A Magazine of the Priory · Issue #62
· June/July 2015
Priory says Goodbye to the Class of
2015
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
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3 Dear Priory Community, Congratulations to all the graduates! We were honored with a special Upper School graduation speaker, Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz, a former teacher who graced this campus in 1975-77. She taught Biology and Chemistry and then moved on to become one of the foremost experts in cell biology at the National Institutes of Health.
As we finish this year and look ahead, here are some things of interest: • Next fall our first new classroom building in 40 years will be ready. Built on the site of the Monastery/Faculty Office Building, it contains 10 classrooms, a faculty lounge and an impressively spacious common square. A special dedication and blessing ceremony will be held on Sunday August 16. • We are grateful to our Friends of the Chapel donors who provided the funding for the renovation of the front entry to the chapel that includes new landscape, pavers, and a new life-size Saint Benedict statue. • Priory faculty, staff and Trustees will be attending Benedictine seminars this summer. Some will attend the 4th Benedictine Life and Spirituality Seminar held at Saint Anselm with the focus of living the life of a Monk for three days. Faculty and staff will also be attending a Benedictine regional conference at Benedictine University in Lisle outside Chicago. • We say goodbye this year to two Priory faculty members who have served for more than 20 years. Nancy Newman, Science/Math teacher and former administrator, is retiring to spend quality time with her grandchildren. She was a teacher extraordinaire. Her dedication, love of learning and commitment to assist every student in their pursuit of knowledge, no matter their personal demands, was her calling card; there will never be another like her. • Betty Van Wagenen is leaving to spend time both here in the area and in Carmel. She was our first 6th grade Core teacher and then assumed the duties of College Counselor – and the rest is history. Her extensive knowledge of our students and the colleges they pursued assisted hundreds of students and families in successfully navigating the college admission process. We wish them the best as they – Always Begin Again.
We are grateful for all you do for the Priory. Our Monks both here and at Saint Anselm appreciate the love and dedication of everyone in this community to make the Priory the kind of school where people – Listen … with the ear of their heart. Blessings to all of you,
Tim Molak Head of School
Next fall we will experience something completely new – our first new classroom building in 40 years.
TOC Woodside Priory School · Celebrating 58 Years of Benedictine Education
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
10-11 12-19 6-9 East Meets West
Spring-at-a-Glance
Upper School Graduation
20 -23 Middle School Graduation
24 -27 Alumnus Tom Alexander
Board of Directors Abbot Mark Cooper, OSB Father John Fortin, OSB Father Maurus Nemeth, OSB Father Martin Mager, OSB Father Benet Phillips, OSB
Board of Trustees
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Q&A with Betty Van Wagenen & Nancy Newman
Gala Recap!
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Out of Africa
Monastery News
Brian Axe Dave Brett John Brew Jennie Chiu Laura Cornish Craig Dauchy Eileen DiGiorgio Mark Gainey Cathy Gawne Sally Harris Andy Koontz Steve Krausz Bob Larson Bob Latta Father Jonathan Licari, OSB Susan Light Bruce McAuley Bud McElroy Cecelia Montalvo Jami Nachtsheim Guy Nohra Stan Pierson Stewart Putney Ray Rothrock Maureen Sansbury Bill Souders Keith Van Sickle Pamela Weiss
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. Editors: Sean Mclain Brown, Kelly Sargent Contributing Writers: Sean Mclain Brown, Karen Macklin, Wei Kelly, Jim Kirkland Design/Production: Jim Kirkland, Copperline Multimedia Photos: Jennifer Hammer, Jim Kirkland, Sam Lineville, Sean Mclain Brown, Kelly Sargent Printing: Colorprint, Mark W. Allen
Chapel Services Priorities Corrections Policy: Priorities strives to publish accurate information and to acknowledge and correct errors. When factual corrections are made to an article, that fact is noted and the change(s) are detailed here. In the last issue, Jennifer Hammer’s photo credits were inadvertantly omitted from the At-A-Glance section of the April/May issue
Masses at 7:15 a.m. Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m. Sunday 11:00 a.m. Sunday Hungarian service All are welcome.
AT A
SPRING
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2015 Academic Awards recipients.
Tina Paulson works one-on-one with Mitch Calbert ‘15 on his senior project.
Dodgeball champions! L-R: Matt Boyle, Max Stephan, Alicia Talancon, Nicholas Arslaner, and Zach Weiss.
Above: Emerson Swan and Keyshawn Ashford represent for the freshman. Right: Katie Nachtsheim takes aim during the dodgeball tournament.
MS dodgeball team L-R: Bobby Barbagelata, Dominique Robson, Samson Axe, Christian Castelo, Alec Israelski, and Annabelle North.
GLANCE
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L-R: Amanda McFadden and Tina Paulson receive flowers at the Performing Arts Spring Concert.
Below: Students prepare to perform a skit.
Dorm students compete in the highly anticipated Dorm Olypmics.
Right: Damian Cohen shows his duck, dive, and dodge skills at the dodgeball tournament.
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AT A GLANCE
SPRING
Father Maurus blesses the new cross before it is installed at the top of the new Benedictine Square classrooms.
Cast and crew of the Middle School play, The Mouse that Roared.
ABC’s Cheryl Jennings visited the Priory campus to interview the visiting Kenyan students from Daraja Academy.
Students, faculty, and staff pitch in to help clean-up and beautify a home during Rebuilding Together.
Yearbook day is a special time to share memories.
9 Choirs from Evergreen High School (Vancouver, WA) visited for a choral exchange with Priory Concert Choir and Chamber Singers.
Day of the Arts is always a fun, exciting time for students to showcase and share their artistic talents. Katie Nachtsheim and her parents Stephen and Jami, celebrate her achievements at the Senior Softball game.
Right: Celebrating Betty Van Wagenen and Nancy Newman’s many years of service.
Nate Spears - 35 years
Al Zappelli - 25 years
Ali Shah - St. Stephen Staff Award
Camille Yost - 15 years
Fr. Pius - 55 years
Julianna Szekely - 35 years
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East meets West by Wei Kelly During spring break, fourteen Priory high school students, led by Mandarin teacher Wei Kelly and English teacher Chris Georgules, visited three of China’s major cities: Beijing, Xi’an, and Shanghai. This was the Priory’s first student trip to China. They visited some of China’s most famous historical and world heritage sites, including the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Terra Cotta Warriors, as well as local residential alleys and local markets. They had a lunch in a local family’s home, toured the Lenovo computing facility, Beijing pharmaceutical company, and made friends and attended classes at a local high school in Beijing.
In spite of the bustle of a big city, and the fast pace of modern life, our students felt the peace and traditional values in the Jade Buddha Temple, and were amazed by the ancient art of Chinese Kungfu. They saw common people on bicycles and buses, visited parks, and met local travelers on the high speed (185 mph!) train, but they also saw many luxury goods stores, Mercedes and Teslas. The students were curious and open minded. They asked many questions during the tour, happy to try new and different foods, and talk with local people. They walked miles everyday, and paid respect to our guides and other service people. Our students were able to communicate and chat with the locals in Mandarin!
All of our 14 students wrote a 26-page journal to reflect on their time and have a deeper understanding of China. Our students learned the differences in the Chinese school system, and experienced the genuine kindness and the strong work ethic of the many Chinese people they met. The saw that people everywhere are basically alike; they also work hard to improve their quality of life, they also value family and friendship. They all gained an understanding and respect for China’s rich culture and long history, as well as a compassion for people of a different culture.
Photos by: Top: Cameron Giarrusso (10th) · Middle left: Jacey Reed (10th) Mid: Kim Ho (12th) · Right: Kim Ho · Bottom left: Kim Ho Mid: Margaret Heron (10th) · Right: Jacey Reed
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Looking
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Back to move Forward Priory Celebrates the Class of 2015 By Sean McLain Brown Photos by Sam Lineville
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The newly renovated 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 their transition from student to graduate. Head of School Tim Molak welcomed family and friends to the celebration and addressed the graduates. “I was able to see quite a few of your senior project presentations, and it is comforting to realize that you are aware of the challenges and opportunities of the world you’re inheriting, and that as our Mission says, plan to ‘productively serve 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.” “This school revolutionizes the term ‘modern renaissance’,” said student speaker and Head of School Award winner Julia Teymourian, “dedicated teachers inspire students to pursue their interests ranging from robotics engineering, competitive athletics, dramatic theatre, and CCS championships.” Commencement speaker, Section Chief of the Cell Biology and Metabolism Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Development, Dr. Jennifer LippincottSchwartz said, “Education is not so much about dealing with the routine but rather acquiring the skills and temperament to manage life’s surprises.” In comparing her life and career trajectory with schools and learning, she said “I believe schools should push students outside their comfort zones. Only then will they see that through creativity they can surprise even themselves in tackling a new challenge.” Lippincott-Swartz implored the graduates “to be open to new possibilities even if they run counter to the prevailing wisdom” and “to seek out people who will challenge your thinking and to listen to people who have uncommon ideas.”
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The Class of 2015
L-R: Olivia Peek, Siobhan Gillis, and Julie Joyce decorated with celebratory leis.
