IN THIS ISSUE
F A L L
2 0 2 1
PERFORMING
ARTS: EMPOWERING
STUDENTS
TO SOAR SEE INSIDE - PAGE 24
Contents
4 7 10 16 20 24 28 30 32 36 38 42 43 44 46 50 51
Column By Head of School Christopher P. Garten New Faces at Seven Hills School News Fall Sports Buzz Sampler Performing Arts: Empowering Students to Soar Personal Challenge Projects Creating Conversations In Memoriam: Bob Turansky Meet Seven Hill’s New Alumni Association Board Alumni Profiles – Ann Lackman Miller C’38 and Marjorie Wood Drackett H’40, L’34 Next Chapter Events In Memoriam: Marjorie McCullough Motch #ThrowBack Alumni Class Notes Fall 2021
Special thanks to Keith Neu for his sports photography.
Does the School Still
Seven Hills Magazine is a publication of The Seven Hills School.
Calendar of Upcoming Alumni Events
Christopher P. Garten Head of School Margo Kirstein Director of Development
Chris Hedges Director of Marketing & Communications Sarah Ott Lautar ’05 Director of Alumni Engagement
Marika Lee Writer & Project Manager Rachel Cheatham Writer & Project Manager
© 2022 The Seven Hills School
THE SEVEN HILLS ANNUAL FUND
SEVEN HILLS STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD . •••
WITH YOUR GIFT TO THE ANNUAL FUND, YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIRS.
ANNUAL FUND
YOUR GIFT MATTERS . THE UNITED SUPPORT OF ANNUAL GIVING BY THE SEVEN HILLS COMMUNITY FUELS THE KIND OF INQUIRY BASED TEACHING AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT DEFINE THE SEVEN HILLS EXPERIENCE.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, OR TO MAKE YOUR GIFT ONLINE, PLEASE VISIT 7hills.org/AnnualFund QUESTIONS? Contact Margo Kirstein, Director of Development, at 513.728.2437
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Christopher P. Garten HEAD OF SCHOOL
These past few weeks, we celebrated a cautious return to live arts performances in our community. In our glorious new Schiff Center, students have mounted several magical theatrical productions: “Thwacked,” performed by the fifth grade, “Alice in Wonderland,” by the Middle School, and a stirring rendition of “The Adams Family Musical,” produced by our Upper School students. In the weeks before the winter break, we enjoyed a cornucopia of musical performances, choral and instrumental, on both of our campuses. It has been heartening to witness, once again, the delight our young people take in performing, but I take even greater pride in what our students learn from the process. Seven Hills has a long tradition of commitment to the arts. Alumni from earlier eras remember, with great fondness, the elaborate pageants which marked the advent of the holiday season. Throughout the 1980s, 90s and early 2000s, inspirational teachers like Diane Kruer and Patty Flanigan inspired 4
generations of artists and thespians, many of whom have gone on to professional careers in the fine and performing arts. In those earlier times, Seven Hills did not have the venues, or the resources, we have today. School performances were performed in classrooms or
I believe that what truly distinguishes Seven Hills’ approach to the arts is the special relationship that develops between our extraordinary teachers and the student artists under
their care. ~ Chris Garten
in the “cafetoriums” at Doherty or in Founders Hall on the Hillsdale Campus. The construction of the
Donovan Arts Center in 2000 and of The Schiff Center in 2019 have succeeded, beyond our wildest dreams, in sparking the creativity and imagination of our students and their teachers. But, from the beginning, what has truly distinguished Seven Hills’ approach to the arts has not been the stage or the production values — it’s been the process of making art. Guided, in part, by our mission, Seven Hills devotes an extraordinary amount of time to fostering creativity in young people. Drama, choral and instrumental music, and visual arts classes are required for all students from pre-kindergarten through the seventh grade and are granted a great deal of time in the daily schedule. Moreover, these courses are perceived, from the beginning, not just as electives or specials, but as an integral part of a student’s learning experience. Beginning in eighth grade, students have more choice and can, if they opt to, begin to specialize in one or more performance areas, and while students in the Upper School are required to pursue at least three semesters of coursework in the arts, the vast majority far exceed this
Upper School, “The Addams Family”
requirement. Beyond this required coursework, students at all grade levels are encouraged to participate in a wide array of performance opportunities throughout the year. The breadth of these offerings is ambitious, but I believe that what truly distinguishes Seven Hills’ approach to the arts is the special relationship that develops between our extraordinary teachers and the student artists under their care. From the beginning, the Seven Hills arts faculty has sought to engage young performers in every stage of artistic decision making. From the selection or adaptation of a play, to casting, to artistic choices about staging, scene and lighting design,
Middle School, “Alice in Wonderland”
and choreography, students are encouraged not to merely follow a director's artistic vision, but to participate fully in developing an interpretation and in bringing a show to life. Similarly, musical performers are trained to explore a wide range of musical styles and arrangements. They are urged to improvise and to experiment and to learn how subtle shifts in rhythm, tempo, or dynamics can alter the impact of a performance. Undergirding all of this is the assumption that young people are capable of taking on adult-like responsibility. Over the course of time, the students involved tend to bond very closely with one another. The participants, cast and
crew alike, are fully committed both to challenging themselves as individuals and to contributing, as fully as possible, to the success of the collaborative enterprise. The impact of all this goes far beyond the quality of a given performance; in the long run, this approach helps young people learn to trust their own creative instincts and it empowers them to work effectively alongside others to create a truly compelling experience. For many of us, high school may mark the last time we appear on a stage, but the lessons we learn from a skilled director can guide us for the rest of our lives.
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SCHOOL NEWS
LOTSPEICH WELCOMES SUSAN MILLER AS NEW HEAD Cincinnati native Susan Miller joined Seven Hills as the new head of Lotspeich on July 1, 2021, with a steady stream of endless energy and love for academia.
Seven Hills began the search for a new head after Carolyn Fox, the former head of Lotspeich, retired after 19 years in the position, and 40 years at the school.
Susan Miller
rolling up her sleeves and working alongside her superb faculty to provide the richest possible experience for our students and their families. We are thrilled to have her on
After graduating from Smith College
board,” Garten said.
with a Bachelor of Arts in education and child study, Miller taught first
Miller said she loves being the
through sixth grade at Cincinnati Hills
head of Lotspeich because
Christian Academy’s Armleder
she’s able to see and be part
Campus. From there, Miller and her
of the opportunities children
family moved to Charleston, South
have to develop all kinds of
Carolina, where she helped start two
According to Miller, Seven Hills lives up
schools that created educational
to its strong reputation of academic
opportunities for underserved
excellence, commitment to diversity,
communities. After Charleston, Miller
and experiential learning.
worked at Tower Hill School, a private college prep school in Delaware, as the head of Lower School for six years. Miller said when she noticed the head of Lotspeich position was available at Seven Hills, she knew she had to apply. “I was thrilled to be able to put my name in the hat for this position, because this is coming home for me. I have known about Seven Hills’ wonderful reputation for a long time,” Miller said.
academic skills and talents. “People who go into teaching, it isn’t a job…it’s a calling. You see it clearly in the teachers here, who I get to see
Additionally, Miller was proud to see
every day strengthening their craft to
the strong sense of campus community
reach students in creative ways. I love it
from the faculty and students.
and that’s why we do what we do.
“It’s really palpable. There is a warmth here at Seven Hills that is genuine, enticing, and inviting,” Miller said. Head of School Chris Garten said Miller brings a wealth of experience and a deep knowledge of the educational needs of young people to Seven Hills. “Even more importantly, though, she is a ‘servant leader’ in the fullest sense of
6
the words, committed to
Getting the opportunity to know the students, feeling the excitement of the new year and the complete joy of being in the classroom again after the summer, there’s nothing like it,” Miller said. In her first year at Lotspeich, Miller said she’s excited to learn about the nuances and traditions of the school.
SCHOOL NEWS
NEW FACES AT SEVEN HILLS
We are pleased to welcome new Seven Hills faculty and staff! Kayla Cappanelli Lotspeich Pre-Kindergarten Assistant & Encore Teacher
Editor-in-Chief for the student newspaper,
maintained grades and administration for
The Georgetonian. She most recently worked
physical education for kindergarten
as a staff writer for the Grant County News,
through eighth grade. He also worked as
Kayla received
where she covered local news and designed
the director of fitness at Cincinnati State
her B.S. in family
newspaper layouts.
Technical and Community College.
the position of
Phoebe Dierkers Lotspeich Project Math/Math Enrichment Teacher
Sarah Gaunt Lotspeich Math Enrichment Teacher
customer
Phoebe received a B.S. in middle childhood
experience
education and a M.S. in education leadership
studies from Miami University. She recently held
associate for SUGARFINA. She also worked as
from the
the preschool teacher and preschool wing
University of
coordinator for The Compass School, where
Cincinnati.
she routinely planned and taught a variety of
Phoebe has
educational experiences centered on the
worked as an
Reggio Emilia philosophy.
intervention
Luci Cassiere Lotspeich After the Bell Teacher
Sarah earned her B.S. in business administration, marketing from the University of Kentucky and her M.S. in elementary education from Depaul University. She most recently worked as a
aide and seventh
fourth grade math teacher at Hamilton
grade math teacher for the Oak Hills Local School
Elementary in Chicago, where she enhanced math understanding by
Luci earned her
District and previously held the position of
B.S. in human
fifth grade teacher at Lotspeich. At Oak Hills,
development
she was part of Common Assessments
and family
Creation and Building Leadership Teams,
sciences in May
in addition to coaching volleyball and
2021. She has
cheerleading.
School in Chicago.
lifeguard, tubing
Michael Combs Lotspeich Physical Education Teacher
Tori Jansing Doherty After the Bell Lead Teacher
assistant at Perfect North Slopes, and as a
Michael received his B.A. in physical
Tori received her
summer program counselor for Seven Hills.
education, recreation, and fitness from
B.S. in early
Northern Kentucky University, and his M.A.
childhood
previously worked as a
Rachel Cheatham Writer & Project Manager
focusing on reasoning skills and differentiating learning. She also taught for the enrichment program and coached varsity soccer at the Francis W. Parker
in sports
education from
administration
the University of
Rachel earned a
from Xavier
B.A. in political
Cincinnati, while
University. He
science from
student teaching.
most recently
Georgetown
She was a
held the
College, where
student teacher at Madeira Preschool,
position of
she was the
physical
Whitewater Valley Elementary School,
back page
education teacher at St. Gertrude School,
editor and
where he produced lesson plans and
and Seven Hills for first grade at Doherty. Continued on page 8
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SCHOOL NEWS
NEW FACES AT SEVEN HILLS . . . Continued Elizabeth Johnson Lotspeich After the Bell Teacher Elizabeth earned her B.A. in English from
physical education teacher for the McAuliffe International School in Denver. She is also a Positive Coaching Alliance trainer and has
Marcus received his
Vassar College.
coached tennis at the middle school, high
She has previously
school, and collegiate levels.
B.A. in English at his M.A. in
childcare teacher
Danielle Levine Lotspeich Fifth Grade Teacher
and a substitute
Danielle received her B.S. in English education
teacher in Dayton.
from Indiana University Bloomington and she is
She also taught
currently
worked as a Montessori
English as a second language at a primary school
working toward
while studying abroad in the Netherlands.
her M.A. in elementary
Marika Lee Writer & Project Manager
education from the American
Marika received her B.S. in journalism from
College of
Ohio University. She recently held the position
Education. She
of digital content editor for EdGate Correlation
most recently held the position of upper grades
Services, where
language arts and social studies teacher at
she composed
Rockwern Academy, where she also held the
content for
position of middle school coordinator, planning,
documentaries
organizing, and chaperoning students’ trips to
and educational
Washington, D.C. and New York.
films. She has
Shane Marsan Lotspeich Fourth Grade Teacher
also been a freelancer for
Shane received his B.A. in philosophy, politics,
the West Seattle Blog and a reporter for The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Community Press papers and The Logan Daily News, where she covered local
and the public and B.A. in history from Xavier University. He also received his M.A. in teaching from the USC Rossier School of
events for print and digital news outlets.
Education. He
Laura Leonard Upper School History Teacher
worked as a
Laura received her B.S. in child development and community health and M.S. in teaching secondary history from Tufts University. She most recently worked as senior team lead and social studies and
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Marcus Miller Upper School English Teacher
previously member of the curriculum development team at The Alexander Dawson School, where he organized the review of the school’s learner profile in order to align with curriculum at each grade level. He has previously taught English for multiple schools and organizations in Japan.
Amherst College, philosophy at Harvard University, and his M.Phil. at King’s College in England, where he specialized in Greek philosophy. He previously held the position of eighth grade English teacher for Teach for America Ohio, where he was selected from 40,000 applicants to teach in rural schools. He also worked as the Latin teacher for Greenwich Academy in Connecticut.
Susan Miller Head of Lotspeich Susan received her B.A. in education and child study from Smith College, her M.Ed. in educational leadership from Miami University, and her principal’s certificate from Miami University. She most recently held the position of Head of Lower School at Tower Hill School in Wilmington, Delaware. At Tower Hill School, Susan led, evaluated, and implemented academic, co-curricular, and social-emotional programming on the lower school campus, as well as remote learning platforms. She created and implemented various groups and programs, including the social justice programming and global studies initiatives in the lower school. She has also worked as a principal, an assistant principal, and a middle school librarian.
SCHOOL NEWS
Kara Paredes Lotspeich Pre-Kindergarten Assistant Teacher and After the Bell Lead Kara earned her B.A. in early childhood education with a minor in Biblical studies from Ohio Christian University. She has previously worked as a pre-kindergarten lead teacher for Childtime, where she planned lessons and helped create an educational environment. She also student-taught second grade at Circleville Elementary School.
