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MAGAZINE SPRING | SUMMER 2017
LOVE NOTES FOR A
ClOSER WORL
DAYS IN THE LIFE #PINGREESCHOOL
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Pingree celebrates the Class of 2017
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CONTENTS SPRING | SUMMER 2017 VOLUME 4
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From the Head of School
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In the House
16 Love Notes for a Closer World 24 The Storyteller, the Scholar, & The Sportsman 30 Commencement 58 The Hedge Garden
On the cover: Alumnus Jonah Evans ’01 brings the Dear World movement to Pingree in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
PINGREE MAGAZINE EDITOR IN CHIEF Melody Komyerov ASSISTANT EDITOR Emma Fedor CONTRIBUTORS Jared Charney David Goff Catherine O’Neill Grace Miranda Nolan ’16 Reid Smith ’17 Grace Talusan Tom Underwood DESIGN
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PRINTING Hannaford and Dumas
DEAR SCHOOL It was a cold, gray day in January when Jonah Evans ’01 visited Pingree to share the work of his multimedia storytelling project, a mission of hope born out of the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Jonah was wearing a black T-shirt emblazoned with the words, “Dear World.” I love the possibility behind these two words, the name of Jonah’s project. They can be taken either as a salutation, as if we were writing a letter to our planet, or as a descriptor, an expression of our regard for this orb and its inhabitants. The greeting calls to mind the opening line of a well-known Emily Dickinson poem: “This is My Letter to the World.” In the poem, Dickinson asks her readers to share her love for “The simple news that Nature told, / With tender majesty.” As a school community, we are forever reaching for kindness and hope. These are the qualities that our mission and values encourage: we take care of each other, we respect each other, we learn and celebrate each other’s stories. When we are at our best, we embody the stately dignity that Dickinson asks us to consider. In this issue, you will read about myriad ways that Pingree students, faculty, staff, and alumni engage with our dear world — and our dear school. We salute our beloved teachers and friends, Steve Carey, John Glessner, Donna Maggio, and Alan McCoy, who have made an indelible impact on the culture and narrative of our school. Wishing you all time in the summer weeks ahead to celebrate the resonant lessons of these majestic stories. —Dr. Timothy M. Johnson
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Pingree Magazine is published twice a year for alumni, parents, and friends. We welcome your letters, story ideas, and suggestions. Please send correspondence to: Melody Komyerov Director of Marketing and Communications mkomyerov@pingree.org For alumni updates, please e-mail: Kenneth Aboagye-Adinkra ’12 Alumni Relations Officer kadinkra@pingree.org For advancement updates, please e-mail: Cara Angelopulos Lawler ’01 Director of Advancement clawler@pingree.org Pingree is a coeducational independent day school for grades 9-12. Dedicated to academic excellence and development of high personal standards, Pingree believes that a love of learning flourishes best in a diverse community that respects truth, curiosity, creativity, humor, and independent and imaginative thinking. Above all, Pingree strives to instill in its students integrity, decency, compassion, self-esteem and commitment to one another and to the world at large. Pingree School does not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, marital status, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, age, disability, status as a veteran or being a member of the Reserves or National Guard, or any other classification protected under state or federal law.
“I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite teacher here at Pingree. I have connected emotionally and intellectually with so many of them.” — Olivia Pena ’17
Support our Pingree teachers today with a gift to the Pingree Fund! WWW.PINGREE.ORG/GIVE
Kripa Philip ’18, Nina Lubeck ’17, Sam Johnson ’18, and Rachel Fonseca ’17 dance along to a live musical performance at the 2017 Spring Arts Festival
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IN THE HOUSE NEWS FROM CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY
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IN THE HOUSE
NEWS ROUND-UP A Taste of Pingree Over 200 guests attended this year’s A Taste of Pingree, a community fundraiser featuring tasting stations from local restaurants and a live auction. The event raised over $100,000 for Pingree students, access funding, faculty, and program.
Hamilton in South Hamilton A video of students performing their version of “My Shot,” from the hit Broadway musical, Hamilton, by Lin-Manuel Miranda, went viral this spring. Created to welcome newly admitted students to the school, the video quickly became Pingree’s most played video of all time. Watch “Hamilton in South Hamilton” on Vimeo or Youtube.
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World Domination
3 6,000+ 564 Pingree Robotics traveled once again to Louisville, KY, to compete in the Vex Robotics World Championship tournament.
HIGH SCHOOL ROBOTS WORLDWIDE BEGAN THE SEASON
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YEARS IN A ROW AT WORLDS!
EARNED A BERTH AT WORLDS
Breaking the Binary The Pingree Technology Department teamed up with developers from Veracross, the school’s student information system, to include the gender option of “non-binary” on all digital admission applications going forward. This important collaboration, spearheaded by Pingree, will allow hundreds of other schools to update their applications accordingly.
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Spring Arts Festival In Support of Diversity The Pingree Fellowship Program officially launches this fall with the hiring of two exceptional fellows in the History and Language Departments. The Fellowship Program seeks to provide talented, developing professionals from traditionally underrepresented populations with opportunities to teach, coach, and advise in preparation for a career in independent schools.
The Arts Department hosted its third annual Spring Arts Festival in May to showcase the talents of Pingree’s visual and performing arts students. The night included live readings from Pingree’s literary magazine, Pegasus, an art exhibit in the Bertolon Gallery, and instrumental performances in the Hedge Garden — a.k.a. the “Rock” Garden.
For more information, contact Fellowship Director Sara Tahir at stahir@pingree.org.
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Ready, Set, Row! Highlanders took to the waters of Chebacco Lake this spring to train as members of Pingree’s first-ever Rowing team. Thanks to generous donations from Friends of Pingree Rowing, the school now owns six rowing shells, two Boston Whalers, five cox boxes, and a storage trailer. The team has applied to the New England Interscholastic Rowing Association and hopes to begin participating in official competitions as early as next spring. Looking to support Pingree Rowing? Contact Head Coach Edward Kloman at ekloman@pingree.org.
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IN THE HOUSE
CREATIVE FREEDOM ARTIST AND POET JULIA POPE ’18 EXPANDS HER CREATIVE PORTFOLIO BY EMMA FEDOR
Walk into the Pingree Library Learning Commons and you can’t miss it — a stunning mural depicting the Pingree mansion in front of a starry night sky. The mural was painted by Julia Pope ’18, whose artistic talents continually awe the Pingree community. Her drawing, “Refugee,” recently earned her a Silver Key from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Pope also received a Scholastic Gold Key this year, but it wasn’t for her visual artwork; it was for her poetry. Pope admits that she didn’t immediately take to poetry. It wasn’t until she took “Creative Writing” with English teacher Michelle Ramadan and “Literary Forms” with English teacher Edward Kloman during her sophomore year, that her interest truly awakened. “Julia is first and foremost a writer who commits time to catalog life’s absurdities and wonders into poems that make a reader laugh and shudder,” says Kloman. “Her extraordinary capacity to seek out life’s contradictions in her poems contributes to her underlying wisdom as well as the sheer pleasure of her word choices.” Rather than setting specific time aside to write, Pope says her poems come to her in waves. She’ll get hit with one idea, write it down, and then more will keep coming. Wary of being constrained to a specific genre or form, she writes primarily in free verse and addresses themes that amuse or interest her, using imagery and perspective to convey meaning. “The creative freedom that comes with poetry is very liberating,” says Pope. In one year alone, Pope has already become an accomplished and prolific writer. Her work has thus
“The creative freedom that comes with poetry is very liberating.”