Mr. Adam Siler’s greatest fan pays tribute.
Faculty and staff begin the processional march to the graduation tent on the Fr. Christopher field.
Mayra Aileen Barriga Milla Nicholle Bevens * Cabot Forbes Bigham Cameron Daniel Bonora Elizabeth Kristina Boyle Anna Katherine Brett James Mitchell Calbert Junye Chen ** Michael James Chiu-Schaepe Caroline Malia Elliot Clark * Benjamin Boyd Clock Alberto Giuseppe Coppola Ross Thomas Corey Timothy Joseph Dannis Chris Gerard Delos Santos Meagan McCabe Donovan Christian Alexandre Filloux Gabrielle Marie Filloux Clinton Wallace Finney Siddharth Raju Gandhi Siobhan Alexandria Gillis * Caroline Elizabeth Hickman Kimberly Anne Ho * Ashley May Ishibashi Andy John Isokpehi Ashley Buder Jones * Julie Kyra Joyce Edward Lewis Lansing Jiayu Lin Nien-Chieh Lin * Natalie Grace Magnuson Sasha Morgan Malek
Bailey Stephen Marsheck Julien Anthony Morgan Ansel Smith Morris Thomas John Mudge IV Katie Meghan Nachtsheim Grant Alexander Narasin Sonya Jillian Nikolich ** Megan Patricia O’Neill Olayinka Ogunleye Caroline Mathilde Pavlov Olivia Lorraine Peek James Kilmer Phelps Elizabeth Christine Putnam Neil Vikram Ragavan Maxwell Jerome Reines Christopher Dakota Risley Ameyalli Rocha Coronel Jane Hamnett Ross Nariko Ruiz-Murillo * Elizabeth Hamilton Schilling * Amelia Celine Schreiner Nicholas James Souter Katherine Lily Sze Julia Mary Teymourian Jessica Charlotte Isabelle Thorson Patrick James Tornes ** Terry Z Wang Garrett Rowell Weber Dominic Eugene Willoughby Tyler Alexander Woods Julia Nadine Wu Shengyang Xu * Ziyi Zeng
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 Honors - GPA of 3.81 to 3.99
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College and University Acceptances As of May 22, 2015 Schools noted in bold are those where Priory graduates of the class of 2015 will be attending in the fall. American University Arcadia University Azusa Pacific University Belmont University Beloit College Bentley University Boston University Bowdoin College Brigham Young University Bucknell University California College of the Arts California Lutheran University California State Polytechnic University, Pomona San Luis Obispo California State University, Chico Monterey Bay Carleton College Carnegie Mellon University Champlain College Chapman University Christopher Newport University Claremont McKenna College Colgate University Colorado State University Columbia College, Chicago Cornell University Dallas Baptist University Denison University DePaul University Drew University Eckerd College Elmhurst College Elon University Emerson College Evergreen State College Fairfield University Fordham University Furman University George Washington University Gonzaga University Goucher College High Point University Hofstra University Kenyon College King’s College, London Lehigh University Lesley University Lewis and Clark College Linfield College Louisiana State University Loyola Marymount University
Loyola University, Chicago Loyola University, New Orleans Lynchburg College Massachusetts Institute of Technology McGill University Montana State University, Bozeman Marymount Manhattan College Muhlenberg College New York University Northeastern University Northern Arizona University Occidental College Oregon State University Otis College of Art and Design Pace University Parsons, the New School for Design Pennsylvania State University, University Park Portland State University Purdue University Randolph-Macon College Regis University Rensselear Polytechnic University Rider University Rollins College Saint Edward’s University Saint Mary’s College of California San Diego State University San Francisco State University Santa Clara University Savannah College of Art and Design Scripps College Seattle University Skidmore College Sonoma State University Southern Methodist University Southern Oregon University Stanford University Suffolk University Sweet Briar College Syracuse University Texas A & M University Tufts University University of Alabama University of Arizona University of British Columbia
University of California Berkeley Davis Los Angeles Merced Riverside San Diego Santa Barbara Santa Cruz University of Cincinnati University of Colorado, Boulder University of Connecticut University of Dayton University of Denver University of Hartford University of Hawaii, Manoa University of Idaho University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign University of Kansas University of Kentucky University of Miami University of Michigan University of Nevada, Reno University of New Hampshire University of New Haven University of Oregon University of Portland University of Puget Sound University of Redlands University of Richmond University of Saint Thomas University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of Southern California University of Texas, Austin University of the Pacific University of Utah University of Washington University of Wisconsin, Madison Vanderbilt University Villanova University Wagner College Wake Forest University Washington State University Webster University Wheaton College Whitman College Whittier University Willamette University Worcester Polytechnic Institute Xavier University
L-R: Cameron Bonora and Ashley Ishibashi have fun before the graduation ceremony.
L-R: Tyler Woods and Michael Chiu-Schaepe line up for graduation.
Nariko Ruiz-Murillo is all smiles!
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Academic Honors and Awards For Class of 2015 Valedictorians Sonya Nikolich Patrick Tornes Salutatorian Junye Chen Dean of Students Award Jessica Thorson
Commencement speaker Dr. Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz
Father Benignus F. Barat Citizenship Award James Mitchell Calbert Academic Dean’s Award Milla Bevens
Department Awards Campus Ministry Anna Brett Theology Sonya Nikolich A. Vernon Sohlberg Award for English Patrick Tornes Mathematics Junye Chen Computer Science Patrick Tornes Science Milla Bevens
Saint Elizabeth Service Award Performing Arts James Phelps James Mitchell Calbert
Student speaker and Head of School Award winner, Julia Teymourian.
Head of School Award Chris Gerard Delos Santos Julia Teymourian
Visual Arts Caroline Pavlov
Saint Benedict Award Olayinka Samuel Ogunleye
World Languages Nariko Ruiz-Murillo Social Studies Shengyang Xu Residential Life Olayinka Samuel Ogunleye Athlete of the Year Ross Corey
The Seven Year Club Mayra Barriga Michael Chiu-Schaepe Clinton Finney Caroline Hickman Edward Lansing Natalie Magnuson Sasha Malek Bailey Marsheck Julien Morgan Ansel Morris Katie Nachtsheim James Phelps Neil Ragavan Christopher Risley Jane Ross Elizabeth Schilling Amelia Schreiner Nicholas Souter Julia Teymourian Patrick Tornes Tyler Woods Julia Wu Residential Life Four Year Club Milla Bevens Andy Isokpehi Jiayu Lin Ziyi Zeng National Merit Society King St. Stephen Chapter Milla Bevens Junye Chen Caroline Clark Siobhan Gillis Kimberly Ho Nien-Chieh Lin Nariko Ruiz-Murillo Katie Nachtsheim Sonya Nikolich Elizabeth Schilling Katherine Sze Jessica Thorson Patrick Tornes Shengyang Xu
19 National Merit Scholars Elizabeth Boyle Siddharth Gandhi Siobhan Gillis Katie Nachtsheim Patrick Tornes Dominic Willoughby
National Honor Society of Sports Medicine Medalists Ashley Ishibashi Natalie Magnuson Megan O’Neill Chris Delos Santos Dominic Willoughby Julia Wu
Natalie Magnuson takes in all the graduation excitement.
Elizabeth Schilling addresses her fellow classmates.
Seniors enjoy their dinner at the Baccalaureate Dinner.
Chris Delos Santos shares his words of wisdom with classmates and parents.
L-R: Seniors Nariko Murillo-Ruiz, Franny Lin, Ameyalli Rocha Coronel, Kimberly Ho, Caroline Hickman, and Siddharth Gandhi.
Farewell The Class of 2019 Bids
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to Middle School
In the subdued light of the Rothrock Performance Hall, the Middle School Choir sings “Rejoice and Sing,” setting the triumphant mood as thirty-seven eighthgrade students, take the ceremonious walk that will transform them into High School students. “Your generation is called the Millenials.” said Headmaster Tim Molak, “you want a life that is balanced between work, family, and leisure, and you are willing to give up material possessions to make that balance happen.” Mr. Molak encouraged the graduates to carry with them all that they learned and go out into the world and look after “the welfare of others.” “This class has the ability to change the world,” said Valedictorian Emma Jaeger, “Our class is one that will improve society through great ideas and the ability to get things done.” Justin Manrao, second student speaker said, “Today is not only a significant day for us but you, parents, to witness how far your children have come…and also putting up with our social complexities that are hard for you to understand.” He added amid chuckles and laughter, “No one will know about that test you bombed or the late assignment…Always We Begin Again.” Science faculty Paul Trudelle was chosen by the class to give the graduation address. Shaking his head as he stood at the podium, Mr. Trudelle said, “As you all know, it’s how we respond to failure that matters most because setbacks are...a valuable part of life and we can’t avoid them, so embrace them and they will help you grow smarter and stronger.” On a more serious note (not really), Mr. Trudelle challenged the graduates to go out this summer and learn one new thing that will help them grow—the only caveat is that it must have the potential to help them become better people. In closing, Mr. Trudelle said, “Don’t give up early, you can do this, you’re resilient, wonderful graduates.”
