SCHOOL TIES SAN DOMENICO
The Service Issue Annual Report | Winter 2017-18
Caitlin Gowdy ’12 in Tibet for her ROSE project
WINTER 2017-18
FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
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06 08
28
ROSE Projects Earth Charter: Professional
Development and the Quickening of the Struggle for Justice and Peace
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Layers of Service Learning
36 Generation: Our Climate Weekly Global Studies
Assignment Leads to Climate Action Group
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Inspired to Serve
Editorial Staff: Kimberly Pinkson, Courtney Phillips, Lisa Hilgers, Sonya Evans, Wynn Richards, and Kirstie A. Martinelli
Board of Trustees News On Campus
SD in Quotes We Asked Events
20 Athletics 44 Alumna Reflection 46 Reunion 48 Class Notes 56 Remembrances 58 From the Archives
HEAD OF SCHOOL Dear San Domenico Community Members, For the past 167 years, San Domenico has continued an approach to education based on the values of study, reflection, community, and service. These values are the foundation of a way of life which enables children to discover and develop their potential, transforming them into balanced, thoughtful young adults prepared to make a positive difference in a world which increasingly needs them. Change is a part of remaining innovative, so while our program continues to evolve, service remains a thread that weaves through all that is San Domenico. Service anchors our curriculum–and not just the larger, aspirational acts of service, but also the daily acts of kindness, consideration, and tolerance that transform a group of students into a tight-knit community. From the tremendous outpouring of SD community support for the survivors of the hurricanes and the North Bay fires, to the impressive service projects of our Julie Davis Butler Award recipients, to our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive for the SF-Marin Food Bank that has provided over 54,000 meals, our ambitious service projects may draw more attention, but the more subtle and frequent acts of kindness seen daily among our students truly exemplify the commitment to service that has carried on through our community from past generations to today. “San Domenico kids are just good kids,” shared Upper School teacher Ken High, during an Admissions Open House this past fall. “Yes, the ones you hear today on the panel are impressive, but pick any kid, any day, and they genuinely want to learn and to help each other out. They really embody the mission to instill in young people a sense of meaning and purpose.” If you visit our campus you will experience it: SD students hold the door open for you, readily volunteer to help their teachers and peers, and genuinely take pride in one another’s success. If you walked through our Upper School during October, National Bullying Prevention Month, you would have seen the Kindness Board–a space for students to post notes of gratitude, recognition, and support for each other. While visiting our Middle School, you might have walked by the Unity Banner, signed by every sixth, seventh, and eighth grader. Perhaps you were in Lower School and saw one of our Kindergarten students offer to help a friend during the Apple Day Project. If you volunteered to chaperone one of our off-campus service trips, you have observed our kids serve food, sort donations, or read to seniors. Each of these actions demonstrates the essence of service: individuals showing genuine care and compassion for other people. In this selfie-driven era, service and kindness to others remind us to ask what we can do to help our neighbors, our friends, and even those who don’t share our beliefs. I hope you enjoy reading this service-inspired issue, and sharing in the stories of how our students, faculty, and alumni are helping others in ways large and small. I hope you will join me in following our students’ example in asking ourselves, “What can we do to bring forth more kindness today?”
Cecily Stock ’77, M.A., J.D. Head of School
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VERITIES Gratitude Inspiring Generosity One of my enduring memories from childhood includes the Sunday mornings after Thanksgiving. Our family always attended church together and then my parents drove my brother and me to one of the poorest areas of our city. The differences between our neighborhood and those neighborhoods was stark. My parents invited us to conversation about what we saw in other families’ realities. Of course, as a child, I focused on the superficial–what I had that “they” did not. I saw difference, and mostly only difference. Together, my family shared blessings for which we were grateful, and we learned that true generosity flows from gratitude. What I absorbed from the expeditions, the conversations, and especially the living example of my parents, was profound for me. All of these years later, I endeavor to look beyond superficial difference, and to be moved, inspired, and called to action by understanding the meaning of our interconnectedness with one another and with all of creation. I see the need and power of standing together against any systems that deprive people of dignity, create disharmony, encourage divisiveness, or cause unnecessary suffering. I see the necessity of building community and responding to the betterment of our human family by creating an environment where we experience God’s joy in our midst, shape our future with dynamism, and seek the truth as we perceive it through reflective prayer. While both the questions asked and the lessons realized during our family car trips many Novembers ago have become more complex and more all-encompassing, the essence remains. There were and are differences in life, but always there is something to learn from opening one’s heart and seeing with new eyes. Pope Francis exemplifies the opening of his heart wide and ever wider, sharing what he envisions: a world that is bound together by all life. His recent, beautiful letter, “Laudato si,” calls upon all people to recognize our interconnectedness and see how our very lives impact the life of our planet, our Earth, our common home. In his letter, Pope Francis references the life of St. Francis of Assisi, “who was deeply loved for his joy. He lived in simplicity and in wonderful harmony with God, with others, with nature and with himself. He shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, and interior peace.” Pope Francis speaks to the sanctity of the environment and our role in protecting it. I am truly filled with gratitude for countless gifts received daily, and for the rich beauty in abundance around us. San Domenico, with its rolling hills, flourishing trees, birds, and wild animals, is a haven of beauty, and its Garden of Hope emphasizes sustainability. The environment provides space and places for reflection and quiet, as well as connections to our Earth. As I reflect on those blessings, I also grapple with feelings of great grief about the negativity, unkindness, and suffering– local and global–that seek to divide us and our world. I ponder what questions my parents would be asking me today about what I am seeing, reading, experiencing, and feeling. What should flow from my prayer and insights? While it is frustrating not to have adequate answers for all of the questions, I do know that all of us are called to expand our hearts and try to “love the questions,” as Rilke would say. I hope we will choose to reject anything that works against our God-given invitation to live bound together. I hope we will all reach out, reflecting on our relationship with all of creation, and that we will do so with creativity, courage, and zest. I hope we will embrace our gifts with great gratitude Sister M. Gervaise Valpey, O.P. and use them well–for others–as we see happening on our campus every day. President Emerita
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BOARD NEWS New Trustees Glen Galaich is the CEO for the Stupski Foundation, which supports bold-thinking in K-12 education reform, focusing on improving the lives of the underserved and under-resourced in the San Francisco Bay Area and Hawaii by addressing the issues of hunger, life options for low-income youth, and end-of-life care. Glen previously served as CEO of The Philanthropy Workshop and was part of the founding team of the Global Philanthropy Forum. He also worked as the director of development at Human Rights Watch which is committed to raising money and awareness for human rights worldwide. Glen holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a B.A. from the University of California at San Diego. Glen’s interests include philanthropy, music–especially guitar, human rights, and CrossFit. He is also a board member of Children for Change and is the father of Brynn, a seventh-grade student at San Domenico.
Peter Kaye is a Managing Partner of Rockwood Capital, LLC and has 23 years of experience in the real estate industry. He serves on various portfolio management and investment committees, as well as the firm’s Management Committee, Human Capital Committee, and Investor Committee. Peter is on the Board of Directors of Mill Creek Residential Trust. Prior to joining Rockwood in 2002, Peter worked in the acquisitions group at SSR Realty Advisors in San Francisco
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and at GE Capital Real Estate. Peter has also been a project manager for Clark Construction Group, where he managed several stadium and office building projects in the Washington, D.C. area. Peter holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Lehigh University and a M.B.A. from Boston University. He is an active member of the Urban Land Institute. Additional interests include travel, soccer, running, skiing, and spending time with his family, including his children, Beckett, Riley, and Hannah who attend Lower, Middle, and Upper School at SD.
Katie Abbott Horn ’71 is the President of Abbott Corporation, a family business that began as a printing company in 1906 and now provides realty management for office and creative spaces. She attended Dominican Convent and San Domenico beginning in 1963 and graduated from the high school in 1971. After receiving her B.A. from the University of the Pacific, she worked in San Francisco in investments before joining the family business. She and her husband have lived in Marin for 37 years, they have two children, and love to travel. Last year they walked 100 miles of the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Her interests include travel, hiking, Westfalia camping, family, and community service. Over the years, she has given much of her volunteer time to schools, serving on the Kentfield School Board for eight years and the Alumni Council at San Domenico for seven years. Katie volunteers her time at San Domenico because she is so proud of the School, its history in Marin County, the dedication of the Dominican Sisters, the faculty and staff, and all of the amazing students. As President of the Alumni Council, she wants to continue to spread the news of what a fantastic school San Domenico is.
Back row, L-R: Glen Galaich, Graham Weaver, Bruce Campbell, Peter Kaye, Richard Bollini, Amy Skewes-Cox ’71, Jeff Ludlow, Richard Goldman; Front row, L-R: Katie Horn ’71, Kelly Fogarty, Kathleen Toney, Cecily Stock ’77, Sr. Cyndie Cammack, Mary Buie, Sr. Judy Lu McDonnell, Sr. Susan Allbritton, Heidi Hickingbotham Cary ’61; Not pictured: James Buckley, Chris Doerschlag, Chris Lane, Emager Pearce ’89, Mary-Peck Peters ‘77
Sister Cyndie Cammack, O.P. received her B.S. in Nursing from Humboldt State University and her M.S. in Nursing from Dominican University. Sr. Cyndie is a Dominican Sister of San Rafael and serves as the Clinical Informatics Education Specialist at Hospice By the Bay in Larkspur, CA. Formerly, she worked as a school nurse at San Domenico and was the R.N. Case Manager and Facility Liaison for Hospice and Palliative Care at Saint Mary’s Health Network. In addition to her work and serving on the San Domenico Board of Trustees, Sister Cyndie’s interests include ongoing learning, making a difference in the lives of others, family, community, and friends. She enjoys photography, art, music, reading, playing games, and nature, especially gazing at the sky and ocean.
Heidi Hickingbotham Cary ’61 is President of the Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation, a philanthropic organization she created to honor her late mother which supports many causes, including children and the arts. Heidi graduated from Dominican Convent, earned a B.A. from John F. Kennedy University, and an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. Heidi worked for many years as a Marriage and Family Therapist and continues to support the Marin Disaster Response Team as a mental health professional. She is also active with the San Francisco Opera Adler Program and the San Francisco Ballet Children’s programs. Heidi credits Dominican Convent and the Dominican Sisters with giving her a foundation in spirituality that continues to guide her when facing challenges or taking on new endeavors. She enjoys walking, travel, photography, spending time with her eight grandchildren, and writing memoirs for her family. She has two grandchildren at SD, Elizabeth is a freshman in high school, and Evan is in first grade.
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ON CAMPUS “ The fact that we have soup break every morning, inspired
by St. Dominic, speaks to the quality, nature, and heritage of our school.” - KEN HIGH, Upper School English Teacher
“We ask our students to always be learning and growing, and I love that I get to do the same as a teacher here at San Domenico.”
- HILARY STAPLES, Upper School Science Chair
“If I could tell the sixth-grade me
what I know now, I’d be blown away by the confidence I’ve gained here.” - HELENA BLAND ’19
“ Everyone here wants to see you grow and the level of support makes you keep growing.” - ISABELLA KAPLAN ’20
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SD in Quotes “ To be a leader you don’t
have to be the loudest person in the room.” - SONEL KEDIA ’18
“ If Odysseus had learned about the power of reflection maybe he would have made it home in time.”
