OakTree Times - Fall/Winter 2013-14 by Polytechnic School

FA L L | W I N T E R 2 0 1 3 - 1 4

OakTree Times Inside: Q

Hollywood in the iPad速 age

Coyote ambassadors

Advanced Placement Chinese

Ensemble Act SHARING THE SPIRIT OF POLY MUSICALS

OakTree Times FALL | WINTER 2013

Feat ures : 10 Ensemble Act

Four artistic disciplines, more than 100 performers and technicians, and one loyal audience uphold Polyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s musical theater tradition.

18 Hollywood in the iPadÂŽ Age

Four alumni reflect on the past, present, and future of the entertainment business.

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: p.05 The Patio

Advanced Placement Chinese comes to the Upper

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

School … The War Photographers screening … Students

Michelle Feynman, Communications Officer/ Photographer

flock to fencing team … and more news from Poly.

Jennifer Godwin Minto, Photographer

CONTRIBUTORS: Amanda Edwards ’92, Irene Mason, Debbie Reed, and Thomas Sale.

In the Classroom

Gina Sabatella, Photographer

Second-graders discover international friendships with help from a few furry ambassadors.

ON THE COVER:

Cole Porter’s Can-Can (1970)

Panthers in the Zone teams qualify for playoffs ... 24 All-Prep League athletes

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Highlights from Poly’s fall athletic teams ... all Varsity

n Co ay St

... one Prep League title. facebook.com/poly twitter.com/polytechnic

Poly Connections Poly Events … Annual Fund at work … Class Notes … In Memoriam … plus alumni profiles: Eric Haskell ’69, Colleen Chien ’91, and David Wiseman ’99.

P.S. Upper School teacher and coach Chris Schmoke gives advice to his 15-year-old self and reflects on the meaning of Poly.

twitter.com/polyalumni

A slice of Poly life With this issue, we introduce a new format for the OakTree Times, one that emphasizes Poly’s vibrancy. On the following pages and in future issues, you will find a dedicated news section, The Patio; a close-up on teaching and learning called In the Classroom; multiple feature stories; athletic profiles and team recaps; and our new Connections section for alumni, parents, and friends. Given the daily life on our campuses—and the extraordinary pursuits and contributions of our extended Poly community—the OakTree Times inevitably captures only a slice of Poly life. Yet as that theatrical term suggests, when rendered faithfully, a slice of life can be representative and illuminating. In this issue, we put the limelight on the spring musical, a defining interdisciplinary experience treasured by many alumni and a tradition that

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These pages also highlight people and programs that make Poly a vital experience, and tell but a few of Poly’s compelling stories.

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continues to connect students across campus and across years. As we prepared this story, we received many more memories from alumni than we could include in the magazine. I encourage you to visit the Poly website to read them all and to see more photos from musicals past and present. These pages also highlight people and programs that make Poly a vital experience and tell but a few of Poly’s compelling stories. As the alumni participants in our recent entertainment roundtable (see page 18) discussed, we live in a time of abundant outlets for storytelling. We encourage you to listen to Voices of Poly on our website, follow our athletics on Twitter, or read about campus news online or in the pages of the OakTree Times.

Deborah E. Reed Head of School

HEAD OF SCHOOL MESSAGE

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Instructor Lois Chung, third from right, with Global Initiatives Program students in Beijing

Poly introduces Advanced Placement Chinese Language and Culture Poly’s Upper School Chinese language program has grown steadily since 2010, adding a new course level each year. This past fall, Upper School teacher Lois Chung offered an AP course, enabling students to take seven years of Mandarin, beginning in sixth grade. “We really believe in cultivating global citizens here at Poly,” says Chung, “and learning a language is one of the best ways to learn another culture. Especially for our students who have studied Spanish and know English— if they add Mandarin, they can communicate almost anywhere in the world.” The study of Mandarin demands many hours of practice and memorization, particularly because speaking

and listening have no relationship to reading and writing. “For students, it’s like focusing on two different languages at the same time in order to progress,” says Chung. For the eight students enrolled in Poly’s inaugural AP class, the challenge is invigorating. “We pride ourselves on the linguistic obstacles we overcome,” says senior Simone Abegunrin. “We write lengthy essays, we analyze movies, we talk about the college application process, we compare and contrast American and Chinese education systems. At this level, we are directly applying the Chinese culture to our own lives and seeing how Mandarin interacts with the world around us.” Q

T H E PAT I O

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Steve Kochones ’84 screens The War Photographers at Poly As part of Poly’s Global Initiatives Program, GIP coordinator and faculty member Rick Caragher invited Steve Kochones ’84 to discuss his film, The War Photographers, with the Poly community last November. The film was commissioned by the Annenberg Space for Photography and debuted last March with the exhibit WAR/PHOTOGRAPHY: Images of Armed Conflict and Its Aftermath. The film explores the work of six accomplished photographers who have documented conflicts past and present, in countries ranging from Afghanistan to Vietnam to South Africa. Kochones answered questions from students about his career, the process of filmmaking, how different cultures tolerate the depiction of war, and the men and women who serve as our eyes on the battlefield. Speaking to his Poly audience, he remarked, “Thank you for coming to take a look at this film—the first time it’s been screened at a school. It’s good to have it shown to the next © David Hume Kennerly generation—those who will lead the way we go in war and in peace.” Q

Read more about new faculty and staff at www.polytechnic.org/webextras

New faculty and staff join Poly Nineteen new faculty and staff members joined our community this year and recently completed their first semester at Poly. A distinguished and creative group, they bring a broad range of skills and experiences to the school. Among them is a former member of the Nigerian Olympic basketball team; a triple major in behavioral neuroscience, molecular biology, and biochemistry; and a volunteer counselor at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. Q

T H E PAT I O

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Students ﬂock to fencing team

Poly takes to the wilderness once again This past fall, Middle and Upper School students headed for the hills (and the ocean, desert, and rivers) for Poly’s annual Outdoor Education trips. The multitude of activities included mountain biking in Mammoth; sailing and marine science off Catalina Island; sustainable living at Jameson Ranch in Glennville; river rafting on the Klamath River; and backpacking to the Havasu River waterfalls in Arizona. Q

When English teacher and coach Laura Holmgren first launched Poly’s competitive fencing team, she thought the group would likely attract 10 or 12 students. Six years later, Poly’s team ranks as one of the largest in the area, with almost 50 students participating. They compete in United States Fencing Association (USFA) tournaments throughout the region, against both schools and fencing clubs that include fencers of all ages. “The great thing about fencing is that it’s not age-specific,” says Holmgren. “Sometimes the kids are matched against other students, but sometimes their opponents are much older. It’s also a sport where girls compete successfully against the boys, and it allows for many different body types. All of this makes for some great life lessons.” The USFA ranks fencers A through E (A being the highest), with the vast majority of fencers being unclassified. Last year, five Poly students earned their E rankings—an outstanding accomplishment and a testament to the maturity and dedication of Poly’s program and players. Holmgren describes fencing as “a very strategic sport—you have to decide quickly, on your own, how to respond to your opponent. There’s a counter move for everything, which requires a lot of analysis and problem-solving.” Perhaps this is one reason the team has attracted so many Poly students. When asked what makes her the most proud, however, Holmgren responds, “We have an outstanding reputation for our sportsmanship and behavior. Other teams and clubs are always asking us to tournaments because our kids are so gracious.” Q

“ We have an outstanding reputation for our sportsmanship and behavior. Other teams and clubs are always asking us to tournaments because our kids are so gracious. ”

Emily Gifford ’14

– LAURA HOLMGREN

T H E PAT I O

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Poly senior Ana Marie Acosta named 96th Rose Queen Last October, Ana Marie Acosta ’14 became the third student in Poly’s history to be crowned Rose Queen, joining Aliya Haque Coher ’95 and Jennifer Halferty Johnston ’97 who also served during their senior years. According to the Tournament of Roses, Ana was selected from more than 900 Pasadena-area young women who participated in the Royal Court tryouts, which focused on a combination of qualities, including public speaking ability, poise, academic achievement, and community involvement. At Poly, Ana is captain of the Varsity equestrian team and a cabinet member of the Girls Service League. She hopes to pursue a career in neurosurgery. Q

Fifth grade mercado doubles as food drive

Poly celebrates the 32nd annual Book Fair

Last November, fifth-graders participated in their annual mercado, or market, practicing their Spanish while “shopping” for a variety of donated food items. The fun curricular activity also has a positive impact in the community: With the food donations that Poly collected, 25 families at the Healthy Head Start program in Pasadena received a box full of staples and enough food to have a wonderful Thanksgiving meal.