By Sean McLain Brown Photos by Jim Kirkland
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The Class of 2019*
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5 1. L-R: Colby Cheung, Josh Eichbaum, Aidan Chandra, and Josh Thibault. 2. Elliot Dauber has a good laugh. 3. Charlie Brandin helps a classmate with last minute preparations. 4. Valedictorian Emma Jaeger addresses the crowd. 5. Student speaker Justin Manrao imparts words of wisdom to his classmates and parents.
Kenneth William Akers Anna Pauline Barton Anne Catherine Boyle Charlotte McNeill Brandin Olivia Marie Carusi Aidan Jai Chandra Colby George Cheung Genevieve Celina Chiu-Schaepe Cameron Williams Cronwall Zoe Emily Daniel Elliot Kenneth Dauber Joshua Amrik Eichbaum Shannon Kathryn Fitzgerald Joshua Greer Galloway Francesca Jeanne Geoly Ryan Scott Harrison Amelia Lee Hoffmann Emma Louise Jaeger Tara Lakshmi Kariat Daniel Edward Klein Sina Chrystyna Madsen Justin Manrao Brianna Brooke Maroney Maisy Lee McWright Rachael Miller Grace Elizabeth Peek Stephen Sharp Queener Christopher Thomas Russell Henry Robert Saul Amanda Grace Smith Joshua Madison Thibault Olivia Katherine Treynor Benjamin Lewis Veghte Sonya Pian-Pian Walker Kelly Ann Walsh Mackae Cormac Wilcox William Anthony Youstra *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.
Awards
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Recognized at Graduation: Valedictorian Emma Jaeger Christopher Russell Salutatorian Kenneth Akers Leadership Award Charlotte Brandin
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Middle School Head’s Award Joshua Eichbaum St. Benedict Award Tara Kariat Recognized at the Academic Awards Assembly Saint Ambrose: Patron of Learning Award for Humanities Anne Boyle Saint Albert: Patron of Science Award for Sciences and Mathematics Stephen Sharp Queener
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Saint Catherine of Bologna Award for Fine and Performing Arts Olivia Treynor Scholar Athlete Award Emma Jaeger Elliot Dauber Athlete of the Year Anna Barton Joshua Eichbaum
8 6. L-R: Olivia Treynor, Maisy McWright, and Anna Barton celebrate. 7. MS Graduates selected Mr. Trudelle as the graduation speaker. 8. 8th Grade graduates pass through the faculty gauntlet.
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Tom Alexander
A Man with a
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Mission Alumnus Tom Alexander created the successful tech company PK4 Media with a lot of hard work— and no outside funding
By Karen Macklin
Tom Alexander always knew that he wanted to start a business one day. But he was set on developing his skills and knowledge base first, building the right connections, and then striking when the iron was hot. And that’s exactly how he came to be the founder of the highly successful PK4 Media, an innovative technology company that runs targeted digital advertising campaigns cross-platform. Ever see an ad pop up online for a product that’s exactly what you’re looking for? There’s a good chance that PK4 Media put it there.
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“I’m very much an all or nothing guy,” he says. “I knew I needed to learn how to sell, so I wanted to find the hardest sale out there.”
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Though Alexander always knew he wanted to start a company, he didn’t always know he wanted to start a digital media business. In fact, when he graduated from the Priory in 1999, he wasn’t entirely sure what steps to take next. “I’m a numbers guy—I’m very good at recognizing patterns,” says Alexander, who majored in Economics, and had participated in various economics-related internships throughout high school and college, primarily in Silicon Valley, where he grew up. But despite all of the internships, he’d never actually worked in sales. He knew that if he was one day going to lead his own company, he needed to understand how to promote, market, and sell a product. So, after college, he looked for a job in the sales field. “I’m very much an all or nothing guy,” he says. “I knew I needed to learn how to sell, so I wanted to find the hardest sale out there.” He took a job doing commission-only sales for Legal Match, an attorney client referral service—it provided a significant challenge. “I’d have to cold-call lawyers in the middle of the work day when the last thing they wanted to do was take a call from a telemarketer,” he remembers. “By the end of the call, I had to get them to give me 20 grand, up front.” But Alexander, to his own surprise, not only excelled in the job, but enjoyed it. He began to see marketing and promotion less as a burdensome task, and more as an opportunity to talk to people about a product that could help them. He loved the fact that this type of work gave him the ability to reach such a wide variety of people, and to be able to influence them in a positive way. After this initiation into the world of sales, Alexander went on to lead sales teams at companies like Blue Lithium, Click Shift, and Dedicated Media, and played a role in the acquisitions of all three of these companies (by Yahoo, WebTrends and LinMedia, respectively). These acquisitions generated a combined 325 million dollars.
During this time, Alexander received first-hand knowledge of how digital advertising typically works, and thought he could do better with it. He founded PK4 Media in 2009 to create more efficient and ethical methods for delivering the most impactful ad campaigns crossplatform, using new and innovative technology. He also wanted to focus only on the top guns of advertising. PK4 Media works solely with major Tier 1 brands like Ford, NBC Universal, ABC TV, Proctor and Gamble, and Amazon. Today, PK4 Media reaches 95% of the US population through strategic ad placement online and on mobile and tablet devices. But there’s something else that makes this company especially unique: Alexander started it on his own without any venture capital. This was a distinct move considering the startup culture of today, and the fact that Alexander’s father was a venture capitalist. “Out of our direct competitors, PK4 is the only one that hasn’t raised any venture capital funding,” he says, adding that he started the company with gains he earned from the acquisitions that he orchestrated. “I didn’t want to give up equity to venture capitalists. I would rather give that equity to our employees. The people who are putting their blood, sweat, and tears into the company should be receiving the biggest benefits.” Many of those employees are people Alexander hand-selected— colleagues from previous jobs who’d made a distinct impression on him. This makes him especially proud of, and committed to his team. A lack of reliance on outside funding also means PK4 hasn’t had been subjected to external evaluations or organizational suggestions from funders. Alexander gets to call all the shots, himself. Because of that, he says, the company has been profitable since its sixth month, which is an impressive feat. Today PK4 has 35 employees in four offices that span the cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit, and New York. “Our campaigns perform, our technology is amazing, we have the right people in place, and we keep growing organically,” he says.
“I didn’t want to give up equity to venture capitalists. I would rather give that equity to our employees. The people who are putting their blood, sweat, and tears into the company should be receiving the biggest benefits.” While the current emphasis for PK4 Media is the delivery and optimization of advertising creative across desktop, mobile, and tablet devices, the ultimate goal is to incorporate the full media mix including, digital outof-home, digital audio, and IPTV, adds Alexander. “We can tie all of it together and have one unified system that controls everything and shows where the ads are being the most effective.” Alexander grew up in Atherton, a short distance from Woodside Priory. His parents, now retired, immigrated to the United States in the 1960s from Kerala, India, and brought with them a strong work ethic, and a passion for education. His mother, Susan, was a dietician, and his father, Thomas, worked in technology and was also a venture capitalist. School was taken very seriously in the Alexander household. “Both my parents have two Masters degrees each. My sister, Sara, has one. I’m the slacker of the family,” jokes Alexander. “Growing up, my sister and I studied even more in the summer than during the school year. That’s why we used to love going to school—because the workload was less!” While many millennials have a reputation for trying to go straight from college to becoming a CEO, Alexander says that he understood that it was necessary to put in several years of hard work before even thinking about launching a new company. His parents taught him that the best achievements take work and patience. His time at Priory also had a profound effect on him. He was at Priory from 7th grade until the completion of high school, when he graduated in 1999. During that time, Alexander played varsity soccer, was the editor of the yearbook, and did internships at high profile firms like Smith Barney. But the most important value he learned at Priory was integrity. “Priory emphasized integrity and honesty, and that has always been a big thing for me,” he adds. “At PK4 Media, we’re making sure our customers are getting exactly what we promised.”
As far as practical business skills, Alexander says he’ll always be thankful to Sue Koppett, his English instructor. She taught him a crucial skill for running and marketing one’s own product: the ability to present a solid argument about a subject to an unfamiliar audience. It’s surprising, he says, how much learning how to write a persuasive essay had an impact on his future. Today, he knows how to present a case in a thorough, straightforward way. “When I write an email negotiating something,” he adds, “I make sure I have supporting evidence to back up any claim I make.” So, what’s the hardest part about being a successful startup founder and CEO? No downtime. No social life. And … no vacations. “You put 24 hours a day and seven days a week into it,” says Alexander. “You’re constantly working and you really have to, especially when you’re starting off. Your body is exhausted and you want to go to bed but your mind is still racing with all of these ideas and you have to get them out. Sometimes, you’re sending out emails at 3am to your coworkers!” Now that the company is off the ground, there’s a little more free time, he says, but not much. Though he’s doing less of the groundwork, and delegating more to new hires as the company scales, his time now gets taken up with speaking events, conferences, and other engagements aimed at evangelizing the company. In fact, Alexander took his very first vacation, since starting the company, only last year—and it wasn’t easy. “I’m trying to get into the habit of taking time off,” he says, with a laugh. But he’s not complaining. After all, the company is his brainchild, and he wants it to succeed. As far as words of wisdom for up and coming entrepreneurs, Alexander thinks it’s pretty simple. Work hard, be dedicated, have your heart in the right place, and don’t rush through the process. “You don’t have to be a CEO day one,” he says. “Success takes time.”
