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is published for alumni, parents and friends by Severn School's communications office. We encourage all of our readers to respond with comments, questions and information. 201 Water Street, Severna Park, MD 21146 410.647.7700 or info@severnschool.com © 2018 Severn School. All Rights Reserved. Severn School does not discriminate against any person in admission, employment, or otherwise because of race, creed, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or age. Severn School is accredited by the Association of Independent Schools (AIMS), and is approved by the Maryland State Board of Education.
Douglas Lagarde, HEADMASTER Tom Carter III '85, BOAR D OF TR USTEES CHAIR Nicole Anderson, EDITOR Erin Lewis, ASSOCIATE EDITOR Carrie MacVean Grimes '91, ALUMNI DIR ECTOR Carolyn Campion, CONTR IBUTING WR ITER Darshan Kharod '03, ALUMNI ASSOCIATION CHA I R
M I S SI O N STAT E M E N T Severn School challenges its students to pursue excellence in character, conduct, and scholarship, to marshal the courage to lead, and to develop the lasting desire to serve and achieve. We believe this is best realized in a community where adults model these qualities and where each student is known and valued.
H EADM ASTER'S M ESSAGE
PURSUE YOUR PURPOSE, PASSION WILL FOLLOW My guess is that nearly every one of you has heard the following advice: 'You need to find your passion and then go after it.' This is not awful
advice, but my guess is that it frustrates many of you because you are still
young and your life experiences are simply not vast enough to know what your passions are yet. So as you experience more — in Lower, Middle,
Upper School and beyond — my hope for you is that you find something that sparks your interest in a way nothing else ever has. My advice to you is make sure that what you pursue has purpose, not just passion. PURPOSE BUILDS COMMUNITY Passions are about you, your wants, your desires, your goals. For the most part these pursuits are selfish. Purpose has both meaning to you and is
of importance to the world beyond you. Purpose has a component that makes a friend, a group, a school, a community, someone or something beyond you, better as well. H E ADM ASTER D OU G LAGARD E
A Lasting Desire In this issue of The Bridge we feature current
programs that allow our students to lead with purpose (page 11) and highlight alumni who, through purposeful engagement, are making
a positive impact in the communities they live
and on the lives of others they encounter (page 63). Developing purpose was the theme of my
convocation address to the collective kindergarten through twelfth grade student body.
The following are excerpts from those remarks. "There are many parts of our mission that make
Severn distinct – character, conduct, scholarship, leadership, service, achievement, and being
known and valued. As I welcome you to this new school year however, I'd like to focus on a threeword phrase in our mission that is less about a
characteristic and more about how to live your life. The three words — a lasting desire. How does one develop a lasting desire? A desire so strong and
deep that it endures through even the most difficult times? The secret: purpose and practice.
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Passion may get you going, but purpose sustains you — makes
it lasting. The reason, passions do not have a direction or intention.
Purpose does. Passions lose interest and become deflated. Purpose isn't
flustered by failure, or sensitive to criticism. Purpose does not stop if our results don't go according to plan. It is durable. Therefore, I encourage you to use the sources of purpose in your life — a friend, your family, your school, your job, your faith, your teams, a charity — to find your purpose and make a difference in yours and the someone else's life.
I mentioned also that a lasting desire takes practice. Practice is simply how we use our time and energy. We are always practicing something.
Whether we are setting aside time to work on a particular skill, like an
athletic practice or doing homework — or just responding to all the stuff going on around us in the moment, it is all practice, and that practice is making it more likely that what you do often will become a lasting
habit. So practice what you want to have more of in your life - kindness, determination, curiosity, inclusion, love — because you will get better and better at these over time, and they will eventually become lasting habits.
I hope this year you will discover something that you are really
interested in, practice it often and let it evolve into a purpose. Every one of you can find purpose that has a positive impact on your life and the lives of others.
For 104 years, Severn School has graduated young men and women with both the desire to find purpose in their lives and the courage to
practice it such that they make a difference in the lives of others. Thank you for personifying Severn's mission beyond the boundaries of our campus."
S E VERN STORIES (top) Ms. Shaina Longway with her travel companions in Guanajuato (bottom) Ms. Kapsos photographing specimens at Yanayacu
Millard Travel Grant Recipients Bring the World Home to Severn This summer Middle School foreign language teacher Ms. Shaina Longway and
Upper School digital arts teacher Ms. Cassandra Kapsos each took Millard Faculty Travel Grant funded trips to bring a broader perspective back to their classrooms. From language classes in Guanajuato to biological research and photography in Ecuador, both teachers discovered unexpected lessons to pass on to the Severn community and our students:
MS. SHAINA LONGWAY —
“We had such wonderful teachers at the school. They
validated some of my concerns; that I do speak Spanish very well and that I speak an authentic Mexican version. But they also showed me areas in which I could
improve — that can be hard to find when you get to my level of speaking. For me the most important thing was the connections that I made and how I can share
those with my students. I met an incredible group of other teachers from the US
and Daniel, a music student from Hidalgo who worked at the school. He was kind,
engaging, and volunteered to guide us to places tourists might not normally see. We got to practice with him and have real Spanish conversations outside of the school
environment. He agreed to let me interview him and bring videos back to my class.”
MS. CASSANDRA KAPSOS — “Every
day we would go for a hike and do general
collection, picking caterpillars off of leaves as we hiked. We also learned other
techniques like plot collecting. We would find an area to examine, create a center spot, and make pie slices with string extending from that spot. That's something
I've brought back to Severn. My students created plots behind Teel campus and are
photographing plants in each area. This is part of a long-term project with our Intro
to Environmental Science class to identify those plants and eventually create a book about the biodiversity in our area.”
Established in 1997, the Millard Faculty Travel Grant provides professional Read the complete article at www.severnschool.com/severn-news
development for the many responsibilities a faculty member might have at Severn. The School is grateful to Stephens F. Millard '51.
HONORING ROBERT G. GRAW, JR., MD & FAMILY This October, we inducted Severn's newest members of the Commodores' Circle — donors with a lifetime giving level of $1 million. We welcomed Robert G. Graw, Jr., MD and family during the annual Headmaster's Circle Repection with student and faculty presentations in the Graw Innovation Center along with a video honoring the family's lifetime of support at Severn. Kate Graw Lamond '96, Robert G. Graw Jr., MD, and Bob Graw '85
WINTER 2018 3
WELCOME TO THE NEWLY RENOVATED LOUISE J. SIVY THEATER WITH YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT TO THE BOONE FAMILY FUND — IN MEMORY OF LEXI, CHARLOTTE, KATIE, AND WES, AND SANDY AND DON PYLE — YOU HAVE MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO HONOR AND REMEMBER OUR LOVE FOR THIS FAMILY IN A SPECIAL AND MEANINGFUL WAY.
THE THEATER HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO A FLEXIBLE AND BEAUTIFUL SPACE THAT WILL HAVE A LASTING IMPACT ON STUDENTS AND FACULTY, PRESENT AND FUTURE. THE RENOVATION INCLUDED THE INSTALLATION OF NEW FLOORING, THE PURCHASE OF "FLIP FORMS" AND STAGE BOXES TO CREATE MULTI-LEVEL STAGES, MICROPHONES, BACKGROUND MUSIC, "PIPE AND DRAPE", LIGHTING, AND SPEAKERS.
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S E VERN STORIES
Catherine M. Herrick '86 named the 2017 Rolland M. Teel Distinguished Alumna CAT HER I N E M . HER R I C K ' 86 was named the 2017 Rolland M. Teel Distinguished
Alumni Award recipient this past fall. This award, named for the founder of Severn
School, is the highest honor the school bestows upon an alumnus/a. The award recognizes alumni who have demonstrated outstanding service to humanity, service to community,
professional achievement, or service to Severn School. Below is an excerpt from her speech given during the Founder's Day and Distinguished Alumni Assembly for Middle and Upper School students on November 10:
“I cannot think of a more appropriate adjective that describes how Severn influenced my
life than 'foundation.' While at Severn I was given an opportunity to explore my interests and try new things. Academics, while important, became just part of my education – not
the entirety of my education. I played on the boy's soccer team when there was no team for girls; I represented Severn as a Page during the Maryland Assembly; I was a member of
the Zonta Club; and I had the opportunity to study Greek as a senior independent project. One of the most important influences that I gained from my time at Severn is the lasting support of my peer group. These friendships that were born out of a common ground – blossomed into a network that can be called upon, any time, any place.
Severn taught me how to adapt, persevere, and be determined. Goals are rungs on a ladder – after you achieve each goal, there is another one waiting – don't stop wanting more for yourself. And “no” sometimes means just choosing an alternate path. As you
travel through life's journey, you will see that Severn stands by its mission statement, in
building a whole you and not just a one dimensional individual. Enjoy all aspects of Severn Headmaster Doug Lagarde and Catherine M. Herrick '86
– try things out of your comfort zone and know that life is not just about your grades. I
am a product of the working partnership between the mission of Severn School and the willingness to grow as an individual. I am honored to continue to have Severn as a part
Watch the full assembly on our YouTube Channel!
of my life. Remember that being the best you isn't reflective of a class or a grade, but a culmination of your experiences.”
JOIN US IN SUPPORTING THE VAN ENEY '09 FELLOWS PROGRAM The Van Eney '09 Fellows Program is a program based on the pillars of individual passion, scholarship, and inquiry that enables Severn School seniors to transcend the traditional academic program with a year-long intellectual pursuit that reflects their growing interests and passions. If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to the fund, please visit our website: www.severnschool.com/makeagift or call 410.647.7701 ext 2357.
Read more about this program at www.severnschool.com/severn-fellows
WINTER 2018 5
SEVERN STORIES
Severn Upper School Hits the Road to Build Community Back Home This fall, Severn Upper School students attended five different conferences centered on ideas of building community through social justice, leadership training, and advocacy. They traveled far and wide to meet students from around the country, learn tools to enact change here at home and hear diverse perspectives on many hot-button issues that affect us all today. After attending the conferences, each group of students shared with the entire Upper School community how they felt, what they learned, and what they hope to achieve moving forward.
Upper School Head Bea Fuller shared,
“These conferences are opportunities for
personal growth and community connection
outside of our school. They provide a chance for
theme of the day was to encourage students
I was almost in tears. Then we all wrote poems
contexts throughout our lives. Similar in
with each other. Some people in my group
to consider the masks we all wear in different concept to its local counterpart, the national
SDLC conference is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders
from across the US. Presented by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the three-day conference focuses on self-
reflection, forming allies, networking, and
bringing ideas back to local communities.
“I enjoyed listening to the keynote
speaker Kimberlé Crenshaw who talked
about intersectionality and how what makes
us diverse affects us all in different ways. She talked about what that means as part of the
based on our own experiences and shared them felt cast out from society so it was intensely
emotional to hear their stories. I got to be close to people that I didn't even know from other schools and it was just really incredible.”
The Summit on Sexual Assault and Consent is a day of education with the purpose of
raising awareness around issues of sexual assault and misconduct, creating a culture of consent, fostering dialogue, and sharing resources.
“I'm glad I went because it's a heavy and
emotional topic but we left the conference
feeling positive and change-oriented. I learned a lot of tools and very concrete ways that we
"WE LEFT THE CONFERENCE FEELING POSITIVE AND CHANGE-ORIENTED...THERE IS A LOT TO BE DONE AND THERE IS A LOT THAT WE CAN DO AND IT STARTS WITH EACH ONE OF US INDIVIDUALLY." — YASMEEN MEEK '18 our students to get out there and interact with
independent school community and as part
can change the culture of sexual assault. And
the same experiences we have. I am grateful
viewpoints that we come to through our
There is a lot to be done and there is a lot that
kids at other schools who may not have had that our students go to these conferences to represent Severn and take part in that
larger conversation. They discuss these ideas, bring them back and help make us the best community that we can be.”
The Baltimore Student Diversity Leadership
Conference (BSDLC) is an annual gathering
of high school students to engage in honest conversations about educational equity,
diversity, and inclusion. Hosted at Glenelg Country School and presented by the
Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS), the conference was titled “Masks
Off: A Cultural Revolution.” The overarching
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of the larger world. All of us have different
experiences with different people. We discussed how to talk more openly, listen to our peers, and learn from each other," reflected Jared Dove '18.
The GLSEN (Gay Lesbian and Straight
Education Network) Youth Summit is a day-
long leadership and advocacy conference for
LGBTQ youth leaders, GSA members, youth allies and GSA advisors. Nathan Roche '18
shared, “I went to a workshop that was about writing poetry for social rights activism. The workshop facilitator was a slam poet and
started the session with a very personal poem
— by the end of it my hands were shaking and
I'm excited to share that with our community. we can do and it starts with each one of us individually," reflected Yasmeen Meek '18
One of our goals as a school is to be an
inclusive community where each person is welcomed and affirmed. In order for us to
realize that vision, we encourage our students and faculty to participate in and sustain a
vibrant exchange of ideas and perspectives. These conferences are just one way for our
students to connect with the world outside of Severn, develop empathy and compassion for others, and improve their leadership skills all within the framework of building a stronger community at home.
S E VERN STORIES
Connecting Literature and Character: 5th Graders Learn Empathy Through R.J. Palacio's Wonder We believe that empathy, like all traits of good character, can be explicitly taught. Our 5th-
grade classes have been working since the start of the school year on a series of language arts assignments on R.J. Palacio's book, Wonder — a book that will leave you teary-eyed, inspired to put yourself in the shoes of someone else, and choose kindness whenever possible.
Have you heard the buzz about this book? If you haven't read it, you should. Wonder tells
the story of Auggie, a young 5th-grader about to start the school year at Beecher Prep, his
first mainstream school. Auggie was born with a facial deformity and until the start of this
story had been homeschooled by his mother. The story is told in first person perspective from 8 different people in Auggie's life, including the main character himself. The reader gets a ADD TO YOUR READING LIST
glimpse into the personal dialogue of each character as Auggie perseveres through the trials
and tribulations of starting a new school with new friends and the insecurities brought on by his differences.
For their first language arts unit of the year, Ms. Kitchin and Ms. Hayman's 5th-grade
classes read Wonder. In a final culminating writing assignment, our 5th-graders write a chapter for the book from their own perspective. Ms. Kitchin and Ms. Hayman choose specific scenes from the book that students rewrite as if they were in the story. And they can be whoever
they want to be — taking on different personas and exploring different parts of their own personalities in this fictional space. This is the ultimate experience of putting oneself in another's shoes.
Through each assignment in this unit, our students build critical and creative writing and
thinking skills while learning to look outside of themselves to explore the inner dialogue of
characters they might not normally identify with. They learn to examine events through the
lens of different but shared experience. This is at the heart of what creates empathy and helps our students both form a tighter community at school and engage compassionately with the world beyond Severn.
PUERTO RICO STRONG The Lower School Student Council's service learning projects last semester supported Puerto Rico Strong, an organization committed to rallying against the widespread devastation, providing aid, and rebuilding communities. Through a Dress Down Day on December 1 and an Art Show, featuring “heart art” and “freestyle art” uniquely created by Lower School students, on January 18 — students learned we can all do small things with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.
WINTER 2018 7
SEVERN STORIES
Teaching the Holocaust: One Teacher's Perspective Why do we teach history? To connect events of
our values depending on the circumstances, thus
sights I've seen here.'
recognize our own values and compare them to
merely something that happened a long time
the past with our world as it exists today? To value systems throughout history? To become better citizens — better people — and learn
from the mistakes of long-ago? For Middle School history teacher Mrs. Lisa Clarke, the
answer is all of the above as she teaches Severn
8th graders about the Holocaust, encouraging
them to learn from history, stand up for others, and make a positive contribution to our world.
"The students ask me, 'Why did the Nazis
murder so many people? How could they have
gotten away with it for so long?'" I can't answer
those questions, they are answerless. But what I can do is give them broad ideas and tie it to their
explaining the many bystanders to the genocide. She is careful to stress that while non-Jews
were sometimes put in positions where they had
to choose their own lives over the lives of others, there were also Nazis and Nazi sympathizers
who had no trouble murdering Jews and other
victims. Many bystanders, like bystanders to
bullying, made conscious decisions not to get involved and do what they could to help, thus facilitating the dehumanization and genocide.
Mrs. Clarke also shares some of her own
family history with the class. She begins the
unit by giving her students a letter describing
her own grandfather's experience as a JewishAmerican soldier during World War II. While
It's easy to dismiss the Holocaust as
ago to people who are not you. Unfortunately, there have been many more recent examples of genocide — people being killed because of who
they are, the religion they practice, their ethnic background, or something else that ties them
together. It begins with people finding reasons
to hate each other, to put others down, to decide who is “in” and who is “out.”
As we try our best to learn from history,
I hope that you will have the courage to fight against hatred, stand up for others, and make a positive contribution to the world.”
Toward the end of the unit, Mrs. Clarke
"AS WE TRY OUR BEST TO LEARN FROM HISTORY, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL HAVE THE COURAGE TO FIGHT AGAINST HATRED, STAND UP FOR OTHERS, AND MAKE A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD." lives in middle school today."
sharing a bit of herself, she also prepares students
invites her friend and Holocaust survivor Mrs.
Holocaust, Mrs. Clarke starts the year talking
larger pattern of behavior rather than a single
to Mrs. Stein's story takes everything the
Before diving into the events of the
about what motivates human behavior and
how that behavior can be manipulated by those
in power. She encourages 8th graders to think about what their values are — what's important to them, their hopes, their fears — and how circumstances can affect how we outwardly
demonstrate our values. They discuss situations when living by your values might be easy, and times when it might be extremely difficult.
They discuss group dynamics and how the
desire to be a part of a group — to be “in” rather than “out” — is common to all of us. Mrs. Clarke
helps students make the connection that our
human need to be part of a group can override
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to think about this time in history as part of a atrocious event. Excerpted from her letter:
“My grandfather died in 1991, when I was
in 11th grade. He never spoke about his time in the army, so we knew little about his experiences
there. A few years ago, my grandmother moved
into the area, and as my father dug through the artifacts from her life, he discovered a
small package of worn-out black and white
photographs - piles of dead, emaciated bodies, a heap of human ashes, and gaunt, ill-looking
survivors who had been liberated only a little while before the pictures were taken. On the
back of one the photographs, my grandfather
wrote, 'It's impossible to imagine the horrible
Melitta Stein to talk with her classes. Listening
students have learned thus far and makes it real. Mrs. Stein shares personal stories about what
her life was like before and during the Nazi occupation.
She too emphasizes that many of the
people who lived through this, victims and bystanders alike, were just everyday folks living
in extraordinary circumstances. She shows the students the tattoo on her arm and when one
student asks, “Why don't you have it removed?” Mrs. Stein states, “I would never have this removed. It's there to show people what really happened. It's there so we don't forget.”
Finally, the 8th-graders take a class trip
S E VERN STORIES
Holocaust survivor Mrs. Melitta Stein and Mrs. Lisa Clarke
STUDENTS ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE WITH 8TH GRADE SPEECHES Words can be powerful tools for change in our world. When crafted and delivered with intention, a good speech creates empathy, connects on an intellectual level, and drives those that listen to stand up and take action. Our 8th-grade speech program gives students the opportunity to research and present their ideas about local, national, and global causes and to do so with the support of their peers. These speeches help our 8th graders develop both a sense of civic responsibility and the self-confidence to advocate for real change. Read the full article at www.severnschool.com/severn-news
to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in DC. Here they see images and video and read real accounts of the horrors that
Jewish people faced in Europe at that time. Mrs. Clarke commented on the trip:
“I've been to the Holocaust museum with
students every year for the past fifteen years. I've
never had a group of kids who were as curious about the topic and who were as impacted by what they saw as this class. They understood
that the person standing right next to them could be a family member of a survivor. They understood that the museum memorializes
something horrific and they acted accordingly, with tremendous respect. I was very proud to be their teacher that day.”
In a final thought, Mrs. Clarke emphasizes
that themes we examine in the Holocaust are
universal — the need to belong, the use of exclusion as a scare tactic to mark a group as
“other,” the responsibility to stand up for those that cannot stand up for themselves. She talks
about people throughout this and any time in
history as being perpetrators, victims, bystanders
or upstanders. Mrs. Clarke teaches in this way so our students make genuine connections to the
material and think deeply about which role they
RE A D M O RE IN TH E FA L L 201 7 ISSU E :
“Design Thinking” is one of the latest buzzwords in education and business today, but what is it and why the hype? In order to challenge our students and teachers — to weave design thinking into the fabric of our learning — we developed a standard methodology that spans all disciplines, Engineer by Design. LEARN MORE ABOUT SEVERN'S EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY in the Severn School Education Series published three times a year. Go to bit.ly/designthinkingatsevern
will take as each day they write our history of tomorrow.
WINTER 2018 9
Group of freshman work together for a team building activity, during an Upper School "Amazing Race" activity this fall.