- KAVI SUBRAMANYAN ’21 sharing an example of how our core SD values are integrated into curricular conversation and learning
“ I love the conversations I get to have with my students! ”
- AMANDA TREDINNICK MS ’01 Upper School Dean of Students
“Your child doesn’t start school at San Domenico.
Your family starts at San Domenico. It’s that good of a community. ” - GREGORY RIVERS, Parent Ambassador and dad to Braelyn, first grade
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ON CAMPUS
What does Compassion. L Dedicated. SERVICE Compassionate. Kind. Inv mean to you? Humble. Open-minded. P Kindness. Listens. Empath “ Kind. Involved. Confident ” Passionate. Involved. Ded Listens. Empathetic.Comp “ “ Confident. Humble. Ope ” Kind. Involved. Enthusias ” Compassionate. Kind. Inv Service in education fosters empathy and a sense of community in our students. It also makes them more aware, as global citizens, of the impacts of their actions and decisions on our world. -SALLY JAEGER, CAMPUS MINISTRY, RELIGIOUS STUDIES TEACHER
I like seeing how happy the people [at Homeward Bound] are when we visit. - JONAH S. ’26
It’s about thinking of how you can help, even if it’s just a small step. Like donating ten of your dollars to the fire victims rather than buying yourself something you wanted. - NICK G. ’21
Open-minded. Passionate. “
” Listens. Empathetic.Givin I like that we donated food to those that aren’t as fortunate as us. - DELANEY W. ’26
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We Asked
Listens. Empathetic. Kind volved. Confident. Listen “ Passionate. Kind. Involve hetic. Compassionate. ” “ t. Humble. Open-minded ” dicated. Enthusiastic. Kin mpassionate. Kind. Involve “ en-minded. Passionate. ” stic. Listens. Empathet “ volved. Confident. Humb ” . Dedicated. Enthusiastic ng. Kind. Involved. Helpin I feel good because I know that I helped some people that needed it.
Serving and creating a more just world is about putting others’ needs in front of your own. Like missing something you care about in order to be there for someone who needs your help. - CONNOR L. ’21
- GRAHAM P. ’26
It reminds me of when I went down to Guatemala to teach English, and how we all must do our part to see that everyone has education, food, and a home. - SISTER BERNADETTE WOMBACHER, O.P.
San Domenico has really caring people . . . and the students, they are very high quality. They serve in many ways and to many people. - SOFIA FERRUFINO DE ROMERO, MAINTENANCE STAFF MEMBER AND MOM OF THREE
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ON CAMPUS Author Luncheon The annual PSA Author Luncheon, co-chaired by Kristine Curwood and Michelle Douglas, is part of literacy week. This year’s event featured Amy Bloom, author of “Lucky Us.” Guests enjoyed a Q and A led by Upper School English teacher Amy Hale.
Garden Faire The annual
Garden Faire, produced by Sustainability Director, Shelley Flint, was a joyful day of celebrating the harvest season in our Garden of Hope.
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Events Service Events Some examples of Lower and Middle School service learning included gleaning at Green
Gulch Farm, SD Cares Fundraisers for hurricane and fire relief, and visits to Aldersly Retirement Community, Windchime of Marin, Our Lady of Lourdes Convent, Jessica’s Haven & Rescue, and Homeward Bound.
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ON CAMPUS National No Bully Month In October, students K-12 participated in National No BullyÂŽ Awareness
Month with grade-level and school-level activities and experiential learning. We also hosted events for parents with the organizations Common Sense Media and No Bully.ÂŽ
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Events The Thanksgiving Food Drive
, orchestrated by Mirza Khan, Director of Ethics, Philosophy, and World Religions, raised a record amount of food for the SF-Marin Food Bank this year, totalling 54,095 cans!
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ON CAMPUS “A Chorus Line”
Ten years ago, “A Chorus Line” was a first for San Domenico. It was the first musical that we produced on the stage in Bettye Poetz Ferguson Hall. It was the first show for Beth Kellermann and me as Co-Directors
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and Denise Wharmby as Music Director. This time, the first is that we had a coed cast. The addition of male voices and males who played some of the most poignant characters lent a new depth to the material.
Events The students chose this show themselves. I agreed to it . . . with the caveat that I would require them all to take ballet classes every week, in addition to a very demanding rehearsal schedule, designed to turn them into dancers in
only two months(!). Ambitious, yes, but this extraordinary cast showed a grit and dedication that I have only rarely seen, and the results were truly exciting. -Erica Smith, All School Director of Dance and Theatre
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ON CAMPUS
Fourth Grade Holy Day
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Events
Tableaux San Domenico has
given the early Christmas gift of Tableaux to our community for over 110 years. This beloved tradition depicts the story of the birth of Christ through words, movement, and song, as represented in the frescoes of 15th century Dominican master and artist Fra Angelico. Dominican Convent High School originally introduced this tradition, performing early productions in Forest Meadows, and later moving to a stage in Angelico Hall on the San Rafael campus before moving to our current location in 1965. 2016’s Tableaux marked the culmination of our celebration of 50 years on our beautiful San Anselmo campus, and featured alumnae who joined our San Domenico Singers. Tableaux represents the dedication of many individuals, most notably Sister Gervaise, who holds the vision and the integrity of this sacred tradition. Each year she visits the senior class to talk to them about what Tableaux means, and to explain the important characteristics of Mary and Joseph.
The students take those descriptions to heart when choosing a Mary and a Joseph to represent their class. In 2017 the honor of portraying Mary went to Julia R., and Joseph to Chessa B. The remainder of the parts were chosen carefully by Theatre Arts teacher and director, Jennifer Grimes. San Domenico Singers director, Michael Mello, guided the singers to provide the music for the performance, which breathes life into each tableau. In 2016, Jen and a team of helpers worked to repair the angels’ costumes and reconstruct the halos. Additionally, her husband Brian Frank Carter constructed and painted new wings for Gabriel, in a beautifully precise replication of Fra Angelico’s painting. In addition to repairing and updating the costumes and props, Jen also revisited the frescoes, making a few changes in movement and gestures to match the paintings. Her dedication to Tableaux was evident in her hard work throughout the planning and rehearsal process. In her own words, “I believe that what I enjoy so much
about Christmas Tableaux is that, on many levels, it maintains traditions and is created as if for the first time each year. Theatre, by its very nature, is both rooted in the past and unique with each performance. The Tableaux genre dates back to the religious theatre festivals of the middle ages, so here is a theatrical tradition still in practice, and still magical.” Tableaux is perhaps the oldest and most meaningful San Domenico tradition. Ask any alumna what part she played in Tableaux, and no matter how long ago she graduated, she will remember. Tableaux makes a lasting impression on all who experience it, performers and audience members alike. Thank you to the many Dominican Sisters, alumnae, faculty, parents, and students who have contributed to Tableaux over the years.
-Sonya Evans, English Teacher, Resident Life Curriculum Coordinator
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ATHLETICS Expanding Athletics: SD Moves to Bay County League - West Division We are pleased to announce that San Domenico’s Upper School Athletics Department has been accepted into the Bay County League (BCL), West Division beginning in the 2018-19 academic year. SD currently competes in both the Central and West Division of the Bay Area Conference, and this transition will move all sports teams into the West Division. We are excited to match our strong college preparatory academic program with an increasingly competitive athletics program. The move to BCL-West Division is in keeping with SD’s Strategic Plan goal to continue to “develop and enhance athletic offerings and facilities in line with the interest of the students and mission of the School.” The move exemplifies the commitment of the Board of Trustees, administration, coaches, faculty, and students to ensure an increasingly robust sports program. We are meeting our goals by employing knowledgeable and experienced coaching staff full-time, adding a conditioning and strengthening program, and growing from 11 teams in 2014-15 to 22-24 teams in 2018-19. Our Upper School currently has 22 sports teams across 12 different sports, including both Men’s and Women’s JV and Varsity teams. This move creates a tremendous growth opportunity for our students and for San Domenico as a K-12 school. “This is going to be a big change for us, and we are looking forward to it! We have put the tools in place to continue to grow the competitiveness of all teams in all sports. It’s an exciting time to be involved in sports at SD,” says Dan Gilmartin, Director of Athletics, reflecting on the move. “I consider this shift a natural outcome after many years of competing in the Central Division and with the intention to grow athletic opportunity for college-bound scholarathletes.” The School will now play against the other BCL-West schools including: • Marin Academy • San Francisco University High School • The Urban School of San Francisco • Convent / Stuart Hall High School • Lick-Wilmerding High School
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Tom Welsh, Commissioner of the Bay Area Conference, also expressed his excitement about the addition of San Domenico to the West Division. “San Domenico will be bringing a high quality academic and athletic program to the BCL West and I am certain of their growth and success as they venture forward as a coeducational high school.” San Domenico’s athletics program has undergone a dramatic transformation since the first coed class was extended into the Upper School in August 2015. Our School has gone from approximately 180 girls in 2014-15, to 281 coed students in 2017-18, with an almost 50:50 ratio of boys and girls. The high school will grow to approximately 320 for the 2018-19 year. During this time period of growth, the number of student athletes has also increased dramatically, with approximately 65% of students in grades 9-12 participating in sports throughout the year. Questions? Contact Dan Gilmartin at dgilmartin@sandomenico.org or 415.258.1983 x 1801.
Middle School: Flag Football Team Takes Championship Title
Welcome: Fiona O’Sullivan Director of Soccer Program Fiona O’Sullivan attended the University of San Francisco on an athletic scholarship for soccer, captained the Lady Dons her senior year, was the team’s leading goal scorer in 2007, and graduated in 2008 with a degree in International Politics and Latin American Studies. In addition to volunteering at numerous soccer organizations, and serving as head-counselor at the USF soccer camps, Fiona guest-trains local soccer teams in the Bay Area. Fiona is fluent in English, French, German, and Spanish. Fiona’s “soccer-as-life” approach teaches young people to turn their athletic experiences into powerful tools for empowered living. Having seen many examples of how sports can create more confident, successful young people, Fiona says she was “inspired to join SD because of the community of students and faculty. The environment you experience while on campus is electric. The students at San Domenico are driven, have purpose, and are passionate about their work. After I met with Athletic Director, Dan Gilmartin, and Head of School, Cecily Stock, I found that we share the same goals for student athletes. Sports builds character, discipline, and leaders on and off the field.” Creating the right atmosphere and culture can be the toughest initial step for a coach taking over a program, but Fiona enters SD with enthusiasm. “I can see in the students and staff that the culture of success is already present on campus. I am excited to take that same attitude and culture to the soccer field.”