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Betty
Q&A with
Van Wagenen Interview by Sean McLain Brown
Tim Molak, Head of School, says “Betty has served the Priory as our first 6th grade Core Teacher and then assumed the duties of College Counselor. Her extensive personal knowledge of our students and the colleges they pursued assisted hundreds of students and families in successfully navigating the college admissions process. She will be missed by colleagues, students, and parents.” Emily Chapman: “I vote for a whole week to celebrate Betty! What a difference she made on my life as I am sure so many more! Thank you for teaching, inspiring and encouraging me!” SMB: What do you enjoy most about the work you’ve done at the Priory? BVW: I loved my first couple of years teaching, but being Priory’s college counselor has been a dream come true for me. I attended a college that was a horrible fit for me. My goal has been to help students find that ‘right fit’ college. Best of all, Priory has supported my travels on counselor trips and attendance at conferences and meetings. I’ve visited nearly 400 colleges in 36 states, Canada, and Europe. There are so many incredible institutions that are in the United States and abroad, and I’ve tried my best to help students find the school that is a great academic, social, and geographic fit for each student. When a student comes back to visit and says, “I love my college so much” that’s the ultimate reward for me as a college counselor. SMB: Can you think of an anecdote that illustrates your answer to question one? BVW: My first day at Priory as a sixth grade teacher was like all first days: scary and nerve wracking. When break began, I started walking across ‘Red Square’ which was later renamed Benedictine Square for rather obvious reasons. This big kid, clearly a high school student, approached me and said, “you must be the new 6th Grade teacher!” I asked, “how did you know?” He said, because you look so nervous, so I’m just telling you welcome to Priory! I laughed and thanked him. Later that day, I discovered his name: Alejandro Chavez, Cesar Chavez’s grandson. His welcome made me feel like Priory was my family, a really good family. SMB: In reflecting on your time at the Priory, can you elaborate on what makes the Priory special, what contributions you hope you’ve made to the Priory community, and what you think is most special about your time here. BVW: The monks presence has made Priory special and their connection with the school and as role models for students, faculty and staff is immeasurable. I was blessed beyond words to work with Father Martin, Priory’s Director of College Counseling for 22 years, for two years as his ‘apprentice’. He was the best mentor! And then, to work
for 17 years with Brother Edward as my boss was just a gift. I also helped them with the auction lobster dinners and pizza parties for years, and that was always so much fun. I can’t quantify what I’ve brought to the Priory, but I do hope that some of the more than 600 students I worked with might have some positive things to say about their college experience and that they feel like they received at least some decent college advice from me. I do think I’ve been a great advocate for the Priory in many ways over the years, and that my work with so many colleges and college reps has helped contribute to Priory’s reputation as a great college-prep school tucked away in Portola Valley. SMB: What Benedictine value do you most identify with and why? BVW: Community for sure. Priory became my community from the day I was hired. Priory has always felt like my family and not work. I came here still grieving over my husband’s death, and the Priory community took me in as one of their own. I have loved working with colleagues, kids, parents and most of all, the relationship that I enjoyed with the monks, especially Father Martin who was my college counseling mentor, and Brother Edward, who was my boss but really my best friend and rock. SMB: How has your time at the Priory enriched your life? BVW: Priory helped me move on with my life after my husband’s death; Priory became my family. I’m also so grateful for the opportunity that my son had in attending Woodside Priory. He had some amazing teachers who really appreciated his “lively” personality, and whose classes basically made him breeze through his freshman year in college. He also had some wonderful role models, especially those men who kind of became surrogate fathers or big brothers to him.
Daniel Jean-Pierre Riveong: “She has been a huge influence in my life. Her supportiveness helped pushed me to understand what I’m capable of - intellectually and as a person. I still remember my Civics Class with Ms. Van Wagenen and the many conversations we had.”
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Nancy Q&A with
Newman
Tim Molak, Head of School said, “Nancy is a teacher extraordinaire. Her dedication, love of learning and commitment to assist every student in their pursuit of knowledge, no matter the personal demands, is her calling card. There will never be another like her: a colleague, a friend, a mentor, a problem solver, a mom to many, and an educator in the true sense of the word.�
Interview by Sean McLain Brown
Daniel Jean-Pierre Riveong: “Nancy had a huge influence in my life. Her supportiveness helped pushed me to understand what I’m capable of — intellectually and as a person.” Jonathan Morgan: “Thank you for your skill and your personal, supportive approach to teaching. And thanks for (mostly) keeping me in line!” SMB: What do you enjoy most about the work that you’ve done at the Priory? NN: What I like most about the work that I’ve done at the Priory is the ability we all have to connect with students on a day-to-day basis, whether it’s connecting about what they’re learning or connecting about something going on in their lives. That’s what makes teaching so enriching. SMB: Can you think of an anecdote or a little story that illustrates your answer to question one? NN: One of the very first mornings that I was here, I came to school a little bit early, and I came to find Tim out in the breezeway in front of the classrooms with a broom and a hose cleaning off the corridor because the seniors had done a senior prank and had dumped a bunch of dirt and stuff like that. They thought it was funny to make it more look like a farm, I guess, but there was Tim, as the Dean of Students at the time, with the broom and just making it ready for school. He was just going to get it done. Just to see Tim out there getting it done reminded me of my early days of teaching at a young school, and we all just pitched in and nobody was better or worse than someone else. We were just all equals trying to be the best we could be. SMB: Can you elaborate about what makes the Priory special and what contributions you hope you’ve made to the Priory in making it special? NN: The sense of community, hospitality, all of the Benedictine values. You feel it when you drive onto our campus. There’s a sense of belonging here, a sense that you’ve arrived home when you’ve gone to work. I hope, in terms of my own contribution, that I’ve helped to make it feel like home. I remember one of my favorite things to do when I was Dean of Faculty was to walk down the corridor of the Faculty Building and I would say, “Good morning,” or check in with people, see how they were doing. It was a moment where I could just connect, even for a second, with my colleagues and just make sure they were all okay. Sometimes, just by their body language, I could tell that I needed to swing back around and check in on them again, but it was just something I loved doing to connect. SMB: Is there a Benedictine value that you most identify with, and why? NN: The Benedictine value that I most identify with is probably hospitality. I love it when I can make people feel welcome, whether it’s in my classroom, whether it is faculty meetings. I believe strongly in the power of food, so when I
was running faculty meetings, we had a lot of food. I wanted people to feel like we were together having a meeting just like we would be together enjoying a meal together and feel like they were welcomed and valued and just as if they were coming into my home. SMB: How has your time at the Priory enriched your own personal life and the lives of others? You’ve spoken a little bit to the lives of others and their contributions, but personally, how has it affected you and how has it changed you? NN: I guess there was a time in my life when I was a lot more ambitious. I thought of myself as head-of-school material. I think the Priory made me realize that that wasn’t the biggest contribution that a person could necessarily make, that just being a part of the community, to support other people, to make the lives of other people better, kind of keep things calm and smooth was more important than a title or power. Also, I have to say that, as a family, our lives have been totally enriched by our Benedictine experience. Our children turned out probably a lot better than they would have if they’d gone to another school in the area. It was really just a gift that came to our family that I’m glad that we took and took full advantage of. SMB: Can you reflect on any of the relationships that you’ve formed since you’ve been here that you can remember that serves as an example of why you love what you do? NN: Father Egon, this incredible gentleman who kept his eye on what we were doing well past his day of retirement and knowing that you had to make sure that whatever you did, he would be proud of. Then, of course, Father Pius, this amazing gentle soul who has connected so well to the lives of all of us, always keeping track of our kids, our husbands, just making sure that we’re okay all the time. It just goes ... The list goes on and on, but those are just a few. SMB: Do you have anything else that you’d like to add? NN: The first time I retired, I wasn’t ready to retire. I love this place, and I wasn’t ready to leave it. My husband thought that I was, but he was wrong, and I was so grateful that I had the opportunity to come back to do the thing I love the most, which is teach. This time at my retirement, I’m ready to retire. I finally have a hobby. It’s called grandchildren, and I just hope that they have an opportunity to go to a school like the Priory and maybe even go to the Priory sometime in the future, because they would be very lucky if they could have a school like this.
