OakTree Times - Spring/Summer 2017 by Polytechnic School

SPRING | SUMMER 2017

OakTree Times

RENEWED FOCUS ON INNOVATION:

POLYSolves

Inside: Summer months offer unique opportunity to explore interests

OakTree Times SPRING | SUMMER 2017

Feat ure s: 10 Looking at learning in a new light

POLYSolves initiative encourages the Poly community to explore innovative ideas.

16 Beyond the classroom

Poly students take advantage of summer months to explore interests and career aspirations.

A P U B L I C A T I O N F O R T H E P O LY T E C H N I C S C H O O L C O M M U N I T Y

Departments: The Patio p.05 “Young Frankenstein” takes the stage ... third grade

OAK TREE TIMES EDITORIAL STAFF: Leslie Carmell, Director of Communications

strings ... AIDS pioneer talks with students ... Poly Pet

Michelle Feynman, Assistant Director of Communications/Photographer

and Hobby Show turns 100 ... and more!

Jennifer Godwin Minto, Photographer

CONTRIBUTORS:

In the Classroom AP Studio Art courses challenge students to develop

Nishat Alikhan, Pat Amsbry, Gretel Corsa, Amanda Edwards ’92, Susie Kim, Caroline Miller ’18, Alexandra Patzakis ’18, Katie Ward, Richard White

their talents in a new way.

Panthers in the Zone

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Friday Night Lights events garner record support ... Panther teams enjoy successful year

facebook.com/poly twitter.com/polytechnic twitter.com/polyalumni instagram.com/polytechnic_school

Poly Connections Alumni profiles ... alumni events recap ... Poly Fund update ... Class Notes ... In Memorium

P.S. Upper School math teacher Jack Prater shares how he brings his experience as an engineer at JPL to his classroom at Poly.

Head of

School

“Innovation” is getting a lot of buzz in the world of education these days. Not surprisingly, it has been championed by acolytes and scrutinized by its critics. Like “diversity,” “sustainability,” and “green,” it has become so ever present in our educational discourse that its meaning has been diminished or, at the very least, viewed increasingly skeptically by those who wonder if it is just a trend that will soon fade. I don’t believe that will happen. Our task this past year was to try to understand what we mean by innovation, where we see it at Poly, and what we can learn from others. We read a lot; visited schools and programs in New York, Boston, Atlanta, Northern California, LA, and Colorado; watched TedTalks; and asked a lot of questions. We challenged each other about the proper role and place of innovation in a school like Poly, and we learned to embrace the messiness of our task. At its root, the essential core of innovation is the willingness and courage to ask and explore some simple questions: What problem are we trying to solve? How does this work? How could this work better? Is there another way to look at this problem? Innovation isn’t always about technology, nor does it always need to be disruptive. Instead, it recognizes the intrinsic

HEAD OF SCHOOL MESSAGE

value of engaging our students in their work. Whether it is the Lower School Engineering Challenge, Mrs. Ward’s Build Rome in a Day project, the junior speeches, or the spring musical, when our students are engaged and held to high standards, they thrive. And we all know that when they thrive, they build confidence, and with that confidence, they embrace the next challenge with a greater sense of purpose. In his book, “Before We Sleep,” Jeffrey Lent describes a teacher reflecting on her work: “There were far worse things than to prepare youngsters for the world that would lie ahead of them. To prepare them for the day when, inevitably, that world would not make sense.” This passage captures so well and with such simplicity what motivates the very best teachers and schools that I have known, and it echoes beautifully the closing line of our statement of philosophy: “The goal of Poly is to have graduates prepared to meet the complexities of a changing world with confidence and good character.” Of course, innovation is only one lens, albeit an important one, for us to use in examining the promise of our mission. Polytechnic’s long history of recognizing the power of education to respond and interact with the changing times, new discoveries, and unfamiliar perspectives compels us to remain a “community of learners.” Our job is to make sure that our students always know who they are, even on days when the world does not make sense. Poly students certainly know where to start and how to do so with courage and integrity. For they have been taught well.

John W. Bracker

The

Patio

“Young Frankenstein” takes the stage The Upper School musical, “Young Frankenstein,” was a feast for the eyes and ears. Between the spectacular set design and outstanding performances, this year’s show brought to life (pardon the pun) a stage adaptation of the comedy genius of Mel Brooks’ legendarily funny film. In the story, the grandson of the infamous Victor Frankenstein, Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced “Fronk-en-steen”) inherits his family’s estate in Transylvania. With the help of a hunchbacked sidekick, Igor (prounounced “Eye-gore”), and his pretty lab

assistant, Inga (pronounced normally), Frederick finds himself in the mad scientist shoes of his ancestors. “It’s alive!” he exclaims as he brings to life a creature to rival his grandfather’s. Eventually, of course, the monster escapes and hilarity continuously abounds. This year’s musical was another don’t-miss for the books! ■

To see more photos of the performance, visit www.polytechnic.org/webextras.

T H E PAT I O

The

Patio

Third-graders take a bow

As part of Polyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Performing Arts program, students receive their first formal introduction to an instrument in third grade through the strings program. Focusing their attention on the cello or violin, students progress from first learning a new instrument in the fall to confidently debuting their skills in a concert for their parents and second-graders in May. Using a creative method of instruction, teacher Cheryl Scheidemantle showcases her studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; unique ability to do things like answer math questions or lie down at a certain part in a song, all while adeptly wielding their instruments. Bravo! n

See the third-graders perform at www.polytechnic.org/webextras.

T H E PAT I O

AIDS pioneer meets with Literature and Science of Disease class

This spring Dr. Michael Gottlieb, parent of Jill Gottlieb â&#x20AC;&#x2122;08, shared his story with the senior elective Literature and Science of Disease class. As an assistant medical professor at UCLA Medical School in 1981, Gottlieb was the first to identify and report AIDS as a new disease. Demonstrating their interest in how the story of the AIDS epidemic transpired, students engaged in a lively dialogue with Gottlieb, who shared with the class his experience in delivering medical care to patients and his thoughts about the current treatment of AIDS. n

The

Patio

Celebrating 100 years of the Poly Pet and Hobby Show

This year marked the 100th anniversary of the annual Poly Pet and Hobby Show. Along with the many traditional activities — the maypole dance, hobby and pet exhibits, and game booths — the PPHS added some exciting new features to the day. Boy Scout Troop 5 opened the event, just as they did 100 years ago, followed by the Upper School Jazz Band and the Dance Team and mascots who made a first-time appearance. Students lined up for the faculty dunk tank, and a special display of photos and memorabilia from years past was a huge hit. A special thank you to the dedicated committee members who made this year’s event a true celebration of a century of fun! n

See more photos from the day at www.polytechnic.org/webextras.

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The

Patio

Medieval times, Poly style Each spring, sixth grade students finish their year with Medieval Day, an interdisciplinary celebration that reinforces their study of King Arthur in English and the Middle Ages in history. At a workshop prior to the event, students create their own costumes for the event, and throughout the month of May, they work to prepare their contributions to Medieval Day: musical, dance, and dramatic performances; student-built catapults and sundials; and comic books on medieval personalities. Activities on Medieval Day include crafts, storytelling, medieval board games, bocce ball, an armaments demonstration, and jousting (on tricycles). Of course, the highlight of the day is the grand feast put on by the sixth grade parents in the “Great Hall” (aka, the Dining Commons, decorated with banners, candelabras, and goblets). See more photos from this festive day at www.polytechnic.org/webextras.

Above the fold: Journalist discuss their field with seventh-graders As part of the Middle School’s FLEX program, Poly parents John Horn ’78, host of KPCC’s “The Frame,” and Christopher Hawthorne, architecture critic for The Los Angeles Times, spoke about their lives as journalists when they addressed the seventh grade class in the spring. Hawthorne discussed some of his more recent assignments, as well as the role of criticism in journalism. Horn presented excerpts from several interviews, illustrating what it means to grab a listener by the ear. Students prepared questions, further prompting the two to share their career trajectories, including high points and controversial moments. In preparation for creating their own newspaper in their English class, the students also conferred with the editor and advisor of The Paw Print, Poly’s Upper School student newspaper, as well as a school photographer for tips, tricks, and advice.