Award-winning writer Cornelia Funke, author of the Inkheart trilogy, kicked off the annual Poly Book Fair last October with assemblies for the Lower and Middle Schools. Funke talked about the writing process and answered lively questions from her audiences. More than 110 families attended opening night of the Book Fair, and more than 50 books were donated to Mother’s Club via the third grade community service project.

T H E PAT I O

In the

Classroom

Learn more about the Coyote Project at www.polytechnic.org/webextras

Second-graders send coyote pals around the globe Three years ago, when Suzie Arther ’89’s second-graders were in kindergarten, they helped launch a unique learning network, the Coyote Project. The brainchild of Middle and Upper School art teacher Jim Barry, the project gives Lower School students a chance to connect with peers in places as far-flung as Mali, France, Cyprus, China, India, and Brazil. The project centers around a corps of stuffed coyotes sent from Poly to join other students around the globe. Arther’s class recently sent a welcome package to their counterparts in Senegal, the newest location to join the group. This particular coyote was well equipped for his journey: In addition to a class letter, Arther’s students created juice boxes, sandwiches, and other foodstuffs from paper, along with a book, blanket, and pillow to ensure the coyote’s comfort en route. To date, the Coyote Project has reached 11 countries beyond the United States. Using the project’s multilingual website, children share photos of themselves taken with the coyote, as well as coyote stories and photos of themselves acting out simple math equations with their fingers. “The goal is to get kids to communicate with each other and to feel like having friends around the world is a natural thing,” says Barry. “We use math as a communication tool because

numbers are the same in all languages.” Needless to say, anticipation runs high in Arther’s class whenever there is a return package to be opened or an email to be read from another country. Barry, who has a degree in anthropology and spent five years living in Senegal, personally makes all the international connections, sometimes through Poly parents and often through the work he does helping schools in other countries with their websites. In Arther’s classroom, the interdisciplinary benefits are enormous as well as a lot of fun for the children. “The project incorporates writing, reading, math, geography, map skills, art—you name it!” she says. “It prompts my students to ask all kinds of questions.” Second grade classes taught by Jenine Almahdi and Joanne Hwang also participate in the project. As a result, Barry estimates that at any given time, there are about a dozen coyotes traveling around the world. Says Arther of these furry emissaries and the connections they inspire: “It helps my students develop understanding, empathy, and compassion. They learn to see themselves in many different children and communities around the world.” Q

IN THE CLASSROOM

Above: Poly’s first musical, Good News (1961), included these “Varsity Drag” dancers. Front row (left to right): Joan Schirtzinger Palmer ’63, Holly Smith Jones ’63, Posy Anderson Smith ’64, Sara Eddy McCracken ’63; back row (left to right): Judi Kennedy Hersey ’62, Janice Finch Schumacher ’62, Nancy Kennedy Monjo ’63, Robin Riley Martin ’64. Right: Brenda Chen ’16 and Brandon Lew ’15 in On the Town (2013)

Ensemble On the evening of March 17, 1961, the curtain rose, literally, on what would soon become a community-wide tradition at Polytechnic School—the Upper School spring musical. The evening’s production, Good News, set on the fictitious campus of Tait College in the Roaring Twenties, tells the story of football star Tom Marlow and studious Connie Lane who fight and woo, surrounded by flocks of sorority girls and a horde of “big men on campus.” 10

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Act

FOUR ARTISTIC DISCIPLINES, MORE THAN 100 PERFORMERS AND TECHNICIANS, AND ONE LOYAL AUDIENCE UPHOLD POLY’S MUSICAL THEATER TRADITION

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See more musical photos and read more alumni memories at www.polytechnic.org/webextras

The spring musical for 2014 will be Cole Porter’s Kiss Me Kate. Poly previously produced the show in 1996 and 2004 (pictured, with Lauren Libaw ’05 as Lilli Vanessi and Ryan Braun ’04 as Fred Graham).

The original program in the Poly archives shows a large cast of principal characters supported by no less than three choruses totaling 40 students. Another 21 students served as set builders, stage crew, and other supporters. The faculty production staff included Vivian Young, who led Poly’s theater department for 33 years, along with other teachers who oversaw music, technical direction, art direction, and programs. Three parent committees assisted in the areas of scenery, choreography, and costumes and props. From the very beginning, Poly’s Upper School musical was an ensemble effort. Today, that spirit continues, supported by robust programs in theater, vocal music, orchestral music, dance, and design. Each spring, a quarter of the Upper School student body participates in the production—as actors,

Bobby Burrows ’85, Eugene Bahng ’88, Ben Massey ’86, Jon Nalick ’85, Peter Koetters ’86 in Oklahoma! (1985): The first musical to be staged in the new Garland Performing Arts Center. The show was produced again in 1995 to celebrate the building’s 10th anniversary.

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dancers, set and lighting operators, front-of-house volunteers, and myriad other roles. A loyal audience of fellow students, Lower and Middle School children, teachers, alumni, families, friends, and even local neighbors make the play’s brief run an annual sellout. After 52 years, the Upper School musical remains a major highlight of Poly’s spring semester.

ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL The idea of the ensemble runs deeper than production statistics: It is the fundamental teaching tenet of Poly’s theater program. “We like to use a quote from Konstantin Stanislavsky as a touchstone,” says Performing Arts Department Chair Cynthia Crass: “’Love the art in yourself, not yourself in the art.’ Students hear that from third grade on. Whether we’re talking about a play, a dance production, or a concert, to be successful, the performers must give themselves over to what is best for the group. We spend a lot of time working on these ideas in rehearsal, and we hope it fosters some profound life lessons.” In many ways, the department’s ensemble commitment mirrors Poly’s larger commitment to service. Participants are encouraged to help each other in whatever ways they can regardless of their assigned roles. Costume repair and laundry, for example, are communal tasks throughout the show’s run. Students come to the theater to sew or iron during their free periods or on the weekends. Teachers also focus firmly on process before product. While the overall aim is to produce a good show, the true purpose of a Poly musical is self-discovery. The stages of planning, rehearsing, building, and performing a musical “ MY FAVORITE MEMORY IS OF THE MOMENT BEFORE EACH SHOW WHEN THE CAST GATHERED IN THE DRAMA ROOM. THE FEELING OF UNITY IN THE GROUP—SHARING FINAL NOTES, FOCUSING ON THE SHOW, AND ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER WAS EXTREMELY POWERFUL. ” —Stewart Dorsey ’02

offer countless opportunities for students to grow and learn. Broadway-style music challenges classical dancers and instrumentalists to expand their repertoires. Technical crews must transform a blank stage using both time-honored stagecraft techniques and solutions of their own devising. And the list goes on. “Adolescents are continually looking for ways to think about the world, investigate adulthood, and express themselves,” says veteran teacher Tina Cocumelli. “We try to offer them a safe place to take risks and to join in something larger than themselves. Hopefully it’s a defining experience that they will remember for years and years.”

Little Shop of Horrors (2009) featured a pit band instead of the usual orchestra. Left to right: Alan Geier, Eli Chau ’09, Kevin Geier ’09, Julian Albinski-Euler ’11 [in back], Rob Hayes, Austin Jenkins ’09.

MANY ART FORMS, ONE WHOLE Production of a comedy or drama requires a relatively small number of moving parts: director, actors, and technical crew. Musicals, on the other hand, bring together many different artists—actors, singers, dancers, instrumentalists, as well as technicians, all led by a team of directors in charge of different areas. By opening night, these disparate elements must come together as a whole. Poly is fortunate to have a veteran faculty team in place; most have worked together for more than 20 years. In addition to Tina Cocumelli, who generally serves as theatrical director, and Cynthia Crass, who acts as one of the principal choreographers, the group includes Alan Geier as musical director and Ria Kubota as orchestral director, with technical direction by Richard Sherrell and Tom Allard. This year, Danielle Pigneri rounds out the group as Poly’s new dance instructor. The team’s first challenge each year is to select a title, a task that requires extensive deliberation. Each teacher assesses the strengths and difficulties of any given candidate from the perspective of his or her particular craft. Together they arrive at a choice that will both challenge and capitalize on the talents of the current cadre of Poly students. “Over a four-year period, we aim to give students distinct experiences with four different types of musical theater,” explains Crass. “This year’s seniors, for example, did Beauty and the Beast as freshmen, a Disney fantasy show. They followed that with Sweeney Todd, probably

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Little Shop of Horrors (2009): Stage operators Aubrey Walker ’11 (who also provided the voice of Audrey II) and Bowen Zhang ’09 emerge to take their bows during curtain call.