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Out of
Africa
Into
Silicon Valley by Sean Mclain Brown Photos by Jim Kirkland
Basketball is not the first thing one thinks of when thinking about Africa but for Priory graduates, Andy Isokpehi ’15 and Samuel Ogunleye ’15, basketball is precisely what brought them 7,920 miles from Nigeria to the Priory. During their time at the Priory, Sam and Andy’s accomplishments, both on and off the court, were outstanding. Coach Moseley said their contributions significantly helped the team advance to the CCS Championships and they [Sam and Andy] “were perfect players for our program, their academic and athletic performance was phenomenal. Sam’s perseverance, having recovered from a torn ACL and a broken arm, coupled with Andy’s pure athleticism, helped us take our program to the next level.” Sam and Andy also participated in a student cultural forum to dispel myths about Nigeria and Africa. In addition, they performed as an afrobeat/hip hop duo, DNA (Depicting New Africa), for their joint senior project as a way to share their love of music and their culture with the Priory community. Sam and Andy said this of their project: “Africa is a land of beautiful and fascinating sceneries, a land of rich culture, a land blessed with natural resources and numerous languages, but popular stereotypes exist that suggest all of Africa is mired in civil war, killing of innocent people, poverty, lack of food, and dictatorship. In order to change this negative narrative long associated with Africa, we wrote songs to help change how people see Africa.”
“Sam and Andy both exude positivity, which was an enormous gift to everyone in the boarding program. Through their actions and demeanor, they helped everyone to remember to see the bright side of any situation. The friendship that they offered to their fellow students was profound and genuine. We will miss their easy-going attitude and their ever-present smiles.” – Dean of Residential Life, Michelle Taffe
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Samuel Ogunleye: Artist, Singer, and Friend to All Sam, known for his impressive visual art as well as his powerful spoken word and rap performances, overcame significant personal and physical hardships while at the Priory. Early in his basketball career, he suffered not only a torn ACL but also a broken arm in addition to being thousands of miles away from his family. Ask any student or teacher and they will tell you that Sam is a testimony to kindness and the will to overcome adversity. When asked about his experiences at the Priory and what he learned, Sam says, “love is why we are all here, I always say, whatever you do, be nice, do the right thing, the Golden Rule.” Sam learned these lessons from his father who passed away when he was younger. Sam says that his father always encouraged and supported his artistic interests as well as “rigorous academics and athletics.” Sam says, “I want to make my father proud, often, my art is influenced by visions of my father that come to me when I dream and so I honor him when I make art from these visions.” Sam’s inspiration and his will to persist in the face of all odds come from God and his father. After his father died, he struggled with depression and anger. He said his extended family wouldn’t help out while his mother spent all their savings on medical care for his father. He resented them and later realized, after his father came to him in a dream, that this was not the way to honor his father. Sam said, “Don’t repay evil with evil. An ‘eye for an eye’ is the Old Testament, New Testament, Christ was about love.” Sam hopes to return to Nigeria to give back to his community and help fight the rampant corruption that plagues politics in his country. He says that it is his duty and honor to help those “who cannot help themselves.” Sam will matriculate to Xavier University on an art scholarship in the fall and is also working as a mentor with the Bridge program at the Priory over the summer.
Andy Isokpehi: Slam-dunking Poet and Future Mechanical Engineer Andy, known for his wildly popular slam-dunks on the court, is also an exceptionally gifted writer and has a strong engineering acumen. His prowess on the court is only matched by the admiration and respect he earned from his classmates for his affable and generous nature. One of his favorite classes, besides science and math, was the literature class with Kindra Briggs, which often incorporates pop culture as a way of connecting students to the elements of form and function for poetry and literature. Andy said, “She makes the material come alive. I liked that she used rap music as poetry, I could really relate to that and it was helpful in our studies of literature and poetry.” Andy said before he came to the Priory, he was slow to open up to people to make new friends, especially in a place where he didn’t know anyone. Now, he says he is “open and more approachable” and that he has “an appreciation for differences.” As an example, he says his fellow students, even those not into athletics; all came out to root for the basketball team whenever they played a home game. Everyone knows that the Priory is a place to call home, but for dorm students, that’s literal. And for Andy, the dorm was not only home but also a place where his family lived. “Everyone is family,” says Andy, “we all look out for each other and support each other no matter what.” In the fall, Andy will attend one year of post-graduate school at Sunrise Christian High School in Kansas in hopes of securing a basketball scholarship with a Division 1 college. In the words of our Head of School, “the Priory will miss Andy and Sam, but they will always have a home here.”
“Sam and Andy far exceeded our expectations as athletes and students. They will be missed but always have a home here at the Priory.” – Head of School, Tim Molak
“Sam and Andy were stellar ambassadors of the Nigerian culture and we were blessed to have them as part of our community.” – Director of Admissions, Al Zappelli
The Priory was also proud to host two Kenyan students, Abdia Osman and Alice Naini, from the Daraja Academy. Director of Communications, Sean Mclain Brown sat down and had a conversation with them about their time at the Priory and life in Kenya. SB: What do you think you’re going to take away from this experience and take back with you about having come here? Alice: Yeah. We just live as a family. I can’t recall the time that I have been sad here. I’ll remember the laughter. People are so friendly, welcoming, and kind. I’ll also remember the kindness and generosity. SB: How are classes here different from those in Kenya? Alice: We mostly study to pass exams. Here you learn to understand and to have that knowledge not just to pass tests. Here, teaching is applied to real life situations. I personally think it is good. Also, we can talk to our teachers outside of class. SB: Abdia, what’s your experience been like for you in the classrooms? Abdia: Personally I like the way we learn skills. They don’t carry many books as we do. I think it’s simpler but more engaging. In chemistry class they have these bundle of papers covering one unit, the whole topic instead of carrying around the book. I also like the meditations. Whenever I get to class, we first pray. In English classes, we do some candle lighting and in biology class we do a song without words. It’s a very simple way of starting the class but it’s very helpful. It helps you to relax and get ready for the lesson. SB: What’s on the horizon for you? What’s next for you? Alice: I’ll take my exams October and November. After the results are out, that’s when I’ll know what next. The results determine if you’re going to university or not. SB: How will you present what you’ve learned from your time here? Abdia: At Daraja, we have this philosophy of listening to each other and listening to each other’s opinion. I will present what I learned about classroom teaching styles to Daraja administration, then they will call everybody together and discuss if my proposed changes will be good for the school. This will not just help me but all of Daraja. SB: Can you give me an example of how people demonstrate that aspect of listening. How does that work? Is there a situation that you can think of where the act of listening helped with resolving differences?
Alice and Abdia
Abdia: Just some few days ago before we closed, we had this incident of almost 142 people killed in Garissa University. SB: Yes I remember that. Abdia: Mr. Dee thought this would bring conflict between religions at school; the Muslims and Christians. We are together and we love each other but there is that sense like, perhaps the Christians might say “What are those Muslims doing to my people?” So we all get together and talk about it to understand each other and celebrate our differences and to love each other. Alice: Daraja means bridge and as you know, bridges are pillars. In our school, we have four pillars and the theme
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of communication it is in pillar number two; maintain open communication, speak honestly, listen, respect. Everyone who has an idea, provided it is honest, it will be listened to and considered.
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Daraja students Abdia and Alice with members of the Priory Daraja Club.
Abdia and Alice are interviewed by Cheryl Jennings from ABC news.
L-R: Daraja Academy founders Jason and Jenni Doherty, Daraja Academy patron Deborah Santana, and Daraja Academy principal Victoria Gichuhi
SB: Why do you think that it’s important for there to be schools like Daraja? Why is it important for young women like yourself and other people to have that opportunity that you have? Abdia: One reason is the one we said. We have to make our community realize not everybody is bad. People are friendly if you try to live with them peacefully. The other reason is the education we’re given is just not only academic. We have the wish class. We have many things. We socialize with different races. I think if we have many Daraja’s then there will be a bigger change all over the world. Because people will be so friendly just the way we are at school. Alice: Yeah and also Daraja empowers women. Now I’m empowered and we believe empowered women are powerful beyond measure. They can do anything. They can go and change the community. I can give an example, in my community most men are the ones who are educated. When women are educated, they can change their communities, and when they change their community, they are changing the world. SB: What do you want to do later in life? What do you want to accomplish? Abdia: I want to help empower other women in the villages. I want to help them become more than just a mother, but also a community leader. Alice: I go back and share what I know about business in hopes to help other women start small businesses. Money means power and it will help them not be so dependent on men. Abdia: My dream is to become a counselor and help other people with their addictions. Alice: As for me, I will study, I want to become an engineer and when I’ve accomplished that, I can help train other women and empower them to make a difference.
“Now I’m empowered and we believe empowered women are powerful beyond measure. They can do anything. They can go and change the community.” — Alice Naini
Lili Pinter & Marton Konde share some of their one year experience at Priory before returning home to Hungary. Interview by Jim Kirkland
Each year the Priory offers a one year scholarship to two students from Hungary. Students that apply are considered on the basis of academics and an essay (in english). The competition is rather fierce for this opportunity to travel and study in America. The 2015 winners were Lili Pinter of Györ and Marton Konde from Pannohalma. Both would spend their junior year here and live in the dorms. JK: How was it leaving your home and coming so far to Priory? Lili: I was really impressed by the welcome I got and the love I received from everyone. The friendships I made in the dorms really have meant a lot to me. Marton: I was also impressed by our reception. Plus, I got to meet and live with people from China, Korea and Nigeria. They were very accepting and open, which helped me a lot. JK: It took Fr. Maurus some time to convince the Hungarians that the Priory academic standards were up to European rigors. How did you find the academics here? Lili: It was challenging, but different because in Hungary we take more classes (7) every day. And we work on all subjects for four years, not like here where one semester you can concentrate on specific subjects and have only 4 classes per day. Marton: But there are more opportunities to change your plans here if you become more interested in a subject, you can specialize in it and go on to a higher level. In Hungary all subjects rise at the same level. JK: What do you anticipate in going home and finishing your senior year? How will it be after a year here at Priory? Lili: It will be hard because I have to catch up with the material I missed and I am also studying for the SAT’s in order to help me get into a university in England. Marton: I also will have to catch up and take exams, but not the SAT’s. Exams at the end of the senior year at home are a really big thing like the SAT’s are here.