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far been published in Teen Ink, Moledro Magazine, The Daphne Review, Straylight Magazine, and Forest for the Trees. In addition to naming Pope the winner of their December 2016 National Haiku Contest, the editors of Teen Ink have bestowed her work with dozens of Editor’s Choice awards. She also won First Place in the Kubla Khan Imaginary Worlds Poetry Competition, and works as an editor at The Ember Press, where she is by far the youngest reviewer on staff. Despite this impressive résumé, Pope still refers to art and poetry as “hobbies.” Her professional ambition — aside from winning a Pulitzer in poetry — is to work as a biomedical engineer, studying diseases and developing biosynthetic technologies. She is a scientist, who excels in art and poetry, and plays on the Varsity Field Hockey and Tennis teams. We can’t think of anything more “Pingree.” P
IN THE HOUSE
Nick Soodik’s Bookshelf • Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin • Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte • Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates • Independence Day by Richard Ford • Jesus’ Son by Denis Johnson • Sula by Toni Morrison • On Boxing by Joyce Carol Oates • White Teeth by Zadie Smith • Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned by Wells Tower • Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
A LISTENER DEEP ATTENTION TO COLLEGE COUNSELING BY CATHERINE O’NEILL GRACE
Sometimes, life doesn’t turn out how you’d planned. When Nick Soodik, Associate Director of College Counseling and English teacher, was in graduate school at Cornell, he discovered that he loved being in the classroom — but as the teacher, not the student. “For most PhD students, that was the drudgery. But for me, teaching was the best part of the day. I didn’t want to spend the rest of my career doing research. And haunting libraries. I decided I really wanted to teach.” Soodik’s path curved again once he was in the workforce. “I was teaching English, and started college counseling. I thought I was going to like bringing Melville to the classroom, and it did excite me, but what I really like is hanging out with kids, and getting to know them.” Soodik says he finds satisfac-
tion in the one-on-one contact with students that comes with his role. “I’m interested in the tricky conversations, the counseling part of being a college counselor — the deep listening. When the process goes really well, it’s not about where they go to college, it’s about the sense of self-awareness that the college process can engender.” Today’s highly competitive admissions process — where decisions balance on the knife-edge of a few percentage points or a particular extracurricular activity — can be painful, he says. “We ask them to write these confessional essays where they express some authentic, core part of themselves. They reveal everything about themselves. They put their whole character in their application, yet [the decision is] not about them, it’s about the colleges’
priorities. It’s tricky, because I think it feels really personal to the kids.” When he joined the Pingree community, Soodik knew he wanted to keep a foot in the classroom. During the last trimester, he taught a senior seminar called “Fiction in the Apocalypse.” “The idea of the course emerged because there’s a surfeit of apocalyptic television shows, movies, and books in the 21st century. I’m interested in what sort of uncertainty in the world is creating this aspect of culture. The Hunger Games is a parable of what it’s like to be a teenager right now — applying to college, getting a job. My goal is for them to see connections among cultural phenomena, books, TV shows, and real world historical events.” Being in the classroom has helped Soodik get to know Pingree’s culture. “Kids here are so earnest and so genuine,” he says. “I love the emphasis on art and creativity, and the kindness of the students. I’m happy to be here.” Nick Soodik graduated from Northwestern University with a BA in English and earned his MA in English at Cornell University. P
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IN THE HOUSE
WINTER SPORTS This Winter, Pingree athletes tasted victory both on the courts and out on the slopes. After a nearly undefeated season, the Girls’ Varsity Basketball team officially became the co-champions of the EIL, earning the team’s first title since 2006. For the eleventh year in a row, Boys’ Varsity Basketball kept tradition by advancing to the NEPSAC Tournament once again. Outside, on the snow-covered slopes of Massachusetts, both Girls’ and Boys’ Varsity Ski teams finished second at the NEPSAC Championships.
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SPRING SPORTS Pingree’s Spring Athletics season proved to be one of great success for our Highlanders this year. Under pressure to maintain their reigns on the field, Pingree Lacrosse triumphed effortlessly, with Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse clinching the New England Championship for the third consecutive year, and Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse securing the EIL title for the second year in a row. Boys’ Varsity Baseball, too, won the EIL title for the third straight year. Perhaps the unsung heroes of the spring season, Boys’ Varsity Track won the EIL title for the first time in five years, continuing on to place third at New Englands, where the runners won four events and broke several personal and Pingree School records.
IN THE HOUSE
LOCAL LEARNING STUDENTS SPEND THE DAY EXPLORING GREATER BOSTON
Pingree’s inaugural Local Learning Across Borders (LAB) trips set off from Pingree to explore museums, businesses, nonprofits, and educational institutions in the Greater Boston Area this spring. The Local LAB program, led by Director and English Department Chair Jessica Moore, was created to complement the existing International LAB program, which has offered community members the chance to engage meaningfully with people, cultures, and languages different from their own through study exchanges and trips outside the US for the last five years. Students had the option of choosing from 18 different trips ranging from a visit to Google’s Cambridge offices, to a North Shore sustainability tour of area
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recycling, composting, and efficiency plants. Highlights from the day included a historical scavenger hunt along Boston’s Freedom Trail; a behind-thescenes look at curation, conservation, and framing at the Museum of Fine Arts; a workshop on the mathematics of origami at MIT; and a private meeting with Massachusetts State Senator Jamie Eldridge at the State House. With an emphasis on experiential learning, service, and community building, Local LAB affords students the opportunity to get off campus and take advantage of the many local resources available to them, fostering relationships with the people and institutions that make Greater Boston unique.
ALL AMERICAN BOYS Bestselling authors Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds visited Pingree in January to talk about their book All American Boys, a fictional account of two teenage boys — one white, one black — dealing with the aftershocks of a violent, racially motivated event in their community. The book was selected as this year’s Community Read and served as the focal point for advisory discussions in the fall. In a meeting with faculty and staff, Kiely and Reynolds encouraged Pingree faculty to embrace difficult discussions and to make an effort to normalize the language of race. They also offered strategies for approaching issues of race in the classroom and creating an environment where everyone’s voice is both heard and valued. Later, the community gathered in the theater for an all-school conversation. The speakers each shared personal anecdotes of having been confronted by law enforcement as teenagers, in doing so revealing the stark differences between the white and black experience. While on campus, Kiely and Reynolds also addressed student questions about how to enact social change, how to deal with feelings of anger inspired by stories of injustice, and the writing process behind All American Boys. New York Times bestselling authors Jason Reynolds (top) and Brendan Kiely (bottom) lead workshops for Pingree students and faculty.
THANK YOU, DONNA MAGGIO! Pingree offers a fond farewell and thank you to Donna Maggio P’05 as she begins her retirement this summer. Donna joined the Pingree staff as a front desk coordinator in 1995 and has since held key roles in Athletics, Auxiliary Programs, Parent Engagement, and Advancement. Her behind-the-scenes work over the years has been integral to the development and sustainability of Pingree’s mission. Donna’s sense of humor is unmatched, her commitment unwavering, and her support invaluable. We will miss seeing her face in the halls of the mansion next year. We wish her all the best in retirement. Cheers to you, Donna!
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ONE NIGHT IN NEW ORLEANS CHANGED THE LIFE OF PINGREE ALUM JONAH EVANS ’01. WITH HIS PASSION FOR STORYTELLING, HE CO-FOUNDED “DEAR WORLD,” A PROJECT WHICH HELPS SHIFT TRAGEDY TO HOPE BY GRACE TALUSAN
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did not set out to make people cry for a living,” says Jonah Evans ’01, Pingree alum and executive producer of Dear World, a multimedia storytelling project.
Dear World was born out of love. In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Jonah Evans ’01 was struck by the images coming out of the region. The disaster flooded 90,000 square miles and killed 1,800 people. He started volunteering at the national headquarters for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). That volunteer work became an opportunity for Evans to work for the NAACP as a project manager and housing policy writer in the area where he worked on housing projects in the Gulf Coast. As he watched the citizens of New Orleans rebuild their city from the ground up, he was inspired. He fell in love with the place and stayed. One night in a local bar, two things happened that changed Evans’s life for the better. The first thing is that he met the woman who would later become his wife. Secondly, in the corner of the bar, he noticed a man writing on people’s skin and taking their pictures. He walked over to investigate and met Robert X. Fogarty, who described his idea, “Dear New Orleans,” as an invitation for the city’s dwellers of all religions, races, languages, and backgrounds to write “a love note to their city.” Evans participated in the photo shoot and was deeply moved by what he experienced. He appreciated the project’s simplicity and its ability to have a lasting effect on the participants as well as the viewers. A few months later, Evans left New Orleans to attend the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University to study public policy, but he could not forget “Dear New Orleans.” He knew the project was bigger than the city of New Orleans and felt compelled to expand its reach. He contacted Fogarty about his idea and a month later launched Dear World at the 2011 Harvard Social Enterprise Conference. Dear World has since photographed over 50,000 people in 30 countries, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon, and Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees. Dear World has also led leadership development programs for reputable companies such as UBS, American Express, and AstraZeneca, as well as over 50 universities, including Stanford, Oxford, and Duke. It is this
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work that allows the Dear World team to advance their mission in places where people are dealing with tragedy, like Breezy Point, New York, an area severely impacted by Hurricane Sandy, and the Zataari refugee camp in Jordan, which houses over 200,000 Syrian refugees. By inviting participants to distill a message and share their stories with loved ones and strangers, Dear World transmits feelings of hope, connection, and meaning in a world that can sometimes feel full of bad news. It is a responsibility that Evans takes very seriously, and yet he feels little need to harness or regulate the movement, which has thus far grown and evolved in a very organic way. While the initial impulse for Dear World may have been to share “love notes,” it has since transformed into a project that connects people to their communities in a way rarely experienced before. Evans particularly enjoys bringing Dear World to college campuses. He’s noticed an “incredible hunger” that people have to spread positive messages and talk candidly about difficult issues around race, diversity, and mental illness. By participating in Dear World, students are able to explore their vulnerabilities, share their struggles and challenges through the stories that they tell, and in doing so, discover new connections between themselves and fellow community members. “There’s something powerful about holding up a mirror and reflecting back both the triumphs and challenges that people face,” Evans says. “They see better versions of themselves through their portrait and the stories they tell. I believe this can have a transformative effect on people’s lives.” In a world often saturated with filtered, curated social media content, Dear World breaks the mold by encouraging people to show their most personal, unguarded selves. The movement pushes beyond the veneer of what people usually share on social media, and inspires those who struggle with life’s challenges to be more open and honest about their experiences. It is a tool to find vulnerability and create more compassion in our lives. “We invite people to feel empathy for those different from themselves,” Evans says. “Through that, they realize that they are less different than they are alike.”
