all. You won’t enjoy anything if you’re not there, mentally. I kind of had a wake-up moment— the words made so much sense, especially given where I was. So I started practicing this a little at a time everyday. It was really difficult for me and continues to be, for sure. But then you start to notice that the world opens up to you in subtle ways; you notice things that you didn’t notice before. You become more patient. More grateful. What are some of your future plans, hopes? A lot of my students hope to improve their English enough to study and/or teach abroad, so I hope that I can help them reach those goals and hear about where they are in a few years. As for what I’m doing, I’m not sure yet. I’d like to spend some more time in Asia, either studying or working, perhaps on environmental and/or human rights issues.
Facing the South Sea, this 33-m tall statue of Guan Yin is a well-known landmark on Putuoshan.
All the bhikkhuni students have all their classes in one classroom, located inside the grounds of the temple.
A large lotus-filled pond greets visitors as they enter the grounds of Puji temple, one of the biggest on the island.
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CLASS
ALUMNI
REUNION YEARS: 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008
1963 1968 1973 1978 1983
50th Reunion 45th Reunion 40th Reunion 35th Reunion 30th Reunion
1978 Erhard Wegman ‘76, Alyssa Cheung ‘08, Cesar Perez ‘13, and Damian Perez ‘14 team up to prune and plant bare-root fruit trees.
1985 Rob Hammond is the new owner of Galeotti’s New York Pizza in Redwood City on Jefferson.
1988
25th Reunion Year Rob Yau came to visit Priory in January with his nephew who was visiting from Panama.
1993
20th Reunion Year
1998
15th Reunion Year Anne Hawkins has relocated with her family to Perth, Western Australia. Perth is the hometown of her mother, former Priory French teacher Merrilyn Mecham. Anne is taking a break from genetic counseling at Stanford to pursue work in the Western Australia Department of Health while her husband Jacob works on his PhD in agriculture and resource economics at Mrs. Mecham’s alma mater, the University of Western Australia. Their daughters, Rilyn (6) and Carys (4) are enrolled at a local public elementary school.
2000 Steve Trudelle and his wife, Rachel, welcomed their son Miles Joseph into the world on August 6, 2012. He was 7 lbs 12 oz and 21 inches long. He is already sporting Priory gear!
2003
10th Reunion Year Class Agent: Tara Scarioni
NOTES
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2004 Alexis Smith is back in the Bay Area after spending 5 months in Argentina earlier this year to help open the Facebook office in Buenos Aires. She’s living in Menlo Park now while working on the Product Marketing team at the Facebook Headquarters.
2007 Alicia Kriewall is a 1st grade teacher at a charter school in Brownsville, Brooklyn and is working on her MA.
2008
5th Reunion Year Alyssa Cheung volunteered to help Mr. Clark with the new garden on campus and stayed for some lunch in the dining hall.
2009 David Calbert, a senior at Sarah Lawrence College, is one of 11 classmates in a yearlong workshop writing a mystery novel called “Naked Came the Post-Postmodernist,” which is to be published this year. David handled the second chapter, introducing a libidinous female medical examiner. Tyler Starling is a junior at the University of California, Berkeley and is doing well there across the Bay. He was accepted into The Haas School of Business about a year ago and will earn his BS in Business Administration at Berkeley a year from May. He is also double majoring in psychology and enjoys college life immensely. Blake Weber is a member of The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men’s swimming & diving team. In February, he was named the SCIAC Male Swimmer of the Year for his efforts at the SCIAC Championships. Blake was the SCIAC Champion in the 200-yard individual medley, 100-yard backstroke, 200-yard backstroke, and he led off the winning 200-yard medley relay, 400-yard medley relay and 800-yard free relay teams in CMS record times. He also recorded an NCAA ‘A’ qualifying time in the 200-yard individual medley at 1:50.16 and set meet records in the 200-yard backstroke (1:49.38) and 100-yard backstroke (50.59).