Kristen Diersing Doherty Spanish Teacher Kristen received her B.A. in Spanish language and literature from the University of Cincinnati, and she received her teaching certificate through the Ohio
organizations’ stakeholders. Through Racheal’s
also received her
direction, they enhanced leadership through
M.A. in foreign
equity, diversity, and inclusion programming,
language teaching
pedagogy program management, and
from Michigan State
facilitation of culturally relevant best practices.
University. She most
Dayna Sargent Middle School Counselor Dayna earned her B.S. in social work from Miami University and her M.S. in social work from Ohio State University. She has worked as a school-based therapist and a youth homeless shelter counselor in Northern
recently held the position of French teacher at Roger Bacon High School, where she was responsible for French I-IV classes. She also worked as an adjunct French professor at Xavier University.
Stephanie Tiller Lotspeich First Grade Teacher Stephanie received her B.A. in education from the College of Mount St. Joseph. Most recently, she taught third grade at All Saints School and was also an English as a second language teacher for VIPKID,
Kentucky. She has also served on the Cincinnati
teaching English
Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care
to Chinese
Unit advisory board and as the family
Department of
learners from age
ambassador for Children’s March for Dimes.
Education’s Intensive
4 to 12. She also taught
Michael Scherpenberg Director of Transportation
Pedagogical Training Institute.
Michael has worked as a bus driver for the
She previously
Loveland City Schools, managing his bus
held the position of Spanish teacher at Evansville Day School in Indiana, where she taught middle school Spanish. She also taught Spanish I-IV at Norwood City Schools to high school students.
Racheal Quinn Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Racheal received her B.S. in anthropology from the University of California, Riverside. She previously held the position of manager, teacher leadership development diversity, equity, and inclusion for Teach for America, where she led and coached a cohort of 160 teachers and
assignments to and from school and for field trips. Additionally at Loveland, he served as lunchroom and playground monitor. He has been a long-time member of the Loveland Youth Baseball Board, serving as the vice president of umpires.
Meghan Stevens Upper School French Teacher Meghan received her B.S. in French with a minor in Portuguese, and an education certificate from Georgetown University. She
kindergarten at All Saints and first grade at St. Veronica School.
Sara Torgison Upper School Art Teacher Sara earned her B.F.A. in studio art from Humbolt State University in Arcata, California and her M.F.A. from the University of Cincinnati’s DAAP program. She has taught ceramics and sculpture at UC, the University of Dayton, and the Rosewood Art Center in Kettering. Her pieces have been featured at the Tabula Rasa Gallery, Frigid Gallery, and Contemporary Arts Center, where she has also worked as an art handler for the curatorial staff.
9
SCHOOL NEWS
NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS Seven Hills Congratulates National Merit Achievers Seven Hills continues its tradition of excellence with several students receiving recognition from the National Merit Scholarship program. Eight students were named Semifinalists and five were named Commended Scholars in the 2022 National Merit Program by College Board.
National Merit Semifinalists
National Merit Semifinalists Seven Hills National Merit Semifinalists are Kevin Chen, Sarah Croog, Kathryn Guo, Jenny Hu, Robby Ligeralde, Naina Purushothaman, Sebastian Rodriguez, and Manan Vij.
National Merit Commended National Merit Commended Scholars are Grayson Halonen, Aahana Katneni, Ella Jo Piersma, Aditi Purushothaman, and Cristina Stancescu.
Four Students Get Perfect ACT, SAT Scores Four Upper School seniors received a perfect composite score on their college admissions tests. Kathryn Guo, Robby Ligeralde, and Naina Purushothaman received a perfect score of 36 on their ACTs. Jenny Hu received a perfect score of 1600 on her SATs. “Less than one percent of ACT and SAT test takers nationally achieve a perfect 36 on their ACT or 1600 on their SAT, but four of them are Seven Hills students! We congratulate them on this amazing and wonderful feat,” said Director of College Counseling Susan Marrs. 10
FRONT ROW: NAINA PURUSHOTHAMAN, KATHRYN GUO, JENNY HU BACK ROW: MANAN VIJ, SEBASTIAN RODRIGUEZ, KEVIN CHEN, SARAH CROOG, ROBBY LIGERALDE National Merit Commended
FROM L TO R: GRAYSON HALONEN, AAHANA KATNENI, ELLA JO PIERSMA, ADITI PURUSHOTHAMAN, AND CRISTINA STANCESCU Perfect ACT, SAT Scores
SCHOOL NEWS
ADVANCED PLACEMENT SCHOLARS 93% of AP Exam scores qualify for advanced standing in college Of the 140 Seven Hills students who took 325 Advanced Placement exams in 14 subjects in May 2021, 93% qualified for advanced college standing by receiving a score of 3 or better on the 1-5 national scale on at least one exam. Among those who qualified, 76 were named AP Scholars* by the College Board for their exceptional achievements of scoring 3 or higher on more than three exams.
Receiving AP Scholar with Distinction Awards for average scores of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken and scores of at least 3 or higher on four or more exams are current students Sarah Croog, Kathryn Guo, Jenny Hu, Gabriella Khaskelis, Angel Liang, Robby Ligeralde, Allie Nathan, Aditi Purushothaman, Naina Purushothaman, Santiago Rodriguez, and Manan Vij. Class of 2021 graduates who received AP Scholar with Distinction Awards are Griffin Callow, Emma Cohen, Kurt Drath, Alex Frohn, Johnathan Gai, Wes Gardner, Daniel Goldfeder, Shriya Kilaru, David Kiley, Annabel Kleinwaechter, Catherine Kogan, Nandini Likki, Dhruv Mahajan, Luke Malloy, Steven Mu, Rohan Nambiar, Laxmi Namboodiri, Reva Namboodiri, Craig Qi, Caroline Routh, Uma Shenai, Megan Tan, Holly Weisfelder, Andrew Yang, Meg Yuan, and Aaron Ziegler.
Corinne Kieser, Jake Messer, Julia Moser, Anand Patil, Ella Jo Piersma, Sebastian Rodriguez, and Meg Seshiah. Class of 2021 graduates who received AP Scholar with Honor Awards are Owen Foster, William Hawgood, Abby Heck, Mia Patel, Charlie Ringel, and Kevin Xiao.
Receiving AP Scholar with Honor Awards for an average score of at least 3.25 on all exams and a score of 3 or higher on four or more exams are current students Drew Balaji, Justin Gao, Cece Hood, Jacky Hou, Riley Jones, Aahana Katneni,
*Based on scores received in September 2021.
Receiving AP Scholar Awards for earning scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams are current students Aanya Anand, Aleena Arif, Liam Belluso, Shanaya Bharucha, Jack Fechter, Suhani Gupta, Mackenzie Hartman, Rosalie Hoar, Maya Martinez Diers, Evan Michelman, Martina Miquelarena, Cristina Stancescu, and Alexis Veldhuis. Class of 2021 graduates who received AP Scholar Awards are Grace Arya, Hannah Elluru, Annie Icenhower, Robert Jeon, Abbie Palmer, Matt Weirich, and Anna Wiot.
Get a fresh start for today and dona the new year! Clean out closets te your items to the Resale Shop and cupboards . Happy New Ye ar!
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SCHOOL NEWS
STRIVING FOR STRENGTHENED DIVERSITY WITH NEW DIRECTOR RACHEAL QUINN “Here at Seven Hills, we are looking at diversity in the broadest sense of the word,” Racheal Quinn told the sophomore class as they were gathered around the Young Family Library for their class meeting on diversity, equity, and inclusion. “A lot of good work has already been done. Faculty and staff, the Board of Trustees, and parents and students have already hit the ground running, and I am here to increase what is already being done.”
Quinn joined the Seven Hills community at the start of the 2021-22 school year as a Lotspeich parent and the director of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her position came out of the Strategic Plan of 2019, which called for “realizing fully our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
Quinn comes to Seven Hills from Teach for America Ohio, where she led and coached more than 150 teachers and stakeholders through diversity, equity, and inclusion programing and facilitation of culturally relevant best practices. Her journey into looking at diversity and equity in education began while she was a science teacher for Teach for America. 12
“It was during my time in the classroom when I got started with diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. I used it to examine how I could be a more effective and efficient teacher. I thought about ways I was creating an equitable environment, how I was being inclusive of students, and how I was honoring the diversity within my classroom,” Quinn said in an interview.
One of Quinn’s goals is to engage student leadership and leverage their abilities to create a more inclusive atmosphere for all students and families.
In her first year at Seven Hills, she hopes to find areas in the school’s community and curriculum where inclusivity, diversity, and equity can be moved further forward than it already is.
“Seven Hills is a great institution that understands the ever-changing world we are living in and wants to keep creating inclusive spaces for all the students that go here, from pre-k all the way to the top,” Quinn said.
Head of School Chris Garten applauded Quinn’s efforts to get to know the school and its culture so as to understand what is working well and what needs attention. “Our principal goal is to prepare our students to thrive in a complex and increasingly diverse global community. Racheal brings a wealth of experience and fresh eyes to so many areas of school life,” Head of School Chris Garten said.
In the library during the class meeting, she told the sophomores that her door is always open and encouraged them to share with her any ideas or initiatives they feel strongly about.
SCHOOL NEWS
THANK YOU, MR. HORNE!
The Seven Hills School thanks Director of Finance and Operations Robert Horne for 25 years of service to the school. Horne was hired as the director of finance and operations in 1996 by then Head of School Debbie Reed. Since then, he has overseen the acquisition of 14 acres of land around the Hillsdale Campus and more than $60 million in new facilities and renovation projects on both campuses. On the financial side, the school’s endowment has quadrupled during Horne’s time and he helped spearhead the expansion of the school’s scholarship program.
In January, Horne and his wife, Seven Hills Director of Admissions for Grades 1-5 Nancy McCormick ’83, moved to Palos Verdes, California, where Horne will be the chief financial officer/chief operations officer for the Chadwick School. “Robert has been a wonderful colleague and friend for many, many years, and we will miss him deeply,” Head of School Chris Garten said. “He has left a remarkable legacy here at Seven Hills, not only in our extraordinary campus facilities but in the school’s enviably strong financial position.” When asked which project is the most special to him, Horne usually says his latest. But he shared that the building of the Donovan Arts Center (DAC) was the most memorable of his career at Seven Hills. “It was really the first big project,” he explained, adding it was his first time seeing a project through from the design to the fundraising to the building phase. “It was on a hillside too, so that led to some interesting geotechnical issues. There was supposed to be an auditorium at one point, but it would have been smaller than Schiff’s.”
MR. HORNE BY THE NUMBERS:
Years at Seven Hills: 25 Heads of School: 5 Acres Added to Hillsdale Campus: 14
Red Barn Paint Jobs: 3 Growth of Endowment: 4x Facilities Construction Projects: $60 million
Under Horne’s direction, the 43,000 square-foot Schiff Center, with its 500-seat auditorium, was completed in spring 2019.
and I are eager for a new adventure, in a new part of the world, but we will always treasure our years at Seven Hills,” Horne said.
In addition to the DAC and The Schiff Center, Horne oversaw the construction of Haile Hall at the Doherty Campus, and the Upper School building, Taft Early Childhood Center, lower fields, Field House, and currently the expansion and renovation of the Middle School building at the Hillsdale Campus. “It is an honorable thing to do and a nice way to spend a career, building something that is helping children have a safe and joyful day at school,” Horne said. For 20 years, Horne was also a coach for Middle School soccer and tennis and Upper School junior varsity tennis. “I met a lot of great kids. It was a fun part of the working experience,” Horne said. McCormick ’83 returned to Seven Hills in 2004 as the director of alumni relations. She has been a director of admissions since 2015. “As we begin the next chapter of our lives together, Nancy
Garten said Horne epitomized the spirit of Seven Hills. “We wish Robert and Nancy all the best in the next phase of their lives, and we are sincerely grateful for all they have given to this institution. They have enriched our lives immeasurably,” Garten said.
13
SCHOOL NEWS
GAMBLE FACULTY CHAIR — KRISTINA O’CONNOR competitions, coaching her Middle School cross country athletes, or sharing her infectious and joyful laughter with her students or colleagues, one rarely finds Kristina working ex cathedra,” Garten said. “For Kristina, teaching is a profession that is best done out of one’s chair, on
The Seven Hills School has awarded one of its highest faculty honors, the David G. Gamble Chair, to Kristina O’Connor. O’Connor has collectively taught at Seven Hills for 10 years, and is currently teaching Middle School algebra 1 and geometry. In his remarks honoring O’Connor, Head of School Chris Garten said it is one of the more ironic recognitions she has received in her teaching career. “As noted in Nexus, the magazine of the University of Toronto’s Law School, the concept of an academic chair originated with the medieval church. Teaching was said to take place ‘ex cathedra’ (from the chair), because each bishop had a ‘cathedra’ (throne) in his principal church. If there has ever been a teacher who avoids teaching ex cathedra, it is certainly Kristina. Whether she is leading eighth graders through complex geometry proofs, helping students understand basic algebraic concepts, conferring with her advisees during homeroom, conducting practice sessions for regional MATHCOUNTS
14
one’s feet. We seize this opportunity to recognize Kristina, knowing that in the coming years, the symbolic ‘chair’ will most likely be used to pile up her textbooks, change into her running shoes, or store work that needs to be graded,” he added.
SCHOOL NEWS
BRODIE GRANTS HONOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE Doherty Lower School kindergarten teacher Lindsay Pietroski and Lotspeich Lower School Director of Early Childhood Kara Meador were recipients of Brodie Grants for Excellence in Teaching from the Brodie Family Faculty Betterment Fund. The Brodie Fund is an endowed trust that provides professional development opportunities for faculty and recognizes outstanding teachers at both early and later stages in their careers.
