SEVEN HILLS The Seven Hills School Magazine
winter 2011
THE widen your world SCHOOL
Connecting to the world through global education page 13
THE
SEVEN
Hillsdale campus 5400 Red Bank Road Cincinnati, Ohio 45227
SCHOOL
Doherty campus 2726 Johnstone Place Cincinnati, Ohio 45206
HILLS
www.7hills.org 513.271.9027
E-mail: alumni.news@7hills.org
Contents Educating for Global Citizenship 3 By Head of School Christopher Garten
Global Views from Four Graduates 5 Connecting to the World Through Global Education 13 By Editor Kathy Deubell
School News 23
Alumni News 28
Front cover: Mandarin Chinese II students KristenPrevost, Graeme Harten and Mia Perlman. Photo by Len Cohen.
Vol. XXXIV No. 2 winter 2011
Kathy Deubell Editor
Gary Monnier Director of Development
Nancy McCormick Bassett ’83 Director of Alumni Relations
Seven Hills is a publication of The Seven Hills School. It is produced using the school’s digital publishing equipment.
Katie Dawson Designer
Janet Hill Director of Admission
Christopher Garten Head of School
Fax: 513.271.2471
Educating for Global Citizenship
by Head of School Christopher Garten
Last spring, Seven Hills received a generous grant from an educational foundation to inaugurate a pilot program to fund summer curriculum renewal grants for teachers. Teachers were encouraged to submit proposals to work over the summer to redesign a curriculum unit. Though proposals of all kinds were permitted, in accordance with the school’s strategic plan, priority was given to curriculum projects which engaged students in utilizing instructional technology to explore the global community or to projects which would foster students’ critical reasoning and problem solving skills. The result was an explosion of faculty creativity. Though we anticipated just a handful of proposals, in the end we funded 28 individual and group projects. At Doherty and Lotspeich, several teachers developed a host of highly creative social studies and foreign language units. The focus of these units was to encourage students to explore life in other cultures and to interact with their peers from other countries. In Middle School, the sixth grade World Geography class was significantly redesigned to include substantial electronic research and digital projects. In seventh grade, American History students will work in production teams to write, storyboard, film, edit, and produce video-podcasts tracing the impact of Constitutional law on current legal controversies facing the Supreme Court. Eighth graders will participate in an extended interdisciplinary unit comparing the Germany of the 1920’s and 1930’s with the society of William Golding’s
Lord of the Flies. They will also communicate online with their peers in German schools comparing how the events of World War II are taught in our respective cultures. In a physical science project, students will analyze the effectiveness of solar cookers used in Africa and design and build more energy efficient models. In the Upper School, teachers have introduced several new courses, including a second year of Mandarin Chinese, a video editing course called “Time-Based Media,” and an Advanced Statistics course. In addition, the Environmental Science class will conduct a longitudinal study of biodiversity on our campus. The tenth grade research project has been redesigned to focus students’ attention on a contemporary social, political, or environmental issue. In a unit called “Global Connections,” history students will create interactive digital maps tracing the flow of goods and information along the Silk Road. Ninth grade English students will look at how cultural differences affect marketing and advertising, and they will plan and execute their own video advertisements. Senior English will refocus around the theme of social justice, exploring, through literature and current events, our collective responsibility as global citizens to work toward resolving social, political, and racial inequities. This goal of creating instructional units that focus on fostering global awareness is but the latest chapter in a movement that began over a decade ago at Seven Hills and at leading schools across the nation. In a position paper called “Educating for Global Citizenship” approved in August 2006, the Board of the National Association of Independent Schools identified the following goals for twenty-first century education. “Independent schools must prepare students to be knowledgeable, compassionate citizens and effective leaders within a rapidly transforming world.” NAIS outlined the following Principles of Good Practice to guide its member schools in this effort.
NAIS Principles of Good Practice 1. Present a view of the world that invites and rewards curiosity concerning the richness and diversity of all human societies and encourages respect for all people. 2. Develop a curriculum that helps students recognize how differing cultures, traditions, histories, and religions may underlie views and values that can sharply contrast with their own. 3. Provide resources and activities in support of instruction that can help carry learning in the direction of world understanding. 4. Expect teachers, administrators, and other staff members to model respect for all peoples and cultures and to address constructively instances of bias or disdain for nationalities, cultures, or religions outside of their own. 5. Seek beyond the institution itself partnerships and networking that may help it promote global awareness, experience, and problem solving for its students. 6. Educate and encourage parents to support school initiatives that promote global understanding. 7. Seek a diversity of cultural, national, and ethnic backgrounds in the recruitment of teachers and administrators. At Seven Hills that effort has taken several forms. It has led, first of all, to a steady diversification of offerings in the foreign languages, including the addition of a fourth language, Chinese. It has also impacted the nature of instruction in foreign language, with a greater emphasis on oral communicative skills and a new impulse to use language study as a vehicle for forging collaborative partnerships with students in other countries. This has also led to a parallel effort to expose our students to other cultures firsthand through travel and foreign exchange programs. The highly successful Downey Seminar program, now in its fourth year, offers students a chance to explore China for three weeks each summer. At the same time, after a hiatus following the travel concerns brought on by 9/11, Seven Hills has developed a host of foreign study opportunities, most recently exchange programs with schools in France and Spain. In the social sciences, the emphasis has been on broadening course offerings and instructional units to include a more robust array of non-Western topics, including a two semester sequence called Global Issues: Asia and Global Issues: The Non-Asian World. In a number of other courses in both science and the social sciences, students are encouraged to explore and posit solutions to complex global problems such as hunger, poverty, and environmental resource depletion. page 4 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
Seminar in Modern Political Theory Honors. In these efforts, new instructional technologies have been a game-changer, allowing students to research and to collaborate not only with their fellow students, but with experts from around the world. All of these efforts to deepen global understanding and to promote an abiding respect for other points of view stem from our desire to prepare students fully for an increasingly complex and interconnected global community. In the words of Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, “Our problems today are global and center more than ever on the challenge of sustainable development. Sustainable development signifies the practical goal of combining economic advancement, the end of extreme poverty, and the sustainable management of the earth’s ecosystems.” Here at Seven Hills, it is our hope to arm our students with the skills and the desire to participate in this global conversation. In the pages that follow, you will have a chance to experience some of the faculty’s recent efforts to focus even more fully on global education. You will also see some examples of how some of our alumni are utilizing those skills in their own careers. Happy reading!
Global Citizens
Views from Four Graduates
We are grateful toEugĂŠnie Euskirchen, Seth Rau, Marc Shotten, and Chris Wyant, some of our alumni who are engaged in careers and activities in the global arena, for their participation in our issue on global education.
EugÊnie Euskirchen ’90 Tell us about your work. I am a Research Assistant Professor of Terrestrial Ecology in the Institute of Arctic Biology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. My research focuses on understanding the vegetation, soils, snow, and permafrost (permanently frozen ground) in the arctic tundra and boreal forests, particularly with respect to how these ecosystems are currently behaving and how they may behave in the future under potential changes in climate. I perform both field studies outdoors and simulations with computer models. Field studies help us to understand what is currently happening in the arctic tundra and boreal forests, and this information can in turn be incorporated into computer models to predict how these ecosystems may behave in the future.
How have your experiences impacted or changed your world view or your sense of yourself as a global citizen? Arctic science is a collaborative, international effort, due in large part because many of the scientific questions in this region cannot be solved alone, in isolation. Furthermore, while the Arctic is comprised of numerous countries with numerous Arctic scientists, scientists in countries that are not located anywhere near the Arctic have an intellectual interest in this geographical region. Moreover,
in Alaska and other Arctic regions, the indigenous people have a deep understanding and interest in their environment. Consequently, I have a large, diverse base of potential collaborators and informants to work with, which is important because many of the scientific questions I study consider the ecosystems not just in Alaska, but in locations such as Russia, Greenland, Canada, and Scandinavia. When I began my career here at the University of Alaska, I did not realize the depth and breadth of all my possible research collaborators, and over time I have learned to fully draw on the knowledge and skills of this resource.
What personal interest or conviction led you to this work? The Arctic is warming at a rate twice as fast as the rest of the planet, caused by unique processes such as reductions in the sea ice cover and reductions in the period of snow covered ground. This warming in the Arctic is opening up the region to interests such as mineral exploitation, shipping, fishing, and tourism. This commercial potential could shift international Arctic science interactions toward economic and geopolitical competition. What is needed is science and ecosystem-based management, rather than a race for the resources of the Arctic. One way forward is to continue to understand the Arctic ecosystems from a scientific perspective and make sure the results of my research are applied in managing these ecosystems in a sustainable manner.
How has your work contributed to your becoming the person you are today? When I was a student at Seven Hills, I of course had no idea that I would wind up moving to Alaska to study Arctic science. While I could conceivably leave Alaska and continue my research, it would be very difficult because of the inimitable Alaskan lifestyle that I truly enjoy. I often think that while I am still technically in the U.S., Alaska can feel a lot like living in a foreign country. My first two years here were spent living in a log cabin with no running water and an outhouse, which is actually a common living situation in Fairbanks where a well is difficult to dig! Alaska continues to be an interesting cultural experience, with abundant opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. It has been an experience I would not likely have had if I had chosen a different line of research.
page 6 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
Any other thoughts on your experiences or global education or global citizenship you would like to share? It is amazing how easy it is to have international collaborations without having to travel anywhere. While Alaska is a long way from Europe or Australia, I work regularly with scientists on both of these continents, thanks to the ease of communications provided by the Internet–email and Skype in particular. And furthermore, while Alaska is a long way from most places, plane travel is efficient enough that working with international collaborators in person is also easy enough and sometimes truly necessary.
Seth Rau ’08
In today’s ever globalizing world, one cannot understand even the most simple parts about our lives without understanding how the rest of the world functions. Living in a world where I am typing on a computer that had parts made in over a dozen different countries only provides a snapshot of how integrated our world is becoming. This integration has inspired me to study International Relations at Tufts University and has led me into situations in Nicaragua, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, and Argentina where I have had the ability to demonstrate the best aspects of being a global citizen and what the U.S. can learn from each of these nations. My first foreign adventure at Tufts was to Nicaragua during the spring of my freshmen year on an alternative spring break trip. I naively went on the trip believing that I could actually help the local community with manual labor projects. To no surprise, my relatively weak body was no match for the day laborers in Diramba Province who were able to dig new water reservoirs light years faster than a group of American college students. However, this short trip did open my eyes to the gut-wrenching poverty associated with the transition from a rural, self-sufficient lifestyle to the urban slums that are omnipresent in Latin America and most of the developing world. While there may be more opportunity for some in the cities, the transition is remarkably difficult and most do not succeed in the first generation at successfully making this transition.
Cafayete Valley in Argentina.
After completing this trip, I gained a greater perspective on the problem, but I knew that only financial resources donated by those who can afford it (such as the U.S. government, the EU, and the UN, among others) passed onto competent money managers in the developing nations would actually make a difference.
My most recent international experience in Argentina gave me a glimpse of what could go wrong if America does not stay ahead of the curve. My next major international experience was nearly the complete opposite of my trip to Nicaragua. Spending two weeks meeting with key policy leaders in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates provided me a fascinating angle on what countries with the proper resources can do to change the world to make it a better place. Even though these two nations have among the most oil resources in the world, they are not content with their current domination in the energy sector. They realize that as energy demand grows, they will not be able to continue to supply all of the energy resources to the planet with fossil fuels.
Therefore, they are turning toward more infinite supplies of energy, especially solar energy, since they realize that this energy can both help their pocketbooks and the world in general. If we are going to have a successful, global green movement, there are going to have to be people profiting from it, or else there will be no incentives for these initiatives. While the U.S. does not have the financial resources of the rich Persian Gulf states, we should be following their examples by investing in the future to create a cleaner world that is led by our technology instead of theirs. Staying ahead of the curve is going to be essential for America in today’s world.
Whenever I travel and work abroad, I always learn more about the U.S. than the society I am studying. My most recent international experience in Argentina gave me a glimpse of what could go wrong if America does not stay ahead of the curve. Before the Great Depression, Argentina had the third largest economy in the world, but the country peaked since it did not have the necessary leadership to become anything more than an agricultural leader. Living with a host family in Buenos Aires for two months gave me an insight into how upset and frustrated people were in the city since no government in most of their lifetimes had been able to deliver on any project.
I gained even more insight into how desperate certain regions of Argentina were when I went around to local NGOs in Buenos Aires promoting an e-library filled with documents about self-empowerment for local citizens. Since the government is not equipping its citizens with the means to succeed in society, ordinary citizens have to become extraordinary to create a better life for their children. In a time in our country when more Americans than ever seem worried about the next generation, Argentina provided a strong wakeup call for me about the future of our own country. Whenever I travel and work abroad, I always learn more about the U.S. than the society I am studying. While I may be able to rattle off tons of facts about the places I visit, it is the application of those lessons to the U.S. which is the most important part to me. Therefore, I recommend that you find your own adventure by getting a passport and see what you can discover about ourselves beyond our borders.