Students write messages of hope on their bodies as participants of the Dear World movement
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n January 17, as part of Pingree’s celebration of the memory and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Evans returned to the school with the Dear World team to lead the community in a day of conversation, art, and performance. Students, faculty, and staff were challenged to brainstorm on their own, and come up with a list of memories or narratives that were significant to their lives in some way. These broad lists were then narrowed down to specific details and stories, until each participant had arrived at a story that was completely unique to them. Community members later shared their stories in groups, and worked together to come up with distinct, unique messages to write on their bodies and be photographed by the Dear World team. While stunning and powerful, these photographs were merely postcards from the journey that the Pingree community took that day by sharing their stories. The connections that people built with each other will reverberate long after the last shutter click. “When people share personal stories, there’s a connection that is made,” says Dean of Students Len Williamson ’09. “I think everyone walks away with a deeper appreciation for each other.”
“Everyone has their own story. A lot of the time, it’s lying just below the surface, waiting to come to the top. And I definitely feel closer with the community after having shared my story.” —kole lentini ’17
Allie Attarian ’17 deliberately wore a red sweater for her portrait. As an adoptee from China, the color red — a color the Chinese associate with fortune and happiness — is especially meaningful to her. For her Dear World photo, she marked her skin with the words “Family is more than DNA,” and stood on stage at an all school assembly that afternoon to share the story behind these words. “I believe that everyone in the Pingree community has a story,” she says. “And this project was a success because everybody got to share their stories in their own unique way.” For Zach Rivard ’17, the best part of the day was the writing process. “It was true art,” he says. By writing on his hands, he felt a shift in his relationship with himself.
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Alexa Peters ’17
He thought of his hands as the art object itself. “Imagine making a sculpture out of glass and hoping it doesn’t break,” he explains. “That’s how I felt with what I wrote on my hands.” The markings on his skin felt like an invitation for others to ask him more about the reference. It’s an experience, he is sure, that he will never forget. “For me, this was a way of admitting to myself why I do things a certain way and how I ended up where I am today. I hope others found this experience as beautiful as I did, because I really think it was a day many of us needed, but were too afraid to ask for.” Alexa Peters ’17 wrote, “Soundcheck 1, 2, 3” to tell the story of her hearing loss and how she defied odds to become a singer. “At first, I felt shy to share my story,” she says. “I don’t tell many people about my history with hearing loss.” The process became easier as she listened to others around her share their own stories of struggle and triumph. She appreciated the focus on individual stories paired with the intimate act of sharing and mutual reflection. “It was nice to hear a different side of people,” she says, “to hear stories that I might never have known otherwise.” A few months prior to the Dear World visit, Omar Badr ’17 had a stroke. While he continues to deal with a new reality, he makes strides towards recovery every day. He referenced his journey by writing, “A Stroke of Genius,” on his arms with two thumbs up. He felt the space created that day at Pingree was very special. He had rarely been so open about his struggles before Dear World, fearing that vulnerability was a sign of weakness. “The program became a safe outlet for me to express my grief and learn more about myself,” he shares. “And once the day ended, I can honestly say I’ve never been so liberated, so free of something that once weighed so heavily.”
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s a Pingree student, Evans says he collected “an incredible box of tools to face the world.” He credits Mr. Erickson’s art class with teaching him “very early on about the power to make someone laugh and cry, and engage people when they least expect it.” He also credits Pingree for his continued interest in poetry and performance, both of which have been integral to communicating the Dear World mission. Pingree gave Evans a place to thrive, to experiment, and yes, to fail. He feels grateful to have learned the lessons he did here, developing the courage to follow his dreams. “Pingree allows students to create space,” Evans says. “These are powerful spaces that I certainly carry into Dear World.” P
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Zach Rivard ’17
Omar Badr ’17
Olivia Pena ’17
Kole Lentini ’17
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PINGREE CELEBRATES THE CAREERS OF STEVE CAREY, JOHN GLESSNER, AND ALAN MCCOY
THE STORYTELLER, THE SCHOLAR, & THE SPORTSMAN BY EMMA FEDOR PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID GOFF
"As an adult, I often reflect on the lessons I learned from Mr. Carey: work hard and always do your best, treat everyone with kindness and respect (including yourself),
The Pingree community gathered in June to
recognize the contributions and accomplishments of Athletics Director Alan McCoy, College Counseling Director Steve Carey, and History teacher John Glessner. Both Steve and John retired at the close of the 2016-17 school year, and Alan will be taking on a new, part-time role as service and civic engagement liaison in 2017-18. Words cannot express the impact that these three individuals have had on the people, mission, and culture of Pingree School. Pingree thanks Alan, Steve, and John for their years of dedicated service.
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be persistent, trust yourself." — Emma Chandler ’08
, THE STORYTELLER:
STEVE CAREY While recent alumni will remember him as their trusted college counselor, Steve Carey has worn several hats at Pingree. He came to the school in 1990 from Tabor Academy, where he worked for over 15 years, to serve as Director of Admission. From the beginning, Steve remembers recognizing Pingree as a very special place. He intuitively felt that it was meant for great things and sought to contribute in any way that he could. After two years as Director of Admission, Steve began to explore new roles, taking on a teaching position in the History Department and coaching lacrosse and basketball. Steve says he must have resigned from coaching Girls’ Basketball at least four times before he was finally released from duty. The team’s captains once cornered him in his office and demanded that he stay on as their coach. For anyone who knows Steve, stories like this one are hardly surprising. There are generations of Pingree students out there who are fiercely loyal to Steve and all that he offers as a coach, teacher, mentor, and friend.
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Steve joined the College Office in 2000 and began a long tenure of guiding nervous students and parents through the notoriously stressful process of applying to college. A difficult job for even the most seasoned of educators, the counseling responsibilities came naturally to Steve, who made it his mission to provide each and every student that walked into his office with the attention, respect, and support that he knew they deserved. As former students and colleagues will attest, Steve has always believed that when it comes to education, every student is worthy of our time and effort. As a counselor, Steve has consistently gotten to know the students he works with on a deeply personal level. Students and families who work with Steve rest assured that he will always be there to celebrate their triumphs and to offer guidance through the inevitable disappointments, even if it means taking a phone call after hours or driving in on a weekend. Steve is patient, yet tenacious; rational, yet optimistic. Never one to hold back his thoughts, Steve has gone to bat for countless Pingree students, approaching every scenario with a refreshing positivity that, despite forecasted doom and gloom, has never faded. Steve is a storyteller. He can tell stories for days about students and families he’s worked with, all riddled with ups and downs, and always told with a humorous slant. And just like the college process, you don’t always know where the story’s going in the beginning, but there is always a valuable lesson in the end, a tidbit of knowledge to carry with you as you navigate through life. As he prepares to embark on his retirement, we wish Steve the best of luck with his story, and look forward to hearing what new lessons he learns.