The Brodie, Jr. Award – Lindsay Pietroski
In her 18 years at Seven Hills, Lindsay Pietroski has continued to grow her magical skills in the classroom, with passion, grace, and humility. Pietroski regularly encourages her kindergarteners’ natural curiosity by combining nature exploration with academic lessons. After reading a book
Any day, when passing her classroom, you may hear a song designed to help her students learn. You hear a panoply of young voices as book characters or puppets spring to life. You see the hallway walls outside of her classroom festooned with the creative ways her students share their work. Lindsay has compassion to love every student who passes through her door and to give each what they need. Finally, she has that rare ability to decipher writing that looks like hieroglyphics, decoding the symbols revealing impassioned thoughts about unicorns with sparkly manes or sharks that can eat dinosaurs.”
The Brodie, Sr. Award – Kara Meador
about bugs, Pietroski’s young learners began examining the great outdoors, using magnifying glasses to sketch roly-polies and one-to-one correspondence to count their legs. When presenting the Brodie, Junior award, Head of School Chris Garten said, “Every day Lindsay comes to work with a ‘never give up on a child’ attitude. She works tirelessly to ensure that each of her students can find success across the day.
Kara Meador’s dedication to student development throughout her 20 years at Seven Hills has created a legacy of belonging and warmth whenever a student, past or present, hears the name “Mrs. Meador.” When Head of School Chris Garten presented her with the Brodie, Senior award, Garten said Meador nurtured her young students with “a deep respect for the gifts of each child, high expectations for academic progress, and profound understanding of their social and emotional needs. “Now, as the director of the Taft Early Childhood Center, she has built an empire
on the same bedrock principles. Kara has nurtured a truly special school culture. She has recruited and developed a terrific team; dedicated teachers, who work closely together to construct a learning environment that fully meets the complex needs of nearly 100 students, ages 2 through 5. In all of her decisions, about the program, about the facility, Kara has been guided by her desire to foster active, engaged, and independent learning among our youngest students. “Characteristically modest, respectful, and unassuming, Kara can, nevertheless, be a fierce advocate for the needs of her students and their teachers. This is why, years later, her former students still drop by the ECC and why the name, ‘Mrs. Meador,’ still has the same incantatory power.” 15
SCHOOL NEWS - SPORTS
FALL SPORTS HONORS Talented teams, competitive players, and great matchups There were several highlights of the Seven Hills fall sports season. Some student athletes traveled to state tournaments and all of our teams had great matchups. Congratulations to our athletes and coaches who made the fall 2021 sports season successful! The boys and girls varsity cross country teams had outstanding seasons. Both teams placed first at the Seven Hills Invitational with freshman Addie Necco placing first in the girls race. The teams competed in the Miami Valley Conference Invitational and both placed second. Both teams placed fourth at districts and went on to compete at the regionals meet in Troy.
The varsity tennis team finished with a record of 12-4. Junior Sohana Thompson and doubles teams of freshmen Sydney Schneider and Charlotte Scharfenberger and seniors Wendy Woffington and Shriya Sekar qualified for and competed at the district tournament. Thompson defeated her first opponent.
1. Cross Country Boys
6. Boys Varsity Soccer
2. Cross Country Girls
7. Girls Varsity Soccer
3. Jacob Joffe
8. Sohana Thompson
4. Maggie Motch
9. Annie Katuksa
5. Julia Zhu
The varsity volleyball team finished the season with a 12-9 record with an impressive 10 shutouts. The team battled through five games in the sectional semifinal match. Freshman Annie Katuksa was named Enquirer Volleyball Player of the Week for having 28 assists, six digs, and five kills in a single match.
The boys varsity golf team defended its sectional title and finished runner-up at districts with senior Jacob Joffe placing second overall. The boys advanced to the OHSAA State Championships in Columbus and finished in sixth place. Joffe tied for sixth place overall and earned Second Team All Ohio honors. The girls varsity golf team had a strong showing in its inaugural season, defeating numerous teams and competing at sectionals. Sophomores Maggie Motch and Julia Zhu took second and fourth and moved on to compete at the district tournament.
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The girls varsity soccer team finished the season with a record of 9-6-1. The team defeated Purcell Marian High School 9-0 in the sectional semifinal. The boys varsity soccer team ended the season with a record of 5-10-1. The team defeated Felicity-Franklin High School 10-0 in the first round of the sectional tournament.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL RISING Since breaking ground in June on the Middle School construction and renovation project, the jobsite has been a hub of activity, humming with the builders, electricians, plumbers, and other contractors as well as the steady back and forth of supplies deliveries and demolition removal trucks. The former somewhat tired Middle School facility is steadily transforming into an exciting, state-of-the-art learning center.
View from the Upper School deck of Middle School construction
expanded science labs and classrooms, and a larger Innovation Lab. “We’ll definitely have to practice our projection voices,” one teacher joked.
Sept 21, 2021 Interior of MS construction
“We get to see this project progress before our eyes on an incredible timeline. We’ve watched as metal beams, plywood, and a vision for a reinvigorated Middle School facility become tangible classrooms, science labs, grade-level community gathering spaces, and more,” Head of Middle School Bill Waskowitz said. In mid-December, Waskowitz walked Middle School teachers through the construction site to share information about the current status and define his vision for the finished spaces. Among some of the highlights, the new facility will include community areas and designated spaces for every grade level,
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the dynamic new Middle School facilities, students will be able to embrace opportunities to try new things and take supported risks surrounded by empathetic peers and teachers,” Waskowitz said.
Through its design, the new Middle School facility aims to create stronger connections between students within their respective grade levels, deepening the Middle School’s “community within a community.” “Middle School students need, more than anything, a sense of belonging, a school community that truly feels like family. Because sixth, seventh, and eighth graders are at different developmental stages, the new Middle School organizes classrooms and common areas into discrete grade-level communities,” Head of School Chris Garten said. “Students encounter many pivotal transitions during Middle School as they become aware of their growing individuality. The new facility was designed with the understanding that Middle Schoolers thrive best in environments crafted just for them. In
Interior of renovated MS classroom
Illustration of new MS classroom
The new Middle School facility is scheduled to open in April 2022.
FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY WITH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT DAY IN L ATE OCTOBER, THROUGHOUT THE HILLSDALE CAMPUS AND ACROSS CINCINNATI, UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS LEARNED ABOUT THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH CONSUMERISM AND WAYS TO REDUCE THEIR CONSUMPTION AND LIVE A SUSTAINABLE LIFEST YLE.
“We want to engage our students with the most pressing issues facing the world today: equity, politics, race, the environment, and public health,” Director of Experiential Learning Nick Francis said of the Upper School’s third Civic Engagement Day. The first focused on the 2020 Presidential Election and
the second was centered around antiracism and diversity, equity, and inclusion, respectively. The introduction of Civic Engagement Day was part of an initiative driven by the E.E. Ford Grant, a prestigious dollar-for-dollar matching grant of $250,000 awarded to Seven Hills in 2019. “These are some of the biggest issues facing the world, and we felt it was important to dedicate time to addressing them,” Francis said. Upper School students started the Civic Engagement Day focusing on
sustainability by watching “The Story of Stuff,” a documentary about the lifecycle of material goods, and listening to the keynote address by journalist and author Bryon McCauley. He taught students about using civil discourse to make people question their understanding of the world. In the afternoon, freshmen and sophomores were divided into small groups and took part in sustainability activities throughout the city. One group planted trees and picked up litter in the Hillsdale Campus’ neighborhood of Madisonville. Another sorted recyclable goods at the Cincinnati Recycling and Reuse Hub. A third group stayed on the Hillsdale Campus and conducted a trash audit, which they later presented to their classmates to show how they could reduce food waste on campus.
grow healthy, local food using 100 percent renewable energy. All students ended the day with a better understanding of their consumption habits and their impacts and ideas for how they could get involved in sustainability policy efforts. Two more Civic Engagement Days are scheduled this school year. March’s will focus on equity and the media and April’s will focus on mental health.
Juniors and seniors attended talks from more than a dozen local leaders about sustainability, activism, and green business practices. One favored speaker was Jared Nelson ’15 from 80 Acres Farms, whose mission is to
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SCHOOL NEWS
S A M P L E S
F R O M
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N E W S L E T T E R
STUDENTS DESIGN SCHOOL VALUE POSTERS
Lotspeich fourth grade students in Shane Marsan’s class participated in a challenge to design a poster around this year’s value, commitment to community. “I wanted to see how well the students could work together to come up with something quickly. I was really impressed with how everyone did,” Marsan said. The students had five minutes to design the posters and 30 minutes to complete their final draft. Their designs included messages about being honest, treating everyone equally, and being responsible.
THE FARM COMES TO DOHERTY
In late October, Harvest Day gave Doherty kindergarteners a farm experience while only travelling as far as the soccer field. Good Green Earth Farm brought farm animals, like goats, sheep, rabbits, ducks, and chickens, for a visit with Doherty students. At various stations, the kindergarteners solved math problems using eggs, used their STEAM skills to build barns and catapults, and practiced reading skills by reading aloud to farm animals. They celebrated fall by dressing scarecrows for the cooler weather and visiting a miniature pumpkin patch.
LOWER SCHOOLS UNIFY MATH PROGRAM
All Seven Hills Lower School students are learning a deeper understanding of mathematics in the same way. This school year, Doherty and Lotspeich Lower Schools are both using Bridges Mathematics, a curriculum that focuses on mathematical understanding and conceptual knowledge. “It is about fully understanding what is happening mathematically versus just memorizing an 20
equation,” Head of Doherty Tracy Murch said. Previously, both Lower Schools were using the same math program but different versions of it. When it was time to update the math curriculum, numerous programs were evaluated and piloted in the classroom before Bridges was selected, with an overwhelming positive reception by teachers at both Lower Schools. “It’s very hands-on with a lot of practice through games and cooperative learning,” Murch said, adding the program allows students of all skill levels to remain in the same classroom.
FIFTH GRADERS TAKE THE LEAD ON CHANGEMAKER TRADITION
Lotspeich fifth graders began the first Changemaker Club meeting by defining what it means to be a changemaker. “We believe a changemaker is a positive influence and an inspiring leader. Changemakers try to impact the world in a positive way, never give up, and care about equality,” members said. The new club empowers students already familiar with changemaker traditions, to become leaders and think about other people and situations,
S A M P L E S
according to Lotspeich librarian Lori Suffield. In preparation for the midOctober Lotspeich assembly, club members held a lively discussion to determine what and how they’ll share information about their new club with their classmates, debating pros and cons for the ideas presented. They also discussed potential roles of changemakers on campus, from morning announcements to service projects.
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librarian Megan Whitt launched the It’s Your World class for the 2021-22 school year and beyond. The course aims to expose students each quarter to a different global issue, such as migration, climate change, social justice, and global health. “I really felt the need for students to delve into civic engagement and discuss the issues we’re facing today,” Waskowitz said. “We plan to examine these issues, with our students early on, in an apolitical, factbased learning environment.” Waskowitz, Caldemeyer, and Whitt partner with the Middle School teaching team to cover the four topics enabling teachers to provide specialized lessons in the subjects.
EIGHTH GRADERS GO ON ADVENTURE TREKS
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N E W S L E T T E R
The eighth grade class and eight current and one former faculty members opened the school year with a trip to Pisgah National Forest and Blue Ridge Mountains for the annual Adventure Treks trip. Students hiked, camped, went whitewater rafting, and bonded with their advisories. Middle School art teacher Elissa Donovan has been organizing the trip for eight years. “It’s about bonding, but it’s also about leadership because they are now the oldest kids in the school,” Donovan said. Head of Middle School Bill Waskowitz commended the students on their resilience as they dealt with torrential rains and high winds from the remnants of Hurricane Ida. “It’s a challenge for each student. That’s what it is meant to be, and that differs by kid. It’s fun to see where the kids shine,” Donovan said.
Continued on page 22
IT’S YOUR WORLD EXPANDS SIXTH GRADERS’ WORLDVIEWS
Head of Middle School Bill Waskowitz, writing teacher Chris Caldemeyer, and
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SCHOOL NEWS
S A M P L E S
F R O M
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O N L I N E
N E W S L E T T E R,
C O N T .
SENIOR TEACHES FRESHMEN ABOUT HOLOCAUST
Senior Lucy Schneider taught English teacher Mark Beyreis’ freshman class about the Holocaust and how it related to their reading of “The Magic Barrel,” a collection of short stories by author Bernard Malamud. “There are multiple things that Jews struggle with. The Holocaust plays one part in that overall struggle,” Schneider said. For two years,
Schneider has been completing an independent study on generational Holocaust survivors. Beyreis has been working on it with her and called it one of the most exciting parts of his career. For the class, she led them through passages from the collection and pointed out common traits among survivors, such as survivor’s guilt and a commitment to continuing the Jewish legacy. “I continue to tell my grandparents’ story because one day they won’t be able to,” Schneider said.
SEVEN HILLS LIFERS HONORED AT LUNCHES
In the fall, seniors who have spent their entire education at Seven Hills gathered for lunches hosted by the Development Department. The events were new this
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school year and members of the Development Department thanked the parents for trusting Seven Hills with their children for so long. Laura Hoguet Leonard ’06, a Doherty lifer and current Doherty parent, spoke at one event about how being a Seven Hills lifer is special. “For over 13 years on the Seven Hills campuses, you have been surrounded by teachers and staff members who are looking out for you, who care for you, and are devoted to helping you succeed. It is this familiar and loving community, these deep roots that you’ve
grown, that have allowed you to push yourself to be your best,” Leonard said. Alumni president Gabe Davis ’03 spoke about how support from the Seven Hills community continues after graduation. “The connections I made at this school during my time here, greatly impacted my future in the best possible way. My connections with my teachers and peers opened doors for me long after I 6 graduated,” Davis said.