Sondheim’s toughest piece. Then last year, we did Bernstein’s On the Town, an incredibly challenging show because most of the story is told through dance, and the music is really difficult. This year, we looked at our group and asked, ’What haven’t they done yet?’ We chose a Cole Porter musical, Kiss Me, Kate, that offers a ’play within a play’ experience [Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew], as well as a wide variety of music and dance—jazz, swing, folk, modern, tap. It will be great fun for both the performers on stage and the orchestra in the pit.” With a title selected, the production team must establish a style concept for the show. “The concept provides a touchstone for our individual work,” explains Geier. “When we did Sweeney, for example, we chose not

Guys and Dolls (1982)

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to be realistic. We wanted a very austere look. As a result, instead of using the pit, we put the orchestra behind a scrim so that nothing came between the actors and the audience. With a shared concept to guide us, we can each concentrate our specific disciplines and come up with ideas to help express the common goal.” Once a show is cast and rehearsals begin, the task of weaving together a complete production becomes even more complex. Actors must gracefully incorporate three different crafts—acting, singing, and dancing. They must explore the time period and the psyches of “ I WANT MY OWN CHILDREN TO HAVE SIMILAR EXPERIENCES ONE DAY…A PLACE WHERE THEY LEARN HARMONIES AND JAZZ HANDS, HOW TO ENUNCIATE AND STAND FIRM ON TWO FEET, UNDERSTAND HOW ENSEMBLE IS ANOTHER WORD FOR FAMILY. ” —Gillian Thomas Kessler ’92

their characters. Designers and stage crew must devise a way to evoke a basketball court in one scene or a church sanctuary in the next. Dancers must analyze choreography in minute detail, focusing not only on individual steps, but also on how to navigate a crowded stage without major collisions. Ultimately, everyone must come to

Guys and Dolls (1990)

understand the play as both a text and a living, breathing act of performance. “We see students apply the same intellectual curiosity and acumen as they do to all their Poly work,” says Cocumelli. “They come armed with extraordinary text analysis skills from their English classes. They bring historical perspective from their history classes. They divvy up the research and teach each other, whether about meat pies in 19th century London or navy bases in the South Pacific.” When opening night arrives, the audience may not realize they are watching hundreds of small ideas and individual creative choices made throughout the strenuous rehearsal process. “It takes a lot of compromise, a lot of generosity, getting it all to come together in a unified way.” says Geier. “But this allows our students to learn what it really takes to produce a great show. It’s not just about the creation of art— it’s about collaboration. You’re working together to create something meaningful and beautiful.”

THE GLEE EFFECT Over the last two decades, a major shift has taken place in theater programs at the collegiate level. Musicals, once eschewed as low-brow, now command major resources and attention. Institutions such as Michigan, Ithaca, Carnegie Mellon, NYU, UC Irvine, and others offer highly-compeititve musical theater programs attracting applicants from across the country. A major movement toward show choirs, a capella groups, and musicals has grown across the U.S., typified by television shows like Glee and The Sing Off. Given its 52-year history with musicals, Poly has long recognized the value of such experiences. “Poly has a century-old commitment to theater, as well as a strong musical theater tradition, thanks in large part to Vivian Young,” says Cynthia Crass. “Our costume collection dates back to the ’40s and was sustained by generations of parents. In the early years, they got together and sewed these rich and beautiful pieces.” Today Poly is the beneficiary of endowed funds that support replacement or strategic expansion of the collection each year.

Janna Wennberg ’14, Beauty and the Beast (2011)

Guys and Dolls (2005)

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The philosophy of Poly musicals has always been “Everybody Plays.” Before the construction of Garland in 1984, the small stage in what is now called Founders Hall could get very crowded. Shown here: the cast of South Pacific in 1971.

A milestone in Poly’s thriving program came in 1984, with the construction of Garland Center for the Performing Arts. Up to that point, musicals used the small stage in what is known today as Founders Hall—a complicated proposition with a cast of 60-plus adolescents. Among other features, the new center provided a generous proscenium stage, complete with an orchestra pit, technical sound booth, and wing space, as well as dressing rooms, scene shop, and costume storage. Since then, Poly’s performing arts program has only continued to diversify and grow. “When I arrived in 1979, I was the only music teacher for both the Middle and Upper Schools,” says Alan Geier. “I offered two classes and had four people in my first choir. Today, students are able to participate not only in an orchestra, but also

Jane Davidson ’11 and Katie Antonsson ’11 prepare for Beauty and the Beast (2011) in the Garland dressing rooms.

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in chamber music, Jazz Band, plus courses in music theory or appreciation. We offer four levels of dance. Theater coursework covers not just acting but things like playwriting and theater history. The popularity and success of the Upper School musical flows from an advanced, multifaceted program that has grown to be an integral part of Poly.”

TREASURED MEMORIES AND TRADITIONS Like so many Poly traditions, the spring musical builds community—connecting students, teachers, alumni, and parents across generations. In the early days, mothers and fathers, often Hollywood professionals themselves, volunteered to design scenery, gather props, or choreograph dances. Today, they continue to help out behind the scenes, mending costumes, doing hair and makeup, and feeding hordes of hungry cast and crew members on performance nights. The musical brings upper- and lowerclassmen together to work on a common project, and it creates bonds between the Upper School and the Middle and Lower Schools. During The King and I, younger students joined the cast to play the royal children. For The Music Man, Middle School band members doubled as the band coached by con artist Harold Hill.

See more musical photos and read more alumni memories at www.polytechnic.org/webextras

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (2010). Left to right: Hassaan Shahawy ’12, Anna Gilman ’11, SaraLee Steiner ’10, Shelley Garg ’13, Jenna Lomelli ’11, Kate Chulay ’13, Natalia Ramirez ’10, Catherine Lehman ’13, Katie Morgan ’10

Behind the scenes, the “pre-show circle” remains a powerful tradition: Cast members gather each night in advance of the show to warm up, discuss adjustments, and recognize each other’s contributions. Many cite this experience as a highlight in their Poly careers and appreciate the opportunity to read congratulatory messages from alumni of musicals past. “At events and reunions, I hear again and again how the musical remains a defining memory for so many alumni and families,” says Head of School Debbie Reed. “It’s an experience that ties all of us together. We enjoy “ FROM THE METALLIC GREEN AND SILVER ENSEMBLES WE WORE IN ’WE’RE IN THE MONEY’ IN 42ND STREET ... TO THE COLORFUL AND RATHER LARGE WIGS, BLACK PLATFORM SHOES, AND HUGE HOOP SKIRTS WE WORE IN ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, WE ALWAYS LOOKED AMAZING. ” —Meghan Thornton ’06

the wonderful, quirky, sometimes unexpected talent of individual players, while also celebrating the entire group and a labor of love that would not exist without the cooperation of many, many participants.” For students, the skills gained as technicians, actors,

Sarah Bartlett Wilson ’96, Anna Christy Stepp ’94, Philip Schneider ’96 and others in 42nd Street (1994)

dancers, or instrumentalists often continue to shape their professional and personal lives. Twice in the last decade, Poly’s Performing Arts Department has surveyed alumni and received stories from teachers, surgeons, entrepreneurs, lawyers, MBA students— as well as those active in the entertainment industry— about lessons learned onstage and backstage. Among those was one graduate whose words provide a fitting dénouement: “I saw firsthand how the magic of opening night put the countless hours of rehearsals and hard work into perspective and made them seem completely worthwhile—and this same principle applies to many of the most meaningful things in life.” Bravo. Encore.

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Hollywood in the iPad速 age

FOUR ALUMNI REFLECT ON THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS

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On October 31, Poly hosted an alumni roundtable discussion on the state of the entertainment industry. Held at The Athenaeum at Caltech, the event was the second in a new series that brings Poly graduates together to share their experiences, insights, and achievements in the many endeavors they pursue after graduation. Moderator Adam Stone ’96, president of production at Vertigo Entertainment, who assembled the panel, both led and participated in a lively conversation between his brother David Stone ’00, a television packaging agent at William Morris Endeavor and graduate of USC Film School’s Peter Stark Production Program; writer, director, actor, and producer Mike White ’88, who has worked on acclaimed television shows Freaks & Geeks and Golden Globe winner Enlightened, which he co-created, co-produced, acted in, and directed for HBO, as well as films like School of Rock, Nacho Libre, and The Good Girl; and Sean Bailey ’87, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production. The discussion, made all the more entertaining by White’s choice to wear an elephant costume (it was Halloween, after all), ranged over myriad industry topics. Below are some of the highlights.