Professional Soccer Career
Professional Soccer Career Highlights
Irish Women’s National Team
Kvarnsvedens IK - Damallsvenskan
2009-Present
Kvarnsvedens, Sweden: 2011
Notts County FC - FAWSL
Pitea IF - Damallsvenskan
Nottingham, England: 2014-Present
Pitea, Sweden: 2011
2010 Irish WNT Player of the Year
SC Freiburg - Bundesliga
AIK Stockholm - Damallsvenskan
SC Freiburg leading goal scorer
Freiburg, Germany: 2012-2014
Stockholm, Sweden: 2010
2012 & 2014
ASJ Soyaux - Feminine 1
California Storm - WPSL
California Storm leading goal scorer
Soyaux, France: 2013
Sacramento, USA: 2009-2010
Sonoma County Sol - WPSL Santa Rosa, USA: 2006-2007
2nd All-Time Goals scored Irish WNT
2009 & 2010 Drafted by Chicago Redstars of NWSL 2010 (opted for career in Europe)
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ROSE Projects: The Real Opportunities for Service In Education Project (a.k.a. The ROSE Project), is a graduation requirement for San Domenico Upper School students. The projects range from local initiatives within our school community and county to global action in all parts of the world. As students explore a wide range of contemporary issues, from the impact of global economy to human rights, they are challenged to develop an integrated understanding of the social, political, ecological, and economic dimensions of striving for justice in the modern world. They achieve this understanding through a variety of readings and projects, classroom involvement, and attending on-campus events. Choosing the subject for their ROSE Project work is the culmination of our students’ years of learning aboutethics, philosophy, and social justice. In 1987, Julie Davis Butler ’59, died in a plane crash in central Burma. To honor her memory, a group of her classmates established the Julie Davis Butler Scholarship. Awards are presented to junior-year students so they may pursue leadership training and ROSE Project service experiences to support and continue Julie’s commitment to peace, social justice, and selfless love. The stories from this year’s winners provide hope and inspiration as they carry on Julie’s inspirational life’s work serving the global community.
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SD Student Impact Around the World
Samantha Palermo
co-founded the Mind Your Mind club at San Domenico to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health concerns, educate teens, teach healthy coping mechanisms, and help those suffering to know they are not alone. She will assist her school counselor in teaching mental health classes at SD during mental health week. To contribute to class content, Samantha created a school survey, an educational film, and a YouTube channel where students may talk about a personal struggle they have overcome.
Leslie Wang is working to improve people’s knowledge about autism. She created a website, www.xmflsstarlight.org, where people can share their experience in caring for, teaching, and understanding autistic children, so that others can learn, show concern, and be inspired. As a long-term support solution, Leslie contacted agencies who work with autistic children to promote her website and persuade them to post information there. Her goal is for her website to continuously attract attention, inspire, and educate so that more people take action in support of autism efforts.
Jia “Koko” Wan worked at
Shifangyuan Elderly Hospice and Mind Care Center in Guangzhou, China, to help support the 40 million terminally-ill elderly in the country. Koko underwent training to learn techniques for offering emotional and physical comfort and help depressed individuals become more communicative. Koko brought comfort and positive energy to this group of seniors who continue to undergo treatment to extend their lives as long as possible.
Sonel Kedia travelled to Madriz, Nicaragua, with Marin Amigos, where she lived and worked within a community in need for eight weeks. She collaborated with local community members on two projects of their choice - laying cement outside a school and repairing a water well. She was also responsible for entertaining and teaching students at the local school.
Cindy Zhang founded an organization called China Heart Aid to raise awareness about Automated External Defibrillator (AED) devices. She publicized China Heart Aid via a website and social media to educate as many people as possible, with the hope that they will encourage the government to require installation of AEDs in public places. During school breaks, Cindy made presentations in high schools and colleges in Shanghai, teaching people about AEDs and how they can save lives in China.
Yi Lin Wong collaborated with the Islamic Kasim Memorial School in Hong Kong to support the school’s 40-50 graduating students. Many of these students are limited by societal restraints and racial discrimination, and are therefore unmotivated to explore their career options. Yi Lin arranged for well-known and accomplished guest speakers with similar backgrounds as the students to help educate, inspire, and encourage them to develop clear career development plans.
Congratulations to the 2017-18 Julie Davis Butler Award Recipients! WINTER 2017-18 23
REFLECTION ON MY TIME IN NICARAGUA BY SONEL KEDIA ’18, STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT
2017 Rose Project Presentation
Hola, me llamo Sonel y este verano, fui a Madriz, Nicaragua para dos meses. Hi, my name is Sonel and this summer, I went to Madriz, Nicaragua, for two months. To be honest, I didn’t really know where to start this speech because it’s impossible to put everything I experienced into a ten-minute presentation. To stand here and simply tell you that my time in Nicaragua was incredible and life-changing would not do justice to how truly, incredibly, life-changing it was. But I figured I would start with last year. I found out about Amigos de Las Americas, a private non-profit organization, through SD. I found out where I was going in Latin America in January of 2017 and at the time, the little slip of paper that read Madriz, Nicaragua, was just another location in the world. Little did I know that this place would become my second home. When I got to Nicaragua in June, all the participants and I went to Somotto where we stayed in a hostel for two days. We bonded with each other, practiced Spanish, and did the last of our training. Then we got our assigned communities. Once again, I received a paper and this time it said “Los Ranchos.” All I was thinking about was how nervous and scared I was to go live with another family in a rural village with a partner whom I knew nothing about, speaking Spanish 24/7. But once again, little did I know that I would leave a part of my heart in this community of Los Ranchos–and bring back a part of the people with me. The next day, Oniya–my partner, who ended up becoming like my sister–and I got in a truck that dropped us off at a dirt intersection. From there, we walked 45 minutes in the heat and then, to our luck, it rained, as we hauled all our stuff on our backs for the next two miles. And this is where my story really begins.
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About ten minutes after my arrival in Los Ranchos, there was a meeting in the escuelita that Oniya and I were to attend. Since my community was so small, with a population of only 118 people, there wasn’t a school. But there was a common room called the escuelita where they held some day classes and where Oniya and I hosted the campamentos. At the meeting, we were welcomed into Los Ranchos as well and talked about our main project: implementing cement in front of the escuelita. Also, at this meeting, I learned that they couldn’t pronounce Sonel, and so, in Nicaragua, I went by Sona. Campamentos were Monday through Friday of every week and it was a two-hour time slot where Oniya and I taught the kids about a specific topic chosen by Amigos de Las Americas. One week it might be about the prevention of dengue fever, another might be about basic public health, or self-expression, or gender equality. After learning that kids have a tiny attention span and lecturing was not the most effective way to educate them, we came up with games that integrated the assigned topics. I had the kids draw pictures of what they learned and we also taught them English. Campamentos were from 3:00-5:00 pm but the kids came as soon as they got home from school, around 2:00 pm, and left at 6:30 pm, when my host mom called my name across the dirt field to come eat dinner. And every campamento, although sometimes a mess, was always left with happiness. Along with campamentos, we installed cement outside the escuelita and fixed the closest well so that when students who are inside the escuelita are thirsty, they have immediate access to clean water rather than having to walk across the whole community to the other well. I spoke in Spanish every day and this is when I truly appreciated my ability to speak Spanish because it allowed me to
drawings I received every day and the love I felt every time I read, “Para Sona.”
connect to the people of Los Ranchos. In exchange, they shared a part of themselves and their culture with me. I had multiple moments that tugged on my heart and it was in these moments that I stepped back with absolute gratitude.
Gratitude for the moment when my host mom’s eyes filled with tears two days before I left as she put her hand on my heart and told me, “We are forever right here and you are forever in ours.”
Gratitude for the hours of playing soccer in the rain.
Gratitude for the endless laughter and gratitude for the people who taught me love in ways I hadn’t experienced, and happiness in ways that I never knew existed.
Gratitude when the kids walked home from school and the first thing they did was run to me and hug me and tell me about their days. Gratitude for the rhythmic beating of the women’s hands making tortillas; a sound I too learned to mimic. Gratitude for walking to the well every morning with my host mom and admiring the strength of the women who could carry the heavy buckets on their heads, a skill I too tried to learn. Gratitude for the bucket showers and even gratitude for the chicken that decided my backpack would make a lovely toilet because it taught me that sometimes it’s important to laugh at the moments that make me frustrated. Gratitude for the fact that I could identify every kid who came to campamentos by their laugh, and gratitude for their
Even gratitude for the days that were overwhelming and difficult because from these days came learning and strength. I tell you these stories because it’s all a part of my ROSE Project. Yes, implementing cement was the service I was expecting, but I wasn’t expecting the other types of service. Of human connection. Of love. Of language. Of culture. I went to Nicaragua with the idea that I was serving them and I did, but I was also served through the simplicity and gratitude and love I felt every single day from the people of Los Ranchos. I would like to thank the Julie Davis Butler Committee for granting me this award and making this trip possible, Mrs. Levine, Amigos de Las Americas, and my family both here and in Nicaragua.
SELECTION COMMITTEE
In 1988, the Julie Davis Butler Award was created by four of Julie’s classmates: Mary Donohue Ciocca, Jeanne Poett Leonard, Sheila Grady Rumsey, and Joan Smiley Shattuck, in concert with San Domenico. Family, friends, and classmates built upon original contributions and created an endowed fund to honor the life of service that Julie exemplified. Each year, Jeanne, Joan, and Mary return to campus to interview applicants, listen to their proposals, decide on the grants for each recipient, and hear the presentations of the honorees once they have completed their ROSE projects, each addressing a need of our times. Attending the 2017 JDB Scholarship Luncheon were (l-r): Mary Donohue Ciocca ’59, Joan Smiley Shattuck ’59, and Jeanne Poett Leonard ’59
WINTER 2017-18 25
Alumnae Reflections: FORMER JDB AWARD RECIPIENTS LOOK BACK Mika Weissbuch ’07 Where did you go to college? Mount Holyoke College
Can you briefly describe the project for which you were awarded the JDB award at San Domenico? I started an English tutoring program for Micronesians at a homeless shelter in Hawaii (where I have family).
How did the ROSE project impact your current work? While the project in Hawaii did not continue after I returned to school, it planted a seed that led to “Podcasts for Peace” in 2011, a children’s program and community center in a neighborhood bordering the municipal dump in Managua, Nicaragua, that started with the goal of empowering youth through the digital arts. Since then, it has expanded based on the needs and desires of community members to include English, dance, arts and crafts, journalism, and photography classes, reading hour and homework sessions, workshops and trips, community projects, family gardens, a support group for young mothers, physical fitness, weekly movie nights, and more. The program continues to evolve. I help facilitate an internship exchange program with students from the US and meet with the team over Skype, but except for fundraising (which I’ve learned is a struggle that never really goes away), I’m not needed in Nicaragua to keep the program going. I currently support “Podcasts for Peace” from the Bay Area, and work at an early childhood literacy nonprofit in Oakland.
What about your time at San Domenico do you think influenced the direction you took during your college years and beyond? The values of social and environmental justice have stayed with me in all the work that I have done. I think that these values in education are so important for us to respond to all the challenges we
26 SCHOOL TIES
face. The JDB award helped prepare me to adapt to the challenges and needs of the community in Nicaragua.
What is the greatest struggle you have had in bringing your plan to fruition? At the time, I didn’t understand what was needed to sustain a project, especially when faced with unanticipated obstacles.
What is the greatest joy you have had in realizing your plan? I enjoyed my interactions with the residents of the shelter and playing with the children.
If there is some wisdom you could impart to aspiring students in their ROSE projects, what would it be? I would encourage students to not be afraid of failure and to use the experiences, resources, and privileges you have to be bold, compassionate, reflective, humble, and restless in pursuit of a more just world.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the SD community? I am grateful to San Domenico and the Julie Davis Butler award and the impact they have had on my life and the lives of hundreds of people in Nicaragua. To see some of the work at Podcasts for Peace, you can visit: www.facebook.com/PodcastsforPeace.