SCHOOL NEWS
SEVEN HILLS RECEIVES TOP RANKINGS LOCALLY, STATEWIDE BY NICHE.COM
The Seven Hills School is pleased to announce it has been ranked, for the third consecutive year, #1 Best Private K-12 School, #1 Best Private High School, and #1 Best College Prep Private High School in the Cincinnati area by
BOOKS FOR LUNCH 202 2 The 2022 Books for Lunch committee, chaired by Seven Hills parent Amber Hassan, is honored to present this year’s guest author, National Book Award finalist Min Jin Lee. Lee is an award-winning author of “Pachinko” and “Free Food for Millionaires.” Lee is also a recipient of fellowships in Fiction from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Study at Harvard, and the New York Foundation for the Arts. This year, the committee held a special book club facilitated by Head of Upper School Matt Bolton, discussing Lee’s book “Pachinko.”
Author Min Jin Lee
Niche.com, a nationally recognized, datadriven organization that researches and ranks K-12 schools, in national, state, and local categories. Seven Hills was also ranked in the
Please join us for an inspiring
top two in the category, Best College Prep
afternoon of reflection and words from a talented, nationally recognized author. Save the date for the Feb. 4, 2022, luncheon at the Summit Hotel. Please visit 7hills.org/BooksForLunch to purchase tickets and learn more about Lee and her work.
Private High School in Ohio, and Best School for STEM in Cincinnati Area. “We are pleased to be designated a top Cincinnati school in several Niche.com categories,” said Head of School Chris Garten. “The Seven Hills School strives for academic excellence in all areas. We are blessed to have an exceptional faculty who create an environment that allows students not only to thrive, but excel in the classroom and beyond.” Niche.com analyzes statistical data from sources such as the U.S. Department of Education and the National Center for Education Statistics to determine a school’s rankings and grade. The organization also factors in surveys and reviews by parents, alumni, and students as part of its ranking methodology.
“I am excited to have an author whose book represents cultures and race relations issues with a completely different lens than what we are used to viewing through, as it takes place in East Asian countries,” Hassan said. For 36 years, Books for Lunch invites noted authors to Seven Hills for a morning with students and a luncheon with students, parents, and the
S AV E THE DATE Feb. 4th, 2022
Books For Lunch luncheon at the Summit Hotel
greater Cincinnati community. Masks are required for both luncheon and dinner.
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EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO SOAR In those nervous moments just before the curtain rises, everyone involved in the production, cast and crew alike, feels a surge of adrenaline. Now, after weeks of rehearsal and collaborative decision-making, everything is on the line, and the success of the performance rests on their shoulders. It is go time.
Producing moments like those is at the core of Seven Hills’ approach to the performing arts.
Chair of the Fine and Performing Arts Department Tina Kuhlman puts it like this: “One of the great joys of working in a school like this is helping young people grow in confidence and skill. Over time, we want them to take on adult-like responsibility, to face challenges and surmount them. “This happens all the time in classrooms and on playing fields but I believe its greatest expression is in the performing arts. There is nothing more empowering for students than knowing that the success or failure of a performance rests on their collective efforts.”
Building foundations
When John Rising joined Seven Hills more than 20 years ago as the Lower, Middle, and Upper School music teacher, there wasn’t any 24
sign of a band or musical ensemble. He soon began a music club and met with students once a week to build students’ musical foundation. Due to Rising’s dedication, the instrumental program at Seven Hills is a vibrant growing space for students to explore fundamentals and develop their musical interest. Along with opportunities in Lower and Middle School, the music program has evolved into two Upper School ensembles, symphonic and contemporary, under the leadership of Rising. With Middle School musicians, Rising teaches students about the discipline required to play an instrument well, along with keeping time and sticking to the beat. “I tell students, it’s an uphill battle in the beginning. You might not get the sound you want the first 10,000 times, but you’re never going to be able to get to the point you want to go unless you put yourself out there and try. Some kids play in band because they love creating music with their friends and it becomes an escape from whatever is going on. It becomes very therapeutic. Other kids, they want to play a solo or improvise, or
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“If students can get on stage and play music, then there’s not much else they can’t do.” - Music teacher John Rising
something else, and it’s my job to figure out when it’s a good time to push the kids and when to leave them be,” Rising said. At the beginning of the year, Rising asks students to develop personal progress goals for the semester and for the year. Once students submit them, he sits down with them and helps students create a musical roadmap from point A to point B. Senior Sebastian Rodriguez joined Seven Hills as a freshman and the only trombone player in the symphonic ensemble at that time. “Mr. Rising taught me how to play out and be more confident in my music. He gives me challenges that expand my skills, like performing the melody or a solo in a piece. It feels good knowing that Mr. Rising believes in my abilities, enough to keep giving me difficult materials. He knows that I can do it,” Rodriguez said. Senior violinist Robby Ligeralde explained Rising teaches students how to be adaptable. “I’ve played next to an electric guitar, which is highly unusual for a symphonic ensemble, but it works. We might be one of the only places out there that includes a drum set, and electric
guitar, among other instruments. Aside from being adaptable, Mr. Rising also teaches us how to find something interesting in any piece of music. He constantly sets the tone for practice where it’s a relaxing place where we focus on only music and being able to play with our friends,” Ligeralde said.
comfortable with thinking on their feet and anticipating the scene’s direction. During seventh grade, students begin working on two-person scenes, where they strengthen their empathy toward different kinds of characters and learn how to develop them into seemingly real people, with personal motivations and goals. This encourages the students to learn to think outside of their worldview and consider someone else’s circumstances.
Seven Hills has many students seizing the learning opportunities to grow as actors, artists, and musicians, according to Rising. “For many kids, the arts are where they thrive. What I can do is try, with very limited time, to make sure those kids are on the right path and make sure they are surrounding themselves with other specialized musicians and listening to as much music as possible, so they can be richly exposed to everything out there like recordings and live shows. Kids don’t choose this path because it’s an easy credit. When kids are trying their best and studying right, it might still be a hard challenge for them to overcome, even if the kids are strong musicians. This is step one of a life journey, and there’s, hopefully, no end. My goal is to get kids hooked on playing music, either continue playing for fun or more serious opportunities. Ideally, I want kids to keep playing their whole lives,” Rising said. By building the foundations for discipline and helping students find their ear for music, Rising teaches students how to persevere and power through challenges.
“If they can get on stage and play music, then there’s not much else they can’t do,” Rising said.
Setting the stage
Like Rising, the Seven Hills’ theater teachers are committed to engaging students in all aspects of the creative process. Guided skillfully by Middle School drama teacher Jacob Hauser, Upper School drama teacher Mark Raia, and technical theater director Trey Tatum, Middle and Upper school student actors, costumers, scene and lighting designers, choreographers, and producers learn to collaborate to bring an artistic vision to life. Hauser worked on Broadway as the assistant company manager for “Jane Eyre” in 20002001 then as the drama teacher at The Perkiomen School in Pennsburg, PA., before he and his wife decided to move back to Ohio to be closer to family. He joined Seven Hills in the fall of 2015 and has never looked back. “My primary goal is to have students develop a deep love and enjoyment of theater. Students learn how to create characters, how to identify their wants and objectives, and then how to logically convey those emotions, those thoughts, to the outside world,” Hauser said. As a first step, Hauser introduces sixth graders to improvisation, steadily getting students
“Students begin with a lot of open scene work, and learn how most communication is nonverbal and that tone, body language, and facial expression, can often play a more significant role in what the character means and shows than their lines alone. We do a lot of different kinds of improv to help students learn how to keep it fresh, even if their lines are scripted and are not necessarily new. There’s a level of spontaneity they learn to become comfortable with,” Hauser said. By the eighth grade, students learn every function that helps create a production, from acting to sound design. For students who have a deep passion for theater, there are several optional activities they can choose from to strengthen their skills. “The Middle School does a play and a musical each year, so being part of those is an excellent way for those kids to get additional exposure. It’s fulfilling to see the students take ownership, and we really focus on the productions being student centered. They’re running the lights, the sound, acting. We’re there, and we help, but the students are in charge and learn how to run productions. It is amazing to see the confidence they gain from facing their fears on stage and finding success, despite self-doubt,” Hauser said. Along with the school productions, students can also participate in the Junior Thespian Club that meets once a week during lunch and compete at the Ohio Junior Thespian Conference.
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PERFORMING ARTS: EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO SOAR
. . . Continued
“The conference allows those students to compete in the Thespys by performing songs, monologues, and scenes that are adjudicated by judges. I work with these students during lunches, fruit break, and after school to prepare their pieces. Students who earn high enough ratings have the opportunity to move on to the International Thespian Festival. Through the Thespys, I can help the students select material that will challenge them wherever they are in their training as a performer,” Hauser said. According to Hauser, students’ commitment to being themselves is what nurtures their growing performing skills.
Stepping into the spotlight
Seniors Max Steinman and Gabrielle Christmon hadn’t pictured themselves as leads when they first started their theater careers in Middle School. Steinman initially started with tech theater in seventh grade, where he controlled the music for productions. Christmon began with a small singing solo in sixth grade, but Hauser could see her potential and asked her to step outside her comfort zone. “Mr. Hauser increased the length of my singing solo every year, and helped me go where I didn’t think I could,” Christmon said. Christmon performed in “Elephant’s Graveyard” during ninth grade, where she learned to keep a strong stage presence in the face of heavy and emotional subjects. The next year, she was cast as Motormouth Mabel in the Upper School’s “Hairspray” production. Once Christmon learned the Upper School’s fall production was going to be “The Addams Family,” she knew she had to audition for Morticia. “I never dreamed I would actually get the role. I’ve idolized Morticia for years, and watched 26
“The Addams Family” movies growing up. It makes me feel seen for Mr. Raia to have faith in me to be Morticia. His faith and confidence in my skills helped me rise to the challenge onstage,” Christmon said. According to Steinman, his theater peers and teachers feel like family because they support each other every day. “Being cast as Gomez was a big step forward for me, and it made me feel important and confident. I felt like my skills were wanted and valued. It was the first character I played onstage that felt close to who I am as a person, and I felt like I was performing as myself. Student performers want to entertain and bring happiness to other people, and theater is how we choose to do that,” Steinman said. Alongside Upper School productions, throughout his theater courses, theater teacher Marc Raia empowers students to excel by creating a place where students feel comfortable being themselves. “Additionally, we try to introduce our students to working theater professionals outside our school community, like stage combat experts, improvisation specialists, and professional actors and directors. We also strive to expose our theater students to modern and classical
plays by the greatest writers: Shakespeare, August Wilson, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Sam Shepard, Marsha Norman, and others. Exposing our students to the very best and most challenging material drives them to excel — to achieve things beyond their expectations. It's always amazing just how good our students can be as young actors, and great material seems to push them to do great work,” Raia said. In the Upper School classes, theater 1, theater 2, advanced acting and directing, and the new film course called stage to screen, Raia builds on the foundations learned throughout Middle School performing arts classes to expand students’ abilities as they explore their range. In theater 1, students learn how to bring characters on stage to life, while adding their own interpretation to classic roles. Students
analyze and do a staged reading of the play “All My Sons” by Arthur Miller, are introduced to acting Shakespeare, learn stage combat, and complete a two-person scene from a modern play.
encourage others to succeed, but they also excel independently because they’ve learned how to build a foundation of skills and experiences throughout their years at Seven Hills,” Raia said.
During theater 2, students experience more advanced scene work and monologue techniques, continue stage combat training, and dive further into Shakespeare’s text, exploring themes, character motivations, and expression.
Developing perspectives
According to Upper School technical theater director and teacher Trey Tatum, at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is students taking pride in the work they've done and the personal goals they achieved.
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“If the students can point to something and say to themselves, to their parents, and their friends, ‘I made that!’ that’s all that matters. I understand most of the students, when they graduate, will be patrons of the arts rather than performers. So, we’re building a place for kids where they can dive deeply into the arts, giving them as much running room as we can to go as far as they want,” Tatum said.
-Marc Raia, theater teacher
Tatum guides students’ stage creations, as they strengthen communication skills, figure out the necessary math, and learn how to transform a sketch into a useable creation for production.
It's always amazing just how good our students can be as young actors, and great material seems to push them to do great work.
In advanced acting and directing, students further develop their acting skills, while learning directing skills from a new guest professional director selected each year. Each year, the advanced class completes two invited-audience performances. This year, the class performed a collection of scenes and monologues where students were in charge of directing, lighting, blocking — essentially everything that creates a performance. Students also study one great filmmaker every year and explore commercial acting work as well as advanced stage combat. Students frequently re-enroll in Raia’s advanced class since the curriculum changes each year, and they aim to further sharpen their skills and expand their knowledge of the theater world. “Personal development is the primary goal; the product or production doesn’t come before the person. We’re creating a space where all kids can fit in — there is a home for everybody. Not only do students
“I want students to learn more about different kinds of theater, to expand what they believe theater is and what it can be. The challenging plays help broaden students’ perspectives, challenge their ideas and beliefs, and enable them the opportunity to think deeply about certain heavy subjects. My favorite thing about being a teacher is watching these students become adults, and seeing them grow in confidence, beliefs, and ideas," Tatum said. According to Tina Kuhlman, from the moment students arrive at Seven Hills, they are encouraged to strive towards ownership over their creative journey, whatever path it may be.
