Sewickley Speaking Fall 2015

IN THE QUEST OF FAL L 20 15

Back row: Henry Clement ’82, Suzanne (Genter ’76) Friday, Sandy (Sandra Mack ’83) Cook, Greg Paul ’88, front row: Callie Rose Clement, Lily McNeill Friday, Courtney Haines Cook, Hilary Ann Paul

CONTENTS

4 GROWING LEADERS OF COLOR — STEVE MORRIS ’90

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LIVING HISTORY — A LESSON FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL HISTORY TEACHER CARLA GARFIELD

REFLECTIONS FROM 25 YEAR EMPLOYEES

21 EDUCATION: THE LIGHTING OF A FIRE — DIRECTOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING PATTY BUTZ

WINTER & SPRING SPORTS WRAP-UP

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SOCIAL ARCHITECT - NINA BARBUTO ’03

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INTRODUCING NEW TRUSTEES

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SA WELCOMES NEW LOWER SCHOOL HEAD

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TRANSITIONS IN COLLEGE GUIDANCE

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MEET NEW ADVANCEMENT TEAM MEMBERS

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FAMILIAR FACES IN NEW PLACES

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CLASS NOTES

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ALUMNI EVENTS

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IN MEMORIAM

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A NON-LINEAR PATH TO EDUCATION - GEOFF POISTER ’73

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CLASS OF 2015

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A Message from Kolia O’Connor, Head of School

In this issue of Sewickley Speaking, you will read reflections by some of our most senior faculty, familiar names to many of you. You will understand immediately that our 25 year veterans remain enormously important contributors to our students’ learning and growth because they too continue to learn and grow. You will also meet on-campus innovators and those charged with thinking about our academic program and how it establishes a foundation that will support future adaptation and innovation rather than blind adherence to some statically defined status quo.

In these pages, we will also welcome you into the exciting, dynamic, and proactive lives of several alumni who have devoted themselves to lives of purpose, whether they are connecting artists, technologists, and makers, creating documentaries to illuminate and elevate, or cultivating the leadership capacities of the next generation of independent school educators.

Dear Readers of Sewickley Speaking, Last June, we were able to welcome back to campus Mike Finke ’85, USAF Colonel, retired, and NASA Astronaut, as our graduation speaker. Mike gave a great talk and reminded our students that the assumed straight path of success sometimes includes eccentric diversions. Mike reflected on the world into which he graduated in 1985, thirty years ago, one where there were no cell phones and where the Internet had yet to be conceived. He then challenged graduates to consider the state of the world 30 years from now, to consider how different things are likely to be, in ways we cannot even imagine.

At Sewickley Academy, we do think about the distant future and what we must do to prepare our students to be successful and remain successful as they go forth and follow a variety of personally-informed and likely divergent career paths. The key to success, as Mike reminded his audience, is that we must be life-long learners. We must be prepared to learn and grow and change to meet the demands of a world whose contours are not yet even shadowy outlines.

We can only be awestruck by the amazing achievements of our many alumni, and we can see clearly that the Academy continues its own evolution and adaptation to the needs of current students in a never-ending effort to ensure that our graduates are prepared to follow successfully in the footsteps of those who have come before.

At Sewickley Academy, we understand that only our continuing commitment to educational excellence will serve our students. This fall, we launched a 1-to-1 digital device program, ensuring that our students and their teachers, who remain at the very heart of an Academy education, will have the 21st century tools they need to collaborate, innovate, problem-solve, and share learning both with each other and with wider audiences.

Here tradition and innovation are twinned in the service of providing the most dynamic and relevant educational experiences we can for our students. We always begin and end with the student and the teacher, but we also know that in a rapidly changing world, we need more than flint and sparks to ignite educational fire and passion. We need amazing people equipped with the latest tools to support the best in teaching and learning, so that our students are equipped to go out and make a difference in the world.

Enjoy!

Kolia O’Connor Head of School

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On Campus

EDITOR

Brittnea Turner DESIGN

Third Planet Global Creative www.333planet.com CONTRIBUTORS

INTERN

Julie Banks

Emily Resler

This past spring, the old Means Alumni Gym was torn down to make way for the new Events Center and Means Alumni Gym. The new venue, scheduled for completion in June 2016, will allow the whole community to gather in one place to celebrate our successful athletic programs, as well as host graduation and Founder’s Day celebrations.

For more information, or to view the construction cameras, visit: www.sewickley.org/eventscenter.

Kaitlin Busch Carla Garfield Kolia O’Connor Winthrop Palmer Kristina Serafini - Photojournalist, Trib Total Media Susan (Ratcliffe ’55) Sour Brittnea Turner James Wardrop Haley Wilson

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blog.sewickley.org

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Access the digital issue at

www.sewickley.org/ss

What Do You Think?

We welcome your letters and comments on this issue of Sewickley Speaking. We may edit your letters for length and clarity, but please write to bturner@sewickley.org or Ms. Brittnea Turner, Sewickley Speaking, 315 Academy Avenue, Sewickley, PA 15143.

Wear Your Panther Pride Our online store has options for the whole family! www.sewickley.org/sagear

Auction Raises more than $369,000 for SA More than 200 guests attended the “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” Annual Auction on April 18, 2015, and gross proceeds were more than $369,000!

Auction Chairs Rachel Allen, Susan Cox, Jayme Thompson, Jenna Stevenson, and Director of Auction and Special Events Patti Coyne Stine helped secure more than 250 silent auction items. Amanda DiTano, April Cordle, and Jenna Stevenson created whimsical table decorations, and each room was a burst of color and cheer. Thank you to all who attended, donated, and volunteered for this event. You made it a success.

SA Students Selected As All-Section Athletes!

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More than 15 Panthers were selected to All-Section and All-WPIAL teams during the 2014 – 2015 sports season! Read more on page 8.

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SUCCESS

IDEA

DIVERSITY Lighting a Fire

SUPPORT

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INSPIRE INSPIRE

GROWING

LEADERS OF COLOR

Sewickley Academy alum Steve Morris ’90 is thinking outside the box when it comes to diversifying the look and culture of leadership in the independent school community. Steve is the current head of school at The San Francisco School (SFS), founded in 1966. The SFS is a Pre-K through Grade 8 co-educational day school, and is a very diverse and inclusive institution with 53 percent students of color. Even though Steve has his hands full shepherding 278 students, 42 faculty members, and 237 families, he was excited to reflect on his past experience at Sewickley Academy, and shared his thoughts about his present work in San Francisco and the future as he sees it regarding diversity and inclusion in independent schools.

Steve remembers his days at the Academy well, the beautiful campus, the devoted faculty, and the sense of community that students feel as they walk the halls of a place they call home for much of their adolescent years. “I can honestly say that my first real hero was the head of school at Sewickley, Ham Clark.”

Based on the lessons he learned from former SA Headmaster Mr. Cliff Nichols, Steve still very much takes pride in teaching his students the importance of a firm handshake and solid eye contact.

Pictured above is Steve with a 4-year-old from The San Francisco School.

Clark was the head of school when Steve was in high school, and he describes Clark as someone who, “directly impacted my family.” In fact, the Academy served as a “second” family to him as he and his sister attended Sewickley Academy since Kindergarten, and his grandmother served as a teacher on campus.

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them in the system. “Independent schools have a real opportunity to make a big difference. We have the resources financially and the equipment.” Steve feels such schools have a real responsibility to make a difference in something that clearly is a huge challenge for our country and the world.

Steve takes time out of his day to connect and eat lunch with a group of Grade 7 girls from SFS.

Steve tells the story of how Clark looked after him and his family during his time at the Academy. “During my freshman year of high school, my mom and I were in a horrific car accident, hit by a drunk driver,” he said.

“I walked away from it, but my mom was really impacted and has never been the same to this day.” When this happened, it was around the time that Clark had just taken over as head of school at the Academy. “One of his first calls to duty was to go and visit our family in the hospital,” Steve recalled. From that day on, Clark and Morris had a very close relationship. “Even into my college years, Clark was a mentor to me.”

Steve sought counsel from Clark after he graduated from The College of Wooster with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in African-American studies. He recalled telling Clark he was confused about the direction of his life and his career. Clark invited him back to Sewickley Academy to help with a new summer program for kids called Summerbridge Pittsburgh. Summerbridge is a tuition-free, academic program dedicated to teaching high-potential, academically driven, under-resourced students to learn what it takes and develop the skills to achieve their goals to hopefully enroll in a four year college.

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During Summerbridge, the kids came to the Academy to take classes, and Steve ended up coming back to help start and run the program with Clark. Summerbridge launched Steve’s career in education. From then on, education has been his passion.

Steve stated, “to be a teacher or educator, you’ll never look back and say teaching is a waste of time. I think everyone should try to give back in that way. Teaching is easy to become passionate about.”

After his love for education was set ablaze through his work with Summerbridge, Steve continued his work in education, eventually becoming an experienced advocate for growing leaders of color in independent schools. He began taking on leadership roles, such as director of Summerbridge Pittsburgh, program officer of Summerbridge National, instructor of English / dean of multicultural programs at University High School in San Francisco, California, assistant head of school at The San Francisco School, and finally, in 2008, was named head of school at The San Francisco School.

Steve believes in independent schooling, and loves what it stands for, however he is concerned about minority students and fostering

Today, integrating diversity into independent schools is vital, yet there is still so much progress that needs to be made. “As far as independent schools are concerned, we are very behind in regards to having students and faculty across the board from different backgrounds and ethnicities. Because of this, the danger is not teaching our children how to respect and thrive in a setting with people different than themselves.” Steve continued, “educational institutions are excellent places for students and faculty to practice mutual respect for each other and to teach children how to embrace diversity. Because [independent schools] are well resourced [institutions], we need to take advantage of those opportunities and think outside the box.”

Steve recalled a teacher who made a tremendous impact on his life during his time at Sewickley Academy named Mrs. Joan James.

Mrs. James, an African-American, taught Grade 4 and was a lifelong teacher at the Academy.

Steve said she “walked the walk.” Mrs. James started Black History Month talks on campus and led diversity focused events. “She instilled pride in us minority students.” Steve and his peers of color looked at her and knew that they shared the same story. He knows how important it is for independent schools everywhere to have a diverse group of educators for the sake of the students. “When it comes to having a diverse group of teachers at our school right now, I feel like all of our schools compete for the same small group of candidates. We might be lucky to get that one African-American male. But what ultimately inspired me was, instead of competing for the same small pool, let’s grow the pool. Let’s grow and deepen that pool.” Since coming to that realization, Steve’s goal is to grow the pool of educators of color across the nation.

There are over 1,500 schools in the National Association of Independent Schools. Of those, there are fewer than 60 heads of schools that are of color. Steve is one of those few.

This statistic is shocking and upsetting to many people, including Steve. Rather than being angry or upset, he decided to take action.

Steve has taken action in various ways when it came to growing this group of leaders.

Several years ago, he and a few of his colleagues spent time visiting historically black colleges in America to recruit faculty.

“We were trying to turn people on to independent schools and educate folks on why they should choose to work for one.” He said that most of the students he talked to were originally from the public school system and never thought of teaching in independent schools.

In 1999, Steve reached out to a woman named Alison Park, a diversity practitioner in California. Steve and Alison collaborated and launched the Bay Area Teacher Development Collaborative, a year-long workshop for educators of color. They put the word out, and received 20 plus members. All of them were educators of color who were aspiring leaders and hoping to gain the skills they needed to be successful role models and leaders through this experience. “We worked with them to develop leadership skills. We wanted them to understand that leadership qualities are needed, in particular as teachers of color.”

It is important for educators of color to realize their impact not only on their students of color, but their Caucasian students as well.

Mrs. James, for example, led her students in incredible ways and not only taught them about how to respect each other, but also led by example. She stood as a role model for her students, and they looked up to her.

Because these educators, for the most part, did not grow up in the independent school world, it is hard for them to navigate.

So how can we move forward? Steve is optimistic for the future of fostering and growing educators of color in independent schools.

When we talk about diversity and inclusion in regards to education, he instantly thought of “risk taking and courageous conversation.”

He believes we need to have these two things in order to step outside our comfort zone. Independent schools, he argued, have such an advantage and a platform to dive into teaching their students and showing their communities how to practice mutual respect and inclusion. “I think there is a real need for people to realize the majority and the inherent privilege and advantage they have to take this risk and to be more inclusive.” In order to grow this next generation into people who embrace diversity, firstly, we need to grow the pool of people who will lead them.

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When asked about some of the challenges that educators face as teachers of color, Steve said, “they are simply a minority. There are few role models and mentors, few heads and teachers of color for this group to look to.” This group does not necessarily have an affinity group to look up to and that is a challenge in itself. Steve also mentioned that the general atmosphere in independent schools is not quite yet set up for a diverse audience.

The majority of the educators of color tend to do better in the public school setting. “They are at a general disadvantage. That’s just a reality, as hard as our schools are trying.”

Steve Morris (front row, far right) gathers with the cohort of educators of color representing private schools from across the Bay Area.