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THE SCHOLAR :
JOHN GLESSNER The son of a Harvard English professor, John Glessner was born in Boston, MA. His family lived in various parts of the US while his father served as a World War II Naval officer, before settling down at a dairy farm in Ipswich, MA. He grew up having regular debates and intellectual discussions with his parents over the dinner table, and would later attend Harvard, where he studied English literature. He claims a House Master at the acclaimed institution once commented that he’d seldom seen other students graduating with as mediocre a transcript as John had. If he’d been graded on his social life, John says, he’d have done much better. After graduating from Harvard, John was drafted into the Army during the Korean War, and served as a member of the Army’s Counterintelligence Corps. One of his primary duties was to interrogate soldiers who had returned from captivity at the hands of the Chinese army. John also recalls traveling to the Pacific to participate in the 1954 series of hydrogen bomb tests, spending six months on the Enewetak Atoll of the Marshall Islands and observing two atomic explosions. He will never forget the experience of seeing the sky light up at five o’clock in the morning, the sound of the blast noticeably delayed behind the flash of brightness. When John left the Army, he enrolled at Columbia Law School. He spent the next 18 years practicing law. Early on in his legal career, John worked in a supporting role for a legal team arguing a case before the Supreme Court, an enormous honor that taught him invaluable lessons about the US legal system. Though he spent nearly half his career as a practicing attorney, John says he was always more interested in the intellectual background of the law; he reveled in conversations and debates surrounding key Supreme Court decisions. John had also always wanted to teach, so in
“It is no exaggeration to say that, excepting my parents, no one has had as profound an influence on the course of my academic life and career as John Glessner.” — DR. KEVIN SCHWARTZ ’96
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1992, he took a job teaching in the History Department at Pingree. His children, Ian Glessner ’98 and Char Glessner Monié ’99, both attended Pingree during his tenure. Though Char only lasted a day in John’s class (John says she gave him too much attitude), he loved having her and Ian on campus and cheering them on in field hockey and lacrosse. Any student brave enough to have taken a class with John can tell you that, as a teacher, he is tough. Really tough. His notorious utilization of the Socratic method in the classroom has over the years induced many student tears. Alumni describe John as “intense,” “intimidating,” “stern,” and even, “scary.” But most of these former students, the very same ones who once sat in his classroom trembling with fear, also recognize John as one of the most inspiring, supportive, and profoundly influential members of their lives. While he was unquestionably demanding, he was always fair, showing students the respect they deserved and consistently giving credit where it was due. The number of alumni who directly credit John for equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed not just in college, but in their ongoing professional lives, is staggering. “Were it not for John Glessner, I would not be where I am today,” is a common refrain. In his time at Pingree, John’s goal has remained constant: to teach students how to think, and how to express themselves logically and coherently. He doesn’t care if they agree with him or not. But if they make a case for their position, he will applaud them. He is a great educator, mentor, and friend, whose acerbic wit, sharp intellect, deep wisdom, unwavering companionship, and melodic bagpipe skills will be dearly missed.
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“Alan McCoy’s guidance, support, and encouragement inspired me on and off the field. I often reminisce about springtime at Pingree, looking forward to being out on the field with Coach McCoy and the team.” — RICK PAINE ’83
THE SPORTSMAN:
ALAN MCCOY Alan McCoy came to Pingree in the Fall of 1978 when he took a coaching job with the Athletics Department. Alan coached soccer and lacrosse, both sports he had played at McDaniel College. He knew nothing about basketball, but when Pingree needed a basketball coach, he took that on too. By 1980, Alan was working full time, teaching history and directing student activities, in addition to his regular coaching responsibilities (“Dean of Dishes,” he and a colleague jokingly called it). Alan was soon promoted to Assistant Director of Athletics, and later, Director. Under Alan’s steady hand, Pingree’s Athletics Program has nearly tripled in size, going from just over a dozen interscholastic teams in the early 1980s, to 45 teams today. Alan literally built many of Pingree’s athletics fields with his own hands, spending weeks in the heat of summer with a handful of colleagues and students by his side, driving John Pingree’s tractor and laying the sod piece by piece. During Alan’s tenure, the school has also seen the construction of four new tennis courts, the Johnson Rink, the Fitness Center, and the recently completed Athletics Center. He has coached his teams to hundreds of wins, and has overseen a growing network of talented players, coaches, and trainers who have collectively made Pingree a highly competitive force in New England high school athletics. There are those who say that the Eastern Independent League would not exist without Alan McCoy. Beyond these triumphs, Alan has over the years maintained a uniquely sage perspective on the role of athletics in education that has helped to shape Pingree Athletics into the balanced, positive, and widely respected program that it is today. He has the uncanny ability to encourage competition and foster talent, while also keeping sports fun, a task evermore important in a world where stats, accolades, and college prospects have become the driving motivating factors behind many young athletes. His focus has always been on the students and not just the stars, but all students, competing across all levels. He is someone whom students and colleagues both trust and look up to, his sincerity evident in his ability to listen first and act after. Alan has consistently been a champion for Athletics, but never at the expense of other programs. A teacher himself, he understands the importance of educating the whole student, and has actively promoted opportunities for civic engagement within the Pingree community. Alan has been instrumental in maintaining the philanthropic traditions of the Chandler Bowl for Change with Concord Academy, and Pingree’s annual service learning trip to the Rosebud Indian Reservation in Todd County, South Dakota, is near and dear to his heart. His commitment and time-honored invitation to return with a new group of students, year after year, is a testament to his loyalty and his genuine passion for working with others. Pingree is excited to see what he does in his new, role as Service Learning and Sustainability Liaison next fall. P
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2017
Commencement
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The afternoon of Commencement brought with it soaring temperatures well into the 90s, yet the atmosphere remained upbeat and energetic as the seniors prepared to say goodbye to Pingree and begin the next chapter of their lives. Following the Invocation led by Dr. Zara-Marie Spooner, Dean of Community and Multicultural Development, and students Omar Badr ’17, Grace Beatty ’17, Pranav Veluri ’19, and Hannah Wilson ’17, Alexis Lynch ’17 read Pingree’s Mission Statement and Ilana Mack ’17 offered the official welcome. In his address to students, Head of School Dr. Tim Johnson reflected on the many changes the Class of 2017 lived through during their time at Pingree — the new Arts Wing and Athletics Center, renovations to the Dining Commons, a revised daily schedule, and the switch to trimesters, to name a few — and compared their journey to that of a gardener and its plantings, adapting to change and finding balance in the wake of environmental shifts and fluctuating weather patterns. In the “garden” of the Class of 2017, he explained, there are the magnolias that “grow around fragile plantings when weeds threaten,” and “take care of each other.” Mixed in are the “unconventional perennials, sprouting confident, sky-stretching leaves and crazy colors that defy description,” and the night blooming cereus, “the quiet listeners” and “watchful waiters.” “Each of you, as the unique plantings you are, will fly out of here today swept away to new places, as will all of us over time,” said Johnson. “In doing so, you each carry pieces of Pingree, the DNA of this place and those who surround you today.” After the presentation of the class gift, compost bins for the Dining Commons, by Olivia Pena ’17 and Nicholas Laezza ’17, Andrew Murdock ’17 took to the stage to introduce Lieutenant Colonel Jason Galui ’95, a Pingree alumnus and this year’s featured speaker. Following graduation from Pingree, Galui went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in economics from West Point and a master’s in economics from the University of Texas at Austin. An active member of the US military, Galui was stationed in Iraq in 2003 and later served as Special Assistant
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to the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, providing analysis and advice on issues of importance in Asia-Pacific, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. He became Advisor and Chief of Staff for Afghanistan and Pakistan Units in 2014, and served as Deputy Executive Secretary of the National Security Council during both the Obama and Trump administrations. In his address to seniors, Galui reflected on the ideals outlined in the Declaration of Independence, specifically the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. “Note that there is no guarantee of happiness,” said Galui, “just the pursuit of it.” He encouraged students not to expect happiness, but to do whatever was in their power to achieve it, honoring the journey along the way. Using his experiences as a guide, Galui offered three steadfast tokens of advice to seniors as they prepared to embark on their own personal pursuits. First, Galui implored students to be confident in their natural talents and in the abilities and tools they gained at Pingree, specifically the ability to think. “Critical and creative thought, both individually and collectively, are essential in reaching your potential and helping to make our world better,” he said.
Next, Galui shared the importance of embracing uncertainty. “Each of my life’s relative setbacks strengthened me, helped to change my perspective, and made me a better human,” said Galui. “Don’t fear failure.” He challenged students to be personally and professionally agile, and to accept the inevitable twists and turns of life. Lastly, Galui confided that if the Class of 2017 were to retain just one piece of advice from his remarks, he would want them to remember the importance of building and maintaining relationships. “Develop them, nurture them, and cherish them,” he said. “Put down your electronic devices and beware of all the social media distraction.” He emphasized the importance of face-toface interaction, and urged graduates to differentiate themselves from their peers by looking others in the eye and speaking with confidence, respect, and humility. “The world is an amazing place,” said Galui. “Go see it and participate in it.” Following the awarding of diplomas, the ceremony was brought to a close by Abby Dirks ’17 and Robby Shepard ’17, who sent the Class of 2017 off with a brilliant burst of biodegradable confetti, soaring into the sky in pure jubilation. P
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Baccalaureate
On the eve of Commencement, the graduating class was treated to remarks from two of their peers and two departing faculty members at the school’s annual Baccalaureate Ceremony. Pingree A Cappella performed the song “Everglow,” by Coldplay; members of Performing Arts Lab presented a song and dance to “Luxury,” by Jon Bellion; and Instrumental Ensemble closed with lead vocalist Lucas Filosa 17 singing, “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday,” by Freddie Perren and Christine Yarian.