“We utilize design, clever solutions, and translatable skills, so kids are constantly thinking outside of the box. It’s a different educational experience, and I’m trying to make sure that when kids come to the theater, it’s the only thing they have to focus on. They can disappear in the work after school and have fun,” Tatum said. During his technical theater class, Tatum introduces 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students to more complex subject matters with plays and a wide array of contemporary theater enabling students to consider different situations they personally might never experience. Tatum surveys the student’s interests and skill set at the beginning of the semester to figure out where he can challenge them and help them grow as playwrights, designers, and most importantly, as people.
“From writing and directing their own plays to improvisation and composing music, students are inspired by their time at school and find their creative voice. This leads them to a lifetime of appreciation for and participation in the performing arts,” Kuhlman said. 27
SCHOOL NEWS
PERSONAL CHALLENGE PROJECTS Three Stories of Discovery Learning French SENIOR JENNY HU
Jenny called the accent “tricky” and said
in the eighth grade but didn’t fall in
mastering how a native speaker would
love with eventing until he began
Project Description: Jenny taught
inflect a sentence or place emphasis in
working for a top-level eventer the
a word was the most difficult part. She
summer between freshman and
sought out as much French media as
sophomore year. He started going to
possible to try to replicate the immersive
the barn and training with his horse
atmosphere of a classroom environment.
three days a week. Eventing, which
herself French. Project Process: Having already studied Italian and learned Spanish and Latin at Seven Hills, Jenny decided to teach herself French during the COVID-19
Jenny: “It was really cool seeing how
lockdown for her Personal Challenge
French vocabulary overlapped with
project. She wanted to see how the
English and other Romance languages.
linguistic structure and cultural usage
I could pull most of the words from
would compare to other Romance
somewhere because English has French
languages she studied. Jenny has always
roots and then French has Latin roots.
found French beautiful and was excited
That overlap was really interesting to
to experience classic literature and
examine.”
poetry, such as “Madame Bovary,” in the original French. She worked with a tutor on comprehension and speaking.
Liam called a triathlon for horses, is a test of endurance and training for the horse and rider since the three events take place over two days. Liam’s horse had frequent injuries and Liam spent most of junior year restoring the horse’s strength and fitness. Though it took a lot of time and dedication, Liam said the
Quick Fact: Jenny watched French movies, listened to French music, read the news in French, and switched her phone’s language to French to help immerse herself in the language.
rehabbing was worth it since his horse was better than when they first started training together. Liam: “I decided to do the event for my challenge project because I knew it was
Competing in a Horseback Riding Event SENIOR LIAM BELLUSO
something I wanted to do and it gave me
Project Description: Liam competed in
and it ended up being really fun.”
a United States Eventing Association
the extra push to go do it. I have been working toward the goal for a long time
beginner novice event, which combines dressage, crosscountry, and show jumping. Project Process: Liam began horseback riding
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PERSONAL CHALLENGE IS A REQUIRED
EXPERIENCE THAT SPURS SEVEN HILLS STUDENTS TO EXPLORE A TALENT OR INTEREST, IN-DEPTH. PERSONAL CHALLENGE EMBODIES THE SPIRIT OF SEVEN HILLS AND ITS DEDICATION TO EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING. STUDENTS MOVE OUTSIDE
SCHOOL NEWS
on the perspectives of a nurse, a
Naina: “I knew I wanted to do something
patient in Italy, and a protestor during
with writing for my Personal Challenge
various points of the COVID-19
Project, but I couldn’t decide on a
pandemic. She embedded a message
theme. When the lockdown first
in each story, such as what it means
happened, it presented an opportunity
to be brave, knowing the unexpected
to process what was happening around
can occur at any time, and coming
me, so the idea for it to be my theme for
together despite differences to help
my stories occurred naturally from that
one another.
point on.”
Project Process: Naina began her
Quick Fact: Naina began writing prose in
writing process with extensive
the second and third grade, then diving
research about each subject, spending roughly 12 hours Quick Fact: Liam actually competed in three beginner novice events. He was planning and training to step up to novice for the next competition season but had to stop because of his horse’s injuries.
Voices Behind Coronavirus: S E N I O R NAINA PURUSHOTHAMAN Project Description: For her Personal Challenge Project, Naina wrote a collection of three realistic fiction short stories based
on research alone for her personal challenge. From there, she outlined her story arcs and figured out how to convey her intended messages to readers. At the end of each story is a bibliography of her sources, in case readers want to learn more.
THEIR COMFORT ZONES TO REACH NEW ACHIEVEMENTS, DISCOVER THE THRILL OF MASTERY, AND SATISFY THEIR NATURAL CURIOSITIES. IN THREE STORIES, WE SHARE A GLIMPSE OF WHAT PERSONAL CHALLENGE HAS MEANT FOR THREE UPPERCLASSMEN.
into poetry during eighth, ninth, and tenth grade. Her short stories enabled her to find her rhythm writing prose again, as she hoped. Naina is planning to explore creative writing as a concentration or a major during college.
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SCHOOL NEWS
CREATING CONVERSATIONS SPEAKER SERIES The Seven Hills Creating Conversations speaker series returns this year and features experts in their fields relating to raising bright, happy, and healthy children.
MINDFULNESS TECHNIQUES WITH JAMES BUTLER In mid-September, early childhood educator and author James Butler shared mindfulness tips and advice with parents at The Schiff Center and via Zoom during the first Creating Conversations event of the year.
Butler learned mindfulness techniques in his own life to deal with stress and anxiety. He brought the techniques into his pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classrooms, eventually writing a mindfulness curriculum and book. He is now the mindfulness coordinator at the University of Texas. He emphasized the importance of having a stress relief technique ready to
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go when difficult times arise. “It can be a meditation practice, an exercise practice, just having something that you can do when times get tough. If you have built it into your routine, it is already built into your memory and is there when you need it,” Butler said.
FINDING THE WAY WITH SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING In October via Zoom, Seven Hills welcomed members of the Project Wayfinder team to talk about the social-emotional learning curriculum taught to ninth and 10th graders in Upper School as part of the Creating Conversations speaker series. “Students that undergo this social and emotional learning curriculum feel the school provides a supportive and encouraging environment,” said Wayfinder Director of Learning and Engagement Tristian Love. The curriculum is based on research conducted at the Stanford Center for
Adolescence. Love explained how the curriculum teaches students to navigate challenges in adolescence and develop skills they can use in their adult lives. Wayfinder Chief Learning Officer Brandy Arnold led participants through an activity about gratitude and self-advocacy. COMING UP NEXT . . . FEB. 10 MINDPEACE and 1n5 Dr. Stuart Slavin, a senior scholar of well-being at the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, will be speaking with parents and friends about local nonprofits MindPeace and 1n5. MindPeace helps schools better understand their mental health needs and connects them to providers. 1n5 works to prevent suicide by reducing the stigma of mental illness and promoting mental wellness through education, community engagement, and advocacy.
The Seven Hills School Speaker Series
The Creating Conversations speaker series is hosted by Seven Hills’ counseling department.
ALUMNI NEWS
ALUMNI SPORTS DAY
A Strong Showing from Alumni Athletes Aug. 7, 2021, saw the return of the annual Alumni Sports Day, a soccer-tennis-volleyball bonanza that pits alumni athletes against varsity players of the same sport. Seven Hills’ new athletic facilities served as excellent venues for the competitions. The new Field House hosted a team of alumnae volleyball players against the varsity, while, next door, former tennis players broke out their racquets for some rallies on the new courts. Soccer players braved the heat for games against the girls’ and boys’ varsity teams on the Lower Fields, with popsicles and Gatorade serving to keep everyone hydrated during the summer afternoon.
Thanks to all the alumni who dusted off their sneakers and cleats to play, as well as the varsity teams and coaching and athletic staffs for hosting another successful sports day.
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IN MEMORIAM: BOB TURANSKY “It is without question that my dad had a profound impact on the lives of his students throughout his
“
alumni community that he was in hospice care are a testament to that fact. Anyone who had the privilege exceptional father. My fondest childhood memories center around our ‘adventures in dining’ throughout beach, and watching movies at the theater — he was especially fond of action-packed blockbusters. He about football at great length, particularly about his beloved LSU Tigers. My dad wasn’t one for showing close because I am an only child, and nothing will ever replace the bond that we shared. I will miss him B•2000 BO
in New Orleans, which he considered his homeland, and he returned there summer after summer to stay connected to friends and family. As a father, Bob was the epitome of a loving and loyal parent, and he and his only child Rachel enjoyed the closest of bonds.
LOUIS BENJAMIN “BOB” TURANSKY DIED ON NOV. 19 AFTER A LONG ILLNESS. BOB TAUGHT AT SEVEN HILLS, WHERE HE SERVED AS CHAIR OF THE HISTORY DEPARTMENT, FROM 1986 TO 20 1 1, WHEN HE STEPPED DOWN AND CONTINUED TO TEACH PART TIME UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT IN 2018. A CORNELL UNIVERSITYEDUCATED HISTORIAN, HE BROUGHT TO THE CLASSROOM AN ENERGY AND PASSION THAT DREW STUDENTS TO THE DISCIPLINE.
Before Seven Hills, he taught at Cornell for five years while he was working on his doctorate. From there he went to Lake Forest Academy in Illinois, where he taught and chaired the History Department for six years. He was legendary among generations of students, a number of whom, inspired by his demanding standards, went on to distinguished academic careers in history and political science. Over the years, he kept in touch with many of them and routinely hosted former students on seasonal breaks in his home — 32
to catch up and to dive deeper into the passion of history. Both inside and outside the classroom, he was an activist. A Seven Hills School magazine profile of Bob once noted that he identified “as a socialist, feminist, and humanist.” In the 1960s he joined Students for a Democratic Society and was active in resisting the U.S. war on Vietnam. And more recently, he celebrated the return of socialism to mainstream political discourse in the U.S. and joined the Democratic Socialists of America. Bob projected a gruff persona, but the twinkle in his eye was the purposeful betrayal of the underlying and profound compassion he held for his students, for his beloved dogs, and for all animals, especially elephants. Though Bob spent the last 35 years in Cincinnati, he was born and raised
Students will remember him as a teacher whose challenges and guidance often changed the course of their lives. Colleagues will remember him as a distinguished scholar who left an indelible mark. And his friends and family will simply miss him dearly. He is survived by a daughter, Rachel Finn, son-in-law Eric Finn, grandsons Jacob and Zachary Finn, former wife Julia Turansky, sister Tanya Tuman, and brother-in-law Dan Tuman. In honor of Bob’s love of animals, friends may make a donation to the SPCA of Cincinnati at give.spcacincinnati.org. THERE WILL BE A CELEBRATION OF BOB'S LIFE ON SATURDAY, JAN. 29 AT 1 P.M. AT SEVEN HILLS IN THE LOBBY OF THE SCHIFF CENTER. PLEASE RSVP BY JAN.21 TO ATTEND IN PERSON OR VIA ZOOM TO MARGO.KIRSTEIN @7HILLS.ORG AND SPECIFY IF ATTENDING IN PERSON OR OVER ZOOM. DETAILS WILL BE PROVIDED UPON RSVP.
of taking one of his classes knew what an exceptional teacher he was. But to me he was an even more Cincinnati, playing ‘Yahtzee’ on the front porch, summers spent in New Orleans, countless trips to the loved his grandsons, Jake and Zach, and was so pleased to have a son-in-law with whom he could talk
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teaching career. The countless messages that were received after Seven Hills shared the news with the
many emotions, but he always ended our phone calls with, ‘I love you.’ I think we were particularly for the rest of my life, and I know I’m not the only one.” - Rachel Turansky Finn ’96
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BOB & RACHEL
“ Bob Turansky was a large man.
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He was large in voice as I can attest, having had a classroom across from his, back in the day. He was large in intellect, always thinking clearly and critically and urging his students to do the same. He was a large presence in the Cincinnati community, taking an active role in rallies in Cincinnati. During our lunchtime conversations, he was the one who brought the social perspective into my more scientific point of view.
So, for those of us who knew him, Bob's death is a loss, an immense loss.”
BOB•2012
For his students, he demonstrated how to reach for answers beyond the limitations of a set curriculum. I remember the honor of being invited into one of his history classes to try to clarify an astronomy concept.
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“Nobody who knew Bob Turansky will forget the riveting lectures, delivered at high decibel levels (his classroom in the new school had been given extra soundproofing). No student will forget the unyielding challenge of his classes. But, then there was how he felt about animals — his dogs — your dogs, anybody’s dogs. And otters — and elephants. Somewhere there is a photograph, taken by a student on a day when he had deserted a faculty celebration to return to his classroom on the promise that he could see a nearly newborn lamb that a friend of the School had brought over from Lotspeich after a class visit. In the photograph, Bob is sitting quietly in the empty classroom, smiling down at the small brown creature, asleep in his lap. He stayed there with the sleeping lamb for a long time after school was out. That, too, is who he was.”