Learning to Lead with Purpose
BY CA R O LY N CA M PI O N
LEAD ERS H IP AT S E VE RN TAK E S ON MA N Y F O R M S , B UT I N T HE HEA RT O F EV ERY ST UDEN T WHO
takes on a leadership role is the drive to achieve a greater good. Severn students have the courage to lead their peers toward something bigger than themselves, toward building a stronger community through shared values and sense of purpose. We foster these qualities through intentional, expansive, and inclusive leadership programs for all students. Throughout Severn's history, our students have graduated into leaders of every kind — leaders in their communities, their nation, and their world. Today, our commitment to fostering leadership in our students runs deeper than tradition, it's part of our DNA. It's dynamic and entwines through every facet of our school.
FIND ING P U RP OS E , IN S P IRIN G C H AN GE
In fifth grade, during Genius Hour, students develop Passion Projects to propose solutions to current
world issues — this year, their projects focus on the refugee crisis in Syria and the violation of women's rights in India. Over the course of several months,
students research, brainstorm ideas, and strategically advocate for their cause through creating a Google site, blog posts, a podcast, a video public service
announcement, visual displays, and a well-developed plan of action and solution.
Our 8th-grade speech program gives students
the opportunity to research and present their ideas about local, national, and global causes and to do
so with the support of their peers. These speeches help our 8th graders develop both a sense of civic
responsibility and the self-confidence to advocate for real change. The element of choice is a critical piece of this process. Because they choose topics they care about, our students are invested in the research and motivated to create compelling
speeches. This year's topics include: organ donation, screen time, overuse injuries, and social media,
among others. Eighth grade English teacher Mr.
Joe Christie, calls this assignment a “risk leadership opportunity.” He teaches them how to develop
expertise on their topic and how to include factual, accurate, and sometimes personal information
in their speeches. He also coaches them on how to speak persuasively, using eye contact and
enthusiasm to inspire their 250-member audience to make a change. Mr. Christie explains that
SE VER N STORIES
students are given in-depth research and rehearsal time before
support is a collaborative process — student-council members
being front and center, many name this speech as the project of
based on the group consensus. This year's Student Council chose
they present their speeches, and while they may not ever love which they are most proud in middle school.
Upper Schoolers can pursue their passions, find purpose, and
practice leadership skills through the robust Clubs Program.
Severn currently hosts 44 different clubs, advised by 48 different faculty members. According to Ms. Renie Sotiropoulos, the
Upper School club coordinator, “clubs provide an avenue for
kids to pursue an interest and get something done.” This is much
more than a social, extracurricular opportunity for students. Club members are expected to take an active role in connecting their interests and causes with the larger school community. Club
leaders are trained in August on how to run successful meetings,
how to lead while drawing support from a group, how to increase
to aid Hurricane Relief in Puerto Rico, in support of a classmate whose family is from Puerto Rico. After a lively presentation of
student ideas and a guest presentation from parent and PuertoRican native Ani Gonzalez-Brunet, founder of the non-profit
Puerto Rico Strong, the students voted to raise money for their
cause by organizing an art show. All proceeds from their studentrun art show will go to help rebuild facilities and programs at 50 different public schools in Puerto Rico. Ms. Ellis explains, “The
students learn to engage in discussion, respectfully acknowledge
differences of opinion, and solve problems. At the end of a project, I often hear kids say, 'It made me feel good to help other people.'” Middle School students demonstrate their investment in
membership, how to ask faculty for funds, and how to make
our community through the Community Life program. This
seniors expressed an interest in leading a club that promotes
inclusion, and empowerment, and how those topics affect both
school-wide announcements, among other skills. Last year, three mental health awareness and healthy mindsets. Armed with a
genuine interest and a lot of initiative, these seniors founded the Umbrella Club. Over the course of the year, they organized an
“Out of the Darkness” walk, delivered a school-wide presentation on mental health complete with links to resources, hotlines, and local support groups, set up an Inside Out movie night, ran a
poster campaign promoting calm and focus during exams, and arranged for Ellie's Bus to come to Severn. US counselor and
Umbrella club advisor Ms. Sam Straub explained, “The goal is to empower kids to maximize their gifts in these leadership roles.
program encourages students to explore topics such as citizenship, their local and global communities. Coordinated by Ms. Diana
Talbott, the student-run Community Life committee organizes and leads a Community Life Day each year, where all middle
schoolers engage in activities and workshops related to that year's theme. Ms. Talbott says that her goal is to give her volunteers an
opportunity to “both have a voice in their school community and
be able to do something to better it.” According to one of her 8th
Grade volunteers, involvement in this program has inspired her to do more service activities outside of Severn.
Upper School students come together three times a year for
And the result is inspiring to students and faculty alike.”
Leadership Labs to intentionally evaluate and improve student-
BU ILD ING CO MMU N IT Y AT S E VE RN AN D BE YO N D
different adaptive challenge which will frame student council
Completely student-driven, the Lower School Student Council provides leadership opportunities for students to benefit the
global community. Each year, Student Council advisor Ms. Lisa Ellis asks her group: “Who do you want to help?” and “How do
you want to help?” Choosing the organization and how to garner 12
listen to suggestions from their peers, vote, and make a decision
THE BRIDGE
life at Severn. Each year, they identify and work through a
initiatives and club activities throughout the year. The challenge must be one with no known solutions that can be integrated
into all aspects of life in the Upper School. Past challenge topics
include: Taking the Initiative, Active Appreciation, and Respect. This year's theme is “Unity,” a challenge to promote inclusion
S EVERN STORIES
and a sense of belonging at Severn. According to US Dean
Severn. It is your job to be the leaders of the Middle
seniors came to a 3-day Leadership Lab this past August to
many opportunities for Middle School students to lead
of Students Mr. Marc Buckley, 80 sophomores, juniors, and evaluate the school community's strengths and weaknesses,
learn practical leadership skills, and plan activities to promote school unity. US Head Ms. Bea Fuller explains, “Students in
this stage of life are searching for a voice. They are looking to
have an impact in their community. Leadership labs help them to develop that voice, and it is exciting to hear those voices
talking about how to create more unity in the school to make it the best it can be.”
G OOD LEAD ERSH IP ST E MS FROM GOOD C H A R AC T ER
Lower School students learn and model character traits
embodied by good leaders through the FLIGHT Program.
Each year Jeff Erskine, a Severn parent and Southwest Pilot, regularly visits 5th grade classes and helps students explore
the life of a professional pilot. They talk about everything from a pilot's daily life and training to geography, aerodynamics,
and how to calculate fuel and mileage. More importantly, Jeff
talks to the students about character traits essential to being a
successful pilot – fearlessness, leadership imagination, gratitude, honesty, and tenacity, or FLIGHT. The 5th graders not only learn what these words mean, but also how to demonstrate
these values and recognize them in others. Considered by many students as one of the highlights of fifth grade, this program, teaches, models, and encourages positive leadership. Ms.
Kitchin explains, “FLIGHT really sticks with them. They make
connections outside of themselves and many start to internalize the concepts and recognize themselves as leaders.”
Middle School Head Mr. Dan Keller, also helps students
connect the idea of good leadership with good character. At
the first morning meeting of every school year, he tells the 8th graders, “Yes, your job is to be a good student, athlete, artist,
musician ... but also to be a good role model for the younger
classes and to communicate to the sixth graders how to act at
School and your actions should reflect that.” There are
by example. Eighth graders model good character while giving fourth and fifth graders tours of the Middle
School after Convocation. The entire Middle School
celebrates good character with “Student of the Month” awards, which are given to students who go above and beyond to do the right thing, even when no one is
watching. Students are proud to see themselves as role
models and use this motivation to encourage their peers to make good choices and strengthen our community.
According to Mr. Keller, “If you show kids respect and trust, they really step up as leaders.”
Athletic director Mr. Julian Domenech '84 sees
that leadership and good character go hand in hand on the athletic fields as well. Every time a student
puts on a Severn uniform, he or she is responsible for
representing the core values of Severn School – values like sportsmanship, losing respectfully, winning with
dignity, and commitment. “We talk about leadership every day here in the Athletic Department. We start with the seniors, and ask them to really look at how
they lead — not just on the field, but everywhere, every day. We remind them that they are always representing
Severn, 24-7.” Charlie Olmert '17, captain of last year's boys lacrosse team, took his position as a role model
seriously, “I had to set the tone and bring my all every
day. It wasn't easy.” Darby Nelligan '17, captain of the football team last year, echoed the same sentiment: “I felt responsible for going to the weight room, going
to all the extra team workouts, and setting a precedent for the guys.” Mr. Domenech goes on to say, “But it is not just the seniors who lead. Everyone on the team
has a leadership role – from the starters to the bench players. They all have value. Leadership is everyone's
WINTER 2018 13
SEVER N STORIES
responsibility. How do we handle each other? How do we maintain our locker room? How do we handle our equipment? It is a team
effort… even our seniors carry equipment out to the fields and fill water bottles.”
I NTENTIONA L LEAD ERS H IP
On page 2 Headmaster Doug Lagarde discusses a three-word
phrase from Severn's mission statement — a lasting desire — and
emphasizes that it is developed through both purpose and practice. Severn's leadership programs are purposefully and intentionally
woven through each student's experience so they can find purpose in their lives and learn the skills necessary to make a difference in the
lives of others with opportunities to practice those skills both in and out of the classroom.
In November 2010, Doug Lagarde set out his vision for an
intentional leadership training program at Severn. In a document
entitled “Leadership Task Force,” he wrote: “There is no one definition of leadership. It is multifaceted, layered and complicated, and also vitally important. Through specific coursework, special programs, and everyday
classroom content, students will gain the leadership skills and knowledge
needed to move from competence to confidence to independence. A student
will learn to be responsible for oneself and will gain perspective as he or she prepares to practice leadership in our daily community.”
Mr. Lagarde's vision has become a reality and can be seen in every
grade level. In addition to extracurricular programs like Student Council and Helping Hands, all Lower School students receive
grade-specific leadership training, including but not exclusive to, problem-solving in the natural play area (PK-1), entrepreneurial studies (Grade 2), explicit leadership studies (Grade 3), a
collaboration on world projects (Grade 4), and FLIGHT (Grade 5). In the middle school, students are taught leadership skills in
programs such as Student Council, Community Life, Middle School Community Service Day, and the Admirals' Pen.
14
THE BRIDGE
In the Upper School, students also receive grade-specific
leadership training through the Seminar Program. “When we began planning this curriculum,” says Bea Fuller, “we worked backwards, asking ourselves, 'What tools do we
want to give our students to be leaders in the world beyond Severn?'” The result is a Seminar Program, taught by the
school counselor, the grade dean, the dean of students, and
the head of Upper School, where each grade level addresses
a different leadership theme. Sophomores focus on “Getting
to Know Myself,” identifying and working with their values, biases, and strengths to positively impact their community. Juniors focus on “Getting to Know Others,” learning
communication and relationship-building skills. Seniors
focus on “Leading and Leaving,” examining their roles as
leaders at Severn and also their responsibilities as they move on.
The best part of this program is that all students in
the Upper School, not just those with titled leadership
positions, receive three years of this training. According
to Mr. Buckley, “The Seminar Program is a framework for teaching leadership to all different kinds of students and
then giving them opportunities to use what they learn.” And the result? Ms. Fuller says, “The vibe has shifted. We have
this amazing 'care about each other' community. Seniors stay engaged longer and do not push back. We have freshmen
who feel empowered to present at morning meetings. We
have students in every grade who encourage one another to
play a part in the life of the school.” Senior Class Dean Mr.
Phil Lenham adds, “Seminars lay a groundwork for students at Severn. From the work they do in Seminars, they develop a shared experience and common vocabulary ... a starting
point. Most seniors cite examples from Seminars as some of their favorite memories of Severn.”
S EVERN STORIES
EVERY SEVERN STORY TIES US TOGETHER. SOCIAL MEDIA LIKE US | FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM SEVERN STORIES NEWSLETTER EMAIL | INFO@SEVERNSCHOOL.COM FEATURED VIDEOS WATCH | BIT.LY/SEVERNVIDEO ADMIRAL'S CLUB PODCAST LISTEN | BIT.LY/ADMIRALSCLUBPODCAST
ONE SCHOOL. MANY VOICES. WE ARE SEVERN.
WATCH OUR LATEST VIDEO ONLINE AT WWW.SEVERNSCHOOL.COM/LEADERSHIP AND TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT OUR UPPER SCHOOL LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
WINTER 2018 15
SEVERN ATHLETICS (Top row L-R) Chili Cook-Off participants Bambi and Darius Harmon '19; Varsity Field Hockey players celebrate after Homecoming game; Athletic trainer Mr. Dan Mahoney ready on the football sideline; (Middle row L-R) Young alums visiting and watching the football game; Congratulations to all of our Chili Cook-Off participants; (Bottom row L-R) Severn students cheer on the Admirals; Doug Lagarde, John Norton '72, and Carrie MacVean Grimes '91
AT H O M E A N D O N T H E R O A D , T H E A D M I R A L S D I S P L AY E D G R I T A N D D E T E R M I N AT I O N T H I S F A L L . C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S T O O U R S T U D E N T AT H L E T E S F O R S T E L L A R P E R F O R M A N C E S O N T H E F I E L D S AND COURTS.
F A L L
V A R S I T Y
A W A R D S :
Football: Slanker MVP Award: Henry Rentz '19 Rothman Players Award: Jacob Jarosz '18 Phil Kime Unsung Hero Award: Charlie Marculewicz '18 Boys Soccer: Richard Louck MVP Award: Devin McCarthy '18 Van Gunten Players Award: Jared Dove '18 Girls Soccer: Most Valuable Player: Michelle Money '18 Van Gunten Players Award: Inde Lauer '18 Boys Cross Country: Most Valuable Player: Rob Dubinski '20 Players Award: Zack Kinsella '19 Girls Cross Country: Most Valuable Player: Caroline Krall '19 Players Award: Trina Reinhart '19 Tennis: Most Valuable Player: Flora Damon '20 Players Award: Jane Huang '18 Field Hockey: Hodges MVP Award: Josie Formica '18 Players Award: Ashley Clifford '18
S E V E R N AT H L E T E S A R E B U S Y O N T H E C O U R T S T H I S W I N T E R S E V E R N S C H O O L . C O M / AT H L E T I C S
GO ADMIRALS
HOMECOMING 2017 WELCOME HOME, ADMIRAL ALUMNI! W E L O V E D H AV I N G Y O U B A C K O N C A M P U S . . . R E M E M B E R , YO U A LW AY S H AV E A H O M E AT S E V E R N ! # A LW AY S A N A D M I R A L
from the
ARCHIVES
2 0 1 7
Architectural Rendering by Melissa Weeks Foote '93 to celebrate the dedication of the Daiger House.
18
THE BRIDGE
EXCERPT F ROM 1979 NAVIGATOR "TH E S IX TH SENSE IS A FEELING WHICH MOUNTS DUR ING ONE'S YEAR S AT SEV ER N . IT IS A SPECIAL P R ID E IN YOU R ALMA MATER AND A S P ECIAL S CH OOL S P IR IT, SHOWN N OT ONLY AT ATH LETIC EVENTS , BU T IN EVERYONE' S DAY-TO-DAY LIVES. THE SIX TH SENS E IS AN EMOTION WH ICH IS S H AR ED BY TH OS E IN TH E S IXTH GRA D E THRO UGH TH E S IX YEAR MEN AND WOMEN. TH E IVY WALLS OF TEEL H ALL EVO K E THE SP IR IT AND H ER ITAGE OF S EVER N S CH OOL. MA N Y PEO PLE D ON' T U ND ER STAND TH E S IXTH S ENS E, TH E CLO S E NESS, THE HELPFULNESS, AND THE SPIR IT, UN TIL IT'S TOO LATE AND TH EY' VE GR AD UATED. BELIEVE U S – IT IS TH E RE , ALIVE AND STR ONG, WAITING TO BE FOUND BY ALL STUDENTS.”
WINTER 2018 19
The Daiger family gathered together on the front steps at the dedication of Daiger House.
DA I GE R
H OUSE
D ED ICATIO N
Alumni, family and friends of William H. “Chip” Daiger III '83 gathered together Homecoming Weekend for the dedication of the new Headmaster's home at 109 Water Street in memory of Chip. Chip is remembered for his selfless, kind, and fun-loving personality, and his ability to bring people together. Those who were lucky enough to know Chip all remember the ways in which his charisma and optimism infused the communities he was a part of with an extraordinary sense of warmth and camaraderie. The beautiful fall night was full of laughter and friendship, as loved ones shared memories and photos of Chip, and Headmaster Doug Lagarde honored Chip's legacy in the dedication speech. “This House is a fitting tribute to and tangible reminder of Chip's legacy. As I and future Heads of School host students, parents, alumni and other friends at Daiger House, my hope is that they will be welcomed with the same warmth and kindness with which Chip accepted people into his life.” The Daiger family was presented with architectural renderings of the property, done by Melissa Weeks Foote '93 and then Chip's father, Bill Daiger, a former trustee, also reminisced and shared
20
THE BRIDGE
Chip Daiger III '83
special memories about Chip's Severn experience and the family's fulfillment in knowing that Chip's legacy will live on at this special new residence on Severn's campus. Portraits of Chip and his father Bill, along with a special commemorative plaque, were hung in the living room of the home to commemorate the dedication. After the event, Chip's sister Karyn Weaver remarked, “The dedication of Daiger House was a very special day for our family. It was an opportunity for us to honor Chip in a place that represented some of the happiest years of Chip's life — Severn School. Moreover, Daiger House will serve as a lasting “home” to our family's cherished memories of Chip and his Severn years. We could not be happier and more proud to have our family's name connected in this way to Severn School.” Please consider helping Severn sustain Chip's legacy by making a gift to the William Chip Daiger III Memorial Fund, as Daiger House will always be a home to honor and celebrate Chip's legacy and be a special gathering place that will welcome Severn Admirals for generations to come at bit.ly/daigerhousededication.
ALU M N I M AY
4 -5
W E E K E N D 2 0 1 8
Did you graduate in a year ending with a 3 or 8? Jump onboard to rally classmates for reunion celebrations that will take place May 4-5, 2018. Simply email alwaysanadmiral18@severnschool.com to pitch in or nominate reunion leadership!
S E V E R N F I N A N C E F I E L D T R I P TO N E W YO R K C I T Y Alumni mentors will provide an insider's view of Wall Street to current Severn students. A big thanks to Jason Scott '95 hosting at JP Morgan, joined by Avery Burns '10 and Chris Edgar '10.
W E R E YO U I N VO LV E D I N T H E T H E AT E R AT S E V E R N ? Join us this winter for an inaugural Severn Theater Alumni Repertory Society (★STARS★) gathering on February 24, 2018 at the closing night of the Upper School musical performance of Chaplin! This minireunion of alumni connected to Severn theater is being organized by Ron Giddings '99, Carrie MacVean Grimes '91, and former faculty member Carol Duncan.
A LU M N I I N D E P E N D E N T S E N I O R P R OJ E C T M E N TO RI N G Are you local to Severn? We need your gifts of time and talent! Serve as a mentor for 10-15 days and host a Severn Senior for their Independent Senior Project at your workplace this May! Email c.grimes@severnschool.com if you are interested.
Carrie MacVean Grimes '91 heading out to mail care packages for the Class of 2017.
G REE TINGS FRO M ALU M N I HO USE! We've been busy at 116 Maple Avenue and on the road enjoying great conversations and collaborations with our alumni community. Our alumni story is remarkable! Chats with alumni this fall, ages 17-83 revealed alumni who identify as: artist, author, submariner, skateboarder, politician, design thinker, sculptor, winemaker, pilot, professor, triathlete, photographer, architect, chef, surgeon, and CIA agent to name a few! What's your alumni story? Connect with us: Facebook: SevernSchool.alumni Instagram: @SevernSchoolalums LinkedIn: Severn School group ... don't miss 8 episodes of the Admiral's Club Podcast on our website! Cheers, Carrie MacVean Grimes '91 Director, Alumni Relations Darshan Kharod '03 Alumni Association President p.s. Hey, Class of 2017! Did you receive your Severn care package? If you didn't, drop me a note at c.grimes@severnschool.com! You always have a home at Severn!