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In the

AP art course inspires reflection and exploration Poly’s Upper School introduced two Advanced Placement Studio Art courses about six years ago so students could further develop their creativity in drawing or 2-D design with their college careers in mind. “The response of the students has been amazing,” says Arnor Bieltvedt, chair of the Visual Arts Department and course instructor. “There is a real need and appreciation for this kind of a rigorous and personal art experience at Poly.” In AP Studio Art: Drawing and AP Studio Art: 2-D Design, motivated art students work on portfolios for the AP exam. Unlike other AP courses that culminate in a written exam, these students submit a digital portfolio of 24 pieces of artwork and five original works for evaluation by College Board examiners in the spring. Each portfolio must reflect the student’s ability to utilize the elements and principles of design, use a variety of media, and express a sophisticated level of creativity. Recent Poly alumna Colleen Woo ’17 welcomed the challenge: “It was different than anything I had done before, especially as someone who had only been an athlete prior. Art was something I was just discovering, and I loved how it helped me express myself in a way I can’t through writing or anything else.” “What is highly unique about this course is that almost all of the juniors who take the class take it again their senior

Classroom

year, thereby giving them experience in developing two different portfolios,” shares Bieltvedt. “The students learn to manage their time well to meet various deadlines in the course and to stay focused on developing their personal concentration work. They learn to work as a team and to support each other.” Matthew Roychowdhury ’17 spoke to the rigors of the course: “This class challenged me to be consistent in my output in order to keep up with all the assignments. I think that consistency is useful to anyone who wants to create art in the future for work or otherwise.” In addition to class assignments, students are required to independently investigate an area of concentration that is composed of research, exploration, practice, and the development of an idea. “My favorite aspect of the class was the concentration,” Roychowdhury reflects. “The concentration is a series of pieces that all have a common theme and evolve from piece to piece … The concentration really taught me how to think about my art and what I want to convey.” Woo also enjoyed this aspect of the course: “My favorite part of the class was the freedom. It was entirely what we wanted to make of it, and it felt like my own class. In a way, it was a mandatory freedom of expression.” “AP Studio Art’s dual focus challenged me to improve both my figurative and conceptual skills,” says Matilda Berke ’17. “While I had anticipated the ease of elaborating upon a single idea to develop a concentration, I found myself being pulled in different directions. I ended up creating a pop art-inspired portfolio exploring voyeuristic portrayals of women in everything from stock photos to advertisements to classical paintings — in short, the images that compose the commonly accepted visual narrative of Western history. Being tasked with choosing a deeply personal interest and then investigating said choice through the medium of 2-D design was an incredibly taxing, yet ultimately rewarding experience.” n

See examples of the students’ culminating work at www.polytechnic.org/webextras.

IN THE CLASSROOM

F E AT U R E

POLYSolves:

NEW FOCUS FOR AN ESSENTIAL POLY VALUE AT POLY we acknowledge a quickly changing world and examine the skills our students need to be innovators who help spark and facilitate progress throughout their lives. Reaching back to our shared roots with Caltech in the 19th century, the school’s essential value has always been to empower young minds to discover new territory. The POLYSolves initiative began early last fall to study and improve how we cultivate students’ confidence and facility with technology, encourage their creativity as leaders across multiple disciplines, and foster their resilience through fast global change. With a dedicated faculty steering committee and independent consultation by one of the country’s preeminent experts on the innovative mindset in education, POLYSolves is a dynamic project focused on our campus and beyond. The group has traveled around the country to learn what other schools are doing well, read and shared many essential books with colleagues, and turned a keen eye toward “bright spots” at Poly where design thinking or innovation is already strongly at work. On these pages our faculty share some of the year’s happenings through the POLYSolves lens — studying each program or element of curriculum through the focus of imaginative problem solving.

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Three lines of code by Richard White, Upper School science teacher I was walking down the hall at school when one of my students called out to me, “Mr. White! I’ve got a program that calculates prime numbers in only three lines of code!” I laughed and asked him to bring it by later in the day to show me. “It’s just three lines!” he exulted, as if I might not have heard the first time, “and one of those is a print statement!” The student had taken an introductory computer science course with me during the first semester and from there had decided to sign up for an Advanced Topics course with a more abstract and challenging curriculum. Enrolling in this course requires instructor approval, and I had some initial concerns about how he might do in the course — he had just a few months of experience, and the curriculum would be a significant step up for him. While I didn’t want to set him up for failure, I didn’t want to dampen his enthusiasm for the subject either. I decided to approve his request to take the course. During that second semester, the student had occasional struggles in the advanced course, but so did most of the other students — a fact that one could easily attribute to this being the first time I’d taught the class. 12

PANTHERS IN THE ZONE

Ultimately, he made fine progress, due in part to his interest in combining his other interests with computer science. This extracurricular prime-finder activity that he’d chosen to tackle wasn’t the first time I’d seen him turn something he’d found outside of class into a piece of code. The student tracked me down again after school, laptop already open, ready to show me his code. And sure enough, there it was, a tiny little Python program of just three lines. And it worked! “What kind of algorithm is this?” I asked. It wasn’t the standard introductory computer science treatment of primes I used in my teaching. “This is ‘Wilson’s Theorem,’” he explained. “I learned about it on YouTube. It’s not very good for large prime numbers because it requires calculating factorials, but still … just three lines of code!” I thought about it for a moment. “I bet we could get it down to one!” “How?” he asked. “Do you remember Python’s ‘list comprehension’ syntax? I bet we can use that to make this a one-line program that calculates primes!” And so we did.

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>>> Last login: Sat Apr 29 09:05:01 on ttys000 rwhite@MotteRouge$ python Python 3.5.2 |Continuum Analytics, Inc.| (default, Jul 2 2016, 17:52:12) [GCC 4.2.1 Compatible Apple LLVM 4.2 (clang-425.0.28)] on darwin Type “help”, “copyright”, “credits” or “license” for more information.

>>> import math >>> [x for x in range(2,1001) if (math.factorial(x-1) + 1) % x == 0] [2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 59, 61, 67, 71, 73, 79, 83, 89, 97, 101, 103, 107, 109, 113, 127, 131, 137, 139, 149, 151, 157, 163, 167, 173, 179, 181, 191, 193, 197, 199, 211, 223, 227, 229, 233, 239, 241, 251, 257, 263, 269, 271, 277, 281, 283, 293, 307, 311, 313, 317, 331, 337, 347, 349, 353, 359, 367, 373, 379, 383, 389, 397, 401, 409, 419, 421, 431, 433, 439, 443, 449, 457, 461, 463, 467, 479, 487, 491, 499, 503, 509, 521, 523, 541, 547, 557, 563, 569, 571, 577, 587, 593, 599, 601, 607, 613, 617, 619, 631, 641, 643, 647, 653, 659, 661, 673, 677, 683, 691, 701, 709, 719, 727, 733, 739, 743, 751, 757, 761, 769, 773, 787, 797, 809, 811, 821, 823, 827, 829, 839, 853, 857, 859, 863, 877, 881, 883, 887, 907, 911, 919, 929, 937, 941, 947, 953, 967, 971, 977, 983, 991, 997] >>>

Just about every teacher I know will have his or her own lesson to be learned from this anecdote. It could point to the need for more free time in school so that students can find their passion. It could be a call for more access to teachers before and after school. It might be a testimony to opening up advanced classes or an encouragement to allow more students to take academic risks. A math teacher might read it as a need for us to teach more computer science in our math classes; a computer science teacher might claim that this demonstrates the utility of Python as an educational programming language. There’s some truth in all of those, I think. Every educator would like to find more ways to empower our students to find and follow the interests that inspire them. Some students find their passion more quickly or easily then others, but every parent knows the secret to helping kids flourish and grow: Throw stuff at them and see what sticks. Bedtime reading. Educational television. T-ball. Piano lessons. Play dates. Comic books. Board games.