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Senior Matthew Barrett 17 gave the first speech of the evening in which he praised the quirkiness of Pingree and its students, sharing his own experience of being welcomed despite his somewhat unusual affinity for all things related to World War I. Math Department Chair Christina Kennedy followed Barrett’s remarks by sharing a personal story from her youth through which she learned the difference between sampling and committing. “As you embark on your next step, I encourage you to sample,” she said. “But when you find something that clicks, slow down. Dig into it. Fully invest. Commit completely. Revel in the meaning you make...Sample, commit, embrace, repeat.” Lauretta Imuze ’17 discussed the importance of what she called, “glo-ing up,” or “a physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual upgrade of the you today.” She called
upon her classmates to look inside of themselves to better understand the parts of their personas that make them unique. “I know that all of you have a light shining in your souls,” she said. “Someone is going to change for the better because of you.” In the final speech of the evening, outgoing College Counseling Co-Director Steve Carey reflected on his own career, and the value he has gotten from working with young people, specifically the playfulness and energy that they bring to the table. He encouraged the Class of 2017 not to lose their sense of play in college, and cautioned them against climbing the metaphorical career ladder just for the sake of seeing what you can see. “There is value in life, career, family — to taking it all in,” he said. “Let where you are on the ladder resonante before you pop to the next rung.”
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REMEMBERING ROBIN
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The week of graduation festivities began with the tradition of the Senior Tribute dinner and the annual Awards Ceremony
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Congratulations
CLASS OF 2017
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SENIOR Tributes Following Pingree tradition, graduating seniors annually ask members of the faculty and staff to write tributes in their honor, highlighting their unique passions, achievements, and most cherished personality traits. These tributes, excerpted and published on the following pages, are read before the community at the Senior Tribute Dinner and again as students cross the stage at Commencement. As evidenced by the heartfelt reflections, commendations, and praise shared by their mentors, the Class of 2017 will forever be remembered for their artistry, intellect, compassion, and drive.
MUNA MAHDI ABDULLE
GABRIELLE CAROLINE ASSAD
ALLISON LIU ATTARIAN
Providence College
Syracuse University
St. Lawrence University
There’s never a dull moment with Muna. She exudes energy whether she’s dancing, acting, or with friends. That is what we love about Muna. She wants to do it all. —Mary Dyer
You hold a special place in our heart. Being a teacher is wonderful because of students like you. Your confidence both on the court and in the classroom has inspired us. —Lauri Perez
You have made the most of every moment, smiling that beautiful smile all the while. You found the inner strength to share not only your lovely singing voice with us, but also your life’s journey. —Meg O’Neill
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OMAR MOHAMED ABDUL LATIF BADR
MATTHEW JACOB BARRETT
ELIZABETH GRACE BEATTY
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Salve Regina University
He’s ruthless in the field, fearless on the stage, a sage in the classroom. Committed and confident, gifted and competent, stuffed with knowledge. We will miss him. —Michelle Ramadan
Matt has impressed us with his love of learning, enthusiasm for history, trove of trivia, musical talent, and ascendant academic performance. Ypres - jeepers, you have done marne great things. —Kristin Brown
More than wise words, you choose wise actions as witnessed through your organized joy, kindness to others, welcoming and informative tours and determination to, in your words, “do stuff.” —Kristin Brown
HANNAH CABOT CARRIGAN
TAYLOR FELICIA CASALE
CRIS CHEUNG
With High Distinction Sarah Lawrence College
Sacred Heart University
School of Visual Arts
If you were a poem, you’d be the poem to hold on rainy days when in need of escape, the poem to read when in need of light, of hope, of a reminder of just how beautiful the world we live in can be. —Michelle Ramadan
You have managed to win us all over. Your fierce competitiveness on the field is matched only by your sense of humor, warmth, and easygoing personality off of it. —Mike Wilmot
You figure it out, learn from it, create the meaning. The story must be told. It is all up to you. Hold on to those maybes, somewheres, signature shrugs, and that sweet spot between negative and positive. —Jason Ries
With Distinction Tufts University
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COMMENCEMENT 2017
ALEXANDER GUY KIRKHAM COLLISON
MARGARET ROSE CORCORAN
ANDREW MICHAEL COUGHLAN
Tulane University
Boston University
It’s rewarding to see the student you’ve become. As you prepare to leave Pingree, show the world the Rose we know: caring, appreciative, and full of promise. —Jon Gistis
You have embraced many opportunities at Pingree and have experienced a variety of things in life; from fencing, acting, and clarinet playing, to video-gaming and cooking. You are talented in many ways. —Sheng-Chu Lu
LIAM CONWAY CUSACK
ISABELLE ANN DAVIDSON
JARED CHARLES DENNY
Boston University
With Distinction Boston College
Syracuse University
Your calm demeanor belies the fact that your mind is in constant motion. Kind and thoughtful, resident philosopher and humorist, you have balanced true individuality with profound love for our community. —Anna McCoy
From Rosebud to Mont Tremblant, Izzy shared laughter and joyfully turned obstacles into triumphs. With her positive attitude and can-do spirit, what Izzy dreams will be more than just imagination. —Kristin Brown
You bring joy to others with your warm humor and perhaps your greatest gift to us has been that when you think something is funny, you laugh… and we get to join in. —Anna McCoy
With Distinction University of St. Andrews Historian, philosopher, musician, citizen of the world, your commitment to exploring the intersection of ideas and disciplines, your passion for truth engage powerfully. Can’t wait to see where you go next! —Carolyn Paczkowska
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KATHERINE EMILY DEPIERO
CHAD ANTHONY DICENZO
ABIGAIL SUSAN DIRKS
Syracuse University
Clarkson University
With Distinction Saint Michael’s College
Strong, confident and genuine. We admire her independence and quiet strength and watched her blossom into a talented, composed woman ready to take on the world. —Meg Farley
Down double digits? Give Chad the ball and watch him hit five straight 3-pointers. Whether it’s basketball, academics, or life in general—Chad knows when it’s time to get it done. Give him the ball and watch him work. —Len Williamson
You’ve been a model of grit, courage and most importantly, kindness. You’ve been mindful and taken care of us, in ways large and small, and our gratefulness is immense. —Jim MacLaughlin
RYAN F. DREHER
EZEKIEL EBIESHUWA
ALEX R. ERAMO
With Distinction Tufts University
Occidental College
Cum Laude, with Highest Distinction Pennsylvania State University
Your enthusiastic generosity is inspiring. A positive influence in the classroom, the halls, on the fields, in life; you remind us that happiness exists right here, right now. —Kathy Karch
You are wise, generous, independent, and resilient. Open-mindedness is what propels the peacefulness that you exude. May your life experiences allow you to continue to see the good in others and the good in yourself. —Lacey Alex
Sometimes you must just rely on your conviction, confidence, and commitment to say enough. With a profusion of all these gifts, you are an extraordinary young man who is unbound. —Jason Ries
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COMMENCEMENT 2017
JOHN MICHAEL FAY
SARAH ELLEN FIERY
LUCAS ARTHUR FILOSA
Boston University
With Distinction Northeastern University
With Distinction Northeastern University
Practical, pragmatic, persistent…You must have been the kid who always asked, “Why?” Generous and funny, and the crafter of a legendary ballot box, you have done something that means something. —Anna McCoy
You emerged into the spotlight as your “impressive talents as singer-songwriter” took hold. A good listener, mindful of others, ready to share your story. Devoted to family and a true friend. —Liz Taft
Legend has it that your performance of “Uptown Funk” was single-handedly responsible for the sophomore bump. A Renaissance man in the truest sense of the term, you are the poster child for Pingree. —Sara Tahir
RACHEL DUMAS FONSECA
MEGAN SEXTON FOYE
RYAN F. GIUNTA
With High Distinction New York University
Cum Laude, with High Distinction Amherst College
Bates College
How diligent in her studies, in her writing, how like a poet, in her dancing, how like a clown. A young woman of generous heart and infinite jest, who will soon be missed at this school. —Mike Gracey
What matters to you most is your kindness and concern for others. A children’s book can make you cry. A game of Pictionary makes you roar. Tough as nails, sweet as an angel. —Christina Kennedy