- David Abineri, retired Upper School science and math teacher and science department chair
- Sandy Smythe, retired Upper School English teacher and English department chair
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BOB & WYNNE CURRY 1992
“I knew Bob from day one, the day we began our teaching careers at Seven Hills, in August of 1986. My initial impressions of him were not favorable, as he seemed a bit remote, supercilious even. One afternoon in late August, I was walking to Founders Hall and heard the most alarming yelling and shrieking, and I couldn’t imagine what could possibly have prompted such an outburst from a teacher, and a new one, no less. Over time, however, we came to be friends, partly due to our shared love of music from the 60s and 70s (Bruce Springsteen, Mark Knopfler, to name a few), and because we shared thoughts on the culture of Seven Hills, especially among the faculty, staff, and administration. Gradually, I came to realize what a gifted, brilliant, and dedicated teacher and mentor he was to so many students. Everyone found a place in his classroom during lunch and after school, and many found a place in his home, discussing history, philosophy, politics, and college football, often late into the night. Bob remained true to his principles throughout his life. We will remember all that he brought to our school community and will treasure the life lessons he taught us.” - Wynne Curry, retired Upper School French teacher, world languages department chair, and longtime college counselor
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95
- Eric Ruder ’88
19
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“Our alums tell Bob stories — about being showered by spit when he was in the midst of a passionate argument about the French Revolution or watching as he once shattered a classroom window BO with an out-flung arm, his enthusiasm for Martin Luther’s courage imprinted on their minds forever. They tell about learning to dissect an argument as cleanly as you might dissect a frog. They tell about learning to create an argument as tightly as you might construct a geodesic dome. •
Later, I came to call him Bob. We read books together. We met up whenever I was back in town. Bob was playful, yet serious; gruff, yet caring; unwavering in his commitment to understanding the world in order to change it. And he had a great laugh. After my parents, there’s no person who made a bigger impact on the direction of my life. Bob helped me feel connected to a long line of freedom fighters. The world needs more Bobs. I will miss him dearly.”
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“The kids always know. They know who opens their minds, who stretches what they thought were their limits, who teaches them to meet, head on, the wisdom of the ages. And they cherish forever the imagination-stretching, intellect-expanding, life-changing experience it was to be taught by Bob.
B
“The first time I met Mr. Turansky I hadn’t even met him yet. I just heard his voice booming through the building. My eyes got big. I was a little terrified that he would soon be my teacher. On one of my first days in his class, he spit on an empty desk in the front row and rubbed it in (gross!) to illustrate his point: ‘ The Fuggers [German venture capitalists of the 15th century] didn’t care about the peasantry — unless they made them richer.’ Now my eyes got big for a different reason. History isn’t just memorizing facts, dates, and names. History is about the struggle to be free. It’s the contest between the wealthy and powerful on the one hand, and the people they exploit on the other. And history didn’t just happen ‘way back when.’ We’re living it. Right. Now.
“They talk about how Bob woke them up to the majesty and complexity that are history and philosophy, and they tell these Bob stories for the rest of their lives. “Now, inconceivably, he’s gone. But those of us who, as friends and colleagues, inhabited Seven Hills spaces with him will carry to our own graves indelible memories of what it meant to share classrooms and students and conversations and dog stories with him for so many wonderful years.” - Susan Marrs, Assistant Head of School and director of college counseling
ALUMNI NEWS
ALUMNAE VISIT CAMPUS FOR LUNCH WITH STUDENTS In October 2021, the Development Department hosted the first in a lunchtime series of alumni discussions for Upper School students. With a theme of women entrepreneurs, the panel included the following alumnae:
Kathryne Gardette ’79:
Kathryne is the director of logistics and marketing at Prestige AV & Creative Sciences, which produces special events, corporate meetings, conferences, and conventions. She is also an artist, actor, musician, and dedicated community organizer within arts organizations and her neighborhood of Walnut Hills.
Heather Zaring Vecellio ’92:
Heather is the proprietor of a graphic design and branding business and volunteer for Seven Hills, the Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati Opera, and other arts organizations. She recently managed Miller Gallery, one of Cincinnati’s oldest fine arts galleries.
Peg Hogan Wyant H’60:
Peg began her career at Procter & Gamble as the first woman ever hired as an associate brand manager. She later went on to found Grandin Properties, Isabella Capital, and the Women’s Capital Club, and co-founded the Cincinnati Squash Academy. She recently published a memoir, “One Red Shoe.” Moderated by junior Anna Papakirk, the discussion covered the unexpected twists and turns that a career can take, learning one’s strengths and weaknesses, and the particular challenges faced by female entrepreneurs. The three panelists’ stories captivated the audience, particularly Wyant’s recounting of applying for a job at Procter & Gamble
– where she became the first female associate brand manager – during which she was asked if she could type, to which she replied, “I can’t type, but I can think.” Most engaging, however, were the panelists thoughtful responses to questions from the student audience about everything from Seven Hills’ past as an all-girls school to choosing a course of study in college to fitting in when feeling different from peers. Many thanks to the alumnae who shared their expertise and advice with students. We look forward to continuing the series!
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ALUMNI NEWS
MEET SEVEN HILLS’ NEW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD! Things have been busy behind the scenes for the past year with the Alumni Association. With a new president of the Alumni Association beginning his term this year and a newly restored board, the alumni community is poised for years of strong programming and representation at all levels of the school.
The Development Department extends sincere thanks to Alumni Association President Emeritus Ben Glassman ’93 for his vision and execution in seeing this longterm goal to reality. Read on to learn more about the newly elected Alumni Association President Gabe Davis ’03 and enthusiastic new board members.
my mind that the personal and professional success that I have enjoyed can be traced directly to the education I received at Seven Hills and the relationships I formed there. Seven Hills changes lives. It changed mine. I’m excited to be able to give back.
GABE DAVIS ’03
“First, as a reconstituted body that is in many ways rebuilding the plane while we’re flying it, the board intends to establish rhythms and structures that ensure its sustainability. To do so, we will build a culture of collaboration and tap into the strengths of all members of our diverse and dynamic board. The alumni community has much to offer Seven Hills, and the board has the opportunity to leverage that value both today and in years to come.
Alumni Association President Gabe Davis has served the community in many ways, and Seven Hills is fortunate now to have his guidance as the newly elected Alumni Association President. A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School, Davis began his legal career prosecuting serious crimes in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. He served as a federal prosecutor in the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, investigating and prosecuting hate crimes and police misconduct. Work brought him back to Cincinnati when he took a job as an attorney at Frost Brown Todd. In the summer of 2020, Davis was appointed to serve as executive director of the Cincinnati Citizen Complaint Authority, where he oversees investigations of complaints of police misconduct. As he begins his three-year term, Davis reflects on why he is excited about serving the school now and the opportunities that lie ahead for the board.
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“Serving as president of the Alumni Association Board provides a unique opportunity to shape the future of the school I love and support students who will go on to become leaders in our community and in our world. There’s no question in
“This board has some exciting goals to work on. I hope to begin our work with focus on three priorities while I’m president.
“I’m excited to get to work and honored to have been entrusted by my fellow alumni with the responsibility.” Joining Davis in the leadership of the Alumni Association are seven graduates from around the country, united in their enthusiasm for Seven Hills and the alumni community.
ZAKI ANWAR ’07 Since graduating from Seven Hills in 2007, Zaki Anwar has been busy. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Columbia University, Anwar worked in investment banking and private equity before attending Harvard Law School. Following clerkships, including with Chief Justice John Roberts of the Supreme Court, Anwar took a role as an associate at Jones Day in Columbus, Ohio. Anwar is also an adjunct professor at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and volunteers his time with Netcare Access, the Noor Islamic Cultural Center, and Muslim Americans in Public Service.
“As a lawyer, Seven Hills was the first place I was introduced to concepts of equity and justice, fairness and law,” Anwar said, explaining why he wants to give back to the school now. “It’s a very exciting time for the school, and I’m excited to see it continue with its long-term vision.” Anwar also feels passionate about Seven Hills’ diversity and inclusion initiatives: “I remember being exposed to those concepts in Middle and Upper School at Seven Hills. The school went out of its way to have these uncomfortable and candid discussions about our country’s history and what that’s meant for different segments of society. That has stuck with me and continued to be a focus of mine.”
MADELINE CALDEMEYER ’11 “I had such a great experience at Seven Hills, and I’m still very, very close with a lot of the friends that I made there,” Madeline Caldemeyer said of why she’s serving on the board. “I saw this board as an opportunity to help make it so that other kids could have the same great experience. I learned in college about the importance of alumni participation in giving when it comes to those larger grants, and I wanted to make sure I could help in a small way to secure funding by increasing our participation.” A graduate of Occidental College, Caldemeyer recently relocated from
Cincinnati to St. Louis, where she continues to work as a Lead Product Manager for 84.51, focused on Customer Insights Interaction Strategy. In addition to work, Caldemeyer serves on the board of the Cincinnati Parks Foundation and has also been a long-term volunteer for the parks foundation. For Seven Hills, Caldemeyer has served as a class representative and reunion planner and has taken part in the annual Career Panel discussion series. She speaks firsthand when she said, “We have alumni doing very cool things all over the country and world, and I’m looking forward to learning more about the Seven Hills alumni community.”
ALEX DERKSON ’03 Alex Derkson touched on the impact the school had on his life when he addressed why he is choosing to serve on the board now. “Seven Hills changed the trajectory of my life in a very positive way,” he said. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without Seven Hills, so, joining the board is the least I can do to repay the school.” After Seven Hills, Derkson’s education took him to Davidson College and then The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. His legal career has included work at Frost Brown Todd and JP Morgan Chase, and he recently returned to Cincinnati from Seattle, where he worked as corporate counsel in Amazon’s real estate division. Looking forward, Derkson is excited to drive “greater engagement among our alums, many of whom are doing really impressive things in the world.”
KATHRYNE GARDET TE ’79 Kathryne Gardette is a hospitality professional, artist, performer, and community organizer who names loyalty among her defining characteristics. In her professional life, Gardette directs logistics and marketing at Prestige AV & Creative Sciences, a hospitality company that produces special events, corporate meetings, conferences, trade shows, and conventions. She also has an extensive volunteer resume, particularly in her home neighborhood of Walnut Hills and in the local arts and nonprofit communities, and
is an active artist, musician, and actor. A lifelong learner, she returned to school at age 54, earning a Master's of Science degree in positive organizational development and change from Case Western Reserve University. Gardette is excited to bring that curiosity and creativity back to Seven Hills: “Knowing the importance of giving time, talent, and treasures started at the age of 3 for me. My joining the alumni board now, as it’s re-imagining itself, is exciting. We get to be curious about impactful, collaborative alumni engagement.”
AMY BULGER KAT TMAN ’89 This board unites two things about which Amy Bulger Kattman knows a lot: uniting alumni communities and Seven Hills. Bulger Kattman works as alumni programs manager at the national law firm BakerHostetler, where she has built a network for the firm’s alumni to share news and remain in touch. She describes her professional work and role at Seven Hills as having parallels. “To me, alumni means community and keeping people engaged and connected.” Bulger Kattman sees a lot of opportunity in strengthening and engaging the Seven Hills alumni network. Bulger Kattman has been a long-term, dedicated volunteer for Seven Hills alumni, serving as a class representative and reunion planner for her Class of 1989. Why is she giving back on a deeper level now? “Seven Hills was just a great school,” she said, bringing it back to the community. “I loved the school. I had a fantastic experience and my friends that I made there are lifelong friends. I’m also constantly meeting and reconnecting with alums from Seven Hills, no matter where I am.”
MEERA KOTAGAL ’99 Meera Kotagal’s work in medicine has taken her all over the world, but she returned home to Cincinnati for a role at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where she is a pediatric surgeon and works on issues of diversity and equity, locally and abroad. When asked why she is getting involved at this level at Seven Hills, she said, “I attribute a lot of my success in life to Seven Hills, what I learned as a kid, and the opportunities there. This is a chance to give back to an organization that means a lot to me. I was one of not very many students of color, and the fact that the school has worked so hard on improving that is huge. I am interested in how we provide equal opportunities for others and improve our diversity.” As for what excites her about the possibilities ahead for the newly restored board, she returned to the thought of opportunity. “Students and graduates — the influence they can have in the world immediately around them and the broader world is massive,” she said. “That has the potential to make a big impact in Cincinnati and around the world. The chance to be involved in crafting that influence is huge.”
LAURA HOGUET LEONARD ’06 Almost immediately after moving to Cincinnati with her family, including husband Jeff Leonard ’06, Laura Hoguet Leonard was right back on Seven Hills campuses as an assistant tennis coach, new parent at Doherty Lower School, and Upper School history teacher. “Having returned to Cincinnati this summer,” she said, “I am looking forward to serving and giving back to Seven Hills. As a teacher and a new Seven Hills parent, I am hoping I can bring valuable perspectives to the discussions.” She previously taught public school in Denver and the Boston area for almost 10 years. Of the road ahead for the board, she said, “I am excited to help further engage the Seven Hills alumni and increase opportunities for alumni to connect with Seven Hills in meaningful ways.” 37
ALUMNI NEWS
83 YEARS AFTER GRADUATION, WE ARE CATCHING UP WITH ANN LACKMAN MILLER C’38 “ We were always in touch. Those are the kinds of friendships you never find again. As time went on, I realized what the school meant to me and felt it was important to keep up with it.”
For Ann Lackman Miller C’38, who turned 101 in November 2021, connections that she formed as a student at Miss Doherty’s have truly lasted a lifetime. Woven throughout a recent conversation with her were recurring examples of the lasting impacts of friendships formed and lessons learned at Miss Doherty’s.
Ann learned lessons at Miss Doherty’s that
Ann spent her early years in Price Hill, where
At Home program in Castine, which allowed
she remembers having friends from Miss
people to live at home as they aged. At the
Doherty’s come stay the weekend with her.