AYSO soccer. Summertime concerts. Camping trips. Scissors, tape, and construction paper. Museum visits. An allowance and an introduction to budgeting. A Leatherman multi-tool. An electric guitar. A woodworking class. Batteries and wire. Dance lessons. Give students time, space, exposure to new ideas, and the tools to build on those ideas, and their curiosity will take care of the rest. They’ll find something that inspires them. The desire to help students along this path is a core tenet of the POLYSolves committee. We’re looking for ways the school can create conditions in which students can develop enthusiasm for an idea, a subject, or a project. And we’re interested in how we can create better opportunities for students to pursue those ideas, to study those subjects, and to build those projects. Inspiration may come from a classroom discussion, a math problem, a service project ... or even a YouTube video. Regardless of the source, the goal is the same: supporting students as they pursue their passions.

PANTHERS IN THE ZONE

Faculty study together: LAUNCH book club by Alice Lyons, Middle School Latin teacher

The first stage in project-based learning is delving into

based learning, discussed how we can best apply these

your topic, and this is where the POLYSolves steering committee started last fall in order to understand

pedagogies in our work, and mused on the roles of creativity, discipline, and problem solving at school and in

innovation in education. Each committee member chose a book or two on the topic and started reading.

the “real world.” We have been delighted to have time set aside to discuss a great book with wonderful colleagues,

After discussing books within our chosen books with the group, we began our next task: sharing what we had

and we are excited to engage more with our community.

learned with the entire faculty and staff. We selected four especially insightful books and made them available to our colleagues. For our campus book club, we wanted to read and discuss a book that was accessible, helpful, and applicable. “LAUNCH,” by A. J. Juliani and John Spencer, is a how-to guide for design thinking. It focuses on the LAUNCH cycle, a series of steps by which students create a project while learning, rethinking, and exploring a topic. This cycle helps students engage with their learning process and the world around them; it takes full advantage of student curiosity and teacher expertise. We loved this book because the LAUNCH cycle can be used in any discipline or grade, and the authors provide plenty of philosophical background and concrete examples. The book club meetings have brought together teachers and staff from across divisions and departments. We’ve shared examples of design thinking and project-

Engineering challenge for Poly’s youngest by Nishat Alikhan, Lower School science teacher The mission of Poly’s Lower School science program is to develop an understanding and love of science through hands-on learning. The best way to learn about and understand the world around us is to experience it — to be presented with a problem and try to solve it. The Lower School Engineering Challenge is one of the many avenues utilized to achieve this mission. The Engineering Challenge, renamed from the Engineering Fair that began nine years ago, is an opportunity for Poly’s youngest engineers to reflect on their prior knowledge and apply it to a new problem. Open to students in kindergarten through fifth grade, the program encourages students to develop their design thinking and to fully participate in the engineering design process.

To solve a problem, first formulate a problem. What does the process look like for a Poly student to become a leader who knows how to frame the question she wants to ask, as well as how to employ many tools to answer it?

To learn, first do.

There is no prior at-home preparation for the event itself. The students are provided a variety of opportunities to explore the world of science through mini-engineering projects completed in class. The idea is to help students establish a level of comfort with the concepts of risk-taking and the imagine-plan-create-test-modify-retest cycle that is encompassed in the engineering design process. This annual program was changed slightly two years ago when student teams were allowed to take materials home, create their prototype, and bring it back to school for testing. This process didn’t encourage students to engage as fully in the engineering design process. For that reason, the 2015-16 school year saw the Engineering “Fair” transform itself into the Engineering “Challenge” to engage each student from the question to the communication aspects of the cyclical process. This change has seen our student engineers appreciate the process of imagining potential solutions, planning and creating a prototype, testing the prototype, modifying it as necessary, and finally communicating their thinking and their most successful solution to their audience. The Engineering Challenge is an amazing experience and a purposefilled opportunity for students to engage in innovative, hands-on, mindson thinking and creating. As teachers, we see the persistence and resolve exhibited by the young engineers as they work toward the goal of the challenge. The more our Lower School students are exposed to experiences such as these, the more they become comfortable with taking risks, develop grit and resiliency, and take on their future challenges with delight. ■

Where can experiment and risk taking become more prominent features of Poly’s curriculum so that a student grows more able to take chances where her results are uncertain and the depth of her true understanding is cultivated?

To create, first envision. How can Poly open opportunities for every student in this community to imagine, explore, and show enterprise in designing his own path toward meaningful accomplishment?

The POLYSolves website offers a forum for regular updates, research, and discussion about how we reach our objectives for innovation in every grade level. Join the process! www.polytechnic.org/polysolves

Alumna Erin Annick ’14 learns how to properly process lab samples during her summer internship at the Lotus Clinical Research center.

Beyond the classroom: STUDENTS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUMMER PURSUITS The students, faculty, and staff at Polytechnic School have always been encouraged to actively engage in the quest for knowledge, and at the heart of our philosophy is the belief that activities beyond the classroom are integral to the educational experience at Poly. For many, the summer months provide a respite from the busy academic year and set the stage for such pursuits. “Summer opportunities of all sorts offer students the time and place to focus on a field they would like to explore further or the chance to immerse themselves in an activity with unfettered enthusiasm,” says Garine Zetlian, college counselor and junior/senior dean. “They may do something they are passionate about or discover something new that they like. The experiences

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the students gain from these opportunities are part and parcel of their personal growth and the expansion of their intellectual horizons.” Students often take advantage of the summer months to take on a job, participate in an internship, or pursue an academic or experiential program, including language immersion programs, activities in the arts, service projects with grassroots organizations, and even training in professions such as architecture, medicine, research, and public service. Whichever endeavor they choose, “the students are committing their summer to their own growth,” says Zetlian. When researching a summer opportunity, junior Ian Kim knew he wanted something more engaging most standard courses offered. He discovered Georgetown’s weeklong National Security and Counterintelligence Institute, where students learn about how the United States protects itself from the myriad threats present in the post-9/11 world. “I have always been interested in international relations and how countries interact with the world around them. With all of the threats present in the world, I am thinking about whether to be a part of the organizations and agencies dedicated to protecting people,” he shares. “I was fortunate enough to talk to people who work in the CIA, FBI, NSA, and other agencies. It was interesting to hear their perspectives and to be able to directly ask them about their work.” Although his days were packed with academic material, Kim says he still found time to make new friends and to have fun. Senior Alexandra Patzakis attended a program sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union as part of their Summer Advocacy Institute for high school students. The weeklong program is held at Georgetown and provides an opportunity for students to explore the complex nature of defending and advancing civil liberties and to examine the importance of these freedoms in our current society. Patzakis hopes to share her experience with her peers at Poly: “I am on the Upper School Outreach Council, and we have been trying to implement a service learning curriculum and to emphasize the innate social justice component/piece of community outreach. I hope that I can bring some knowledge and insight back to the USOC and to the greater Poly community.”

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Poly students are not the only people who benefited from earning opportunities this summer. The following faculty and staff also participated in some interesting options as part of Poly’s professional growth program: n

Ian Kim ’19 spent his summer at Georgetown’s National Security and Counterintelligence Institute.

Located within Huntingon Hospital, Lotus Clinical Research, a private medical research program specializing in pain management, has provided hands-on experience for about 30 Poly students and alumni over the past several years. The center is led by Poly parents Neil and Sonia Singla, who view the intern program as a unique way to share their message with students: “Neil and I both expected that after our medical residencies, we would have traditional paths as physicians. But a medical disability forced us to think outside the box,” Singla explains. “We started a clinical research organization after circumstances diverted us from our original path, and it turned out to be the most fulfilling career decision we could have made. I not only wanted to introduce Poly students to the practice of clinical research but also to teach them that life always doesn’t lead you down a linear path. I want them to have the resilience and imagination to innovate and forge their own future.” This summer, several Poly students, as well as a few alumni, interned at Lotus. Erin Annick ’14, a Chinese major with a double-minor in bioethics and art at Georgetown, who is planning to pursue a career in medicine, says, “I wanted to work at Lotus because of the opportunity to observe both patient interaction and the hard science of a lab,” she says. “I am also really interested in the ethics of pain management research. With the opioid crisis as a top headline, it’s exciting to feel involved in finding a solution.” “The program definitely pushed me outside of my comfort zone,” says Natalie Clark ‘18. “Halston [Harper ‘17] and I were able to stand right behind doctors while they performed surgeries. At first I was really nervous, but I actually found it to be really interesting.” “I wanted to create a meaningful experience for the interns … I wanted them to feel like they accomplished something,” Singla explains. “I remember being a medical student and feeling like I was mostly standing around, constantly in the way.” But the relationship is mutual, she says: “The interns help us remember the big picture. They have an energy and idealism that reminds everybody why we’re here.”