You’re a master runner, You’re a campaign gunner, You’re a fantastic friend, through to the end, We’ll miss you dear, but never fear. It’s true ‘cause you’re a Highlander through and through. —Sara Tahir
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OLIVIA GRACE DIENNO GRACEY
CALEB BENJAMIN GRANT
Cum Laude, with Highest Distinction Wesleyan University
Bennington College
MATTHEW CHETTRA JOHNSON GUBBINS
Behind those blue eyes lies a magical mind. Your giggle contains a universe of joy, and for those lucky to encounter it, echoes bell-like through the day, making all well and right in the world. —Carolyn Paczkowska
He thoughtfully crafts his world and navigates through it with passion and intention, enriching the lives of those he encounters. Put on your bandit hat, you are on your way to becoming your very own Fantastic Mr. Fox. —Mallie Pratt
Mild-mannered, unassuming, quietly taking care of business — inside class and on the soccer pitch. If there is a citizen in need, or a loose ball in the box, you leap into action. “You are the salt of the earth!” —Eric Olson
ANKUR GUPTA
BAILEY CATHERINE HOUGHTON
VICTORIA PALMER HOWARD
With Distinction Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Auburn University
Marist College
Does your brain ever stop working? You find so much to learn, but always with a calm, easy manner and a good dose of humor. Ultimately, Ankur calms us down, makes us laugh, and gives us hope. —David Medvitz
You are a woman of many talents: a competitive field hockey player, a gifted design artist, and an open-minded world traveler. Sympathetic and big-hearted, you have compassion for all. —Mary Brayer
Adventures and fun abound in your presence. Ultimately, your strong conviction, keen intuition, and passion for justice brings light, warmth, and transformation wherever you go. —Meg O’Neill
With Distinction University of Redlands
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COMMENCEMENT 2017
LAURETTA IGUERE IMUZE
ALONZO NZEADIBE JACKSON
JONATHAN CARDELL JALAJAS
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Saint Anselm College
Cum Laude, with Highest Distinction University of Southern California
You’re a true Renaissance woman who can wow the crowd with your intellect, onstage performances, or comedic talent. We’ll miss your bright smile, good humor, and always interesting conversations. —Jon Gistis
Flash man, hoop master, contemplative chronicler. The horizon arcs expansively like your smile, your mind, your possibilities, and your passion. You dream big. —Edward Kloman
You’re the one who gets excited about figuring out a physics principle. You combine leadership, academic excellence, playful curiosity, and a sense of humor into one easygoing guy. —Alec Burt
ANNA VIRGINIA KANEB
HOLLY VIRGINIA KANEB
MAXWELL JAMES KELLY
Cum Laude, with High Distinction Brown University
Syracuse University
With High Distinction Vassar College
A skilled and competitive athlete, you are a force to be reckoned with. A curious and innovative scientist, you never stop questioning. Your impressive intellect and willpower will take you far. —Mary Brayer
You enjoy taking risks and you have fun learning. Peers are drawn to your warm, easygoing nature. We’re fortunate to have worked with such a kind, caring student. You’ll be a great teacher. —Casey Finch
He is perceptive, creative, quirky, inquisitive and funny. Max consistently displays what he fundamentally is — a truly interesting human being. “Live life to the Max.” Wise advice indeed. —David Medvitz
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PETER ENRIGHT KELLY
GRACE MARIE KIRBY
KAJSA RUNKLE KIRBY
With Distinction Carnegie Mellon University
Boston University
University of Denver
Follow Da Vinci: “People of accomplishment rarely sit back and let things happen to them — they go out and happen to things,” so head into that dark, reach those stars, and keep us all lit. —Jason Ries
Among the many things we admire about you is your decision to consistently engage in demanding, rigorous course loads. This, combined with your dedication to quality work, served you well. —Ann Lyons
You are bright, pure, and intuitive, and attracted to mystery, magic, the irrational, the weird, and the wonderful. Your willingness to challenge yourself and strive for the highest heights is remarkable. —Merrill Thorpe
ALISON LOUISE KNOWLES
NICHOLAS JOHN LAEZZA
RUBY KEAN LAKE
St. Lawrence University
Connecticut College
Cum Laude, with Highest Distinction University of California, Los Angeles
Your hard work, heart of a poet, and Superman-like vision for success is a remarkable combination. We will celebrate your legacy in our cheers of commitment, friendship, and kindness. —Stacey Nicholson
You were born to stand in front of the Curtains. Leading our student body, you faced challenges and killed metaphorical monsters with kindness and commitment. This guy’s got it all! —Arlynn Polletta
Hurricane, tornado, one-woman tsunami, you’re a magnificent force of nature. You navigate your world with an open heart, untamed spirit and extraordinary intellect. —Carolyn Paczkowska
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COMMENCEMENT 2017
JACK WILLIAM LANDERS
JACKSON FRANCIS LATIMER
KOLE CHRISTOPHER LENTINI
Syracuse University
Saint Anselm College
University of New England
The man of few words, who speaks volumes through the grin he can barely suppress. As you leave, it’s safe to say if you were a meme, you’d be the Success Kid, fist clenched with determination. —Sara Tahir
Since joining our community, you have been a consistent and significant contributor. You are kind, a true upstander, willing to extend a helpful hand to those in need. —Ann Lyons
Warming audiences by sharing your hat, your story, and your songs with an honest abandonment, admired by all. Embrace the moments, seize every opportunity. —Thom Smoker
KATHERINE ELIZABETH LICHTEN
MADELINE MONICA LICHTEN
WILLIAM SAMUEL LIPTROT
With High Distinction Davidson College
With Distinction Davidson College
With Distinction Colgate University
An unwavering, stolid accomplished student, an outspoken devotee of rainbow sprinkles, a fierce training and riding competitor — we will miss your thoughtful presence and boisterous laughter. —Chris Grenier
You are regarded as thoughtful, supportive and a good listener. Your diligence, reliability, and efficiency are all qualities that will lead to remarkable accomplishments in your future. —Ann Lyons
Open, reflective, and kind, you are a trusted confidant. You own your mistakes and learn from them, gaining respect along the way. You enliven classrooms with humor. —Christina Kennedy
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JADAKYZ LOPEZ
NINA CORINNE LUBECK
CONNOR JOSEPH LUCEY
Providence College
Cum Laude, with High Distinction University of Chicago
Union College
You come by humor naturally, and style — that has never been in question. Continue to speak your truth. It’s time to take on the world, and the world is waiting. —Mary Dyer
While it’s hard to see what happens next, yearning for what may be is the magic. You have that magic. Hold onto that magic. Cue awesome... go! —Jason Ries
As gratifying as it has been to observe your cognitive development and self-confidence soar, it is your uncommon thoughtfulness and sensitivity that sets you apart. Go forth confidently. —Steve Carey
ALEXIS MARIE LYNCH
ILANA RACHEL MACK
JULIA MAE MACLAUGHLIN
Connecticut College
Cum Laude, with High Distinction University of Wisconsin, Madison
Occidental College
You leave Pingree as a ski team captain, league champion, standing ovation earning singer, awe inspiring artist, and friend to many. You have made Pingree a better place for all of us. —Jon Gistis
She sings, dances, acts, volunteers, and works as hard in the classroom as anyone. And she does it all with such humility, honesty, integrity, and enthusiasm. —Mike Wilmot
Devoted friend, patient artist, 90s fashionista, and the eye in a hurricane of brothers. Your unflappable calm, whether scaling a rock face or breaking a track record, brings serenity to those around you. —Anna McCoy
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COMMENCEMENT 2017
HANNAH ELIZABETH MARINO
SARAH BLISS MCGRATH
ALEXANDRA LOGAN MCNINCH
With Distinction Colby College
St. Lawrence University
University of San Francisco
You have earned our admiration for your quiet determination, your sense of purpose and drive as an athlete, your steadfastness on Green Team, and your honesty, generosity, and loyalty. —Meg O’Neill
Whether you’re giving gentle feedback on a partner’s essay or taking a wild pitch in the ribs, you exude, through a thousand decencies, the grace for which we’ll remember you. —Mike Gracey
Observant, perceptive freshman becoming confident scholar-athlete, wise and unflappable, determined and kind, reflective and witty, yours is a masterpiece. —Carolyn Paczkowska
LILI BAO LAN MITCHELL
ZACHERY JAMES MITCHELL
ANDREW S. MURDOCK
With High Distinction University of Richmond
Junior Hockey
Cum Laude, with Highest Distinction Bates College
Excessively modest, but exceptionally selfless. You are happiest when making others happy. Your wit and ability to make anything adorable with pen and paper seem effortless. —Skylar McAlpin
A twelve season varsity athlete and fourtime captain, you are known for your fiery competitiveness, dedication to your studies, and steady presence. You bring a focused persistence to everything you do. —Mike Posternak