Castine Yacht Club, she served as one of the
In her later school years, her family moved to
first women yacht club commodores on the
East Walnut Hills. After graduating, she
East Coast.
attended Bradford College and then returned home to Cincinnati. She married the Rev. Edward O. Miller, an assistant rector at Christ Church. Edward’s work as a rector took them to St. George’s Protestant Episcopal Church in New York City, where they lived for 30 years, before they settled in Castine, Maine, where Ann lives today.
have stayed with her. “I learned truth, and honesty, and working hard. I still work hard.” Indeed – Ann spent many years as a stalwart volunteer for organizations in the communities in which she lived, including Riverdale Children’s Association in New York, Community Health and Counseling in Bangor, Maine, and the Castine Historical Society, in Castine, Maine. She also helped organize the
were always in touch. Those are the kinds of friendships you never find again,” Ann said. Ann and Ed also enjoyed a close friendship with her classmate Carolyn Warner Thayer
When asked about her school days, many of Ann’s stories are about the lifelong friendships she formed. Among the friends with whom Ann stayed close for decades was Judy Esselborn Fechheimer C’38, with whom Ann shared a dear friendship from the first grade until Judy’s death in 2016. As adults, Judy would visit her in New York and Maine. Ann
Ann fondly recalled her school days. “I was
was also close with Judy’s late son, David
excited that I went there. I loved it. I never
Fechheimer, who was her godson, and
said I didn’t want to go to school.” Of the
daughter Ann Fechheimer Neff C’64. “We
school’s founder, Miss Mary Harlan Doherty
Ann Lackman Miller C’38
C’38 and Carolyn’s husband, Edward. Seven Hills remains a place close to Ann’s heart. When asked why, when she has lived out of town for many years, she continues to support the school so loyally, she returned to the important place the school holds in her life and memories. “I do think about the past a lot,” she said, “The early years of your life become very important. As time went on, I realized what the school meant to me and felt it was important to keep up with it.”
herself, Ann reflects on how remarkable she was to start a school in her era, and remembers her as a formidable figure: “She was very prim and proper. She sat up straight, and she was firm, and she expected you to know what you were doing.”
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OUR DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT, SARAH LAUTAR ’05, CAUGHT UP WITH SEVEN HILLS ALUMNI ANN LACKMAN MILLER C’38 AND MARJORIE WOOD DRACKETT H’40, L’34 TO ASK THEM ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES SINCE GRADUATING FROM SEVEN HILLS.
ALUMNI NEWS
81 YEARS AFTER GRADUATION, WE ARE CATCHING UP WITH MARJORIE WOOD DRACKETT H’40, L’34 “We got a really wonderful foundation at Hillsdale School. I am really proud of having gone there, and the school has maintained its high academic standards – that’s really remarkable.”
Marjorie Wood Drackett H’40, L’34’s love of her school days is unmistakable, even as she nears her 100th birthday next June. “First of all,” she said as we began our conversation, “I loved Hillsdale. I just loved that school, and I had the best time.” Prior to attending the all-girls Hillsdale School, from which she graduated in 1940, Marjorie attended Lotspeich School. As a student there in the late 1920s and early 1930s, she had firsthand experience with the founder, Mrs. Helen Lotspeich, whom Marjorie described as “an awesome woman — something to see.” Echoing many Lotspeich alumni’s descriptions of Mrs. Lotspeich as a figure who loomed large, she continued, “She was a very imposing person. She was in control. Everyone was scared to death of her, so we behaved all the time.” The Hillsdale and Lotspeich that Marjorie experienced certainly have their differences from today’s school. For starters, life was much more formal. At Hillsdale, lunch was served daily on china plates in the dining room. “There was a long hall that led to the dining room. Everybody waited to go in, and the seniors were allowed to enter first. When you were a senior, you felt really important; you could walk by all the younger girls to get a table in the dining room.” The formality extended to clothing and dress code. The Hillsdale students wore uniforms most days, but were allowed free dress days on Fridays. When asked if free dress included jeans,
Marjorie laughed: “Oh no! As if I knew what jeans were back then for women. I don’t think women wore slacks, even.” Another difference was the size of the school. Marjorie graduated in 1940 with 18 classmates; in 2022, the school will see 90 students on stage at graduation. The small size meant that Marjorie was able to try her hand at everything, from the plays to athletics to playing piano before morning assemblies. “For sports teams, we had soccer, tennis, basketball, baseball, and field hockey. And we participated in all of them. It was wonderful, because we got to become familiar with all the sports.” Many of the Hillsdale girls participated in the drama productions as well, including the yearly Miracle Play before winter break and a Gilbert and Sullivan musical each spring. Marjorie recalls playing Mary in the Miracle play, as well as taking part in the spring musical, singing, and playing piano. “I sure got to do a lot of stuff that I had a lot of fun doing, I’ll tell you.” While there are differences in the school between now and then, some things have stayed the same. Marjorie and her friends were well-prepared when they headed off to college. Marjorie found herself more than ready to tackle the course load at Radcliffe College, which she entered after high school. “We got a really wonderful foundation at Hillsdale School,” she said. “I am really proud of having gone there, and the school has maintained its high academic standards – that’s really remarkable.”
Marjorie Wood Drackett H’40, L’34
the Drackett Products Company. They had been married for 65 years when he passed away in 2011. Today, Marjorie lives in Naples, Florida, where she enjoys twice-weekly bridge games, exercise classes, and dinners with a group of fellow residents of her retirement home. Marjorie’s ties to the school have remained strong throughout her life, as she is also the parent of an alumna (former Trustee Anne Drackett Thomas H’66) and grandparent of three alumni (Trustee Tom Garber ’96, Chris Drackett ’00, and Nathan Drackett ’02). Perhaps most important, her time at Hillsdale left Marjorie with lasting friendships. “My friends were wonderful – they became lifelong friends,” she said, naming some of the women she stayed close with over a lifetime, including Phyllis Siebenthaler Hopple H’40, Suzanne Krehbhiel Nielsen H’40, and Sudie Ernst Geier H’41, whom Marjorie enjoys visiting in Florida now. “We made friends for life there.”
After college, Marjorie married Charles Drackett, a lifelong Cincinnatian who worked at
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REUNION CL ASSES
2022 April 22 & 23 Class Representatives are still needed to help make this a special weekend for your class. Please contact Director of Development Margo Kirstein at margo.kirstein@7hills.org or 513.728.2437 to volunteer. CO N G R AT U L AT I O N S
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CPS & HILLSDALE classes of 1942, 1947, 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, and 1972 LOTSPEICH classes of 1941, 1946, 1951, 1956, 1961, 1966, and 1971 SEVEN HILLS classes of 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, and 2002 The classes of 2007, 2012, and 2017 will celebrate their Reunions on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022. Please visit www.7hills.org/reunion for hotel information and the schedule of events, as well as any updates to the plan for the weekend. All events are free of charge courtesy of your Alumni Association and the Alumni & Development Office. Spouses, guests, and families are welcome to all events except for the Classics Luncheon. All information, including for hotels, transportation, and schedule of events, is available at www.7hills.org/reunion.
C L A S S O F 1997 O N
Y O U R 2 5th R E U N I O N ! SH
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Classics Luncheon & State of the School for CPS & Hillsdale classes of 1932-1972 and Lotspeich alumni from 1931-1966 Cincinnati Country Club 2348 Grandin Road, 45208
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1:30-2:30 p.m. CPS Tour of Doherty Campus with Head of Doherty Tracy Murch 2726 Johnstone Place, 45206 5-6 p.m. Tour of Hillsdale Campus, including The Schiff Center, Field house, and newly-renovated Middle School. Meet in front of The Schiff Center 5400 Red Bank Road, 45227 6 -7:30 p.m. Reunion Reception for all Reunion classes and local alumni Hillsdale Campus, 5400 Red Bank Road, 45227
S A T U R D A Y, A P R I L 2 3 , 2 0 2 2
Reserved for class-specific celebrations.
C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S T O T H E C P S A N D H I L L S D A L E C L A S S E S O F 1 9 7 2 O N Y O U R 5 0t h R E U N I O N S ! HILLSDALE
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NEXT CHAPTER EVENTS: Fall Floral Design with Timothy Lieber Alumni Book Club with Margot Wood ’04’s “Fresh” Alumni enjoy design and good company at Cincinnati gathering Back by popular demand, florist Timothy Lieber, AIFD, returned to Hillsdale Campus to lead alumni in the art of floral design. With everyone set up at stations outfitted with all the components of an autumnal arrangement, Tim provided direction on how to properly add and display the array of flowers and foliage. He also shared tips for caring for and lengthening the life of fresh cut and potted flowers. Many thanks to Tim and the alumni who joined us to learn a new skill and take home some lovely fall flowers!
Next Chapter events bring alumni together in the spirit of lifelong learning.
Many thanks to Margot Wood for joining us over Zoom for the lively discussion, and to Beth Driehaus and Megan Whitt for taking part!
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On Oct. 6, 2021, alumni had the pleasure of hearing from author Margot Wood ’04, whose debut novel “Fresh” was published over the summer. “Fresh” is a coming-ofage young adult novel, loosely based on Jane Austen’s “Emma,” that follows the main character as she navigates her freshman year at Emerson College in Boston. In conversation with Upper School history teacher and college counselor Beth Driehaus and librarian Megan Whitt, Wood described her writing process, the thought and motivation behind main characters and their stories, and her path to publishing a novel.
ALUMNI NEWS
IN MEMORIAM: Marjorie McCullough Motch C’41 The Seven Hills community lost a dear friend when Marjorie McCullough Motch C’41 passed away on Oct. 11, 2021, surrounded by her family.
Marjorie had a nearly life-long connection to CPS and Seven Hills as a student, active alumna, parent of two alumnae, member and chair of the CPS Board of Trustees, volunteer, and generous donor. In 1980, Seven Hills recognized Marjorie with the Norma Martin Goodall Award for Distinguished Alumni, the school’s highest alumni honor. Marjorie is a member of the Seven Hills Legacy Society, supporting the school through a bequest in her will. In addition to her significant support of CPS and Seven Hills, Marjorie also lent her leadership and considerable strengths to many organizations in the Greater Cincinnati area and at the national level. Notably, Marjorie served as national president of the Association of the Junior Leagues and president and founder of the Urban League Guild. She also served on and led boards of directors for many organizations, including Girl Scouts of the USA, United Way of America, Junior League of Cincinnati, University of Cincinnati Foundation, Fine Arts Fund, YWCA, Cincinnati Parks Foundation, and many others.
leadership, including, on the national stage, the Mary Harriman Community Service Award from the Association of Junior Leagues International and the World Association for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts’ World Medal of International Service award. Locally, she was honored as a Cincinnati Enquirer Woman of the Year, as a Greatest Living Cincinnatian by the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce, and honored by the University of Cincinnati with the William Howard Taft award, among many others. Marjorie is survived by her daughters, Kathryn Lunken Summers C’66 (Santa Monica, California) and Margo Lunken Yesner C’68 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), five grandchildren, four greatgrandchildren, and many step-children and stepgrandchildren. When the Cincinnati Enquirer profiled Marjorie upon her being named a Greatest Living Cincinnatian, she credited her long career of giving back to a lesson learned at CPS: “They taught that you had to be a responsible citizen. My parents, my school, and everybody then believed when you have some things given to you, you have to give them back.” Along with the many other beneficiaries of her dedicated service, Seven Hills, and CPS before it, have been fortunate to count Marjorie as a member of the school community.
Throughout her lifetime, Marjorie received numerous awards and recognitions for her civic
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# THROWBACK:
Modular Classrooms Through the Years The 2021-22 school year opened with a temporary new home for our sixth through eighth grade teachers and students. While the Middle School building is undergoing a substantial renovation, the home of the Seven Hills Middle School community has been relocated to a modular campus of 17 units on the main Hillsdale Campus parking lot. For many long-term members of the Seven Hills community — teachers, alumni, and parents of alumni — the sight of the Middle School modular classrooms on the Hillsdale Campus main parking lot likely evokes memories of previous temporary classrooms on campus. Indeed, at two previous times in school history, entire divisions have been housed in trailers during the construction of new school buildings.
Lotspeich Modular Classrooms 1987-88
On July 6, 1987, a lightning strike caused a fire that burned most of the original Lotspeich building to the ground. News of the fire spread quickly among 44
The Lotspeich building fire, July 1987
Lotspeich families, who grieved the loss of their school building. “I remember seeing the story about the fire on the news with my parents and standing at the end of my street, watching the smoke. It felt really scary because, as a kid, Lotspeich was my second home,” said Julie Witten ’94, who was a rising sixth grader that summer. Quickly, the school had a village of trailers, connected by wooden boardwalks, ready before school opened in August for the 1987-88 school year. For the elementary aged students, it
added a welcome sense of adventure to the school year, especially after the tragedy of the fire. A favorite memory among alumni of the era was a child sized tunnel acting as a secret passageway between the fifth and sixth grade classrooms. “It seemed cozy,” Witten said of the trailers, which were smaller than the old buildings’ classrooms. “There was a feeling that we’d been through something
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Our teachers helped us to understand that what happened was significant, but that it was ok. Our school would come back and feel like home once again. - Julie Witten ’94
ALUMNI NEWS
together and the result was this special, kind of intimate environment. Our teachers helped us to understand that The SHAC, 2001
what happened was significant, but that it was ok. Our school would come back and feel like home once again.” Almost 15 years later, the school again arranged for temporary housing, this time for the Upper School. When the old Upper School building, which was built in 1927 to house Hillsdale School, was demolished in the spring of 2001, the school put a modular complex on the main parking lot of Hillsdale Campus. The complex was soon dubbed the SHAC, an acronym short for Seven Hills Academic Complex. The name was the inspiration of Tshiunza Kalubi ’02, who recalls submitting his idea in response to an announcement at assembly seeking names for the new Upper School trailers.
thinking back on the well-loved but past-its-prime Upper School building: “Whenever it rained, maintenance was quick to place buckets and trash cans to catch water from the leaky roof. The wood floors were uneven and, from time to time, you might catch your shoe on the head of an errant nail peaking above the surface. Needless to say, the building had character.” The SHAC had its own quirks. Individual trailers connected to a single, long
hallway that was lined with the narrow yellow lockers from the old building. “The lockers ate up a ton of hallway space,” Kalubi remembered. “It was nearly impossible to get from one end of the building to the other without being shoulder to shoulder with over 200 of your closest friends.” In more ways than one, the experience of going to school in trailers for a year brought the former Lotspeich and Upper School students closer together. While the physical buildings, including the trailers, will always hold some favorite memories and sentimental attachment, the school’s spirit truly lives in the friendships and bonds formed among classmates, students, and teachers.