Poly’s Admission Department staff members — Kara Ramirez, Bobbie Jo Dobbs, Kate Austin, and Sally Jeanne McKenna — attended the 2017 Association of Independent School Admission Professionals Conference in San Juan Capistrano. World Languages Department cochair Maité Bernath visited Spain, where she observed a variety programs and schools in a search for innovative ideas, processes, and curriculum as part of her work with POLYSolves. Performing arts teacher Megan Foley attended a Habits of Musicianship Workshop. English teachers Laura Gershenhorn and Serra Leroy attended the Stanley H. King Counseling Institute, which offers a model of teaching counseling and listening skills to teachers, advisors, administrators, and other school personnel. Middle School history teacher Katie Ward attended the Dar al Islam Teachers’ Institute, which provides resources and tools to help the participants in teaching about Islam more effectively. Upper School math teacher Kristine Nakada traveled to South Africa, where she worked with the Teachers Across Borders South Africa, which provides teachers training to math and science teachers in rural schools. While there, she made preliminary visits to some schools and organizations with which Poly might be able to partner with for future Global Initiatives trips. Upper School English teacher Laura Marion studied the teaching of East Asian literature at an NCTA Workshop at Indiana University at Bloomington. Upper School History teacher Kristen Osborne-Bartucca learned about teaching the humanities through art at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Summer Institute. Performing arts teacher Danielle Pigneri attended a California dance and educators workshop.

Read about more some exciting student summer experiences at www.polytechnic.org/webextras.

Lower and Middle School librarian Alex Bryndzia attended the American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago.

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IN THE ZONE Friday Night Lights breaks records, supports athletic program

Members of the Poly community, including parents, coaches, faculty, staff, and friends made this year’s Friday Night Lights, the Panther Club’s annual fundraiser supporting Poly athletics, the largest and most successful event to date. The Cinco de Mayo-themed day of fun, friendly competition, and the celebration of Poly spirit was one for the record books! Perfect weather set the tone for an actionpacked day on the tennis courts, golf course, and basketball courts. The third annual Helicopter Drop was a popular way for the Poly community to get involved even if they could not attend an event.

The spectacular day of athletic events was capped off by the first-ever sold-out parent party. More than 300 parents from all three divisions celebrated Poly spirit under the stars while enjoying a sumptuous Mexican dinner, live mariachi music, a visit from the Poly Panther, a vibrant silent auction, and the Panther Club’s inaugural live auction. Working collaboratively with Poly’s Global Initiatives Alliance committee, the Panther Club also helped GIA raise funds in support of student access to Poly’s Global Initiatives travel programs. Many thanks to the Panther Club volunteers and supporters, as well as to the Poly Athletic Department staff and coaches who contribute to Poly’s successful athletic program. Proceeds from Friday Night Lights support athletic programming, equipment and facilities enhancements, student access, Poly spirit, athletic celebrations, Poly Wear, team wear and the Panther Store, and other initiatives to enrich the journey for all Poly students.

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To learn more about the Panther Club, visit www.polytechnic.org/pantherclub.

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The Class of 2017 had 18 studentathletes participate in 10 out of 12 seasons of sport, with four studentathletes competing in all 12 seasons. Matt Alison – Cross country (3), basketball (1), soccer (3), volleyball (4) Brady Carter – Football (4), basketball (2), soccer (2), baseball (3), track and field (1) John Genske – Football (4), basketball (4), volleyball (2), track and field (1) Lucy Harvey – Volleyball (4), water polo (4), softball (2), swimming (1) Josh Hee – Football (4), soccer (4), swimming (1), track and field (1) Charlie Jameson – Cross country (1), water polo (3), soccer (4), tennis (3), golf (1) Alex Khazra – Football (1), water polo (3), soccer (4), tennis (2) Julian Lang – Fencing (3), cross country (2), soccer (1), badminton (4) Jessica Lopez – Volleyball (2), soccer (4), track and field (4) Maddie Magee – Volleyball (4), soccer (1), water polo (2), softball (4) Chris Mathews – Football (4), basketball (2), track and field (4) Melissa McCarthy – Cross country (4), soccer (4), track and field (2)

Back (L to R): Charlie Jameson, Alex Khazra, Matt Alison, Chris Mathews, Brady Carter, Jack Wilson, Josh Hee Front (L to R): Jeffrey Silver, Maddie Magee, Kaylee McCord, Melissa McCarthy, Morgan Shafia, Lucy Harvey, Will McConnell, Zealand McLean Not pictured: John Genske, Julian Lang, Jessica Lopez, Mark Xu Will McConnell – Football (4), soccer (4), volleyball (4) Kaylee McCord – Dance team (8), softball (2), track and field (1) Zealand McLean – Water polo (4), soccer (4), tennis (2) Morgan Shafia – Volleyball (4), soccer (1), water polo (3), swimming (2), diving (2) Jeffrey Silver – Cross country (4), fencing (1), soccer (1), track and field (4) Jack Wilson – Football (4), basketball (2), baseball (4) Mark Xu – Fencing (8), badminton (2)

Panther teams fare well this year in league play and playoffs

teams earned the title of Prep League champions: Fall: football and girls golf Winter: boys basketball and girls water polo Spring: boys track, girls swimming, boys tennis, baseball, and softball

teams made CIF appearances: Fall: cross country, football, girls golf (as individuals), girls volleyball, girls tennis Winter: basketball, girls water polo Top: Students and coaches represent the four academic team championships at Angels stadium. Bottom: Girls water polo after earning CIF-SS Division 5 championship.

Spring: boys golf (as individuals), boys tennis, baseball, softball, boys volleyball, swimming, badminton (as individuals), track Of these teams, Panthers girls water polo earned the title of CIF-SS Division 5 champions, and individuals Daria Lenz and Tom Ambsry earned the title of CIF-SS Division 3 diving champions for the third year in a row.

Athletic teams recognized for academic success Poly’s success is not limited to the field, court, or pool. This year, five teams were recognized for their academic achievements. The CIF Southern Section awards teams according to their grade point averages within various enrollment categories. Poly is classified with other schools with an enrollment of 1,499 students or less. Four Poly teams earned the highest grade point average in that enrollment category: Football, boys water polo, girls water polo, and boys volleyball were named Academic Team Champions. In addition to these four teams, Poly’s girls golf team was selected as Women’s Southern California Golf Association Grant Winner, earning the second highest grade point average in the enrollment category of 1,499 or less. n PANTHERS IN THE ZONE

Poly

Connections From the president of the Alumni Association

As the school year wound down, another fine year for the Poly Alumni Association came to a close. For me, the end of the year is always an exciting time, as Alumni and Reunion Weekend events bring the return of so many familiar faces. An extraordinary number of alumni returned to campus this year, and it was great to see such enthusiasm! The Alumni Association always looks ahead for ways to connect the Poly alumni community. There are many opportunities to participate, and I hope to see you at an event next year — whether for Community Service Day, a Young Alumni event, or even the newly founded Cub Club for alumni with little ones. Also, look for Poly’s Head of School John Bracker in your area! He has been traveling with a group of Poly faculty to research how contemporary innovation practices can help inform the Poly curriculum, and he has held gatherings this year with alumni in cities across the country. With all of the exciting things happening, I am sad to say that my role as president of the Alumni Association is coming to an end. I have enjoyed this position immensely. My time on the Alumni Board has allowed me to give back to Poly — to help contribute to the longevity of our experience as alumni and to the ongoing strength of a Poly education. Moreover, I have been able to reconnect with old friends and learn about some of the amazing and diverse paths fellow alumni have traveled. I appreciate the conversations I have had with so many of you and all the energy the Poly community has displayed. I thank John Bracker, who is very supportive of the Alumni Association, as well as Katherine Vieser, Gretel Corsa, and everyone on the administrative team who makes everything run so smoothly. Most of all, I am so appreciative of the dedication of the Alumni Board — I worked with an energetic board with so much goodwill, generosity, and spirit! I thank them all deeply. Looking forward, I also get the opportunity to announce to you that Lori MacPherson ’85 will be assuming the role of president of the Alumni Association next year! Lori has been a committed board member for many years, and since her kids attend Poly, she is around campus quite a bit. Please say hello and talk to her about any ideas you have to expand the alumni experience. I have been proud to serve on the Alumni Board and to work with the Alumni Office staff in serving you. As always, we welcome your suggestions and concerns. Please reach out if you would like more information about how to get involved.