Caitlin Gowdy ’12 Where did you go to college? I went to Stanford University and studied Management Science & Engineering.
Can you briefly describe the project for which you were awarded the JDB award at San Domenico? I traveled to Tibet with a charity I have worked with for years, South East Asian Prayer Center (SEAPC). This group traditionally hosted an annual team of doctors to provide heart surgeries for children with congenital heart disease in Tibet. I joined their final trip, which did not contain any
doctors, only leading members of SEAPC. We visited the most recent recipients of the heart surgeries, who were still recovering. My purpose was to provide music therapy to ease the recovery of the children, and to connect with orphans on an emotional level.
How did the ROSE project impact your current work? In high school, I was a full time musician and dedicated to becoming a physician. However, in college I made a complete turn in career goals, and became an engineer. Even though I am in a career in a different field, my work providing music therapy in Tibet opened my eyes to the intangible level of connection between people that can take decades to find. Something as simple as performing a Bach partita can bring warmth to a person’s eyes, and joy to their heart. Despite my deviation from music and medicine, this level of connection and kindness is something that I will continuously seek to attain no matter what I find myself doing in life. It has inspired a struggle to provide aid and warmth to all those that I interact with. I have worked in hospitals, and now currently in a healthcare startup, and although the impact isn’t direct, the work that I do brings joy and ease of mind to the community as a whole. What I learned in Tibet drives me endlessly to serve others, particularly in the medical field, where a sense of connection is vital to personalized and individual care. I have yet to realize specifically what my life’s goal will be,
but I am confident that it will draw upon the lessons I learned during my ROSE project.
What about your time at San Domenico do you think influenced the direction you took during your college years and beyond? San Domenico has helped me to develop a strong sense of responsibility to both the local and
What is the greatest joy you have had in realizing your plan? Doing something that directly impacts another person for the better creates an instantaneous sense of accomplishment and gratitude. This is a feeling that truly drives me to continue to serve those that need my aid, and brings me happiness as I continue through my career.
If there is some wisdom you could impart to aspiring students in their ROSE projects, what would it be?
global community. There will always be others to serve, and it is our duty to serve them. This is something I have taken with me throughout my years in college, and is something that will drive me throughout my career.
What is the greatest struggle you have had in bringing your plan to fruition? Great ideas are difficult to see through. The goals that inspire us must come with determination, or they mean nothing. One of my greatest struggles is staying true to my vision, and not becoming discouraged, although I have become much better at this.
The ROSE project may just be a school project to you, but to another it could mean the entire world. Just as a work task could mean nothing to you, to another it could make their day. You can never really know the effect your efforts have on another human being, so take every responsibility with a full heart, knowing that you will affect those around you. And when someone returns the favor to you, know that they kept you in their mind, and appreciate them.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the SD community? Sitting in the Julie Davis Butler award ceremony in October made me so proud to be an SD graduate. The ability of the current students to care about others, and to find powerful ways to change their lives is admirable, and truly inspiring. I hope the ROSE project program continues to create a legacy of caring and determined individuals capable of tremendous change in their communities.
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THE
Earth Charter: BY KRISTEN LEVINE, Social Justice Teacher, Director of Upper School Service Learning, Ethics Teacher, ROSE Program Coordinator
Under a blue San Anselmo sky, surrounded by the golden hills of Marin County, the entire San Domenico School community gathered to re-commemorate the Peace Pole on September 21, while Rachael Zucker ’18 proudly quoted these beautiful words from the Earth Charter: 28 SCHOOL TIES
“
We stand at a critical moment in Earth’s history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of
Professional Development and the Quickening of the Struggle for Justice and Peace
a magnificent diversity of cultures and life
Towards this end, it is imperative that
forms we are one human family and one
we, the peoples of Earth, declare our
Earth community with a common destiny.
responsibility to one another, to the
We must join together to bring forth a
greater community of life, and to
sustainable global society founded on
future generations.
respect for nature, universal human rights,
�
– Preamble of The Earth Charter
economic justice, and a culture of peace. WINTER 2017-18 29
F
or more than a dozen years, I have had the pleasure to develop and facilitate both the Social Justice and Ethics courses at San Domenico Upper School. I have also been honored with the task of ushering every SD graduate through their ROSE (Real Opportunities for Service in Education) Projects. I am fortunate that my vocation serves to respond to my life’s two guiding questions. What kind of world do I want to live in? What kind of person do I want to be? I share this journey with my eleventh and twelfth graders as we explore articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the five themes from Catholic Social Teachings, and the four pillars of The Earth Charter. Together, through this meaningful exploration of rights and responsibilities, it is my intention that students learn to find purpose in their lives. I’m grateful for SD’s support of my teaching practice. This summer a professional development grant from the PSA provided me the opportunity to attend a week-long course at the United Nations University for Peace near San Jose, Costa Rica. The campus is situated in a protected mountainous rainforest. It shelters monkeys, deer, reptiles, over 300 species of birds, as well as approximately 100 varieties of trees, so it makes sense that this is the home of the Earth Charter Institute. The course was titled, Education, Ethics, and Values for Sustainability: Transformative Teaching and Learning with the Earth Charter. For that week, I collaborated with like-minded teachers from many places, including Solomon from Kenya, Menna from Egypt, Anka from Romania, Manuel from Costa Rica, and Maggie from New Hampshire, and together we shared ways to integrate the Earth Charter into our teaching practice.
30 SCHOOL TIES
Our course facilitator, Sam Crowell, co-author of Emergent Teaching: A Path of Creativity, Significance, and Transformation, inspired us in many ways. He says, “When we make it possible for students to inquire into the issues and questions of real significance to their lives and to the world they are a part of, a different kind of engagement takes place.” His view is confirmed every day at San Domenico. The Upper School’s Department of Philosophy, Ethics, and World Religions, and indeed all of San Domenico is committed to Social Justice and Sustainability. Much of my thought process during the week included many moments of joy and pride that San Domenico is already a model for Earth Charter education! Our curriculum corresponds to the Sustainable Development Goals, we facilitate Eco-literacy, practice Sustainability and teach for Social Justice. The Earth Charter was officially launched in the year 2000 and has been endorsed by thousands of organizations, representing millions of people, including The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Conference of Member States. The Dominican Sisters of San Rafael endorsed the Earth Charter in 2006. Mary Evelyn Tucker, a dear friend of Sister Gervaise, is one of the collaborators of the charter. During my week of professional development I realized my task was not to return to San Domenico to ask our teachers and administrators to impose yet another way of thinking onto our students, but instead to open them to the vast arena of important ideas, creative energy, and ways responsive action may unfold. The Earth Charter provides an ethical framework for us as we build a just, sustainable, and peaceful global
society. It focuses on transition to sustainable ways of living and human development. The Earth Charter recognizes that ecological protection, eradication of poverty, equitable economic development, respect for human rights, democracy, and peace are interdependent. And, the document is available in over 50 languages, which is brilliant news for our international school. Every fall, Social Justice students begin their journey of inquiry studying the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (of which there are 30)–the covenant created by the UN after the horrors of World War II. As students join the discussion around the Harkness table, I ask them to “give up” three of these rights and reflect upon their lives without them. Thus we begin the process of exposing this notion that while we are all born with Human Dignity, many on the planet live with human rights denied or threatened. But, if we have rights, then it is our responsibility (response ability) to uphold them for others. This echoes Pillar III, Principle 12 of the Earth Charter which asks us to: “Uphold the right of all, without discrimination, to a natural and social environmental supportive of human dignity . . . ” Our units correspond to so many of the Earth Charter’s Principles, including the unit on food justice called, “What’s for Dinner? The inconvenient truth of our food system,” and our examination of immigration policy, “Who gets to be an American? Immigration Migration, and the right to Participate.” Our Harkness seminars build community in the classroom where students can cultivate the art and heart of learning, rooted in process learning and collaborative exchanges, where learning is facilitated rather than delivered. This spring, as the students continue their learning at the Harkness table, I will offer to them the Earth Charter as a declaration
of their responsibility. Many will be departing junior year to practice their responsibility while engaging in their service learning projects. In senior year, many students take Ethics: Globalization and Consumerism, which “unpacks” Principle 7 of the Earth Charter which asks us to “Adopt patterns of production, consumption, and reproduction that safeguard Earth’s regenerative capacities, human rights and community well-being.” We ask the following essential questions: To what extent am I responsible for the health of the planet and the lives of others? How will I (must I?) live simply, so that others may simply live? We use Laudato Si, “On Caring for our Common Home,” the most recent papal encyclical. We explore globalization and its role in creating and perpetuating modern slavery and environmental destruction. Our world is manufacturing and consuming goods at an unsustainable pace, with serious consequences. What is our role? What is the ethical way to respond? Young men and women often tell me that the problems are so big and so many. We often say to our young people, “You can make a
difference!” But if you really think about this statement, we should be saying, “You can’t not make a difference.” You can. And you will. Since I began this article with the preamble to the Earth Charter, it seems appropriate to close with a quote from the ending, which is called: “The way forward: Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life, the firm resolve to achieve sustainability, the quickening of the struggle for justice and peace.”
WINTER 2017-18 31
32 SCHOOL TIES
Layers of Service Learning BY KALI BAIRD, Director of Education Technology, Associate Director of Teaching and Learning, and KIMBERLY PINKSON, Director of Marketing and Communications
S
ervice, one of our School’s four core values, and in particular a commitment to social justice, anchors much of our program. A service requirement is common among top schools today; however, what is unique at SD is both our 167-year history of integrating service learning and volunteerism into our students’ experience and what they do with their learning. In "From Charity to Justice," authors Sam Marullo and Bob Edwards write, “The goal of the social justice advocate should always be that those in need will no longer face such needs.” And so it is that Jason Clarke, Alison Park, we teach our students, Cecily Stock, and Kali Baird and each day strive to learn ourselves, that as we work to address an issue–be it diversity and inclusivity on our campus, food shortages in a town in Central America, or pollution on a nearby beach–we must start with a deeper understanding of the source/s of the issue. During a recent Upper School Social Justice class, teacher Kristen Levine explained the difference between community service, volunteering, and service learning. “With volunteering or community service (synonymous), there is an offering of time, donations, or service, but not necessarily an under-
standing of the root cause of the problem or challenge. In service learning, students are actively participating in the process of understanding, integrating, and applying knowledge as they work to improve communities.” All are of help, and yet, if we agree that the ultimate goal is to eliminate the problem altogether, service learning has potentially greater impact. And it starts at home, with each and every one of us, at every stage of development. For example, looking at our San Domenico Mission Statement, updated in 2010, can provide each of us with an opportunity to ask how we may better understand, integrate, and apply knowledge to better serve our fellow SD community members. According to SD’s Mission Statement, “We explore and develop the unique gifts of each individual in mind, heart, body, and spirit,” and we recognize “God's presence in ourselves and in all of creation.” In a recent professional development day on Diversity Training, Alison Park, founder of Blink Consulting, stated, “We need inclusion, equity, and safety to develop the unique gifts of each individual.” She went on to explain that the practice of inclusion begins with noticing and broadening our own sense of “normal” and “how we do,” to cultivate shared rights and mutual stewardship of our community, our neighborhood, our town, and our world, including our environment. Understanding that we each have an innate bias, an inevitable human inclination about what or who is normal, good, or right, based on our hardwiring, our personal experience, cultural norms, and circumstance, we can then be more aware and conscious of how our words and actions can turn into prejudice. This awareness can then lead to greater selfreflection and inclusivity as we ask ourselves: “How can we create a safer space for all of our constituents to learn and grow?” “How can we best serve?” From professional development for employees to the myriad service learning projects in which our K-12 students and staff engage, the lessons have a common thread of education as key to understanding diversity, which
WINTER 2017-18 33
literally leads to greater health and wellness. Research across countless sectors shows that when considering solutions to problems, increased exposure to diverse perspectives and experiences results in an increased likelihood of discovering innovative answers and solutions. So when our Mission Statement says, “We value the representation and full engagement of individuals whose differences include, but are not limited to, age, ethnicity, family makeup, gender, learning style, physical ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status,” it is because we know that innovative education requires a diversity of thought, which requires a diversity of people, with varied backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. Without that breadth, even the best of intentions can lead to unintended negative consequences, such as what is now being called “orphan tourism,” where well-meaning but ill-informed tourists intending to travel to and serve at orphanages, are really visiting “businesses” run by corrupt individuals taking advantage of poor families looking for a way out of poverty for their children. Before jumping in to volunteer for something, San Domenico students learn to study and reflect upon a challenge, and then to ask how a response can best serve the intended community.
empowers students by giving them opportunities to have a positive impact on the world. This is especially important during uncertain times, when world events feel scary and unmanageable. It gives them a more diverse perspective by connecting them to the wider world, which includes people and experiences very different from their own.”