Are the outlets for storytelling changing from traditional models in this era of new technology? Adam Stone: One of the trends in the business right now is that great creators, actors, and artists have moved to the television space to work on great dramas. As a result, the drama in the feature space has been in decline. It’s probably the first time in my memory that people, especially those within the Hollywood community, perceive working on a TV show as interesting as, and well-regarded as, working on a film. David Stone: Over the last five or six years, we’ve had this massive expansion in the cable side of the television industry, and then there are all the streaming outlets. Each one wants a piece of programming that’s going to define the identity of their network the same way The Sopranos became a brand identifier for HBO, or Mad Men did for AMC. Then you have Netflix making a really authoritative statement with a show like House of Cards, with all the elements that define premium, like a recognizable star [Kevin Spacey] who really, at the end of the day, is a movie star. So you have outlets for ideas that otherwise were harder to find homes for. You wouldn’t find a home for a show like Enlightened on the Fox Network. Mike White: It’s all cyclical, but right now it feels like TV is a place where you can do more truly original stuff. I think

you can in features, but you have to really hit the bull’s eye; you have to be very smart about it and approach it from the standpoint that you really have to thread the needle. Everybody has a different end game. For me, it’s to be able to do work that I’m proud of, and to get the resources to do it is a victory in itself. I want to be responsible to the partners I make something with; I want them to make money. But at a place like HBO, the criteria for success is a little bit more in the vagaries, and that allows for a show like Enlightened. In the feature business, the sense of what is a hit has gotten so big that there’s not enough reason to make movies that look like they could just do okay anymore.

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How are production and distribution models shifting? Sean Bailey: The movie business as we historically know it—going to a theater and buying ticket—has some real challenges for smaller movies. As people adjust to a world where they can get movies or shows over iTunes or Netflix, the appetite to go pay fourteen or fifteen bucks to buy a DVD has gotten smaller and smaller. The decline of the DVD business has been a major hit to us. The other thing that’s happened for smaller movies is that in local markets around the world—China, India, Germany, France—we’re seeing their production and storytelling abilities really start to elevate. They’re telling stories specific to their markets that are culturally relevant, with stars their communities know. So for us to go compete with a $20-million drama in France where they have a $20-million movie where all the jokes are perfectly timed and connect to that culture, it gets very hard for us. What can we do better than anybody else in the world? For Hollywood, that’s spectacles—these grand, huge, entertainment propositions. So it becomes really scary because there are so many chips on these bets. David: With the big studios, we’re beholden to a certain set schedule: theatrical movie release, then a particular window, then DVD and Blu-ray, then video-on-demand. But what you see with a lot of young entrepreneurs now is they’ll go to Sundance or somewhere with a movie, and you’ll see really interesting deals where the movie is sold simultaneously to a few theaters, and you can get it on the same night on iTunes. You’re starting to see hybrid models that I think are very interesting for the future of more narrative-focused, writer-director-oriented storytelling. What does it take to break into entertainment? Adam: I always tell people, “Don’t get into the business if you don’t have a thick skin, if you can’t create something out of nothing, or if you’re not a self-starter.” What do you think are the most important qualities for someone who wants to make a name for themselves in the business? Sean: Perseverance and commitment—all the things great entrepreneurs have across the board. The ability to go in and think of a reason why a big studio should do something, make a compelling case for it, and then be relentless in pursuing that case. You have to adjust, invent, sell, and never tire. 20

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Mike: I think in the entertainment business you have to be both crazy and sane. You have to be a dreamer and think outside of the box—for lack of a better cliché—but at the same time, there’s a lot of money involved and a lot on the line, and you have to be able to work both sides of that equation. You have to take risks but also be a person people can trust enough to put their faith and their money and careers in. What are your thoughts on the future of the industry, and what advice do you have for Poly students? Sean: We’ve seen real consolidation around the five or six major media companies, so I think it’s a really ripe time to go be an entrepreneur in Hollywood, to really look at what does storytelling look like, how can I do things a new way? There’s huge disruption happening in terms of how storytelling gets to an audience, and whenever you see consolidation, those big companies inevitably become a little slower and little more bureaucratic. In Silicon Valley, history is written every year about two people in a garage changing everything, and I think that’s going to happen to storytelling. I think someone’s going to come up with a way to tell stories using existing social media. I think we’re going to see another [Orson Welles’] War of the Worlds moment, when we actually believe something is happening because we believe in this digital universe. I think something’s going to blow our minds, and I’m excited about that. David: I agree with that. The only nuance I give is to make sure you understand the fundamentals before you revolutionize all of it. There will be someone who doesn’t adhere to that at all and says “I don’t need to know the history of this business to turn it all on its head,” and they’re going to be right. But for the vast majority, make sure you have those basics before you move forward. Mike: To bring it back to Poly, I really think Poly provided me with a work ethic that has been useful to me throughout. As a writer, you have to be a self-starter, and the work ethic of Poly and being able to succeed at Poly—I think those things have definitely been a part of whatever success I’ve had. If you’re a Poly graduate and your focus is the entertainment business, you’ll be able to put those skills to use. Q

PANTHERS

IN THE ZONE Cross country The Varsity cross country team benefited from senior leadership which balanced the inexperience of freshman runners. The team battled through a string of injuries and pulled together behind the inspired performances of the younger runners. The Panthers finished their season by qualifying for the CIF-SS finals, led by senior Evan Gancedo, who qualified for the CIF-State finals, finishing sixth overall. Q

Varsity football

The Panthers enjoyed a terriﬁc fall athletic season. Every Varsity team qualiﬁed for the playoffs and produced a total of 24 All-Prep League athletes, in addition to one Prep League title. Poly teams won an astounding 74 percent of their games and matches, surpassing last year’s total winning percentage.

Under new head coach Chris Schmoke, the Varsity football team (8-3) returned to postseason play after a two-year absence. The Panthers won their ﬁrst eight games of the season, mixing a

Varsity girls golf

dynamic offense and stout defense en route to a second-place

In its ﬁrst year back as a part of Poly Athletics, the Varsity girls

ﬁnish in the Prep League. Q

golf team (3-2) made huge strides. Eleven girls joined the program and renewed Poly’s competitive spirit in the sport of golf. They ﬁnished the season with three straight victories, while freshman

Varsity girls volleyball

Angela Liu qualiﬁed for the CIF freelance tournament. Q

Poly’s volleyball program has experienced great success in recent seasons, and the 2013 Varsity girls volleyball team (17-7) wasn’t any different. The Panthers began their season by winning the

Varsity girls tennis

Poly Invitational and ﬁnished tied for second in the Prep League,

The Varsity girls tennis team (12-4) was the deﬁnition of

highlighted by an impressive win against Chadwick. Q

consistentcy throughout the fall season. With a combination of veteran leadership and solid newcomers, the Panthers ﬁnished second in the Prep League and made it back to the ﬁrst round of

Varsity fencing

the playoffs. Q

Year after year, Poly’s fencing team grows in both the number of athletes and the team’s skill levels. Led by head coach Laura Holmgren, the 2013 Varsity fencing team found great success,

Varsity boys water polo

with numerous fencers placing at various tournaments

A year after winning Poly’s ﬁrst ever CIF championship in water

throughout the season. The program also produced its ﬁrst

polo, this year’s Varsity water polo team (22-6) achieved a perfect

collegiate signee: Senior Emily Gifford signed her letter of

10-0 to win the Prep League title. They made an impressive

intent to fence at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Q

playoff run, culminating with a berth in the CIF-SS semiﬁnals. Q

PANTHERS ON THE FIELD

Poly

Connections

Events

Tanner Johnson ’10, Chloe Gaffney ’08, Jamie Morrison ’08, Mimi Beá ’10

Summer Westside Happy Hour Scott Collins ’82 and Rich Mayne ’82 with former Director of Development Diane Binney

MOCA exhibition featuring Poly alumnus This past September, a group of more than 40 Poly alumni, parents of alumni, and friends gathered for a special viewing of the exhibition, “A New Sculpturalism: Contemporary Architecture from Southern California,” at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA in Downtown Los Angeles. Architect Warren Techentin ’86 guided the group through the exhibition, explaining architectural theories and concepts behind the models. Included in the exhibition was work by Warren’s firm, WTARCH, and by Thom Mayne, a current Poly grandparent and father of Rich Mayne ’82. The exhibition, which opened last June and ran through September, examined the work of 38 major and emerging practices in Los Angeles architecture of the past 25 years. After spending time in the museum, guests walked around the corner to FarBar for a casual happy hour and continued conversations. Q