Thank you all again, and go Panthers!

Warren Techentin ’86

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Connections

Events Poly community holds bi-coastal Community Service Day On March 11, alumni and current school families joined forces for the second national Alumni Community Service Day in Southern California and New York. This year we partnered with The Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy, City of Pasadena, Mother’s Club, and Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, as well as KIPP Academy in New York. Enormous thanks to all volunteers for making the day such a success and to Kiley Robbins ’05, Poly’s New York regional representative, for her help in organizing the event. Please join us next year! n

Forging ahead, together: Seniors take part in Alumni 101 On the morning of May 26, seniors gathered to hear advice and insight on the transition from a Poly student to a member of the Poly alumni community. Tehmina Jaffer ’92, Blythe Parker Haaga ’01, and Jordan Gaffney ’04, all members of the Poly Alumni Board, alongside Interim Director of Alumni and Community Relations Gretel Corsa, generously shared their time to speak as this year’s panelists. The program covered a wide range of topics to help prepare the students with some real world advice. If you are interested in volunteering to speak with seniors at future Alumni 101 events, please contact the Alumni Office at alumni@polytechnic.org. n

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Events Alumni and Reunion Weekend 2017 Over the course of three special days each spring, alumni and their families return to campus and reconnect through a variety of events for all ages. This year, nearly 400 guests took part and brightened the campus with their spirit and affection for Poly. Events included the Alumni Roundtable, the 100th anniversary of the Poly Pet and Hobby Show, 50-Year Club dinner, class dinners, Alumni Family Picnic, and classroom visits.

Special thanks to all who attended and to the 2017 reunion committees! We are grateful to have such an extraordinary Poly family. n

To view more photos from the weekend, visit www.polytechnic.org/webextras.

C R A f t

#PolyDay2017 On April 28, #PolyDay2017 allowed the Poly community to virtually connect with each other and our campus. With almost 60 posts hashtagged across social media, the true spirit and diversity of the Poly family was showcased digitally. Check out the fun that happened on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and be sure to join us next year to make #PolyDay2018 even bigger! n

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Alumni Roundtable: The Future of Medicine Kicking off Reunion Weekend, the Alumni Association hosted the Alumni Roundtable that Thursday morning at Caltech’s Athenaeum with guests representing classes ranging from ’46 to ’13. This year’s program, “The Future of Medicine,” featured three distinct voices from within the medical field. Panelists included Sasha Kamb ’76, former senior vice president of discovery and research at Amgen Biotech; Bill Jameson ’82, managing counsel for Cigna HealthCare’s Western Region; and Shannon Thyne ’85, pediatrician, chief medical officer at Olive View – UCLA Medical Center, and professor at David Geffen School of Medicine UCLA. Poly parent John Horn ’78, host of “The Frame,” KPCC’s daily entertainment and culture program, was the moderator. n

Poly alumni gather coast to coast Poly regional alumni receptions and dinners are a unique opportunity for the Poly community to connect in different cities across the country. In January, Panthers met in Austin for a dinner to kick off the New Year. Head of School John Bracker and Performing Arts Department Chair Cynthia Crass drew a crowd of almost 50 alumni at the San Francisco Reception. Bracker and Crass then shared dinner with alumni in Palo Alto. Another dinner in the nation’s capital rounded out the festivities for the year. We look forward to seeing many more alumni throughout the United States in the next year. n

Alumni provide Upper School students breakfast before finals Amidst the flurry of finals and summer plans, students in the Upper School were able to relax for a moment and enjoy a Lucky Boy burrito feast. A favorite tradition among students, the breakfast is hosted by the Poly Alumni Office and Alumni Board members. This year, eight volunteers connected with students to hear the latest news around campus and wish their fellow Panthers success. n

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Philanthropy Poly students connect with supporters

I P o g s

fl c $

(L to R): Alumni and parents of alumni jump into classroom discussion with Upper School students before reunion events; Molly H. ’21 presents her persuasive speech at the 50-Year Club Dinner in April; Performing Arts faculty Tina Cocumelli and Alan Geier support spring musical leads Jamal Jaffer ’17, Maya Barajas-Tavera ’17, and Jeilani Rhone-Collins ’18 at the annual Virginia Pease Dinner; students perform choreography by Sarah Ohta ’17 for longtime Poly supporters in February.

Throughout the year, donor events bring together Poly friends from all walks of life and a variety of ties to the school. The undeniable common bond among guests is a belief in the principles of Poly’s mission, which are embodied through the interests and abilities of current students. Every year Poly students are enthusiastic about sharing their school experiences with adults whom they may not know but who come with eager interest to connect with the school. In the 2016-17 school year, the variety of presentations students and faculty made to Poly supporters included pieces by the talented Upper School Jazz Combo, a musical solo featuring proficient yodeling, 24

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an award-winning persuasive speech, and a studentchoreographed group tap dance routine. Poly alumni and parents of alumni also had the chance to sit in on Upper School classroom activities and discussions during Reunion Weekend, a favorite upclose view of today’s school programs. This contact between Poly students and members of the community who give in support of their education is a meaningful experience on all parts. n

For information on giving to Poly and donor recognition, visit www.polytechnic.org/supportpoly.

Poly

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Poly Fund – Success in new flexibility In the 2016-17 year, the school launched a newly designed Poly Fund. Our annual giving program now includes two options: traditional unrestricted support toward Poly’s greatest needs and the choice to make a gift in direct support of the budget of an existing program. Poly donors have responded to this year’s increased flexibility with even greater generosity — the total contributions through annual giving in 2016-17 passed $3.8 million, surpassing the year’s goal and setting a new bar.

The Poly Fund is essential to fuel the programs that define and enrich our educational community of Poly students and families, faculty, staff, and alumni. If you’d like to learn more about giving to the Poly Fund, please contact Elizabeth Shdo, director of the Poly Fund, at eshdo@polytechnic.org. To make a gift online, please visit www.polytechnic.org/give. n

THE POLY FUND: GROWTH THROUGH DIRECT GIVING TRADITIONAL UNRESTRICTED

DIRECT SUPPORT FOR EXISTING

YEAR

SUPPORT

PROGRAM BUDGETS

TOTAL

2016*

$3,270,865.00

$328,000.00

$3,270,865.00

2017

$3,290,000.00

$466.101.52

$3,756,101.52

*The 2016 Poly Fund did not include this restricted support, but is shown here for comparison.

$4.0 $3.5

$3.60 $0.33

$3.76 $0.47

Millions

$3.0

Direct support for existing program budgets

$2.5 $2.0

Traditional unrestricted support

$3.27

$3.29

2016

2017

$1.5 $1.0 $0.5 $0.0

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Class Notes

S I w l

J W C l

G I f c ( “

Congratulations to the Class of 2017!

R G g 6

The end of year brings the opportunity to welcome the Class of 2017 into the Alumni Association. Poly alumni first connected with seniors in an Alumni 101 session during Senior Week. Now that commencement is behind them, we say to Poly’s newest alumni, “Congratulations, Poly graduates, and good luck in college!” n

N W C

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Poly

Class Notes Class Notes editorial policy: The editorial staff gives preference to those class notes that come from primary sources. We reserve the right to edit class notes (primarily because of space considerations and occasionally for clarity). We do not have the resources to fact-check class note entries; therefore, we cannot be liable for inaccurate or false information that may inadvertently find its way into a class note. We thank you for your understanding. To submit a class note, send an email to classnotes@polytechnic.org.