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Winter & Spring Sports Wrap-Up Boys Basketball (21 – 0)

Softball (13 – 2)

The varsity boys basketball team qualified for the WPIAL playoffs for the thirteenth consecutive year by setting a school record with 21 straight victories to finish the regular season 21-0 and 10-0 in the section to capture the section championship. The Panthers were led by four seniors: Justin Girasek, Chris Johnson, Drew Johnson, and Anthony Muscato who captained the squad. Sewickley Academy was ranked the No.1 seed in the WPIAL playoffs, and after defeating Serra Catholic 60-50 in the opening round, was defeated by Eden Christian 38-35 in the second round and by North Catholic in the PIAA Play-In Game. Sophomore Justin Pryor was selected both All-Section and All-WPIAL by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Senior Drew Johnson was selected to play in the Roundball Classic.

The varsity softball team, led by nine seniors including captains Allexa Bartholomew, Kat Goebel, and Sarah Manzinger, set a number of school records en route to capturing the first section championship in school history with a 10-0 section record and overall record of 13-2. In their fourth straight playoff appearance, the Panthers captured their first playoff victory in school history by defeating Union 8-2 before falling to 2015 WPIAL champion Jefferson-Morgan 3-1 in the quarterfinals.

Congratulations to seniors Olivia Henry and Sarah Manzinger, junior Savannah Henry, and sophomore Chandler White for being selected to the WPIAL All-Section Team, and to Sarah Manzinger for being selected to the Beaver County Times Roaring Twenties Team.

Girls Basketball (12 – 9) The varsity girls basketball team, led by senior captain Kayla Guerin, competed once again in the WPIAL playoffs, finishing the regular season with a 12-9 overall record and 4-6 in the section. SA rallied late in the season to advance to the playoffs with a playoff-clinching victory at Rochester the final week of the season. The Panthers fell to third-seeded California 62-37 in the first round of the playoffs. Junior Maddy Casale was once again selected All-Section by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The varsity baseball team, led by senior captains Drew Johnson, Alex Malkowski, and Joe Nagel, captured the first section championship in school history with a section record of 7-3 and 9-7 overall, advancing to the WPIAL playoffs for the third straight year. The Panthers were defeated by Carmichaels 6-1 in the first round. Congratulations to senior Joe Nagel, juniors Jon Nagel and Martin Tancer, and sophomore Derek Littlefield for being selected to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette All-Section Team, and to Joe Nagel for being selected to the Beaver County Times Roaring Twenties Team.

Ice Hockey (1 – 12)

Track and Field

The varsity ice hockey team, led by the only senior Pat Bowles, competed well in its games, but fell short many times in the third period to finish with a 1-12 record. The young team will be joined by six new players from the Middle School team that captured the PIHL regular season division championship. The varsity team will be competing in the PIHL next year.

The varsity track and field team continued to return a large roster of students this spring, with a record number qualifying for the PIAA Championships. Congratulations to senior Aja Thorpe, who captured a gold medal in the 100 meter hurdles at WPIAL’s and a bronze medal at States. She finished second in the 100 meter dash and third in the 300 meter hurdles at WPIAL’s. Sophomore Griffin Mackey captured a gold medal in the 3200 meter run at WPIAL’s and finished seventh at States.

Junior Summer Thorpe earned a silver medal in the 300 meter hurdles at WPIAL’s and a bronze medal at States. Senior Oliver Brown finished fifth in the high jump at WPIAL’s to advance to states, and relay team members Pieter Hansen, Ben Clouse, Tim Hanlon, and Griffin Mackey captured a bronze medal at WPIAL’s in the 4x800 relay to advance to the state playoffs.

Boys Swimming (10 – 0) The varsity boys swimming and diving team finished a record-setting undefeated year by capturing the section championship with a record of 6-0 and 10-0 overall en route to capturing both the team WPIAL and PIAA Championship. The varsity girls swimming and diving team finished second with a section record of 4-2 and 7-3 overall. Congratulations to sophomore Evan Ragoowansi, whose relay team captured a gold medal in the WPIAL and finished fourth in the PIAA. This was the first WPIAL and PIAA Championship for the cooperative teams from Quaker Valley and Sewickley Academy in our history of 20 plus years competing together.

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Baseball (13 – 2)

More than 15 Panthers were selected to All-Section and All-WPIAL teams during the 2014 – 2015 sports season!

Boys Lacrosse (5 – 11) The varsity boys lacrosse team, led by senior captains Pat Bowles and Tom Mulholland, qualified for the WPIAL playoffs for the seventh straight year by finishing 2-3 in the section and 5-11 overall. The Panthers were defeated by No.1 North Allegheny (NA) in the first round of the playoffs, a week after the Panthers upset NA at Nichols Field. Senior Pat Bowles, junior Jackson O’Neill, and sophomore Ben Mulholland were all selected to the WPIAL South All-Section Team.

Congratulations to Pat and Jackson for being selected All-WPIAL, and to Tom for being selected as the winner of the Bob Scott Award for outstanding accomplishments both on and off the lacrosse field. Bowles was also selected All-American.

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Girls Lacrosse (2-13) The varsity girls lacrosse team, led by senior captains Kayla Guerin and Riley Roberts, finished 2-10 in the section and 2-13 overall. Guerin was selected to the All-Section team and received an honorable mention All-American for girls lacrosse. Congratulations to Riley Roberts, Jane Blaugrund, Maddie Braksick, Cara Dietrich, and Teddy Oh for being selected Academic All-American.

Boys Tennis (15 – 5) The varsity boys tennis team captured a thirteenth straight section championship and twelfth straight WPIAL Championship by defeating Winchester Thurston 5-0 to finish the season 8-0 in the section and 15-5 overall. The Panthers advanced to the state semifinals, where SA was defeated by Moravian Academy. Sophomore Sam Sauter advanced to the PIAA’s in singles by finishing second in WPIAL’s. Junior Don Gex and sophomore Ryan Gex captured the WPIAL Doubles Championship and advanced to the state quarterfinals. Senior Wyatt Geller and sophomore Neil Rana finished second in WPIAL’s and advanced to states.

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1. Rising senior Maddy Casale defending her opponent.

2. Varsity boys tennis capture the WPIAL AA Tennis Championship.

3. Drew Johnson ‘15 taking control on the pitching mound.

4. Rising senior Josh Thomas fighting off a defensive player.

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LIVING HISTORY A Lesson from Middle School History Teacher Carla Garfield

Mrs. Carla Garfield, a beloved history teacher at Sewickley Academy, gave this year’s Grade 8 commencement speech. She spoke about the importance of connecting with your own historic roots, and encouraged the students to start now. Garfield left Pittsburgh and Sewickley Academy this school year to relocate with her family to South Carolina. She will be missed dearly. In her own words, Garfield left her students with this: This year’s students have been generous with their kindness, effort, and enthusiasm. They devoted themselves not just to fulfilling the requirements of their courses, but to honing the skills by which they could become more thoughtful, reflective students and citizens. This year, I was fortunate to work with them as they came to understand not just the processes of government and rights due them, but the civic responsibility they owe to their fellow citizens and to the generations of Americans who worked for, fought for, and died for our country.

So, what will be your next challenge? In many ways, you are “in-between.” No longer Middle Schoolers, but not quite Senior Schoolers. But there’s one adventure you’re the perfect age for, an undertaking that will be a marvelous learning experience for you and a gift to your family for generations to come: Creating a family history. Not just a family tree, but a family history.

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Why do we care so much about history? For one thing, as the historian Peter Stearns wrote, “it harbors beauty.” History well told is beautiful; it’s art, it’s literature, it’s drama, it’s entertainment. Think of how many of your own family stories, especially when told by someone with a gift for storytelling, have made everyone laugh. We care about history because it provides us with lessons in courage and cowardice, perseverance and apathy, honor and dishonor, inspiration and discouragement.

It’s how societies identify and define their heroes and villains. In short, history gives us a moral compass. This shared understanding of values, whether family values or national values, binds us together through time. We care about history because it is essential – it teaches us to learn from our mistakes.

it’s the setting for the stories of our families, our countries, our world, and ourselves. Today I’m here to echo that call: get started. Now. This summer. Before you start Senior School.

Before your summers include summer jobs.

Before stories are forgotten. Before your grandparents get any older. Start with the oldest people in your family, and keep the tape recorder running.

History is also essential because it’s how countries, families, and schools learn from and emulate their successes and triumphs and celebrate their milestones, just as we are doing today. We care about history because

I found, as you might, that older relatives who had lived through harrowing circumstances were reluctant to talk about them. My fatherin-law, who was shot down over Germany during World War II, was a prisoner of war

Over time, you will become adept at asking questions, but it can be hard at first. I had to learn to be patient and not barrage my relatives with questions and exhaust them. You might be shy at first but believe me, they’ll be eager to share their stories with you. I started with questions like, “Where were you for the Moon Landing?” or “What did you do for fun when you were a child?”

in Stalag Luft III, a Luftwaffe-run camp. Your parents may know this as the camp known for two famous prisoner escapes depicted in a movie called The Great Escape. I waited patiently for years for him to be ready to talk about it, and in the meantime I learned as much as I could about World War II history. Once he started talking, he talked at length, and it proved to be cathartic; he was so glad not to be burdened with holding it inside any longer. So much so that he joined a POW organization and exchanged stories with fellow veterans. Over the years, as I’ve assigned family interviews to students, many of their relatives benefited from finally being able to tell stories they’ve held inside for years.

Of course, stories are what make the family tree come alive, not just dates and places, but historical context is important. I am fortunate to come from a family of Irish storytellers.

My dad once started a story with, “Well, my buddies and I were 12, so of course we carried guns…” I couldn’t wait to hear the rest

of that one; turns out they carried guns during the summer because it was during the Great Depression, and if they could shoot a rabbit, it might be part of dinner that night.

Once you show that you are serious about researching family history, your relatives will entrust you with their beloved photographs and mementos, which can be powerful artifacts of family history. This year, the Heinz History Center will host an exhibit marking the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). That exhibit will contain the story of Martin Toole, co-founder of the FOP and my great-grandfather. Over the years, I heard many great stories about how his life was threatened and how difficult it was to be a police officer in those days. His nightstick is entrusted to me, and it is my family’s connection to him and the times he lived in. Photographer Teju Cole wrote, “Objects are reservoirs of specific personal experience, filled with the hours of a person’s life.” He understands, as you will understand, that stories, objects, and photographs go hand in hand in telling the stories of people and their times.

If your family’s history, like mine, is woven into the history of Pittsburgh, or even if you’re new to Pittsburgh, summer is the perfect time to learn more about the city’s history. I highly recommend taking the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation’s Downtown Walking Tours, led by a historian and an architect.

You’ll learn so much about the city that you never would have known otherwise. Visit the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area then the Carnegie Library in Homestead to learn about the steel industry in Pittsburgh and the men who created it. Examine the murals of Maxo Vanka at St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church in Millvale and the Nationality Rooms at the University of Pittsburgh to learn about Pittsburgh’s immigrant experience. Visit the Carnegie Library and the Heinz History Center, where they will be thrilled – yes, literally thrilled, I’ve seen it – to work with you to help you find more information and dig up documents about your family history, such as census records, deeds, and photographs. The Heinz History Center also has a special exhibit

on World War II this summer, and a number of Pittsburghers have signed up as docents to share their memories about living through those times, so you can chat with them about their experiences while taking the tour.

No matter where your family comes from, they are part of the American story, and you have the opportunity to write that story right now, this very summer. It can be for you, as it has been for me, a fascinating journey, and a gift to your entire family – I’m up to about 1,500 leaves on my family tree thus far, here and in Ireland.

I wish you all the best of luck in Senior School and beyond. I am proud to have been your teacher and grateful for all you have taught me. And I thank all of my colleagues at Sewickley Academy for, as E.B. White wrote, “You have been my friends. That in itself is a tremendous thing.”

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CLASS OF 2015 68 GRADUATES

They were admitted to 138 colleges and universities.

8,030 hours spent engaged in community service.

They were offered more than $4.5 million in merit scholarships.

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75%

ventured out of state or the country for college.

97%

were admitted to one of their top-choice colleges.

21%

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Global Studies Certificate Awardees

were admitted to a college or university with an acceptance rate lower than 25%*.

*Less than 1% of the colleges in the country have acceptance rates in this range.

Graduation – June 7, 2015

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4 1. Sarah Louise Manzinger, Alexandra Marie Hrishenko, Katelyn Olivia Maloney, and Riley Anne Roberts 2. Dr. Susan Zawacky and our graduation speaker Col. Edward Michael Fincke ‘85 3. Aja Elise Thorpe, Matthew Ryan Yung, Isreal Carlo Williams, Adam Christopher Weir, and Connor Michael Ward

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6 4. From the left – front row: Sierra Darlynn Mortimer, Rahul Pokharna, Tanvi Rana, Ariel Salene Richter, Riley Anne Roberts, George Mina Saieed, Janelle Christine Sands, Owen Christopher Hipwell, and Pieter Johannes Hansen Back row: Ayrton Kuwe Mutagaana and Joseph David Nagel 5. Molly Kathleen Lennen and Sarah Marie Deihle FALL

6. Micaela Becker ’13, Madeleine Bracksick, Caroline Becker ’17, and Rachel Marie Becker

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A Non-Linear Path to

E DU CAT I O N “All of us are the result of the people who have made contributions to our lives. I was influenced by my parents, siblings, friends, and teachers at SA who introduced me to art, books, and personalities that I absorbed. I had a great childhood that has kept me centered through life and its challenges,” said Geoff Poister ’73.