On a Friday evening last July, alumni from a wide range of class years, along with friends and spouses, gathered for a seaside happy hour at Sonoma Wine Garden in Santa Monica. The event was an opportunity for the more than 30 in attendance to reconnect with classmates, as well as meet others from the Poly community in the Los Angeles area. Q

Annual New York Reception Annual alumni receptions in New York have been a priority for Head of School Debbie Reed and the Alumni Association. The gatherings serve as great opportunities for alumni, parents of alumni, and friends residing on the East Coast to hear updates from the school, stay connected with classmates, and make new Poly connections. This past October, nearly 50 alumni, parents of alumni, grandparents, and former faculty and staff gathered for a reception with Debbie Reed at the home of Alan and Ilona Nemeth Quasha ’85. The alumni in attendance spanned the Classes of 1954 to 2009. Q

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Poly

Connections

Events Palo Alto Reception Last October, a group of 30 alumni, parents of alumni, former faculty, and grandparents gathered together at the home of Erick and Marion Mack ’47 ’47 in Palo Alto. Guests spent the evening on the Macks’ garden terrace, enjoying the late autumn evening while catching up with classmates and friends. Head of School Debbie Reed shared updates from campus and the life of the school, highlighting programs and activities taking place back at Poly. Q

Stan Hales ’57 and Hannah Frank ’05

Row 1 (seated, l to r): Annamarie Mitchell, Jolly Urner, Gretchen Gantner, Ann Nelson, Elizabeth Lanski Row 2: Marie Assaf, Susan Grether, Joyce Kressen, Linda Massey, Carolyn Fox, Celinda Pearson, Susie Wilson, Sally Barngrove, Brian Wright Row 3: Dorothy Wooddell, Lou Fox ’55, Howie Farer, Dave Ivory

Former faculty and staff reconnect through new group The Poly alumni community extends beyond those who studied as students at the school: It also includes parents and grandparents of alumni, as well as former faculty and staff. Earlier this year, a few former teachers and staff members came together with the goal of forming a group focused on providing opportunities to stay connected with the school and with each other. In May, nearly 30 enthusiastic participants met for an organizing meeting. In October, they gathered again for a casual luncheon and heard from Poly’s archivist, Barbara Bishop, who showed

photos of the lunch guests that were taken over the past decades at school. Still in its early stages, the group, going by the name Poly PoPs (for Poly People of the Past), is planning social and community outreach events and communications, all with the purpose of maintaining their Poly connections. If you taught or worked at Poly and would like to be involved, please contact the Alumni Office at alumni@polytechnic.org. Q

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

Poly

Connections

Philanthropy

To learn more about the Annual Fund and its impact, please visit www.polytechnic.org/annualfund

Technology: One example of the Annual Fund at work At the whiteboard in a Lower School classroom, students are diagramming sentences using a document camera and an interactive pen. Thanks to the technology, they experiment quickly with different word combinations, share their work easily with fellow students, and find lively solutions together. In the Middle School, mobile carts follow students from class to class, providing iPads or laptops as needed. Students create music projects in GarageBand, learn how to program robots, explore the Earth’s rotation cycles, and research topics for their next debate. It is a time for selfreflection and discovery, laying a foundation for the Upper School years. In the Upper School, all freshmen participate in a minicourse designed to build skills for online coursework, which are increasingly critical for college. Through practical experience, they begin to answer such questions as How should I interact with the instructor when we aren’t face to face? and What apps or software must I master in order to flourish in an online environment? Throughout the Poly campus, these and other technology experiences have become part of the very fiber of education, 24

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always in support of the learning process. “We’re preparing students for a world we can’t fully envision now,” explains Laura Holmgren, Upper School education technology coordinator. “We are so fortunate at Poly to have the resources to help our students become confident, creative users of technology, even as it advances. But beyond any particular device or program, our goal is to give students the flexible, adaptive thinking skills they will need to succeed as the world and technology change around them.” Poly is able to make this commitment to its students thanks to loyal philanthropic support, and especially to gifts given through Poly’s Annual Fund. By coming together with thousands of Annual Fund gifts of all sizes, parents, alumni, and friends enable Poly to sustain programs that are extraordinarily diverse, ambitious, and inspiring— including the technology program. “This is an exciting time in Poly’s history,” reflects Director of Technology John Yen. “Technology is making the world smaller and more accessible to our students and allowing us to create or explore in ways that were once unimaginable. We’re grateful for a generous community that keeps Poly always moving forward in every arena.” Q

Poly

Connections

Philanthropy

Brecken Armstrong Kelsey ’95 volunteers at a fall 2013 phonathon.

Fundraising underway for a scholarship to honor Debbie Reed

Kudos to fall phonathon volunteers!

Debbie Reed’s tireless efforts have made Polytechnic School a stronger, more vibrant community in every way. When she retires on June 30, 2014, she will leave a campus that is newly equipped for a second century and carefully restored to preserve the best of Poly’s history. Over the last 12 years, she has demonstrated great caring and insightful leadership in all her work with students and their families, along with faculty, staff, and the greater Pasadena community. To honor Debbie’s legacy, the Poly Board of Trustees is working to establish the Deborah E. Reed Scholarship Fund, with the goal of providing full tuition for two Poly students each year. “Although much of her work during her tenure focused on our campus, the students are Debbie’s real focus and priority,” explains Board President Dale Harvey. “We thought it would be fitting to recognize her contributions with a scholarship fund that will enable students to be part of this community to which Debbie has given so generously of herself.” To participate, please contact Colin Allen, director of major gifts and planned giving, at callen@polytechnic.org or 626-396-6342.

The results are in, and fall phonathon volunteers once again made a tremendous difference for Poly and the Annual Fund. A total of 56 parents, alumni, and parents of alumni pitched in, making more than a thousand calls and emails that resulted in $167,476 in gifts and pledges from 236 members of the Poly community. This outstanding accomplishment and team effort surpasses last year’s fall phonathon totals. There’s still time to join the group effort—spring phonathons will take place on March 18 and 20, 2014. In the words of volunteer Aliya Haque Coher ’95, current Poly parent and chair of the Annual Fund Committee of the Alumni Board, “It’s a great way not only to support Poly, but also to catch up with classmates and see other alums. We always have experienced volunteers on hand to help new callers and to provide support throughout the night. It feels good to know that we’re contributing to this wonderful educational experience that is Poly.” Interested in volunteering? Contact Katherine Goar, development officer, annual giving and alumni relations, at kgoar@polytechnic.org or 626-396-6335. Q

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

Poly

Connections

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; 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 Lucy W. Harrell ’39 My daughter and I entered the local Salmon Derby. We entered four King Salmon and won all sorts of trophies. It was a blast! Q Daniel Crotty ’51 I continue on the board of the local irrigation supplier. Water and California remains a very big issue. Q Susan Straubel Champion ’52 This year, we have taken cruises to the Caribbean and Alaska with our children and ﬁve grandchildren, traveled to the East Coast and St. Laurence River, and have taken trips to our San Juan Island home. I’ve still been playing a little bridge and golf two to three times per week. Q Robert Campbell ’53 and Darilyn “Dee” Deane are closing in on their 53rd year of marriage. Their three children have found careers on both coasts ranging from nuclear energy to pharmaceuticals while raising three grandchildren. After attending Stanford, Bob was project manager during the construction of Foothill College in Los Altos. In 1978, Bob and Dee created a computer systems company serving Southern California clients and helped found two organizations supporting homeless families with children. Starting in 1999, Bob co-founded and

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

was president/CEO of the San Diego North Economic Development Council, representing an area with a population of more than one million. Today, he is chair of the regional agency designated to provide transportation services for the handicapped, elderly, veterans, and other underserved populations throughout the region. Q Edward Wolcott ’56 I have a new grandson, Darien Warner Wolcott, born March 7, 2013.

communications practice was a Poly alumna! Noy Nimakorn ’05 spent her junior year at Poly as an AFS student from Thailand. Having been an AFS student myself in 1966, I couldn’t have been more pleased to discover our shared connections. We both agreed that we had to study harder at Poly than anywhere else in the world, but it was well worth it. Q