JK: What do you think is the main difference in teaching styles and methodology between Priory and your Hungarian teachers? Lili: Teachers here will help you outside of class. They make themselves available. While in Hungary, once school is over the teacher is gone. Marton: Our classes in Pannonhalma are much bigger than Priory. Sometimes 30 or 40 students. So the teachers cannot offer individual attention. But I also feel the teacher explains more things to you, as a result, you must learn in class. Here you learn a lot on your own and get further explanation and help from your teacher. JK: How is technology in Hungary? Lili: No laptops, no iPads, no phones. Only the teacher has a laptop... maybe. But I found it harder to learn using only a laptop and not have an actual book. JK: What are some of the things you didn’t like here? Marton: At first, the system confused me. But I feel if I started school here I would be a very different person. The way people think here is very positive. They are very open. Lili: Getting used to group activities was hard for me. At home we don’t collaborate in class. JK: What Benedictine value do you identify with most? Lili: Community. I like the school spirit here. It doesn’t stop at the end of the day. You can do a lot after school. Like, I loved the energy of the spectators at basketball games. Marton: Individuality. I also come from a Benedictine school. There the values are also used but in a very different way. You are more liberal here. I found individuality to be an important part of living here and I came to like that.
“I was really impressed by the welcome I got and the love I recieved from everyone. The friendships I made in the dorms really have meant a lot to me.” — Lili Pinter
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Dear Priory Community, As we begin to roll into the early days of summer, we look back and are reminded of how fortunate we are to be a part of such a generous and committed community. It is only through the involvement of all of our families’ time, talent and treasure that we can offer so many amazing opportunities to our students. Thank you! Please mark your calendar for August 16, 2015 at 6:30 pm for the dedication and celebration of our new academic space! This environmentally friendly academic environment is comprised of 10 new classrooms that provide ample flexible space, outstanding broadband, and a faculty lounge all designed to fit perfectly into the backdrop of beautiful Portola Valley. I am happy to report that the finished product outshines even our dreams and expectations-it is fabulous. The large plaza in front of the classrooms is designed to encourage community with a natural gathering area including a stage for assemblies. Our students will begin their studies this fall in this new environment. This important improvement was completed on time and under budget, thanks to the generosity of our amazing volunteers. David Brett, Priory parent, Board member and Chair of the Building and Grounds Committee, has generously shared his 30+ years of experience in the construction business to meticulously supervise every aspect of this project to make sure all donations are prudently invested. In addition, our Campaign Leadership Team has been instrumental in raising the necessary funds for this project. We could not have succeeded without all of their efforts and we are so grateful.
The driving motivation behind our plans is to give students what they need to be successful in the future as lifelong learners.
Improved academic space is all part of our 20-Year Master Plan. We are now quickly pivoting our focus towards the next planned improvement, our new science and fine arts center. Construction is slated to begin during the summer of 2016, and will take approximately one year to complete. Our new STREAM Center (Science Technology Robotics Engineering Art and Math) will house 3 science labs with adjoining classrooms, a robotics lab and conference room, four art rooms, a tool shop, faculty offices, a digital lab, and a covered outdoor work space. Our architects are already in discussion with the Town of Portola Valley about our plans and we are currently meeting with families interested in supporting this effort. Always we begin again‌ The driving motivation behind our plans is to give students what they need to be successful in the future as lifelong learners. For our STREAM program, we know that our classes for the sciences and the arts have increased and are more varied in both their approaches and content. In a field which was once limited to only Biology, Chemistry and Physics we now offer computer, engineering and technology electives, which better meet the interests of our students. For example, last year we offered a Product Design Class, which was a combination of Fine Art, Design, 3D Printing, and Computer Science. Our Science and Art faculty have spent the last few years exercising extensive due diligence and research to define and refine their recommendations for the best academic space and have participated in many design meetings with the architects. Students play a role in our plans as well. As part of his senior project, a Priory student, with a strong interest in robotics, used his knowledge and experience to design a robotics lab and we have incorporated his ideas into our plans. What are we building? We are Building Ingenuity. Thank you to the many families who have supported our vision and made our dreams a reality. I look forward to seeing our Priory community at the dedication and blessing on August 16th. If you would like more information about any of these exciting improvements please feel free to contact me at any time. I am happy to meet with you. Regards, Siobhan Lawlor Director of Development
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Many Hands Make Priory celebrated all volunteers at the Volunteer Appreciation Brunch in the Rothrock Performing Arts Center. One hundred parent volunteers gathered to experience Priory hospitality. From the beginning of the year Parent Orientation and BBQ, to the end of year Book Swap and graduation festivities, a multitude of parents have given their time and talent to create a vibrant Priory volunteer community. PPA Presidents, Pamela and Scott Weiss, acknowledged the parent volunteers who generously give of themselves to develop and implement events and activities that support the school throughout the year. “When thinking about why parents volunteer, we decided to ask the experts,” said Pamela, “so we turned to our children.” The 7th grader said, “Because you love the school, care about your children and want to give back to the community;” the 9th grader said “Cause you like to write and organize stuff and Dad is just fine with all that;” and the 10th grader said, “You have nothing better to do. And also, so you can spy on us. Duh.” Annalisa King, Gala Chair, was recognized for her remarkably calm and tenacious leadership of this year’s elegant Black & White Gala at Sharon Heights Country Club. She in turn acknowledged the contributions of her hard working committee. The Last Volunteer Standing was initiated by Tim Molak who asked all those who volunteered for one year to stand and be recognized. Nearly everyone in the room stood. He asked them to remain standing as he increased the number of years of volunteerism. Gradually, as the number of volunteer years grew, the number of people standing decreased, until Rebecca Hickman was the Last Volunteer Standing with 14 years of service to the school. Parents whose volunteer efforts focused on fundraising in support of Priory’s Annual Fund were also recognized. Working behind the scenes in cooperation with the Development Department, these volunteers communicate the importance of annual giving to the productive operation of the school year. The celebration concluded with a video of the entire student body chanting in unison, “Thank you, thank you, thank you very much PRIORY volunteers!”