Geoff did not follow a linear path in his education and job experiences. “When you are a person of diverse interests, as I was, it can be challenging to figure out how to follow those interests, yet make a living.”

As a young child, he loved music, science, and English. “Luckily I was supported in them all,” he remembered. John Murphy, his sixth grade teacher, especially introduced him to interesting books and elements of nature and wildlife.

In Grade 6, Geoff made his first movie, The Man from SPEC, a twenty-minute spy film, with

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a musical soundtrack provided by himself and his friends that was shown to the Academy’s Lower and Middle School students.

After graduation, following his passion for music, he went to Berklee College of Music in Boston, playing both guitar and violin. That experience convinced him that the path of a professional musician was not ultimately for him. He transferred to Syracuse University and majored in wildlife biology. He became a naturalist at Mount Rainier National Park, and spent two years leading nature hikes and giving music performances in the campgrounds.

During the years he spent at Mount Rainier, he wrote music resulting in record albums entitled Seasons of Change and A Year on the Mountain. This success led him back into the world of professional music. Geoff said, “I loved being part of the music business, but it was hard to make a living.”

Continuing to play his music on the side, Geoff entered the filmmaking program at New York University, and earned a master’s degree in film and television at Syracuse University before switching to a sociology major for his Ph.D. “I thought sociology would give me insight into the people I might make films about,” he said.

“That seemed like a good complement to my film study.”

“I had a professor of filmmaking that I worked with closely when I was at Syracuse,” Geoff said. “I saw how he was able to combine creativity with a life that was financially stable, and that appealed to me. I was becoming more practical, and thought the university life would give me the freedom to be creative, yet be grounded. I was ready to find a place to settle, with a means of support.”

After completing his Ph.D. at Syracuse University, he found his first teaching job at the University of Louisiana. This placed him near New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz, and provided the impetus for his first professional documentary, Jazz Dreams. Shot from 1998 to 2000, he filmed three young musicians who were starting their careers. With additional follow-up visits in 2002, 2008, and 2010, he followed all three for 14 years, resulting in the acclaimed documentary Jazz Dreams II. One of these rising stars was Jason Marsalis, youngest of the six Marsalis brothers, a percussionist and composer. The film takes viewers into the Marsalis family to see what process produced the family of musical geniuses. Geoff recalled, “working with Jason and the Marsalis family was a fascinating experience. Jason was wonderful to work with and has an extraordinary talent.”

Geoff likes to share with students his own path, which has certainly not been traditional. “I believe in following your passions. I encourage them to branch out, to be humorous. I tell them there will always be a place in the world for people with passion and talent.”

Geoff has made documentaries for the PBS series NOVA and McGraw-Hill, and has produced eight programs for a documentary series aired on public television in New England. His documentaries The Spirit of Hiroshima and Jazz Dreams received Telly and Accolade Awards, and have been broadcast in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia. His recent documentary, A Tale of Two Teens, which explores AIDS in South Africa from the perspective of two teenage girls, was co-produced with Broadcast Journalism Professor Susan Walker.

have personal meaning for me. I am learning to say “no” to some requests, to be more careful about what I agree to do. I am doing less about topics and more personal exploration.”

His latest film, which he is just finishing, is a fiction/non-fiction hybrid. It is a James Bond style spy film made from footage he actually shot documentary-style during three trips to Russia. “I have done traditional documentaries for twenty years,” Geoff said, “and I decided to do something different, to have fun again.

Looking to the future, I can see myself doing more with my music, writing my impressions of things, and mixing story with music and photography.”

“I try to keep balance in my life, which is not always easy to do. Sometimes I feel pulled in too many directions. I have two sons, ages 12 and 14, and I like to be involved in their activities and spend time with them,” said Geoff.

This summer Geoff took his sons to Hawaii and biked through France, enjoying some quiet time before life became hectic again in the fall.

What’s next for Geoff Poister? “I like to do films that are more experimental now, that

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Today, Geoff is an associate professor of film and television at Boston University (BU). In June, he took a group of BU students to China for a special program where each student is paired with a Chinese partner with whom they make a 10-minute documentary about an aspect of Chinese culture.

“I like teaching this age group – college and graduate students. I am part of the last tier before they get launched out into the world.

I have students who get excited, who are motivated, and that is rewarding on several levels. And it’s gratifying when one or two of those students get in touch later on and say ‘thanks’ for the start I was able to give them.”

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As Pittsburgh’s longest-standing independent co-educational school, Sewickley Academy prides itself on the excellent education it provides for students. The Academy instills its mission and core values in each student, yielding engaged young adults that go out into the world to make a difference. Year after year, our students continue to impress us by exceeding expectations through rigorous course work and elite college acceptance. Of course, none of this success would be possible without our impeccable faculty of devoted educators. This year, the Academy is pleased to celebrate the tradition of luminary teachers who continue to be lifelong learners and who have taught, coached, and advised our students for 25 years or more. This year’s honored educators are: Dr. William Barnes, Dr. Joan Cucinotta, Ms. Cindy Kelley, Ms. Sarah Lyon, Ms. Carol McCormish, Mrs. Pam Scott, Mr. James Wardrop, and Dr. Susan Zawacky.

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When asked how teaching at the Academy has changed since the beginning of their tenure here, many of the teachers had varying responses. “Teaching has changed over the years in the Senior School to a more student-centered curriculum. Teachers are more likely to have discussions rather than to lecture,” Dr. Barnes said.

“We are more interested in having the students interact with the material and share insights with their fellow classmates.

We require more writing where students employ critical thinking skills so that they may write analytical essays, often times writing persuasive essays to determine how well they have learned concepts rather than relying solely on the regurgitation of memorized information.”

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Dr. Zawacky noted the structure within the classroom has also evolved over the past two decades. “Our Responsive Classroom has given us a new structure to work within. There is a more common language consequently between teachers,” she said. “Many of us now say, ‘Show me how to…’ or ‘I see that…’”

By engaging students through this teaching method, the Academy not only develops students’ critical thinking skills, but also their social and interpersonal skills.

The evolution of technology has impacted the classroom. It’s not uncommon to see students on their cell phones or tablets during school hours. “The one aspect that has changed the most is the use of technology,” Ms. McCormish said. “Technology has changed the way we teach, and the way we communicate with one another.”

During the 2015-2016 school year, the Academy became a “1-to-1” school. Using the Bring Your Own Device model, the school plans to take advantage of the enormous power of technology by ensuring that is in the hands of every student Grades 6 through 12. 1-to-1 access creates a Blended Learning environment, which seeks to take the best of in-class practices and complement them with the best in online learning strategies.

Aside from changes in the classroom, Sewickley Academy’s student body has made transformations as well. In the 1980s, many of our students traveled from local communities such as Moon and Avonworth to pursue their education. Today, students not only travel a short distance to attend the Academy, but also come from other states and even other countries. In return, the Academy is expanding its sphere. Ms. Lyon noted the study abroad program has extended its reach worldwide. “The biggest change now is how far our students and faculty reach around the world in the pursuit of education. Where going to Europe was the big adventure, our students now travel to Bolivia, Tanzania,

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Oman, and China,” she said. “Perhaps we are more outward directed now than before, and we’re in a place where we teach students that ‘a man’s reach should exceed his grasp.’”

Even though the Academy has seen vast change over the past 25 years, many traits of the school remain the same. “Styles have changed and many faces, too, but Sewickley Academy’s educational rigor remains true,” Ms. Kelley said. “Everyone walks and plays on our grounds so grand, as I do. I smile thinking of Cliff Nichols shaking every child’s hand…memories are made daily in Sewickley Academy’s welcoming halls.”

Ms. McCormish agrees. “Kids are still kids.

Each year a new group walks through the door, but you can be assured they will need to be coached, nurtured, and taught skills that will take them to the next level,” she said.

“How we reach them as 21st century learners is the challenge.”

Dr. Zawacky also attests to the hardworking atmosphere that has always been a part of the Sewickley Academy environment. “What hasn’t changed is my high regard and respect for my colleagues. All the teachers here work very hard,” she said. “There are many children who are talented and creative and they always impress me with their amazing abilities in the art studio.”

No matter what subject these distinguished teachers mastered during their duration at the Academy, they all have one thing in common – the endless memories. “My favorite memories have to do with the connectedness between the divisions. Back in the day, every single student from Pre-K to Grade 12 would pile in Rea [Auditorium] for the opening, Christmas, and closing assemblies,” Dr. Cucinotta reflected. “The little ones lumped in small wiggling heaps in front of the stage, all the seats filled sometimes two to a seat, and the steps jammed up with the overflow, so that it was impossible to make it from

the front to the back. But we were all together as one community.”

“One of my favorite memories was the faculty bonding activities we used to do under the direction of Joe Zaluski. From rafting down the Youghiogheny River in Ohiopyle, to the retreat at Nemacolin, to decorating the Christmas tree in the front hallway, the relationships we developed through these activities helped all of us appreciate each other as people and helped develop a feeling of family throughout the Lower School community,” Ms. McCormish said. “This carried over to our classrooms as we embraced the children we taught and recognized each child as unique contributors to our classes.”

Some teachers contemplated memories of their predecessors. “My best memory of the old school is the triumvirate of Cliff Nichols, John Heagy, and Charles Glarrow,” Mr. Wardrop said.

“Cliff Nichols hired me and said, ‘Mary Doll and you will become the very best of friends,’” Ms. Kelly said. “A wise man he was, as our friendship has lasted over many decades.”

Besides recollections from the past, there are still memories made on a yearly basis within the school, like Hall Sing. “I can count on students beginning to ask when we will be singing around November 1, and the general consensus of Lower School students is that we should begin singing as soon as we turn the calendar to December,” Mrs. Scott said.

“I love it because students, staff, faculty, and parents of such diverse backgrounds come together in fellowship and song to celebrate each other.”

These eight distinguished educators have helped shape the lives of each student over the past 25 years, inspiring and educating them on how to become their best self. Alumni and current students alike can depend on these dedicated teachers to continue Sewickley Academy’s excellence in education for decades to come.

I have a mug on my desk with the quotation,

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”

My guess is that a fair number of teachers own this same mug (or poster or notepad). And it seems as if every time I go to a conference, at least one speaker quotes Yeats to launch a keynote—to remind us of why we became teachers in the first place. The truth is, this quotation has probably been misattributed to Yeats and is perhaps a paraphrase from Plutarch. But I don’t care because I really like it. And I think about it a lot.

Our students fill their share of pails. If your pail is empty, it’s impossible to debate, to write an argument from evidence, to conduct inquiry, or to plan strategically. The Academy is a school that respects tradition. In the area of curriculum, that means we have always been and will continue to be a college preparatory school; we ensure that our students receive a solid grounding in the content knowledge and skills that are at the core of every discipline. And we are working hard on a curriculum mapping project to ensure content and skills are clearly articulated from grade to grade and there are no gaps and redundancies.

minds, and hands to cultivate their full individual and collective potential in the service of a greater good, is driving curriculum regeneration. We are committed to a mission-based education of excellence, intentional about developing the mind, but also articulating what it looks like to engage hearts and hands. We believe when students do engage hearts, minds, and hands, they are inspired to fire their passions.

As the director of teaching and learning, I conduct regular “looking for learning” walks and am always delighted to discover mission-aligned teaching and learning. Following are only a few of the many examples of engagement that fuels transformation:

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The Global Studies (GS) program in the Senior School engages hearts, minds, and hands in a rich and challenging interdisciplinary global issues curriculum. In Call to Action (co-taught by a Spanish teacher and a history teacher), students learn about the elements of social entrepreneurship, including how to identify and solve community problems. Using case studies, they evaluate examples of successful social entrepreneurship as well as learn of the risks. Finally, as a class, students identify either a local or global problem and tackle it with a project solution. A current GS project partners students with the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer in Haiti. In Connected Environments (co-taught by a history teacher and a science teacher), students investigate various past and present political and cultural challenges through an environmental lens. They confront

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But the acquisition of knowledge and skills is not an end in itself.

We are in the midst of renewing our curriculum across all grades and subject areas so that we are focused on big ideas, so that students are using content and skills to construct enduring understandings and engage with authentic essential questions. Our mission, Sewickley Academy inspires and educates students to engage their hearts,

– William Butler Yeats

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their own roles as global citizens who are able to come to compromise and consensus over future global issues. This year, we will add World of Data (co-taught by a math teacher and a science teacher). Students will understand what it means to be global citizens with a viewpoint based on data. They will apply statistical analysis and sound science to the understanding of demography, global resources, food, energy, and climate change.