Above: Working for NGO in Nicaragua. Left: Harbor of Kuwait City in Persian Gulf.
Marc Shotten ’92 I work for the World Bank, which is an international financial institution that issues around $32 billion per year in loans and grants to low- and middle-income countries. My current focus is ensuring specific safety aspects are addressed within the large infrastructure loans used by our developing country clients. The World Bank was created as part of the Bretton Woods conference (along with the International Monetary Fund) in 1944 to help reconstruct post-war Europe. Over time, the focus of activity moved to the developing world. Today, activities include a variety of issues including agricultural, energy, health, law and justice, transportation, water and sanitation, and many others. As a yardstick, the Bank works toward achieving broad development targets laid out through the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals by addressing challenges that hinder sustainable globalization. I have been very fortunate in that my work has taken me to all of the world’s continents (minus Antarctica, fortunate given my aversion to frigid weather) and twenty-four countries during a time when rapid economic and social shifts in our global architecture have visibly impacted not only country growth patterns, but the very basic manner in how humanity lives together. This plays out in different ways in regions and nations. To see China’s rapid urbanization and technological expansion over a period of years is to witness history in the making; to see Africa’s jagged development path and unequal patterns of growth is a reminder that there are winners and losers in globalization. While I have seen incredible entrepreneurship and potential achieved through a determined drive to improve circumstance, I have also witnessed despairing reminders of development’s capacity to leave the vulnerable and weak behind.
Trade corridor negotiations with African Ministers of State.
There is no doubt then that the business of development is tough; it is also an industry with a planet-wide reach. Today’s headline stories from abroad such as climate change impact, energy crises, food supply problems, rapidly escalating populations, etc. are no longer containable within country borders. The global economy demands an interconnectivity which resonates across boundaries. There is no avoiding reality: we are now all global citizens. Being reflective by nature, my work and travel certainly challenge me to define the understanding of exactly who the modern “global citizen” is. That in turn begs the question as to whether or not the intended readers of this note are being prepared to inherit a world of unprecedented complexity and uncertainty. A few years ago I spoke at a couple of sessions during the Seven Hills Global Challenge Day. There is no doubt how impressed I was by the well-traveled students who spoke eloquently on many of the global trends facing our planet. Rapidly expanding information and communications technologies have granted extraordinary access to a new generation now able to cross time and culture through a desktop. There has also clearly been a dedication by the faculty and within the Seven Hills curriculum to critically assess contemporary international issues. I believe this focus to be not a luxury associated with the school’s robust learning environment, but instead an absolute necessity for the modern student. The generational challenges that we will face over the next thirty years are very real and demand an intricate sense of responsibility and purpose in each of us. Moreover, these challenges require understanding patterns of change. The capacity to critically assess different points of view and having the sensitivity to formulate alternative solutions are vitally important traits. I think such nature has consistently been achieved by the time Seven Hills seniors leave–and it has served me well on my worldly travels. Today, as we find ourselves in the midst of international retrenchment brought on by recent financial calamity, the long view still sees the world getting smaller, borders shrinking, competition evolving, and an increased familiarity with our global citizenry as the order of the day. How else can one explain a developing country rural farmer telling me “first place!” upon seeing my Reds hat? page 10 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
In India: yes, they are real.
Chris Wyant ’01
Tell us about your work.
I work for the Obama Administration, where I serve as the Chief of Staff for the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). USTDA has a dual mission of supporting the export of U.S. goods and services, while promoting economic growth in emerging economies. We work closely with eligible host countries (developing and middle income countries) and U.S. businesses to identify priority development projects. These projects support infrastructure development and are usually in the following sectors: clean and renewable energy, transportation, information and communications technology, and environment and water. We support these projects through a variety of funding mechanisms, including feasibility studies, technical assistance, pilot projects, trainings, and reverse trade missions. As to my role as Chief of Staff, I wear several hats. For instance, I work closely with the Director and the senior management on policy matters; serve as the liaison for the Agency to the White House, the Office of Management and Budget, and other government agencies; staff the Director and represent the Agency on foreign travel; and oversee the paper flow to the Director.
How have your experiences impacted or changed your world view or your sense of yourself as a global citizen? Regardless of whether I am in Beijing, Bogota, or Cairo, I am amazed at the level of energy (a near maddening pace of life!) and the sheer amount of ongoing development (for instance, while in Beijing last week, I couldn’t help but notice that the skyline was littered with massive cranes). The world does appear to be getting smaller by the day. These experiences remind me how important it is that as a nation we continue to consider how to lead other nations into the twenty-first century. Historically, when countries have been in recessions, they have looked inward for answers. In today’s world, I don’t think we can do that anymore, nor do I think it is wise. Now, more than ever, we need to think globally to help solve challenges like climate change and to help support our economy through the export of goods and services.
What personal interest or conviction led you to this work? Well, I think the motivations that draw me to this work are the same motivations that caused me to leave finance in April 2007 to volunteer for the Obama campaign. I believed that then Senator Obama was the best person to solve some of our countries greatest challenges like healthcare and to represent our nation to the world. Of course, my work on the campaign was domestically focused, while my work now is global. But, we are working to address and combat many of the same challenges. All the while, we are addressing those challenges–transportation in Columbia, access to technology in Africa, clean and renewable energy in Southeast Asia (and on and on)–by promoting U.S. businesses. It’s a win-win. In these tough economic times, it is gratifying to be able to focus on development in places that so badly need it, while also focusing on creating jobs here in the United States.
Any other thoughts on your experiences or global education or global citizenship you would like to share?
I don’t know if working on global development issues is my calling. It may be, but I think it is more likely that in the long term I will want to put my focus and my energies behind making positive change here in the U.S. (much like I believe I did during the Obama campaign). That said, there is no question that having a more global perspective is helpful personally and professionally. I am deeply committed to the work of USTDA and look forward to continuing to support development abroad and exports at home.
Top: Attending a reception at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Manila, Philippines, with USTDA colleagues. Bottom: Moderating a panel on low carbon, sustainable buildings and architecture at the ASEAN Clean Energy Trade, Technology and Investment Forum, which was hosted by USTDA in cooperation with the Department of State and the ASEAN Secretariat. page 12 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
Connecting to the World Through Global Education “Our students embrace cultures other than their own. They have the courage to explore other points of view and the willingness to build bridges that connect them with others. They are open-minded and collaborative.”
Excerpt from Portrait of a Seven Hills Graduate, crafted by Seven Hills faculty as “a statement that defines the skills and habits of mind we seek to produce in our young people.”
Our graduates are ready to assume the responsibilities of global citizenship. Their preparation–global education–is intrinsic to a Seven Hills education from the earliest grades on. It goes well beyond learning about people in other countries to learning with people in other countries. It goes beyond developing a world view of “we” rather than “us and them”–an important start–to “how can we work together to make this a better world for everyone?” What does global education look like at Seven Hills? This article will provide a glimpse at some of the ways global education has impacted the mission and curriculum, the teaching and learning at Seven Hills.
Global education means building global awareness, making connections through technology “In Unit II (grades two and three) we try to take a global view of everything we do,” said teacher Bill Schmidt. “If we’re reading a particular story, we not only look at story elements but also the historical context, the effects geography might have on a character’s actions, and the cultural setting. We explain events from two or more perspectives and ask the students to put themselves in someone else’s shoes.” Each Unit II classroom communicates with a Peace Corps volunteer through the Peace Corps’ World Wise Schools program. The students’ participation is a component of the new interdisciplinary units, Window to the World, which were
designed by teacher Bill Schmidt with his summer curricular development grant. Window to the World is a collection of mini units that address global issues like poverty, shelter, climate change, and clean water. “Different classes address different worldwide issues, depending on what comes up with respective Peace Corps people and countries.We learn as much about ourselves as we learn about them, whoever ‘them’ is. As second and third graders, they’re just starting to grow from ‘me and the world around me’ to ‘us and how we’re interdependent on each other.’
Unit III teacher Tracy Hickenlooper incorporates Google Lit Trips in teaching literature. “These are multidimensional learning activities that use literature to plot character travels using Google Earth digital mapping tools,” she said. “Each ‘Lit Trip’ involves mapping the movements of characters over a plot’s timeline and provides excerpts, pictures, and links at each location. When we studied Explorers and Exploration in Social Studies, my students researched an explorer and then used Google Earth to map his route of exploration. “In geography my students participated in the ‘One Day in the Life’ project through iEARN. Students described a day in their life and videotaped a 2-4 minute clip of their day. These
“I think that these [connections] reinforce some universal truths, whether at a personal level, a local level, or a worldwide level. There is a right and a wrong way to treat people. There is a way to work collaboratively. No matter what level you look at, it’s the truth.” “It’s exciting for a teacher to see the kids broaden their viewpoints and open up to different ideas. The whole room is on fire when the class gets going on one of these conversations!” “My class’ Peace Corps volunteer teaches English to women and children in Morocco, and my students decided that they could be useful to her by creating a class blog with their writing and photographs,” Schmidt said. “Writing for an authentic audience, rather than for just their teacher, really engages the kids. If you’re creating something that the teacher’s going to read and hand back to you, or just for your parents, that doesn’t have the same grip on a child as writing for his classmates or writing to someone halfway around the world.”
videos will be incorporated with other videos throughout the world to create a documentary. Soon we will be paired up with school children in other countries to do a digital exchange.” Left: Kristen Feeney and Jenny Carr at the iEARN International Conference. Right: Unit III students exploring Google Earth. page 14 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
A number of these new curricular units are projects of iEARN (International Education and Resource Network). iEARN is “a nonprofit network that supports over 30,000 teachers and 2 million youth in more than 130 countries to collaborate through a global online network in meaningful educational projects designed to make a difference in the world.”
Doherty kindergarten teacher Jenny Carr and Lotspeich second grade teacher Kristen Feeney participated in the 17th Annual iEARN International Conference in July, 2010, in Barrie, Ontario. They returned with contagious enthusiasm for the opportunities for global connection facilitated by iEARN and with ongoing dialogues with teachers from other countries. The number and array of iEARN projects in which international peers of all ages can collaborate through interactive technology is stunning, and several of these projects are already or soon-to-be underway at Seven Hills.
Kristen Feeney said, “One quote that particularly impacted me from the conference was, ‘Learn with the world, not just about it.’ Children are seeing themselves as part of a community that is larger than their family, school or country. They are seeing themselves as part of the global community.” “[Fellow second grade teacher] Danielle Necessary and I have enhanced our Japan and China unit in the spring, adding the component of a WebQuest which enables students to direct their own learning and pursue specific interests with respect to various cultural and educational topics. Prior to engaging in this unit, Lotspeich second graders will communicate with elementary students in Taiwan through a wiki, allowing students from both countries to learn about each other’s traditions and school lives over a prolonged period of time. “There are a multitude of projects that I hope to explore over a period of years, but more than anything, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to meet and network with teachers globally. Those relationships and connections not only challenge me to be a better teacher, but they also inspire me daily to be a citizen of the world.” Doherty kindergarteners are participating in an exchange with a kindergarten class in Taiwan of greeting cards, photos, videos, and books, as well as sharing of their classroom activities via e-mail and snail mail. “We have so many things to learn from each other,” said Jenny Carr. “The students are so enthusiastic about learning about the lives of other children. They just see them as children, not as foreign children.” This project grew from connections Carr made at the iEARN conference.
Second graders celebrate Japan-China Day with plays, poetry, and song.
Sarah Roberts created a new unit for her Unit II students which will give them the opportunity to create their own country, inspired by the book How To Build Your Own Country by Valerie Wyatt. Roberts said, “In this unit the children will drive the curriculum to a certain extent. Using information they have learned about different countries, the children will create a new country complete with location on the globe, name, flag, government, housing, and economy. There will be some mini lessons taught by me, but much of the work and discussions will be done in small groups and with the children using the Internet. Some of the discussions will center around how does the geographic location affect the citizens’ lives, how will this new country attract and keep citizens, and what role will the country have as a global citizen. This will be a wonderful experience for the children. It will give them the opportunity to be creative, use their critical thinking skills, and participate in a cooperative learning experience.”
Lotspeich Spanish teacher Rachel Herrel said, “Third grade students have partnered with schools in Costa Rica and Bolivia as part of a penpal program to enhance their Spanish language learning and to increase their cultural awareness of and appreciation for a Spanish-speaking country.” Throughout the divisions, focuses on other countries and cultures this year include China, Japan, Australia, India, Germany, the indigenous peoples in North America, Europe, Australia, South America, and more. Right: Unit I’s celebration of Diwali. Below: First graders’ exploration of India.