On stage a vessel of light emerges to illuminate the inner monologue of your subconscious in a way that grips your every sense of being. That vessel is one of leadership, commitment, and passion. —Tennille Hahn
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JACOB JOHN MURRAY
CATHERINE ACADIA NETLAND
SARAH PRESCOTT NETLAND
Providence College
With Distinction University of California, Davis
With Distinction University of California, Davis
Gentle-man. Mur-man. Kind friend, caring son, supportive brother, paddleboarding guru, ethical citizen, your “glass-more-than-half-full” positive attitude is a constant compass for Pingree. —Tim Johnson
Dramatic entrances and sappy songs, fierce feminism and impressive accolades, courageous risks, mindful mistakes and happy endings. And so she goes. —Arlynn Polletta
With a heart of gold, you see the best in people and want everything for those you love. You observe the world with an open heart and connect through music and writing. —Arlynn Polletta
OLIVIA SOARES PENA
ALEXA BRITTANIANNE PETERS
CATHARINE COOPER PURCELL
With Distinction Bowdoin College
With Distinction American University
With Distinction Bentley University
You truly are “#PingreeSchoolGoals.” Your humble and inclusive spirit has made you a pillar in the community and you are an absolute rock star on and off the fields. —Lauri Perez
You strive for the best in academics and music, in swimming and track, and are a beautiful example of the power of perseverance. Never stop singing, never let anyone tell you no. —Thom Smoker
Those who have not looked beyond your calm, reserved and unflappable presence have missed a fiercely intense, independent, kind, and all around extremely rewarding person to know. —Jim MacLaughlin
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COMMENCEMENT 2017
BAILEY COLLEEN REGAN
ZACHARY RYAN RIVARD
SARAH PATRICIA ROMANELLI
Cum Laude, with High Distinction Fordham University
Connecticut College
Trinity College
Your poise, your grace, and the inherent respect you have for others are magnetic, and we always want to sit with you and be warmed in the glow of your radiant smile. Thank you for shining on us. —Jessica Moore
In two years you have become an engine of creativity and passion, be it the dance studio, stage, classroom, field, you brokered brotherhood and elevated our community. —Edward Kloman
Whether you’re expressing your thoughts in a classroom or enthralling an audience with a song, you have talents that must be shared; they are gifts that will enrich others’ lives. —Mary Dyer
EMILIA ADAIR RONCHI
JAYSON TYLER LUKENGU SANDERSON
NICOLE SCARFO
Providence College
Saint Anselm College
Providence College In true full circle spirit, your current teachers echo your 8th grade teachers, calling you a smart, insightful, confident student, whom the Providence professors will love. Well done! —Eric Stacey
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You bounded into Pingree with a beaming smile, ready for anything. Awesome athlete, profound poet, ambitious advocate, inventive improviser, you stretched yourself in so many ways. —Arlynn Polletta
You are a pillar of strength, a vision of calm, and a steady hand. You have balanced being a fierce competitor with the highest standards of sportsmanship, and faced challenges with grit and grace. —Anna McCoy
ROSE MEREDITH SHEEHAN Cum Laude, with Highest Distinction Mount Holyoke College
ROBERT THRUSTON THAYER SHEPARD Cum Laude, with High Distinction Colorado College
REID MCADAMS SMITH Cum Laude, with Highest Distinction Middlebury College
A soft-spoken yet tireless fighter for ideas, a queen of spreadsheets, a builder of recycling bin forts, and an authentic, compassionate leader who has made a positive, lasting impact on us all. —Meg O’Neill
Wild adventurer, loyal friend, mindful intellect, generous laugher, proudly nomadic, mountain bike racer, handle bar tumbler, genuine human being. Let’s go for a ride! —Edward Kloman
A young man of considerable focus and sharpness, zooming speed, balance, and depth. A wide-open mind of enhanced perspective and reach with raw abilities of knowledge, diffusion, and flash. —David Goff
AUDREY ELIZABETH ST. CLAIR
ROWAN MAY SULLIVAN
MATTHEW EDMONDSON SUNY
University of Dayton
Saint Joseph’s University
Boston University
Even-keeled and positive — peers and teachers are drawn to your warmth — always making time for a quick smile and hello. Your maturity and poise make you a subtle, yet powerful leader. —Casey Finch
Daughter, sister, friend, student, hockey captain extraordinaire, quiet artist. You craft poetic verses that “resonat[e] through the glint of nearby stars.” “Each captured moment / is one of a kind,” just like you. —Michelle Ramadan
The Suny Way — a mind set to intellectual wonder and contemplative quietude. A body set to athletic endeavors on fields of grass and ice. “You will find the way. The way will follow you.” —Edward Kloman
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COMMENCEMENT 2017
MARIALISA TERRANOVA
LYDIA FORBUSH-UMHOLTZ
ALIZA HELENE WALL
Cum Laude, with High Distinction Villanova University
Smith College
With Distinction University of St. Andrews
A confident young woman of marked accomplishment and genuine thirst for learning, Mia has consistently set and reset the bar high for her classmates, teammates, and teachers here at Pingree. —David Goff
The expression “fish out of water” won’t ever be used to describe Lydia. Having lived in India and studied on a sustainability farm in the California Sierra has only written the prologue to what is sure to be a fulfilling journey of discovery. —David Goff
A passionate commitment to social justice issues, an unfailing loyalty to friends and family, a gift for expressing yourself through the written word. Hold on to all that you are for the complete package is one-of-a-kind. —Mary Dyer
GRIFFIN PORTER WEBBER
EMILY JEAN WHALEN
KEVIN JAMES WHEELER
Roanoke College
With Distinction Emerson College
With High Distinction University of Miami
Mature beyond your years with a kind humility in your soul, no one has appreciated the magic of Pingree more than you. You live your personal mantra, “Earn Your Keep.” —Kirk Bishop
Your journey began as an observant freshman with so many mountains to climb. Through hard work and perseverance you let everybody know that you are a tremendously talented student-artist. —Arlynn Polletta
Your ideas and actions are just what we need to enjoy the wonder of our world. Athlete, artist, and academic, we now understand the brilliance of your playful nature. —Edward Kloman
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CONOR J. WHITE
NICOLAS JAMES WILES
HANNAH SAGE WILSON
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Lehigh University
With Distinction Bryn Mawr College
You were an inspiration to your teammates leading Pingree Boys’ Lacrosse to their first ever championship “Three-Peat.” Off the field, you are inquisitive, kind, and a consummate friend. —Kirk Bishop
You have charted your own course and found success through hard work and persistence. Along the way, you displayed both good humor and a worldly perspective. —Alec Burt
You are our Social Justice Superwoman, an award winning Upstander, a Pingree Pulitzer Editor-in-Chief, and Read-a-Thon champion. Thank you for your desire to make the world a better place. —Di Mathey
To our seniors: LEORAH MARIE WOOD With High Distinction New York University
“Your hybrid interests and talents as a class brought joy and life to Pingree’s soil. Dancing athletes. Robotic thespians. Scientific poets. You are filled with possibility.” — Dr. Timothy M. Johnson, Head of School
No matter the role or voice part, you demonstrated an attitude of grace, leading others to do the same. Joy just follows you wherever you go. We, and the world, are better for it. —Thom Smoker
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COMMENCEMENT 2017
CLASS OF 2017 BY THE NUMBERS
FOURTEEN Members of Pingree’s Cum Laude Society
SIX
GRADUATES will attend selective arts programs in the fall
40
Graduates have a sibling who attends or attended Pingree
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20
The number of different states where 2017 grads will attend college next year
See where all the graduates will attend at: www.pingree.org/matriculation
64 The number of different colleges and universities the Class of 2017 will attend
SIX Members of the Class of 2017 are Prep@Pingree alumni
15 Student-athletes plan to play collegiate sports
6
Graduates are National Merit Commended Scholars
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Students, faculty, and staff work together to sod the Pingree athletics fields
THE HEDGE GARDEN NEWS FROM OUR ALUMNI COMMUNITY
THE HEDGE GARDEN: ALUMNI NETWORKING NIGHT
Networking Night Boston area alumni gathered at the headquarters of Ideapaint, a business venture run by alumnus Jeff Avallon '02, in Boston on Thursday, May 18, for an evening of networking and conversation. Attendees had the opportunity to get their professional headshots taken by photographer and former Pingree history teacher Ned Jackson and
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participate in various networking activities throughout the night. This year's featured speaker was Eric Joyce '97, Assistant GM of the NHL Florida Panthers. Alumni Leadership Board Vice President Mike Nelligan '02 led a Q&A with Joyce, discussing his time at Pingree and the influence it has had on the course of his life and career.