1939-1959 Sue Felt Kerr ’39 I am still an artist at 92. I got my start with Miss Greenlaw, Poly art teacher of long ago. n Jean Patton Ashcraft ’50 We love living in Sommerset Retirement Community. We still travel quite a bit. I still love golfing, cooking, and gardening. n Glen Gustafson ’57 I continue to interpret aerial photographs for industrial pollution litigations and create drone videos for Catalina Island. (Visit www.vimeo.com, then search on “GlenGus.”) n R. Stanton Hales Jr. ’57 Glad to know that my classmates have gathered several times in celebration of our 60th reunion – sorry I could not attend. n

1960-1969 Nancy Flournoy ’65 We are very glad to be back on the West Coast, loving Bellingham. n

Connections

ALUMNI PROFILE

Bill Kingman ’56 by Caroline Miller ’18

What do Petula Clark, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Rowan & Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. all have in common? Bill Kingman ’56 has interviewed each of them during his time as a radio broadcaster on KOWL (where he is now an owner) in Lake Tahoe, Nev., where he has lived since 1963. Kingman’s life and career have included an eclectic and exciting mix of engineering, news casting, writing, and disc-jockeying. After majoring in communications and journalism at USC, Kingman began his radio career as an announcer at KPPC 1240 (now KROQ) in Pasadena. Along his journey between radio stations in Northern and Southern California, he received an FCC First Class Radiotelephone License and became chief engineer of seven stations in Reno and Lake Tahoe. Kingman has loads of stories to share, some especially exciting ones from Tahoe, where in addition to being chief engineer, he had fun as an all-night DJ on KOWL in the early ’60s. Performers at local casinos in Lake Tahoe were often available for interview, and Kingman met many of the hundreds of appearing stars. He recounts some particularly enjoyable nights with one singer who performed across the street from the radio station at Harvey’s Wagon Wheel Casino. The entertainer, age 19 at the time, passed time with Kingman between performances, “chit-chatting on the air, playing favorite records, and just having fun yuk-yukking.” Kingman comments that a few years later, this entertainer would have his name “in giant letters on marquees in Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe as the main showroom attraction: Wayne Newton!” In another interesting recollection, Kingman says that after becoming a showroom announcer for Harrah’s Tahoe, he was able to connect in 2008 with Poly classmate Stephen J. Cannell, who was a featured showroom speaker as a prolific TV writer and producer. Kingman raised his son and daughter in Lake Tahoe, and now post-retirement, he publishes articles and photographs about Tahoe history for Lake Tahoe News. Last April, Kingman attended the Poly alumni dinner — the only 1956 graduate in attendance! n

M O R E A L U M N I N E W S AT W W W . P O LY T E C H N I C . O R G

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Poly

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Class Notes

PROFILE

CONTINUED

Artistic alumnae reunite with teacher Alan Geier Pasadena’s Lineage Performing Arts Center, with founder and Artistic Director Hilary Thomas ’94, hosted a benefit performance featuring opera sensation Anna Christy ’94 and Poly’s long-time Performing Arts faculty member Alan Geier at the piano. The event came just a day after Poly bid farewell to Alan and celebrated his 38 years teaching Middle and Upper School students. Alan says, “It was a treat to make music with distinguished Poly alums. Anna and I hadn’t performed together since her senior recital at Poly some 20 plus years ago, and she picked two selections that we had done for that recital (a Mozart aria and a song from “Sweeney Todd”) — that was really sweet!” He was also delighted by the strong representation of Poly alumni, parents, and colleagues in the audience. Christy, a world-renowned soprano praised by critics in major U.S. cities and in London, Toronto, and online, said of her long friendship with Thomas, “We have always wanted to collaborate again as we did at Poly. To perform with Mr. Geier for the first time in decades was truly a touching and special experience. It was as if no time had gone by.” For Thomas, who teaches at Flintridge Prep in addition to her leadership in the artistic community and beautiful choreography through the dance company of Lineage, collaboration with her favorite fellow talents is a regular perk. Hosting old friends at the same time is even better. “We were so honored to dance to Anna’s beautiful voice with Mr. Geier’s accompaniment,” she said. As Geier described it, “This recital with Anna and Hilary was definitely one of the musical highlights for me in an already very eventful school year!” n

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Gay (Gabrielle) Groth-Marnat ’65 I am still living in my little paradise in Northern Idaho on Lake Pend Oreille. Lots of room with woods surrounding me and my shepherd, Miley, and two warmblood horses. I winter in Lake Havasu City, Ariz. My daughter and her family, including my two grandkids, ages 3 and 5, are an absolute hoot and such a joy. They live in Salmon, Idaho, where they work for Idaho Fish and Game and NOAA. n David D. Wright ’65 We moved from the Boston area to South Orange, N.J., to live near family members and New York City. Now reviewing the N.Y. Philharmonic and other classical concerts for www.newyorkclassicalreview.com. n

1970-1979 James S. Hutchinson ’72 Fully retired from social work with the state of Oregon. Enjoying Southern Oregon, hiking in the nearby woods, and painting Chinese literati-inspired landscapes. n Cheryl Nickel Prueher ’79 I am moving back to the Pasadena area after nine years of living in Northern Idaho (Harrison and Coeur d’Alene). It doesn’t get much more exciting than not having to shovel snow or worry about ending up on your *** on those fun, icy snow days. n Julie E. Cohen ’82 This year I had a new kind of Poly experience. The school that my son, Eli, attends has an unusual “winter internship” program: The school closes for two weeks in late February, and all students do fulltime workplace internships. Eli spent two weeks in Pasadena, living with my parents and assisting Poly second grade teacher Bordeaux Martin in the classroom. He had an amazing time, and when I came to bring him home, I got to visit, which brought back lots of great memories. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it out there again for the reunion due to other commitments. I miss seeing everyone! n

Poly

Connections

Class Notes 1990-1999

USC Rossier School of Education. She has been teaching sixth grade English at Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth for the past five years. She is now the English language arts curriculum coordinator for the Lower School. Laura married Kenneth W. Childs II on April 8 in Healdsburg, Calif. n

Colleen Verda Chien ’91 Read about how Colleen won the Young Scholars Medal by The American Law Institute at law.scu.edu/news/colleenchien-awarded-young-scholar-medal-bythe-american-law-institute. n Aaron Yang ’10 Class of 2010 friends recently celebrated the wedding of Aaron Yang ’10 and his wife, Ashley: Matt Morrish, Charlie Baxter, guest, Aaron Yang, Michael Newkirk, Nick Grover, Gordon Algermissen, and Schafer Chulay. n

David Rogers ’13 I recently graduated from Vanderbilt University and have been asked to join multiple Grammy Award-winning blues musicians Keb’ Mo’ & Taj Mahal’s upcoming world tour as the keyboardist and musical director. We’ve been playing all over the United States, including the Hollywood Bowl/Playboy Jazz Festival in June, as well as spending all of July in Europe. Performances include the Montreux Jazz Festival and North Sea Jazz Festival, among many others. I’m so grateful for the faculty, resources and wonderful opportunities provided to me by Poly throughout my whole time there. It really made a profound impact on me and my development. n For the latest in alumni

Andrea Uyeda ’91 Photo with fellow Poly alumni at the U2 concert at the Rose Bowl in May: Andrea Uyeda ’91, Jason Garcia ’91, Troy Pilalas ’91, Hilary Thomas ’94, Julia Bryson ’94, Susannah Poer ’90, and Caroline Magee ’91. n

2000-2014 Laura Reardon ‘04 Laura Reardon earned her bachelor’s degree in Romance languages and literature with an emphasis in French, Italian, and Spanish and cum laude in her field from Harvard University in 2008. After spending two years teaching English in Northern Italy, she returned to obtain her English single-subject teaching credential and master’s in teaching from M O R E A L U M N I N E W S AT W W W . P O LY T E C H N I C . O R G

news and events, visit www.polytechnic.org/alumni

Eric Yin ’12 Eric and his team at Rice University recently competed in the Design of Medical Devices Conference at the University of Minnesota and won the grand prize with their project, “Redesigned Pediatric Stent Removal.” They also took home the top prize at Rice University’s annual Engineering Design Showcase. You can read about it online at news.rice. edu/2016/04/28/powerful-magnet-givespediatric-patients-a-break-2/. n