WINTER 2018 21
THIS IS THE BEGINNING O F Y O U R S E V E R N S T O R Y. At Severn School’s Early School, our Preschool (age 3) and Prekindergarten (age 4) students are engaged in learning and play through exploration, building, and movement. Our program teaches and nurtures students to further their social development and promote their pre-literacy and numeracy skills. We play. We discover. We learn. MSDE #161229 www.severnschool.com • 410.647.7700 • Severna Park, MD
ALUMNI CHEF'S CORNER with ZACH MILLS '98 EXECUTIVE CHEF OF FOUR SEASONS H O T E L B A LT I M O R E ' S W I T & W I S D O M
BR AISED LA MB SHA NK
22
THE BRIDGE
4 EA 1 EA ½ BTL 1 10 OZ
LAMB SHANK YELLOW ONION, THINLY SLICED WHITE WINE BAY LEAF CHICKEN STOCK
1. Place a large, deep saute pan over medium-high heat. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. In batches, sear shanks well on all sides and place into a roasting pan. 2. Place sliced onions into the saute pan and turn to low heat. Allow onions to caramelize. 3. Once onions are caramelized, add white wine and reduce by half. Add chicken stock, thyme and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. 4. Pour liquid over the shanks to cover. Cover roasting pan with tin foil and cook in a 275 degree oven for 4 hours or until tender. Transfer shanks to a platter to cool. 5. Reduce liquid until thickened, and spoon over shanks.
N OT H I N G
C O U L D
B E
F I N E R
than to be in
Carolina
BY
CARR IE
M ACV EA N
GRIM ES
'9 1
Severn's Alumni team headed to the Carolinas this past fall as part of the
annual Alumni Roadshow, and enjoyed fine art, fabulous Southern suppers,
and the true taste of hospitality as our Alumni Admirals gathered together to
create, connect, sip and socialize in Charleston, Charlotte and Raleigh. Alumni Director Carrie MacVean Grimes '91 caught up with a few of our special Severn Southerners along the way.
WINTER 2018 23
ALUMN I STORIES
JULIA DECKMAN '03 CHARLESTON, SC
THE O F THE
I N V I T I NG PA L M
S WAY
T R E E S
H A RBOR
D OTS
L I NE
OF
C HA R L E STO N,
framed by parallel backdrops of grand Georgian mansions, and sailboats skimming along the nexus of the
Ashley and Cooper Rivers. It is no wonder why this magical southern city has become home to a grow-
ing set of Admiral Alumni. With
its world-class cuisine, burgeoning
arts and design scene, and legendary
architectural eye candy, Charleston is simultaneously a place with a decadent past, and a bright future.
Alumna Julia Deckman '03 arrived in 2003 as a freshman at the College of Charleston: “Charleston is full of innovative people, has an incredibly rich history, and is a very humbling and inspiring place to live.” As a working artist in the Charleston Julia Deckman '03
community, Julia has found a true
sense of inspiration and belonging
within this environment, and it shines through in her art and her attitude. “I have been pursuing my professional art career for over three years, and
what I enjoy most is the new world
24
THE BRIDGE
of possibilities I am exposed to. I am now meeting and collaborating with intelligent, thoughtful
and inspiring people, I am engaged in my local
community, and the world seems bigger and more exciting. Being an artist and living a creative life
has given me the freedom to continue my personal education and growth.”
Julia shared her joy of creativity with Severn's
local alumni and friends by hosting our fall “Paint and Sip” social, where guests took in the amazing artwork in the Redux Contemporary Art Center in downtown Charleston. Redux is a nonprofit organization committed to fostering creativity
and the cultivation of contemporary art through diverse exhibitions, subsidized studio space for
visual artists, and meaningful education programs. After cocktails and conversation with gathered Admirals, Julia led a painting workshop using
acrylic paints and Charleston's iconic cable-stayed Ravenel Bridge as inspiration. Her early days of
painting were in Carol Duncan's art studio, where she was first exposed to oil paints, her preferred
professional medium. “Because I did not go on to art school, I may never have been exposed to oil
painting if I hadn't stumbled into Mrs. Duncan's
painting class. Thank goodness!” Deckman credits Mrs. Duncan and Mrs. Creeden with having
great influence on her development at Severn and beyond. “Mrs. Duncan is responsible for my love of Georgia O'Keefe, who has become one of my
A LUM N I STORIES Michael Hanzel, Lauren Faust Hanzel '00 and Aaron Lowe '99 at the Charleston alumni social
L AU R E N FAU ST H A N Z E L ' 0 0 CHAR LESTON,
biggest artistic influences. Her class re-introduced me to my
love for art and creating. I am so thankful for the foundation I
“CA I N ' T FOR
N E V E R
P O S I T I V E
C O U L D” T H I N K I NG
I S
SC
S OU T H E R N-S PE AK
—
received through her courses. Mrs. Creeden's courses also made
if you think you can do something, you will succeed. Success has been
social diversity, and human evolution. I went on to major in
her graduation from Severn. Hanzel has called Charleston her home
a major impression on me. I developed an interest in culture, anthropology in college, largely due to her classes.”
As a professional artist, Deckman finds great fulfillment
in her hometown. “Charleston truly brings me so much joy, I love this special city very much. My home and the family we have created with our rescued pets are also an endless source of joy.” Deckman plans to continue her art career, and hopes to establish an animal rescue farm in the future. Free time is rare, but when she has it, she loves communing with friends
and family. “I try to spend time with my dogs (whom Deckman lovingly calls her “fur babes”) and with the friends and family I
am lucky to have around me. We really enjoy hosting supper for everyone; spending time with loved ones is important.” Deckman's star as an artist and creative influencer is
definitely on the rise. She's recently placed paintings in galleries across Charleston, and has been featured in Local Works
Showcase, Lowcountry Love Letters, and Charleston Fashion
Week. This is all coupled with a new career adventure: teaching art classes to local Charlestonians.
When asked how her Severn foundation supports her
capacity to juggle it all, Deckman smiles. “Severn instilled in me a very strong sense of work ethic. Severn helped me to become
a diligent and focused student. As a result, the intense schedule, time commitment, and sacrifices necessary in building my
own business aren't a problem for me; I am able to handle the challenges.”
part and parcel of Lauren Faust Hanzel '00's impressive journey since off and on since 2008, when she was stationed there as part of the
U.S. Navy JAG Corps, where she served for 10 years. The area holds a special place in her heart, as she met her husband Michael in
Charleston. Her military service included a deployment to Iraq, where she supported detainee operations. When we caught up at the Charleston social, Hanzel was delighted to have recently returned to the area after leaving the JAG Corps and joining the Navy reserves. Hanzel, her husband, and their two young children love going to the Carolina beaches, and spending as much time as possible outdoors. They are currently in the process of starting a law firm together in Charleston, and excited to be setting down more permanent roots in the Mt. Pleasant area. Creating a business from scratch has been challenging and invigorating for Hanzel. “Now that I am in the process of starting a firm, a lot of the time I feel more like a small business owner than an attorney. I loved being in the Navy, but working for yourself and building a firm from scratch has given me such a sense of ownership and a huge appreciation for people who own their own businesses.” Hanzel's humble affect belies her remarkable achievements. While at Severn, Hanzel competed for the Navy water polo club team and was selected to the 1999 and 2000 Youth Teams and 1998 U.S. Junior National Team. She earned All-America honors 12 times with Navy's club team, including First-Team All-America honors at 2000 U.S. Junior Nationals and she was the 1998 and 2000 Junior Olympic Most Valuable Player. Hanzel went on to play water polo at Stanford University, where
WINTER 2018 25
ALUMN I STORIES
she earned All-America honors and captained the
S I M P LY
P U T:
S O C I A L
D OW N
Her drive and motivation are inspiring, and she
WOU L D
BE
Stanford club team that won U.S. Senior Nationals.
NO
S E V E R N
S O U T H
C O M P L E T E
acknowledges Severn's role in shaping her outlook.
without enjoying the fine company of
finding my own path. I spent a lot of my time in high
Eleanor. Rogers, a longtime executive at
but I still had great friends at Severn. I don't remember
over from his waterfront office in the
out that you don't have to be the same as everyone
dapper in his navy suit, red tie, and golden
Charleston social, Hanzel and her husband enjoyed
financial services, Rogers relishes his work
to be making new connections in their hometown as
clients. He radiates southern charm, and is
has been to her accomplishments in the classroom, the
While reminiscing about his Severn days,
the value of the journey. “Don't feel pressure to figure
Frank grew up in South Carolina, and had
to pursue right away. The more experience you have,
he came to Severn for a post-graduate year
a risk doing something you are passionate about or
with the faculty at Severn as a time when
and the experiences you have will pay off down the
completion of his PG year, Rogers decided
“Severn taught me the value of being independent and
Frank Rogers '53 and his lovely wife
school playing water polo and pursuing other interests,
Charleston's Merrill Lynch branch, strolled
feeling pressure to conform in high school, and figuring
Historic Rice Mill to meet us for lunch,
around you is a lesson I'm glad I learned early.” At our
lapel pin. With decades of experience in
mingling with fellow area alumni, and they are happy
with people, many of whom are longtime
they build their business. When asked what the secret
an enthralling and very funny storyteller.
military, and the swimming pool, Hanzel remarks on
his eyes twinkle and his face lights up.
out what you want to do or what career path you want
a commission to the Naval Academy, but
the better you'll do long term. Don't be afraid to take
to shore up his grades. He credits his year
believe in. Life is long, and the relationships you build
he "really learned how to study." Upon
road.”
to return to South Carolina in 1953 to
attend The Citadel (which he pronounces “SIH-duhl” in a deep southern drawl),
so that he could follow in his father and grandfather' footsteps. He lives now in
Charleston, because he married a woman from Charleston, and he told us with a
wink and a smile, "If you marry a gal from
Charleston, you will always live in
Charleston." After The Citadel, he
spent 33 years in the Air Force as a
pilot, as evidenced by his office walls which are proudly adorned with
photos of planes and the many places he has traveled.
As with most gentlemen from
that era at Severn School, Rogers
remembers Mr. Teel with great deal
of admiration and respect. He shared with us over a lunch a brilliant story about a very special moment he
shared with Mr. Teel during his time at Severn.
Since he came to Severn for a PG
year after he had finished high school in South Carolina, Rogers was 18
years old, and older than most of the
other boys enrolled at Severn. At the time, the legal drinking age in D.C.
was 18 years old. So one day, Rogers
hitchhiked into Annapolis, took a bus into D.C., and purchased a case of
beer at the imploring of his younger classmates. He then retraced his
steps with a bus back to Annapolis,
and when he was standing on the side of the road trying to hitch a ride back to Severn, who should pull over to
give him a ride? Mr. Teel! He said
he gulped and got into the front seat of the car. He put the case of beer
under his feet and tried to pretend
that it was not there. Frank shook his head and said, “Well, it sure looked
like a case of beer, and it sure sounded like a case of beer with all of its
rattling and bottle-jingling. But Mr. Teel — he never said a word!
Alumni parent Laurie and son, Russell Buhrer '11 along with Frank '53 and Eleanor Rogers
F RA N K
R O G E R S
CHAR LESTON,
SC
' 5 3
Needless to say, that incident was my last transgression ... from that
day on, I kept my head down and my nose in the books!”
26
THE BRIDGE
A LUM N I STORIES
M I S I
S I M M S
C H A R LOTTE ,
' 9 5 N C
Misi Simms '95, second from right, with local Alumni at the Severn Social in Charlotte this past fall.
M IS I
SIMM'S
LIG HTS
UP
A
MAG N ETI C
SMI L E
ROO M.
When he strolled into our alumni social in Charlotte, he sheepishly admitted, “This is the first Severn event I've been to since I
graduated!” Encouraged to attend by his friend and fellow Charlotte local Court Creeden '97, Simms admitted he was very glad he came. In fact, Misi exudes a sense of gratitude in
general—about life, his family, and his Severn experience. Simms arrived in the lovely city
of Charlotte, known as “Queen City,” in 2006 when he and his wife Natisha decided to
pursue Christian ministry and settle down in an area that would be comfortable for their
growing family. They are now parents to four beautiful children who keep them busy, and
according to Simms, “Family time is big for
us ... [my children] each have pursuits outside
of their schooling, so we love to support them. Being a husband and caring for my wife is my first joy. Being a father and pouring into the lives of my children is my second joy.”
As an investment portfolio manager for individuals and institutions, Simms takes pride in his work, and enjoys both the
interpersonal and intellectual nature of the
trade. “There's a great deal of relationship-
This gentlemanly sense of appreciation for
in a very important capacity. In addition to the
at Severn at the beginning of his junior year.
building involved because I'm serving clients
relational component, staying abreast of what's happening within capital markets is certainly a necessity. The balance needed to connect
well with people, along with articulating the
more technical aspects of personal finance and investment management are what I enjoy the most.”
Simms and Creeden have a clear connection, and reminisced with affection about their times at Severn, particularly stories about
sports. Simms was a star basketball player at
Severn, and often led the Admirals in scoring. He nostalgically recalls, “We had a very
competitive basketball team during my time. My basketball coaches were Wayne Fowler,
Charles Duckett, and Gil Goodrich. One of
my fondest memories was more of a mindset
we were encouraged to have as student-athletes. The expectation was that we'd represent Severn School and everyone associated with the
school exceptionally well. We were in a special place, being given a special opportunity, so
we needed to conduct ourselves accordingly.”
SE E
Severn runs deeply for Simms, who enrolled
Simms believes that coming to Severn School changed his life. “The experience of attending
Severn School influenced me in a deeper way. It helped to build my foundation as a person
because it exposed me to a world of academic achievement that was completely foreign to
me at the time. When I arrived at Severn, the entire experience was new — like wearing a
uniform, and being with classmates who took
their schooling seriously. I was unaccustomed to this type of setting, but seeing it firsthand was something that has impacted me until
today.” When asked what advice he'd give
to the Class of 2018, Simms encourages the class to view their experience at Severn as a
privilege. “Few young people have the chance
to experience an environment where academic achievement is the expectation; few young
people have the chance to experience the depth of care afforded to students by their school's
community; few young people have the chance to experience the feeling of pride associated
with being a part of such a prestigious school.”
M O RE
P H OTO S
AT
F L ICK R.CO M/ SE V E RNSCHO O L
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in memoriam 1936 Alexander “Fish” Hering, MC USN 8/22/2016
Anthony “Toni” Disalvo Schmidt Jr. 11/18/2017
1956 1938 William Morrow, USN 10/12/2017
James Anderson Jr. 5/9/2017
1957 1941 Calvin “Cal” Cobb Jr. 10/28/2017
Fredric “Fred” Berg 6/21/2015
1958 1943 William Chadwick, USN 7/23/2016 John Christian 5/1/2015
1948 Thomas Worthington Jr. 11/22/2017 Rodric “Rod” Smith 3/6/2015
Richard Friberg 11/12/2016 Maurice “Hunter” Kesmodel 6/17/2017 Joseph “Joe” Lore II 9/18/2016
1964 Frederick “Fred” Wilhelm Jr. 10/26/2016
1971 1950 Frederick William “Bill” Kuethe Jr. 9/24/2017
Robert “Bob” Harvey III 1/16/2014
1975 1951 Mareen Waterman 4/28/2016
Arthur “Art” Clanton 11/19/2017
1993 1953 John Alvanos 8/2/2016
Kara Hamilton 7/3/2017
1998 Kenneth “Ken” Meneke 6/2/2015
1954 CDR Bruce McCandless II, USN 12/21/2017
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Jason Adams 12/23/2017
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1938
I N M E M O R I A M Captain William B. Morrow USN (Ret) died in Annapolis on October 12, 2017. He was born in Atlantic City, N.J. on May 16, 1920. After a year in the Naval Reserve, he entered the Naval Academy June 1938 and graduated with the class of 1942 on December 19, 1941. He also graduated from the Naval War College and National War College during his career. During World War II, Captain Morrow first served as Gunnery Officer on the USS Moffett (DD-362), which was credited with sinking two German submarines and rescuing fifty survivors. Following was duty aboard surface ships, mainly destroyers. He commanded USS Meredith (DD-890), USS Frontier (AD-25), Destroyer Division 153 (Navy's first guided missile division), and Destroyer Squadron 22. Captain Morrow served on several afloat staffs in an operational capacity, including Commander Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla Four, where he was the operations officer and had additional duty as Project Mercury Plans and Operations Officer responsible for the development of the recovery plan for the first space shot in the Project Mercury Program. His shore assignments included instructor duty at Holy Cross University, a planning assignment in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and as Destroyer Officer Placement and
Assignments in the Office of the Chief of Naval Personnel. While in this position he developed the original concept and initial curriculum for the U.S. Navy Destroyer School, which later became the Surface Warfare School. He also served as Director of the European, Middle East and African Operation Division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and later as the Director of Plans and Operations on the major maritime NATO Commander's staff (SACLANT). His military decorations included two Legion of Merit awards and various campaign and service medal awards for service in World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam. After retirement in 1972, Captain Morrow resided in Severna Park from 1975 until July 2001 when he moved to Annapolis, Maryland. He was active in support of the Naval Academy Alumni Association and the Naval Academy Golf Association. He started and directed the first Naval Academy Men's Golf Group, the Senior Men's Golf Group, and the Alumni Association Homecoming Golf Tournament. He was a life member of the USNA Alumni Association. He also served as a volunteer member on the Board of Directors of Ginger Cove, a continuing life care retirement community in Annapolis. Bill was preceded in death by his wife of 69 years, Nancy Gosnell Morrow. He is survived by his children, grandchildren, and sister.
CLASS N OT ES
1940
The second cousin of Walter Compton Davis '40, Larry R. Paul, wrote in to share research he did about his relative. He writes, “Compton, who was my second cousin, was “Lost at Sea” during WWII. A couple years ago I did some internet digging and found that his ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat. I have written this information up and it can be viewed on www.thestoriesbetween.com”. The loss of the Coamo was the greatest single loss of merchant mariners (188) on a U.S. flagged merchant vessel of World War II.
1941
I N M E M O R I A M Calvin Hayes Cobb, Jr., 93, a retired partner of Steptoe & Johnson LLP, died October 28, 2017, in Naples, Fla. Born August 2, 1924, to Vice Admiral Calvin H. and Frances Cobb, he graduated from the Naval Academy in 1944 and served honorably in the Pacific theater. In 1947, he entered Georgetown Law School and then practiced law in Washington for more than 50 years. He and his wife Olive were married more than 58 years, until her death in 2013. They lived in Chevy Chase until 1991 when they took up residence in Naples. He served as a trustee of the Foundation for Middle East Peace since its inception in 1969 (Chairman
IN MEMORIAM
William Morrow '38; Calvin Cobb '41; William Chadwick '43; Frederick Kuethe '50; Mareen Waterman '51
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2004 to 2010.) He was national president of the Navy League of the United States from 1989 to 1991, received the Navy's Distinguished Public Service medal twice and the Coast Guard's Distinguished Public Service medal. He served as president of the Chevy Chase Club, The Barristers and the Royal Poinciana Golf Club in Naples, and as a trustee of the Naval Academy Alumni Association. He founded the Catholic Alumni Club of Washington and was involved with other charitable work. Other club memberships included the Society of the Cincinnati, Metropolitan Club, Gibson Island Club, and Naples Bath & Tennis Club. He avidly played tennis, platform tennis and bridge, with modest success in national and regional tournaments.
1943
I N M E M O R I A M William A. Chadwick, Capt. USN (Ret.) of Great Falls, Va., passed away on Saturday, July 23, 2016 at Reston Hospital Center. He was the beloved husband of Genevieve L. Chadwick and loving father, brother, and grandfather.
1948
I N M E M O R I A M Thomas Carroll Worthington Jr.; 88 of Sabillasville, Md. and formerly of Annapolis passed away on November 22, 2017. He attended Green Street Elementary School, Severn School and Johns Hopkins University. He took over the local real estate and appraisal firm, Worthington & Associates, founded by his father, and remained in business for forty years, retiring in 1989. He was succeeded in the family business by his son Brice and grandson, Brice, Jr. He was an avid hunter and fly fisherman, an amateur historian, and a noted raconteur, with a keen interest in his family's genealogy. He was a member of numerous organizations, and he especially treasured his long membership in the Ancient South River Club.
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1950
I N M E M O R I A M Frederick William Kuethe, Jr. passed away at home Sunday, September 24, 2017 after a brief illness. Born November 7, 1932 to the late Frederick W. Kuethe and Helen M. Kuethe, Bill was a lifelong resident of Glen Burnie, Md. before moving to the Charlestown Retirement Community in Catonsville 12 years ago. A graduate of Severn School, Johns Hopkins University, and a U.S. Army veteran who served in Korea, Bill was a well known banker, business man and volunteer in Northern Anne Arundel County. He served on numerous boards, including the Kuethe Library. He was a director and president and CEO at the Glen Burnie Mutual Savings Bank. He later served as director and president and CEO at The Bank of Glen Burnie, then director emeritus for Glen Burnie Bancorp. He was active in the Glen Burnie Improvement Association and was a beloved member of the Rotary Club of Glen Burnie for over 60 years, a Past President, and honored as a Paul Harris Fellow. He was well known for his quick wit, infectious smile and assiduous note taking. He enjoyed watching sports with his grandsons. He maintained a substantial private library of Magic memorabilia and eclectic titles. He self published “The Magic Cauldron”, starting in 1962 with world-wide distribution, authored Journal of Necromantic Numismatics, Ye Magical Bloodhound and co-authored reference books on magicians' tokens. He researched his genealogy back 42 generations. A devoted husband, father and grandfather, Bill is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Beverly Ringgold Kuethe, and their four children, his grandchildren and great-granddaughter.