Middle School students engaging hands are (as articulated by MS teachers) “motivated towards contributing to the common good with action or advocacy.” Grade 8 students demonstrate this disposition in the civics and economics class when they create and implement a plan of action in collaboration with others on an issue of public concern, after weighing possible options for the most effective citizen action.

Theater students engaged minds in creative problem solving as they rehearsed the fall play As You like It. They used Wordle, a word cloud app, as a means of finding the most important narrative words. Shakespeare is one of the most difficult texts to approach, but using Wordle allowed actors to weigh words with the most meaning and visually represent the way lines could be said. This exercise, in turn, facilitated understanding of the text and fluidity of speaking, translating to meaning for the actors and audience.

Grade 2 students studying geometry engage hands and hearts as they participate in multi-sensory experiences to strengthen understandings.

Using giant elastic bands, children are challenged to create solid shapes, such as cones and cylinders. After several attempts to create a shape individually, the children realize that they need each other to complete this task. On their own, the children move around the classroom, inviting each other to collaborate for help and support.

Every student in Grades 1, 2, and 3 engages hands in the remarkable active learning space that is the Secret Garden. First graders plant radishes to observe the 30-day life cycle, then they harvest, taste, and donate extra radishes to our cafeterias. Second graders discover the value of composting as a means to conserve natural resources.

They each bring something from home (coffee grounds, veggies, grass clipping, or leaves) to create a balanced composting system. Then they observe changes within the composting system and collect soil samples from the garden to examine in the classroom. Third graders do the bulk of the seed planting, from edible flowers to sweet peas. They also get to experience the fall harvest and help deliver produce to our cafeterias each week.

Responsive Classroom in the Lower School and Developmental Designs in the Middle School strengthens hearts through a social emotional learning curriculum in which students continue to develop qualities of integrity, empathy, courage, and respect. Social learning in a supportive community is critical to academic success.

As teachers, our best hope is that these innovative and engaging learning experiences, guided by the mission focus of engaging hearts, minds, and hands, will be the kindling that ignites passions and inspires our students to “cultivate their full individual and collective potential.”

At Sewickley Academy, our mission defines an education of excellence.

Senior School physics students test both hands and minds as they are challenged to construct a lightweight two-story model house in which they incorporate separate series, parallel, and complex circuits.

Going from drawing a circuit on paper to wiring a complex circuit so that all rooms are illuminated requires complex thinking and creative problem solving.

Kindergarteners building a castle of wooden blocks engage their minds as they collaborate to solve problems of scale, access, and aesthetics.

While we encourage our older students to test themselves in athletics, PE teachers do not focus solely on playing games that prepare students to participate in sports; rather they intentionally engage minds in developing critical and strategic thinking. With the goal of becoming a more skilled participant, Grade 4 and 5 students reflect on such questions as, “What is the best way to stop a moving object?” and “What approach would be faster, to bend or to squat in order to stop the ground ball?”

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Grade 6 French students engaged hearts as they grew their courage, empathy, and belief in their ability to effect change. The students memorized a song and dance in French, and then practiced for two weeks before they taught the song to their younger peers in Grades 4 and 5. Their solid knowledge and skills gave sixth graders the courage and empathy to believe in their ability to mentor younger students. They later expressed a profound sense of pride from taking a risk and facing the fear of doing something new.

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Nina created this piece called “Growth” in 2013 for Project Lido at the Leslie Park Pool in Pittsburgh, PA.

Social A R C H I T E C T

Nina Barbuto ’02

workshops, learning parties, and more. Educational programs are led by local experts in the fields of art, architecture, design, technology, and the sciences who present their research areas in engaging and innovative ways. Assemble’s educational programs promote connected learning through peer-to-peer education during activities that relate to multiple academic disciplines and activate a diverse set of learning skills. Classes and workshops relate to STEAM curriculum and support development of 21st century skills. Educational programs at Assemble inspire the whole community by inviting experts to become educators and everyone to become learners.

In 2002, Nina Barbuto matriculated from Sewickley Academy and enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) to study architecture with a dream to one day design buildings with bricks and mortar. Fast forward nine years, she now is an educator who designs systems for people to learn and engage in the world in order to find their own agency. Nina said, “I still am an architect. I am a social architect. I also teach in the School of Architecture at CMU. My work focuses on STEAM [Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics] and maker education with Assemble. It’s a different kind of architecture, but it’s still architectural – design thinking.”

Nina’s passion for art, new media, and social learning led her to found Assemble, a community space for arts and technology, in 2011. Assemble presents opportunities for hands-on learning for all ages during classes, 24

Classes and workshops are led by a team of experienced artists and technologists. The team of educators are supported by qualified high school and college-aged volunteers who have all the necessary clearances to work with children. Classes and workshops at Assemble typically have a 10:1 student-to-teacher ratio. The small class sizes, coupled with talented educators and volunteers, allow for better student engagement and participation. The organization’s target audience is children in Grades K-12, with most of their students in middle school. Nina said, “We focus on serving kids in Garfield and beyond. It’s all about kids meeting each other from different worlds with similar interests.”

Assemble is more than an arts non-profit serving the City of Pittsburgh, it’s a place for people to hang art on the walls and leave. It’s a place for

opening up creative processes and building confidence through making.

A place to experiment and engage others with how you (artist/maker/ technologist) might think.

respected everyone. Mr. Goleski, Senior School Dean of Students and world language teacher, will also be one of my favorites and friend for a long time.”

Assemble is located in the City of Pittsburgh’s Garfield neighborhood.

When asked why she choose Garfield, Nina responded, “It was very serendipitous, but Garfield is perfect for us. We are a part of the Penn Avenue Arts District. Pittsburgh is a great place to start things and to try out ideas. It has a lower barrier to entry due to the collected community.

People want things to happen here. It is a supportive space. It still isn’t really a “livable city” for everyone, but at least Pittsburgh is conscious and discussing how to become great for everyone.”

In the years since Nina graduated from the Academy and CMU, she went on to earn a master’s degree from Southern California Institute of Architecture and has held numerous jobs including working at architecture firms and as a teaching assistant in art stores and a gallery.

She worked as a barista, made vegan sandwiches, sold ice cream from a bicycle, worked on a food truck, at the Waldorf School, and even as a social media consultant.

If you’re not familiar with the area Assemble calls home, Garfield, a once-blighted neighborhood in the East End of Pittsburgh named after President James Garfield, is bouncing back to becoming a vibrant retail and arts community. The area, which is less than half a square mile in size along with its 3,000 residents, is experiencing a cultural renaissance as part of the Penn Avenue Arts Initiative, a collaboration created in 1998 as a way to revitalize the Penn Avenue Corridor through the arts.

Garfield is becoming a creative community destination, and Assemble is contributing to its success.

In April 2015, Nina was named director of Assemble after the organization received a generous grant from the Grable Foundation, which allowed the board of directors to create the job. Prior to that, she served as the president of the board of directors, a volunteer position.

Nina co-founded I Made It! Market in 2007 with Carrie Nardini. An idea based on urban acupuncture, this nomadic market partners with community, arts, and non-profit organizations to raise funds and awareness to assist in improving their communities while allowing local artists and crafters to sell their wares. (For more information visit: http://imadeitmarket.com/.)

Most recently, she worked for the Carnegie Museums, both the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Carnegie Science Center. Currently, she teaches at CMU in the School of Architecture as an adjunct professor, in addition to her new role as director of Assemble.

Facade of the Assemble building in Garfield located on the East End of Pittsburgh.

Glory Holes, a piece installed at the Mattress Factory on the North Side in 2013.

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Nina credits Sewickley Academy for her empathy for people and desire for diversity. “It might sound crazy, but the friends I had through my time at SA embodied a spectrum of demographics. I learned and experienced cultures that I would have never had if I had just continued at Hopewell, near Aliquippa, where I grew up,” she recalled. “There are a bunch of lessons and a plethora of great teachers. Everyone tries to forget parts of their high school experience, but when I think of my time at SA, Dr. Ferris really stands out. She was such a strong woman who

Nina enjoys traveling whenever she can, although it isn’t a tourist vacation for her. She wants to experience other places to understand and enlighten her own awareness, which allows her to build empathy.

She also works in a variety of media including architecture, film, sound, and installation, and often explores the idea of recycling noise into a system or elevating the vernacular to the spectacular. She is passionate about helping others find their agency in this world. Nina also loves her dog Ruby and makes art when there is time. SA and everything that followed wouldn’t have been an option for her without the dedication of her mom, Antoniette Avalli. It was also really great to be in school with her siblings, Ester ‘04 and Jimmy ‘07. “Sewickley left us all with great friends and a great educational experience.”

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New Trustees 1. DOUG ALLEN ’02

3. KRIS LIGHTCAP

Doug Allen ’02 is a member of Reed Smith’s Appellate Group. He has represented clients in both state and federal appellate courts across the country. Upon graduating from Sewickley Academy, Doug earned his bachelor’s degree at Washington and Lee University, graduating magna cum laude in 2006 with degrees in politics and French.

In 2007, he earned a master’s degree in French from Middlebury College, and a juris doctorate in 2010 from Columbia School of Law. Prior to joining Reed Smith in 2013, Doug spent two years clerking in federal court. Doug has written briefs and provided appellate support across practice areas, such as employment, commercial litigation, insurance recovery, product liability, antitrust, and real estate.

Kris Lightcap is the area president for NVR Inc./Ryan Homes in Pittsburgh. Kris is a graduate of Grove City College with a bachelor’s degree in operations management. He has served on various school and church boards, including Trinity Seminary Board and St. Stephen’s Church. Presently, he is a member of the Sewickley Academy Buildings and Grounds Committee.

2. THOMAS F. HEWITT

Kevin Park ’95 works for his family business, Park Corporation, in which he deals with heavy manufacturing, construction, and maintenance services, as well as commercial and industrial real estate. After graduating from Sewickley Academy, Kevin furthered his education at Princeton University and The University of Chicago Law School, graduating in 1999 and 2002 respectively. Kevin is a member of the Sewickley Academy Buildings and Grounds Committee.

Thomas Hewitt currently serves as the Managing Partner of WDI Hospitality, LLC. Tom graduated from Bryant College (now Bryant University) in Smithfield, Rhode Island in 1967, where he served as a member of the board of trustees. Tom spent the majority of his career, more than 20 years, in various roles including president and chief operating officer at The Continental Companies, a company associated with the Sheraton Corporation, which he joined in 1985.

Most recently, he was the chief executive officer of Interstate Hotels and Resorts from 2005-2011. Tom also served as a director when the company was formed in July 2002, and has been a chairman of the board since 2009.

He is actively involved in a variety of civic organizations and has served as chairman of the American Hotel Foundation, chairman of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, and dean of the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s (AH&LA) President’s Academy.

Tom and his wife Kathy are the proud grandparents of Emma Quisenberry in Grade 3, as well as Caralena, a Pre-K student, at the Academy.

Kris and his wife Brenda have five children, one alum of Sewickley Academy and three currently enrolled: Kohl ‘13 (21), Morgan (19), Mackenzie (17), Kendall (14), and Kamryn (12).

4. KEVIN PARK ’95

He and his wife Marguerite (Gregg ’95) Park, have three children attending SA: Olivia (12), Andrew (10), and Cecily (4).

5. KATE (POPPENBERG ‘82) PIGMAN

Kate (Poppenberg ‘82) Pigman is the national human capital managing director in the Assurance Practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. She has held market, regional, and national human capital roles during her tenure with the firm. After graduating from Sewickley Academy, she went on to Juniata College, graduating in 1986 with her bachelor’s degree. Kate has 11 years of HR and operations experience in the healthcare and insurance industries prior to joining her current firm.

Kate is very involved in the Sewickley community. Currently, she is chairman of the board of trustees and leads the strategic planning committee for the Laughlin Children’s Center. In addition, Kate cochaired the Evening of Hope event in Sewickley for Girls Hope of Pittsburgh from 2012-2014.

Kate and her husband Paul have a daughter Emma, who is a freshman in the Senior School.

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Every gift makes a difference – especially yours.

Annual gifts are the engine that drives innovation in the classroom and excellence everywhere on campus, from funding the paint for lines on the playing field to beakers for the chemistry lab. Gifts made to the Annual Fund have long ensured students can make the most of every opportunity they find here.

Last year, more than 1,000 alumni, faculty, parents, grandparents, and friends gave at every level. Your gift helps us reach our goal of 100 percent giving participation and makes an SA education even better.

IT’S SIMPLE TO GIVE: GO TO WWW.SEWICKLEY.ORG/GIVENOW OR CALL 412.741.2230 EXT. 3409.