The new Upper School, 2002
Kalubi points out that it’s impossible to reminisce about the SHAC without
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CLASS NOTES News from Our Alumni 1961
1980
A group of friends going back to kindergarten gathered in November 2021 1
David Lefton (Cincinnati) was recently named president of the Ohio Bar Association. David, who attended Bradley University and University of Dayton College of Law, is a partner at Barron, Peck, Bennie & Schlemmer, where he primarily practices estate planning and probate. 3
INTERESTED IN BEING A REUNION REP FOR YOUR CL ASS?
Please Contact Margo Kirstein, Director of Development margo.kirstein@7hills.org 513.728.2437 and shared a photo! Left to right are Leslie Bennett McNeill (C) (Cincinnati), Barbara White Gibson (C) (Brevard, North Carolina), Sydney Anning Lamb (H) (Asheville, North Carolina), and Lee Hoxworth Tuttle (H) (Brevard, North Carolina). Thanks for sharing the photo! 1
1966 An original composition commissioned by Margaret “Muffy” Ecker (C) (Los Angeles) was performed at Christ Church Cathedral in Cincinnati in spring 2021 under the direction of music director Stephan Casurella. Muffy commissioned the choral piece from James Buonemani, who is a composer and the music director at St. James Episcopal Church in Los Angeles, where the premiere performance of the piece took place. Inspired by Muffy’s late father and his relationship to prayer at the end of his life, the piece features original music set against a text from 17th century English poet George Herbert. View the performance at https:// youtu.be/nb0jNpfqTMg or via the QR code. Christine Graf (H) (Lviv, Ukraine) shared the following note: “I have been living in Ukraine in Eastern Europe for the past 10 years, beginning as a Peace Corps volunteer for three years, followed by 46
working in the charming western city of Lviv in a branding/marketing capacity. I will always have a fondness for my class cohorts, those people with whom I came of age. I will likely return to the states for good by early 2022. I send all best wishes.” 3
1972 Melissa Morris Mishoe (H) (Winter Park, Florida) shared a photo from Memorial Day Weekend of herself, her daughter, and two grandchildren, taken on Hutchinson Island off the coast from Fort Pierce, Florida. She wrote that she’s looking forward to her class’ 50th Reunion this spring! 2
1985 Mike Spitz (Cincinnati) shared that he recently moved back to Cincinnati with his wife, 7-year-old son Max, and 17-month-old daughter Luzia after many years in Los Angeles. He is 4
2
working as a therapist at LifeStance Health and writing screenplays, with one script in
In Memoriam Our condolences to the families and friends who have lost loved ones. development at the moment. Mike added that he’s also doing photography and expanding his record collection. Welcome back to Cincinnati, Mike! 4
1992 Kishen Mangat (Eldorado Springs, Colorado) shared, “In August 2021, I fulfilled a longtime dream to climb in the Himalayan Karakoram. Following in the footsteps of my great uncle, Gyan Singh, who led the first Indian expedition to Mt. Everest in 1960, I spent five weeks in Pakistan with three climbing partners. Summiting Great Trango Tower, at 5
York.” His new post sees him commanding over 1,700 airmen, civilians, and contractors in his role as Wing Commander.
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Suzanne Krehbiel Nielsen (H) (Cincinnati) passed away on June 6, 2021. 1941
SHARE YOUR NEWS
Marjorie McCullough Motch (C) (Cincinnati) passed away on Oct. 11, 2021.
New job? Recently married? Written a book? If you have stories to share, please don’t hesitate! Go to www.7hills.org/alumniupdates. Drop us a line and send high resolution photos (.jpeg format)
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Joan Barbara Britton (H) (Southport, Maine) passed away on June 12, 2021. 1951
Julie Meek Boesch (H) (Winter Springs, Florida) passed away on Feb. 17, 2019.
to margo.kirstein@7hills.org.
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Nancy Hunt Smith (H) (Orlando, Florida) passed away on Aug. 17, 2020.
1998 Lisa Barrett (London, UK) was profiled in and appeared on the cover of Motivate magazine’s July 2021 edition for her work as a leader. She discussed her passion for leading people as a manager in the interview: “As a human, I really love people, understanding what motivates
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Mary “Mimi” Andrews Chenoweth (H) (Denver, Colorado) passed away on July 18, 2021. Terry Nippert (C) (Cincinnati) passed away on Aug. 30, 2021. 1957
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20,623 feet of elevation, was a milestone in my 30 years of climbing. The cultural and team experience was deeply enriching.” 5
Elizabeth “Betty” Wiehe Carr (H) (Scottsdale, Arizona) passed away on June 28, 2021. Glenna McLain Light (C) (Cincinnati) passed away on April 14, 2021. 1959
Julia Greve Hartten (C) (Perrysburg, Ohio) passed away on Aug. 8, 2021. Janet “Pepper” Deupree Miller (H) (Seattle) passed away on Aug. 1, 2019.
Col. Tom McElhinney (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) wrote that his family recently moved north after 18 years in Mississippi: “I was promoted to the rank of Colonel in the United States Air Force, and I’ve just taken over as the base commander at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station in New
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Continued on page 48
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CLASS NOTES, Continued . . . News from Our Alumni them and getting them to get who they really are and how powerful they are.” In the interview, she referenced a project she did as a student at Seven Hills, for which she implemented a fundraiser for homeless support organizations and visited a number of shelters and organizations when considering which to support. That project, she shared, prompted her to pursue a path of helping others. 6
2002 Caroline Decker (Washington, D.C.) recently relocated from Chicago to Washington, D.C. for a new job at Nestle. She now has the role of director, long-term strategy for Nestle USA. Congratulations, Caroline!
on Sept. 18, 2021. Didi Mamaligas Werneiwski ’08 served as the Matron of Honor. Chelsea, who graduated from Tulane University in 2013, is a vice president of customer experience strategist at Fifth Third Bank. Joshua, an alumnus of University of Cincinnati, class of 2012, is the director of greenhouse operations at Waterfields, LLC. The couple lives in Mt. Lookout with their two dogs. Chelsea serves on the board of the Xavier University Leadership Center, guest lecturer in career classes at Tulane University, and trains for distance races with Fleet Feet Running Club. 7
2009 Best wishes to Chelsea Zesch Jones (Cincinnati) on her recent wedding! Chelsea and Joshua Jones were married
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2012
2005 Congratulations to Beth Krone (Atlanta) on earning her doctorate from The Ohio State University School of Teaching and Learning and joining the faculty of Kennesaw State University as a professor in the English department!
the shows “Shrill” and “Work in Progress,” 4 and they perform with the band Twin. 8
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2010 E.R. Fightmaster (Los Angeles) has been cast as Dr. Kai Bartley, the first nonbinary doctor on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy.” Joining the cast in the show’s 18th season, they are also the first 7 nonbinary actor to play a doctor on the show. E.R. is an actor, writer, and musician. They previously appeared in
Michael Young (Cincinnati) was named to the Cincinnati Business Courier’s 2021 40 Under 40 Class. Michael is the founder and executive director of StudyHall, a nonprofit technology platform that helps connect elementary school students with volunteers to provide reading help in a safe and secure manner, and co-founder of Inspiring Service, a directory of active nonprofits searchable by potential volunteers. 9
2019 Michael Weirich (Nashville) was a contestant on an episode of celebrity food host Guy Fieri’s television show, “Guy’s Grocery Games.” The episode, “Snack Attack,” aired on Sept. 1, 2021. Michael is a 10
In Memoriam, cont... student at Vanderbilt University, and also chef and proprietor of Confluence Restaurant, a pop-up restaurant he started out of his parents’ home in the summer of 2019. At Vanderbilt, Michael recently formed the Culinary Club for fellow students to learn and practice cooking skills. 10
SHARE YOUR NEWS
New job? Recently married? Written a book? If you have stories to share, please don’t hesitate! Go to www.7hills.org/alumniupdates. Drop us a line and send high resolution photos (.jpeg format)
2020 Congratulations to Seven Hills classmates Ben Skibo (Boulder, Colorado) and Hugh Jacks (Ann Arbor, Michigan), who completed a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2021!
to margo.kirstein@7hills.org.
1959
Janet “Pepper” Deupree Miller (H) (Seattle) passed away on Aug. 1, 2019. 1961
Jane Ruxton Bowman (C) (Cincinnati) passed away on Dec. 27, 2018. Judy Nason Jacobs (C) (North Port, Florida) passed away in May 2021. Dorothy “Dottie” Webb Rockel (H) (Cincinnati) passed away on July 8, 2021. 1966
Ben at University of Colorado, Hugh at University of Michigan, and James at Case Western Reserve University. Between the three friends, they went through 10 pairs of shoes on the hike! 11
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Jeffrey Lazarus, III (L) (Oakland, California) passed away on April 24, 2020. 1971
Sally Elder Kamholtz (H) (Cincinnati) passed away on May 18, 2021. Lloyd Buhrman Ricci (H) (Dallas) passed away on April 21, 2021. 1972
Paula Moore Tabor (H) (Williamstown, Massachusetts) passed away on Oct. 23, 2021.
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The trail is 2,193 miles long and runs through 13 states in the eastern United States. The friends began their hike in February 2021 at Springer Mountain in Georgia and completed it 20 weeks later at Mt. Katahdin in Maine. Their friend and classmate James Sammarco (Cleveland, Ohio) joined them for the challenging New Hampshire segment of the trail. All three are currently in college:
1985
David Nord (Cincinnati) passed away on Oct. 9, 2021. 2012
Benjamin Kovarsky (Cincinnati) passed away on Aug. 17, 2021.
Friend of the School Former Upper School history teacher Louis “Bob” Turansky passed away on November 19, 2021. 12
Our condolences to family and friends who lost loved ones as reported in this issue.
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ALUMNI NEWS
DOES THE SCHOOL STILL…HAVE A SENIOR LOUNGE? Alumni often ask us if the school maintains events and traditions that they remember fondly from their own years at the school. Many times, our answer is, “Yes, we still have that!”
2010 the seniors painted a wall with whiteboard paint. At a recent glance,
The senior lounge is hallowed ground within the halls of the Upper School.
the whiteboard wall was covered with math problems, college logos, inside jokes, and notes to friends.
A space reserved for the senior class alone: no teachers, no underclassmen, no parents. Many favorite memories are made during free bells in the
1969 lounge, which is furnished and decorated each year by the senior class. “The senior lounge has always functioned as a space for seniors to relax, hang out with friends, and get to know members of the class who aren’t part of their circle of friends,” Assistant Head of School Susan Marrs said. Though details about the origins are hard to track down, Marrs recalled that the school has had a senior lounge throughout her tenure at Seven Hills. “In 1971, when I first came to teach, what the seniors really wanted was to be able to smoke in the lounge!” Marrs quickly made clear, “That was never permitted.”
The lounge has traditionally belonged to the senior class to decorate it as they see fit – often with an old couch donated by someone’s parents, a speaker for music, and an ever-growing collection of lostand-found sweatshirts, water bottles, and lunch boxes. When the current Upper School building opened in 2002, the senior lounge was upgraded with a refrigerator, microwave, patio, and picnic tables. “The senior lounge was an oasis to check into after class,” remembered Spark Tabor ’05. “When we graduated, there were mix CD’s left in the lounge, and I took one that Evan Fingerman ’05 made. After I graduated, I listened to it to think back to all the good times and arguments over what music was best.” Many an alum can surely remember hearing the hit of the day playing in the
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senior lounge during lunch or free bells. As far back as the 1960s, photos show the walls of the lounge graffitied with references to popular songs, inside jokes, and notes to friends. In recent years,
While some of the furnishings may be upgraded, the soul of the senior lounge has stayed the same.
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More events to be announced!
Please keep an eye on the calendar at www.7hills.org/alumni and in your inbox for more events this winter and spring. Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022 Book discussion of “Pachinko” by Books for Lunch author Min Jin Lee, facilitated over Zoom by Head of Upper School Matt Bolton
6:30 p.m. via Zoom
Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022 Roadshow Zoom event with magician and mentalist Dennis Watkins for alumni in the Roadshow cities (Boston, Chicago, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.)
7 p.m. via Zoom
Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022 Alumni Career Panel Lunch & Learn Series for Upper School students
11 a.m. in the Hillsdale Commons Thursday, April 12, 2022
Alumni Career Panel Lunch & Learn Series for Upper School students
save the date
Alumni Calendar 2022
11 a.m. in the Hillsdale Commons
Friday & Saturday, April 22 & 23, 2022 REUNION WEEKEND Friday, April 22, 2022 11:30 a.m. Classics Luncheon at Cincinnati Country Club for Classes of 1932-72 • Lunch served at 12 p.m. • State of the School from Head of School Chris Garten 1:30 p.m. Tour of Doherty Campus with Head of Doherty Tracy Murch 5:30 p.m. Tour of Hillsdale Campus 6 p.m. Reunion Reception in The Schiff Center Saturday, April 23, 2022 Reserved for class gatherings
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The Seven Hills School Hillsdale Campus 5400 Red Bank Road Cincinnati, Ohio 45227