Mary Salsich, Shannon Howell, and RADM Edward “Ted” Walker Jr. met at Clyde's in Alexandria to catch up and share some stories. Ted is a great storyteller and has an impressive memory of current events and those that happened 50 years ago. As his tales go on it is a veritable history lesson of events throughout history. Par course, he had some good memories of himself and his mates during his time at Severn.
1951
I N M E M O R I A M Mareen Duvall Waterman died on April 28, 2016, the 60th anniversary of his marriage to Marian Rosswork Waterman, whom he treasured above all else. He was 82. Mr. Waterman was a prominent local developer, who took great joy in creating homes for families in Queen Anne's and Anne Arundel Counties. He founded Waterman Realty on Kent Island in 1967 and worked there with his son Barry, daughter-in-law Diana, and grandson Kevin until his death. He was a well-known philanthropist and supported many local charities throughout his life. Mr. Waterman was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed many wonderful experiences, with his family and friends, throughout his life. In addition to Marian and Barry, Mr. Waterman is survived by another son, Reen Waterman, and two daughters, Jeanne Lancaster and Joanna Waterman, 8 grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren.
1952
Nick Goldsborough and his wife Chris recently enjoyed an evening on campus for the annual Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner in November. Alumni director Carrie MacVean Grimes '91 loved catching up with Nick and Chris! In December, the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Award Selection Panel selected USN (Ret.) Admiral James R. Hogg as one of six 2018 Distinguished Graduates of the Naval Academy. The formal Distinguished Graduate Award ceremony will be held at the U.S. Naval Academy on March 23, 2018.
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CLASS N OT ES
Admiral James R. Hogg USN (Ret.) '52 was inducted as one of six 2018 Distinguished Graduates of the Naval Academy. Carrie MacVean Grimes '91 with Nick '51 and Chris Goldsborough
1953
I N M E M O R I A M John Gust Alvanos, 83, a resident of Annapolis for almost his entire life, passed away on August 2, 2016 at the Anne Arundel Medical Center. Born on March 9, 1933 in Waynesboro, Penn., John moved with his parents to Annapolis when he was a young child. After serving four years in the U.S. Air Force, he finished his education at the University of Maryland with a degree in accounting. He began his career as an accountant with Exxon in Baltimore before transitioning to and eventually retiring from the Maryland State Auto Insurance Fund. In 1959, John married his wife, Celia, whom he first met when she was his sister's childhood friend. Their paths crossed several times throughout their teen and early adult years until they fell in love and fulfilled their destiny to become husband and wife. John was a member of Ss. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, the Elks Lodge, Moose Lodge and American Legion. He and his wife loved to travel and took numerous trips, including to Greece and Spain, and often enjoyed cruises, especially in the Mediterranean. John was also a passionate fan of U.S. Naval Academy sports and arranged his schedule to always be available to work the Academy stadium ticket booth.
1954
I N M E M O R I A M Former astronaut CDR Bruce McCandless II (Ret), a retired Navy captain and son of a Medal of Honor recipient who joined NASA during the buildup to the Apollo program, served as capsule communicator when Neil Armstrong took his historic first step on the moon and later flew in space twice during the shuttle program, died Thursday, December 21, 2017. He was 80. During his first space flight aboard the shuttle Challenger in February 1984, McCandless carried out the first untethered spacewalk, using a nitrogen gas-powered Manned Maneuvering Unit he helped design to fly well away from the orbiter for a series of tests. Photos of McCandless, floating alone in the deep black of space above the brilliant limb of Earth became iconic emblems of the space shuttle program and among the most widely reproduced. The Challenger crew also launched two communications satellites before returning to Earth, making the program's first shuttle landing at the Kennedy Space Center. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to Bruce's family,” Robert Lightfoot, NASA's acting administrator, said in a statement. “He will be always be known for his iconic photo flying the MMU.” Ironically, MMUs would be used by two astronauts later in 1984 to retrieve the satellites McCandless' crew deployed after they were stranded in useless orbits due to problems with
their booster rockets. The satellites were returned to Earth, repaired and eventually relaunched. McCandless flew a second time in April 1990 to help launch the Hubble Space Telescope. He and astronaut Kathryn Sullivan donned spacesuits and were standing by in the shuttle Discovery's airlock for an emergency spacewalk if needed. As it turned out, a spacewalk was not needed -- problems with the telescope's mirror were discovered later -- and Discovery's crew returned to Earth after a five-day mission. The flight boosted McCandless' total time in space to 13 days and 31 minutes. Born in Boston on June 8, 1937, McCandless graduated second in his class at the U.S. Naval Academy and was designated a naval aviator in 1960. His father, Bruce McCandless, was a communications officer aboard the USS San Francisco who was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in the battle of Guadalcanal. He retired as a rear admiral. McCandless II served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise during the Cuban missile crisis and logged 5,000 hours flying time in jet aircraft. He was one of 19 astronauts selected by NASA in 1966 to join the Apollo moon program. He served as capsule communicator, or CAPCOM, during the Apollo 11 mission when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the lunar surface. In 2015, recalling his famous MMU flight, McCandless said his wife was in mission control, “and there was continued on page 34
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: BOB DODGE '68
B
ob Dodge chuckles when he recalls his first days at Severn. He had just moved to Maryland from New Mexico. When he got to campus that first week, he saw a couple of guys tossing around a lacrosse ball. He had never seen a lacrosse stick before, so he called over to them, “Hey, let me see your lacrosse hoopee!” Hoopee?! His friends had a good
laugh about that then … and still tease him about it today! Bob remembers his four years of playing lacrosse at Severn fondly. He had never played the game before coming to Severn, and he picked it up quickly. He proudly explained that “back then, the Severn lacrosse team played the freshmen teams at the University of Maryland, Hopkins, and Navy … and won!” He recalls the coach from University of Maryland's Freshmen team “challenging” the Severn varsity team to
play college length quarters, as a condition of playing up a level. Severn coach Lee Curry '57 said, “Suit yourself.” And Severn still won! Bob, player #12, played on the first ever undefeated boys lacrosse team at Severn. Led by Coach Curry, this 1968 team outscored their opponents 146-64. For Bob, though, the specialness of that senior season was about more than the statistics: “The win-loss record was cool, but it was the guys … the team ... our bond that stood
What Legacy Will You Leave?
We all desire significance — to lead happy and fulfilled lives surrounded by family and friends. For many of us, there is a compelling need to make a difference — to leave a lasting impact on the people most dear to us and the world in which we live. The search for significance and desire to plan for the future leads many to ponder their legacy. What kind of legacy will you 32 leave? THE BRIDGE
Please contact us to learn how you can make a difference in the lives of Severn students and faculty. Mary Kernan Salsich p: 410.647.7701 x 2261 e: m.salsich@severnschool.com
C L AS S out.” And that bond is still strong. Bob got 17 members of his team back to Severn for their 40th Reunion in 2008, where the team was honored for their undefeated season. Bob's love of lacrosse stayed with him after Severn. He played collegiate lacrosse at Cornell, and more recently, while balancing a career in business, he managed to serve 10 years as the President of the Boulder Valley Lacrosse Association in Colorado. In this role, he grew a recreational youth lacrosse program from 50 participants to 500 participants and started four high school lacrosse programs, all in an effort to expand youth lacrosse in the area. Severn alumnus, Josh Sims '96, also worked with Bob to help grow lacrosse in Boulder. Even Bob's career choices haven't veered too far off the “team” route. Bob owns and operates The Alternative Board in Denver West, where he strives to increase the profitability of businesses and improve the personal lives of business owners through Peer Advisory Boards. Working as a “coach,” Bob brings together business owners for monthly meetings, where they can leverage the expertise and collective experience of other executives. Bob also provides them each private coaching sessions to help reduce stress, balance work/ home life, increase personal accountability, earn more money, and increase equity. Bob says that most of his executives stay is his program for about four years. He attributes the “team aspect” to their longevity in the program — the business owners appreciate the open and honest feedback from their peers and their accountability to each other. It comes as no surprise that Bob's favorite teachers at Severn were also coaches. Bob named Lee Curry, his lacrosse coach and English teacher, as a great influence in his life. (And yes, Mr. Curry, he still remembers how to diagram sentences!) Bob also named Buddy Beardmore, his lacrosse coach and PE teacher, and Bob Long, his football coach and math teacher, as stand-outs. Bob is still in touch with basketball coach and history teacher, Dick Webster. Dick called Bob and his classmates “his boys” while they were students, and “his boys” still keep in touch with him today via an email group. Bob is excited about his 50th reunion coming up in May. He and his wife of 43 years, Lynn, will be traveling in from Colorado to attend. While Lynn is not an alumna, she is well versed on the Severn stories. After all, she has been living with Bob's framed picture of his 1968 undefeated team, his state championship certificate, and his Severn “S” in their office for all the years of their marriage! Go Admirals!
The A-Z Alumni Spotlight aims to highlight Severn alumni in all walks of life. Continue reading on page 38.
S E C R E TA R I E S
Send your Class Notes to your Class Secretary to be included in the next issue of The Bridge. If your class does not have a secretary and you are interested, please email c.grimes@severnschool.com
1947
Buzz Hall | blairhall@aol.com
1952
Nick Goldsborough | ngoldsborough2@verizon.net
1954
Jack Kelly | jmkell33@verizon.net
1958
John Eller | johnceller@aol.com
1959
John Leimkuhler | jwleimkuhler@verizon.net
1961
Bruce Burns | bmburns@comcast.net
1962
Robert Kesmodel | rkesmodel@gmail.com
1965
Sandy Clark | sandyclark@yahoo.com
1966
Richard Templeton | templetonrk@gmail.com
1968
Shannon McDowell | shannonmcd49@verizon.net
1969
Nick Codd | nickcodd@verizon.net
1972
John Norton | john@deClarity.com
1973
Bona Hurst-Ellis | rellis@msn.com
CONT I NU E D
ON
PAG E
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IN MEMORIAM
John Alvanos '53; CDR Bruce McCandles II '54 in the deep black of space; Tony Schmidt '54; Joseph Lore '58; Hunter Kesmodel '58; COL Frederick Wilhelm '64
quite a bit of apprehension. I wanted to say something similar to Neil when he landed on the moon, so I said, 'It may have been a small step for Neil, but it's a heck of a big leap for me.' That loosened the tension a bit.” McCandless served on the support crew for Apollo 14 and was the backup pilot for the first mission to the Skylab space station. He then transitioned to the space shuttle program. Senator John McCain, a Naval Academy classmate of McCandless, said he was “deeply saddened” by the passing of “a brilliant aviator and astronaut who dedicated his life to serving the country he loved.” “As an undistinguished graduate of that class, I always looked up to Bruce – not only for his incredible intellect, but also for his character and integrity, which embodied the highest values of the United States Navy,” McCain said in a statement. McCandless is survived by his wife, Ellen Shields McCandless, his son Bruce McCandless III, his daughter Tracy McCandless, two granddaughters, a brother and two sisters. I N M E M O R I A M Anthony “Toni” John Disalvo Schmidt of Bethesda, Md. passed away November 18, 2017. Practiced law in Rockville, Md. at Schmidt, Roth, Brennan & Carroccio for more than 40 years. He volunteered at numerous organizations, most recently on the Board of Seabury Resources for Aging. Toni is survived by his wife, Jane Annesley Kean Schmidt; his children and his grandchildren.
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Lance and Judy Massey came for a tour with alumni director Carrie MacVean Grimes '91 while they were in town for the USS Massey Association meeting. They enjoyed a nice tour, a chat with Headmaster Doug Lagarde, and good conversation. Lance's father, Lance Massey is a distinguished alumnus, Class of 1926.
1955
Peter Glading wrote in recently to say, “It is indeed hard to believe that it has been so long but I still have such fond memories of my years at Severn. Rolland Teel will always be my image of a wonderful and intelligent person. He made a huge difference in my life as I started as a poor student and eventually graduated in the top 10% of my class from The Wharton School - University of Pennsylvania! I'd love to keep in touch with my classmates and others from the Clases of '54 and '56. Go Admirals!”
1958
I N M E M O R I A M Joseph Cobb Lore II, 75, of Ridge, Md. died September 18, 2016 at MedStar St. Mary's Hospital in Leonardtown, Md. He was born on October 23, 1940 in Prince Frederick, Md. and moved St. Mary's County in 1961. He enjoyed boxing and wrestling when he was in college, and loved to share stories of his young days with his family. On February 28, 1966, he married his beloved wife, Anna Lore. Together they celebrated over 50 wonderful years of marriage. He spent his life working on the water. He
enjoyed crabbing, fishing, catching eels, digging for clams, and dredging for oysters. He ran a fishing boat and was great at teaching people how to fish. He made tackle which includes sinkers, hooks, baits and other boating and fishing equipment. He invented and obtained a patent for a fish de-hooker. While he had a passion for being on the water, his family was his greatest love. He was a member of the Maryland Charter Boat Association and the Maryland Waterman's Association. In addition to his beloved wife, Joe is also survived by his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild. In addition to his parents, he is also preceded in death by his sister, Jean Edman. I N M E M O R I A M M. Hunter Kesmodel, 77, passed away June 17, 2017 at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Del. after a long battle with advanced Parkinson's and its resulting consequences. Hunter was born in Baltimore on June 7th, 1940. He spent his formative years growing-up in Severna Park where he attended Severn School where his father had taught, coached and served as headmaster. In his youth in the summer he regularly competed in Severn River swim meets and when older managed the Severn Swim Club. He graduated from the University of Maryland at College Park with a BA in 1968. He then went on to teach social studies in the Anne Arundel County School System in Maryland until his retirement in 2001. Hunter was a very creative individual who had a knack for rehabbing older residences and fashioning
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1964
them into show places. He did this in Ellicott City, also in Otterbein in Baltimore's Inner Harbor as well as in Bolton Hill in central Baltimore. He also rehabbed his house in Lewes and was selected for their annual house tour, and finally in Rehoboth Beach. Hunter is preceded in death by both his parents, Paul and Katherine Kesmodel of Severna Park as well as his longtime partner James Graves. He leaves behind five siblings.
1962
Scott Jay has been busy recording a wonderful series of fascinating and folksy stories about the history of Severna Park. Called “Stories of Severna Park” they can be found on YouTube. Scott has a long memory of the many people and places that make Severna Park so special!
1963
Andy Mance wrote in from down south, “We have been traveling in Europe...I have been in Charleston since 1971 following the service with the Marines and completion of college. It is a wonderful city. I believe there may have only been one or two boys from Charleston when I was at Severn. I was a Marylander myself at that time. Those were the days of dorms and boys only — great times.”
I N M E M O R I A M Col. Fredrick R. Wilhelm, Jr. US Army, (Ret), passed away on October 26, 2016, in Belleair Beach, Florida. COL Ron Dabbieri US Army, (Ret), wrote in to share the news and a story: "Fred was from Boynton Beach, Fla. and we were both boarders and roommates at Severn. I was a few years ahead of Fred in the Army (I got drafted in '66 and went to OCS while Fred bothered to actually go to college) so the last time our paths crossed was when I was a Lieutenant Colonel commanding the 2nd Engineer Battalion in the 2nd Infantry Division in Korea in 1985, and Fred was a Major and Executive Officer of the 1/17th Infantry Battalion, also in the Division."
1965
Bill Gideon and alumni director Carrie MacVean Grimes '91 caught up via telephone this fall. Bill was hoping to participate in the annual Homecoming Chili Cook-Off which he's enjoyed in the past, but was unable to make the trip this year. Bill lives in Lewes, Del. and is active in the senior center. Bill keeps up with classmate Dick Bennett, and always has great stories about his days at Severn when he calls to check in.
1968
Mike Gerich wrote in with a book recommendation: “If you're curious about the town that you, at least for awhile grew up in, you might want to check out the book “Memoirs of a Main Street Boy” (Ralph Crosby, 2016). It's a quick read about a guy who grew up in Annapolis, about a half generation before us. If you ventured into the city or know a few persons about-town, there will be backgrounds on people and places you knew.” Tom Smith writes to say “Shannon and I are hard at work on organizing our 50th Reunion in May (...can you believe it's been
CLASS N OT ES
50 years?) By the time you read this, you will have received some things from us, all geared to getting everyone revved for next May. Those who were at the 40th will attest to how much fun we had, and our goal is to exceed that success with this one. We look forward to your visit to the school in May — you only get one 50th!” Marlin Smith wrote in to say, “I still live in the Annapolis area with my lovely wife of 43 years, Cindy. We have two sons — USNA graduates — one in Patuxent River, Md. and the other a Marine, assigned to the embassy in Tokyo. Since we are retired it gives us time to spoil our three grandkids. We also do a bit of sailing, and kayak at our bay home on the eastern shore. We also enjoy lunch with Mike Gerich from time to time.” George Tolson wrote in with an update. “I have been busy playing tennis and enjoying golf; my sons and I are opening up a brewpub in Fort Mill, S.C.; and I now have two grandchildren ages three and two — loving every minute! Look forward to seeing the guys in May!” Chooch Turner wrote in to share lots of happy news: “My middle child, Chip and his significant other gave us our sixth grandchild, Quinn T. Turner. I am still working in sales; however, I am in my fourth year at a water and sewer material distributor called Core & Main. My wife Suzanne and I will be celebrating our 47th Anniversary this February.” • Chooch was also honored on January 13th as an inductee into the Greater Baltimore Chapter of US Lacrosse Hall of Fame! “I want to thank you guys and other Severn grads and coaches for being great teammates, friends, coaches, and supporters during the most important years of my lacrosse development. I feel incredibly blessed and lucky to have had so much fun playing this great game at Severn.” Chooch was part of the amazing undefeated varsity boys' lacrosse team of 1968!
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George Turner shared, “I am at home recovering from my knee replacement and everything seems to be going well. Christine and I celebrated our 41st anniversary and have our first grandchild (a midfielder) this year. Looking forward to see everyone this spring.”
1969
Bill Dell stopped by the Alumni House in July to show his granddaughters Severn! He and his wife live in Arizona and are taking the girls on a cross country tour and stopped in DC and Annapolis to see some of their old stomping grounds. Bill's son, Jason graduated in 1994. He and his family went to see the Centennial Rotunda and had fun looking through some yearbooks and pictures. Chuck Reckner swung by campus in September, passing through the area on a visit from Oregon. He was heading up to Baltimore, on a quest for “the perfect crabcake.” It was great to see you back at Severn, Chuck!
1970
George Stampados recently called in from lovely La Junta, Colo., where he lives with his wife Mary Jane. After a long career in museum certified historic restoration and preservation of antique furnishings, George is enjoying retirement.
1970
Identical twins Thomas and Jeremy Thayer currently live in a small farming community outside of Savannah, GA, and both have long careers in property management. When Jerry reflects on what assets he inherited from his Severn experience, he said “Common sense. You can't really instruct on the values of right and wrong with a book. You have to live those experiences. You can get knowledge from
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THE BRIDGE
books, but the practical common sense I learned at Severn through my experiences has served me every day of my life. I'm grateful for that.”
1972
It wouldn't be a Homecoming Chili CookOff without John Norton! This legendary chili cooking competitor returned this year with his “Sweet Taste of Autumn” pumpkin pie themed chili and took home the prize for best display. Always great to see you on campus, John!
1973
Robert Humber recently wrote in with this update: “I enjoy reading The Bridge and have wanted to check in for quite awhile. Being in the last class of “boarders” at Severn is a great memory. All the fun we had perhaps bears not repeating. The article with John Royen several years ago was great. He was also a boarder and took me under his wing (as I was the new kid on the floor) with several weekend retreats to his home in Rehobeth Beach. I've wondered what the others have been up to and then the last issue had a shout out from Peter Tsou '74! Oh my gosh ... reading the memories that Cheryl Ritchie '74 put together being in the first class of women (my junior and first year at Severn) was fun also. I retired from the Navy in 2000 after 23 years as a senior chief electronics technician. I just retired from GE Healthcare after 15 years as a field service engineer in North Carolina. I am now going to “enjoy my golden years” as Peter so aptly put it. It would be great to hear from the rest of the gang, mon...”
1974
Liz Mann Carlin, Joni Adrian Morgan '75 and the ladies of the Annapolis Dragon Boat Team set the Guinness World Record for paddling a half-marathon in a dragon
boat crewed entirely by breast cancer survivors ... what an inspiring and wonderful team!