“‘Going Global with Spanish’ is a new collaborative unit that will allow fourth and fifth graders on both campuses to explore the ways of life in several Spanish-speaking countries,” said Mary Inkrot-Schroder, Director of Studies for Doherty and Lotspeich. “Students will work together in teams from both divisions, using technology including WebQuest, Skype and wikis they create. Students will communicate with email partners from Spanish-speaking countries. This e-Pal correspondence will allow Seven Hills students to extend a helping hand to students from other countries who are learning English as a secondary language.” The new curricular unit Lotspeich teachers Marilyn Braun and Margaret Vitz designed for their first graders–Focus on India–gives students the opportunity to compare and contrast their lives with the lives of children in India, focusing on a different aspect of Indian life each month. This isn’t, however, the traditional teacher-directed study. “We tried to find a project that would employ technology and collaborative work in which the children have a say in what direction the learning would go.” The teachers used the “I see, I think, I wonder” routine, designed by Project Zero, an educational research group at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. A routine “for exploring works of art and other interesting things, it encourages students to make careful observations and thoughtful interpretations, stimulating curiosity and setting the stage for inquiry.” The class focus and ensuing research start with the children’s “I wonder...” questions. Marilyn Braun said, “We use the children’s curiosity and excitement about learning things and help them to have a more global view.” The first graders’ questions led to a multidisciplinary study of the Taj Mahal, including a virtual tour with a 360-degree panoramic view of the building’s interior. “Through technology, we can take these young students any place in the world,” said Braun.
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Global education means collaboration among peers around the world. In the case of Linda Ford’s Environmental Science class, collaboration means two teachers from opposite parts of the globe brought together by deep concern for the environment. Last April, during Ford’s Environmental Justice and Environmental Ethics unit, her students and the students of Kavita Verma, a botany teacher at Sahibzada Ajit Singh Academy in northern India, investigated the world’s worst industrial catastrophe in modern times. In 1984, toxic gas escaped from the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in the small town of Bhopal, India, and killed thousands of people in their sleep. Legal and compensatory issues are still being debated, as well as the ethical issues surrounding the American chemical industry when operating on foreign soil.
Ford said, “My Environmental Science students researched this case study, then they discussed the ethics and justice of Bhopal in a student-led Socratic seminar. We videotaped this student discourse and sent a dvd to Kavita Verma and her students in India. Kativa was raised in Bhopal, so she had a real connection to this. She had her students investigate the case and do Powerpoint slides that she posted on a blog for our students’ response and interaction.” Seven Hills students and the Indian students are also sharing information this school year in the area of biodiversity. Linda Ford received a summer curriculum grant to participate in a Brown
University biodiversity expedition in a deciduous jungle on the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico in August. “I learned the protocols that are used around the world for assessing biodiversity on a site,” she said, and she created a unit which can be used at several grade levels that uses established protocols to measure and monitor biodiversity on the Hillsdale campus and nearby public areas. “My students and I are assessing the biodiversity of forest on this campus and we’re also assessing the insect population by putting out insect traps. This campus is great because you have these little pockets of untouched space. In the spring, I hope to have my students work with the bird population data that the Middle School science students have acquired over these last couple of years.” Ford has sent the new unit’s measuring and monitoring protocols, lessons and activities to India, along with biodiversity data from the Mexican jungle and the Seven Hills campus. After Kavita’s students do the forest and insect assessments on their site, the American and Indian students together will have three different ecosystems about which to interact on the blog.
Science Department Head Karen Glum and her seventh grade students will be collaborating with a noted scientist in Alaska this year. The collaboration grew from her trip to Alaska (pictured on this page) in June, funded by grants from Seven Hills’ Miriam Titcomb Fund and Professional Development Fund. She and her family travelled to Alaska with Drs. Dave and Jill Russell (the scientist professors and bird banders working with the sixth graders on their bird studies program), and journalism professor Jenny Wohlfarth. One highlight of the trip came when the group met George Divoky at the Barrow Arctic Science Consortium, where scientists from all over the world go to study the Arctic. “George Divoky is a scientist who has been working on Cooper Island in the Arctic every summer for the past 40 years. He went to the island initially to study Black Guillemot birds, and has witnessed the impact of the melting ice on all of the Arctic’s birds and wildlife. “Over the years the Guillemot nesting sites have been invaded and destroyed as climate change brought puffins and polar bears to the island. George recently came up with a design for very durable nest boxes for the Guillemots that can withstand even polar bear attacks. Something we can do to connect our students to this effort is to sponsor one of these boxes. George can tell us which parents used our nest box–he knows all these birds because they return generation after generation. He will provide data on how successful these parents had been in the past, and data on their current breeding success. The nestbox we sponsor will be marked with the Seven Hills school logo. Whatever birds take it become ‘our birds.’ “George Divoky, Jill Russell, and I are going to meet early in 2011 to see how we can engage the kids through inquiry using the science and the story that’s developing on this island. George wants to develop a program at Seven Hills, then bring the program to schools in Seattle, where he lives, and beyond.” We are pleased to announce that George Divoky will speak at Seven Hills on the evening of January 26 about his work in the Arctic and the impact of climate change on Arctic ecosystems. Members of the School and wider communities are invited. More information about the event will be posted on the school website. Unit III teacher Patty Dawson has been invited to participate in the collaborative, environmental Challenge 20/20 program. She explained, “The program, in association with NAIS, connects classrooms throughout the world in an effort to identify and think of solutions to worldwide problems, such as deforestation, water deficit, global warming, etc. Teachers apply and if accepted they are matched with a school that is of a similar age group and size. This year my class is paired with a school in the Kingwood Township School District in New Jersey, because there was little response from schools in other countries at the elementary level. Our classes will be working together on the problem of deforestation and will be communicating through Skype, wikis, blogs, etc. from January through May.” page 18 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
Global education means speaking the world’s languages Foreign Language Department Chair Wynne Curry said, “The foreign language department view is this: if you’re going to talk about global education, let’s talk about how to meet everyone else halfway by speaking their language. We want our kids to be able to use the languages, not just to read and write it but to be able to reach out and talk with–collaborate with–other people and understand what their needs are. “We conduct our classes as much as possible in the target languages. The kids are using the language a lot more, they’re hearing it by listening to MP3 files of different voices, different accents. Technology is really on the side of foreign language teachers these days. These MP3 files train their ears to hear those accents, those sounds, those funny syllables. In order for your ear to really begin to understand, you have to discriminate, break down the discrete sounds. You only can do that if you’re forced to listen to something over and over again. There are also very good videos of French people speaking on UTube, and we regularly use a wonderful website called Mon Journal Quotidien, which broadcasts news intended for a young French-speaking audience globally. We’re trying to get them immersed in the languages in our classrooms, as much as possible, even without leaving here. Seven Hills’ commitment to global education is certainly demonstrated by the addition of Mandarin Chinese I to the foreign language offerings last year and the addition of Mandarin Chinese II this year. Curry said, “Offering Chinese to our students literally and figuratively opens up a whole world to them that French and Spanish and Latin can’t do. It really takes them to the other side of the world. About one-fifth of the world’s population, or over one billion people, speak some form of Chinese as their native language. “Chinese is considered one of the hardest languages to learn. It’s difficult to become completely fluent in Chinese; however, Peggy Liu Lovro really does teach that class with immersion. She only speaks English to them about 20% of the time. By the end of two years, those kids are well on their way . They are linguistically and culturally proficient and they’re getting closer to fluency. The kids who are approved to take Mandarin Chinese are in the third year of the language requirement. We require three years of foreign language (three years of the same language–French, Spanish or Latin). This is an elective course for them.”
Senior Kristen Prevost, who currently takes Mandarin Chinese II and AP French, was one of the students who went to China last summer. She said that the experience was very different from her expectations and she was “blown away” by the Chinese people’s genuine interest in her and their kindness and by the common bonds she found with Chinese students who shared a dormitory with the Seven Hills students. “We hear so much about Chinese students being much more disciplined that us, and it’s true, but I think we often misinterpret that to mean they’re not like us in any way. I assumed they would be committed to their studies, but that impression was only part of the story. We played basketball and soccer and had a lot of fun together. So many of their inside jokes and things that made them laugh were so similar to inside jokes that my friends had, things that made me laugh. It was wrong to assume that we would be so different, we wouldn’t have anything in common. I realized that these are people I would be friends with if they were here. That had the greatest impact on me.” “Of course, the ideal is the immersion experience a student finds far from Cincinnati. What Head of School Chris Garten and Head of Upper Nick Francis have done is to open the doors out of this school, so that we can offer programs like the upcoming exchange with France. Over spring break, 18 Seven Hills students will be living in Marseilles homes–screened families with a well-known program–for close to two weeks. This is a life-altering experience for a seventeen year old. This opens up this whole world to them that previously they couldn’t see–they couldn’t imagine.” In April, 2011, students from those host French families will spend two weeks living with Seven Hills families. In 2011-2012, Seven Hills will have a similar exchange with a school in Spain. Seven Hills students have the opportunity to experience China firsthand during the summer, as part of the Downey Seminar Program. Established at Seven Hills in 2007, in collaboration with the University of Cincinnati and supported through The Harriette R. Williams Downey Fund, the program offers a four-week course on China, including three weeks of living and studying in Beijing and Xi’an. While the students aren’t living in Chinese homes, they are in dormitories with Chinese students. page 20 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
Curry said, “These are overseas experiences, not overseas trips as tourists; we don’t want it to be looking from the outside in. We want these kids to experience life in other countries, and the best path into that experience is the language. “We also encourage kids to participate in language camps and language summer programs that we recommend for them. And many of our students pursue these experiences on their own, including extended stays in France, Spain, and Israel. One of our seniors, Chase Atherton, found a program on her own that put her into a French lycée her junior year, and she passed the baccalaureate , having taken all her courses in French there! She was in the French senior class. At one point she had to teach herself Spanish to earn the baccalaureate.” Seven Hills students often study more than one language at a time, and they are clear about one of their goals. Junior Linnea Head, who takes French III and Spanish I, said, “I want to travel the whole world. I want to learn every language! I like learning about other cultures and different perspectives. It not only make your culture more fruitful, but you learn so much about yourself. Learning different languages is such an essential part of that.” Wynne Curry continued, “When you have this many kids now going overseas, whether it’s to China or France or Spain, they come back and their experiences become part of our culture.” Our school culture is also greatly enriched by our international families, who play significant roles in the success of all-school events like Global Ed Day and the International Evening, as well as sharing their cultures in our classrooms.
Global education means active participation, global responsibility
A first step toward global citizenship which strives to make the world a better place starts with the understanding that history is man-made. History Department Chair Bob Turansky said, “I want students to come to understand that the human life world is an artifact that was molded, for good and for ill, by their ancestors. People are born into an historically given situation and they look around and see, as it were, this historical furniture that has been created–artifacts which include inequality of wealth and power and so on, a structure bequeathed to them by previous generations. They can take their inheritance and pass it on unchanged or they can try to construct something more equitable and just. Every now and again, people say, ‘No, thank you, we’re going to change this.’ Poet Seamus Heaney put it this way:
History says, Don’t hope
on this side of the grave.
But then, once in a lifetime
the longed for tidal wave
of justice can rise up,
and hope and history rhyme.
“History is not so much about what happened in the past as why it happened. Thus, the History Department eschews a ‘kings and battles’ approach to the past, which would have students assimilate or memorize reams of data; instead the focus is on analysis of the historical record as the lived experience of our ancestors. And just as the natural world is often counterintuitive, where appearance and reality are in contradiction, so it is in the historical world. Students must peer beneath the ‘surface’ events, as it were, to discern their deeper, subterranean causal wellsprings. Analysis of problems, not memorization of facts, is key. “The pursuit of history requires of its practitioners an intellectual self-discipline that enables the student to discard pleasing interpretations that cannot pass the elementary tests of evidence and logic, and, most important of all, to suspend one’s own perceptions long enough to enter sympathetically into the alien, possibly even repugnant, perspectives of others.”
Turansky continued, “In teaching history, it is at least as important to teach how to think –within the assumptions, logic and techniques of our discipline–as what to think. In all of our courses, we stress and encourage the development of precision in reading, thinking and writing. Students are taught to read accurately and analytically. Historical study offers an ideal vehicle for the cultivation of critical and analytical skills that, more than information, lie at the core of an education. “History is an argument. Students are therefore invited to ‘argue the world,’ to ‘denaturalize’ the present, to view it as a human artifact, not an immutable natural object. The History Department hopes to kindle historical imagination. The impulse to think, to question, and to challenge the current state of affairs begins with awareness that social reality is historical and contingent in nature, with the knowledge that things have not always been this way and therefore could be otherwise, with the knowledge that what has been constituted can be deconstituted and reconstituted. Historical memory and historical knowledge therefore are potential forms of empowerment. The ‘is’ of given reality must be distinguished from what should or could be.”