“The value of service learning in education,” says Gail McCallister, SD’s K-8 Service Learning Coordinator, “is that even our youngest students begin to understand interconnection. In the simplest terms, service learning connects our kids to the world around them, encouraging them to be thoughtful, engaged, and positive people. It benefits both students and the community. In a practical sense, it utilizes intentional, experiential learning, which is much more impactful than memorization or rote learning. It nurtures the innate values of empathy and compassion. It shifts the focus away from self to others, which can help reduce stress and anxiety by taking children “out of themselves.” It
Service also mitigates the isolation and disconnection that occurs in our technology-based society, connecting students with the natural world, elderly individuals, people who are homeless, or who have special needs.
34 SCHOOL TIES
The layers of learning at SD are where you see the depth of service and an increasing understanding of how diversity and inclusion play out. Take our School’s work with Jessica’s Haven, a small dog rescue organization that offers vocational and social opportunities to individuals with different abilities. Students K-12 often serve with the people at Jessica’s Haven. Last year, our Kindergarteners read to rescue dogs at Jessica’s Haven. As a result, the children in one SD family had a lemonade stand to raise money for the organization and later adopted one of the rescue dogs. SD senior Julia Reinhard, working with Jessica’s Haven for her ROSE Project, remembered the book she had read in Ms. Gallagher’s freshman English Class, On Being A Cripple, by Nancy Mairs. So when it came time for her ROSE project presentation to her fellow high school students, she remembered how much language has impact and meaning and was able to be more sensitive with the words she used.
“You get outside,” says Hilary Staples, reflecting on the service learning trip to Yellowstone she led last summer for her AP Environmental Science students, “and you remember there is so much more than what you are reading about on your device. Being out there taking soil samples, sure, you’re looking for the root cause of the pollution, which is great, but you’re also looking at the beauty around you, and
talking to your peers more, rather than just looking at your screen.” Speaking of biology, research shows that a diverse population has a greater chance of survival. As a society facing all manner of challenges, including extinction at many layers of our biosphere, diverse experience and service learning create a healthier, more vibrant community, here on campus and also in the world at large. The what and why fuel good intentions, but it is the how that creates impact. Considering the interplay of service and diversity, that is where the magic happens.
our collective future as a society,” stated Park. “They represent a Christ-like consciousness, a social justice consciousness, and follow the example of your School’s founders,” she continued, alluding to our long history of service-inspired leadership in education. Indeed, the interrelationship between service and diversity is integral to growing a social justice consciousness. “This is not just about clocking hours,” says Mirza Khan, Director of Ethics, Philosophy, and World Religions. “In learning empathy and serving our neighbors, our world, we discover our own purpose in life. Here, we celebrate service and our students learn the joy that comes only from serving others.”
“Diversity and inclusivity are critical for San Domenico’s future, and for
Dinner Table Conversation Starters to Improve Your Diversity and Service IQ • How do assumptions inhibit a growth mindset? • Why is diversity critical to an exceptional
education?
•What is the relationship between free speech and political correctness?
•Who decides what is right and wrong to say when referring to a group of people?
•How do you think stereotyping impacts critical
• How might identity play a role in one’s educational experience? • Is bias implicit to everyone? • Does bias necessarily create discrimination? • What is the relationship between bias and
assumption?
• What in your life is a privilege or disadvantage? Can you change these or are they unalterable?
• How can a “Yes and..” rather than “But…” approach
• What is the relationship between “why” and “how”?
• How does homogeneity and groupthink impact problem solving?
and sexuality?
thinking, creativity, and innovation?
impact conversation and learning?
• What is the difference between volunteering
and service learning?
• How can recognizing a difference teach perspective and impact “truth” and understanding?
• How does diversity impact problem solving?
• Who should identify a community’s need? • What is the difference between sex, gender, • What is the difference between race and ethnicity? • What knowledge, language, habits, and skills do
you need to cultivate and practice to promote diversity, equity, and inclusivity? What does your family or your work team need? What about your neighborhood?
WINTER 2017-18 35
P
lant a few seeds, treat with care, and see what grows. In the case of Upper School Global Studies teacher Wynn Richards and the Sierra Club’s Daniel Haggarty, they can certainly be proud of Generation: Our Climate, founded in early 2017 by San Domenico students Milo Wetherall ’20, Luci Paczkowski ’20, and Allegra Shünemann ’20.
Generation: Our Climate Weekly Global Studies Assignment Leads to Climate Action Group
BY KIMBERLY PINKSON, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
“One of our assignments in Ms. Richard’s freshman Global Studies class was to bring in news items to debate. Allegra and I often found ourselves in heated conversations about global warming, coral reefs, and environmental degradation,” shared Luci. “Then Milo mentioned that during his work with the Youth Climate Summit of Marin, Mr. Haggarty told him he should use his passion to do something for the environment. We started brainstorming and talking with Ms. Richards and that led to Generation: Our Climate (GOC).” I met with Allegra, Milo, and Luci over lunch one day and was immediately drawn in by their enthusiasm and passion. “Basically, we want to use our voices to speak up about climate change. There are mainly adults
36 SCHOOL TIES
talking about this but it’s us, the youth, who are going to be affected,” explained Allegra. “So we started testifying on behalf of the environment. We want to be the California version of Our Children’s Trust, an Oregon-based group advocating on behalf of youth and future generations for legally-binding, science-based climate recovery policies,” added Milo, who then apologized for jumping in. “Yea, sorry we keep interrupting,” said Luci. “We are really excited about this topic and there is so much to talk about and to do,” explained Allegra. Indeed, I can’t
help but smile when listening to them. Together, these budding change-makers are like popcorn in a hot skillet, bouncing up and down and ready to morph into their next state of being. Despite the severity and mass consequence of the subject at hand, they exude optimism. If this is our future, we will find solutions.
Their first endeavor as a group was to testify at a San Rafael City Council Meeting, calling for city government buildings to move to 100% renewable energy by 2020. The measure passed. “We were so excited! It was sooooooo much fun testifying, we were literally running around like crazy after the first time we did it,” enthused Luci. They then moved on to the Marin County Board of Supervisors and were part of the coalition that pushed forth a commitment to 100% renewable energy use for all Marin city buildings, not just San Rafael, by 2020. “When you’re sitting up there on the panel, waiting for that little light to tell you that it’s your turn to speak, you feel so much anxiety but then as soon as it goes on, you feel exhilarated by the chance that you and your words
may actually impact what is going on,” explained Milo. They have had two setbacks so far. The first was at the Bay Area Air Quality Management District hearing during which attendees including representatives from Texaco, Chevron, and the big name oil companies pressured legislators to roll back emissions caps on a previously agreed upon limit. “It was really disappointing to see that happen, to witness the power of big businesses not using their power for good,” stated Milo. “We were the only youth-led group to testify about how the oil companies’ choices will impact us,” said Allegra. “It didn’t help and sure, the wins feel much better, but at least we were heard and it’s really good for us to get this experience using our voices.” Milo explained that the group’s second disappointment was “When the Marin Independent Journal opted to pass on an Op Ed piece we pitched the paper. The editor told us no one wants to read about the environment and that really hurt.” “But we met over the summer,” Luci chimed in, “And we have a big list of goals for the coming year so we are undeterred.” (see p. 41, Generation: Our Climate. The Next Eighteen Months). In addition to testifying whenever and wherever possible, the group is always looking for new ways to get involved and make an impact. They hosted a movie night with Marin Clean Energy for the premier of “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power” at the
Sequoia Theatre in Mill Valley. Over 100 people attended. They met with James Redford after a screening of “Happenings” at the Mill Valley Film Festival. They were involved with talks at the GreenMarin.biz event with Congressman Jared Huffman and Straus founder Tom Styer in October. What’s next? “We’ve got a hearing coming up in Sacramento in front of the California Water Board where we’ll be speaking alongside powerful forces like Monsanto, labor unions, and other environmental activists,” shares Milo. “We may not be keynote speakers every time yet, but we are important parts of these events.” When talking about a lawsuit that has been filed by Marin and San Mateo Counties against 37 oil companies over sea-level rise, the trio says, “We would literally cry if we got to speak up at that trial.” For now, though, they will continue to take notes and refine their points, learning from every expert they meet and every event they attend. “We know we are going to have more and more opportunity to make an impact because we know. . .” says Luci, “It has to be done . . .” adds Allegra, “and we are the people to do it,” finishes Milo. It seems the seeds planted by Ms. Richards and Mr. Haggarty are growing into these students’ ideas and actions firmly-rooted in the values of service to our environment and to our community, confident in their place and purpose, and hopeful for the future.
5
Things You Can Do to Slow Global Warming
1 Use your voice. Talk to your
friends and family about why you care about global warming and what they can do to help.
2 Use your vote. Elect legislators
who are committed to enacting new laws that limit carbon emissions and require polluters to pay for the emissions they produce.
3 Walk, ride, roll, or carpool
whenever possible. 100 carpooling people can prevent 1,320 pounds of carbon monoxide and 2,376,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere in a single year.
4 Power your home with
renewable energy. Choose a utility company that generates at least half its power from wind or solar or select the renewable option that many traditional power companies are now offering.