1975
I N M E M O R I A M Arthur F. Clanton, age 60, of Severna Park died peacefully from esophageal cancer on Sunday, November 19, 2017. He grew up in Anne Arundel County and was a graduate of Severn School. He was a devoted husband, father and son and provided love, friendship, and guidance to all those in his care. Art attended Clemson University and had a long and successful career in civil engineering. He currently worked for Anne Arundel County Department of Inspections and Permits as Environmental Programs Supervisor. Throughout his life he enjoyed all sports. He played football and lacrosse at Severn School. He enjoyed sailing, and skiing and later became an avid tennis player and golf enthusiast, who loved his Sunday morning outings with his buddies. He will be remembered by his many friends and relatives as a charming and generous host, for his quick wit, and his calm, cool, no-nonsense demeanor. He is preceded in death by his mother and father, Rosemary and Ronald Clanton, and his sister Claudia Woods. He is survived by his wife, Angela Carbone, his daughter Cecelia, and his “brother” JP.
1976
Dave Merritt was recently in touch with Alumni House archives team doing some research about one of his favorite former teachers, Colonel Sam T. Adams. Dave said, “My service to our country and later (and now) in National Security, was inspired by a teacher of mine, COL Sam Adams, USMC Ret.” Research revealed that COL Adams was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. He was a beloved and inspiring teacher to many. Dave also shared, “I
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(Top row L-R) Our newest YouTuber, Scott Jay '62 in "Stories of Severna Park"; Thomas and Jeremy Thayer '70; (Middle row L-R) in back, Anne Chandler '75, Robin Knipp '75, Kathy Chandler Bathon '77 and in front, Carter Knipp '77, Howdy Knipp '74, Mia Chandler Antonelli '74; Distinguished Alumna Sandy Barbour was recently selected as one of the inaugural members of the United States Olympic Committee's Collegiate Advisory Council; John Norton '72 in the Chili Cook-O; (Bottom row L-R) Liz Mann Carlin '74, Joni Adrian Morgan '75 and the ladies of the Annapolis Dragon Boat Team; (on right) Arthur Egeli '82; "Issues in Maritime Cyber Security by Joe DiRenzo '77
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: RANDI GOLDMAN SILVERMAN '83
R
andi Goldman Silverman, is “on a mission to educate, empower, and support families and communities about the issues around youth mental health. We should be talking about caring for our children's mental health as openly as we talk about caring for their physical health. After all, we all have mental health.” Randi is a national public speaker and presenter on the topic of children's mental health. Her resume also includes: lawyer, screenwriter, film producer, non-profit cofounder and president, and mom. Ten minutes with Randi and you are not surprised that she was named “Most Friendly” in her Severn senior yearbook. She is warm, open, and ready to share her difficult personal story with the sincere hope that it will help others navigate the challenges of youth mental health disorders. Upon graduating from Severn, Randi pursued undergraduate studies at Franklin and Marshall College and graduate work at the University of Pittsburgh Law School. After practicing law for a few years, she was lucky enough to be in a situation where she could stay home to raise her three sons in Westchester County, NY. Her “story,” chronicled in the feature film “No Letting Go,” begins when her middle son started showing signs of anxiety
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in kindergarten and first grade. “Looking back,” she says, “it was a blessing that I was a stay-at-home mom because taking care of a child with a serious mental health disorder is a full time job.” Randi's explains that her son's behavior became increasingly challenging. For almost two years, leaving the house became nearly impossible. As a result, she felt isolated and overwhelmed. She had no idea how to help him, and no one seemed to have any answers. At that time, no one was talking about mental health disorders in children. Randi recalls, “I had no idea that a young child could struggle with his mental health for no apparent reason. The shame, blame, misunderstanding, and silence that we felt kept us isolated and in the dark about what was really going on.” In some cases, people told Randi that her son was fine and that “she” was the one who needed help for anxiety. Others hinted that his behavior was a result of “bad parenting.” Randi's son's condition worsened over time. By third grade, he was refusing to go to school and suffered somatic symptoms – stomach aches, headaches, and even ulcers. By fourth grade, Randi's son's was having thoughts of suicide. Fighting for answers and a clear direction of where to go and what to do, Randi took her son to dozens of doctors, where he was first diagnosed with a general anxiety disorder and then bipolar disorder and treated with cognitive behavior therapy and medication.
Armed with her own experience and a law degree, Randi began advocating for children with mental and emotional challenges in 2008. She started public speaking, doing local advocacy work, and organizing support groups, all in an effort to lend a voice to an otherwise silent community. Still working through his own mental health challenges, Randi's son eventually went to a two-year residential treatment center. Toward the end of that second year, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a full mastectomy and nine months of chemotherapy. Throughout her ordeal, she came to two life-changing realizations. First, a woman ill with breast cancer receives so much more support, in the form of notes, food, encouragement, and dialogue, than a child sick with a mental illness. Second, breast cancer was a former death sentence, but it became a very treatable disease in relatively little time due, in large part, to a campaign of awareness. These realizations got Randi thinking: If this medical awareness revolution happened with breast cancer, then why not with children's mental health? Hence the early seeds of her current non-profit The Youth Mental Health Project (ymhproject.org) were planted. In the time between this epiphany and the foundation of the YMHP in 2016, Randi worked on two films about youth mental
health. The first film, “Illness” (2013), which she co-produced, is a short 12-minute film about a young teenager who struggles with depression, anxiety, and mood disorder. When she went to the Q & As with the director, she realized how eagerly people responded to the film. “It really opened my eyes. This is a topic that needs to come out of the shadows and we need to create community conversations and dialogue about it in order to break the stigma … I began thinking, 'What would it take to make a feature film?'” The second film is a feature-length film called "No Letting Go" (2015), which she wrote in the span of four months about her own experience with a son challenged by a mental health disorder. “The words poured out of me,” Randi recalls. She produced this completely independent, low budget film in less than a year, and it has received critical acclaim from film reviewers and mental health organizations alike. In an unlikely twist, her youngest son, an actor in his own right, plays the role of her middle son as a teenager. (This film is a free download on Amazon Prime.) The films propelled Randi's message to a national platform, and the conversation about youth mental health gained lots of traction. In an effort to keep the momentum and the discussion going, Randi and her co-founder, Wendy Ward, started the Youth Mental Health Project, a non-profit platform to educate and support youth mental health as an issue as important as physical health. In the 14 months since her founding the YMHP, Randi's life has been filled with presentations, workshops, community outreach, and film screenings, all spreading awareness and information about diagnosable mental health issues that affect 1 in 5 children, 18 million children worldwide. The need is clearly there. According to Randi, “We actually have so many requests for film screenings and community presentations that it's difficult to keep up with the demand. But it is a good problem to have!” While she races ahead to educate and empower, Randi has not forgotten her Severn roots. She has fond memories of her time there. She credits Severn with teaching her to write and think critically, “looking at all the variables in as many ways as possible.” These skills have been integral to her success in advocating for youth mental health awareness. Randi is also grateful to her English teachers, naming Woody Johnston as a standout, for developing her writing skills, which she tirelessly employed while writing her screenplay and writing advocacy articles. A special shoutout also goes to Don Wood, former Middle School Head and eighth grade science teacher, who “changed her life.” Severn gave Randi one more special gift. Three years ago, Randi reconnected with her high school sweetheart, Irving Stern '82, after 32 years of no contact. Randi gushes, “Above all else, Severn gave me the love of my life.”
The A-Z Alumni Spotlight aims to highlight Severn alumni in all walks of life. Continue reading on page 44.
C L AS S
S E C R E TA R I E S
Send your Class Notes to your Class Secretary to be included in the next issue of The Bridge. If your class does not have a secretary and you are interested, please email c.grimes@severnschool.com
1976
Catherine Clarke | catherineclarke@verizon.net
1978
Denise Tray Rosson | drosson@glenelg.org
1979
Kim Corbin Aviles | kaviles@csalaw.com
1981
Stacey Hendricks Manis | maniss@comcast.net
1982
Tracy Tischer | tctischer@gmail.com
1983
Molly Moore Green | m.green@severnschool.com
1985
Julie Katcef | julie@graceryanhomes.com
1986
Sara Tabasi Toomey | charleysangels@verizon.net
1987
Amy Tate | tateamyb@icloud.com
1988
Drew Burns | drew.burns831@gmail.com
1989
Holly Hodson | holly@hollyhodson.com
1990
Blairlee Meade Owens | blairleeowens@me.com
1991
Heather Clark Piskorowski | heatherpisko@gmail.com
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AMAZING ALUMNAE KAT E WIN S
ORF F ' 89 M ACARTHUR
G E NIU S
AWAR D
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced the winners of this year's fellowship in October. The MacArthur Fellowship is often better known as the "genius" grant, and this year's list included a characteristically wide array of disciplines. Each of the recipients was selected for having "shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction" - and each will receive a $625,000 award from the foundation "as an investment in their potential," paid out over five years with no strings attached. Orff 's recognition by the foundation was for "designing adaptive and resilient urban habitats and encouraging residents to be active stew-
ards of the ecological systems underlying our built environment." A graduate of University of Virginia and Harvard University, Orff lives in New York City, and is the founder of landscape architectural firm SCAPE. She is also a faculty member at Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation. “The best part about Severn was that students were encouraged to be well-rounded. Academics were just part of my experience. I was working after school in the drawing studio with instructor Charlotte Berry; practicing plays on the lacrosse field with our team; defending the goal in soccer with Coach Wagner; and interacting with peers and teachers without pressure to succeed. Case in point: one season as a junior I played JV basketball just for fun, and to chip in since there weren't enough girls to make a team. I had barely dribbled a ball before, and we probably lost every game. These kinds of experiences taught me how to be part of a team and lead at the same time, which is how I work today with my students at Columbia or with the designers at my office, SCAPE. Severn was a rigorous but flexible environment that set me on a path of discovery and sparked a desire to connect the dots between things rather than specializing or fearing the unknown.” — Kate Orff '89 40
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EB O N Y FLOW ER S ' 99 W INS PR E ST IG IO US R O N A JA FFE FO UN DAT IO N W R IT ER' S AWA R D In recognition of the special contributions women writers make to our culture and society, The Rona Jaffe Foundation announced its twenty-third annual Writers' Awards this fall. The Foundations' program identifies and supports women writers of exceptional talent. The emphasis is on those in the early stages of their writing careers. This unique program offers grants to writers of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry to make writing time available and provide assistance for such specific purposes as childcare, research and related travel costs. This year, six emerging women writers were singled out for excellence by the Foundation and received awards of $30,000 each. Ebony Flowers '99 was among them. Her biography from the Rona Jaffe Foundation reads as follows, “Ebony is a writer and cartoonist whose comic narratives lie at the intersection of family, place, and belonging. She is currently working on two projects. 4a/b is a collection of short-form comics that tells stories about Black hair through fiction, creative nonfiction, and parody hair advertisements. She says, “Black hair is an intimate experience based upon the familial touch of a mother, friend, or neighbor's hands while punctuated by the vestiges of racism.” Her long-form fiction comic, Shannon O', which has appeared in the Nashville Review, is loosely based on the Baltimore neighborhood, Fairfield, where her mother grew up and she visited regularly as a child. It explores the everyday life of women in this fictionalized tight-knit community. Her nominator says, “She is inventing something of great importance in terms of comics. There is nothing to compare her work to because it's like nothing I've ever seen. Ebony Flowers really is a genius. I believe she is going to change the game in terms of graphic narrative.” Ms. Flowers received her B.A. from the University of Maryland College Park and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she conducted an ethnography about how young children and graduate students participated in picture-making practices. She wrote her dissertation as a comic. At UW-Madison, Ms. Flowers was a researcher at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery's Image Lab and a founding member of the Applied Comics Kitchen. Next year, Ms. Flowers will be a visiting scholar at the University of Toronto where she will teach picture-based research methods. She plans to use her Writer's Award to focus more on her fiction and creative nonfiction comic projects, as well as take research trips and attend comics festivals. She lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband and cat.” Ebony's work can be found on her website: www.ebonydrawsflowers.com.
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was inspired by the history that Severn provided me while not even realizing it growing up. COL Adams was my world history instructor and opened my view to the world from the boots on the ground perspective that no book could provide. Headmaster Admiral Alfred G. Ward was the one in charge of the Cuban Missile Blockade - I remember his discussions about “The Missiles of October.” And to top it all off, if you look at the front of the Alumni House at 116 Maple Avenue, the room to the top right was my bedroom growing up when I was at Severn!”
1977
Distinguished Alumna Sandy Barbour was recently selected as one of the inaugural members of the United States Olympic Committee's Collegiate Advisory Council. The 11-member council is the first of its kind and represents the latest step taken by the USOC to increase collaboration with NCAA schools and conferences to elevate national engagement and support of Olympic sport opportunities. A big congratulations to alumnus Joe DiRenzo on the recent publication “Issues in Maritime Cyber Security,” a book which he co-edited. It's the first of its kind in this particular area of expertise, and Dr. DiRenzo kindly provided our Alumni House library with an autographed copy. Joe and his wife Karen live in a historic home in Connecticut. He loves his work as the director of research partnership at the US Coast Guard Research and Development Center.
1978
We had a great time catching up with Rick Mathieu and his wife Peggy at our Charlotte Alumni Social this fall. Along with being an alumnus, Rick taught at Severn,
and met his wife, Peggy, who was also on the faculty from 1983-1985. They both coached basketball, too! Rick is currently serving as the dean of the McColl School of Business at Queen's University of Charlotte.
1981
Kate Hoffman Brown recently joined alumna Julianne Steele Bing '91 at the Admiral's Cup Golf outing. Severn parents Miriam Mellin and Stephanie Jacobs were also in on the fun! Lorie Jones Stout and alumni director Carrie MacVean Grimes '91 recently crossed paths at a mutual friend's surprise party. Lorie is still sailing and living in Annapolis, where she and her husband Alex own Stoutgear, www.stoutgear.com, a company providing logoing and imprinting for all kinds of products, including corporate sportswear. Lorie strives annually to be a member of the “Century Club,” sailors who spend 100 days per year on the water.
1982
Arthur Egeli recently wrote in with an update: “My wife Heather and I recently produced the feature film “Murder on the Cape,” which was released this fall by Netflix. It is a fictional film based on the real life case of Christa Worthington. Though I worked in film since graduation, this film is a milestone because it will be the first one I directed that made money! Hopefully it will open the path to produce more movies. I never thought when I wrote my first screenplay as a junior at Severn that it would take this long, but who's counting years?” Arthur lives in Provincetown, Mass. with his wife and two children.
CLASS N OT ES
1983
Mark Carroll, Suzy Kennerly, Wendy Jones, Brooks Tucker, and Steve Rabbitt will be leading the efforts for the Class of '83 35th Reunion this May 4-5, 2018. Stay tuned for details classmates! It was great to see Craig Decker enjoying our Admiral's Cup golf event this fall with friends and fellow alumni!
1985
Sara Purcell Perine got the surprise of her life when four of her best friends and 1985 Severn classmates came to Philadelphia in honor of her 50th birthday. Traveling to Philadelphia for the August 26th festivities were: Katy Old Cook (Florida); Jennifer Peasback Richard (Connecticut); Josie Hinnegan (Washington, DC) and Pamela Butler Hollett (Port Perry, Ontario). The girls stayed up until 3:30 am and spent the rest of the weekend laughing and reminiscing. Sara was presented with a gift bag filled with souvenirs of their Severn days including a varsity letter, a mixed tape of 80s music and a fresh tube of Zinc Pink lipstick.
1987
Cheryl Herrick Lauer was on campus this past fall joining in a celebration honoring her sister, Distinguished Alumni Award recipient Cathie Herrick. Cheryl's daughter Inde will graduate from Severn this spring. Roman Ferrer and his son Danny '22 had fun catching up with fellow Admiral and Navy football safety Jarid Ryan '14 at the annual Army Navy game in December! Mariam Bahrami has a busy medical practice in Bowie and spends times in Ocean City and Deep Creek with her husband, Todd, and the kids.
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Steven Drucker is maintaining his great sense of humor while raising two boys with his lovely, patient wife, Mary Ann, and running Fig Leaf Software. Congrats to the most recent member of the Class of '87 Bar, Kurt Ellerbe! Matt Evans is practicing law and living in Annapolis and reports he is happy that his oldest son, Matthew, is now the third generation to attend Severn School. Congratulations to Robyn Formica on her recent engagement! Jordan Frame is a dad, attorney, and fitness guru, living in New York state after many years in the Baltimore area. Mary Pat Pearce Hedges is a nurse and doing well, winning dressage ribbons with her lovely rescued pony, Tinkerbell. Penny Leatherwood Kennedy writes that her family welcomed a new pup, Mollie, from Mariam's cousin who is a breeder. Her son, Conor, a senior, is busy looking for college while Maggie is a sophomore at St. Mary's. Come visit Penny if you are in downtown Annapolis! Lauren Richardson Mullins is enjoying life as a stay at home mom, after many years in the legal field, and has four adorable children. John Quinn is living in California. He and his wife, Amy, are awaiting the birth of a baby boy, after three adorable girls! Amy Tate wrote in to say “It was so great to see some familiar faces at the 30th Reunion Festivities but we missed seeing the rest of you! Keep the updates coming —please send updates to me at tateamyb@ icloud.com or I might just make you one!
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And email if you are in the Baltimore/ Washington area and can catch up!”
1988
Heather Sange Mahland and Highley Thompson will be helping rally the troops from the Class of '88 for their 30th reunion this May 4-5, 2018. Thanks for stepping up Heather! Stay tuned classmates for more details! Anne Sherwood and her husband Otto and son Everett welcomed Virginia Sherwood Pohl on July 12th, she was 8 lbs 4 ozs and 21.5 inches long and is happy and healthy. Anne is looking forward to coming out from California with her family for her 30th reunion this spring!
1989
Mick Arnold was back on campus this fall, hosting an Innovation Panel for our Upper School students about robotics and manufacturing. Mick is President of Arnold Packaging, where he has worked for the last 24 years. Mick was joined by local experts Ben Gibbs and Kell Guerin of Ready Robotics, and their robot! Mick is father to Brooke '20, Grace '22, and Olivia '26. Kate Orff, landscape architect living in New York City, was awarded the prestigious fellowship from The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for “designing adaptive and resilient urban habitats and encouraging residents to be active stewards of the ecological systems underlying our built environment.” See page 40 for the full article!
1990
Mike Long was in touch with alumni director Carrie MacVean Grimes '91 this fall: “I am so happy to hear Severn Alumni Association made it to the Carolinas. I live outside of Charlotte, N.C. and if any of the
alums down here would be interested in getting together after the football season (I'm a coach) ... I'd be all for it!”
1991
Matt Baker is enjoying life in Austin, Texas with his wife Lari and daughter Liberty. Matt recently published a great article on LinkedIn with offered some homage to his alma mater, called “Limitations are selfimposed, passion is made not found, and other observations on life and Career.” Matt is a senior vice president at Dell EMC Strategy and Planning. Marty Braun lives in Falls Church, Va. where he has a dermatology practice with his sisters Alicia '89 and Marisa '92, Braun Dermatology Skin Cancer Center. Alexi Dzurec is enjoying his work as company president and managing principal at an architectural firm, Autotroph. He's based in Santa Fe with his wife and two daughters, but also has offices in Baltimore. His firm specializes in the design of art facilities, community and educational buildings, multi-family/affordable housing and custom residential projects — with extensive experience in land use/ master planning, commercial, mixed-use development and transit facilities. Nikki Huberfeld and her husband Dave and daugher Sofia recently relocated to Brookline, Mass., where Nikki accepted a position as a professor of health law, policy and management at Boston University. Kristin Gillis Long and Matt Long had fun participating in the Admiral's Cup Golf outing this fall. They enjoyed catching up with their old principal, Mr. Julian Domenech Sr.! The Longs have three busy boys, Nate, Sam, and Graeme. Nate is in 6th grade this year at Severn.