1960-1969 Charles Gates ’67 I attended Poly for nine years, from kindergarten through eighth grade. I was very happy there and still remember everyone pretty clearly. In 1963, my family moved to Santa Barbara. I continued my education at The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey, Yale, and University of Pennsylvania with a Ph.D. in classical archaeology. My wife, Marie-Henriette, is also an archaeologist, specializing in the Ancient Near East. We have two adult daughters, now living in Boston, Mass. In 1990, after 11 years in Chapel Hill, N.C., we signed up for one year at Bilkent University, Turkey’s first private university in Ankara. I began writing a blog about the daily life in Turkey: www.ankarascribbler.blogspot.com. Recently, my long-in-the-works historical mystery novel, “Escape from Smyrna,” was published. Greetings to all classmates from the Class of 1967 who were with me in those pre-high school years! Best wishes from Ankara. Q Geoffrey Knox ’67 My eponymous communications firm, Geoffrey Knox & Associates, is going strong in New York City after 20 years. Our firm helps progressive nonprofits make the case for social justice and advancing goals globally on issues such as HIV/AIDS, women’s sexual and reproductive rights, and LGBT equality. But what a surprise when I found out that our wonderful summer intern from Columbia University’s master’s program in

Toni Valpredo Rudnick ’69, Marnie Barrett ’69, and Pam Venable Sutton ’69 (pictured left to right) had a Class of 1969 “mini-reunion” in Reno, Nev. on Sept. 8. Pam’s studio, Crystal Wind Glassworks, was featured on the Reno Open Studios Art Tour, and Marnie came to help out for the weekend. Toni stopped by the event on her way back to Walla Walla, Wash., from

Classes of ’99, ’94, ’89, ’84, ’79, ’74, ’69, and ’64 Mark your calendars now for Poly reunions! Saturday, May 10, 2014 Visit www.polytechnic.org/alumnievents for more information.

Poly

Class Notes managing her summer business, the Truckee River Raft Co. After 15 years in Arroyo Grande, Marnie retired from the City of Grover Beach and relocated back to the Santa Barbara area in the fall.

Connections

ALUMNI PROFILE

Eric Haskell ’69

1970-1979 Philippe Tusler ’72 Our eldest, Sophie, is married and living in Brooklyn, N.Y. They design, configure, and support archival systems for art museums and libraries. Our younger daughter, Charlotte, is in her last year of veterinary school at U.C. Davis, where she hopes to specialize in animal ophthalmology. Needless to say, we are very proud of them. Meanwhile, I just ended five years with Southern California Edison, where I was in charge of software quality at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). Since the plant has been decommissioned, so have I. I miss seeing the surf at Trestles every morning. We’ll see where the next chapter takes me. I look forward to seeing all of you at the next reunion! Q Debbie King Donahue ’73 My “baby” has started college at Texas A&M University, and I am now an empty nester. Michele, her husband, and their three children live near me in Houston, while Andrea and her husband live and work in the New York City area. The real estate market in Texas has been amazing this year, which has been a real blessing. If you are in the Houston area, give me a call! Q Mark Rapaport ’73 I hope that my classmates are healthy and happy. Q Kathleen Wheaton ’75 At Poly, I was awarded the John Manley English Prize at the end of ninth grade. I have worked mostly as a journalist and travel writer, including 12 years in Spain and Latin America. My first short story collection, “Aliens and Other Stories,” a loosely linked collection about exiles of Argentina’s dirty war, won the 2013 Washington Writers Publishing House Prize for fiction and was published this past October. Q

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

Monsieur Didier Wirth, Commander of the Order of the Arts and Letters (Ordre des Arts et des Lettres), inducted Scripps Professor Eric Haskell (left) as Knight of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres at the Château de Bénouville, Normandy, France this past July.

Thirty-four years ago, Eric Haskell ’69 was appointed by the Department of French at Scripps College, where he quickly became known for both the intellectual depth and the entertaining flourishes of his lectures. An expert on French culture and interdisciplinary humanities, as well as the director of the Clark Humanities Museum at Scripps, Dr. Haskell has now joined the ranks of some of the world’s other great creative minds—Marcel Marceau, Audrey Hepburn, T.S. Eliot, and Rudolf Nureyev, to name a few—as a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters). He was awarded the honor by the French government in July, followed in November by the country’s complementary award, the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques (Knight of the Order of the Academic Palms). Together these prizes attest to Dr. Haskell’s unwavering commitment to art, research, and engaging, thoughtful teaching, a path inspired by his Upper School French teacher at Poly, Renée Bel Geary. “Madame Geary dedicated herself to the task of exposing her students to the infinite riches of studying a culture other than their own,” he says. “Her rigorous training and discipline, inextricably linked to the quest for perfection, as well as her joy for sharing knowledge, have had a life-long influence on my teaching and scholarship.” Q

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

Poly

Connections

Class Notes

ALUMNI PROFILE

Colleen Chien ’91

The Fay brothers, Todor ’77, Jonathan ’81, and Benjamin ’86, were among a host of brave alumni playing a mix of current Poly Varsity and JV athletes in the alumni soccer game on July 5. Photo courtesy of their sister, Lisa Fay Matthiessen ’78.

1980-1989 Colleen Chien ’91 explored everything from sports to journalism to academics as a Poly student. Much later, she realized they were all paths to the same end. “Through being on The Paw Print, hanging out with friends on the tennis court and track, and from my teachers and peers, I learned how to think critically and on my feet,” she says now. That ability took her through an engineering degree at Stanford, law school at UC Berkeley, and a series of career moves enviable for their dynamism and variety: law firm associate, fellow at the Stanford Center for Law and Biosciences, Fulbright Scholar in investigative journalism, strategy consultant and spacecraft engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab. In 2007, she took a position on the faculty of Santa Clara University School of Law, a job she’s currently on leave from after being appointed senior advisor for intellectual property and innovation in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. For Chien, this new assignment is a dream job and a chance to make a real difference. “Academics are a great source of problemframing and early stage ideas. Many and perhaps most ideas don’t work, but some of them have the potential to change the world. I think of policymakers as not only idea-generators but also the commercializers of great ideas, whose job it is to bring solutions to big problems and get them over the finish line.” Q

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Fulton Collins ’85 has been named the 2013-14 international chairman of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), to which he was ﬁrst exposed as a Poly student and many parents were members. Fulton is chairman and CEO of Network Communications, Inc., one of the largest U.S. publishers of local printed and online magazines for the real estate market. He is a third-generation YPO member and joined the YPO Lone Star-Dallas Chapter in 1998.

Classes of ’99, ’94, ’89, ’84, ’79, ’74, ’69, and ’64 Mark your calendars now for Poly reunions! Saturday, May 10, 2014 Visit www.polytechnic.org/alumnievents for more information.

Poly

Connections

Class Notes 1990-1999 Joseph Mathews ’91 We welcomed our third son, Sam, on Aug. 29. Q

On Sept. 8, Jane Bryson ’98 and Jeremy Milo had Emma Jane Milo. Q

Adam Warren ’92 I am blessed to have amazing friends like these! (pictured left to right) Tod Kanegae ’92, Amber Tyson ’94, Tara Newman ’92, Adam Warren ’94, and Lauren Arnault ’94. Q

Joshua Callahan ’96 Jess and I welcomed Alex Jay Callahan to the world on July 21. It sounds like the past year has produced a big crop of Class of ’96 offspring—no doubt a lot of new little faces to meet at our next reunion! We are enjoying life in San Francisco, although I do my best to stay a Dodgers fan. Q

Khori Dastoor ’98 and her husband, BenJoaquin Gouverneur, welcomed Soraya Inez Gouverneur on Sept. 8. She was born at Alta Bates in Berkeley, Calif. BenJoaquin is an engineer working for Tesla Motors. Khori is a program ofﬁcer for the Packard Humanities Institute. They live in Oakland. Q

Jonathan Kidder ’93 has been named interim head of school at Park Day School, a K-8 progressive school in Oakland, Calif. Previously, Jon was assistant head of Drew School in San Francisco. Q

Scott Steuber ’96 On Oct. 3, Rachel and I welcomed our daughter, Colette Louise Steuber, who weighed in at 6 lbs. 15 oz. and measured 18.5 inches. Q

Larry Perkins ’95 and Nichole welcomed Dagny Mae Perkins on August 5. She weighed 7 lbs. 2 oz. and 20 inches long. Q

Nine ’98ers (that’s 11.25% of the class) had babies in August and September, and they are all girls. Six of the nine are class couples! Q Grifﬁn Booth ’98’s son, Walker Otis Booth, was born on June 6. Q On Aug. 31, Vicki Chan Kim ’98 and Peter Kim had Elie Joy Kim. Q

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

On Sept. 15, Nicky Chuck Sweeney ’98 and Ryan Sweeney ’98 had Hanna Elizabeth Sweeney. Q On Sept. 19, Jennifer Wang ’98 and Sean Dougall ’98 had Annika Brynn Dougall. Q On Sept. 20, Ariana Kahn Tice ’98 and Dane Tice ’98 had Rhedyn Lyra Tice. Q John Prescott ’99 and his wife, Hallie, welcomed daughter, Nora Christine Prescott, on Dec. 2, 2012. Q