SPECIALIZED CHEMISTRY BEAKER:

$45

SENIOR SCHOOL MATH COUNCIL REGISTRATION:

$100

ATTENDANCE AT A “LEARNING AND THE BRAIN” WORKSHOP FOR A FACULTY MEMBER:

$1,250

KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON FOR ONE DAY:

$450

ANNUAL TUNING FEE FOR THE ACADEMY’S 12 PIANOS:

$2,400

ONE-YEAR SUPPLY OF SPECIMENS FOR THE SENIOR SCHOOL BIOLOGY LAB:

$500

PAINT FOR THE ATHLETIC FIELDS FOR ONE YEAR:

$3,500

SCRIPTS FOR THEATER COURSES:

$750

AVERAGE FINANCIAL AID AWARD FOR ONE YEAR:

$12,000 FALL

FOR WHO WE ARE. FOR WHO WE WILL BECOME.

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The Sewickley Academy Annual Fund

SA Welcomes New Lower School Head, Caroline “Cricket” Mikheev call about the head of the Lower School position!

During my first visit to the Academy, I was struck by how passionate, dedicated, and intelligent all the educators I met were, and how engaged, articulate, and kind the students were. The zest for education was palpable! I am trained as a school psychologist and am always thrilled when I meet people who are as committed to understanding each student’s development as I am; I was deeply impressed to meet a community who values each individual while embracing the communal life of the school.”

Caroline “Cricket” Mikheev has nearly 20 years of experience in independent schools and is a graduate of Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. She came to us from the Pear Tree Point School in Darien, Connecticut, where she served as the assistant head of school. Cricket began her career in an early childhood classroom and has significant experience in elementary educational assessment and evaluation. She earned a Ph.D. in school psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University, and served as a school psychologist at a number of independent schools in New York City, including Birch Wathen Lenox and Convent of the Sacred Heart. During her tenure at the Mandell School, she also served as the director of the Preparatory Division.

Cricket earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian literature from Carleton College in Minnesota, and a master’s degree in Slavic lan-

guages and literature from Columbia University.

She is currently completing the M.Ed. in educational leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University. With her experience and her academic training, Cricket brings to her work a profound commitment to the intellectual, artistic, physical, and social-emotional growth of children.

References for Cricket describe her as the consummate professional: bright, funny, and easy to work with. She maintains excellent relationships with students, faculty, and parents, and is adept at identifying issues needing attention and developing solutions to address them. She is an excellent communicator and quick to understand complex situations.

Child-centered and progressive in her approach, Cricket will work closely with our faculty to continue the work we have been doing in our Lower School. She said, “I was thrilled to receive Kolia’s

Cricket began her tenure as head of Lower School on July 1, 2015. She moved from Larchmont, New York, with her husband and their four children, who are eager to begin their new life here at Sewickley Academy. In addition to spending time with her family, Cricket enjoys reading, knitting, gardening, yoga, hiking, and spinning. Welcome Mikheev family! We are glad you’re a part of SA!

“Cricket emerged as the outstanding candidate from a field of strong contenders, with over 50 applications coming from around the globe,” said Head of School Kolia O’Connor.

…As We Say Farewell to the Lower School’s Beloved Mark Hansen Mark Hansen, former head of Lower School, took a position as head of Lower School at the Copenhagen International School in Denmark beginning in July 2015. This move represents a return to international living for Mark and his family, who arrived at Sewickley Academy in 2008 from Berlin, Germany.

Mark has served with distinction as head of Lower School, and in the last several years, his wife Debra has served part-time as an assistant director of admission, working closely with prospective Lower School families. During his time here, Mark has guided the Lower School faculty through a number of important initiatives, including the implementation of

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Responsive Classroom, the revamping of our mathematics program, and the creation of our popular Lower School after-school program.

Before saying farewell, Mark reflected on his time at SA. What he’ll miss most are the people. “I have had the great honor and pleasure to work with a wonderful group of students, faculty, administrators, board members, staff, and parents. A highlight was `Lunch with Mr. Hansen,’ where I met with six students each week and asked them how their year was going, what they enjoyed most about their classes, and what they would change. I never was able to add the water park and ponies suggested by our first graders, though.” Mark

continued, “I learned that the Academy always strives to make decisions in the best interest of the children, and wants to make sure they succeed inside and outside the classroom.”

“While the departure of the Hansen family is a loss for us at the Academy, I know this is an exciting moment for Mark and Debra and their children, and I hope you will join me in wishing them the best on their next adventure,” said Mr. O’Connor.

Transitions in College Guidance Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS), Andrea is also an invited member of the Fitzwilliam Conference, a select gathering of college admission deans and school directors of college guidance. Her years in the business have allowed her to forge important relationships with college admission officers around the country.

After a comprehensive national search, Ms. Andrea Satariano became Sewickley Academy’s director of college guidance on July 1, 2015. With 17 years in college guidance, Andrea brings substantial experience to Sewickley Academy. She came to us from the Pine Crest School in Florida, where she served as an associate director of college counseling. Prior to that, she was the director of college counseling at the Hawken School near Cleveland, Ohio. Andrea began her career on the college admission side of the desk, first at Muskingum College (Ohio) as an admission counselor, and then as associate director of admission at Denison University. Making the shift to independent schools, she spent the next several years at Lake Ridge Academy, Hathaway Brown, and the Bullis School.

Head of School Kolia O’Connor commented,“I am pleased that, in a field of talented candidates, Andrea Satariano emerged as our choice. She is a true professional who is well established in the

field of college counseling and known to college admissions officers around the country. She has significant resources, contacts, and relationships that she will be able to put to immediate use on behalf of our students and their families.”

References, including our own former director of college guidance Jennifer Fitzpatrick, describe Ms. Satariano as an incredible professional, who develops excellent relationships with both her student advisees and their parents. She is extremely knowledgeable about the changing landscape of college admission and provides the constructive, positive, and helpful guidance students and their parents need to navigate this sometimes challenging process. Andrea is particularly adept at reducing stress and helping families maintain perspective as they weigh their options and make their choices.

A member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and the

Andrea is thrilled to be joining our team here at Sewickley Academy. She said, “I don’t know if I can find the words to tell you how excited I am to join the Sewickley community! I’m a Pittsburgh girl at heart - my father is from Pittsburgh, a graduate of North Catholic. My godparents and a number of other relatives are from, or are still living in, Pittsburgh, and most of my childhood birthdays were spent here. My uncle worked his entire career with Iron City Beer, and I cherish the Steelers promotional items he gave me over the years. I even have stadium seats from Three Rivers that I bought at the public auction held in the Igloo! I always thought I’d end up in the city I love so much, and I consider myself the luckiest gal in the world to have this opportunity at SA both for myself and my son. In fact, I am so excited to get started that I’ve been renting a house in town since May, and I’ve already ordered Sewickley gear for AJ and myself!”

Over the summer, our rising seniors and their parents were able to sit down with Andrea to begin the last phase of the college process – actually applying to colleges! A warm Sewickley Academy welcome to Andrea and AJ.

Trevor reminisced about his time at SA: As Andrea joined us, the Academy said farewell to Trevor Rusert, former director of college guidance, who finished his time here at the end of June to take a position as director of college guidance at Chadwick International, a school in Songdo, South Korea. This is an exciting personal and professional opportunity for Mr. Rusert and his family, and we wish them all the very best as they look forward to their new adventure.

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Before embarking on his new journey overseas, Trevor reminisced about his time at SA. “There are several memories that I count among my favorites, including attending dozens of outstanding plays, musicals, and concerts where I had a chance to see so many incredibly talented performers who will no doubt make a name for themselves on stage and screen in the future. I also enjoyed coaching golf and being a part of a few WPIAL Championship teams, and having the chance to walk Oakmont Country Club with our team.”

Trevor said, “I’ll miss the faculty, staff, students, and parents who make this place special. The Community of Respect is not just an ideal that exists on paper. It’s something that our community practices. It is what sets Sewickley Academy apart from so many other schools across the country.

Sewickley Academy will forever hold a place in my heart.”

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Head of School Kolia O’Connor said, “As a result of Mr. Rusert’s leadership and the work of his predecessor, Jennifer FitzPatrick, we have a strong program. In the independent school world, the Academy has an outstanding reputation and is well-known for the strength of our

college guidance program, which is regarded as a model. I know that we will manage the transition smoothly, with our focus squarely on the needs of our students.”

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Meet the New Director of Communications athletic apparel. In that role, she managed the product set-up for 16 different vendors, including Under Armour, as well as the women’s fitness and dance category. Instrumental in the model image initiative, Kaitlin conducted competitor analyses, executed online tests, and developed on-body image guidelines tailored to the DSG brand to help propel the company as the first sporting goods retailer to show model imagery on its website.

Sewickley Academy welcomes Kaitlin Busch as our new director of communications. Kaitlin holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Elon University. She joins us from DICK’S Sporting Goods (DSG), where she served as an e-commerce content coordinator in

Prior to working for corporate America, Kaitlin was the editor of Maniac Magazine, Pittsburgh’s premier fashion and lifestyle magazine. While there, she conceptualized, edited, and oversaw the publication of the magazine’s first men’s issue. Kaitlin has also served as a freelance writer and photographer for Allegheny West Magazine and Patch.com.

An avid dancer, Kaitlin teaches children how to move and groove in the evenings at Arena’s Performing Arts Centre. She instructs students ages three to 18 in the subjects of ballet, tap, and jazz. In her spare time, she likes to take her English Springer Spaniel, Kali, for walks or to Kip’s Ice Cream for a doggie treat.

Kaitlin is excited to start her next chapter at Sewickley Academy. She said, “I am thrilled to get to know the students and community that make this school outstanding. I want to develop and promote the image of the Academy in a way that helps the school thrive and implements change for a promising future.”

Note on the Former Editor Since 2007, Haley Wilson served the Academy community in the Advancement Office first as a communication specialist, then was quickly promoted to the director of marketing and publications. During her time at the Academy, she was the editor-in-chief of the biannual school magazine, Sewickley Speaking, the biweekly newsletter, Under the Cupola, and the online annual report. Haley was dedicated to the success of the school and had an eye for detail, making sure that all communications and publications met the SA standard. She was responsible for producing all of the admission marketing materials, including the Academy’s viewbook. Most recently, she oversaw our new branding campaign, “For who you are. For who you will become.” featured on the school’s redesigned website and advertisements.

We wish her the best in her new endeavor as a full-time mom to infant daughter, Isla Grace.

Meet the New Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations Julie Banks joined Sewickley Academy in July 2015 as the new director of annual giving and alumni relations. Julie has a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Pittsburgh, and has spent nearly her entire professional career in higher education development. Prior to joining Sewickley Academy, she was the director of development for The Education Foundation where she managed fundraising, event planning, and website content development.

Before her time at the foundation, Julie served in various development roles at Carnegie Mellon University. She was part of the annual giving team during Carnegie Mellon’s recent capital campaign. Her responsibilities included managing the retention of first-time 30

and consecutive donors, and she was instrumental in creating recognition programs for those audiences.

Julie is looking forward to getting to know the Sewickley Academy community. She said, “You can tell right away that Sewickley Academy is a special place. I’ve never felt so welcome so quickly. I’m excited to serve such an incredible school.”

In her spare time, Julie is an active member of the Junior League of Pittsburgh, and she enjoys volunteering at various non-profits in the area.

Before you know it, we’ll be celebrating!

Three years ago, the idea of a new Events Center was just a dream. Currently, we are under construction and just a year away from being able to use this amazing new facility.

The generosity of our parents, alumni, and friends has made launching this project possible. We hope you’ll join them in accelerating the momentum of giving over the next few months.

We need to raise $4.5 million to complete the project. By making a gift now, you are supporting the students and teachers of the present and future, just as our alumni and parents of alumni have made the Sewickley Academy of today possible: through their generosity.

We’re making sure Sewickley Academy is the best possible school for this and the next generation. Won’t you make a gift today?

WE’RE SO CLOSE! Make your gift today: www.sewickley.org/givenow Call the Office of Advancement to plan your donation: 412.741.2113

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FAMILIAR FACES IN NEW PLACES

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1. Brendan Schneider

5. Rebecca Kurtz

Brendan, who served as the Academy’s director of admission for the past seven years, has taken the helm of the Advancement Office. Brendan brings to this new responsibility his consummate people skills, teambuilding ability, and nationally-recognized expertise in leveraging social media to promote and market schools.

Having served for the past several years as the Summerbridge high school program director, as well as in the Global Studies Office coordinating our exchange programs, Rebecca is delighted to be taking on the leadership of Summerbridge Pittsburgh. Given her commitment to the mission of the program, which serves at-risk children in the greater Pittsburgh region while providing leadership and teaching opportunities to college undergraduates, Rebecca is uniquely positioned to leverage her experience and knowledge of the program to ensure its vitality.

Director of Advancement

2. Celeste Antill

Executive Director of Summerbridge Pittsburgh

Database Manager

Celeste, who has been a stalwart in the Advancement Office for the past seven years, is shifting over to manage the database and support the Academy’s stewardship of our loyal supporters. An extraordinary event planner, Celeste will continue to provide support for Grandparents’and Special Friends’ Days in all three divisions in addition to her new duties.

With her excellent organizational skills and consummate attention to detail, Celeste, a parent of two alumni, brings both her strong skill set and her knowledge of the Academy to her new role.