5 Eat locally grown and raised
food whenever possible. Industrial (mass) food production emits upwards of 600,000 megatonnes of carbon dioxide each year, and that’s before food is shipped all over the world using coal and oil. WINTER 2017-18 37
Students Make Impressive Presentations to Marin County Board of Supervisors Meeting on June 19, 2017 My name is
Milo Wetherall. I attend San Domenico School in San Anselmo and will be a sophomore this fall. My two classmates and I are here as representatives of a student-led organization we founded called Generation: Our Climate. On June 1, 2017, my federal government deserted me and the rest of my generation by committing to ruining the global climate. This act of incredible ignorance told my generation that the federal government doesn’t care about us or our planet. The President said he would rather have corporate profits than healthy children. We, representatives of our generation, now must turn to our local governments: you, the county government, and our state government because we know that change can come in the form of grassroots organization and testimony like today at these levels of government. We hope to change what the federal government has done by working with local municipalities to insure that we, our children, and our grandchildren will be able to live in a world where the sky is blue, not black and polluted. We ask you for help because you have the power to help our future to be bright and to put our lives before corporate profits.
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The website of the Environmental Protection Agency no longer provides information on Climate Change. The EPA website doesn’t list “climate science” as an environmental topic. The proposed federal budget will eliminate the seven most important climate research programs that would provide us the vital information we must have to know what to expect with the emerging climate shifts, to know what we can do as a society to reduce the potentially devastating impacts my generation will face. The President removed the United States from the Paris Climate Accords. These actions represent a larger trend within the federal government: the desertion of climate science, which is a desertion of our generation. We understand that we will be the people who will pay with our money and our lives for the actions of your generation. What makes us feel angry is that the President and the federal government are not just turning a blind eye to this problem, but are encouraging the destruction of the environment that sustains us all.
generation some hope, some assurance, that this country cares about its children. When asked whether or not this federal government cared about its youth, it answered with a resounding no. Now we ask you. It is your time to answer.
We do not want to allow our federal government to put the petroleum industry above the people of this county. We are here today to ask you to stand up with us and take real and verifiable actions that will truly give my
climate and our future!
We are starting climate action campaigns at San Domenico HS, Mill Valley MS, Branson HS, MSEL at Terra Linda HS, Lowell HS in SF, Tam HS and we need more youth climate activists joining us to have our voices heard, get real carbon and greenhouse gases emissions (GHGe) reductions implemented NOW, and protect our We can wait no longer for honest action.
My name is Lucia Paczkowski. Madame President and fellow Supervisors: First, we express our gratitude for your efforts on Sea Level Rise Adaptation and Greenhouse Gas Reductions. We also thank your staff for their thoughtful budget recommendations concerning climate change. We truly appreciate all you have contributed to our county.
As youth representatives from the community, we would like to be involved in changing climate issues that directly affect our generation. We respectfully ask you for the following:
1 Per your staff recommendation, fully fund Deep Green today and implement that program as quickly as possible.
2 Per the staff recommendation, commit at least the additional $375,000 funds for the BayWave efforts, but we ask that this effort be better attuned to our generation’s interests and needs. We fear that the Sea Level Rise planning of today may not be adequately addressing the avoided-cost consequences imposed on our generation and future generations. 3 We are concerned that there are not enough funds to hit the GHGe reduction targets that we believe will have to be undertaken at the local level because the federal agencies won’t be doing anything for the next four years. We do not know what is the right amount of money today but we do believe that a $595 million budget can invest a little more in protecting our generation. We ask that you invest more to accelerate measurable GHGe reductions, in the public, residential and commercial sectors with verifiable monitoring and reporting. If these requests are implemented fully, Marin County will be providing us and future generations more hope for the health and livability of our communities. Today, we have no one else to turn to, to look out for our future. We ask you to value and actionize our requests of you, so that our tomorrow may be as clean and beneficent as possible. We thank you for your attention.
My name is Allegra Shünemann and this year I will be a sophomore at San Domenico School. The temperature is estimated to rise a minimum of 3.6o Fahrenheit by 2050 with some estimates doubling that temperature. Sea level rise will seriously impact Marin County, we will experience more frequent and dangerous forest fires, and the smog-filled skies all paint a grim future for my generation. With the lack of action from the federal government, I cannot help but feel deeply concerned about the resources my generation will have to expend and devote in the coming decades to repair the damage already happening to our climate. As we are not yet of voting age, there is little we can do but petition you, our local government, to take the required action that our nation will not. As we look out to the year 2050, when I am not yet 50 years old and maybe have children of my own, will all my tax dollars be going to food safety efforts? To rebuilding Highway 101 and several bridges and miles of roads that now flood regularly as the ocean rises? To year-round fire-fighting on Mt. Tam? And year-round drought conditions and water rationing? That picture tells us serious and measurable climate action must happen at all levels, now. Please help me make a better future.
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We find the current political climate hostile to our climate and our very future. We must stand up, raise our voices, and do something about it. - GOC Mission Statement
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Generation: Our Climate
The Next
18
Months
June 2017
Recruiting to Strengthen Our Core Team: Target Middle and High-Schoolers
• Marin and San Francisco • Bay Area, No. Cal, So. Cal • Partner with Our Children’s
Trust; iMatter; other emerging youth groups
July-Aug. 2017 Refine and Spread Our Key Messages
• Continually Refine Our
Testimony: Science Updates Build a Powerful Economic Argument: Need outside expertise Media Outreach
• •
Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
•
Ready for Launch now, need backroom checks
• Day-to-Day Management
(How)
• OpEd Chronicle
(July/August ’17)
Aug. 2017-June 2018 • Present to AQ Boards/
Legislature
•
“Must Accelerate GHGe Reductions”
•
Regional Boards; State Board; Legislature (Undo Gov’s Cap/ Trade?) Congressional Offices
Aug.- Sept. 2017 • Request (Demand?) Academic
and Extracurricular Recognition at our schools for Climate:O ur Generation Activities
-Academic Credit (Physical,
social, political, and economic sciences, democracy) Extra-curricular Activities (Green Team, Sustainability Club, etc).
-
Oct. 2017-June 2018 • Expand Our Model Into Other
States. Collaborate with OCT, iMatter, Youth Yes, etc.
• Recruit and Engage Local Youth
July 2017-July 2018 • Marin County/Cities • San Francisco County/City
Groups for Political and Social Activism
• Northern California (same) • Southern California (same) • Continue Campaign to Get
Climate Conference in SF in September 2018
Bay Area (Based on Targeting and Capacity)
Gov’t Entities to Go Deep Green
Nov. 2017-Jan. 2018 • Develop Program for World
•
Bring the COG and OCT Successes to Conference
•
Select and Get Commitments for Keynote Speakers
•
Prepare a Framework for Conference Results
-
Articles of Action for US Congress, President, Exxon Mobil Call for Remands to Future Generations Financial Planning for Infrastructure Rebuilding and Climate Resilience Strategies for Industry Stockholders Meetings
-
Sept. 2017-Feb. 2018 • Develop Press and Outreach
Strategies
•
Seek Pro Bono Services of Top-line PR Firm(s)
• Public Engagement Plans • Corporate Engagement Plans • Sponsors from industries
involved in the youth markets
•
Industry targets that can lead climate initiatives For more information visit www.generationourclimate.org or follow GOC on Instagram and Facebook @generationourclimate.
•
Seek and Secure Sponsors and Hotel for 150 Youth
•
Organize Program Details and Session Frameworks
WINTER 2017-18 41
A
s one of San Domenico’s four core values, service has again and again proven to be a prominent aspect of the mission of San Domenico School and a significant piece of how we share experiences and give back. Because of my experience growing up and attending a middle school that also highlighted the importance of giving back, it was very easy for me to find a place on the San Domenico campus where I could continue to share my contributions with our own community and communities abroad.
social justice is not only important to myself, but important to the world as a whole. The people we help the most are not just strangers, they are our brothers and sisters, they are our friends and neighbors. We all bear a global duty to support those around us when they experience a struggle. When people are facing situations where they are not able to provide basic needs for themselves, we as a human race must unquestionably step up and contribute to the efforts of
Inspired to Serve BY ELIZABETH CLARKE-CHRISTIE ’19, UPPER SCHOOL SOCIAL JUSTICE CLUB LEADER
My passion for social justice and serving others first began when I volunteered at an organization called Cedars of Marin. At Cedars, people with developmental disabilities come in for the day to enjoy a morning and evening of activities such as playing board games, doing arts and crafts, going to the bowling alley, and working in the garden. While working with the people at Cedars, I was able to fully immerse myself into the culture of their program and help the people have a great experience throughout that day. While participating in this service I felt an extreme gratitude for my own life and a gratitude for the lives of those who worked there. We all shared an experience of brightening each others’ day through working together and helping one another.
helping those fellow humans get back on their feet. There is no doubt that we would want the same act of kindness done for us if it was called for. Social justice holds a prominent relevance in today’s society because of the innumerable injustices that have been taking place globally in recent years; from redlining (denying services, either directly or through selectively raising prices, to residents of certain areas based on racial or ethnic composition of those areas), to human trafficking, or the Black Lives Matter movement here in the United States, a myriad of conflicts that need to be addressed with acts of social justice have become more and more relevant to our lives. Considering recent issues that have been brought up with false media, now is the time more than ever that we should be getting involved in doing our part as a community. We, the community of San Domenico, have the resources and passion to stand up for these issues that are calling out for our help. I urge those who are interested to attend Social Justice Club meetings and spread the word about things that you are passionate about serving. When we work as a collective, the power of the core values of community and service are able to come together and create an impact greater than ever imagined.
We all bear a global duty to support those around us when they experience a struggle.
I have made social justice an important facet of my life because serving those who have been underserved, marginalized, or oppressed is one of our fundamental duties as a human being. Serving not only helps the ones who are being served, but also the ones who are serving through invoking some of the most purely human feelings of empathy and organic wholeness. I gain an unmatchable sense of value by reaching out to those who need assistance and serving their needs or making a positive impact on their lives in any way possible. However,
42 SCHOOL TIES
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SD: Next Generation BY CATHERINE KILROY ’88
One of the gifts of being a 167-year old school is the joy of watching generations grow within our SD community. Catherine Kilroy, Class of 1988, has three children at San Domenico. She recently reached out to us to share the following with us about her two eldest. Eighth-grade skipper Liam Kilroy ’22 finished in sixth place overall (third American) at the 2017 Melges-20 World Championships in Newport, RI. Liam and his Wildman Team competed against a fleet of the most recognized, talented, and decorated adult athletes in the sailing world, including former World Champions, Olympic medalists, and America’s Cup winners. Liam has been racing his Melges-20 since he was in the 4th grade at San Domenico. He is currently ranked #2 in North America and #6 in the world. When asked by a reporter how he manages to fit school into his sailing career, Liam laughed and responded, “I am lucky to go to a school that supports me as long as I get my work done. My teachers and coaches at San Domenico have been great about it.” Liam plans to continue racing in high school, and hopes to represent San Domenico at the 2018 Melges-20 World Championships in Cagliari, Italy.
In October, Liam also competed in the Perkins Cup Corporate Challenge on San Francisco Bay, in an effort to raise money and awareness for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The one-day regatta raised $170,000, and the weekend-long event raised over $750,000 for leukemia research. While the racing was highly competitive,
to Liam, “It was fun to look around the race course and see all these big names in sailing, knowing that we were all out there for a good cause.” Liam won the event for his third straight year, and his SD classmates George Campbell ’22, Aidan Fogarty ’22, and Thomas Lundgren ’22 came out to support him for the Leukemia Cup prize giving and dinner.
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Alumna Reflection
San Domenico alumnae Ugochi Egonu ’17 and Michela Herbert ’17 were on hand to celebrate with Chloë on opening night.