Freshmen bring their critical thinking skills to their recreation of the Trial of Socates in Brian Wabler’s Ancient and Medieval Civilizations course. “The kids can tie together the history of Athens and Socrates’ philosophy, and they see this example of scapegoating individuals repeated throughout history when a society is experiencing hard times. That’s one of the things that I like about ancient and medieval history. The kids think it’s so remote, but this is going on right now. You get this insight into human nature. Humans have always been this way. There are rhythms of human history that reappear over and over again.” In the spring, the course will add a unit on Global Connections, which Wabler designed with his summer curriculum grant. Students will map important aspects of Silk Road trade and the great Medieval travelers using Google Earth. Wabler’s Global Issues Since 1945 course has been expanded to two courses, each a semester-long: one that focuses on Asia and one that focuses on the non-Asian world. “I built mini-units into the courses, so in addition to the unit on China or whatever, there are units on big picture topics like the environment, poverty, globalization, which are more project oriented. My favorite one is probably the one we do on gender. Students had to decide what sorts of things were good measures of the quality of life for women in an area. Each group of students chose a slightly different set of things, then they discussed what really matters. How do you weigh factors differently? Some are more important than others. “Part of the whole point of teaching history is to explain how we got here. It’s important for the kids to realize that the situation we’re in now is not the way it had to be. The history wasn’t an inevitable process. There were an infinite series of decisions that were made, and just because we’re sitting at the end of it doesn’t mean that’s the way it had to happen. It think it’s useful for the kids to think about the ways in which history could have been different and how history could be different in the future, and we’re not all on this train heading somewhere. You can steer it a little bit. “We want these kids to be able to live in the world. That’s sort of the purpose of history–to create citizens. History, in a lot of ways, is not a very employable thing to study. You study math and you can be an engineer. You study history and you’re a good citizen of the world. There’s not a firm outcome the way there is in some other disciplines. If the purpose of history is to make them better people, living in society, then any of these things that illustrate both how history progresses and how the world has worked together over the years or not worked together helps them become good citizens.” page 22 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
Student citizens can practice “steering” history through Model UN, in which the Upper School has an increasing number of enthusiastic participants. Students attend conferences where they are assigned a counry and are given issues to discuss and debate in different committees, closely replicating the United Nations. Wabler said, “The kids get to learn about a place they probably wouldn’t have learned about, they see things from others’ perspectives, and they get a lot of good public speaking and writing practice.” Middle Schoolers are already getting practice for Model UN participation in their Global Explorations class. Participation in Junior State of America is another opportunity to prepare for proactive citizenship, and Seven Hills students have held regional positions in JSA over the years. JSA subscribes to this motto coined by Lotte E. Scharfman, a refuge from Hitler’s Germany, and it applies equally well to global education: “Democracy is not a spectator sport.”
Seven Hills students are learning, from the earliest grades on, that global citizenship is not a spectator sport.
Recreation of the Trial of Socrates.
School News Seven Hills named one of Top Five Academic Schools in Ohio The Seven Hills School was named one of the Top Five Academic Schools in Ohio in a study published in December by Gerber Analytics, LLC. This is the third year in a row that Seven Hills has achieved this distinction. This annual study identifies the best schools in Ohio based on each school’s performance on the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT). The OGT evaluates the performance of high school students in areas of math, reading, social studies, science and writing. The OGT tests are administered by the Ohio Department of Education to tenth graders in all 1018 public, independent and charter schools across the state. This year, just 63 schools, or 6.2% of schools in Ohio, had 91% of their tenth grade students pass all five portions of the test. The proficiency rate for students at Seven Hills was 98%, the third highest in the state. In addition, Seven Hills was listed among the top ten schools in the state in all five subject areas and was cited for excellence in nine of the ten performance categories. While Seven Hills is the only co-ed school in the state to achieve this “Top Five” distinction, there were many other Cincinnati area schools that also made the list. For the complete list, go to www.gerberanalytics.com. (Front) Justine Cefalu, Elisse Hill, Sydney Larkin, Sasha Lieberman, Haleigh Monaco, Peppar Cyr, Mia Perlman; (middle) Stella Warner, Julianne Bain, Alex Wilt, Victoria Huang, Chase Atherton; (back) Jeff Brown, Nathan Markiewitz, Adimu Hunter-Woodard, Gabriel Blanco.
Eleven Seven Hills seniors–16% of the class– have qualified as semifinalists in the 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program. This continues a tradition for Seven Hills of having top percentages of semifinalists in the senior class, including 2009 when Seven Hills had the highest percentage among Greater Cincinnti schools. In addition to the 11 semifinalists this year, four seniors were named National Merit Commended students, bringing the percentage of the class to receive National Merit recognition to 22%.
Seven Hills’ National Merit semifinalists this year are Chase Atherton, Julianne Bain, Gabriel Blanco, Justine Cefalu, Peppar Cyr, Elisse Hill, Victoria Huang, Sasha Lieberman, Nathan Markiewitz, Haleigh Monaco, and Mia Perlman. Seniors who were named as 2011 National Merit Commended students are Jeff Brown, Sydney Larkin, Stella Warner, and Alex Wilt.
In the National Hispanic Recognition Program, Gabriel Blanco was named a Scholar. In the National Achievement Scholarship Program, seniors Elisse Hill and Adimu Hunter-Woodard were named semifinalists. Students qualify for recognition in the National Merit, National Achievement, and National Hispanic Scholarship Programs with their scores on the PSAT/NMSQT®.
For many more honors and activities, see the online Seven Hills Buzz at www.7hills.org>Welcome>Seven Hills Publications.
School News 96% of Seven Hills AP Exam scores qualify for advanced standing in college Sixty-two Seven Hills seniors and 2010 graduates have been named AP Scholars by the College Board for their exceptional achievement on the collegelevel Advanced Placement Exams. On the 228 AP exams in 16 subject areas taken in May by 119 students, 96% of the scores earned were 3’s or better on the 1-5 national scale, qualifying the students for advanced standing in college. The Seven Hills students scored an average of 4.7 (“Extremely Well Qualified”). Receiving National AP Scholar Awards for average scores of at least 4 or higher on all AP Exams taken and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more were 2010 graduates Britt Cyr, Lena Geissler, Sarah Kloepper, Danny Korn, Ainsley McWilliams, Sara Schonfeld, and Josh Wang. Receiving AP Scholar with Distinction Awards for average scores of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on five or more were seniors Gabe Blanco, Justine Cefalu, Peppar Cyr, Victoria Huang; 2010 graduates Michael Bi, Nancy Cohen, Britt Cyr, Josh Dunaway, Maddie Elkus, Lena Geissler, Adam Jatho, Erin Kelly, Sarah Kloepper, Danny Korn, Ainsley
Students win First Place in Chinese Singing Competition
McWilliams, Kohki Nakafuku, Kyle Neu, Gilbert Pasquale, Bryan Romaine, Francesca Scheiber, Sara Schonfeld, Quinn Schweier, Sheva Serota, Josh Tiao, Elizabeth Verschoor, Josh Wang, Henry Warrington, and Shirley Yan.
Four Seven Hills juniors won First Place in the Chinese Singing Competition on November 13 at Miami University. The Mandarin Chinese I students of teacher Peggy Liu Lovro are Emily Bedell, Katie Cirulli, Jonathan Tiao, and Alex Markovits. They competed in the high school category for groups of 2–5, and each won a certificate and a $200 prize.
Receiving AP Scholar with Honor Awards for average scores of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on four or more were seniors Julianne Bain, Jeff Brown, Katie Cromer, Leah Cromer, Ari Kirsh, Ryan MacKenzie, Aaron Markiewitz, Nathan Markiewitz; 2010 graduates Hope Brown, Kathleen Mathieu, Aaron Ransohoff-Englert, Justin Rau, Walker Schiff, Lloyd Ulicny, and Robby Woodworth.
Teacher Peggy Lovro said, “The Chinese Singing Competition was organized by the Confucius Institute at Miami University to promote the Chinese lanaguage and culture and to enrich the students’ learning experience. Emily and Katie sang a traditional Chinese folk song–‘Jasmine Flower’–with beautiful voices and elegant stage presence. Jonathan and Alex did a wonderful job accompanying the singers with their violin performance.”
Receiving AP Scholar Awards for scoring 3 or higher on three or more exams were junior Isabel Arjmand, seniors Julie Berger, Helen Head, Elisse Hill, Sydney Larkin, Clarence Ling, Haleigh Monaco, Joe Soonthornsawad, Virgilio Urbina Lazardi, Stella Warner; 2010 graduates Julia Baggish, Kate Brandy, Grace Elkus, Heidi Garrett, Alex Hill, Baker Leyman, Diya SenGupta, Justin White, Taylor White, and Luke Wulsin.
From left, Alex Markovits, Emily Bedell, Katie Cirulli, and Jonathan Tiao.
page 24 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
The Seven Hills Fund
Participation and volunteers make all the difference!
Payson Briggs ’87
Bruce Brown
Steve Newman ’02
Lou Meyer
The Seven Hills Fund (the Annual Giving program) is the collective generosity of current parents, past parents, grandparents, alumni and friends.
Ways to Give:
Thanks to the generous support of 1448 donors, The Seven Hills Fund finished fiscal year 2010 with $1,120,375 raised through annual gifts. While we fell slightly short of our goal of $1.2 million, we did meet our budget requirements and participation increased in every category of donors. Thank you to everyone who supported The Seven Hills School!
• Online: Your gift can be made safely and securely by credit card at www.7hills.org. Click on “Giving.” Seven Hills accepts Visa and MasterCard.
The overall goal for The Seven Hills Fund will remain $1.2M for fiscal year 2011 and we need your help to reach it!
Your participation matters because... Foundations and corporations often decide which schools to support based on the level of participation by core groups like parents, alumni, grandparents, etc. The more people who give to The Seven Hills Fund, the better our chances of being selected for grants or corporate donations. In a typical year, 100% of our faculty and staff contribute at a level that is comfortable for them and their families. Please follow their example. Your annual gift is your vote of confidence in Seven Hills, our mission and the future of our students. Julie Rust Webster H ’71
Amanda Hayes ’91
Elizabeth Rogers
Contributions to The Seven Hills Fund can be made using any of the following methods:
• Check: All checks should be made payable to The Seven Hills School and should be mailed to us at the following address: The Seven Hills School; Development Office; 5400 Red Bank Road; Cincinnati, OH 45227. • Phone: If you would like to make a gift by credit card over the phone, please call the Development Office directly at 513.527.1309 or 513.527.1306. • Securities: For information on making a gift of stock or appreciated securities, call the Development Office or go to www.7hills.org and download our stock transfer instructions. Click on “Giving” then “Ways to Give.” Double or Even Triple Your Gift! Many employers sponsor programs that will match the donations of current employees or retirees. While some companies provide a 1:1 match, some provide a 2:1 or even a 3:1 match. This is a great way to increase the impact of your contribution to Seven Hills. Please check with your employer’s Human Resources department for more information.
QUESTIONS? Please contact Meridith Oberklein Spille ’95, Director of Annual Giving,
at 513.527.1306 or meridith.spille@7hills.org.
Ann Bartlett Blemker C ’65
Flip Cohen
Pam Williams
Gretchen Meyer
Books for Lunch 2011 presents Michael Cunningham The Seven Hills School’s 25th Annual Books for Lunch is pleased to present Michael Cunningham, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Hours, as its 2011 guest author. The Lecture Luncheon and Book Signing will take place Friday, February 4, at 11:00 am at Cintas Center of Xavier University. The Dinner with Michael Cunningham will take place at the Indian Hill home of Seven Hills parents Friedoon and Shiva Ghazi on Thursday, February 3, at 6:30 pm. Michael Cunningham gets all the little things right in his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Hours. Rarely missing a telling detail or a larger emotional truth, he masterfully explores the quiet, private moments of a life. In addition to The Hours, which received the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award, Cunningham’s novels include A Home at the End of the World, Flesh and Blood, Specimen Days, and the nonfiction Land’s End: A Walk Through Provincetown. Acclaimed films were made of The Hours and A Home at the End of the World. His latest novel, By Nightfall, was published in October, 2010.
Ticket prices for Books for Lunch are the following: Author Luncheon–$50; Luncheon Patron–$100; Author Dinner–$85; First Draft Patron–$500 includes two Author Dinner and two Author Luncheon tickets; Luncheon Table Patron–$650 table for 10 at the luncheon with table sign.
For reservations or for more information, e-mail booksforlunch@gmail.com or phone 513.871.2098. Reservations are requested by January 15. Parents Sarah Johnson and Rica Ligeralde are chairing the Books for Lunch 2011 Committee and the following parent volunteers are heading subcommittees: Nancy Brown, Tracey Lewis, Elizabeth Rogers, Kay Johnson, Shiva and Freidoon Ghazi, Mary Beth Young, Kyle Hodgkins, and Ruth Klette.