6. Katie McAfee

Kindergarten Assistant After serving as the director of After Ours program for the past five years, Katie is joining the Kindergarten as an assistant. A cum laude graduate of Robert Morris University with a B.S. in elementary education, Katie completed her student teaching at Chartiers Valley Primary School. She has also served as the assistant in the Marion Hutchins Library over the past several years, providing instruction and support to Lower School students during library time.

3. Marie DeGraef

Library Assistant - Marion Hutchins Library Many of you are familiar with Marie, who has served with distinction as a long-term substitute in Lower School classrooms on a number of occasions over the years. She is joining Catherine Lanni in the Marion Hutchins Library in support of our outstanding Lower School library program. Her familiarity with many of the students in the Lower School will undoubtedly make for a smooth transition.

4. Rina Heavner

7. Sarah Walters Director of Admission

Sarah brings to this position her wealth of leadership and organizational skills, her significant experience leading the annual admission and hiring efforts for Summerbridge Pittsburgh, as well as her experience in admission garnered at the university level at Wheeling Jesuit University prior to coming to Sewickley Academy.

Grade 1 Teacher

8. Jayme Thompson

Multi-talented and adaptable, Rina is moving from Grade 2 to join Kelly Gary in the Grade 1 program. With her experience in our Kindergarten and her recent tenure in Grade 2, Rina is uniquely positioned to ensure our first graders have a seamless transition during these first critical years of schooling. In addition to her time at Sewickley Academy, Rina has 11 years of teaching experience gained at several schools in New York City. Rina earned her B.A. from the University of the Philippines and her M.S. in early childhood and elementary education from the highly respected Bank Street College of Education in New York.

Jayme is making a move from our Lower School classrooms, where she has served with distinction in Kindergarten and most recently in Grade 1, to the Admission Office. She brings to her new role a knowledge of child development, a familiarity with the school, and an understanding of the wider community. Working closely with Sarah Walters and the Lower School Admission Committee, Jayme will spearhead our Lower School admission efforts.

Assistant Director of Admission

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2015—2016 Héctor Tobar

Josh Sundquist Monday, September 21

Wednesday, October 7

11:30 AM – 12:00 PM Middle School in Rea Auditorium

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM Grades 4 – 6 in Rea Auditorium

12:15 PM – 1:15 PM Senior School in Rea Auditorium

1:00 PM – 1:50 PM Senior School in Rea Auditorium

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and expert on Latin America, Héctor Tobar was chosen to tell the riveting story of 33 trapped Chilean miners. Deep Down Dark details their horrific experiences within a rich political, economic, and cultural context.

Josh Sundquist a bestselling author, motivational speaker, and Paralympic ski racer. He has spoken across the world to groups ranging from Fortune 500 companies to inner city public schools to the White House.

Tobar was part of the Los Angeles Times team that won the 1993 Pulitzer Prize “for balanced, comprehensive, penetrating coverage under deadline pressure of the second, most destructive day of the Los Angeles riots.” In 2005, he wrote Translation Nation: Defining a New American Identity in the Spanish-Speaking United States. In 2006, Tobar was named one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the United States by Hispanic Business magazine.

At age nine, Josh Sundquist was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer and given a 50 percent chance to live. He spent a year on chemotherapy treatments and his left leg was amputated. Doctors declared Josh cured of the disease at age 13, and he took up ski racing three years later. He trained for the next six years, and in 2006 he was named to the U.S. Paralympic Ski Team for the 2006 Paralympics in Torino, Italy.

Supported in part by the Albert and Bertha Sector Speaker Series Fund.

Supported in part by the Geller Family Educational Speakers Fund.

I’m Not Racist…Am I?

Ian Rosenberger

Monday, November 9

Friday, April 1, 2016

6:30 PM – 9:00 PM in Rea Auditorium

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM Middle School in Rea Auditorium

I’m Not Racist...Am I? is a feature documentary following a diverse group of teens through a yearlong exploration to get at the heart of racism. Through some tense and painful moments, we see how these difficult conversations affect their relationships with friends and parents, and ultimately challenge them to look deep within themselves.

By the end of their time together, we’ll see these remarkable young people develop deeper bonds, a stronger resolve, and a bigger, more significant definition of racism than any of us ever imagined.

1:00 PM – 1:50 PM Senior School in Rea Auditorium Ian founded both Team Tassy and Thread in 2010 in the wake of the Haiti earthquake. Team Tassy places the poor into jobs, while Thread takes trash from poor neighborhoods and turns it into fabric. The fabric is then sold to apparel and accessories brands striving to be more authentic, transparent, and responsible. Both organizations work in a quest to end multi-dimensional poverty. To date, Team Tassy has engaged almost 300 Haitians, preparing them and their families for employment. Thread has shipped nearly 2 million pounds of recycled plastic out of Haiti and Honduras to be processed into fabric and eventually turned into finished goods and jobs for Team Tassy families.

Ian is a 2013 Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership Awardee, and a 2013 Dignity and Respect Champion. He has spoken about Thread and Team Tassy’s work for TEDx and One Young World, and his work has been featured in numerous publications and on CNN. In 2005, he placed third on CBS: Survivor Palau. Ian is an ultramarathoner, running 230 miles across Haiti in an effort to raise over $85,000 for Team Tassy in February 2015.

All Sewickley Series events are free and open to the public.

For more information and to register, visit www.sewickley.org/sewickleyseries.

Class Notes

Class of 1933 W I NF TA EL RL 22 00 11 55

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1940 75th Reunion Year Bill Arrott ’40 writes, “My wife Elizabeth and I are expanding our internet marketing business on Amazon.com with a new line of jewelry products that we plan to announce soon. Meanwhile, her book, Shortcut to a Miracle, How to Change Your Consciousness and Transform Your Life, has been published in French and continues to sell well. It combines spiritual principles with quantum physics and has been vetted for technical accuracy by my physicist brother Tony ‘42 who is a fellow in the Canadian Royal Society.”

’57

’62

Cap Coyle ‘57, Dick Hall ‘57, and Britt Colbert ‘62 met for lunch in Florida in April.

Rob Arthur ‘60 crossing the finish line in the MS Breakaway from Miami to Key Largo.

1945

Nina (Wardrop ’62) and Frank Brooks ’62 with their son Colin and his fiancée Casey Roff.

70th Reunion Year

1950

’60

1958

1960

Susan (Mann ’58) Flanders had an author event this spring at the Penquin Bookshop in Sewickley to highlight her new book: Going to Church: It’s Not What You Think!, a memoir of her life as an Episcopal priest - a journey of questions, struggles, and blessings, both personal and professional. “I was delighted to see a number of old SA pals and renew some Sewickley ties.”

55th Reunion Year

Rob Arthur ’60 writes, “This year I plan to ride over 1,200 miles to raise money for charitable 65th Reunion Year causes. In the picture of me above, I’m crossing the finish line in the MS Breakaway from Miami to Key Largo. On the first day of the ride, I completed 100 miles, and on the second day it was 75 miles with the benefit of the liquid Florida Anne (Frothingham ’59) Cross reports, “Dennis and I live in New York City where we have sun for the last 15 miles. lived in the same apartment for over 40 years. My wife Sandi’s friends and I have built a 60th Reunion Year We are usually accompanied by two little dachs- double decked train layout. It takes an HO train hunds these days. We have two daughters, Lou- at scale speed 25 minutes to go around once.” isa Walsh and Eliza Miller, two granddaughters, Amelia Walsh and Peyton Walsh, and one little Miller on the way, sex to be known at birth.

On a trip to Florida in April, Dick Hull ‘57 had We spend summers in Nantucket where we Nina (Wardrop ’62) Brooks and Frank Brooks lunch with Cap Coyle ‘57 and Britt Colbert have sailed and raced big and small boats. I ’62 announce the engagement of their son, ‘62 in Delray Beach. They spent a lot of time still play piano, classical, and have two grand Colin Brooks, to Casey Roff. Colin attended reminiscing and reviewing old photographs. pianos stuffed into our living room. Presently, Seaholm High School in Birmingham, Michigan Cappy and his wife live in Boynton Beach, and I am on board with the Saving Sweet Briar and graduated from Michigan State University. the Colberts in Delray. Dick writes, “We spent movement. We ran into Trudy (Oliver ’60) Colin currently resides in Michigan where he is most of the time at Cap’s house, but met the Hetherington at Dennis’ 50th reunion at Yale. employed by MyBuys. Casey, daughter of Eileen Colberts for lunch at a beach club both couples I loved the co-ed education experience, not to and Howard Roff of Bloomfield Hills, Michibelong to. My wife Karen and I drove there from mention the fabulous education, at SA. Imagine gan, attended Marian High School and gradStuart, where we were staying for two weeks - two English courses a day!” uated from Michigan State University with a in a rented condo.

Bachelor’s of Science degree in nursing. Casey

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1957

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currently resides in Michigan and works as a nurse educator at the Detroit Medical Center, while pursuing her master’s in nursing at Ferris State University. A summer 2016 wedding is planned.

1966 Carol (Semple ’66) Thompson, the most decorated female amateur in golf history, has achieved another rare distinction. She was one of 14 women invited to become members of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in Scotland, considered the home of golf. Thompson, a former U.S. Amateur and British Amateur Champion, was accepted as an overseas “ordinary” member who is required to pay an initiation fee and yearly dues. “It’s very exciting,” Carol said. “I think it’s really flattering. It’s quite a group of women and I was really quite pleased because they’re all so accomplished.” Carol first played the Old Course in 1964 at age 15 when her parents took her to Wales to watch the Curtis Cup. The family stayed on to play eight courses in eight days. It wasn’t until she played the British Ladies Amateur over 10 days at the Old Course in 1975 as defending champion that she fell in love with the place. She returned in 2008 to captain the U.S. Curtis Cup team to victory, and snapped a photo of the footpath along the first hole that was named “Semple Thompson Blvd.” for the week. Carol is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and has won seven United States Golf Association championships and played on a record 12 Curtis Cup teams.

1972

soon. Our daughter Emily lives in Portland, Oregon and is doing very well with her practice in mental health counseling. My husband Andy News from John ’72 and Meghan (Fawcett retires at the end of the year and we are looking ’72) Wise: “In 2014, we both retired from the forward to that and lots of travels. I spend my practice of law, left our life long home in Sedays helping seniors here on the island who still wickley, and moved to a farm in Green Bluff, live at home but are unable to drive to get to Washington. We were looking for a new advenvarious appointments or whatever is requested.” ture that would take us far from the stressful lives we had been living. The inland Northwest is a little known gem that offers spectacular terrain and mountain living, endless outdoor activities, and a simpler, laid back lifestyle. Visitors welcome! Check your cell phones at the door.

They won’t work anyway.”

45th Reunion Year

1970

1973 1971

Debi (Butteri ‘73) and Freddie Akers visited their son Freddie Jr. in Seattle this summer and Richard Kelly Graham ’71 shares proudly that had dinner with former Academy English teachhis daughter Katherine begins her pursuit of a er Colby Chester. Colby, who was an actor on Ph.D. in engineering in September 2015 at Stan- The Young and the Restless for many years, is a ford University. professional photographer. Check out his webJoanne Groshardt ’71 announces, “After five site at www.colby4photos.zenfolio.com. years of sitting in a computer file, my first feature film, SafeWord, was released on January 20, 2015.”

Larry “Chip” Garber ’66 wrote that he was “on his way to India in a month, for the fifth year, teaching and doing research at IMT Ghaziabad, a graduate business school outside Delhi. My wife Diane will come with me to the Lake District for the prior week, then she heads back to North Carolina, while I go east.”

’73 The Akers family met Colby Chester, former SA faculty, for dinner in Seattle.

1969

Meghan (Fawcett ’72) and John Wise ‘72 at home in green Bluff, WA.

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Peyton (Wendt ’69) Berry reports from Martha’s Vineyard, “After such a harsh winter, spring has finally arrived here on the Vineyard. We are currently waiting for the birth of our first granddaughter, which is so exciting. Luckily, Marcie and her husband Tim live in Maryland, so I hope they expect lots of visits. Our son Mason is now a lieutenant commander in the Navy and has been out at sea since January on the USS Green Bay. We hope he returns to San Diego

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1975

1979

Bill Braham ’75 writes, “I’m still teaching at Penn and just came back from a trip to Riyahd, giving a talk at a conference arranged to help Saudi Arabia think about its energy consumption, which now consumes over a quarter of their annual oil production. Also, I have another book coming out this fall, Architecture and Systems Ecology: Thermodynamic Principles of Environmental Building Design, in three parts.

Robert Sharp’s ’79 daughter Caitlyn Brianna Sharp, an Allen & Marilyn Puckett Endowed Scholar, received her master’s degree in public policy from Pepperdine University’s School of Public Policy on April 17th during a windy ceremony in scenic Malibu. Caitlyn is working for a major lobbying firm in Los Angeles and directly with clients that include Cisco and Oracle. “Incredibly proud dad here,” said Robert. On his SA days, Robert recalled his time spent at the Academy, “The memories easily far outweigh or eclipse my time there, so there’s a transcendence that wraps itself around the experience.