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

Poly

Connections

Class Notes 2000-2011 After two years of training to qualify, David Stone ’00 is competing in the 2014 Boston Marathon in honor of Jamen Amato ’03, who passed away from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2009. David and Jamen were close friends and played soccer together at Poly. As part of the race, David is raising support for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through Team In Training. Q

Megan MacLennan ’03 and Jonathan William Crowley were married June 15, at The Wauwinet, a hotel in Nantucket, Mass. The couple met at Bowdoin College, from which they graduated. Q

Stuart Siciliano ’03 and Alison Murray Harden were married July 13, at The Beach Club in Santa Monica, Calif. Q

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Lt. Stephen Huffman ’04 is ﬂying F/A-18 Super Hornets with Strike Fighter Squadron 32, the “Swordsmen.” His squadron is assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, which deployed in July and will return next spring. Pictured is Steve piloting his plane on the ﬂight deck of the Truman. Q

Catherine Karayan Wilbur ’04 Gregory Wilbur and I were married in May just across the street from Poly at The Athenaeum at Caltech. Greg and I met at NYU Law. My brother, Paul Karayan ’02, and my cousin, Emily Dickinson ’16, were in the wedding party. Jason Nagata ’04, Marc Takei ’04, John Pearson ’04, Natalie Varner Matson ’06, and former faculty member Celinda Pearson were also in attendance. Greg and I currently live in Washington, D.C., while I ﬁnish my two-year clerkship at the United States Tax Court. Since moving here, we’ve bumped into four Poly alums. Please let us know if you’re in town! We’d love to see you. Q

Seth McCurry ’05 I graduated from King’s College London with a master’s degree in environment in development in January. I completed my dissertation on the potential of high-tech aquaculture projects as development schemes, with a speciﬁc focus on Madagascar and the Maldives. After spending a month recovering from my incredible and exhausting summer, I moved to Indonesia. I am now living in the remote Sumatra province of Bengkulu (visitors welcome), where I am helping to set up a sea cucumber farm for the Orange County-based company Innovare Development and Consulting. I am also documenting my adventures in Asia on a blog: soloinsumatra.wordpress.com. Q

Logan Tiari ’05 and Jennifer RegasRiewerts ’07 were married on July 27. The wedding party included Alexandra Bakaly ’07, Joanna Hardy ’07, Madeline Goldberg ’07, Winston Mi ’05, Steve Clark ’05, Christiaan Strong ’05, and Nicholas Regas-Riewerts ’05. Q

Poly

Class Notes Molly Nelson ’06 I’m working at an independent school for children with learning disabilities in Culver City, Calif. Q Grace DeVoll ’07 is an assistant to the executive producer of the TV show Arrow. She spends her days scheduling, phoning, and editing, and her nights nursing her beloved TV blog, tubetoptelevision.com. Her search for bloggers has put her back in touch with many writerly Poly ’07 alumni, including Hannah Withers, Willie Myers, Mary Gumport, and Elise Kuo. Grace recently got paid to write for TV and she ran a mile, both for the ﬁrst time. She isn’t sure which is a bigger accomplishment. Q Caitlin Latta ’07 recently started graduate school at USC’s Rossier School of Education. She is pursuing her master’s in postsecondary administration and student affairs and loves the program so far. Q Matthew Szeto ’07 I am doing my second year of law school at NYU School of Law. While I like New York, I’m hoping to practice back in Los Angeles. Q Samantha Chau ’09 I graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in health promotion and disease prevention studies, and ﬁnished my master’s degree in global medicine in December 2013. Q Elizabeth Chau ’09 graduated cum laude from the University of Southern California with two bachelor’s degrees in international relations and East Asian languages and cultures. Q Olivia Russak ’11 A year into her research assistantship studying adolescent development and biological risk markers for schizophrenia, Olivia now serves as lead undergraduate research assistant in the ADAPT Lab (www.adaptprogram.com) at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Next semester, Olivia will be studying abroad in Durban, South Africa, researching local perceptions of and accessibility to mental health care. She plans on using this data for a senior honors thesis in clinical psychology. Q

Connections

ALUMNI PROFILE

David Wiseman ’99

Photo by Mark Hanauer

During a PolyConnect lunch talk last October, David Wiseman ’99 not only discussed his art, but he also brought a little bit of the great outdoors inside. From delicate botanical drawings to bronze and porcelain light fixtures, sculptures, and other pieces, Wiseman’s work is inspired by actual nature and by “the depiction of nature in patterns and motifs from cultures around the world, like stonework in traditional Korean homes (hanok), pre-war Viennese wallpaper and textiles, Indian jali screens, Turkish mosque tiles, yakuza (Japanese mafia) tattoos, and Haida animal paintings.” All of these influences combine in his ethereal, organic designs, which occupy private homes, retail stores, and, most recently, West Hollywood’s public library and the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, where he just sent a large chandelier. Wiseman, who attended the Rhode Island School of Design, found returning to Poly very gratifying. “I took a less conventional route than many, and I remember feeling a little ambivalent about this when I was a student. As an alum, I hope to offer a unique perspective about choosing a career in the arts or perhaps devoting one’s efforts to other causes one is passionate about.” His advice for aspiring artists would be well heeded by everyone else, too: “Make and create. You have to overcome the fear of being bad at something.” Q

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

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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 September 2013.

Josephine Smith McWilliams ’35 May 22, 2012, Hanover, Vermont Josephine was born Dec. 24, 1919, the daughter of Frank and Nelle DeWitt Smith, in Pasadena. She attended Poly from ﬁrst through ninth grade. On June 26, 1940, she married John McWilliams ’31; they were married 62 years. Soon after their wedding, they moved to Pittsﬁeld, Mass., and then Williamstown, Mass., before retiring in the Woodstock, Vt., area in 1974. Josephine was involved in the Berkshire Garden Club and was a member of the Junior League. She was an avid needle worker. She is survived by her four children, John, Patricia, Carol Gibson, and David; seven grandchildren; two great-granddaughters; and four nieces and nephews. She was the sister of Gertrude Smith Calmer ’29 and Harvey Dewitt Smith ’29. Harry F. Hopper, Jr. ’36 June 17, 2013, Chevy Chase, Maryland Harry was born on March 26, 1921, in Pasadena, where he graduated from Poly, and later the Catalina Island School for Boys. He interrupted his matriculation at Dartmouth College to volunteer for the American Field Service before the United States entered World War II and served to support the British army in the Middle East and North Africa. Harry returned to the United States and served as a Navy corpsman, instructor to the Marines. Following graduation from Dartmouth

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College, he attended the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Speaking fluent Arabic, he started his 40-year career in the Middle East in 1950 as a commercial attaché with the U.S. Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. After serving the State Department, he worked at ARAMCO, Trans-Arabian Pipeline, and as a manufacturers’ representative in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Jordan. Harry is survived by his wife, Adriana Fucile Hopper, and his children, Nataly Hopper Berckmann ’68, Harry F. Hopper III, Edmund J. Hopper, Laurence F. Hopper, and Albert F. Hopper. Harry is also survived by his sister, Jane H. Ware ’39; 12 grandchildren; and two greatgrandchildren. Harry is predeceased by his brother, Wilbur M. Hopper ’37 (godson of F. Dan Frost ’36), and sister, Florence Hopper Boom ’42. Frederick J. Carr, Jr. ’38 August 22, 2013, Encinitas, California Frederick was born Jan. 6, 1923, in Wisconsin. His family, including his sister, Mary E. Scales ’33, moved to Pasadena in 1929. Frederick was a graduate of Poly, Catalina Island School for Boys, and Harvard College. In World War II, he served in the Army Air Corps and spent 19 months in Tunis, Tunisia as a communications officer in the Army Airways Communications System, becoming detachment commander there with four officers and 140 airmen. He founded Carr, Beedle, Hastings & Dennis Insurance Agency and Brokerage firm. He was active in community services, serving as president of the San Marino Kiwanis Club for two terms and as president of the Monte Vista Grove Kiwanis Club of Pasadena. He also served as president of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers Association of Pasadena. He and his wife, Kathryn, moved to Encinitas in 1986; they both loved the beach life. In the winters, they enjoyed many ski vacations with their extended family to Mammoth, Vail, and Snowmass, as well as abroad once to Switzerland. As members