“Michael Cunningham’s novel The Hours is that rare combination: a smashing literary tour de force and an utterly invigorating reading experience. If this book does not make you jump up from the sofa, looking at life and literature in new ways, check to see if you have a pulse.” —USA Today on The Hours
page 26 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
Our thanks to our sponsors Presenting Sponsors Kevin McNamara Robert and Adele Schiff Foundation Best Sellers Christine and Charles Schiff Manuscript Sponsors Allan Berliant and Jennie Rosenthal Berliant Tucker and Michael Coombe Kari and David Ellis Sarah and Mark Johnson Granite Rocks/Sarah and Steve Steinman First Draft Sponsors Miguel Alemany and Raquel Natali-Alemany Sue and Steve Baggott Katz Teller/Linda and Andy Berger Lalitha Parameswaran and Param Hariharan Lisa Hillenbrand Kyle and Robert Hodgkins Janna and Frank McWilliams Sara and David Osborn Margaret Phillips Kathy and Jim Prevost Joni and Dick Quimby Elizabeth and Patrick Rogers Kay Johnson and Gregg Rouan Anne and Jim Shanahan Nancy and Tom Shepherd Nancy and John Silverman Nutrition Access/Cindy Cassell Mary Beth and Craig Young
Photo credit: Richard Phibbs
School News: Sports In an effort to serve the interests of the different audiences for our publications, the reports on the Upper and Middle School sports seasons and celebration of team and individual honors will be covered in the Buzz, which is published online (www.7hills.org>Welcome>Seven Hills Publications) primarily to provide timely news to current Seven Hills parents and students. Seven Hills magazine, whose audience includes alumni and other out-of-town members of our community, will continue to celebrate our major sports achievements but will leave the detailed sports reports to the Seven Hills Buzz.
Seven Hills had an outstanding fall sports season! Varsity teams won two league and two sectional titles, players were named MVC Player of the Year in both boys and girls soccer, and the boys soccer coach was named MVC Coach of the Year. One soccer player was named to the All-State First Team and voted SW Ohio District Player of the Year (Division III). In the league, 14 varsity athletes were named All-League First Team, 11 were named Second Team, 9 received Honorable Mention, and 46 were recognized as Scholar Athletes, with more honors still to be announced. The boys varsity soccer team was league and sectional champ and district finalist. The Stingers were undefeated in the league for the third straight year with an overall record of 12-3-3. The varsity golf team was league and sectional champion! The team won the league in a two-day tournament by one stroke over CCDS and won the sectionals with the second lowest sectional score in Seven Hills history. The team placed fourth at the districts. The girls varsity tennis team was ranked # 1 in the city and had a season record of 12-3, playing half of the season against Div. I teams, and placed second in the league. The team won the CTC invitational, and at sectionals, players won in singles and doubles. All seven players advanced to the districts. The girls varsity soccer team was unbeaten in the league and was the only team to shut out Blanchester. All-State First Team goalkeeper Ian McNamara. Photo credit: Keith Neu
The girls varsity volleyball team had a winning season against ranked teams and advanced to the semifinals of the sectionals. The varsity girls cross country team won the Seven Hills Invitational, and the varsity boys cross country team finished second with one runner taking First Place. This runner finished 23rd at regionals. In Middle School, the seventh and eighth grade boys soccer team won the MVC championship with a perfect record, won the CHCA Invitational Tournament, and scored 76 goals while allowing only 4! Both the girls and boys cross country teams won league championships (the girls, for the second consecutive year), and the girls team placed first in the CHCA Invitational. One of the boys fifth/ sixth grade soccer teams qualified for the SAY state soccer tournament! Head of School Chris Garten said, “Our teams played with their usual tenacity and distinguished themselves by their courage and by their support of one another. But here’s what I’m proudest of: over the last two weeks I’ve received no fewer than five unsolicited calls from two coaches, two principals, and one parent from another school, each commending our students (and coaches) for their sportsmanship–their humility and kindness in victory, their grace in defeat. Athletics, here, is part of an overall commitment to developing character and leadership in our young people. We do, indeed, have a great deal to celebrate.”
Reunion Reception 2010 Alumni who came together October 8-9 for Reunion ’10 enjoyed a tour of the Upper School, a luncheon for Classics alumni at Cincinnati Country Club, a reception in the Hillsdale Commons (pictured on this page), and class parties.
page 28 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
Reunion Classics Luncheon at Cincinnati Country Club Congratulations on your 50th Reunion, Class of 1960!
Members of the Class of CPS 1960, celebrating their 50th Reunion, included (seated) Carol Cutler Scheid, Ki Hackney Hribar, Jan Vogel Mann, Sue Elliott Wilkenin, Randol Foote Haffner, Elana Rhodes Byrd; (standing)Louise Kahn Jenks, Frances Prosser Morriss, Christine Clark Spring.
Hillsdale 1941 classmates Helen Chatfield Black and Sudie Ernst Geier.
(Seated) Peggy Ault Shardelow H ’52, Gay Seybolt Bain H ’51, Peggy Wulsin Kite C ’46; (standing) Joan Harshman Thomas C ’47, Louise Knauft Allen H ’54, Mary Burton Stewart H ’41.
Members of the Class of Hillsdale 1960, celebrating their 50th Reunion, included (seated) Susan Harrison Spencer, Betsy Hastie Casto, Heather Humphrey; (standing) Jeannie Zimmerman Donaldson, Louise Barnard Koetters, Barbara Watson Neal.
Reunion Classics Luncheon at Cincinnati Country Club
John Parlin L ’54, Christopher Knoop L ’53, Tory Woodhull Parlin H ’63. (Seated) Mary Lou Ahrens Mueller H ’47, David Grossman L ’41, Anne Neiman Wilson H ’52, Samuel Wilson L ’36 , Sayers Hill Sarran C ’47; (standing) Sandy Hauck Elliott C ’49, Nancy Maescher Poffenberger H ’56, Jean Freiberg Bloch H ’41, Kay Foley Hauer C ’47.
(Seated) Janet Keys Simpkinson H ’58, Francie Garber Pepper H ’58, Nancy Donaldson Kollin H ’59; (standing) Lee Adair Adams H ’58, Missy Richards Holzman H ’59, Katherine Anderson Rook L ’45, Treon McGuire Christine H ’51. page 30 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
(Seated) Mary Wilshire Mead H ’45, Lucy Appleton Potter H ’45; (standing) Marianna Cox Hirons H ’43, Stephen Marvin L ’37, Janet Hengstenberg Hauck H ’46, Ginny Wilkinson Brooks H ’43.
Reunion 2010 Volunteers Many thanks to our wonderful volunteers! Your emails, letters, Facebook pages and calls to your classmates made all the difference. Reunion would not be possible without your help.
50th 1960
CPS Susan Elliott Wilkening
45th 1965
CPS Ann Bartlett Blemker Marge Davis Carol Smith Hesser
40th 1970
CPS Anni Macht Gibson (Seated) Francie Hauck Pavey C ’52, Cromer Mashburn L ’45, Quina Schmidlapp C ’53, Joan Fankhauser Burrell C ’51, Judy Johnson Postler C ’52; (standing) Frank Huss L ’45.
35th 1975
B. Wiley Gordon Margaret Avril Lawson
30th 1980
Grace Allen Hill
25th 1985
Melissa Morelli-Barone David Hummel Mike Kaufman Lisa Collins Winick
15th 1995
Todd Margolis Kimberly Maurer Alyssa Rammacher
10th 2000
Lucy Schmidt (Seated) Marilyn Miller Logan H ’44, Joan Fleischer Reckseit H ’44, Alice Whaling Fossett H ’44, Marjorie McCullough Motch C ’41, Mary Louise Hackstedde Krehbiel C ’41; (standing) Jeanne Johnson McCarthy H ’44, Carolyn Eberle Caldwell H ’37, Sandra Stuth Hartlaub C ’44.
5th 2005
Frederick Hall Benjamin van der Horst
Hillsdale Jeannie Zimmerman Donaldson Louise Barnard Koetters Hillsdale Polly Adair Culp
Hillsdale Ellie Quackenbush Block Margaret Walker Comey
Reunion 2010 Individual Class Gatherings CPS 1960
Hillsdale 1960
(Front) Ki Hackney Hribar, Nan Plattenburg Hauck, Randol Foote Haffner; (back) Jan Vogel Mann, Elana Rhoades Byrd, Fran Prosser Morriss, Ronnie Levinson Shore, Carol Cutler Scheid, Louise Kahn Jenks, Sue Elliott Wilkening, Tina Clark Spring, Sandy Currier Andrews. With a “Hi� to Sally Wren Horton and Sally Pease Gilbert-Smith.
Bobbie Watson Neal, Betsy Hastie Casto, Leslie Carothers.
Sue Elliott Wilkening, Ki Hackney Hribar, Fran Prosser Morriss.
page 32 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
Betsy Hastie Casto, Jeannie Zimmerman Donaldson, Heather Humphrey, Bobbie Watson Neal, Sue Harrison Spencer.
Lotspeich 1960
1970
CPS 1970 (Seated) Renee Rivard Arken, Meta Schloss Sien, Deb (Left to right) Peter Bloch, Carolyn Thayer Ross, Nancy Heuck Johanson, Mardi Warner Off, Christy Leyman Ross, Lindsay Boswell McLean, Steve Black.
Muntz Krehbiel, Sharon Worthing Vaino; (standing) Anni Macht Gibson, Janet Byron Campbell, Cita Strauss, Bronwyn Park, Lissa Pogue.
1965
Sharon Worthing Vaino (C ’70) and Ann Atkins Martz (H ’70).
CPS 1965 Cynthia Garrison Ware, Winkie Wiley Kusic, Sue Levinson Stern, Anne Taylor Kunkel, Carol Smith Hesser, Lawsie Pennington Coler, Ann Bartlett Blemker, Joyce Jenkins Keeshin, Marge Davis, Lynn Sterne Bush.
Janet Byron Campbell (C ’70), John Fox (L ’64), Deb Muntz Krehbiel (C ’70).
Reunion 2010 Individual Class Gatherings 1975
1985 (Front) Lisa Shneebeck Hewett, Lynn Hall Palona, Miss B. Wiley Gordon, Karen Jones Koch, Paige Rogers Swartz; (back) Emily Wagner, Cinny Hastings Roy, Tylor Garrison Compton, Margaret Avril Lawson, Helen Richards.
1980 (Back) Glenn Schneider, Tracey Smith, Hannah Bloch, Heather Byer, Victoria Espy Burns; (middle), Robin Morris Horstmeyer, Karen Bidlingmeyer Callard, Kimmi Allen, Leslie Brown, Grace Allen Hill; (front) Head of School Chris Garten, Nola Tully, Dan Schimberg. page 34 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
(Front, right) David Hummel, Laura Perlich Fyfe; (ascending, front), Lilly Dimling, Melissa Morelli-Barone, Cean Shands, Kevi Dumont Belden, Marty Mueller Gerhardt, Sally McGee, David Clodfelter; (back) Eric Goering, Mike Kaufman, Langley Gace, Lisa Collins Winick, Michael Spitz, Susan Shepherd Kersting, Scott Carroll.
Drewry Keys Voshefski, Melissa Morelli-Barone, Susan Shepherd Kersting.
1995 (Front) Meridith Oberklein Spille, Kate Grever Bridges, Jacquetta Goode-Greenlea, Kelly Armstrong Walsh; (back) Matt Bramlage, Todd Margolis, Kim Maurer, Alyssa Rammacher, Abby Schuck Gist.
Donations 2 Dollars is a way for members of the Seven Hills community to donate items to be sold on eBay and receive gift credit for the proceeds. We will handle the complexities of Ebay for you and, when your items sell, you will receive Seven Hills Annual Giving credit for the net tax-deductible value of your items. Drop-off locations: Doherty Campus Kemper Bldg., first floor 8:30–2:30 Monday–Friday
Reunion 2011 October 14 & 15 For Classes ending in ’1 and ’6
Reunion reps are needed to make this a great weekend for your class. Let us know if you are available. Nancy McCormick Bassett ’83, Director of Alumni Relations nancy.bassett@7hills.org (513) 272-5354
Hillsdale Campus Resale Shop 9:00–3:00 Monday–Saturday Questions? Call Lynn Cowles at 513-221-1765 or Margo Kirstein at 513-527-1319.
Reunion 2010 Individual Class Gatherings 2000
2005
(Left to right) Shakaria Esan, Afolabi Esan, Walter Sullivan, Lucy Schmidt, Jeff Donenfeld, Jessica Earley, Stefanie Zemboch, Paige Schweitzer Connelly, Caroline Habbert.