Note: Note: We are now looking for Class Agents for the 2013 Reunion Weekend in September. Please contact contact Casey Wynn at alumni@ prioryca.org or (650) 851-6137, if you are interested in helping organize your reunion. And don’t forget to check out Woodside Priory Alumni Association on Facebook for additional photos and updates!
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2010 Lauren Allen is a junior at Claremont McKenna College and was fortunate enough to be accepted last semester to study abroad this semester in Hong Kong at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is studying Mandarin, Global Entrepreneurship, International Asian Studies, and The Reformation Era. Because Hong Kong is centrally located in Asia, she is able to travel to other countries during her time abroad, such as Thailand, Bali, China, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
2011 Zandy Springs is doing well at Scripps and is in the Honor Program for Gender and Women’s Studies.
2012 Kat Gregory won the prestigious “Boothe Prize,” a Stanford Freshman Literature Award in February. The Boothe Prize recognizes and rewards outstanding expository and argumentative writing by first-year students in the Writing and Rhetoric and Introduction to the Humanities Programs. One first-place and one honorable mention prize are awarded to outstanding essays from each academic quarter. Home For The Holiday Party Dec. 27, 2012
Save the Date! Pops Concert (featuring the music of Queen) March 22nd, 7:00 PM Rothrock Performance Hall, Priory Campus Musical Theater Performance Class Showcase Friday April 26, 2013 7-9:00PM Black Box, Priory Campus Music In The Parks String Ensemble and Wind Symphony Saturday April 27, 2013 (exact time and location to be announced)
Middle School Play: “Oliver Twist” May 2nd, 3rd and 4th, 7:00 PM performances and May 5th, 2:00 PM performance Rothrock Performance Hall, Priory Campus Spring Concert: “Twitter-pated” May 10th, 7:00 PM Rothrock Performance Hall, Priory Campus For more information contact Christel Parmentier at (650) 8516221 or visit www.prioryca.org > News and Calendars > Events Spotlight
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The Green Page A letter from the Priory Sustainability Coordinator, Hovey Clark Greetings, People of Earth. Spring is upon us once again, and right now the race is on to finish the Priory’s vegetable garden expansion project in time to plant spring and summer crops. The Franklin Garden will be a keystone feature in the Priory’s sustainability program, as it will offer educational opportunities at the same time as it produces some organic foods for the school cafeteria. What’s New: • A splendid new deer-proof fence has been constructed, enclosing 8400 sf of space on the hill across from the art building and near the site of the future science building. Fence, designer, alum parent Bob Waterman, calls the enclosure ‘a living fence’, since the fruit trees will help the fence to disappear into the landscape. • Currently, the perimeter box is being filled with soils that we cultivated and cultured on campus using annual rye and aged manure from local horse farms. Our irrigation system will be installed shortly, along with 30 raised redwood beds – whose materials we could not have purchased without the support of Ted Schlosser ’78 from Broadmoor Lumber, and a grant from the Woodside Atherton Garden Society. • Very generous financial support has been provided by Ingrid Lai, mother of Anthony Shu, ’12. Ingrid’s incredible generosity has helped to ensure that the garden area will be as beautiful as the natural area that surrounds it. Additionally, the Teymourian family (Julia, ’15) has offered some generous lower lumbar support, with their gift of a small tractor, from the school’s on-line faculty wishlist. Boundless gratitude to both of these donors! Priory Students are so fortunate to benefit from your kindness and generosity. The Priory Garden and Sustainability programs offer many opportunities to connect and reconnect with the school. If you are interested in getting involved, please consider donating your time or resources to this exciting and growing program and contact me with any questions you have. Thank you so much for your time and interest. Sincerely,
Hovey Clark Sustainability Coordinator hclark@prioryca.org
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Woodside Priory School 302 Portola Road Portola Valley, CA 94028 (650) 851-8221 fax (650) 851-2839
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Celebrating Our 55th Year
Mark Your Calendar! Woodside Priory School Alumni Reunion Weekend September 6-8th, 2013 Join your classmates and former teachers for a weekend of activities: Class receptions, campus tours, dinner, Sunday mass, and more!
Alumni Reunion Classes 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008