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Poly

Connections

ALUMNI PROFILE

Amelia Sedano McDonald ’92 by Alexandra Patzakis ’18

Sustainable urban farming and “hyperlocal” healthy eating fill Amelia Sedano McDonald’s days — and many nights — as she tends her family’s McDonald’s Urban Farm in Altadena. Her passionate commitment and the pioneering mindset she brings to her family farm have bolstered the movement for healthy and locally grown food, sustainable urban farming, and the health of the community and environment. Growing up in a family that nurtured a garden and raised chickens, Sedano McDonald always had interest in plants and animals. She arrived at Poly in second grade, and perhaps as foreshadowing of things to come, Sedano McDonald remembers being the only kid to bring a pet chicken at the annual Poly Pet and Hobby Show. After graduating from Poly, she attended UC Berkeley and started to explore the foundations of urban and sustainable farming in an anthropology of food class. Sedano McDonald also became more expert at urban gardening while living in a cooperative house, preparing food from locally and home-grown ingredients for her housemates. Sedano McDonald has seen the movement of sustainable and urban farming increase exponentially over the past 25 years, and she is largely self-taught in many aspects of the growing field. She greatly enjoys connecting

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with people interested in the topic, including recently a current UC Berkeley sophomore studying urban farming. Sedano McDonald was excited when the student visited her farm in Altadena and shared with her some new and cutting-edge resources that were comparatively scarce when Sedano McDonald was a student. Her family is a significant part of her experience, each contributing unique talents and interests to raise their own meat, dairy, eggs, and produce. Recently, Sedano McDonald’s 10-year-old daughter, Charlotte, helped her goat give birth to twins. “We feel that it is meaningful to really understand where our food comes from and to help feed our community,” Sedano McDonald says. The family helped co-found a local chapter of the 4-H Dairy Goat project, which promotes the production of goat milk and provides American dairy goats to project participants. “We want our neighbors to know that we can rely on each other to be a least a small part of the source of their food.” The Altadena community has shown incredible support and enthusiasm not only for McDonald’s Urban Farm and their 4-H Dairy Goat project, but also for the hyperlocal produce and eggs available at the McDonalds’ farmstand at the monthly Altadena Farmer’s Market. The McDonalds have partnered with many organizations and schools to advocate for education in sustainable and urban farming. Sedano McDonald encourages Poly students and families to think about where their food comes from and how urban farmers with low- or no-fossil fuel delivery help the community. As a passionate innovator in the movement, she notes, “I am very much self-taught in this area, and I credit Poly with my lifelong love of learning!” n

Poly

Connections

In Memoriam

Dawn Herbuveaux Cobb January 16, 2017, Pasadena, California Dawn Cobb was one of Poly’s longestserving staff members, a devoted Poly parent, and friend to the community for more than six decades. She was born in Oak Park, Ill., the eldest daughter of bandleader and later NBC television executive Jules Herbuveaux and Jeannette McNulty Herbuveaux. In 1943, Dawn graduated from the University of Wisconsin, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. In 1951, she moved to California with her husband and their two daughters. Dawn began her affiliation with Poly in 1951, when she enrolled her eldest daughter in kindergarten. She and her husband divorced, and in 1959, Poly’s Headmaster Willis Stork persuaded Dawn to come to work as receptionist. She began by operating the PBX phone system and moved on to serve as registrar and as an indispensable assistant to Stork. Upon Stork’s retirement, Dawn fully assumed his duties as college admissions counselor. Over her quarter-century in that position, Dawn shepherded almost 2,000 Poly students through their transition to college, helping them envision their futures

as adults and writing beautiful letters of recommendation on their behalf. She played a significant role in the formation and activities of a Los Angeles area counselors’ professional group and was a valued member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. For many of her Poly years, Dawn was also the school’s liaison with the American Field Service students abroad program and was very helpful to this volunteer organization. A member of All Saints Episcopal Church since 1954, Dawn faithfully volunteered there for decades in the humblest of services — polishing silver, laundering vestments and communion linens, counting the offering basket donations, and knitting prayer shawls. After retiring in 2000, Dawn took up Pilates, through which she formed enduring friendships and which she continued up until just a few months before her death. She also served as a subject in the Alzheimer’s study at Huntington Medical Research Institutes, which gave her great satisfaction. Dawn considered Polytechnic School her second family, and generations of Poly alumni, faculty, and parents remember her in her roles as parent, college counselor,

and cherished colleague. Upper School English teacher Grace Hamilton wrote to Dawn at her retirement, “Thank you for your two sides: your unwavering professional demeanor and unfaltering integrity, and also your sense of humor and bit of naughtiness that sustained me.” At a gathering in Poly’s Founders Hall in February, many of her friends, colleagues, and family joined to celebrate her life. Dawn served as an upholder of standards, a keeper of memories; her memory was an archivist’s dream. All who knew her remember her generosity, warmth, grace, and style, her clear thinking, and her sense of humor, both of which flourished to the end. Dawn leaves behind sisters, Nanette H. Barber (Thomas) and Judith H. Sullivan (James); daughters, Quinlan Cobb Brown ’64 (Jonathan) and Candace Cobb McNulty ’65; grandchildren, Peter Brown (Jessica), Emily Carlin (Michael), Gillian Andrews ’95, Sylvie Andrews ’98 (Nick Adams-Wright), and Ariel Andrews Raupagh ’98 (Elliott); and seven greatgrandchildren.

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Poly

Connections

In Memoriam We extend our condolences to the families and friends of those listed below and hope this section assists those who wish to honor their Poly classmates and friends. Poly publishes obituaries as space allows when we receive notice that an alumnus/a or former faculty or staff member has died. If we have neglected to list someone, please send us biographical information, which we will print in a subsequent issue. Please note: Listings include those received through June 2017.

John H. Parke ’30

expertise in the garden, library, and art gallery. Betty volunteered

March 15, 2017, Springfield, Massachusetts

for more than 50 years at Huntington Hospital, where she was a

The Rev. John Holbrook Parke, 100, died at Loomis Lakeside at

fixture at the front desk and surgery lounge. She was active in the

Reeds Landing home. In 1916, John was born to the Rev. Hervey

Flintridge Guild of Huntington Hospital and twice chaired their

(

and Ethel Parke in the Emily Dickinson home in Amherst, which his

three-day horse show at the Flintridge Riding Club, helping them

family owned for 50 years. He graduated magna cum laude from

to achieve national recognition. At Caltech she served as house

Kent School and Phi Beta Kappa from Princeton University. After

committee chairwoman at the Athenaeum faculty club and was

attending Episcopal General Theological Seminary in New York

an early and generous supporter of the Summer Undergraduate

City, he was ordained to the ministry in 1942, the same year he

Research Fellowship program. Unofficially, Betty and Doug hosted a

married Joan Lee Cole from Dublin, Ireland. In 1944, John joined

succession of Caltech graduate students for Sunday night gourmet

the Army’s 65th Infantry Division as chaplain in the European

dinners cooked by Betty and stimulating conversations about

sector of World War II. Upon returning home, he served in parishes

science, Caltech, love, and life. Several weddings from this group

in Massachusetts; Newport Beach, Calif.; Scottsdale, Ariz.; and

took place in the Nickersons’ lovely backyard. She served on the

Falls Church, Va. For almost 10 years, he served as director of

Polytechnic School Board of Trustees and twice chaired the Poly Pet

the International Order of St. Luke the Physician, leading healing

and Hobby Show. The L.A. Zoo, Planned Parenthood, and many other

missions throughout North America and Australia. Following

local charities benefited from her energy and generosity. Betty was

the death of his first wife, John later married Eleanor Anderson

known for her superb organizational skills, voluminous reading and

in 1982. In retirement, they enjoyed traveling to China, Europe,

wide knowledge, firm moral compass, passion for education, love of

Australia, and New Zealand. John loved weekly bridge games and

western culture, art, cooking, golden retrievers, and quiet generosity.

attending the local theater and concerts. He is survived by his wife

She was predeceased by her husband, Doug, after 61 years of

of 35 years; sons, Richard, David (Janice), and Robert (Beverly);

marriage. She is survived by her daughters, Nancy Nickerson ’63

daughter, Emily Chase (Gene); and eight grandchildren and 13

and Kathy Nickerson ’73; son, Bruce Nickerson ’68; grandchildren,

great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by two brothers,

Elizabeth Burtis-Lopez ’85, Tracey Burtis Chavez ’88, Brian

Hervey and David Parke ’37, and two sisters, Mary Fairfield and

Nickerson ’96, Jeffrey Nickerson ’01, Jillian Nickerson ’05, Annie,

Priscilla Parke.