Class of 2005–Together again.
2005
Brittany Nelson-Turner, Sam James, Ali Carter, Brian Hepp, Gavin Tabor. page 36 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
Frederick Hall, Pat McGrath, Libby Ferguson, Benjamin van der Horst.
Rachel Habbert, Rob Cottrell, Pat McGrath, Asia Reid.
www.7hills.org “There are moments in the life of every human community when its members pause to celebrate the best the community has to offer, intellectually and spiritually.” With these words, former Headmaster Peter Briggs began his remarks in tribute to Betty Goldsmith at The Betty Goldsmith Tribute Dinner, presented by Family Service of the Cincinnati Area, on April 14, 1994. He continued, “It is by the grace of God that Betty Goldsmith was born into this community, and stayed here, and we are grateful. ... how vastly impoverished would be Cincinnati tonight without Betty’s longstanding devotion and wisdom to Family Service, Seven Hills School, Cancer Family Care, Easy Riders, Cincinnati Psychoanalytic Institute, Hyde Park Center for Older Adults, Children’s Psychiatric Center, Careers in Social Work, Radio Reading Service, Community Chest, Planned Parenthood, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Memorial Episcopal Homes, People Working Cooperatively, and more.” These organizations and the countless individuals whose lives she touched were deeply saddened by the loss of Betty, who died on May 28, 2010, but her impact is enduring.
In Memoriam Elizabeth Deupree Goldsmith H ’38 Seven Hills School was blessed to be among the organizations who benefited from Betty Goldsmith’s tireless service and devotion, and she cared deeply about our school. Betty was a student at Lotspeich and Hillsdale, a science teacher at Hillsdale after her graduation from Vassar, an active alumna, a parent and grandparent at our school, and a major force in shaping the mission and values of Seven Hills today. In honoring Betty on her retirement from the Seven Hills Board of Trustees in 1995, Board President Tom Hayes said, “Betty (Deupree) Goldsmith is, without question, a Seven Hills School treasure. ... she loves the school and has worked on behalf of the children, the faculty and admistration of the school for most of her life. Since 1954 she has served three different times as a trustee of the school including one period as President of the Board. That all adds up to more than 20 years of service on the Board over the last 41 years.” During her last two terms on the Board, Betty’s service included efforts to improve teachers’ salaries and create opportunities for their professional and personal development; serving as Co-Chair of the Values Committee and a catalyst in making the Seven Hills Values in integral part of the culture of the school; and serving as a leader in the efforts to ensure the School’s financial sustainability in the future. She said, “When you’re close enough to the needs of an organizatiton, you really see that it’s imperative for all of us to help. If you really love something–your church, school or whatever–you would do anything to protect it for the future.” Seven Hills benefited greatly from Betty Goldsmith’s generosity, service, and love.
How can one measure the impact of the Miriam Titcomb Fund, founded by Betty and fellow alumnae Florence Field Mithoefer, Mary Tylor Burton Stewart, and Nancy Dowd Burton to honor Hillsdale’s first headmistress and to provide personal and professional enrichment experiences for our teachers? Since the Fund’s founding in 1978, 110 grants–some for multiple teachers–have been awarded to Seven Hills faculty, often enabling them to realize lifelong dreams and enriching their personal and teaching lives in incaluable ways. A pioneer in teacher enrichment funds in the country, the Fund continues today to be a powerful testament to our school’s commitment to the growth of our faculty. Betty Goldsmith credited her lifelong commitment to volunteer work and much of her personal development to her Hillsdale education and to Miss Miriam Titcomb. She said, “At Hillsdale, we were treated, even though very young, like people whose ideas mattered and people who could make a difference by what they did. Miss Titcomb begged, cajoled, encouraged, and prodded all of us to believe in ourselves. She believed, almost passionately, in the capacity of people to realize heights beyond their original expectations. She encouraged each student and teacher to reach for greater learning and to live in a nobler manner.” Miss Titcomb’s ideals about lifelong learning and a life well lived took root and flourished in Betty Goldsmith. Her license plate stated her philosophy simply: VIIOR–“Virtue is its own reward.” Generations of our students and teachers are among the many who continue to be the beneficiaries.
Class Notes
Our condolences to the families and friends who lost loved ones reported in this issue.
1924
Emily Levy Bookwalter Demar (L) (Miamisburg, OH) died on August 17, 2010, at the age of 99.
1934
Gertrude “Gerry” Muhlhauser Oliver (H) (Cincinnati) died on July 9, 2010, at the age of 93. She enjoyed travel, boating, bridge, tennis, golf, the company of her many friends and was an inspiration to all who knew her. She will long be remembered for her gracious hospitality, generosity and quiet philanthropy to many cultural and civic organizations throughout the city.
1946
Elizabeth Deborah Wilder “Debby” Hemenway (C) (Orlando, FL) died on July 4, 2010. Debby is survived by her three children, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. After living and working in Colorado for many years, she moved to Orlando in 1995 where she was an amateur watercolorist and a member and volunteer at the Orlando Art Museum. She was an election judge for her precinct and donated the majority of her time to such charities as Shepherd’s Hope, Daily Bread, Habitat for Humanity and the Orlando Symphony and Opera.
1957
Anita Graf White (H) (Hamilton, VA) died on June 6, 2010. She was elected Joint Master of Foxhounds of the Loudoun Hunt in 1970, she served in that capacity for most of the next 35 years…White also showed, bred and trained thoroughbreds; actively competed in three-day eventing; was Honorary Secretary of the United States Combined Training page 38 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
Association at its 1959 organizational meeting; and was a founding member of the Oatlands Equestrian Center and of Loudoun Therapeutic Riding for the Handicapped.
1958
Margaret “Peggy” Sadler Miller (H) (Lancaster, PA) died on October 6, 2010.
1960
Ann “Sandy” Muhlhauser Navaro (H) (Glendale, OH) died on September 5, 2010. She was proud to be the fourth generation of her family to live in Glendale and the fourth generation to live in Cincinnati. She was passionate about the natural world. She studied botany at Miami University and spent her summers at Lake Temagami, Ontario, from about 1950 until her illness made it impossible. In Cincinnati, she was active in many organizations including the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History, the Ohio chapter of the National Audubon Society, the Mayor’s Committee for Urban Greenery, Betts House, and National Society of Colonial Dames. She is survived by her husband, her son A. Ralph Navaro III, and daughter Ann D. Navaro ’84.
1963
Susan Newkirk Wright (H) (Wayne, PA) writes, “Jack and I are enjoying retirement. We spend a lot of time traveling to Berkley, CA, and Bejing, China, where our daughters and their families live. We now have a granddaughter–Eleonora in China– and a grandson–Benjamin in Berkley. Thank God for Skype!”
Please Join the
Cincinnati Alumni of CPS, Hillsdale, Lotspeich and The Seven Hills School for
A Reception at the University Club 401 East 4th Street
Thursday, February 10, 2011 Cocktails and Light Buffet 6:00-8:00 pm
Featuring The Photography of Michael Wilson “While other successful artists born and raised in Cincinnati sometimes leave the Queen City for the bright lights and job opportunities of larger cities, photographer Michael Wilson has never moved away… While Wilson’s professional and private work spans a broad range of subjects and styles, his work in the music industry is nearly ubiquitous and is certainly his most popular work. Among the artists Wilson has photographed: Lyle Lovett, Emmylou Harris, David Byrne, Philip Glass, B.B. King, and Randy Newman. Portraiture is his strong suit–especially portraits of musicians…” Michael Kearns Soapbox Cincinnati 7/27/2010
Goodall Lectures for Life
Lectures for Life with 2010 Goodall Award recipient Sue Boller Rusche H ’56 The School was pleased to welcome Sue Boller Rusche H’56, and her husband Harry, on November 3 as the 2010 Goodall Distinguished Alumna Award recipient and the speaker for the alumni series “Lectures for Life.” As co-founder, president, and chief executive officer of National Families in Action (NFIA), Sue Rusche has helped shape the drug prevention field since the organization’s founding in 1977.
Sue Boller Rusche and Head of School Chris Garten.
Sue Boller Rusche H ’56, Carol Wachs Kirby H ’56, Sally Steman Whittaker C ’57, Louise Atkins Head H ’56, Chris Rood, Margot Stoehr, Les Bennett McNeil C ’61.
To learn more about Sue’s work go to National Families in Action www.nationalfamilies.org But What about the Children? Campaign www.butwhataboutthechildren.org
She discussed “But What About the Children,” the major national educational campaign launched by the NFIA. The campaign will implement a national grass-roots petition to require that policymakers who legalize marijuana include provisions to guarantee that the marijuana industry will not market the drug to children.
In the “it’s a small world” category, in 1958 Harry Rusche was hired as the first male teacher at CPS by thenHeadmaster Rodney Beach. Currently he is a senior member of the English faculty at Emory University. He is pictured sharing the 1959 CPS yearbook. From left, Sue Boller Rusche, Chris Garten, Harry Rusche, Dan Rusche, Joe Head.
Karen Rusche, Dan Rusche, Sue Boller Rusche, Harry Rusche.
Class Notes 1966
Cynthia Kuhn Beischel (C ) (Cincinnati) emailed, “Newly-released Virginia Bakery Remembered offers the closest experience to stepping back inside the bakery and basking in the aromatic glory for which thousands still long. Savor the schnecken in this tribute to the Thie family’s iconic Cincinnati bakery, which served Clifton and beyond from 1927 to 2005. Reminisce in vignettes collected by co-author Cynthia Kuhn Beischel from newspapers and trade magazines, firsthand experience and customer memories. Rounding out this full-flavored history are nearly eighty recipes adapted to recreate the bakery’s famously adored baked goods in the home kitchen–replete with tips from co-author and Virginia Bakery owner, Tom Thie. Go ahead, let your mouth water. Indulge once again in the sugary warmth of the Virginia Bakery!” The book is available at Cincinnati bookstores and on Amazon.com.
1974
Cindy Bardes Galvin hosted a fundraiser in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, on August, 28, 2010, for Rob Portman’s campaign for the Senate. “Rob was in the Cincinnati Country Day School Class of 1974 so we knew him very well and it was great to reconnect.”
Eileen Gould , Rob Portman, Cindy Bardes Galvin.
1975
Congratulations to Cinny Hastings Roy (Cincinnati) on being a 2010 Athena Award Finalist. This award recognizes women who have achieved professional excellence, given back to their communities and created leadership opportunities for other women in the Tristate. An article in the October 2010 issue of Cincy Magazine states, “…Like her father, she wanted to help people. More specifically, she wanted to help women. As it turns out, Roy’s spirituality led her on a path that would allow her to help women heal and grow. In June 2004, Roy opened the Eve Center. She was determined that it wouldn’t be one of those single-issue women’s centers. ‘Life is never that uncomplicated,’ she says. ‘It’s always a mix of connected problems.’ There are centers in Silverton and Price Hill with more on the way…They are training counselors to help even more women. More than 200 women have gone through the peer counselor training and 2299 face-to-face client sessions were held last year alone....” www.evecenter.org
1978
An article on the July 12, 2010, issue of the Cincinnati Enquirer shared that former parent Charlie Mechem and his son alumnus Dan (San Francisco, CA) are “back in the TV cartoon business. The former chairman of Cincinnati’s old Taft/Great American Broadcasting–which owned the Hanna-Barbera studio that produced ‘The Flintstones,’ ‘Scooby-Doo’ and other cartoons–and his son are creating new family-friendly animated programs for TV and the Internet. ‘Our mission is to reinvent the HannaBarbera style for this new generation. My dad and
I are having a blast,’ says Dan.” Their new project “The Gloomers” can be seen at www. Youtube.com/ thegloomers. Thanks to former Headmaster Peter Briggs for forwarding news about Maryann Thompson (Cambridge, MA). Maryann is currently an adjunct professor in the Department of Architecture at Harvard and heads her firm, Maryann Thompson Architects. The last year has been a busy one filled with many things including–to name only a few–design projects (e.g., The Foote School, New Haven, CT, New Science and Technology Building; Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 6, NYC, “Warming Hut,” restaurant with roof deck; and a private home, Seven Gates, Martha’s Vineyard) and awards (Best of Boston Home: Best Green Architect, Boston Home Magazine; and induction into “The New England Design Hall of Fame,” New England Magazine). Congratulations! www.maryannthompson.com
1983
Congratulations to Sybil Behrens Mullin (Cincinnati), who was appointed a member of the Hyde Park Neighborhood Council. Concerns about development prompted her to get involved. “There is a lot of development in the area that I think threatens the character of our community,” she says. Like many of her neighbors, she would like to limit traffic. But there is a bigger reason she wants to join the council. “My involvement on the HPNC will afford me the opportunity to give back a little to the community I love and have called home for the past 34 years. I want my children to know that being an engaged resident of our community is a worthwhile endeavor.”