It is a special place.”

40th Reunion Year

John Macdonald ’75 shares news of his life and family, “I am now in my 14th year teaching at Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge. My job - in addition to classroom time – includes a lot of international travel to such countries as Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Singapore, Indonesia, as well as the UK from time to time. Four years ago I was promoted to associate professor along with my responsibilities as director of the Stanway Institute for World Mission and Evangelism. My daughter Parry ‘10 is finishing her Ph.D. in entomology at the University of California (Riverside), and my son Timmy ‘11, as the current US National Scottish Fiddling Champion, will be competing in an international invitational in Scottish fiddling to be held at Blair Castle in Scotland. Gail and I (of course!) plan to watch him compete.”

Laura MacLeod ’75 reports, “I’m enjoying the press I’m getting for From The Inside Out Project (www.fromtheinsideoutproject.com). Check out my website to see more - I would love your feedback. Most recently, I was a contributor on Youngupstarts.com (http://bit.ly/1Puyy9W) on how to be a great customer. Thanks to those who have connected with me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. If you haven’t, please find me - I would love to hear from you!”

1980

Barbara Figgins ’81 reports that, “Chicago is coming back to life with the onset of spring/ summer and I will be spending my summer vacation in preparation for a one-woman show, My Brilliant Divorce, by Geraldine Aron, which will open in October and is produced by the Irish Theatre of Chicago where I have been a proud ensemble member for the last 10 years.”

Leslie Lewis ’81 writes “I am leaving Duquesne University after ten years as a reference and instruction librarian and faculty member. I have been accepted into the doctoral program in educational leadership at Clemson University and will be moving to Clemson in August. I have wanted to pursue a doctorate degree for quite some time and am very excited about this new opportunity!”

1982 35th Reunion Year

1981 Nancy (Kennerdell ’81) Lawrence and Diana Ring ’81 came to visit Mark Dugan ’81 in League City and Kemah, Texas, in April to celebrate Nancy’s birthday and just have some fun and fabulous food.

They spent a ton of time at Mark’s friend, Amy Babis Kelly’s B&B (701 Bay Avenue) on Galveston Bay, and did manage to see the local sights, as well as Galveston Island, which included the historic and haunted Galvez Hotel & Spa. Mark said, “We need to get more local alumni together soon!”

From Caitlin McQuade ’82: “After nearly three years in Boulder, Colorado, I’ve started meditating and making my own granola. But I’m still not skiing. I am picking up museum consulting gigs where I can, and doing part-time office work and website management for a law firm.

In the fall, I’ll teach a class in museum studies at CU, where my husband Joe is a professor of education. I’ve started making art again – mixed media collage – and it takes me back to painting murals in Mr. White’s classroom. Thanks to all of you who keep in touch on Facebook: love seeing you, your kids, dogs, links, and thoughts!”

1976

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Anne DeVenzio ’76 reports, “I had the pleasure of joining my friend and alumna Missy (Hall ’77) Nicholson and family for dinner in Santa Monica, California this spring... it had been 40 years! I also recently returned from a dream trip to Austria and Italy. My home is Los Angeles where I sell light boxes and do creative projects on the side. I welcome any correspondence at anne.devenzio@sbcglobal.net.

’81 Nancy (Kennerdell ‘81) Lawarence [right] and Diana Ring ‘81 [left] came to visit Mark S. Dugan ‘81 [center] in League City and Kemah, Texas.

1985 30th Reunion Year

1986 Carrie (Zuberbuhler ’86) Kennedy traveled to Greece for two weeks in June with Pittsburgh’s Classrooms Without Borders Program on a tour that focused on culture and art. She looks forward to incorporating what she learned in her classes at the Baden Academy Charter School, where she serves as the artist-in-residence.

She is also working on two book manuscripts and continues to take on freelance writing projects. She lives near North Park with her husband, Kevin, and their daughters Grace (14) and Megan (11).

surgeons and gastroenterologists with care of a specialized patient population. Amazon ranks it as its 1,728,549th best seller - I hope readers are enjoying it!”

During the Hollywood Fringe Festival in June, Chris Piehler ’89 performed a one-man show he wrote. The show is an hour-long, mostly comedic story about him and his pony. Julio Martinez from Bitter Lemons says, “Piehler’s understated, self-deprecating humor and comedically ungainly physical mannerisms play well… What Piehler does very well, under Director Thomas O’Leary’s well-paced guidance, is pull the audience into the world of competitive riding, from the point of view of a child… Humor-filled recollections of mishaps, miscues, utter failures and eventual triumphs are entwined within a boy’s gradual realization of the world around him and his place in it… The audience could have easily spent another 10 or 15 minutes in Piehler’s company.”

’89 Chris Piehler ’89 performed Reserve Champion, a one-man show that he wrote.

1990

1989 Steven Kavic ’89 writes, “I am delighted to report the publication of my book, Surgery for Crohn’s Disease. It is a work designed to help

25th Reunion Year

Bridging the Gap

Opening day of The Bridges Academy in September 2013.

In late October 2012, Molly Hays-Jette ‘81 received word that her children’s school would close in June. Loving her experience at SA and feeling that their community needed a good independent school, Molly rallied a group of parents, teachers, and their former headmaster to start a new school for students 2-years-old through eighth grade on the south shore of Long Island.

Find out more about Bridges at: www.thebridgesacademy.net.

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The Bridges Academy, like SA, is an academically accelerated school and its motto is “Character, Confidence, and Knowledge.” The

Their mission is to prepare students to be global citizens. It’s all very exciting and the community has really embraced Bridges, as demonstrated by a 20 percent growth in enrollment last year and this year. The academy’s success has been a real life lesson that anything is possible if you dream, believe, and work hard. Molly commented, “It’s been an honor and privilege to be part of the team that built a beautiful school for our community and to serve on the board of trustees.”

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Molly said, “My personal experience at SA and how it fostered my individual growth and confidence has served me well throughout my career and life. I always dreamed my daughters would get the same opportunity to be in a learning en-

vironment, which was nurturing, engaging, and challenging. SA emphasized the importance of giving back to the community, a value that my parents also instilled in me. When my daughters’ school closed, it was only natural to move ahead and build a new school. We secured an empty turnkey school building one mile away from our original school and felt that we were destined to start The Bridges Academy. We managed to save over 30 teachers’ jobs in this endeavor.”

academy offers a unique program in foreign languages. Students start taking French and Mandarin classes in nursery school. The school has a series of programs fostering students’ interest in STEM, including a new partnership with the Webb Institute in Glen Cove, New York, on Long Island Sound. Middle schoolers will design and build underwater robots and then get the opportunity to use the test tanks at the Webb Institute. Last year, students had an opportunity to travel to Costa Rica, and a trip to the Galapagos Island is being planned next year.

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1995 20th Reunion Year

2000 15th Reunion Year Colleen (Minnock ’00) Chulis and her husband Matthew welcomed their third child Declan Peter on April 14, 2015. Declan joins older siblings Luke and Adelle. Colleen is the global director of linguistic validation at TransPerfect, and Matt is an associate head coach of men’s soccer at the University of Virginia. The team won the National Championship this past fall.

The family resides in Charlottesville, Virginia.

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2003 Kacey (Wells ’03) McAleer and husband, Bobby, welcomed their son, Wells Robert, on November 4, 2014. They live in Reston, Virginia.

Mary Grace Mock ’03 married Andrew Holt (Phillips Exeter Academy ’00) on May 2, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Sewickley Academy crowd was in full force, representing the classes of ‘01, ‘03, ‘05, ‘06, ‘10, as well as lots of consistently supportive SA parents!

2005 10th Reunion Year Artie Woods ’05 is beginning his third year as a NCAA Division II football official, and working Division I spring football. He also worked the 2014 PIAA state finals and completed the NFL Officiating Academy and is currently in the beginning phases of the NFL Referee’s Association pipeline.

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Colleen (Minnock ‘00) Chulis and husband Matthew with their children Adelle, Declan, and Luke.

Mary Grace Mock ’03 and husband Andrew Holt.

Kacey (Wells ‘03) McAleer with husband Bobby and their son Wells Robert.

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2006 David Bevevino (‘06) married Lily Roberts of Cleveland, Ohio on October 11, 2014, at the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Cleveland. Family and friends, including many with ties to Sewickley Academy, joined them for a reception at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

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David currently leads the community college research division of The Advisory Board Company, and Lily manages health care and social services policy evaluation projects for Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. She is pursuing a master’s degree in social administration at Case Western Reserve University. The couple met at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and currently live in Washington, DC. After SA, Luke Brocks ’06 attended the University of Rochester where he graduated with a degree in political science and business. In the fall of 2010, he began working full time and enrolled in evening courses at Duquesne University’s School of Law. Brocks earned his law degree in 2014 and married his wife Kelli shortly thereafter. In April of this year, he joined Capital One as a contract manager and moved to Richmond, Virginia.

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David Bevevino ’06 married Lily Roberts of Cleveland, OH on October 11, 2014.

Vik Pisipati ’06 published his first travel book, Equestrian Under the Influence, available worldwide on Amazon.com.

2010 5th Reunion Year

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Fellow SA alumni Zach Ciccone ‘06 and Angelo Innamorato ‘06 were groomsmen and ceremony musicians at the Brocks’ wedding.

Brandon McGinley ’06 and his wife Katie welcomed their second child, Ambrose Sebastian, on April 17. Ambrose joins his big sister, 2-year-old Teresa Benedicta, in the family. A day after Ambrose was born, the book Brandon edited on being a Catholic husband and father, The Joys and Challenges of Family Life, was released. And a few weeks earlier, the McGinleys bought a house in the Brookline neighborhood of Pittsburgh. “It’s been a busy and blessed time for us!”

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SA friends and family pictured at the Bevevino wedding front row: Cindy (Assistant to the Head of School), David ‘06 and Lisa ‘02 Bevevino, Julie (Bevevino ‘99) Fulesday, Alexandra Bellay ‘06, and Luke Grimes ‘06, back row: Patty Colavincenzo (parent of alumni), Laurel (Weller ‘98) Noe, Brett Fulesday ‘99, Chris Anderson (parent of alumni and former faculty), and Jim O’Shaughnessy (parent of alumni).

Parry (Macdonald) Kietzman ’06 writes that she just finished her Ph.D. in entomology at the University of California at Riverside, where her focus was on honey bee behavior.

Luke Brocks ‘06 and his wife Kelli.

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2011 Elena Corcoran ’11 recently concluded an outstanding collegiate gymnastics career at George Washington University (GW). A senior co-captain, Corcoran helped the team to the program’s first-ever East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Championship on March 22 at SECU Arena in Towson, Maryland. The Colonials then advanced to the NCAA Auburn Regional, the first regional appearance as a team since 2002 and the 11th all-time appearance in program history, where they finished sixth in a highly-competitive field. Elena was a First Team All-Eastern Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) selection on vault in her senior season after registering career-high scores on vault (9.925) and floor exercise (9.875). She tallied three vault routines of 9.90 or better and finished the season ranked fifth in the EAGL with a regional-qualifying score of 9.88 on vault. Elena was also a Second Team All-EAGL selection on vault as a junior and sophomore in addition to a fourtime EAGL all-scholastic team member. Elena graduated with a degree in political science and was a six-time selection to the GW Department of Athletics and Recreation dean’s list.

Alyssa Dillon ’11 graduated from Grove City College this past May. She is pleased to announce that she will be returning to the independent school world as the junior graphic designer and photographer for Cheshire Academy, a boarding school in Cheshire, Connecticut, about twenty minutes from New Haven.

2012 Andrew DiNardo ’12 reports, “Currently, I am finishing my third year at Dickinson College studying abroad in Bologna, Italy. Here, I have been taking classes at the University of Bologna (one of the oldest in the world), teaching English to native Italians and learning more than ever by traveling to different countries including Spain and Turkey. A large part as to why my time here has been so rewarding is because I am able to speak Italian, a language I began studying when I arrived at Sewickley in ninth grade. I cannot thank Sewickley Academy enough for giving me this base and for sparking a desire in me to immerse myself in every community I come in contact with.”

’11 Elena Corcoran ‘11 had an outstanding collegiate gymnastics career at George Washington University.

Meredith Doyle ’12 continues to pursue acting and performed in Avenue Q, a summer production at Muhlenberg College, where she is a theater major. She also studied in New York City for five weeks at the Larry Singer Summer Conservatory, one of the top programs in the country.

Alexis Krey ’12 spent the summer at the Jersey Shore where she appeared in Damn Yankees at the Greater Ocean City Theatre Company as female ensemble. Later in the summer, she worked with this company again in Shrek, performing the roles of the witch and a duloc citizen.

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Sewickley Alumna Goes National

Bosilovic not only made the team, but went to Italy on December 26, 2014 with 25 other players to teach aspiring Italian women’s lacrosse players the game.