Zoe, Nick, and Emily; eight great-grandchildren; two great-great-

grandchildren; and her golden retriever, Zoe. Elizabeth Greenwood Nickerson ’35

February 11, 2017, La Cañada Flintridge, California

Douglas D. Coughran Jr. ’39

Betty Nickerson died after 95 years of wonderful life. In 1921,

November 13, 2016, Tucson, Arizona

Betty was born in Philadelphia and later moved to Pasadena when

she was 9 years old. She graduated from Scripps College, where

Corlette Rossiter Walker ’39

she met Caltech mechanical engineer Doug Nickerson. They were

June 5, 2017, Santa Barbara, California

married in the dark days of World War II after Pearl Harbor. She

Corlette Rossiter Walker of Santa Barbara, Calif., passed away

helped the war effort as a nutrition volunteer. In 1947, Betty and

surrounded by loved ones, on June 5. Her husband of 57 years,

Doug built the house that she loved and lived in for the next 70

Philip Doolittle Walker, passed away in 2009. Corlette was born in

years in La Cañada Flintridge. Betty was passionate about her

Stamford, Conn., on June 3, 1924, to Lawrence Fowler Rossiter and

garden, which won awards for colorful spring daffodils, tulips,

Gladys Armstrong Rossiter. In addition to Poly, she attended Miss

primroses, and 200 gorgeous rose bushes tended by her dear

Porter’s School in Conn. She received her bachelor’s degree from

friend and longtime gardener, Kanti Patel. Betty was a tireless

Stanford University and both her master’s degree and Ph.D. in art

volunteer, and she was generous with her time, organizational

history from Bryn Mawr. Corlette had a distinguished career as an art

and interpersonal skills, and resources. She was an overseer

historian at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She published

and rare triple-threat docent for the Huntington Library with

“The Anglo-American Artist in Italy, 1750-1820” and “William Blake

P O LY C O N N E C T I O N S

Poly

Connections

in the Art of His Time.” In addition, she enjoyed advising graduate

Yosemite, and racing his sailboat on the San Francisco Bay. He was

students in the UCSB Art History Department. Corlette is survived

also a member of the Bohemian Club. He leaves behind his wife,

by her daughters, Barbara Rossiter Walker, Laura Walker Ragan

Nancy; sons, Charles, Michael, Christopher, and Peter; daughter,

(Larry), and Melissa Walker Sokol (Jack). She is also survived by her

Patricia, and her husband, Gavin; grandchildren, Angelina and

grandchildren, Gavin Douglas McMillan, Walker Reynolds Ragan,

Haley; mother, Nancy; brother, Henry, and his wife, Meg; and older

and Sean Philip Sokol.

sister, Mary McNamara (Read).

John C. Sample ’44

Lewis Caulk Jr. ’72

May 1, 2016, Carlsbad, California

March 31, 2017, Orange County, California Born in Pasadena on Nov. 9, 1953, Lew was the son of the late

Thayer Conley Whitehead ’51

Lewis Jones Caulk Sr. and Sallie McAlester LaBonte. He grew up

June 2, 2017, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, UK

in Pasadena, attended Menlo College, and later moved to the

Thayer Conley Whitehead passed away after a short illness in

San Diego/Orange County areas. He was previously married to

Cheltenham General Hospital on June 2, at age 80. She was a

Laura Harris, and this union was blessed with two children,

dearly loved mum to Diana, Brian, and Jennifer and grandmother

Lewis III and Andrew. He had one grandchild, Landon, whom he

to Jack, Maddie, Chris, Jo, Laurence, and Lena. She was

adored. In October 2004, Lew married Deborah Johnson and

predeceased by her husband, Tim.

had been happily married for the past 13 years. He was a highly regarded builder/developer in Southern California and an avid

Jane Miller Chai ’53

yachtsman who kept a boat in Dana Point. Those who came in

April 25, 2017, Palo Alto, California

contact with Lew gravitated to his big smile and knack for

Jane passed away comfortably, peacefully, and on her terms. She

enjoying life. He was a gracious gentleman and will forever be

was predeceased by her brother, Frederick Miller ’50.

cherished by his family. He is survived by his wife, Deborah; sister, Sylvia (Bob); brother, Bruce (April); stepmother, Janet; and

Robert C. Jones ’55

a niece and nephews.

November 2016, Westlake Village, California Annalise Curtis ’14 Michael R. Stimson ’69

April 24, 2017, Glendale, California

December 9, 2016, Belmont, California

Annalise loved her family, friends, pies, cities, farming, and

Michael was born in Pasadena, the first son of Charles and Nancy

sunshine. Most recently, Annalise was living in Washington, D.C.,

Stimson. He spent his youth there; after graduating from Poly,

completing a political internship at EMILY’s list, working at a

he attended UC Berkeley, graduating in 1973. He studied law at

coffee shop, and taking classes through Hamilton College. She

the University of Texas for a year before moving back to the San

was incredibly happy to be finding her path in life and was looking

Francisco area, where he remained for the rest of his life. Michael

forward to a funded summer fellowship doing original political

married Nancy Norcross, and they had one son, Charles Norcross

research. At Hamilton, Annalise loved working as an EMT, booking

Stimson, along with his four stepchildren and two granddaughters.

concerts, and living in the CoOp. Annalise’s family and friends

During his teenage years, two of Michael’s hobbies were racing

remember her for her love, empathy, and genuine compassion

and working on cars. He established Pacific Performance

for others.

Motorsports, where he was an extremely talented machinist who specialized in Porsche, Ferrari, and other high-performance racing parts. He enjoyed spending time with his family, photography,

P O LY C O N N E C T I O N S

P.S. Jack Prater Before joining Poly in 2011 as a math teacher, Jack Prater spent 18 years as an aerospace engineer developing space-qualified communication and science instruments for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Outside of his engineering role at JPL, he has taught and lectured at various colleges and universities across the country. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Caltech and a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from USC. Prater has served on the girls and boys volleyball coaching staff since 2005 and is a mentor for the Student Athletic Leadership Council (SALC). He will co-chair the K-12 Math Department starting this fall. Q: What from your work at JPL have you been able to bring to the classroom? I think the most important idea that I’ve tried to bring over from my work in technology is don’t get stuck. When dealing with a problem, if one solution or approach isn’t panning out, try another. If that doesn’t work, ask a friend, colleague, teacher, boss, ask Siri, or search Google if you have to. Just keep working it. Realize that the solution may not be simple, and in the end, it may not be satisfying, but the resilience to keep searching is important.

Q: What has been your proudest moment so far as an educator? I’ve had a many proud moments as an educator, but the ones I notice the most are when nothing is actually going on. I try to create a comfortable environment for students in which they learn to trust and depend on each other. I hope I help them find joy in learning a subject that brings such consternation to so many. I once had two students who composed songs about learning math and they sang them on the way into math class each day. I also enjoy those moments when I “abandon” the students and they rally to support each other to achieve their goal without me.

Q: What is one thing on your bucket list? Not really sure I have a bucket list. I’ve done most of the things I want to do. The things I haven’t done I’m okay with not doing. Growing up surrounded by violence, I tend to not appreciate things I’m not immediately planning for. If I had to pick a place to go or something to do that I haven’t done before, maybe I’d maybe visit Yellowstone and share a picnic basket with a bear. Maybe take a cruise down to Puerto Rico to view the Arecibo telescope. Ooh, or visit one of the LIGO detectors. That would be cool. Or take a trek to the Atacama Desert in Chile to see the groundbreaking for the ELT [Extremely Large Telescope]. While I’m in the southern hemisphere, maybe fly over to Australia to see the reef before it’s completely gone. I guess when I think about it, there are tons of things that would be cool to do. If I get to them, that’s awesome. If not, it would still be okay. I try to find contentment in my daily life.

P. S .

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OakTree Times SPRING | SUMMER 2017

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Panthers in the Zone

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Class Notes and Alumni Profiles

P.S. with Upper School math teacher Jack Prater