Junior Chloë Kilroy ’19, an aspiring fashion designer, was invited to show her work at New York Fashion Week in September. Over the summer, Chloë enrolled in an intensive course in Fashion Design and Construction at Parsons School of Design, The New School, in New York City. The college-level course was challenging, even intimidating, at first. “Going into this program, I had no sewing experience, little textile knowledge, and felt like I was in way over my head,” says Chloë. But talent and hard work paid off. Chloë was one of a small group of gifted fashion design students whose work was chosen to be displayed during New York Fashion Week on the newly-launched dress floor at Lord & Taylor, the famous department store in midtown Manhattan. On the opening night of the exhibit, Chloë’s achievements in design were recognized in person by the Executive Dean of Parsons, the chair of the Board of Governors for Parsons, and by the CEO and buyers for Lord & Taylor. It was a big moment for Chloë. “Having my first piece debut at New York Fashion Week was pretty mind-blowing.”
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REUNION
46 SCHOOL TIES
2017 Reunion Weekend September 22-23
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CLASS NOTES 1950s This summer, Phyllis Grissim Theroux ’57 prepared for her annual writing seminar at Bishop's Ranch in Healdsburg, held in September. Phyllis is married and reports that her three children are sources of joy to her for different reasons. Of San Domenico, Phyllis shared, “It continues to be vivid in my mind as the place where I was introduced to much of what defines me now: a life of the mind, a love of the arts, and an understanding of what it means to live in community, to have nourishing relationships.” Phyllis reflects that she finds this period of her life, as she edges into her 80s, as intensely beautiful, sad, and meaningful.
1960s Splitting her time between Mexico City and San Miguel Allende, Alexandra Riveroll ’62 (a.k.a. Sandy) has not been back to campus (or the United States!) since she celebrated the 50th Reunion of her Class of 1962 five years ago. Sandy enjoys traveling to England to visit her son, Christian, and to Sweden to see her grandchildren, Minna (7) and Leiah (12). She plans to visit her daughter, Sofia, in Panama during the holidays. Sandy remains busy with her artwork in stained glass, ceramics, and occasional jewelry.
Two graduates from the eighth grade Class of ’66 joined us at the San Domenico Garden Faire on October 7. Nancy Pellegrino Etchegoyhen LS ’66, visiting from the South Bay, and Ruth Clark Moale LS ’66, visiting from Napa, stopped by to see the campus and the Garden of Hope in action. Nancy and Ruth reconnected with Sister Gervaise, and also stopped by the Dominican San Rafael campus to reminisce in the building they used to live in during their time as students. They enjoyed witnessing San Domenico as it is today, and Nancy described seeing Sister Gervaise as “a gift to her heart!”
Over the summer Sister Susannah Malarkey ’48 joined members of the Class of ’64 – Darlene Dinelli ’64, Marcella Roddy Leibert ’64, and Lexie Rice Lydecker ’64 – at Marcella’s home in Santa Rosa. It was a lovely afternoon filled with lunch, laughter, and lots of good conversation on the patio, while Lexie’s two young grandsons enjoyed splashing in Marcella’s pool. The highlight of the day was sharing stories and identifying sophomore faces in a Class of 1964 photo given to “Sister Augustine” during the ’61-’62 school year. Sister Susannah, Lexie, and Marcella came together for lunch again this past October, and Sister was happy to report that planning is already underway for the Class of ’64’s 55th Reunion in 2019!
48 SCHOOL TIES
We want to hear from you! Please submit your class notes and photos to alums@sandomenico.org to be featured in an upcoming edition of School Ties!
Donna Blethen ’67 was sorry to miss her 50th Reunion in September, but was celebrating her wedding anniversary with husband, Tom, on a trip to Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Bruges, and Paris! Donna shared Tom’s blog, where he documented their travel adventures. Of Copenhagen, he writes, “It was Donna’s idea to start in Copenhagen and work our way south to Paris. She wanted to check out her heritage since she’s an 85% Denmark DNA match. I was neutral about the place until I started researching, and once we landed I was met with friendly people, a fast-running tram, utilitarian architecture, muted tones, and bikes: the blood in the veins of the city, pumping the place full of life.” Donna sends her sincere congratulations to all of her San Domenico sisters!
1970s The younger daughter of Jean Futscher Meersman ’70 was married early this summer. Colleen Meersman married Stewart Miller on June 10, 2017, in Clinton, Tennessee. It was a beautiful day and a wonderful family reunion. Jean shared a picture of her and her siblings, including two alumnae sisters, Joan Futscher ’68 and Kathy Futscher Theofel ’73.
During Reunion Weekend in September, the Class of ’72 took the opportunity to gather and continue to enjoy each other’s company on Saturday evening, following the Alumni Luncheon on campus. Many alumnae from ’72 attended, including Carolyn Sharon Heyder ’72, Nancy Worner Fleck ’72, Paula Weaver McGrath ’72, Randi Palm Patten ’72, and Jakki O’Connor Tachiera ’72.
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CLASS NOTES 1970s (cont’d) On July 5, 2017 Sister Gervaise, Sister Patricia Boss, Louann Gilbert Scott ’75, and Liz Wilhelm Schott ’75, attended a concert performed by classmate Evelyne Luest Kernis ’75. The concert featured Evelyne on the piano, Angela Lee on cello,
Featured in the Marin IJ on September 23, CEO Britta Cox ’79 was interviewed regarding the founding of her successful hair towel company, Aquis, which has flourished since its launch in 1990. To date, Britta has sold more than one million hair towels through various vendors including Sephora, QVC, and Bloomingdale’s. In the interview, Britta discusses what inspired her to create Aquis products, common misconceptions she encounters in her industry, and her deep Marin (Novato) family roots. Congratulations on your success, Britta!
and Mariko Smiley – the daughter of a former San Domenico Music Department teacher – on violin. Evelyne’s husband, Pulitzer Prize winning composer Aaron Jay Kernis, wrote the music for the first three solo piano pieces Evelyne played during the concert, and their daughter, Delphine was in attendance. Based in New York, Evelyne and Aaron recently purchased a home in Marin, and are planning on spending more time on the West Coast.
1980s Cressey Belden Janko LS ’83 is Executive Producer of the film “Year by the Sea,” which opened in New York City in September, and was released nationwide this fall. Called “One of the more endearing films of 2017,” and based on a New York Times bestselling memoir by Joan Anderson, the film features Karen Allen as an empty-nester seeking time on Cape Cod for self-discovery, and a new perspective. The film’s tagline is
50 SCHOOL TIES
“It’s never too late to reclaim your life,” and co-stars Celia Imrie, Yannick Bisson, S. Epatha Merkerson, and Michael Cristofer. Cressey was excited to share this lovely story with the San Domenico alumni community. “Year by the Sea” was shown at the Smith Rafael Film Center this fall, and will be available to stream soon. Check out the trailer at yearbythesea.com.
After fourteen years as a stay-at-home mom, Lisa Wolcott Sebastian ’87 went back to school to get a veterinary technician certificate, which she decided to do after losing her dog to rat poison found in a family member’s garage. She is currently studying for the national board exams. For the last three years, she has worked at a veterinary hospital close to her home in Fairfax, and has found it very rewarding to help the pets and people of her community. In other news, her daughter will be graduating high school in June. Time flies! Lisa enjoyed catching up with her classmates at the Reunion in September.
In early September, Catherine Bank Kilroy ’88 (alumna and current School parent) acted as a campus tour guide to Marian Coote Florence ’88, who was visiting from Salt Lake City, Utah. Marian was one of many students featured in the book, The Greatest Classrooms of the World: The Arete West Story, authored, Bill Taylor, on the occasion of his retirement. As a beloved running coach at Drake High School, Bill arranged for Marian to be a part of his team, in the absence of a San Domenico track team. Bill’s book outlines a “truly life-changing experience” of Marian’s in 1987, when, as an early member of the Virtuoso Program and studying in Budapest, Marian spontaneously picked up her violin and played Brahms with a group of gypsies in an outdoor restaurant. According to Marian, this impromptu move was “A spur-of-the-moment decision that ended up being my application essay for Harvard–the international language of music!” The next day she ran her best times ever against Hungarian track students! Today, Marian is married to Nathan Florence, a Utah-based artist and director, and is the mother of two children, including a daughter, Maren, who is pursuing a career in ballet.
On the evening of September 28, members of the Class of ’88 – Myndy Crist ’88, Katherine Elliott ’88, Marian Coote Florence ’88, Holly Creighton Kelly ’88, Catherine Bank Kilroy ’88, Veronika Mora-Mieszkowska ’88, and Anyra Papsys ’88 – got together to catch up and enjoy each other’s company.
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CLASS NOTES 1980s (cont’d) Sandra Wan ’88 and her family visited campus on a Sunday afternoon in August, which she said brought back many good and loving memories of her time at San Domenico. She gave her husband and two daughters a tour of the School, and remarked how different the Dining Hall now looks! She also reminisced with Sister Gervaise about her memories in the “cozy and warm hideaway” that was the newly-built Alice Dupas Brown ’09 Library.
1990s Over the summer, Nadia Chaves ’92 took the opportunity to meet with former San Domenico teacher Gloria Neumeier, while in San Francisco to attend a conference from Melbourne, Australia. Nadia reports that her sisters Karina Chaves ’91 and Tanya Chaves (LS) are doing well, and were all together with their parents and children recently, on holiday on an island in northern Australia. Between the three Chaves alumnae sisters there are now six kids–three girls and three boys!
Heidi Geistwhite Sauberg ’93 visited campus on October 9, 2017 with her mother, Heather, daughter, Anna, and son, Max. They were visiting from New York over a long weekend, and enjoyed strolling around the campus, visiting the Garden of Hope, and looking through photos of classmates lining the hallways in the Music Conservatory.
2000s Proud grandmother and former San Domenico parent, Marsha Holmquist, wrote to let us know that her daughter Gabrielle Holmquist Hodges ’02 welcomed a son, Finn Hodges, born August 9.
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2000s (cont’d)
2010s
After many years of school and training, Jennifer Chen ’03 recently started working at a private OB/GYN practice in Los Angeles, where she is now based. She reflected on how far she’s come since her San Domenico days. Music has remained a steadfast part of her life throughout the years, as she continued to play cello as a hobby through her studies. She recently joined the LA Doctors’ Symphony Orchestra, and says it is “lovely to be able to make music with others again.” Jennifer is hoping she will be able to make her class’ 15th Reunion next year!
Kristen Haenggi MS ’11 attended San Domenico for eight years, and graduated Middle School in 2011. Kristen says, “San Domenico was very influential in my choice to become Catholic in the spring of 2015 at Marin Catholic.” This past year, Kristen attended a conference at the Vatican. On the third and final day of the conference, she and her father, Rick, were privileged with the opportunity to have a private audience with Pope Francis. She attributes this once-in-a-lifetime experience to the education and foundation she received at San Domenico.
Congratulations Jaime Castner Libby ’05 on the arrival of daughter Harriet Frances Libby, born on August 22. Jaime and her husband, Geoffrey, are excited to start sharing SD traditions, such as Tableaux, with her.