M AY 4 - 5 , 2 0 1 8 A LU M N I W E E K E N D
CLASS N OT ES
(Top to bottom L-R) Class of 1985 alumnae Katy, Jennifer, Josie, Sara and Pam; Anne '88 and Otto Sherwood welcomed baby Virginia; Braun Dermatology Skin Cancer Center's Marty '91, Alicia '89, and Marisa '92; Craig Decker '83 and (next photo) Kate Homan Brown '81, Julianne Steele Bing '91 and Severn parents Miriam Mellin and Stephanie Jacob on the course at the annual Admiral's Cup Golf Tournament; Alexi Dzurec '91; Lorie Jones Stout '81
f o r m e r f a c u lt y i n m e m o r i a m
Ethel Elliott Rew, age 94, died peacefully on October 3 in Orlando, Fla. Ethel was born in South Carolina in 1923. She was a graduate of the University of Alabama, with a business major. In her early career, she worked retail in Atlanta, and then began a career in education. Ethel and her husband, Irving Rew, made their home in Severna Park. She taught at Benfield Elementary School, and then at Wroxeteron-Severn. Ethel was a highly regarded third grade teacher and she had a passion for engaging the students in projects related to social studies. A highlight of Ethel's life was her role as a founder of the Chesapeake Academy. Ethel and three other educators from the Wroxeter-on-Severn faculty, launched Chesapeake Academy when Wroxeter-onSevern closed. With only the summer of 1980 to write curriculum and find a location, the school opened in September of 1980. Ethel served as treasurer of the founding board of directors, as well as taught third and fourth grade. Chesapeake Academy is now the Severn - Lower School - Chesapeake Campus. While Ethel was living in Severna Park, she was an active member of St. Martin's in the Field Episcopal Church, the Alpha Omicron Pi Alumnae Group, the Ladies of the Elk and the American Business Women's Association. In 1988, Ethel and Irv Rew retired to Apopka, Fla. and several years later moved to the Plantation in Leesburg, Fla. Ethel was active in St. James Episcopal Church, as well as the Leesburg Woman's Club. She loved playing bridge and mahjong, as well as dining out with friends. She enjoyed travel and treasured the memories of her trips from the bayous of Louisiana to an African safari. Ethel was preceded in death by her husband Irving Rew and her son Harry Rodgers. WINTER 2018 43
C L ASS N OTES
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: CHRIS ACCINELLI '93
C
hris Accinelli shared, “I've always felt very lucky to have gone to Severn. I remember the morning my Dad took me to Garry's Grille in Severna Park for breakfast and told me that I would be attending Severn. When he told me the news, he was beaming with pride. My father, Dr. Jaime Accinelli, grew-up in Peru as the youngest of nine kids and was the first one in his family to immigrate to the United States. He came here in 1959 after graduating from medical school. My mom was the oldest of five kids raised by a single parent in Glen Burnie. For both of my parents, but especially my father who couldn't speak English when he arrived in this country, being in a position to send his son to a private school like Severn was the American Dream, and he was extremely proud of it.” Chris has great memories of his four years at Severn. While Homecoming, Prom, and pep rallies were definite highlights, his favorite memories are of just hanging out with friends — on away busses to places like Boys' Latin for games, waiting for rides outside the gym after school and
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after practices, playing ping pong in the basement of the old dining hall, and eating warm Otis Spunkmeyer cookies and Mama Celeste's microwave pizza for lunch. Having played soccer for four years at Severn, he also has lots of team memories: “Our coach Rick Lenfest took the team on a trip to Bermuda – that was awesome!” Chris laughed when he recalled the team's uncomfortable uniforms: “Our uniforms were 100% polyester - they were dated even by 1989 standards. We only had long sleeve jerseys with butterfly collars – they were awful, but even if we weren't that skilled, we looked good playing!” Chris's laugh turned to a low groan when he remembered training runs to Askewton Hill off Old County Road. “It is a steep long hill. We'd have to jog to the hill, and our coaches would sit at the bottom and make us run it like 10 times. It was brutal!” But even more special to Chris were the people he met at Severn. Teachers, like Mr. Cameron Coe, who taught ninth and tenth grade English, made a strong impression on Chris. “He was demanding and tough, but very approachable and likable at the same time. He made class a lot of fun. He felt like a friend.” Chris remembers Doug Williams, a health teacher and the football and JV
basketball coach, as someone who “always had a positive attitude and never allowed you to get away with an excuse. He would say, in that great Southern accent he had, 'You can't make it to the gym, well get out in your yard, find yourself a sturdy tree branch, and start doing your pull-ups!'” Chris also named Julian Domenech Sr., as a stand out faculty member. In addition to his teachers, the friends Chris made at Severn also left a lasting impression. In fact, Chris believes that Severn's hallmark is “lifelong friendships.” He adds, “It was the quality of the people at Severn and the friendships I made and maintain today that have had the biggest impact on my life path.” Todd Fletcher '93 and Dave LaChapelle '93 were both in his wedding in 2004 and are still his best friends. He still socializes with Severn many classmates including Brad Fowler '93, Kristen Bauer Zaks '93, Drew '91 and Amy Stehl Bauer '90, Melissa Weeks Foote '93, Dudley Dixon '93, Joe Feldman '93, Ben Harries '93, Chris Hopkinson '92, Matt Sarro '91, Matt Long '91, and Adam Williams '92. And he is neighbors with plenty more Severn classmates and their families, including the (Tom) Carter Family, (Mark) Jackson family, (Stehl) Bauer family,
Burgess family, Codd Family, Hooper family, McManus family, Moran family, and Wellschlager family, just to name a few. Maintaining these Severn friendships is a priority for Chris: “I work for people who have been very successful financially, but everyone knows what is most valuable and rewarding in life are the relationships you form with other people.” After graduating from Severn, Chris went on to Loyola University (formerly Loyola College). He majored in business and finance, and after four years, he was ready to spread his wings beyond Severna Park. He took a job as a financial advisor in San Diego with Salomon Smith Barney, where he built a successful career and met his wife. According to Chris, “The best thing that ever happened to me was meeting my wife Kelly out in San Diego. We fell in love on our first date February 13, 1999!” Drawn home by the pull of family, Chris and Kelly now live in Severna Park with their three children: Avery (11), Emerson (9), and Grant (7). Chris currently has a comprehensive wealth management team with Morgan Stanley in Annapolis, and Kelly works part time in Corporate Fundraising for Anne Arundel Medical Center. Chris is lucky enough to live in the same waterprivileged neighborhood where he grew up, Linstead, only 15 houses up from his childhood home, where his mom, Patricia Accinelli, still lives. While most of his weekends are spent on athletic fields watching his kids play, any free time is spent on the Severn River – jet skiing, tubing, water skiing, paddle boarding, and hanging out with friends. Chris has great memories of growing up on the water himself. “So many of us lived on the Severn River that we could all drive boats to each other's homes way before we could drive a car!” He remembers several times when he and his Severn friends would spend the night at his parents' house, get up the next morning at 5 am, pack PB&J sandwiches, and head out on the river to water ski before school started. Chris's Severn blood runs deep, and he is excited to celebrate his 25th Reunion in May with his classmates. Thinking back to that morning 29 years ago at Garry's Grille, when he first heard the news that he'd be attending Severn, neither he, nor his father, had any idea of the impact this school would have on shaping the rest of Chris's life. Eternally grateful for the opportunity, Chris thinks his dad, who unfortunately passed away in July, would have gotten a kick out of reading this article in Bridge! The Bridge
The A-Z Alumni Spotlight aims to highlight Severn alumni in all walks of life. Continue reading on page 52.
C L AS S
S E C R E TA R I E S
Send your Class Notes to your Class Secretary to be included in the next issue of The Bridge. If your class does not have a secretary and you are interested, please email c.grimes@severnschool.com
1991
Matt Sarro | mattsarro@gmail.com
1992
Jennifer Molesevich | jennpm1@msn.com
1993
Dave Sobel | dave@evolvetech.com
1994
Mike Calabrese | calabrese_michael@hotmail.com
1995
Darcy Watt Gurganous | dwgurganous@gmail.com
1996
Erika Huebner Rollins | erika@designstudio13.com
1997
Gussie Habeck Melendez | augustamelendez@gmail.com
1998
Dan Ericson | ericson@gwmail.gwu.edu
1999
Jen Scott Gatewood | scottj@advisory.com
2000
Jane Friend | jfriend12@gmail.com
2001
Matt Nicholson | mtnicholson3@gmail.com
2002
Kristi Jobson | kristi.jobson@gmail.com
2003
Laura Lutkefedder | llutkefedder@gmail.com
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C L ASS N OTES (Top row L-R) Nikki HuberďŹ eld '91 and family; Matt and Kristin Gillis Long '91 with Mr. Julian Domenech Sr.; Marc Morlock '91 and family with Andy Plummer '91; (MIddle row L-R) Melissa White Morsberger '91 and family; Heather Clark Piskorowski '91; Jenny Duy Moran '92; (Bottom row L-R) Chris Wassif '91 and family; Larry Hooper '92 with daughter, Erin '23; Kara Anne Hamilton '93
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M AY 4 - 5 , 2 0 1 8 A LU M N I W E E K E N D
Cheryl Helman Madden is still enjoying life just outside of Philadelphia, where she works as a psychologist at the Veterans Health Administration. She's very busy with her children Dahlia and David and very involved with her community and neighborhood. She loves her new role as aunt to brother Jon Helman '94's son, Daniel! Marc Morlock lives in Annapolis with his wife Rebecca and two daughters. He and Andy Plummer '91 were spotted together this fall at a Penn State football game! Melissa White Morsberger and her family are enjoying their (relatively) new home in Eldersburg, Md. Melissa is the school nurse at Chapelgate Christian Academy. She and her husband Steve and daughters Katherine, Abigail and Molly adopted a son, Lyonia, from Ukraine this past year. Congratulations, Melissa and family! Heather Clark Piskorowski is still living in St. Louis with her husband Bryan and sons Owen (13) and Quinn (10). She's actively involved in coaching with the Girls on the Run St. Louis chapter. Heather's sister Ali is in Arlington and her parents are in downtown Annapolis so she's often back in the area for visits. Chris Wassif was back on campus for Homecoming this fall and caught up at the football game with classmate alumni director Carrie MacVean Grimes '91. Chris and his family live in Edgewood, Md. Chris currently works as a research associate at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
1992
Larry Hooper and his wife Brynn and daughter Erin '23 participated in this year's annual Homecoming Chili Cook-Off. They won the coveted wooden spoon for “Most Magnificent Moniker “Hooper's Hotness”.
Entrepreneur Jay Manickam recently spoke as along with three other successful Austin-based entrepreneurs at the panel hosted by UT's Genesis Program, which funds student start-up businesses. Jenny Duffy Moran has been popping by Alumni House quite a bit this year to deliver beautifully designed logoed items for her alma mater! Jenny's company, My Preppy Present, is located in Severna Park.
1993
I N M E M O R I A M Kara Anne Hamilton passed away peacefully in Tiburon, Calif. on July 3, 2017 at age 41. Kara leaves behind her husband, Matthew Novotny; daughter, Petra Novotny (9); and son, Nicholas Novotny (7). A beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend, Kara touched countless people with her generosity, kindness and love. Kara was born on July 31, 1975 in Annapolis to Kathleen McFeaters and Stan Hamilton. She graduated from Severn School where she participated in soccer and lacrosse. Kara graduated with honors from Florida State University, majoring in broadcast journalism. She worked as a writer and on-air talent for the Sunshine Network (Fox Sports Sun) and wrote for The Florida A&M University Newspaper. Kara studied acting in New York City and achieved success as an actress and model appearing in indie films as well as numerous national commercials and magazine covers. Kara and Matt moved from New York to San Francisco in 2005 where she continued to thrive professionally. She recently authored the celebrated children's book, “A New Leash on Life.” Kara's life's best work was raising her two children. She fought cancer bravely and selflessly until the end, wanting to be with her family as long as possible. She has been an inspiration to all for her courage, grace and enduring love. In
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addition to her husband and children, Kara is survived by her father, Stan Hamilton; mother, Kathleen McFeaters McGlew; stepfather, Don McGlew; and her sister, Michelle Lonchar. She was preceded in death by her sister, Jennifer Hamilton. Melissa Weeks Foote created a beautiful architectural rendering of Daiger House for the school dedication of the property in October. Melissa's firm, which specializes in architectural renderings, is MDF Designs. (see page 24). Robin Quinton is helping to lead the charge for Class of '93s 25th reunion this spring at Severn on May 4-5, along with Melissa Weeks Foote, Chris Accinelli, Christy Wade and Kristen Bauer Zaks. Stay tuned for more information! Kristen Bauer Zaks wrote in from North Carolina this fall with an update: “Here is a picture of Roni Threlfall Wyss '90 and I with our two youngest. We live in between Charlotte and Raleigh. We found the “Severn of the South” at our kids school. We also do volunteer work together at the Ronald McDonald House since I am currently serving as the President of the Board of Directors and Roni chaired one of our big fundraisers this fall!” Former faculty member Carole Coss has been busy volunteering at Alumni House in the archives. She enjoys working alongside other “Retired Admirals,” including Carol Duncan and Toni Michelsen. We always love to see Retired Admirals back on campus! Speaking of Ms. Duncan, our volunteer archivist and retired art department chair, was instrumental in gathering “Retired Admirals” for a luncheon this fall at Maggaino's in Annapolis. Many were in attendance. This lively crew loves meeting up for lunch!
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1995
Cara Lawson Applegate and her husband were in Annapolis this summer and showed their kids Severn. She had not seen campus in quite some time. Jason Scott and his wife Sarah welcomed a baby boy, Jackson Reaney Scott, this past fall. Everyone is happy and healthy!
1996
It was great to catch up with Ryan Goff at our Raleigh alumni social this fall. He is still living in Durham with his wife and two children, and he works as an advanced support analyst at Principal Financial Group, where he has worked for the past 12 years.
1997
We caught up with Molly Arey at our Raleigh alumni dinner. Molly works at Holly Springs High School as the head athletic trainer. Court Creeden's new book Blue Goat just came out on Amazon in October! You can check out www.bluegoatlife.com if you want to read more about it. Court hosted our alumni reception in Charlotte, N.C.! Alli Weitz LaRochelle is back at Severn as an alumni parent to her boys Brady '27 and Brock '25. She and her husband Paul were in North Carolina this fall participating in a Half IRONMAN. Jess Popham McDermott and Dave McDermott were on campus this fall visiting Severn. We loved to catch up with them in the Admissions suite!
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1998
I N M E M O R I A M Jason Wesley Adams of Annapolis and Palm Beach, Fla. passed away on December 23, 2017. Jason was born on March 18, 1980 in Richmond, Va. Jason attended Severn School and Ohio Wesleyan College where he played Division III Football. Jason relocated from Annapolis to West Palm Beach, Fla. where he was very successful in the iTelecom Industry, where he got his nickname “The Boss.” He founded his own corporation, Commodore Communications Inc., and later partnered with iTelecom.com. Jason loved his family and was proud of his Christian Faith. He was an avid sports fan (Redskin Fanatic and Fantasy Football) he had a passion for playing football, sailing and poker. He loved road trips and going to the Florida Keys whenever possible. Jason is survived by his loving mother, father, twin brothers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. He leaves behind his significant other of ten and half years, Melissa Jackson. Jason is also survived by numerous friends and other relatives. In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to Severn School Financial Aid. Please make checks payable to Severn School Financial Aid, 116 Maple Ave., Severna Park, MD 21146, notation “In memory of Jason Adams” or online at www.severnschool. com and place the notation in the comment box. If you would like to discuss alternative ways to make a gift please contact Severn School on 410.647.7701 ext 2259. Dan Ericson, Jenn Addabbo, Skylar McDowell, Judd Ireland, and Jen Songer will be helping to rally the troops from the Class of 1998 for your 20th Severn School reunion, May 4-5, 2018. Stay tuned for more details!
Zach Mills was recently on Baltimore TV 11's Morning Show talking about Wit & Wisdom's fall menu and making duck confit mac & cheese! Zach is the Executive Chef at Wit & Wisdom, www.witandwisdombaltimore.com.
1999
The Dammeyer family joined is this fall at our Charleston reception. It was great to catch up with Will, Kathy and Tom Daly, Ben '01, and cousin Meg Henderson '00. They are all enjoying life down south in Charleston and Edidsto Island. Aaron Lowe is enjoying life in Charleston where he works as an account executive at Evening Post Industries. We loved catching up with Aaron and his wife Sarah at our Charleston reception this fall. Congratulations to Ebony Flowers on her recent writing award! Ebony was among six emerging women writers singled out for excellence by The Rona Jaffe Foundation and will receive awards of $30,000. This unique program offers grants to writers of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry to make writing time available and provide assistance for such specific purposes as child care, research and related travel costs. Read the full article on page 40. On Friday, August 11, Matt and Jen Scott Gatewood welcomed into the world a little boy, George Reginald Gatewood 8 lbs 11.2 ozs. “This date is extra special since it is my brother Jason's 40th birthday, an uncle for the first time. This last week has brought many meaningful moments including visits from George's grandparents, our siblings, and friends.“
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(Top row L-R) Retired Admirals Luncheon; Matt and Jen Scott Gatewood '99 with baby George; (Middle row L-R) Carter Loetz '06 with Court Creeden '97; Dave and Jess Popham McDermott '97 with Carrie MacVean Grimes '91; Rupal Kharod '99 with Ms. Wanda Ned; (Bottom row L-R) Jason Adams '98; Zach Mills '98; Ron Giddings '99 with Carrie MacVean Grimes '91
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C L ASS N OTES (Top row L-R) Scott MacMullan '00 with Carrie MacVean Grimes '91; Chris Foster '01; Laura Boyd '03 and Annie Salsich '03; (Middle row L-R) Brian and Alex Golod Eaton '01 welcomed baby Gage William; Billy '02 and Callie DeLancey; Annie Salsich '03 with her baby girl Adelyn Rose; Rob '99 and Tara Bourdelaise Hantske '01 welcomed baby Reed; (Bottom row L-R) Mike Bailey '01 and family; Doug '00 and Allison Mayer are proud to welcome Ainsley Evelyn
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M AY 4 - 5 , 2 0 1 8 A LU M N I W E E K E N D
Ron Giddings is enjoying his work as an Upper School English and drama teacher at Severn. He is enjoying collaborating with retired Admiral, Mrs. Carol Duncan and the alumni director, on launching the Severn Theater Alumni Repertory Society (STARS) — see page 21 for more info. Rupal Kharod visited Alumni House in September with her brother Darshan '03. She caught up with alumni director Carrie MacVean Grimes '91, admissions assistant Mrs. Wanda Ned, and Middle School assistant Mrs. Gina Limon. She enjoyed a tour of Teel and found her name on the Rotunda Wall. Rachel Taft was back on campus this fall as a guest on the Alumni Association's “Admiral's Club Podcast” with host Darshan Kharod '03. Great to see you back on campus, Rachel!
2000
We had fun catching up with Wes DeLancey at our Paint and Sip Social in Charleston this fall. He's busy working as a government consultant at his company Slamslope in Charleston. Baxter (Tom) Denney writes, “I moved to London with my wife Sarah in December 2016 and we are really enjoying life in Europe. I am still working for the San Francisco based tech company New Relic as head of marketing. If any of our classmates find themselves in London or want an excuse to visit, send me a message at tbdenney@gmail.com.” Meg Myers Henderson recently opened Made 2 Move Physical Therapy specializing in orthopedics and women's health in Charleston, S.C. We loved catching up with Meg and her husband Matt at our Charleston alumni reception this fall!
Scott MacMullan has been busy campaigning for his run for County Council District 6, which represents the Annapolis Neck peninsula, Crownsville, and Sherwood Forest. Carrie MacVean Grimes '91 and development director Shannon Howell had fun catching up over coffee with Scott this fall near his legal offices in historic Annapolis. Doug Mayer and Allison Mayer are proud to welcome Ainsley Evelyn Mayer into the world in February 2017. They live in Annapolis with their dog (Rudy) and cat (Rebel).
2001
Mike Bailey and his wife Emily are enjoying life in Severna Park with their busy brood of three: Henry, Vera and Bernard. Helen McCaffrey Birney and her wife Nora are enjoying life in Maplewood, N.J. with their children Lexi and Jill. Brian and Alex Golod Eaton welcomed son Gage William into the world on July 30th. He weighed in at 7 lbs, 1 oz and 20 inches. The Eaton family sends well wishes to all! Chris Foster is working as a senior editor at Triathlete Magazine, where he helps write, edit, assign, and manages the print and online sides of the magazine. Tara Bourdelaise Hantske wrote in to announce the birth of baby Reed. Tara and Rob '99 welcomed him to their family on April 25th and are having so much fun being a family of 5. Daughters Riley (7) and Reese (4) attend Saint Andrews' in Edgewater. Rob works at Under Armour in Baltimore and Tara works from home as a holistic health coach, teaching pure barre in Annapolis as well. The Hantske family sends a whole bunch of love to the entire Admiral community!
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Brian Kelly is still busy working and enjoying life in Boulder, Colo. He is working for Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company where he develops and fixes software for space ground systems. He is also currently pursuing a master's degree in electrical engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. Other than working and studying, he still finds time to enjoy all of the beauty that the Rocky Mountains offer, so look him up if you make it out that way. Brady Nolan and his wife Kara had a busy spring and summer. They have two extremely active boys that turned two and four this fall. In June, they moved into a new house in Chevy Chase, Md. and Brady recently started a new job as managing director of acquisitions for Urban Atlantic, a Bethesda based real estate investor and developer after running his own investment firm. Brady says he is already trying to figure out how to get his boys to Severn from the D.C. area. Dave Roahen wrote in to get us all caught up after 16 years. He graduated from BU Dental School three years ago and just started a new job at Mayani Dental Group as a general and cosmetic dentist in downtown Boston. Dave is happily living in Boston's South End with dog, Hudson, and new fiancé, Jaime Cohen. Jaime and Dave got engaged on July 4th in Gaztelugatxe, Spain and plan to get married in Annapolis in September. Matt Yake is living in Baltimore these days, Bolton Hill to be exact, with his partner Sarah and their cats. He's about to go back to work on House of Cards, which will be shooting season 6. Matt has been with this hit show since season 4 and says it's really nice to be on a show that shoots at home after being on the road for so many years.