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Light Work
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Volunteer Spotlight PPA Events Back to School Coffee Amy Magnuson & Wendy Haesemeyer
TRIXIE PUTNAM Elizabeth ‘15 & Matthew ‘11
Trixie Putnam literally inherited PRIORY volunteerism. It’s part of her Family Legacy – her DNA. Her family connection to the PRIORY reaches back over forHomecoming Football Game Mary Carusi ty years. Beginning in the mid 70’s Trixie’s father, Hubert Brugger and Father Egon, PRIORY’s Founder, both immigrants from war torn countries, became Open House-Admissions Support fast friends. When the school was going through a difficult financial period Cindy Cheung & Debbie Thibault Hubert Brugger, who “ … wanted to see the school thrive” donated a Mercedes from his dealership to be raffled off to raise needed funds. Her mother, Christmas & Chapel Décor Gisela Brugger, organized the first Rummage Sale in the Gym – the precursor Lucy Mejia & Najwa Tamer to today’s PRIORY Auction. In fact, Trixie received her First Communion from Christmas Party & Concert Father Egon, was married by him and both of her PRIORY graduates, Matthew Claudia Geoly ‘11 and Elizabeth ‘15 were baptized by him as well. It’s no surprise that when Trixie arrived on campus as a parent in 2004 Advent Vespers Reception with her son, Matthew, she brought her inherited, “If we don’t help, who will?” Rebecca Hickman family attitude with her. She joined a small cadre of other mothers, who “kept Gala /Auction the class together”, each taking on one major event every semester while the Annalisa King others provided support. “I feel it is extremely important to be involved in the place where my children spend the major portion of their days.” If she wasn’t Performing Arts Banquet leading an event she supported the effort with cookie baking, letter stuffing, Diane Donovan, Karen Gregory, food serving, clean up and hospitality coffees. Saila Kariat, Jill Wernicke, Aside from taking on a number of ‘food related’ projects including the Mimi Blaurock & Cindy Vogt Teacher Appreciation event for two years, the major event Trixie took on was 8th Grade Breakfast volunteering for the PRIORY Annual Fund. “I felt like I had a background in Lynne Ann Biscay & 6th-7th Grade Parents fundraising and when they couldn’t fill the Annual Fund Chair spot, I stepped up to help.” She said she realizes tuition would be higher without the Annual Faculty/Staff Appreciation Lunch Fund and that every student benefits. Regina Saliba, Paula Hughes, Laurie Shelton After eleven consecutive years of volunteerism, Trixie is very happy Baccalaureate Mass & Senior Dinner to have had the chance to give back to such a great institution. “Developing the Class of 2016 Parents whole person is important. PRIORY bends over backwards to get that right. ” Used Book Swap Cindy Vogt
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REBECCA HICKMAN Caroline ’15 & James ‘09
Rebecca Hickman began her PRIORY Volunteer career in 2001 as a Flag Football Mom and Class Parent. “Basically I brought snacks and drove to different events with as many children as I could fit in my SUV.” It also gave her a chance to get to know the students who were classmates of her children. Rebecca never planned her volunteer career at PRIORY. As a new parent, she felt at home from the beginning and wanted to become part of the PRIORY community. Over the course of 14 years, simply by ‘responding to the call’ and ‘going where I am needed’, she gently wove herself into the very fabric of the school. She is a practicing Catholic and regularly attends Mass at the Chapel. She has read the Rule of St. Benedict and firmly believes the Benedictine Way is the bedrock upon which a good life can be built. Rebecca takes a grass roots approach to volunteerism, “parents working together, demonstrating their belief in and commitment to the school.” There are benefits and rewards to modeling volunteerism for one’s children as well. Parents make connections and build friendships along the way ultimately building strong community in support of all the children. Although she said it was daunting to attend the Auction in 2001, she rolled up her sleeves and worked on the catalogue team for four years and the Silent Auction check-out for three. She chaired the Vespers Reception at Christmas for seven years and loved “seeing people come together after a lovely communal spiritual experience.” An an emigrant, Rebecca empathizes with what it’s like to be in another country without family and she wanted her children to get to know students from other countries. So she took on the role of Dorm Parent (now called Boarding Parent Liaison) for 9 years regularly inviting the Dormers over to the Hickman home for dinner. For thirteen consecutive years Rebecca volunteered for Development as an Annual Fund Class Chair. “I understand the framework and necessity of raising funds for the operating budget and opening the opportunity for a PRIORY education to a broad, inclusive group.” Speaking with families about the PRIORY Annual Fund gave her the opportunity to reach out and really get to know other families. She even enlisted her Mother in the Phonathon. “The privilege of being involved with Administration and Staff enabled me to experience the same warmth and hospitality our children experience. “ Rebecca believes the ethos that comes from the Benedictine values is what makes PRIORY stand out among its competitors. She believes regardless of where families fall on the economic scale they choose PRIORY because of its inclusiveness – where All are Welcome! Her final act of PRIORY volunteerism occurred on grad night. Unbeknownst to her daughter Caroline, Rebecca and husband Paul were on deck to chaperone when the Class of 2015 boarded the ship to cruise the night away on San Francisco Bay.
On-Going Activities Boarding Student Liaisons Cheryl Chin, Clayre Fathers, Shirley Gardner & Anne Harrison Founders Hall Flowers Clayre Fathers HS Sports Team Liaison Karen Gregory MS Sports Team Liaisons Jean Barbageleta Support for Choir Diane Donovan & Saila Kariat Support for Fine Arts Liz Pavlov & Catherine Wu Support for Theatre Karen Gregory & Jill Wernicke Support for Orchestra Mimi Blaurock & Cindy Vogt Spirituality Anam Cara & Ramsay Waterman Used Dress-Up Exchange Suzanne Akers Common Ground Kim Garlinghouse & Rebecca Wedl Parent Resource Sandra Fairon, Jennifer Nash & Kaleo Waxman Parent Association Website Ann Kearney eScript Dianne Willoughby & Karen Gregory Faculty/Staff Breakfasts Jennifer Youstra, Lisa Gainey & Evan Castelo Buddy Family Program Karen Gregory
GALA!
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Priory’s 34th auction took place, for the first time, five miles from campus at the beautiful Sharon Heights Country Club. The Black & White Gala was gracefully chaired by Annalisa King, who guided a gifted and hard-working team of enthusiastic volunteers assisted by Priory’s Gala Coordinator, Nancy Talbott. It was a spectacular evening. Three hundred and seventy guests enjoyed cocktails and appetizers on the balcony overlooking the golf course while engaging in the Silent Auction. A sumptuous dinner was served in the elegant ballroom designed in black and white by Judy Zafran. Judi Jaeger orchestrated an outstanding offering of wines for the Silent Auction, while Kari Rust synchronized a stupendous selection of parties – from Yoga by the Pool to Martinis and Moonlight. Carolyn Putney’s creative compilation of Cakes received a rousing response as did Donna Chandra’s coordination of Priory Spirit events and activities. For the 25th year, Head of School Tim Molak commandeered the Live Auction which was expertly curated by Catherine Boyle. The highlights; Fr. Maurus’s Duck Dinner, Michele and Rick Riebhoff’s hand-built StandUp Paddleboard, a fun-filled day Hanging with Moseley, Fr. Martin’s Down East Lobster Dinner and of course, his hand-crafted, heirloom quality clock - the 31st in a limited edition series. This annual event is an incredible coming together of the entire Priory community! Enthusiastic parent volunteers, the Faculty and Staff and our beloved monks worked persistently to create a most enjoyable and financially successful event raising over $570,000 in support of the school. With gratitude to them and to our generous donors, this year’s Black & White Gala came off with flying colors!
1 Guests mix & mingle during the Silent Auction 2 Guests enjoy a fabulous meal in the elegant ballroom 3. Tim Molak and Annalisa King 4 Members of the 2015 Gala Team : Karen Gregory, Kari Rust, Judy Zafran, Carolyn Putney, Annalisa King – Chair, Donna Chandra, Catherine Boyle and Kathy Fitzgerald 5 Leslie and Elizabeth Schilling ‘15 6 Creative Cakes 7 25th year of Auctioneering by Tim Molak 8 Patricia Thorson and Janey Ward 9 Annalisa King, Black & White Gala Chair welcomes and thanks the guests 10 Rick Riebhoff and his 12 foot Stand-Up Paddleboard 11 Priory Faculty, Staff and Spouses 12 Guests enjoy the outdoor bar area 13 Fr. Maurus Nemeth, OSB, Fr. Martin Mager & the Monks’ Cake 14 Cloie Hawkins, grandparent with Fr. Pius Horvath, OSB 15 Head of School Tim Molak, Fr. Martin Mager, OSB, Amy & Rick Magnuson 16 Fr. Martin Mager with his 31st clock and winning bidder Ben Sloss
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CLASS
ALUMNI
Congratulations to all our Priory alumni who graduated college this year! Best of luck on all your future endeavors. Always we begin again.
1976
Philip Golden visited the Alumni Office and enjoyed lunch at the Priory cafeteria (pictured here with Erin Irber, Alumni Relations).
Reunion Years
1965
50th Reunion
1970
45th Reunion
1975
40th Reunion
1980
35th Reunion
1985
30th Reunion
1990
25th Reunion
1995
20th Reunion
2000
15th Reunion
2005
10th Reunion
2010
5th Reunion
1982
Renato Maluli, an alumnus from Brazil attended the festivities at Appomattox Court House, VA, on 04/09/15 to celebrate the 150th anniversary (to the day!) of the end of the American Civil War.
1984
Tak Viravan a prominent director and producer in Bangkok, Thailand directed Waterfall, at the Pasadena Playhouse. Waterfall is set in Bangkok and Tokyo between the turbulent years of 1933 and 1939, as a monarchy falls in Thailand and Japan is on the brink of war. It is a story of forbidden love between a Thai student and a married American woman. Tak is pictured here with his wife Kanikar, Garth Schooler also class of 1984, his wife Karen and son Hayden.
1999
Peter Newman added a new member to his family. Adyson Jordan Newman was born and grandmother, former teacher Nancy Newman is very excited!
2002
Cassie Perret, Priory Athletic Hall of Famer visited the Priory. Chrissy Spanoghe and Cory Morgenthaler (transferred prior to graduation) were married on June 20, 2015 around the corner from the Priory at the Portola Valley Town Center. Several Priory alumni and former students were in the wedding party, including Carl Spanoghe (‘99), Cassie Perret (‘02) and Renee Cheng (‘02, transferred prior to graduation).
2005
Cynthia Sleight spent the past year working at a bed and breakfast in northern France as well as exploring Thailand, Laos, and New Zealand. For the past few months, she has been working at Amazon and living in Seattle where she has loved visiting with alums Leilani (Novotny) Hoch and Susan Lyon. In August, she will begin a Masters of Education program in Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of Texas at Austin.
NOTES
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Note: If you would like to become a Reunion Class Agent, please contact the Alumni Office at alumni@prioryca.org or (650) 851-6138. And remember to check out Woodside Priory Alumni Association on Facebook for additional photos and updates!
