Head of School

From the Head of School

SPRING AWAKENING

CAMPUS BEAUTY AND THE PROMISE OF NEW BEGINNINGS

The seasonal beauty of the Phillips Academy campus signals new beginnings. Growing shade along the Elm Arch tells us that seniors will soon gather to receive their roses at Commencement. New buds on the Sam Phil cherry tree remind us that cookies will soon be served beneath it to celebrate the full bloom.

The Great Lawn and Greener Quad are ready for “lawning,” a tradition that includes rounds of Whiffle Ball, Spike Ball, and study sessions. New this year, students and faculty from the Tang Institute are studying environmental issues and cultivating a future bounty in the Abbot Community Garden.

Could this be a true spring awakening?

When I wrote to students upon return from spring break, I expressed hope that this term would feel close to a new normal—a way of living with COVID being present but not a dominant theme in our lives.

COVID has continued to challenge our community in unprecedented ways, but it has not clouded our focus on mission. In fact, our mission to educate youth from every quarter provided guidance when clear answers eluded us. And it remains central to several of this year’s strategic initiatives: • Academic excellence: Our partnership with the think tank RAND will help us develop systems for sustained excellence and a template for evaluating our teaching and academic program. In related work, the faculty recently endorsed an academic philosophy statement—available at andover.edu/about—expressing what they believe distinguishes our program. • Diversity, equity, and inclusion: The report of the

Andover Anti-Racism Task Force was released in

March and can be found at andover.edu/DEI. A dashboard of completed and progressing initiatives is also included. • Sustained access: The Board of Trustees approved a financial aid budget that preserves need-blind admission for Fiscal Year 2023. As we enter the final phase of the Knowledge & Goodness campaign, we are focused on raising an additional $29 million in financial aid endowment. When we achieve this goal, we will have placed needblind admission on a much more secure footing for the future. Among those to benefit from our need-blind policy are students who were recently admitted to Andover. When I met these students and their families last month, it was the first time since 2019 that Spring Visits were held in person. I was finally able to make good on my promise to meet as many students as possible.

The same is true for alumni and current families. I have “met” many of you virtually but far too few of you in person. I look forward to shaking hands rather than waving with a Zoom emoji. Most of all, I look forward to hearing your Abbot and Andover stories and experiencing your fellowship.

As you can tell, we have a lot to talk about.

Raynard S. Kington, MD, PhD, P’24 Head of School

Andover magazine reinforces the special connection alumni have with Phillips Academy and Abbot Academy. Through thought-provoking stories, contemporary design, and inspiring profiles of alumni, students, and faculty, we aim to highlight the school’s enduring values, recognize our unique history, and celebrate the rich diversity of our community.

PUBLISHER

Tracy M. Sweet

EDITOR

Allyson Irish

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Rita Savard

DESIGNER Ken Puleo

CLASS NOTES Anne Marino

CONTRIBUTORS

Alexandra Bell Farr ’13 Matthew Bellico Jill Clerkin Katie Fiermonti Nancy Hitchcock Chris Jones Nora Princiotti ’12 Frank Zhou ’22

© 2022 Phillips Academy, Andover, MA All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Andover, the magazine of the Phillips Academy and Abbot Academy community, is published four times per year. It is produced by the Office of Communication at Phillips Academy, 180 Main Street, Andover, MA 01810. Main PA phone: 978-749-4000 Changes of address and death notices: 978-749-4269, alumni-records@andover.edu Phillips Academy website: www.andover.edu Andover magazine phone: 978-749-4677 Email: magazine@andover.edu Postmasters: Send address changes to Phillips Academy 180 Main Street Andover MA 01810-4161 ISSN-0735-5718

EDITOR’S NOTE

I recently spent a glorious morning in Muir Woods, a national monument park across the bay from San Francisco. It was, quite literally, a breath of fresh air to stand among the majestic centuries-old redwoods— some reaching more than 250-feethigh—watch the sunlight filter across the forest floor, and just be still.

The magic of discovery is something we all need and something that is highlighted in several of the stories in this spring issue.

Legions of students experienced the magic of radio broadcasting through Andover’s WPAA radio station—the first of its kind at a high school. You can read more on pages 12 and 92.

On page 16, Frank Zhou ’22 writes about his surprise and delight in combing through volumes of Andover’s history related to Chinese students. His research resulted in a fascinating scholarly paper that was delivered to the community this spring.

Boys’ varsity basketball coach Terrell Ivory ’00 had a different form of discovery, reinventing his coaching style and approach to basketball following a serious car accident in 2019. Read his inspiring story on page 18.

And in our cover story, “Saving Abbot,” (page 24) we shine a light on a special group of alumnae whose dedication, love, and determination culminated in a plan to restore and re-energize the Abbot campus after years of neglect.

What is something you have discovered—either in the pages of this magazine or through your connections with the Phillips Academy and Abbot Academy community? Send us a letter or email and we will share it in a future issue.

Best,

Allyson Irish Editor magazine@andover.edu @andovermagazine

“My mother’s courage gave us the hope and strength to survive, and then thrive in America,”

SOKHARY CHAU ’92

PAGE 36

INFORMATION CENTER PHOTO STUDIO MULTIMEDIA VISUAL

“I have been challenged many times since leaving Andover, but those early trials at PA laid the foundation for persistent, creative problem-solving.”

CAPT. ALEXANDRA BELL FARR ’13

PAGE 42

ELEANOR SHAKESPEARE

SPRING 2022

Volume 115, Number 2

ALL SCHOOL

8 Buzz 9 The World Comes to Andover 15 Bookshelf

24

DEPARTMENTS

1 Head of School 4 Voices 16 Student Perspective 34 Faculty Farewell 36 Alumni Up Close 38 In Memory Of 40 Philanthropy 42 At Issue 100 End Note

COURTESY OF ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, PHILLIPS ACADEMY 16

FEATURES 18

The Comeback Coach

After surviving a horrific car crash, boys’ varsity basketball coach Terrell Ivory ’00 credits his Andover family with helping him heal, and thrive.

24

SAVING ABBOT

How love, perseverance, and strong women protected a legacy for future generations.

14

ON THE COVER:

Artwork by Eleanor Shakespeare featuring photos from the Andover Archives, including (left to right) Elaine “Lanie” Finbury ’68, Frances “Frankie” Young Tang ’57, and Oscar Tang ’56