Emily Ward MS ’06 married Robert W. Abbott on February 18, 2017 in Pebble Beach, California. In attendance were many of the Ward's family friends made through the bride's ten wonderful years at San Domenico–Maggie Andrews '06 served as Emily’s Maid of Honor! Robert and Emily now live in San Francisco.
At the annual all-alumni Julie Davis Butler Luncheon and Award Presentations on September 22, alumnae Mika Weissbuch ’07 and Caitlin Gowdy ’12 were invited to share their ROSE Project experiences, and the impact it has had on their lives today with our 2017 Julie Davis Butler Scholarship recipients and Reunion guests. Read more about Mika and Caitlin in their alumni profiles, on page 26.
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CLASS NOTES October 2017 In early October, Director of Music and Digital Arts, Rob DeNunzio reached out to all San Domenico Virtuoso Program alumni in search of reflections, anecdotes, memories, and words of advice for our current Virtuoso students, in honor of 40 Years of the Virtuoso Program. Below are a few highlights received from our alums.
Marian Coote Florence ’88
Jannie Lo Burdeti ’03
I didn't study music in college, but I played a lot – in the Harvard Radcliffe Orchestra, pit orchestras, and chamber groups. After college, I had a Fulbright Scholarship to Damascus, Syria. I took my violin, befriended a pianist, and ended up giving concerts in Damascus and Amman, Jordan; that was 1993. Since then, I have always had my violin with me, but never been a professional player. I have been in the Salt Lake Symphony since 2005, and am currently the assistant concertmaster. My advice would be, music can bring a lot of joy if you can get out of the way and let it be joyful, and imperfect, and inspired.
My time in the Music Program at San Domenico holds some of my most-cherished memories: evening practice sessions spent in each other's rooms, chamber music rehearsals where we laughed and fought over the smallest musical detail, and listening to Tchaikovsky piano trio all night long on repeat. It was the time when I loved music the most purely, most directly, and most viscerally. I want to encourage the students to play as much repertoire as they can, listen to as much music as possible, go to every concert possible, and make music constantly, relishing every moment, both the challenging and the euphoric. There have been so many times where I was so grateful I
54 SCHOOL TIES
had played a piece of chamber music, or knew a piece because we studied it at SD. I am currently finishing my doctorate at the Peabody Conservatory, am married to a wonderful classical guitarist, and live in Victoria, British Columbia, where I have a studio of 40 students in a music school that we started. This year, we also started a local classical concert series!
Jennifer Chen ’03 Although my career is as a physician, above all, I still consider myself first and foremost, a musician. The Virtuoso Program taught me discipline and passion. SD students: follow your dreams! I did, and turned it into reality. My SD friends gifted me a plastic speculum when I graduated
from high school, as they knew then I wanted to be an OB/GYN. Never did I imagine that 14 years later, I would be using speculums every single day. But through it all, the cello has accompanied my every step of this journey. I continue to play and recently joined what I would call the perfect union between my two worlds: the Los Angeles Doctors' Symphony Orchestra.
Miranda Franklin-Wall ’10 After graduating from San Domenico, I went to UC Irvine whereI earned a BA in Theatre Arts and Film & Media Studies, and then moved to Los Angeles to work at Warner Bros. and Fox Television Studios for three years. In October I moved to Israel, to get a Masters in Conflict Resolution and
Mediation from Tel Aviv University. The Virtuoso Program was a formative and enriching experience. The dedication and discipline each and every student had for playing music inspired me – and continues to inspire me – in every facet of my life. Whether you become a professional musician, as many alumni do, or pursue other passions, as I have, your time spent in the Virtuoso Program will create an everlasting imprint on your life.
Nina Pak ’11 B.F. Skinner once said, “Education is what survives when what has been learned is forgotten.” To this day, I still remember the afternoon orchestra rehearsals, figuring out how
to play in sync with my stand partner, discussing with my colleagues the underlying tone of a chamber music piece, and my music teachers who were kind and patient, enabling me to play with confidence on stage. My music classes ultimately taught me how to communicate passion, and be a team player. I am very grateful to San Domenico’s dedicated and passionate teachers, who inspired me to think outside the box and go beyond what is on the page. I was lucky enough to attend San Domenico from 2007 to 2011, and it had a profound influence on my life. Currently, I am a PhD student at UC Berkeley’s Environmental Science, Policy, and Management Department.
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REMEMBRANCES Sr. Catherine Browne, O.P. November 7, 1921-September 9, 2017
Sr. Catherine Browne was an inspired teacher in the Lower Schools at Dominican Convent and San Domenico from 1963-1973 and lived in the dorms from 1963-1976 where she cherished the connections she made with the high school students outside of the formal classroom environment. She spent 20 years in Reno and Livermore as a hospital chaplain and grief support counselor before returning to San Domenico in 1999 as the Alumnae moderator. Later she worked with the Convent archives in San Rafael. Wherever she lived, Sister Catherine was acknowledged for her deep appreciation of, and contribution to community life, and beloved for her gift of relationship. She always maintained strong bonds with SD alumnae and continued to be an honored guest at Reunion and the Veritas Dinner for many years.
Bettye Poetz Ferguson ’35 September 29, 1917-October 25, 2017 Bettye Poetz Ferguson ’35 was a dedicated alumna of Dominican Convent and a faithful supporter of San Domenico. She was honored with the Distinguished Alumnae Award in 1985, was a proud parent of two Upper School graduates (Linda Ferguson Nadel ’67 and Trudi Ferguson ’70), and received the Veritas Award in 1997 with her husband, Barlow, who served on the Foundation Board for 17 years. Every day, SD students gather in the performing arts hall which bears her name to hear music, presentations, or theatre. She was a philanthropist to her core, and her tireless support of San Domenico, along with many other organizations in the Bay Area, exemplified a life of dedication to service and community.
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REMEMBRANCES Sr. Marie Molini, O.P. June 11, 1928-October 13, 2017 Sr. Marie Molini, formerly Sister M. Benet, was a third and sixth grade teacher and boarding school assistant from 1951-1960, and an eighth grade teacher, librarian, and boarding school assistant from 1963-1965 at Dominican Convent in San Rafael. She taught all the core subjects and was known for her friendly nature, her love of the environment, and her appreciation of poetry. She later taught at St. Mary’s High School in Stockton, where she developed a Community Involvement Program, which became a model for high school service programs, and was visionary for its time. In 1996 she took on the role of caregiver of a ten-acre walnut ranch and became an accomplished agrarian. She continued working at St. Mary’s High School until 2014 where she assisted students seeking financial aid for college or high school, planned outreach services, and helped with
In Memoriam Sister Catherine Browne, O.P. Sister Marie Molini, O.P. Bettye Poetz Ferguson ’35 Edith Falvey Willat ’44 Noel Witter Dickey ’46 Beebe Leyva Martinelli ’50
Maria Luisa Aldrete-Levy ’57 Elizabeth Tucker Testa ’68 Deborah Stewart Thompson ’73 Shawna Hunter ’75
In Sympathy Frances Tucker ’62 and Katharine Tucker Schoellerman ’64 on the death of their sister, and Tilda Muller Thompson ’64 on the death of her cousin, Elizabeth Tucker Testa ’68. Linda Ferguson Nadel ’67 and Trudi Ferguson ’70 on the death of their mother, Bettye Poetz Ferguson ’35. . Kathy Dickey Varga ’69 on the death of her father, Donald Robert Dickey (August 2017), and her mother Noel Witter Dickey ’46 (October 2017). Mara Hunter Redden ’70 on the death of her sister, Shawna Hunter ’75.
publications editing. Barbara Morrisey Machalk ’72 on the death of her husband, Craig Machalk. Elizabeth Yates McNamee ’73 on the death of her mother, Patricia Yates. Wanden Treanor ’73 on the death of her brother, Jamie Treanor. Maryam Talakoob ’77 on the death of her mother, Farah Talakoob. Joanna Branick Collins ’84, Margaret Branick-Abilla ’86, and Mary Branick Ujda ’88 on the death of their mother, Dr. Harriet Branick. Elizabeth Gill MS ’00 and Caitlin Gill MS ’02 on the death of their mother, Linda Gill.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES
1994
A Generous Spirit: The Life that Inspired the Rose Garden Tucked away behind the Lower School art room is a small but abundant garden, filled with 136 rose plants. There are many varieties, ranging in name from ‘Small Miracle’ and ‘Abracadabra’, to ‘Diana Princess of Wales’ and ‘Paradise’. The blooms include every color petal from deep, dark crimson to the palest, almost transparent white, including Hybrid Tea, grandiflora, miniature, and climbing varieties. The garden was created in memory of Jennifer Fornos, San Domenico Upper School class of 1990, by her parents, classmates, and teachers after she was killed in a pedestrian accident in the fall of her senior year at Georgetown University in 1993. Jennifer was a beautiful soul, a natural diplomat, a talented leader and musician, and a true friend. Her classmates had the idea for a rose garden in the hope that everyone in the community could share in Jennifer’s beautiful spirit, taking roses home to brighten their dorm rooms or local houses. 1990: Sr. Gerviase and Jennifer at San Domenico
Construction of the garden took several years to complete and was an incredible learning experience for all involved, as they encountered a myriad of obstacles including flooding, gophers, and the sometimes very demanding maintenance schedules of the different plants. Each plant has a plaque with its variety as well as the name of the donor. After constructing the memorial rose garden, her parents created an endowed scholarship in her name, to which many friends and classmates contributed. As Sister Gervaise recalled at Jennifer’s memorial service at San Domenico in 1993, Jenn was “one of the kindest students. . .always unassuming and constantly giving of herself,” and thus the honored Veritas Award recipient at graduation. So, it is fitting that the bountiful roses continue to thrive and give beauty to all those who visit and take a cutting or two. Jennifer’s mother, MariVi visits campus every week to tirelessly tend to the garden. When asked what she hopes for visitors to the garden she said, “Peace. . . I hope they leave with a feeling of peace.”
June 1, 1994: Panther Press: Mrs. and Mr. Fornos constructing the garden
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October 21, 2017: Mrs. Fornos at work in the garden
Shop to Fundraise
IMPORTANT DATES
There’s no easier way to support your school!
3.29.18
Grandparents Day
4.21.18 PSA Gala
5.1.18
Parent Volunteer Appreciation Reception
6.8.18
Middle School Graduation Collectively referred to as "scrip," shop at the following stores and register your credit and debit cards and a percentage of your shopping, dining, and grocery spending will be donated back to San Domenico. And all at no extra cost to you!
Amazon Smile
The Home Depot
Gap
Best Buy
Saks
Lowes
Nordstrom
Lands End
United Markets
Sports Basement
Woodlands Market
Book Passage
Good Earth Natural Foods
eScrip Apple and more…
Learn more at sandomenico.org/scrip
6.9.18
Upper School Graduation
1.15.18
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day-No School
2.16.18
Professional Development Day-No School
2.19-2.23.18
Winter Break-No School
3.23.18
Professional Development Day-No School
3.30-4.6.18
Spring Break-No School
4.27.18
Professional Development Day-No School
5.28.18
Memorial Day-No School
6.7.18
Last Day of School-Lower & Middle School
6.8.18
Last Day of School-Upper School
Please forward this publication. If your son or daughter no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Advancement Office of his or her new mailing address by calling 415.258.1931, or emailing alums@sandomenico.org.
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