1976 1984
2002 1982
2002
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2009-A
2009-B
2011-A
2011-B 2014
2010 2013
2009
A - Zoe Ciupitu is living in Germany and is working as an artist. Ciupitu’s paintings have been displayed in galleries worldwide including a group show at Palazzo Jules Maidoff in Florence, Italy, Postcrypt Gallery at Columbia University, New York, Greenpoint Gallein Brooklyn, Galeria Horatiu Malaele in Bucharest, Romania and the Institut für Alles Mögliche in Berlin, Germany. B - Zuhayr Mallam will enter medical school at Touro University California in the Fall with plans to become a physician, teacher, and global public health practitioner. For the next four years, he can be found playing doctor on Mare Island, if not visiting Priory for some pickup basketball. Zuhayr is pictured visiting the Priory with Carole Mauss from Admissions.
2010
Eleanor Oates graduated from Stanford with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a B.A. in Economics. She will be attending the University of Delaware in the fall to pursue a PhD in Chemical Engineering.
2011
A - Veronique Filloux graduated from Northwestern University with Department Honors. She recently performed the role of Silberklang in Northwestern Opera’s “The Impresario,” as well as performing both solo and chamber work in Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, Millennium Park, and The Rainbow Room at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. This summer, after graduating, she will be performing the roles of Olympia in “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” and Annina in “La Traviata” with Opera in the Ozarks. B - Rebecca Wilson ‘11, Alex Schnabel ‘11 and Lauren Allen ‘10 , have been hiking in Peru. They are shown on the way to Machu Piccu at Colca Canyon, the second largest canyon in the world, bigger than the Grand Canyon. Along the way they played with an alpaca. Keyra Galvan of Santa Clara University has been offered a Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant to Mexico in Business, the United States Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board announced recently. Cary Hampton graduated with a B.A. degree in Art History from Loyola Marymount University. Connor Mather graduated from UCLA. Kyle Montgomery graduated Magna Cum Laude from Bucknell University with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. Aran Nayebi graduated from Stanford University, Phi Beta Kappa and will be going on to do a Master’s in Computer Science at Stanford, funded by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF GRFP).
2013
Michael Brett and Ryan Young ’12 stopped by the alumni office.
2014
Marine Hall Poirier played sand volleyball for the University of Oregon against Stanford this past April. Marine won her games against Stanford, St. Mary’s and Cal Poly.
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NEWS
MONASTARY
Priory’s Hungarian Community Woodside Priory School was founded by seven Hungarian Benedictine monks who had to leave their country during the oppressive communist regime after the Second World War. Fr. Egon was commissioned to search for a suitable place for them to establish a Monastery and school. He headed west and in 1956 found Portola Valley. After he discovered the land and secured the deal for the 18 acres of property, it fell under the Hungarian Benedictine flag of Pannonhalma, their mother Abbey. Much has changed since that day, but one thing hasn’t: the Hungarian population of approximately 5,000 – 6,000 Hungarians living in the San Francisco Bay Area still looks to the Priory for cultural and spiritual leadership and community in their Hungarian tradition. The Hungarian Catholic Mission is spearheading this effort. It was established by Fr. Joseph Jaszovszky in the early 1960s. In the beginning he was celebrating Hungarian mass in San Francisco, Oakland and the Saint Patrick Seminary once a month. After his retirement in 1984, Fr. Christopher Hites took over and while he continued to celebrate Mass in Oakland and San Francisco, he also started to celebrate Mass in the Priory every other Sunday. After Fr. Christopher’s retirement in 1994, Fr. Maurus was appointed pastor of the Mission. With that the Priory became the home of the Hungarian Mission. Since then Mass has been celebrated every Sunday at 11:00AM. The Celebration of Mass is followed by a reception hosted by different families or the Mission in the student din-
ing room. Here the congregation converses in their native tongue and dine on traditional foods like goulash and chicken paprika along with other Hungarian delicacies. On special occasions the Hungarians use the PAC to host performing artists from Hungary and celebrate traditional historical and national events. Colorful, joyous and meaningful, young and old, they rock the joint! Four years ago the Hungarian Ambassador, Dr. György Szapáry visited. Just a few weeks ago Dr. Réka Szemerkényi, the newest ambassador, came to visit the Hungarian Community at Priory just a few weeks after she was appointed. The Priory is a generous and welcoming home to the Hungarian Catholic Mission and Hungarian Scouts. In addition, the Priory cherishes its founders and its roots by giving full scholarships to two Hungarian students from Benedictine Schools of Pannonhalma and Györ. The Hungarian Catholic Mission is dedicated to promoting Hungarian values of faith, culture and charity to the Bay Area Hungarian community. As an integral part of the San Francisco Catholic Archdiocese, they dedicate themselves to three goals: 1. To serve the spiritual needs of the Hungarian Catholic community in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. 2. To provide opportunities keeping the Hungarian language, heritage and culture alive. 3. To reach out to those in need within their ancestral Hungarian Magyar community; locally, nationally and internationally.
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Left: The Hungarian scout troop assembles. Below: Fr. Maurus gives announcements and blessing over the traditional feast prepared by the parisioners.
Top: Fr. Maurus greets parisioners after Sunday mass. Right: Fr. Maurus addresses the Scouts.
Above: Fr. Maurus with Priory’s 2015 Hungarian exchange students Marton Konde and Lili Pinter. Right: Four years ago the Hungarian Ambassador, Dr. György Szapáry visited.
On special occasions the Hungarians use the PAC to host performing artists from Hungary and celebrate traditional historical and national events.
The Green Page 54
A letter from the Priory Sustainability Coordinator Greetings, People of Earth!
2014-2015 was a good year for Sustainability at Priory. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the highlights, as well as details on a few of the challenges: This school year saw the creation of a new class focusing on environmental issues and problem-solving opportunities. ‘Ecological Design and Sustainability at Priory’ began with an overview of the ways in which natural systems are inherently self-sustaining. A key theme was the idea that ecosystems produce no waste: system outputs are turned back into system inputs. Following from this idea, students in the class chose to work together on a single group project, the creation of a closed-loop aquaponics system. Most of the first semester was spent building the 900-gallon system, which now includes 120 kale plants, 100 bass, catfish, and goldfish. A simple mechanical and biological filtration system converts ammonia in fish waste into nitrate, which fertilizes plants floating on rafts in tanks in the greenhouse. Fish are fed by an automated fish feeder that was created by Christian Filloux, ’15. Students from other schools have toured our site to gather information and inspiration. The system will continue to expand and develop. Mr. Richard Paige’s computer science class created Arduino-based probes that will monitor water quality, flow rates, and other changes. It has been a thrill to see the Sustainability program take on a cross-disciplinary educational dimension! Priory has also hosted a drought planning conference for largerfootprint operations in the Portola Valley community. It was gratifying to discover that the Priory was on the leading edge of conservation practices within our community. Our goal to reduce water consumption by 30% is still a challenge: on a per-capita basis, the affluent communities of San Mateo County are the largest users in the state of water for irrigation. In the future, we are hopeful that the Priory’s water use can be drastically reduced as we investigate the possible implementation of a gray-water system. This year has also seen renewed student interest in stewardship. A student Sustainability Club and an elected ASB Sustainability Commissioner position was established. Both of these efforts were student-driven – students took initiative, developing goals and plans for raising environmental consciousness among the Priory community. Meanwhile, Elise Rust, ’17, was the driving force behind the creation of the club and Yuju Shin, ’17, the visionary behind the Commissioner position. John Lee, ’16, was elected to that position this spring, and will fill the role in 2015-16. The club convenes weekly and meets monthly to work on habitat restoration projects in the area. It has been exciting to watch students focus on these issues. Our Gold Medal for the Green Ribbon Schools Award put more wind in our sails and has set the stage for continued improvements toward school sustainability. Please join me in celebrating our accomplishments, and consider working to make Priory even better in the future. Priory’s blue and white can always be a little bit greener. Best Wishes and Many Thanks for your Support!
Hovey Clark
Yuju Shin, John Gregory, Mr. Clark & Radar, Christian Filloux , Elise Rust and Yoonho Choi.
Beyond the Brick
An investment in Priory’s future. It is a Priory tradition to create and install a commemorative brick for every senior whose family makes a donation of $500.00 or more to the Annual Fund. A symbol of the building blocks Priory has provided to launch our graduates into a world in need of their gifts. Each brick is inscribed with the graduate’s name and class year - tangible evidence of the mark each student has made on the school and the students who will follow in their footsteps. Since 2012 a portion of senior parent gifts to the Annual Fund have been used to establish a Class Legacy Fund Endowment. These endowed funds are invested and remain intact until sufficient assets have been accumulated. The Class Legacy Fund Endowment will provide the opportunity for a new generation of Panthers to reach beyond their grasp while at the same time, ensuring the long term strength and viability of the Priory.
A gift to the Class Legacy Fund Endowment will last for generations to come.
A CLASS LEG CY FUND
Woodside Priory School 302 Portola Road Portola Valley, CA 94028 (650) 851-8221 fax (650) 851-2839
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Celebrating Our 58th Year
Mark Your Calendar! Alumni Reunion Weekend September 11th-13th, 2015 Join your classmates and former teachers for a weekend of activities: • All Alumni Reception • Campus Tours • Reunion Class Dinner
• Alumni Achievement Award Ceremony • Sunday Mass
Alumni Reunion Classes 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010