Class Notes
www.7hills.org 1984
Brooks Allgood Armandroff passed away in her home in Alexandria, VA, on September 24, 2010. A graduate of Hobart Williams-Smith College, Brooks spent many years in the Washington, DC, area working as a political campaign consultant. Her natural curiosity and attention to detail earned her a stellar reputation as an invaluable GOP campaign team member. She and her husband Dean enjoyed serving as unofficial tour guides to the area, and they hosted innumerable visitors including many Seven Hills alums. Brooks remained a dedicated and enthusiastic Seven Hills alumna, organizing the Class of ’84’s 25th reunion with fellow classmate Ann Navaro in 2009. Brooks will be remembered by her Seven Hills classmates as a sincere, thoughtful, and caring friend who always gave much of herself to help others. She is survived by her husband Dean and their two cats, Hemingway and Mojo.
Mie and Naoaki with Mie’s former host family, Betsy and Paul Sittenfeld. Photo by Jo Sittenfeld ’98.
1990
Mie Akatsu (Fujisawa, Japan), an artist, and her husband Naoaki Kobayashi, an economics professor, are on a two-year sabbatical in Victoria, BC. Recently, they enjoyed a visit with former host family, the Sittenfelds.
Mie Akatsu and Naoaki Kobayashi Photo by Jo Sittenfeld ’98.
1994
A playdate in Cincinnati with Ben Blocksom, Henry Broad and Lily Blocksom. Henry is the son of Sarah Pancoast Broad (Princeton, NJ). Ben and Lily are the children of Angie Fischer (Cincinnati).
It was a softball reunion when several alumni got together on July 12 to play softball! Pictured are, left to right, Laurie Dearworth Leon ’84 and son Ollie; Coach Tom Betts; Helen Mattheis ’84, husband Brett Visger, and daughter Anna; Sarah McDonough ’04; Kristen Snyder ’01; Lauren Moser ’06; Mindy Moser Barber ‘05; Sean Moser ’17; and Coach Tom Moser. Julie Foster Gneuhs ’86 and children were also present but gone before picture time. Also present but not in the picture was Anna’s twin sister, Charlotte.
Cassie Marrs Levesque and James Richard Levesque.
Ben Blocksom, Henry Broad, Lily Blocksom.
Congratulations to Cassie Marrs Levesque (Providence, RI) and her husband Ryan on the birth of their son James Richard on September 21, 2010. Mom, Dad, James, big sister Sophie, and proud grandparents are all doing well.
Class Notes 1995
Kathryn Findlay Balnes (Cincinnati) “left Khakis in August after four years of managing and I am now the Midwest Specialty Account Executive (sales rep) for Lilly Pulitzer! I am working out of my home and traveling a lot. It’s a whole other world that is really fun.” Congratulations!
1996
Congratulations to John Snyder (Cincinnati) and Sara Snyder, Lotspeich teacher, on the birth of their son, Jack, on November 29, 2010. Sara shares, “He is doing great and John and I are loving every second of being new parents (even the sleep deprivation part)! He was 9 pounds 5 ounces and was 21.5 inches long. Congratulations are also extended to proud grandparents Duke and Marcia Snyder and Hank and Judy Davis!
1998
Congratulations to Emily Balskus (Boston, MA) on her marriage to Andrew Haidle on May 30, 2010. Emily and Andrew met while working on their Ph.D.’s at Harvard. Emily is continuing her postdoctorate work there as well. Congratulations to Wayne (Durham, NC) and Patty Tsuang on their marriage in Taiwan on May 8, 2010. Wayne is currently in fellowship training at Duke University.
Tim Balskus ’03, Karla Balskus, Andrew Haidle, Emily Balskus ’98, Bill Balskus, Elizabeth Balskus ’07, Ben Balskus ’00.
1999
Priscilla Colebrook Buse (Cincinnati) emailed, “On August 13, 2010, my husband Ben and I welcomed our first baby into the world. It’s a girl! Morgan Perry was 7lbs 11ozs and 21 inches long. We couldn’t be more thrilled!” Congratulations! Angela Tsuang ’01, Serena Tsuang , Patty Tsuang, Wayne Tsuang, Mark Tsuang. John Michael Snyder II, “Jack.”
page 42 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
The October 2010 issue of Vogue reported that Adair Ilyinsky (New York, NY) is co-owner of the recently-opened TenOverTen, “a nail salon unlike any other in New York. ‘It wasn’t that we had five ways to improve it–we had 35,’ says Ilyinsky, a fashion financial analyst, of the existing salon model.” The salon is located at 112 Reade Street, at West Broadway. tenoverten.com
Priscilla Colebrook Buse and Morgan Perry Buse.
Class Notes
www.7hills.org 2000
Congratulations to Kameron Franklin Sheats (Athens, GA), who graduated with her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Georgia on July 31. In 2004 she completed her undergraduate education at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude and was the class salutatorian. Before beginning her graduate studies at UGA, she received the Fulbright Award which supported her research in the Caribbean from 2004-2005. She is currently a research associate at UGA’s Institute for Behavioral Research and her research interests include African American families and spirituality. She and her husband, Antwawn Sheats, recently celebrated the birth of their daughter, Sovereign Mikayla.
Paige Schweitzer (Cincinnati) and Brett Connelly were married on July 24, 2010, in Cincinnati. Fayre Schweitzer Martin ’96 was the matron of honor and Hope Schweitzer ’02 was the maid of honor. The wedding party also included Edmund Schweitzer III ’10, Andi Fischer ’98, and Lucy Schmidt ’00. Paige is an attorney with Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, and Brett is a commercial real estate broker employed as an assistant vice president of UGL Services. Congratulations!
2001
Angela Tsuang (New York, NY) is currently a third year medical student at New York University. After college, she traveled around the world for a year, got a Masters of Public Health from University of London and worked for a year at the World Health Organization in China. Mark Byers (Los Angeles, CA) has a music video that can be viewed on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/markaholic
2006
(Front) Fayre Schweitzer Martin ’96, Joanne Schweitzer, Paige Schweitzer Connelly ’00, Hope Schweitzer ’02; (back) Tyler Martin, Edmund Schweitzer L ’58, Brett Connelly, Edmund Schweitzer III ’10.
Doherty teacher Jenny Carr emailed, “Check out my son Peter’s first commercial which he wrote, filmed and edited for his company Peter Carr Media (Cincinnati). Casey ’02 (Allison Park, PA), my older son, is part owner, co-president of the company. They both credit Doherty School for their wonderful start in education which has led to their success, definitely 21st century thinkers. Thanks, everyone!” The ad started running on Comcast and Time-Warner in October. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXtJYbzNOmI
Ahmad Muhammad. It was wonderful to have celebrated pianist and composer and Bowdoin College graduate Ahmad Muhammad (Brunswick, ME) perform at Seven Hills on November 22 and 23 at a lunchtime concert and the traditional Thanksgiving assembly, as well as working with John Rising’s instrumental students. Ahmad’s jazz trio, Ahmad Hassan Muhammad Trio, is on a two-month national tour to bring improvisational music to non-traditional jazz venues, including K-12 schools, colleges and universities, boys and girls clubs, and hospitals across the country. For more information on the tour, go to enjyn.com/projects/funding-our-national-tour. Congratulations to Ahmad on “Fly,” the debut cd of the Ahmad Hassan Muhammad Trio, featuring original music by Ahmad Hassan Muhammad on piano, Adam Frederick on electric bass, and Phil Mcgowan on drums. To purchase a cd, go to www.myspace.com/ahmadhassanmuhammad.
Class Notes Alumni News
Our condolences to the families andfriends who lost loved ones reported in this issue.
2006 continued
2010
2007
Adam Jatho (Annapolis, MD) emailed, “I’ve been at the Navel Academy for three weeks and love it. I go to sleep every night exhausted but deeply satisfied.” He’s in the top 20% of his plebe class and is squad leader.
Stephanie Miller, who graduated in June from the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning, where she studied art history, was the guest speaker in Betsy Sittenfeld’s Art History class on September 16. Stephanie shared images and information from her two-month experience this summer with the Harvard Summer Program in Copán, Honduras, sponsored by the Harvard Field School in Classic Maya Archaeology and Epigraphy.
Mary Howard emailed, “Brooke (New York, NY) [is in]…her first off-off-Broadway production in Romeo and Juliet. She will be Juliet. It’s staged in a trailer park!” Brooke is graduating from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where she studied at the Experimental Theater Wing in NYC and Amsterdam and is currently studying at Stonestreet Studios. Thomas Schultz was elected President of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity at Denison for 2010-11. Congratulations!
2009
Ryan Miller (Charleston, SC) was invited to join Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society, the oldest and largest honor society for college sophomores in the country. Membership requires a GPA of 3.6 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Congratulations!
page 44 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
Congratulations to Fran Chatfield (Knoxville, TN) and his father, whose nature photograph won the annual intergenerational photo, dance, essay and poetry Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder contest, sponsored by the EPA’s Aging Initiative, Generations United, and the Rachel Carson Council, Inc. Fran’s entry was part of a photography project for Environmental Science class last year.
Adam’s mother Lisa Hillenbrand emailed, “Adam and I did a last minute visit to Gilbert Pasquale ’10 at Johns Hopkins on October 9. They’re both doing well and looking forward to Thanksgiving. Adam has to stay in uniform even when off campus from the Navel Academy. This is his ‘blue’ winter uniform which he got last week. They change to white in spring. Gilbert is in his Saturday attire.”
Faculty
Harold “Hal” Sheets, Upper School Principal from 1992-1995, died on October 27, 2010, after a long battle with cancer.
Gilbert Pasquale and Adam Jatho.
Bizzie Shanahan ’10 and Adam Jatho.
Parents of Alumni: If this issue of Seven Hills is mailed to an alumnus/a who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please update your child’s records by notifying Cheryl York at 513-272-5365 or cheryl.york@7hills.org.
Inaugural Alex Bibler Memorial Golf Scramble
First Place team Steve Long, Jonathan Coleman ’07, Austin Derkson ’06, Les Suna.
Second Place team Bryan Bibler ’04, Tommy Collins ’04, Andrew Denenberg, Jay Denenberg.
Third Place team Brad Miller, Robby Woodworth ’10, Robert Woodworth, Mark Johnson.
To see all of the photos from the August 1 golf scramble, go to www.7hills.org>Alumni>Seven Hills Alumni Page>Alumni Event Photos.
The Inaugural Alex Bibler Memorial Golf Scramble took place on Sunday, August 1, 2010. This event was established in memory of Alex Bibler ’06, who was a member of the Seven Hills golf team and had a lifelong love of the sport. The Alumni Association and Athletic Boosters sponsored the event to provide an opportunity for past and present members of the Seven Hills community to reconnect. Sixty-seven golfers played the Walden Ponds Golf Club course on a typical warm, sunny Cincinnati summer day. Later in the evening, over 60 more alumni, family and friends joined the golfers for the dinner and presentation. Mark Bibler welcomed everyone on behalf of himself, Lindsay and Bryan. He thanked the group for being there and for their support of the Alex Bibler Scholarship Fund. Alex had planned to enter medical school and, in preparation for that, he studied for the MCAT through the Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions program–specifically, the MCAT Summer Intensive Program (“SIP”). As related by Dr. Jeff Koetje, Assistant Director of Pre-Health Programs at Kaplan, Alex’s score on the MCAT was “the highest reported official MCAT score of any graduating student from the Kaplan MCAT SIP.” At dinner, Director of Development Gary Monnier read a letter from Dr. Koetje in which he stated that “Alex distinguished himself by his actions of caring, and…we remember and honor the care he so freely, generously, and happily gave. On behalf of the family of colleagues at Kaplan…I present to the Alex Bibler Scholarship Fund a gift in the amount of $10,000. Our hope is that through this scholarship, the light of his life will continue to gently illuminate the path to passionate care for people.” Beginning in 2011-12, The Alex Bibler Scholarship Fund will provide an annual grant to an Upper School student at Seven Hills with demonstrated passion and aptitude in science.