PINGREE LEGACIES FIVE MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 2017 HAVE PARENTS WHO ARE ALSO PINGREE ALUMNI. DO YOU SEE THE RESEMBLANCE?
WELCOME BACK, CARA! Pingree is delighted to welcome back alumna Cara Angelopulos Lawler '01 in her new role as Director of Advancement. Cara returns to Pingree after a 12-year tenure at Harvard University in alumni affairs and development. At Harvard, Cara focused on capital, leadership, and reunion gift fundraising, forging key relationships with donors of varying ages, constituent groups, and giving histories. She possesses a wealth of knowledge in major gift fundraising, strategy development, and stewardship, and boasts a successful track record in alumni engagement and volunteer management. A passionate advocate of the Pingree School mission, Cara served as president of Pingree's Alumni Leadership Board from 2010 to 2013, during which time she was also an active member of the school's Board of Trustees. Cara has a bachelor's degree from Colgate University and a master's in higher education administration from Boston College. She resides in Marblehead with her husband, John, and two sons, Jack and Peter.
Jim MacLaughlin ’84
Julia McLaughlin ’17
Philip Lake ’85
Ruby Lake ’17
Whitney Thayer Shepard ’79
Robby Shepard ’17
Suzanne Csonger ’80
Katie Lichten ’17
Maddie Lichten ’17
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THE HEDGE GARDEN: IN MEMORIAM
IN MEMORIAM Kristen McGinley ’86 died on November 1, 2016 following a long illness. She was the loving mother of Craig M. Bowen and Jack H. Bowen of Ipswich and the beloved daughter of Paul J. and Cathleen (Carey) McGinley, also of Ipswich. Kristen graduated from Pingree in 1986 and Salem State University School of Nursing in 1993. She was a registered professional nurse who provided loving and sensitive care with understanding and compassion. Above all, she adored her two boys. Richard Dane Phippen P’75, ’78, ’80, ’82 died peacefully at his home on Friday, October 7, 2016. Dick married Susanne "Snooky" LaCroix (1927–2015), a founding member and former President of Pingree's Board of Trustees, in October 1951. Four of their children would go on to graduate from Pingree. He had a profound love of the outdoors and spent many happy weeks in the woods of Quebec and Northern Maine and on the salt marshes of Essex. His home at Hurdle Hill Farm and his family were most important to him. Robert W. Emmons Jr. P’87, ’90, beloved husband of Head's Leadership Council member Mimi Davis Emmons ’64, passed away on April 10, 2017. Bobby and Mimi shared a love of travel, which they did extensively over the years. Bobby was active in his
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community, serving on the Boards of the New England Deaconess Hospital, the Home for Little Wanderers, Brookwood School, and the Fiduciary Trust Company. He was a loving father, husband, grandfather, stepfather, and a true gentleman. Gilbert Ford P’92, ’94 a former Pingree Trustee, died Tuesday, January 10, 2017. After serving in a variety of executive positions since joining Converse in 1961, Gilbert was appointed to be Chairman, President, and CEO in 1986. Prior to his years with Converse, Gilbert had an equally successful career in basketball. Gilbert played for the University of Texas from 1950-1954 and in 1986, he was inducted into the University of Texas Longhorn Hall of Honor. After graduation he served in the Air Force and played on the 1956 All Air Force Team and the All Armed Forces Team, which qualified for the 1956 Olympic Trials. He was selected to be a member of the 1956 US Olympic Basketball Team, which won the Gold Medal at the Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia. Isabel Barton Young ’81 died unexpectedly on Thursday, April 20, 2017, in Washington, DC. “Izzy” graduated from Pingree in 1981 and earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from the University
Charles Percy Rimmer Jr. P’86, Pingree’s second Headmaster, passed away peacefully on May 30, 2017. Born July 11, 1926 in Liverpool England, "Charlie" grew up in Hamilton, MA and attended Groton School. After one semester at Harvard University he enlisted in the Army and spent two years in Berlin, Germany, after which he re-entered Harvard. Charlie came to Pingree in 1974 and remained Headmaster until his retirement in 1982. He stewarded the school through coeducation, the building of the Weld Gym, and the expansion of the Athletics Program. The consummate school person, Charlie was as comfortable in a math class as he was in a board meeting. Charlie's unassuming, considerate manner highlighted his dedication to helping those around him, including family, students, colleagues and friends. He had a quiet demeanor, and possessed a strong, reliable and generous character. He contributed to each community where he lived, serving on numerous boards and committees involved with education and conservation. Ailsa Steinert, former English teacher writes, "He quickly won the affection of the faculty through his selfless concern for students and teachers, and his particular quiet, wry humor. To the faculty, first among equals, a wise and experienced master teacher." Charlie is survived by his wife, Clare, and children, Christopher, David, Andrew, and Molly.
of Virginia in 1985. Izzy was a devoted and loving mother and wife. She enjoyed spending time with her family, especially outdoors. Izzy was an accomplished sailor and racer in boats of all sizes. She also had a passion for windsurfing. Together with her family, Izzy
visited 15 national parks and enjoyed many skiing trips in the winter and kayaking and hiking adventures in the summer. She embraced life to the fullest and brought joy to those around her through her sense of humor and her vibrant smile.
Your impact. Pingree’s future. Your philanthropy helps sustain the academic excellence that has been at the core of the student experience since the founding of Pingree School in 1960. Join the Pegasus Society, a group of forwardthinking individuals who strengthen our School by combining charitable giving goals with estate and financial planning goals.
Office of Advancement | Cara Lawler '01 | 978.468.4415, ext. 282 | clawler@pingree.org | www.pingree.org/giving
SAVE THE DATE PINGREE SCHOOL'S JAMES C. DEVENEY GOLF CLASSIC Monday, September 25, 2017 Myopia Hunt Club South Hamilton, MA To register visit www.pingree.org/golfclassic All proceeds support financial aid at Pingree School. Bringing the best and brightest students to campus and helping them to thrive, no matter their backgrounds.
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AILSA’S HOUSE PINGREE BUILDS REPLICA OF HENRY DAVID THOREAU’S CABIN AT WALDEN POND IN HONOR OF AILSA STEINERT
To honor the work, values, and love of learning that former English teacher Ailsa Steinert has shared with Pingree as a teacher, writer, colleague, and friend, the Pingree community has constructed a replica of the house that Henry David Thoreau built at Walden Pond in 1845. The replica house sits on the shore of the pond, offering shelter for quiet reflection, immersion in nature, spiritual awakening, and preparation for social and political engagement. Pingree celebrates Ailsa’s decades of devotion to Pingree by inviting students to read Thoreau — Ailsa’s transcendental hero — and contemplate his moral commitment to human freedom in an electronics-free space.
CONGRATULATIONS TO PREP@PINGREE CLASS OF 2017 GRADUATES! DESTINATIONS INCLUDE:
Colleges and Universities n Centre College Kentucky n Northeastern University n Providence College n Skidmore College n Trinity College n Tufts University n Wentworth Institute
High Schools n Abbott Academy Lawrence n Berkshire School n Beverly HS n Boston College HS n Central Catholic HS Lawrence n Essex Tech n Fryeburg Academy n KIPP HS n Leahy School n Lynn English n Notre Dame n Pingree School n St. John's Prep n Sparkhawk Academy n Swampscott HS
Prep@Pingree is Pingree School's nationally recognized, 12-month academic enrichment and secondary school scholarship program enrolling 75 current 7th and 8th grade students from Lawrence, Lynn and other communities. Learn more at www.pingree.org/prepatpingree or contact Program Director Paul Mayo at 978.468.4415, ext. 205 or pmayo@pingree.org.
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NonProfit Org. U.S. Postage Paid
Pingree School 537 Highland Street South Hamilton, MA 01982-1399 pingree.org
KEEP IN TOUCH!
Share your e-mail address with us. Join our “Pingree School Alumni” groups on Facebook and LinkedIn and follow @pingreealumni on Twitter and Instagram.
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N. Reading, MA Permit #211