Catholic University photo: Alexis Bosilovic ‘13, a Hampton resident and a Sewickley Academy graduate, plays women’s lacrosse for Catholic University and was recently selected to play for the Italian national team.

Another milestone in the development of lacrosse locally has occurred now that Sewickley Academy graduate Alexis Bosilovic ‘13 has made the Italian national women’s lacrosse team.

started all but two games for Catholic, scoring 12 goals in 18 games and winning a team-high 87 draw controls for a team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Bosilovic, a Hampton resident, is a sophomore at Catholic University. A 5-foot-8 midfielder, she easily led the Cardinals in draw controls with 79 through 14 games and has scored 20 goals in 15 games, all as a starter.

It was enough of an effort for Meghan McDonogh, the Cardinals women’s lacrosse head coach, to recommend Bosilovic to try out for the Italian national team when it conducted a tryout last summer. Bosilovic is partially of Italian ancestry, which allowed her to try out for the team.

This comes off a freshman season where this former Pittsburgh Select Lacrosse Club star 46 42

By Marky Billson: Reprinted with permission from Tri-State Sports & News Service

“She is definitely a talented athlete. But more importantly, she is a leader. When you’re starting something you need kids with great energy,” said Justin Serpone, who co-coaches the Italian team with his wife, University of Massachusetts Women’s Lacrosse Coach Angela McMahon.

“We were most attracted to Alexis’ leadership qualities. She’s a great kid.”

“I was chosen to go to Rome and teach Italian girls how to play lacrosse. From there I was invited to play in Vienna this summer,” Bosilovic said. “It’s very new and fresh in Italy, but they are very receptive to learn. Sometimes in the routine of practice, a player will lose some fire due to the repetition. These girls never felt that.”

Bosilovic speaks Italian, having grown up hearing it around the house as well as minoring in the language at Catholic during her freshman year. She even jokes the only language barrier she had was when she learned “goose bumps” are called “duck pimples” in Italy.

Alumni Events

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1. Head of School Kolia O’Connor and Alumni Associate Susan (Ratcliffe ’55) Sour were warmly received by local alumni at the Field Club in Greenwich. Kolia spoke about the challenges students face today as they gain skills that will enable them to succeed and lead in a fast-paced global society. Pictured: Peter ‘84 and Elizabeth Courtney, Kolia O’Connor, John Trainer ‘66 and Alice (Baker ‘58) Duff.

2. Elisa Cavalier ’77 and John ’70 and Kate Powell joined current SA families and faculty for a beautiful night of Pirates baseball in May.

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5. David Jardini P ‘21, ‘23, ‘27 and Max Hammel ’15; Anthony Frischling ’15 and Michael Bollinger ‘74 at alumni/student networking event.

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3. Pieter Hansen ’15, Thomas Mulholland ’15, Jane Blaugrund ’15, Matt Phillips, P ‘19, ‘20, and Isaac Arjmand ’15 at alumni/student networking event.

4. In April, members of the senior and junior classes had a unique opportunity to get some first-hand information and advice on next steps for their college and career choices from local alumni and a few Academy parents at a luncheon at the Rivers Club in downtown Pittsburgh. Alumni and parents who shared their educational and business experience with students included: Jonathan Glance ‘93, Hank Wilde ‘00, Jay Brooks ‘56, Michael Bollinger ‘74, Dwight Mathis P ‘23, ‘27, Dwight Deitrich P ‘11, ‘14, ‘16, Matt Phillips, P ‘19, ‘20, David Jardini P ‘21, ‘23, ‘27, Jeralyn Smith P ‘13, Dr. Dolores Gonthier P ‘20, Dr. John Mahoney P ‘20, and Peggy DiNardo P ‘12, ‘14. Pictured: Anthony Frischling ‘15 and Michael Bollinger ‘74.

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In Memoriam

As of June 30, 2015

ALUMNI John David Link ’36, son of Sewickley Academy former Headmaster Stuart MacArthur Link and Helen Hammer Link, died March 8, 2015, in Asheville, North Carolina. Born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, he attended Sewickley Academy, graduated cum laude from the Hill School, and with high honors from Princeton University in mechanical engineering. He continued his education through the Navy at Midshipmen School, Notre Dame University (in electronics), Harvard University, MIT (for radar), and the U.S. Naval Submarine School in New London, Connecticut.

During World War II, John entered the United States Navy, attaining the rank of lieutenant commander, and serving aboard a submarine, the USS Hawkbill (SS366), in the southwest Pacific Ocean area. The Hawkbill sank 13 ships and damaged 13 ships on five war patrols. On May 27, 1944, he married the love of his live, Ruth Ann Robinson.

After the war John worked for U.S. Rubber Co., Barium Steel and Forge Co., the Ford Motor Co., and the Olin Corporation in four locations around the United States. His duties included industrial engineering, industrial relations, labor relations, manufacturing management, arms research (Winchester Repeating Arms), assistant to corporate executive vice president, plants manager, corporate vice president and general manager of Olin Film Division. John served on the board at the Asheville Art Museum, Planned Parenthood, and Meals on Wheels.

He spent part or all of his summers in New Hampshire throughout his life. John and Ruth traveled the world during their nearly 70 years together. He enjoyed swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, canoeing, rowing, sculling, sailing, windsurfing, bicycling, motorcycling, soaring, flying, paraplaning, hiking, rock climbing, gardening, and reading.

John was predeceased by his wife and is survived by daughters, Melinda A. Lincoln of North Haven, Connecticut; Melissa A. Gunther of Asheville, North Carolina; Melanie E. Beck of Charleston, South Carolina; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Lucile Hartje Dickey ’48 passed away peacefully on April 26, 2015, in Palm Beach, Florida. Born December 17, 1932, she was raised in Sewickley where she enjoyed playing tennis and swimming. She married Paul Browning Dickie, Jr., in Hyannisport, Massachusetts, on August 26, 1956. Brownie and Lucy took their honeymoon on a 24-foot borrowed boat, which they cruised to New York City. Cruising was always a favorite pastime.

Lucy was an avid seamstress, and made most of her own clothing using the most beautiful materials available. She and her sister-in-law Joan Dickey started a monogrammed linen dressmaking business in Palm Beach called “Chi Chi.” Lucy loved raising her four children more than anything else. She also enjoyed gardening, playing bridge, and helping her many friends.

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She is survived by her husband of 58 years and their four children, Heather Schneeberger of Wellesley, Massachusetts; Paul B. Dickey III of Honolulu, Hawaii; Laura Boutelle of Greenwich, Connecticut; and William Y. H. Dickey of Norwalk, Connecticut, and her sister Laura Jennings ’46.

Joseph Scott Thornton, Ph.D. ’50 died peacefully at his home in Austin, Texas, on November 14, 2014. Born in Sewickley on February 6, 1936 to Joseph and Evelyn Thornton, he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1968 with a doctorate in mechanical engineering. Scott developed a series of unique engineering solutions and enhancements for industry and the US Navy. In 1975, he co-founded Texas Research Institute (TRI), later renamed Texas Research International. He engendered the employee-owned company with a culture of scientific excellence, encouragement, and trust. TRI flourished over the years, with service centers expanding into Asia, South America, and Australia, providing technical, scientific, testing, materials engineering, and consulting expertise. He had a way of nurturing others, celebrating their achievements, and making them feel part of a familial collective. Occasionally, on hot summer workdays, he could be found travelling the hallways of TRI pulling a wheeled cooler, passing out ice cream bars with a smile and a “thank you for working at TRI.” He received the International Geosynthetic Society (IGS) Service Award in 2002 at the seventh International Conference on Geosynthetics in Nice, France. He was president of TRI until his death.

In January 2004, Scott founded Volunteers at the Creek, a non-profit organization providing peer-supported recovery programs and services for people suffering from alcoholism and substance use. The organization was renamed Communities for Recovery (CforR) in 2008, and a community center was opened on the campus of Austin State Hospital (ASH). Through his leadership and energy, CforR received Joint Commission (TJC) Accreditation for Peer Recovery support programs earlier this year, becoming the first peer recovery community organization in the United States to receive this accreditation. His achievements were heralded on state and national levels.

A generous, witty, humble person, he was a great father to his two sons, and wonderful mentor, philanthropist, and humanitarian in the community. The list of people whose lives he touched is immeasurable. Scott is survived by his wife Tiffany, sons Joseph Scott Thornton III and Christopher Pearson Thornton, and two beloved grandchildren.

Pauline (Okie ’50) Walker of Sewickley, Pennsylvania, died peacefully on March 30, 2015, just after her 80th birthday. Born in Rockwood, Tennessee, to Frederick William and Opal Cain Okie, Polly attended St. Timothy’s School, Simmons College and Tuft’s University where she specialized in teaching hearing-impaired children. She had a long and rewarding career selling Sewickley real estate, retiring at age 79.

Polly dedicated much time to civic and charitable organizations including the Child Health Association, the Union Aid Society, the Garden Club of Allegheny County, the Sewickley Cemetery, the Presbyterian Church, the board of her condominium association, and the Center for Hope. Polly embodied a rare and winning combination of intelligence and humor. Affectionately dubbed “the General” by her doting grandchildren, she demonstrated an unwavering and joyful devotion to her family and friends. Polly loved life and hers was a light that shined so brightly!

FAMILY OF ALUMNI

She is survived by her husband Stephen, daughters Kathy (Walker ’78) Bantleon and Elizabeth (Walker ’80) Mecke, and four grandchildren Lyssa ’10 and David ’14 Bantleon, and Kate and Campbell Mecke; and her brother Fritz Okie ’52.

Henry Fairbanks Devens, father of Henry F. III ’66, Timothy ’71, stepfather of Julia (Halcomb ’60) Woodward, Helen (Halcomb ’66) Moriyama, Charles Halcomb ’62, Samuel Halcomb ’77, Monroe Nash ’79, and grandchildren Christopher ’02 and Carolyn Devens ’02

John Hosack Schaff ’76 passed away unexpectedly at his winter home in Naples, Florida, on April 6, bringing to a close a life characterized by devotion to family, friends, and community. Son of the late Davis S. III and Sarah H. Schaff, he is survived by his wife Mary and children John H. “Zack”, Madeleine, and William; his sister Isabel (Schaff ’77) Cabanne, and numerous relatives.

John graduated from the University of Denver in 1981 with a B.S. in business administration, moved to Chicago and began a career at the Northern Trust Company in commercial banking. After he and Mary married, they moved to Grand Rapids where John was vice president of the National Bank of Detroit in the commercial lending department.

In 1989, he struck out on his own, co-founding and growing a successful travel agency. In 1999, he began a consulting practice providing strategic planning, financial analysis, and business valuation services to privately-owned companies, which he continued for the rest of his life. He served on a number of boards for privately owned companies.

John and Mary raised their three children amidst large and close families on both sides, including wonderful summers in Leland and Northport Point in Michigan. John loved sports and played competitive team soccer and lacrosse in school, then pursued golf, tennis, platform tennis, skiing, and sailing in adult life. He volunteered for many years as a high school tennis and middle school lacrosse coach.

Philip James Berg, father of Elizabeth Berg ‘61, Susan (Berg ‘67) Gross, and Margaret (Berg ‘71) Anderson James L. Blaser, father of Beau ‘95 and Audra ‘99 Blaser

Anne Fulton Dithrich, mother of Charles W. ’69, Betsy (Dithrich ’72) Halcomb, William H. ’75, and Brown F. ’83 Alice Elizabeth Forrest, mother of Cynthia ’62 and Thomas ’71 Laetitia Seibels Frothingham, mother of Ann (Frothingham ’59) Cross and Caesara (Frothingham ’60) Wendin V. James Gregory, father of Betsy (Gregory ’93) Tseronis Mark George Konrad, M.D., husband of former faculty Jane Konrad, father of Stephen ’70 and Robert ’84 Konrad Sigmund Lenchner, father of Jeffrey ’77, grandfather of Rachel ’08 and Aaron ’10 Ann Levin, mother of Harvey ’66 and Susan ’68 Levin Mason Pascoe, son of R. D. Pascoe ’92 Ann Howison Williams Schroeder, mother of A. Reed ’71 and J. Howison ’74 William Penn Snyder III, father of J. Brandon ’66 and the late William P. IV ’56 and Mary Elise (Snyder ’60) Lynn, grandfather of Lynn (Snyder ’82) Seay, William P. V ’83, Heather (Snyder ’92) McLane, Marnie (Snyder ’93) Owens, J. Brandon Jr. ’97, great-grandfather of William P. VI ’21 and Amaya ’25 Snyder Gloria Vales, mother of Anthony ’81 FALL

Community service was a hallmark of John’s life. He was chairman of the board at the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, and also served as president of the board of the Forest Hills Educational Foundation. John volunteered for and served on the boards of the Northport Point Club and the Kent Country Club. John and Mary have served and raised money for numerous charitable causes in Grand Rapids, and were jointly awarded the Ben Emdin Guiding Principles in Action Award by the Forest Hills Public School District in 2013.

Jane Louise Baker, mother of Lisa (Baker ’77) Seymour

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