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: MOLLY DODSON MULQUEEN '03
M
olly Dodson Mulqueen's personal life and career have taken her from New York City to Los Angeles to London. She has worked for Time Inc., Esquire Magazine, InStyle Magazine, Coach, and The Wall Street Journal. Her newest endeavor, however, is motherhood. Molly and her husband Matt welcomed Caroline James Mulqueen to the world on August 15, 2017. Molly currently lives in London, England. “My husband and I came here looking for an adventure. We have been here for four years and have signed up for at least another two to three years. We absolutely love it. We lived in Santa Monica, Calif. for five years prior so the move was a big change. However, we are now settled in and happy to call London home. It will always be a special place for us as it was where Caroline was born.” Molly and Matt met at Penn State, where they both played lacrosse. Adventure was in the cards for them from the beginning. Their Annapolis wedding on August 27, 2011 was graced by Hurricane Irene. They exchanged vows at St. Mary's Cathedral in a candlelit ceremony since the church had no power. In a Hollywoodesque stroke of fate, the lights came back on just as the priest pronounced them husband and wife! With a major in communications and advertising and a minor in psychology, Molly entered the workforce as an event coordinator for Time, Inc in New York City. “I loved that job!” Molly exclaimed. One of the highlights was working on the TIME 100 Gala, an annual event
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recognizing the 100 most influential people in the world, according to Time Magazine. With her move to Santa Monica, Calif. in 2009, Molly switched gears to advertising and sales while working for Esquire Magazine and then InStyle Magazine. Upon moving to London, she convinced Coach that they needed to hire an American with her experience and expertise to help the company with their rebranding in the European market. They listened to her advice, and she was hired as a marketing coordinator in 2013. Most recently, up until Caroline was born, Molly worked in advertising sales for The Wall Street Journal. Molly's seven years at Severn very clearly influenced her career and work ethic. She knew it was a special place from her very first time on campus. She vividly remembers meeting Molly Moore Green '83 and Anne Habeck, both admissions officers, at her interview: “They were so nice and kind to me.” She remembers the shadowing as a “huge deal,” and she was lucky enough to have good friend Carrie Friend Frazee '02 tour her around. “Right from
the admissions process, Severn was preparing you for your future, teaching you the life lessons of interviewing, shadowing, speaking with adults, etc.” As a four-year field hockey and lacrosse player, Molly has great sports memories of Severn as well. “I especially loved running the halls before games and our pre-game breakfasts in the cafeteria.” Molly laughed out loud when she recalled the standard fare: cream cheese and pasta on a bagel! Molly is most appreciative of her opportunity to learn about and try so many different activities at Severn. “Severn provides students with unprecedented access to try so many different things in order to truly find what you are passionate about and which could ultimately influence your career, life choices, and hobbies.” Whether it was learning photography, pottery, acting in the theater program, trying different sports, leading a student council meeting, or starting a new club, Severn offered her classmates so many kinds of experiences. “There was something for everyone, on top of the great education offered. It truly prepared you for the future.” For Molly, it was the Yearbook Club that really caught her interest. She was the senior editor of the 2003 yearbook, and she credits that experience with giving her a foundation of skills that she uses in her marketing, publishing, and event planning career. Despite living aboard, Molly still manages to come stateside to visit with her dad Jim Dodson, as well as her brother Jimmy Dodson '92 and sister Ashley Dodson Lamade '01, and their families, who live in Washington, D.C. On her most recent visit in October, Molly brought baby Caroline – her daughter's first trip to the USA! Molly was very excited to introduce Caroline to her cousins in D.C. Molly also stays in touch with Severn classmates Danelle Gorayeb '03 and Julia Schechter Michelman '03. Danelle lives in New York City and works for Deloitte Consulting. Julia lives in Durham, N.C. with her husband Ben Michelman '03, and they welcomed an adorable little boy, Charlie, into the world in February. Julia works as a clinical psychologist at the Child and Family Study Center at Duke University Medical Center. Molly is not sure whether or not she'll be able to make another trip across the Atlantic for her 15th Reunion in May, but she would love the opportunity to reconnect with her '03 classmates in London, if they ever find themselves overseas!
The A-Z Alumni Spotlight aims to highlight Severn alumni in all walks of life.
C L AS S
S E C R E TA R I E S
Send your Class Notes to your Class Secretary to be included in the next issue of The Bridge. If your class does not have a secretary and you are interested, please email c.grimes@severnschool.com
2004
Jen Presswood | jennpresswood@gmail.com
2005
Janessa Del Sesto DiMenna | janessadimenna@gmail.com
2005
Tyler Williams | tylerwilliams0@gmail.com
2006
Katie Bates Hall | hall.julia.k@gmail.com
2006
Carter Loetz | gcloetz@gmail.com
2007
Graham Ellison | ellisogc@eckerd.edu
2007
Samantha Goldman | goldman.sg@gmail.com
2008
Steve Sexauer | stephen.b.sexauer@gmail.com
2008
Annie Weber | acw5133@gmail.com
2009
Katie Dickerson | kdickerson22@gmail.com
2009
Justin Kiehne | kiehnej@dickinson.edu
2010
Mackenzie Carroll Kirkup | mackenzie.o.carroll@gmail.com
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2002
Billy DeLancey and his wife Callie have been busy with their new crowdfunding lobbying outfit, the nonprofit Lobbyists 4 Good - www.lobbyists4good.org. Lobbyists 4 Good is “funded by the people, for the people.” Lobbyists 4 Good is now running Kickstarter-style campaigns that allow members of the public to choose what issues they want to hire lobbyists for. “Anyone can submit a campaign, and it gets vetted through our founding principles,” says DeLancey. “We want to be the go-to resource for people to get their voice heard in government.” After returning from a two-year stint with the Peace Corps in the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, Billy spent three years, from 2012 to 2015, at the Department of Agriculture as a program analyst and a public affairs specialist. Katie Helms Jolicoeur and her husband are loving life with their baby daughter Margaret, who just turned one in November. Katie is a field merchandising manager for Hobo Bags, headquartered in Annapolis Junction.
2003
Laura Boyd is busy and enjoying life in Charleston, S.C., where she works as a lifestyle designer and creative consultant for Strawberry Banke Studio, which she founded in 2013. Check out Julia Deckman's artwork at www.byjdeckman.com or Instagram @byjdeckman (Featured story on page 24). Annie Salsich Griffin and her husband Tommy were delighted to welcome a daughter, Adelyn Rose, on December 14. Annie and her husband are enjoying life in Charleston, S.C. where Annie is a district manager at Copper Penny, an upscale boutique. We enjoyed catching up with Annie and Tommy at the Charleston alumni social. 54
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Darshan Kharod has been busy working locally as an associate attorney with the Law Office of Garland C. Hall in Glen Burnie. As Alumni Association President, Darshan has launched the “Admiral's Club Podcast,” an interview series with alumni. He also plays on a baseball team with other local Severn alumni lawyers, “The Litigators." Tyler Larkin married Amanda Lebo on October 21 at the Annapolis Maritime Museum in Eastport. Many alumni were in attendance. Congratulations, Tyler and Amanda! Laura Lutkefedder is helping to lead the charge to rally the troops from the Class of '03 for your upcoming Severn 15th reunion on May 4-5, 2018. Schuyler Sutton, Amanda Barron, McLean Robbins, Kip Turner, and Claire Vetter will also be helping out. Stay tuned for details! Georgetown University Head Coach Kevin Warne has announced the addition of Michael Phipps as an assistant coach on the men's lacrosse staff. Phipps comes to the Hilltop after spending the past three seasons as an assistant coach at Navy. “We are thrilled to have Michael Phipps join our coaching staff here on the Hilltop,” Warne said. “Michael is a hard worker who possesses a wealth of lacrosse knowledge and he has worked under some of the best coaches in the game. I am extremely excited to see him mold our offensive players and our system as we head into the upcoming year.” • Michael and his wife Maggie also welcomed their daughter, Finley Elizabeth, to the world on June 20, 2017. The family currently lives in Annapolis. Michael's wife Maggie is director of lacrosse operations for the women's lacrosse team at the University of Maryland. Congratulations, Michael and Maggie!
Kip Turner's foreign exchange student “brother”, Kristian Jensen, visited from Denmark this fall with alumni mom and grandparent Ellen Turner. Kristian, who spent one year at Severn (1992-1993) enjoyed seeing how much campus has changed. He is still in close touch with the Turner Family and many other alumni from the classes of '92 and '93.
2004
Regan Bosch recently celebrated her one year wedding anniversary with husband Colin Checcio. Regan and Colin's stunning Texas wedding was designed by her classmate, Julie Savage Parekh '04 and featured in Martha Stewart Weddings! Ryan Brassel shared, “My family and friends recently decided to honor my Mom, Ginny, in the First Annual Pancreatic Cancer Walk in Historic Annapolis on September 10, 2017. Not only was the walk dedicated to my mother, but also to raise awareness and recognize other loved ones that we have lost too soon to this deadly cancer. We had a phenomenal turnout with about 400 people and raised about $93,000 which, exceeded our goal of $50,000. I want to personally thank all of the volunteers, the Lustgarten Foundation, the committee, and friends and family that helped contribute to make this happen. We look forward to another successful event next year.” • Ryan and his wife Kelly welcomed their second daughter, Pippa Josephine at the end of 2017. Big sister Savannah welcomed Pippa home! Travis Jenkins and his beautiful family were back on campus this fall for Homecoming festivities. Travis served as a judge in the annual Homecoming Chili Cook-Off, which was started by and is named in honor of his father, the late Garry Jenkins '80.
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(Top row L-R) “The Litigators" (l-r) Brendan Murphy '06, Adam McCormick '06, DJ Baines '05, Darshan Kharod '03; Newlyweds Amanda Lebo and Tyler Larkin '03; Travis Jenkins '04 and his family at Homecoming; (Middle row L-R) Chili Cook-Off baby judge Grant Harrison, son of Ashley McCarl Harrison '05; Baby Hudson Ava, daughter of Dustin and Brett Bathras Packard '06; Regan Bosch '04 and husband Colin Checcio; Julie Savage Parekh '04; (Bottom row L-R) Ryan Brassel '04 and Severn family at the first annual Pancreatic Cancer Walk in Historic Annapolis on September 10, 2017; Pippa Brassel, daughter of Ryan '04 and Kelly Brassel; Davis '04 and Chrissy Yake welcomed twin girls, Charlie and Maddie.
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C L ASS N OTES (Top row L-R) Newlyweds Dennis Rosson '07 and wife, Rachel; Carter Loetz '06 and fiancé Esther Walsh; Carrie MacVean Grimes '91 with Philip Snyder '09; (Middle row L-R) Hayley Bosch '07 and fiancé John Torpy; Newlyweds Michele Manis '08 and John McGovern III; (Bottom row L-R) Alyssa Vain-Callahan '07, Ryan Goff '96 and Carrie MacVean Grimes '91; Brittany Schuh '08; Newlyweds Bill and Steph Graves Mistretta '09
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Kate Myers caught up with alumni director Carrie MacVean Grimes '91 this fall over coffee. She's busy working in DC at her startup, Smalltalk, an A.I. powered text message platform. Kate previously lived in LA, and is loving being back home near family and friends! Julie Savage Parekh has established herself as one of the nation's premier wedding planners and style makers at her company Strawberry Milk Events and Styling … way to go, Julie! Her work has been featured in many publications such as Martha Stewart Weddings, Harper's Bazaar, The Knot, Fox News, and Washingtonian Bride & Groom. Davis Yake and his wife Chrissy recently welcomed twin girls, Charlie and Maddie. Congratulations on your growing family!
2005
Ashley McCarl Harrison was back on campus this fall with husband Rashid and her sons to serve as a judge in our Homecoming Chili Cook-Off. Her baby was a judge's assistant! Todd Heffner is living in Atlanta working as an associate at Smith Currie and Hancock. He and alumni director Carrie MacVean Grimes '91 have been in touch about setting up an alumni social in Atlanta. Email Carrie at c.grimes@severnschool.com if you're interested in participating!
2006
Carter Loetz became engaged this past September to Esther Walsh at Freedom Park in Charlotte, N.C. Brett Bathras Packard and husband Dustin welcomed their first child, a girl, Hudson Ava Packard, on August 1, 2017. Mom, dad, and baby are loving life as a family of three in Idaho and hope to make her a future Admiral someday!
2007
Hayley Bosch and her longtime boyfriend, John Torpy, got engaged in September 2017 on the beach in Rhode Island, where they go every summer. Hayley just started a new job as a business development strategist at digital marketing agency Huge, and John is working toward his architecture license. Hayley and John live in Manhattan with their dog, Pierce. They are looking forward to a 2019 wedding. Randi Galloway James wrote in to say “In September 2017 we moved to Japan where we will live for the next 3-4 years. We are also excited to announce that we are expecting our newest bundle of joy in March 2018!” Congrats, Randi! Alyssa Vain-Callahan Reynolds helped organize our fall alumni dinner in Raleigh, and it was great to catch up with her! She and her husband John are happy parents to Sadie Madeline (2). Dennis Rosson got married in Barcelona in September. Congratulations to he and his new wife, Rachel!
2008
Michele Manis married John McGovern III in Annapolis in October. The couple honeymooned in Hawaii. Congratulations, Michele! Brittany Schuh graduated from medical school this past May from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and matched into residency at Johns Hopkins in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has been loving residency so far — she may want to go into maternal fetal medicine (high risk obstetrics) — but stay tuned because this could definitely change with the next four years of residency! She just bought a cat named Mr. Buffy with her boyfriend Tim who is a neurosurgeon at The University of Maryland.
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Mark Staines met Shelby Atchison while living in Dallas, Texas, got engaged in April 2017, and are getting married on St. Patrick's Day in Bakersfield, Calif. They now live in Denver, Colo.
2009
Christie Djordjevic Hannon ran into development director Shannon Howell on (of all places) an airplane last fall and they enjoyed getting acquainted! Christie is living in Annapolis, where she works as a full time instructional developer. She is also also a part time personal trainer at the Y. You never know when you might bump into an Admiral!
f o r m e r f a c u lt y i n m e m o r i a m Temma Schaller, of Severna Park, MD, died November 15, 2017 at the age of 80, surrounded by family. Born May 29, 1937 in Hartford, CT, Temma graduated from Weaver High School and went on to earn her BA degree from Smith College — where she made lifelong friends. Following a long tenure as an administrator at Severn School, she went on to get her law degree at the age of 50 from the University of Baltimore. After law school, she worked for many years for a social justice lobbying organization in DC and then for many years running adult education programming at Roland Park Country School. Jennifer Linsley Alphin, 67, died at The University of Virginia Hospital September 20, 2017. Jennifer was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in Northport, N.Y. She graduated from Sweet Briar College in 1972. She then received a master of art in teaching from Duke University and married Thomas H. Alphin Jr. in 1973 in Lexington, where she taught math at Lexington High School through 1975. They moved to Severna Park in 1975, where she taught at Severn School. In 2011, she retired and they moved back to Lexington. She was a docent at the Stonewall Jackson House and treasurer of the Lexington Garden Club. She was active at the R.E. Lee Memorial Episcopal Church where she served on the Altar Guild, the Christian Outreach Committee and headed an ACTS team. She also volunteered at Rockbridge Regional Library book sales and at the RARA food pantry. WINTER 2018 57
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Kathleen Dowd Hartman married Christian Hartman on September 30. Christie Djordjevic Hannon '09 was the matron of honor and Leigh Wagner '09 and Katie Dickerson '09 were bridesmaids. Kathleen and Christian are currently living in the house they built in Annapolis. Kathleen is still working as a NICU nurse at CNMC in DC. Steph Graves Mistretta married Bill Mistretta on September 16, 2017 on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Now living in Wilmington, Del., she is the marketing manager for a regional kitchenware retailer and Bill is a chemical engineer at DuPont. Katie Rudder made the trek from Savannah to Charleston to join us for our Alumni Social this fall. She is loving Savannah, and working as the campaign manager of the Leukemia Cup Regatta at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The alumni team had fun catching up with Philip Snyder at our Charlotte reception. Philip is enjoying life in Charlotte where he is working as a mortgage loan originator for Cardinal Financial Company. Kate Williams is loving life in Charlotte, where she works as a business analyst at JLL commercial real estate. We loved hanging out with Kate at our Charlotte alumni reception this fall. Kate enjoys her visits to her parents' home in Murray Hill when she comes back to Annapolis!
2010
Drew Foard married Nikki Shields on September 16, 2017 on a beautiful, sunny day at Gibson Island Country Club. Surrounded by friends, family and severn alum they certainly felt the love! Groomsmen included 2010 classmates Robert Hoehn-Saric, Matthew Treuth,
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George Schuh, Alex Cramer, Jordan Stout, Dean Marchitelli and Richie Davis. Other Severn alum in attendance included Allie Foard '12, Kayla Fu '10 and Jordy Bathras '10. They honeymooned in the Maldives before returning to their current home in San Diego. Sam Greiber met her fiancé, Jack Moorehead, at Hofstra University where they both played lacrosse. The couple got engaged while on vacation in southern California over Labor Day Weekend and are looking forward to their wedding! Mackenzie Carroll Kirkup and Stevie Kirkup '09 got married at The Chesapeake Bay Beach Club on July 15th, 2017 surrounded by friends, family and some fellow Severn alums: Katie Carroll '11, Elizabeth Carroll '14, Mark Carroll '83, Allie Foard '12, Christina Elliot '08, Crystal Tran '12, Eric Heinsohn '08, Daniel Jones '09 and some current and former faculty as well. Shortly after the honeymoon, they packed up a U-Haul and moved from Dallas to NYC and love living in the DUMBO neighborhood. Chase Strom and wife Lexi got married on June 24, 2017 in Fredericksburg, Va. You couldn't have dreamed up a more beautiful bride! Both the Strom's and Stones enjoy a good party, so the night was filled with great music, “great” dancing, and lots of love. Severn alumni in attendance were Brock Strom '05, Shane Strom '08, Alex Adams '10, Ellie Wincester '10, Daniel Farley '10, Erik Ostberg '10, and Clay Morris '10. • The Alumni team loved catching up with Chase and Lexi at our Raleigh social. Ellie Winchester wrote in to share, “After three years of working full-time in the Maryland area, I made the decision to move
to Australia for a year to live, work, and travel. I spent a semester of high school in Townsville, Australia and was longing to go back ever since. For me, traveling is one of the greatest gifts. Getting to experience new cultures and places makes you appreciate all of the opportunities in the world and different ways of life. Before making the flight to Australia, I did a cross-country road trip across the U.S. visiting many national parks along the way. I feel so fortunate to be able to take this time to explore around the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, Southeast Asia, and more. If you want to follow along, I'm documenting the adventures on www. alexandellie.blog. We'll see where I end up in a years time!”
2011
Nate Babcock wrote in from Tennessee with this update, “Following a year of volunteering at Hood College, I have taken over as the assistant coach of Men's Lacrosse at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn. My time running cross country for the amazing Mr. Richard Zmuda and playing lacrosse for Brian Wood and Chris Howes, helped massively to shape me into the man and coach I am now. They did a great job of, not only teaching me about the sports, but to show me how to lead young men with compassion, energy, and hard work. I am forever grateful for my experiences at Severn School. At Rhodes we currently have two Severn Alumni on our roster: Adrian Mann '17 and Steven Miller '17." Russell Buhrer is enjoying life in the Charleston, S.C. area, where he is working as a property manager and guest services representative at Dune Properties of Charleston. We loved catching up with Russell and his mom Laurie at our Charleston Alumni Social in October!
M AY 4 - 5 , 2 0 1 8 A LU M N I W E E K E N D
CLASS N OT ES
(Top row L-R) Newlyweds Chase '10 and Lexi Strom; Sam Greiber '10 with fiancé Jack Moorehead; Ellie Winchester '10; Caroline McCleary '12 and fiancé Grant Barnes; (Middle row L-R) Wedding party for Nikki Shields and Drew Foard '10; Mackenzie Carroll Kirkup '10 and Stevie Kirkup '09; (Bottom row L-R) Brandon Hresko '17 in Sydney, Australia; Lillie Kontor '17
WINTER 2018 59
C L ASS N OTES
Katie Carroll is enjoying her position working as the marketing coordinator at Hobo Bags, located in Annapolis Junction. She had a wonderful time at her sister Mackenzie's wedding this past summer! (Featured on page 65) Rachael Nock is currently working in event strategy for AT&T in San Diego, Calif. Through work she travels the country from Dallas to Wisconsin and manages event strategy accounts on the west coasts while working top state festivals to drive revenue. Courtney Richeson is living in Raleigh, where she is a project designer at VINES Architecture. We loved catching up with her this fall at our alumni dinner in Raleigh!