of Lomas Santa Fe Country Club, both were avid tennis players and golfers. Also, during retirement years, Frederick and Kathryn traveled around the world. He was predeceased by Kathryn, to whom he was married for more than 60 years. He is survived by their three sons, Frederick III, Kenneth, and Thomas, and by three grandchildren. He is also survived by his second wife, Nancy Noble Carr, whom he married in April 2011. They had dated 70 years earlier, when Frederick was attending Harvard. Benjamin Haines Shattuck ’43 June 28, 2013, Evans, Georgia Born in Los Angeles on March 26, 1928, to Charles Henry Shattuck, Sr. and Bess Haines Shattuck, Ben was the younger of two sons, including Charles Henry Shattuck, Jr. ’38. Ben attended Poly for seventh through ninth grade, followed by Cate School, and he graduated from San Marino Prep School in 1946. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, graduating with a degree in business administration in 1950. While at Cal, he was a proud member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, The Skull & Keys, The Scabbard and Blade, and the Beta Beta Club. In 1950, Ben married Ann Waynick Ruble and started their family of four daughters while living in San Marino. Ben spent time with his family skiing, backpacking through the Sierras, and bird hunting. In 1950, Ben enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served during the Korean War as an ofﬁcer on the submarine USS Blackﬁn until 1953. His professional career began in sales. He then worked as a broker for Mitchum Jones & Templeton, and ultimately in investment management with National Securities & Research Corp. In 1968, Ben began his long tenure with Capital Group Inc., retiring in 1990 as senior vice president of American Funds and vice president of Capital Research Management Company. Ben is survived by his wife of 22 years, Mary Richards Yort Shattuck, four daughters, and three stepsons. Ben and Mary lived in Sonoma County until relocating in

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2010 to the Augusta, Ga. area. Ben is also survived by 18 grandchildren, eight greatgrandchildren, and nieces and nephews. Jean F. Ducommun ’46 June 11, 2012, Novato, California Jean was born Feb. 28, 1931, in Alhambra. He enjoyed camping trips to the mountains and deserts with his children and had an endearing sense of humor and love of cats. He is survived by his four daughters; loyal companion, Maureen Ahsani; sailing buddies Ben and Diana Landis and Lennart Anderson; and caring ex-wife, Carol Ducommun. Jean was predeceased by brothers Edmond Ducommun ’33 and Alan Ducommun ’31, and sister Patricia L. Frey ’49. Ruth Stewart Martin ’46 June 20, 2013, San Marino, California Ruth passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by family. Ruth was born in Los Angeles on Nov. 17, 1931. She was a fourth-generation Californian, as her great-grandfather, Lyman Stewart, moved west and was the founder of Union Oil and co-founder of Biola University. She leaves behind a large family, including three children, Leslie Martin Thompson, W. Lawson Martin III, and Laura Stewart Martin Stone ’81; 14 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; her sister and brother-in-law, Barbara Stewart Jameson ’48 and Frank W. Jameson; their children, William S. Jameson ’82 and Ruth Jameson Pasqueletto ’83; and many cousins. Ruth was raised in Pasadena, where she attended Poly from kindergarten through eighth grade. Her high school years were spent at the Master’s School in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. She attended Pomona College, lived in San Francisco several years with friends, then moved back to Pasadena where she married William L. Martin II ’44 in 1953. She lived in San Marino for most of her adult life and was active in many community groups and volunteer endeavors. She was also an awardwinning actress in various community

theater groups, including the San Gabriel Community Theater and the Nine O’Clock Players. In her later years, she enjoyed spending time with family, working with computers, gardening, reading, and meeting monthly with a group of her community theater friends. Calvin Wells ’46 August 15, 2013, Santa Ana, California Calvin was husband to Mary Wells and brother of Jonathan B. Wells ’52 and Mary Wells Jenks ’44. He also is survived by seven children, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Calvin moved to Pasadena from Pennsylvania and attended Poly before attending Fountain Valley High School in Colorado Springs, Colo. After high school, Calvin attended the University of Virginia on a football scholarship. After his freshman year, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and served two tours of active duty in Korea. He left a decorated Marine and enrolled in and graduated from Claremont Men’s College, where he played baseball and football and joined the wrestling team. He and Mary started a janitorial business before they opened a drapery business that supported the family until he retired a few years ago. Calvin enjoyed spending time with his children and family. He coached his children’s sports teams and started off-road racing with his oldest son. He raced in desert events in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Baja California, with his biggest victory in the Baja 1000. Jean Fonda Shank ’53 September 4, 2013, Santa Monica, California Born in Van Nuys on March 21, 1939, Jeanie was the daughter of Robert Charles and Mary Cossar Fonda of Pasadena. Jean attended Poly from ﬁfth through eighth grade. Following graduation from Ethel Walker in Connecticut, she attended Hollins College in Virginia, University of California at Berkeley, and University of Southern California. In 1962, Jeanie married Gene Kelly Shank, with whom she spent 51 years. They raised four children together in Santa Monica. She

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enjoyed entertaining family and friends, playing tennis, and tending to her rose and vegetable gardens. Jeanie was an active member of the Junior League, Westside Guild of Children’s Hospital, and particularly, St. Matthew’s Parish School and Church. She volunteered at the St. Matthew’s Thrift Shop, was a leader of the Altar Guild, and participated in Helping Hands and Saints Alive. Jeanie is survived by her loving husband; four children, Katherine, Peggy, Skip, and Mary; and seven grandchildren. Phyllis Hansen Heistand August 10, 2013, Port Murray, New Jersey Former faculty member Phyllis Hansen Heistand died of complications from multiple sclerosis. Phyllis was born on April 4, 1937, in Waseca, Minn., to Martin and Hazel Hansen. Phyllis attended Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., and moved from Stillwater, Minn., to California in the early 1960s. She earned her teaching credential and began teaching at Town School in San Francisco, where Jolly Urner was then head of the Lower School. In 1972, Jolly was director of Poly’s Lower School and encouraged Phyllis to come to Poly, where Phyllis taught fourth grade from 1972 to 1985. In 1982, she met and married David Heistand ’66, whose mother, Margaret, worked in the business office at Poly for many years. In 1985, Phyllis and David moved to Stephensburg, N.J. Phyllis was an active member of St. James’ Episcopal Church in Hackettstown, N.J., editing their monthly newsletter, coordinating the English as a Second Language program, and creating the community’s mystery parties with a fellow parishioner. She loved her dog and she counted birds for Cornell University in the winter. She was an associate of the Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, N.Y., active and engaged there with many friends. In the last few years, despite her difficulties with MS, she worked on playing the Irish harp. She is survived by her husband, David; her brother, Paul; and two second cousins.

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P.S.

Chris Schmoke

Chris Schmoke, a Michigan native, arrived at Poly seven years ago. After earning a degree in science education at Northern Michigan University, where he was also captain of the football team, Schmoke was a public high school science teacher, department chair, and coach for 11 years before heading west. Schmoke teaches Upper School chemistry and physics and is head varsity football coach and head track coach.

What was your high school experience like? Did it factor into your decision to become a teacher? I come from a family of farmers on one side and factory workers on the other, none of whom went to college. I was one of the kids who didn’t recognize that college was an option—I thought my ticket out would be the military. Then I had a chemistry teacher in high school who made a big impact on me. He and my football coach said “You could get a scholarship and go to college.” Once I decided I was going to do that, I never wavered in my major. I was always going to be an educator, and I was always going to teach science.

What is your style and teaching philosophy? Partly because I had such a hard time liking my teachers and staying interested in school, I carry a sense of responsibility to be entertaining—I take it seriously. I tell a lot of stories, and I make lots of analogies that relate back to what we’re doing. Kids everywhere have the same needs: They want to know that you’re interested in them beyond teaching them the difference between velocity and acceleration.

If you could give your 15-year-old self some advice about surviving high school, what would it be? Ha! Number one would be: Don’t wear red parachute pants. And if your sweatshirt has no sleeves, but 14 zippers that don’t unzip anything, you probably don’t need to wear that combo. But really, I was an anxious student in terms of the social aspects of school. I played sports but was also into music and acting and that was deﬁnitely not cool. Trying to balance that and not care what anybody thinks, that’s part of adolescence and growing up. High school was something I endured, but it helped shape me as a teacher, and I don’t know that I would trade that.

Has being a member of the Poly community changed your life? Last year when my oldest son was diagnosed with diabetes, the way the community rallied, I’ve never seen such support. It reafﬁrmed what my wife and I already knew, which is that Poly is a real community. It’s about families and passion and diversity and creativity and everybody is welcome and everybody’s gifts are valid. The biggest hope or question I have is how can we translate this to more schools, more places, more environments so that every kid has these opportunities.

P. S .

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