Alumni News Nate Gilman ’06 read a note from Roger Schnirring, Head Coach of the 2006 golf team and one of Alex’s former teachers. Nate also shared memories about Alex and his passion for golf–both the skill and humor he brought to the game. Doug Huff, current Head Coach of the golf team, presented banners that reflect the achievements of the 2005 and 2010 Seven Hills golf teams. Three members of the 2005 team were present at the event and members of the current golf team played in the outing. We thank everyone who was there and look forward to next year’s event. The second Alex Bibler Memorial Golf Scramble will be on Saturday, June 18, 2011. Congratulations to the following: First Place Team – Les Suna, Austin Derkson ’06, Jonathan Coleman ’07, Steve Long Second Place Team – Bryan Bibler ’04, Tommy Collins ’04, Andrew Denenberg, Jay Denenberg Third Place Team – Robert Woodworth, Robby Woodworth ’10, Brad Miller, Mark Johnson Longest Drive – Rob Zesch Closest to the pin – Ken Hughes Longest putt – Bryan Bibler
Alumni Calendar of Events Sunday, December 26 Young Alumni Holiday Party Classes 1990-2010 The Redmoor 3187 Linwood Avenue, 45208 5:00-7:00pm Thursday, December 30 Alumni Basketball Games Kalnow Gym, Hillsdale Campus Girls: 6:00pm, Guys: 7:30pm Sunday, January 23 Naples Alumni Cocktail Reception at the home of Anne Drackett Thomas H ’66 5:00-7:00pm Thursday, February 10 Alumni Reception featuring the Artwork of Michael Wilson University Club 401 East 4th Street, 45202 6:00-8:00pm
Questions? Nancy McCormick Bassett nancy.bassett@7hills.org (513) 272-5354
Second Annual Alex Bibler Memorial Golf Scramble
Thursday, May 12 Young Alum Happy Hour Dutch’s Bar & Bottle Shop 3378 Erie Avenue, 45208 5:30-7:30pm
Saturday, June 18, 2011
How to spend a summer day? Golfing Hanging out with friends and family Enjoying a cookout Supporting the Alex Bibler Scholarship Fund l
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Thursday, May 19 Alumni Dinner in Chicago Osteria Via Stata 620 N. State Street 6:00-9:00pm
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8:00am–Shot gun start 12:00pm–Lunch Walden Ponds Golf Club 6090 Golf Club Lane Indian Springs, OH 45011
Saturday, June 18 Alex Bibler Memorial Golf Scramble Walden Ponds Golf Club 6090 Golf Club Lane Hamilton, OH 45011 8:00am-1:30pm
Wednesday, February 23 Alumni Dinner in Washington DC Nage D.C. 1600 Rhode Island Avenue, NW 6:00-8:30pm Thursday, April 28 Alumni Luncheon in New York for Classes 1940-1979 New York Athletic Club 180 Central Park South 12:30pm-2:00pm Alumni Reception in New York for Classes 1980-2010 The Smith 55 Third Avenue (10th/11th) Cocktails 6:00-8:00pm page 46 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
Start recruiting your foursome now! Not a golfer? Join us for lunch. $100 per player $30 lunch only
The event is in memory of Alex Bibler ’06 who was a member of the Seven Hills golf team and had a lifelong love of the sport. It is sponsored by the Alumni Association and Athletic Boosters to provide an opportunity for past and present members of the Seven Hills community to reconnect.
The Seven Hills Young Alumni Board invites you to the Annual Holiday Gathering for Classes of 1990–2010 Sunday, December 26, 2010 5–7pm
The Redmoor 3187 Linwood Avenue, Mt. Lookout Raffle $5 per ticket Prizes include restaurant certificates, 7Hills swag and more. All raffle money supports The Seven Hills Fund. RSVP by December 17 Nancy McCormick Bassett Director of Alumni Relations nancy.bassett@7hills.org 513-272-5354
Seven Hills Athletic Wall of Fame Inductee The Seven Hills Athletic Wall of Fame is an honor established in 1998 “to honor Seven Hills athletes and teachers who have contributed to the athletic program in significant ways.” That is an understatement in describing the contributions of the latest inductee–Richard “Duke” Snyder, now in his 36th year of directing athletics and physical education at Seven Hills. The plaque marking his induction states: “Seven Hills Athletic Director and Head of the Physical Education Department; Personification of the Seven Hills values and sportsmanship in thoughts and actions; Beloved coach (Varsity Boys Basketball 1981-93, Cross Country 1983-88, Track 1983, Golf 1989); Dedicated teacher of the importance of winning in life and inspirational mentor to many; SWOBCA Coach of the Year 1989-90; Miami Valley Conference President 1996-98.” This description came to life in the words of the alumni and others who shared their experiences with Duke Snyder as students, athletes, teachers, and fellow coaches at his induction–the culminating activity of Seven Hills Sports Day, a day of alumni vs. varsity sports competition–on August 15. The many members of the Seven Hills community who gathered to honor Duke nodded their heads in affirmation as the speakers recounted their experiences and expresssed their gratitude to their teacher and mentor, coach and colleague. The poem written for the occasion by soccer coach Terry Nicholl (right) was a big hit at the ceremony.
1987 alumnus Jonathan Hawgood served as master of ceremonies, and speakers included Head of School Chris Garten, former Headmaster Peter Briggs, boys’ soccer coach Terry Nicholl, and the following alumni athletes, some of whom continued careers in athletics after graduation: Isabelle Kalubi (’00), Benjamin van der Horst (’05), Marty Mueller Gerhardt (’85), Scott Kaufman (’86), and Elliott Anderson (’85). One of the alumni speakers, Scott Kaufman (’86), who is the District Athletic Director for Princeton High School, started his remarks recounting how this ceremony was successfully kept a secret from Duke. “Athletic Administrative Assistant Barb Frey, who organized the event, called in June and asked me to be a part and tell some stories. I was humbled and honored. Barb said, ‘The day is a secret–if not, he won’t show,’ and she was right. I asked, does this mean retirement, and she said no, it was just the right time to honor Duke. So I decided that I’m saving the stories for the Retirement Roast one day. So, Duke, how’s that for motivation NOT to retire anytime soon? “What’s ironic is that for all the reasons you don’t want be standing up here is exactly why you are! Your service, your passion, your commitment–it was never about you and you never wanted it to be about you. You have always done what is best for kids, no matter the cost–personal or professional.
Alumni News Ultimately, whether you like it or not, the Seven Hills Wall of Fame was never going to be complete until your face was on it. This is the moment in your career you have feared and avoided the most–a day that’s all about you, and you deserve it! “Today we honor the service and commitment that you have given to the students, athletes, coaches, teachers, staff and administration of Seven Hills for so many years, the programs you have helped build, the opportunities you have created for so many kids, and the passion in which you have done it year in and year out. It is truly my great honor to present Richard ‘Duke’ Snyder with a plaque adding his great legacy to the Seven Hills Wall of Fame.” In addition to the speakers at the induction ceremony, some of the letters from alumni sent for Duke’s “memory book” were read. The following are brief excerpts from three of the letters.
Chris Garten, Isabelle Kalubi, Peter Briggs, Benjamin van der Horst, Jonathan Hawgood, Marty Gerhardt, Dick Snyder, Scott Kaufman, Elliott Anderson. Not pictured: Terry Nicholl. Photo by Keith Neu.
Warren Anderson, Class of 1982, wrote, “It has been said that Duke Snyder embodies that which makes The Seven Hills School so special, and I couldn’t agree more. One of the most important things I learned at Seven Hills was that any one particular part of my life, though perhaps immensely important, represented a segment, not the sum total, of who I am. Academics? Yes, tremendously important, but so is community service. Success in the business world? Sure, shoot for the moon, but do it while treating those with whom you come into contact with integrity at every turn. The same was true for Duke’s domain, sports. Beat your opponent as handily as possible while on the courts or in the field, but give him a hand up during a stoppage of play if he’s fallen; shake her hand and tell her ‘good game’ at the end of the contest–and mean it. Carry yourself with respect–respect for your school, respect for your opponent, and respect for yourself. ... Whether we were winning or losing, Duke was an excellent coach–a basketball coach, yes, but more importantly a life coach: a ‘here’s how you should think about yourself ’ coach; a ‘here’s what being a family man is all about’ coach; a ‘here’s what it means to be part of a community’ coach.” page 48 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
Alumni News Kelley Peter, Class of 1985, wrote, “I, and literally thousands of others, are deeply indebted to Richard ‘Duke’ Snyder. None of us would be half the people we are today without this man’s words of wisdom and gentle guidance. Whenever we had a problem that could not be resolved at home, Duke was always there. Whenever we had a relationship issue, we needn’t look further than to the exemplary way that Duke and Marcia cared for one another. Duke, in fact, embodies everything that Seven Hills is truly about. He strives for excellence in all that he does. He reaches out to everyone who is in need. His door is always open to friends and strangers alike. He is a man’s man, and yet is the complete gentleman. The word that comes to mind when I think of Duke is ‘beloved.’ He is beloved by everyone who has ever had the privilege of knowing him. I am honored to call him my teacher, my coach, my mentor, and my friend. He has always been such a great role model for me in every aspect of my life.” P.G. Sittenfeld, Class of 2003, wrote of Duke’s “ability to inspire, to get people to see in themselves their own potential and their best self. ... I [had a] distinctly average high school basketball career, and it was Duke’s response there that is revealing of the man he really is. Like all of the students whom he coaches, mentors, and befriends, Duke always made me feel supported as a whole person. He subtly but powerfully showed me and reminded me that sports are important not just for the sake of the game but as invaluable practice for the rest of life: How well do we work in teams; how do we respond under pressure; how gracefully do we act toward our opponents. These lessons were the real end goals.
The Carol M. Brestel Wall of Fame, created by the bequest of teacher and coach Carol Brestel, an invaluable part of our School for 43 years, and by donations in her memory is located in the Sports Lobby, next to the Kalnow Gym. We invite you to read about all of our inductees: Carol Brestel, Elliott Anderson (’85), Headmaster Henry P. Briggs, Jr., Christopher A. Brown (’78), Robby Edward Garrett (’78), Martha Mueller (’85), Rachel Gustin (’93), Mary K. “Chatty” Sper (’81), Athletic Department Assistant David Sharp, teacher and coach Lowell Wenger, Craig Johnson (’90), Linise Gordon (’97), Kim Howard (’96), and Jonathan Hawgood (’87).
“I’ve never met anyone who so fully embodies as does Duke the sense and recognition that athletic endeavors are really an act in character building. By that measure, the truly incredible accomplishment of Duke’s career is not all of the League titles and Sectional championships (of which there are many), but rather the long list of Seven Hills students who, under Duke’s leadership, graduated as well-rounded, holistically-supported student-athletes, and who have gone on to use the lessons they learned on the Seven Hills athletic field to be thoughtful coworkers, engaged citizens, and committed parents. “Duke represents Seven Hills at its very best, so I join many other grateful alumni in saying: Duke, congratulations, and most of all, thank you!”
Just a few of the friends, family members and fans who gathered to celebrate Duke.
Alumni News
Seven Hills Sports Day for Alumni and Varsity Teams
Seven Hills Sports Day on August 15 was fun for players and fans in spite of the heat that started off the day. Once the typical Cincinnati summer afternoon rain passed through, everyone was ready to play. The alumni-varsity event–the 14th annual for the soccer games–continues to grow with alumni tennis matches joining the soccer and volleyball games. It was great so see everyone! Thanks to the Athletic Boosters who provided a delicious cookout for all the players and fans.
Karen Moebius ’05, Hannah Wheatley ’05, Farley Sawyer ’07, Jensin Wallace ’06, Eliza Sawyer ’09.
Front cover: Mandarin Chinese II students KristenPrevost, Graeme Harten and Mia Perlman. Photo by Len Cohen.
(Front) Jonathan Hawgood ’87, Zach Nacev ’09, Cooper Sawyer ’06, Walker Schiff ’10, Jacob Johnson ’10, Corey Williams ’10, Brandon Williams ’10, Stephane Mathieu ’10, Taylor White ’10, Gilbert Pasquale ’10; (back) Daniel Kalubi ’02, Howard Konicov ’84, Ian Hayes ’03, David Colman ’03, Peter Dumbadze ’06, Scott Whitehead ’99, Mark Scroggins ’95, Steve Scroggins ’99, Jon Clemons ’97, Luke Wulsin ’10, Rob Nicholl ’01, Gavin Tabor ’05, Britt Cyr ’10, Kyle Neu ’10, Michael Fink ’09, Luke White ’08, former coach Brocky Brown. page 50 The Seven Hills School magazine www.7hills.org
Alumni News Come to play or to cheer!
6 Annual Alumni-Varsity Basketball Games th
Sunday, December 30 Girls 6:00pm; Guys 7:30pm Kalnow Gym, Hillsdale Campus Concessions will be available. Start conditioning, stretching and working on your slam-dunk. We want to see you courtside!
Sam Laber ’08, Josh Tiao ’10, Mathew Cohen ’12, Rick Tesmond ’11, Joe Soonthornsawad ’11, Joey Wayne ’10, Alex Markovits ’12, Matt Tesmond ’09. Photo by Keith Neu.
(Front) Keri Betts ’05, Shannon Monnier ’10, Paige Applebaum ’09; (back) Lauren Moser ’06, Kristen Snyder ’01, Sarah Evans ’10, Emily Rogers-Fightmaster ’10, Erin Kelly ’10, Jordan Paulsen ’09, Mindy Moser ’05.
Our 2009 alumni teams.
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