2012
Eva Bilo is enjoying life in Charleston. She recently started teaching pottery classes! Caroline McCleary got engaged to her now fiancé, Grant Barnes, at the Red River Gorge in Kentucky. The two met at the University of Kentucky and plan to have a wedding September of 2018 in the hometown of her fiance, Louisville, Ken.
2013
David Jones was one of six Navy men's lacrosse players have been named to the 2017 Patriot League Men's Lacrosse Academic Honor Roll. The nine Patriot League schools that sponsor men's lacrosse combined to place 174 studentathletes on the Men's Lacrosse Academic Honor Roll. To be eligible for the Academic Honor Roll, a student-athlete must earn a 3.20 grade-point average in the spring semester and participate in one of the Patriot League's winter or spring championship sports. Way to go, David!
60
THE BRIDGE
2014
Courtney Rainey is student teaching math at Queen Anne's County High School this semester. Mikayla Walker wrote in to say “This past summer I had a public health internship with a non-profit organization called Set Her Free in Kampala, Uganda. I was there for a month. Their mission is to empower young women and give them the necessary skills they need to sustain themselves and get out of the cycle of poverty. Currently I am applying to grad school to get my Masters in Global Public Health.” Former faculty member Josh Klein wrote in recently from Raleigh: “So wonderful to hear from you at Severn! My wife, Kelly Teagarden, also a former Severn teacher, and I live in the Raleigh Durham area. If there are any Severn alumni who are in the area and would like to reach out don't hesitate."
2016
Zak Rosen enjoyed his political internship with alumnus Scott MacMullan '00 and had an article published in The Daily Record. The article, entitled “When the law is more than statistics” is about the what he learned being mentored by Scott. “I got a sense that the law wasn't just facts and details and right and wrong and guilty or not; it was also a thing of hope, of mercy, of believing in the best in someone.” Samantha Stearns was at the Naval History Conference at USNA this fall, which Severn's junior class and select senior elective classes attended. She had fun catching up with Ms. Bea Fuller!
2017
Brandon Hresko is currently studying in Sydney, Australia with other students. He is majoring in English for Northeastern. While abroad he is enjoying the coffee and helping out with community service. Emily Huber is a psychology major at University of North Carolina with chemistry and neuroscience minors (pre-med). She is involved with UNC's Relay for Life for American Cancer Society and Blanck Canvas which is the school's largest dance company! Her favorite place to be on campus is sitting on the quad overlooking Wilson Library and the old well. Lillie Kontor is planning on double majoring in government and economics. Her favorite thing on campus is the amazing group of professors, coaches, and friends she interacts with everyday (and the pumpkin cinnamon chip cookies in the dining hall!). She is involved in Colby Crew and Colby Cares About Kids. Priya Lakhanpal is a psychology major on the pre-med track at University of Richmond. She loves the international center and is part of “DSquad” which is a dance club on campus. She is involved with community service on campus for her Spanish classes and loves exploring the city of Richmond with her friends. Charlie Olmert wrote in to say, “I'm tentatively going to major in history and literature, but still not sure. My favorite thing on campus is Harvard Yard, a beautiful open space with huge trees. I'm also on the Leadership Council for the lacrosse team.”
M AY 4 - 5 , 2 0 1 8 A LU M N I W E E K E N D
C L AS S R E UN I O N
L E A D E R S H I P
T E A M S
1968—50th! Shannon McDowell and Tom Smith
1973—45th! Scott Burns, Kent Holtgrewe, G.P. Lindsay, and
S E C R E TA R I E S
Send your Class Notes to your Class Secretary to be included in the next issue of The Bridge. If your class does not have a secretary and you are interested, please email c.grimes@severnschool.com
2011
Beanie Antonini | beanslacrosse@hotmail.com
2011
Katlyn Flynn | katlynivy@yahoo.com
2012
Kaya Gordon | kagg.12@gmail.com
2012
Grace Rudder | grace.rudder@gmail.com
2013
Haleigh Bass | haleigh.bass@richmond.edu
2014
Cole Smith | cms17@email.sc.edu
2015
Eva Caruso | ecaruso@g.clemson.edu
2016
Carrie MacVean Grimes '91 | c.grimes@severnschool.com
2017
Bella Roccograndi | berocco@terpmail.umd.edu
Woody Wooddell
1978—40th! Tom Foard and Steve Schuh
1983—35th! Mark Carroll, Wendy Jones, Suzy Kennerly, and Steve Rabbitt
1988—30th! Heather Sange Mahland and Highley Thompson
1993—25th! Chris Accinelli, Kristen Bauer Zaks, Melissa Weeks Foote, Robin Quinton, and Christy Cole Wade
1998—20th! Jenn Smith Addabbo, Dan Ericson, Judd Ireland, Skylar McDowell, and Jennifer Hartman Songer
2003—15th! Amanda Jones Barron, Laura Lutkefedder, McLean Robbins, Kip Turner, Schuyler Sutton, and Claire Bowersox Vetter
2008—10th! Taylor Burns, Emily Kohlenstein, Chelsea O'Neill, and Lainey Rosson
Email c.grimes@severnschool.com if you can jump on board for these classes! 1948, 1953, 1958, 1963, 2013
Hey, you! Yes, you. We miss our alumni and want to hear all about your life after Severn. Recent trips, internships, research projects, stories with classmates, new job or address, babies, weddings, graduations — we want to know! Email your class secretary and let them know or drop us a note on Facebook.
WINTER 2018 61
ALUMS MARRIED TO ALUMS
LET ME TELL YOU 'BOUT THE BIRDS & THE BEES
AND THE FLOWERS AND THE TREES
THE MOON UP ABOVE
AND THE THING CALLED LOVE
62
"COMING TOGETHER IS A BEGINNING. KEEPING TOGETHER IS PROGRESS. WORKING TOGETHER IS SUCCESS. " — HENRY FORD
B ET TER
TOGET HE R W E A R E A B E E H I V E O F AC T I V I T Y,
BY CARRIE MACVEAN GRIMES '91
humming with collaboration and creativity. From
the Graw Innovation Center's walls of whiteboards, to the currents of the Severn River and the bright
lights of Price Auditorium, students come together
day in and day out in joined efforts toward creating
positive outcomes. Whether it's a win at the regatta
or a flawless opening night, these moments of coming together, keeping together, and working together are essential to each student's education at Severn, and
arguably the most critical skill to hone in preparation for life beyond Water Street.
The Harvard Business Review recently reported
“As business becomes increasingly global and crossfunctional, silos are breaking down, connectivity is increasing, and teamwork is seen as a key to
organizational success ... over the past two decades, the time spent by managers and employees in
collaborative activities has ballooned by 50% or more”
(HBR, 2016). But engaging in collaborative activities is just the starting point in producing positive
outcomes. We all know that collaboration in and of
itself can reduce productivity if time, knowledge, and networks aren't leveraged wisely.
So what does fruitful collaboration look like? Research
reveals that the most successful teams share their best assets shrewdly, embrace diverse viewpoints, and are imbued
with feelings of trust. A study at MIT's Sloane School of Management revealed that “Trust is critical to the success
of teams ... people trust one another more when they share similarities ... and operate in a common cultural context” (Govindarajan & Gupta, 2001).
Severn's alumni community has become a beehive of trust-
based professional collaboration. Alumni are coming together, keeping together, and working together across a range of
industries including fashion, communications, finance and
music. The results represent ideal collaborative spaces, where
a shared narrative of their Severn foundation fosters a unique synergy, rooted in mutual confidence and camaraderie.
WINTER 2018 63
and Laure realized a top-notch software engineer was
necessary in order to continue to advance the growth of the firm. Enter Bob Graw '85. Though Bob and Laure were
several years apart at Severn, when Bob's resume crossed
Laure's desk, she immediately recognized him as the older brother of her classmate Kate Graw Lamond '96, and as a fellow alum of Severn School. Laure reflects, “When a Severn graduate applies, they have an immediate seal of
approval — a Severn resume to me represents a benchmark of excellence ... a Severn alum receives immediate priority as an applicant.” Bob soon became a tremendous asset to
CTM's growing team. When asked to describe his work, Bob's eyes twinkle. He clearly revels in the intricacy of its
challenges; “It involves lots of moving parts, and Laure and Bob Graw '85, Carrie MacVean Grimes '91, Laure Thebaud Fisher '96, and Erika Huebner Rollins '96.
A
are problems to solve, and strong critical thinking skills are a plus.”
Over the next several years, the team at CTM has
WESOMENESS HAPPENS HERE. These are the words that greet you when you enter the headquarters of call tracking and automation software
firm CallTrackingMetrics, founded by Laure Thebaud Fisher '96 and her husband in 2011.
Tucked back on an inconspicuous side street
between Severn's Chesapeake and Teel campuses,
CallTrackingMetrics' sleek office space is peppered with modern furnishings, bright colors, and larger than life
prints. A Wharton graduate and management consultant, Laure (pronounced Lor-ee) recalls the earliest days of
the business, run out of her basement with her engineer
husband and co-founder, Todd. “At its core, our business is so simple. Todd and I saw a niche for the software as a service business model — there was a gap with
companies who were trying to track their marketing
— and we realized that managers want access to that
data.” Essentially, CTM serves as a replacement for the
age-old question, “How'd you hear about us?” by utilizing telephonic technologies to track the origins of a call.
Having access to this valuable data allows companies to
market smarter, by investing their budgets into the most effective channels.
CallTrackingMetrics' first client was sourced locally
through a family friend, and rapid positive results ensued. Through word of mouth, the business quickly expanded
64
I regularly collaborate on so many projects. Each day there
THE BRIDGE
expanded to include 24 people, including marketing
director Erika Huebner Rollins '96. Having relocated to
Severna Park from Savannah, Georgia where she served on
the faculty at Savannah College of Art and Design, Rollins picked up the phone one evening to vent to Fisher after a stressful day of commuting to and from her then-job.
“Laure and I have been close friends since seventh grade
at Severn. She mentioned the marketing director opening at CTM, right here in Severna Park, and the timing
was perfect!” Erika and Laure relish the opportunity to
collaborate on the job, and Laure asserts, “When you work with Severn alumni, you trust them like family.”
How has the CTM team drawn upon their Severn
experiences in their professional lives? Rollins passionately feels her Severn education has served her during each step of her career journey. “Severn builds a sense of
independence. Severn taught me how to network, gave me confidence to advocate for myself, and instilled within me a sense of drive and focus. That has enabled me to make a career out of my love of art.” Fisher echoes, “Severn
affected the fundamental way I approach life — in terms of organization, good habits, having a sense of responsibility
and a community of people whom I can rely upon.” Graw put it plainly: “Severn focuses on executive functioning,
organization, communication, and critical thinking. They teach you how to think, not what to do.”
P
ERCHED ON A HIGH TRAFFIC PEDESTRIAN corner in historic Annapolis near city dock, Hobo Bags' flagship store boasts a charming cherry red and white exterior and a welcoming window full of richly hued leather goods, beckoning shoppers in from the brisk hustle and bustle of
Main Street. The distinctive aroma of leather permeates this adorable shop, and its proud positioning serves as homage to its roots as Annapolis' homegrown brand of hip handbags.
When Katie Helms Jolicoeur '02 first applied to work at Hobo in 2006,
she had just graduated from Virginia Tech, where she majored in marketing and fashion. She was hoping to land an internship, but they weren't hiring. Determined and inspired by the Hobo brand, she reached out again a few
months later, and was able to land a position in customer services where she
worked for three and a half years. That position led her into field merchandising, which involves managing Hobo's key accounts such as Nordstrom, and
facilitating product knowledge and training. It is her responsibility to make sure the Hobo brand's message transitions smoothly from the headquarters to the sales floor, and to oversee other employees to support that effort nationwide.
When asked “Why Hobo?” Jolicoeur doesn't hesitate. “We're still family run and family owned after 27 years. It's very challenging to keep that family feel
and still grow to the size that we are ... we've blended corporate elements in a 'Hobo way.'”
Jolicoeur was pleased to note a Severn resume in the mix when Hobo looked
to hire a new marketing coordinator last spring. Katie Carroll '11, who had
been working as a hiring manager for Anthropologie, was also drawn to Hobo's
work.” For Carroll, it was Coach Sot (Renie
Sotiropoulos) who had a lasting influence on
her. “She coached, taught history and women's studies — she is so dedicated and loves
everything she does ... and I'll always remember our class Jeopardy games!”
“The Katies” forged a fast bond as
colleagues, and genuinely appreciate their
collaborative moments at Hobo. As a team, they are responsible for making sure the
information shared with Hobo's key account
holders is cohesive, accurate and timely. Their collaboration has been particularly acute over the past year, as Hobo has undergone a full rebranding. Their collaborative workflow
has been seamless, and they attribute that in part to their shared Severn history. Carroll
remarks, “The Severn connection is powerful.
Our relationship feels so much more authentic — we have an awesome camaraderie. When you meet or see a Severn person you are on
the same wavelength, you have similar goals, attitudes, and work ethic.”
unique aesthetic. When Carroll was offered the position, she reached out to
Jolicouer right away. Jolicoeur remembers their meeting: “Our shared experience gave us an instant connection — even though we never really overlapped as
students, our ability to narrow down to a more intimate network was so special. To connect two special places really made me feel a sense of nostalgia.”
Jolicoeur and Carroll laugh reminiscing about Dr. Jackie Baugh's papers
and speeches, and Jolicoeur expresses her gratitude: “I owe her a lot! All of that writing and public speaking we did has been so helpful in my
Katie Carroll '11 and Katie Helms Jolicoeur '02
WINTER 2018 65
(left) Meredith Balenske '02 and Chris Hughes '06 (above) Tom Bodor '86, Jeff Muller '86, and Lakin Ducker '86
us ... we were always encouraged to work hard, be successful, and keep our eyes on the prize.” Hughes, who works as a vice president with Revolution's Growth Funds, helps invest
the firm's money in the consumer retail and
financial technology sectors, and appreciates
L
O C AT E D J U S T O F F of D.C.'s Dupont Circle in a stunning contemporary office
suite, Revolution radiates a vibe of serene, cerebral confidence. Joined at the mahogany
boardroom table by Chris
Hughes '06 and Meredith
collaborating with Balenske. “Meredith helps
Despite a somewhat austere exterior, a peek
into the world ... she gets all of our messages
fun-loving corporate culture, where employees
Hughes believes that “being a part of the
the joy found in good work and professional
credibility — you know they are smart, have
photos each have two poses — one serious,
good values.” Balenske agrees, “We knew we
silly photo). Revolution's success is rooted in
of the same memories, the same foundation,
and control for consumers and businesses.”
me get my point of view on these industries out
behind the curtain at Revolution reveals a
out and elevates [Revolution's] profile.”
work hard but also have an appreciation for
Severn brand gives a colleague instant
camaraderie. For example, their website's team
good character, and share a common set of
and one silly (Hughes dons scuba gear in his
had a common shared experience — with some
their philosophy of investment in “speed-ups”
and the same teachers.”
to mass and scale to capitalize on huge market
recall the teachers they loved the most during
— “helping companies take ideas from niche
Both alumni were all smiles when asked to
opportunities.”
their time at Severn. Balenske credits former
very busy young professionals.
of communications, has a broad portfolio
“being a wonderful advisor who encouraged my
an 11-year-old venture capital
from developing a communications and
Highley Thompson for being a “strict, but kind”
liaising with internal and external groups
and Mr. Bodley,” Hughes asserts. “She gave me
Expectations are high with the work that she
of the teachers at Severn encouraged us to try
helping to shape her approach to her work. “At
course.”
Balenske '02, one immediately
gets the sense that these are two Their employer Revolution is
firm with over $1 billion in assets under management, co-founded by Steve Case (co-founder of AOL) and describes its mission as
“investing in people and ideas that can change the world ...
building disruptive, innovative
66
companies that offer more choice, convenience,
THE BRIDGE
Balenske, who works as the vice president
art department chair, Carol Duncan, with
of responsibilities within the firm ranging
work in the art studio” and Upper School dean
media strategy to managing the website and
leader. “I wouldn't be here without Dr. Baugh
about the company's programs and initiatives.
a voice, and he gave me something to say ... all
does, and Balenske credits her Severn years for
things, to experiment, and to chart our own
Severn we had personal relationships with our
teachers, and they had very high expectations of
G
R E AT C O L L A B O R AT I O N I S E P I TO M I Z E D
our classmates, who remember us from when we first started
in the Alumni musical trio of Jeff Muller, Lakin Ducker, and
out — it's very nostalgic,” says Muller.
School's best class ever — the Class of 1986!”
are busy at diverse and impressive day jobs. Bodor, who
that simple yet remarkable rhythm one finds when gathered
distinguished career as an archaeologist and currently is a vice
together under the moniker “Naked People” back at Severn's
includes cultural resources management for federal agencies,
the band's name to “Hear and Gone” (literally) and finally,
preservation. After spending several years in New Orleans
(among many other instruments — including a bizarre
and Roll Hall of Famer Allen Toussaint and Grammy-winner
bass, and Bodor on guitar, these longtime alumni friends
environmental work. He currently serves as the director of
partnership as band-mates. From locations as diverse as the
Fund in D.C. Ducker is a true renaissance man, having been
on Joe's Field, the old gym and the “Boone House” (now
a software engineer for online education provider Linux
all over Severn's campus. Zambezi also has a notable resume
believe Severn laid the groundwork for success in the journey
private events, and live performances at local venues. Bodor
divergently, and there was always enthusiasm and support for
collaborative, extended play music.”
English teachers Mr. Worthington and Mr. Howell, who
to bask in the glow of their over 30 years of friendship and
hall during the holidays: “There was always motivation to be
special bond that brings us back together…our music gives us
conversation: Bodley, McLaughlin, Vandervort, Sassi, Madden
an excuse to hang out and just jam, and to be creative together.”
the experiences which made the Class of '86 “such a close-
Weekend picnic, most recently last May. “Our base has always
together.”
Tom Bodor, who are all self-described members of “Severn Over lunch last fall, these pals seemed to slip right into
When they're not making music together, these alumni
studied anthropology as an undergraduate, has had a long and
together with old Severn friends. The musicians first played
president with The Ottery Group in Kensington, Md. His work
high school talent shows in the early 80's, and later changed
and advising the cities like Annapolis on issues of historic
“Zambezi.” With Ducker on vocals, guitar, and saxophone
performing music professionally with artists such as Rock
electronic device called a theremin), Muller on vocals and
Cyril Neville, Muller transitioned to another personal passion,
have a treasure trove of Severn memories built around their
donor communications and stewardship for the World Wildlife
rooftop of the old dining hall, the back of a flatbed truck
an entrepreneur in healthcare, a dance instructor, and currently
Alumni House) lawn, Zambezi has played its brand of “jam”
Academy. Despite their disparate professional paths, they each
of professional gigs spanning three decades of weddings,
of life. “Severn was always pushing us to think creatively and
describes their style of music as “highly improvisational, very
artistic expression,” reflects Ducker. Bodor fondly remembers
The camaraderie of this crew is palpable, and they seem
were also musicians, playing folk rock music in the dining
musical collaboration. Ducker feels “so lucky to have this
creative at Severn.” A litany of other teachers are mentioned in
special memories of times we shared long ago, but also gives us
and Maslack — all of whom Muller believes contributed to
Zambezi is a frequent entertainer at Severn's annual Alumni
knit, supportive community of people, who still love to gather
been Severn alumni ... we get a huge amount of support from
O U R A L U M N I PA R T N E R S H I P S A R E E N E R G I Z I N G T H E I R C O M M U N I T I E S W I T H C O L L E C T I V E E X P E R T I S E A N D I M AG I N AT I O N . H O W YO U A R E CONNECTED? ARE YOU LEVERAGING YOUR SEVERN NETWORK TO ITS C A PA C I T Y ? R E A C H O U T A N D C O M E T O G E T H E R , K E E P T O G E T H E R , A N D W O R K TO G E T H E R . B E C A U S E AT S E V E R N , W E ' R E S I M P LY B E T T E R T O G E T H E R .
WINTER 2018 67
UPCOMING EVENTS F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 8 - J U LY 2 0 1 8
'Chaplin' | February 22-24 Presented by the Water Street Players. Tickets available online
'A Night on the Severn' APA Auction | March 2 Tickets available online at bidpal.net/severnschoolauction
Lower School Grandfriends' Day | March 30 Register online
Early School Open House | April 18 Register online
Alumni Weekend | May 4-5 Save the date! Check the website for more details, tickets, and reunion information.
M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N @ W W W. S E V E R N S C H O O L . C O M
One Man, Two Guvnors produced by The Water Street Players, November 2017
Cole '28, son of Pam Roberts '87, at the Alumni Weekend Family Picnic
68
THE BRIDGE
WINTER 2018 69
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