Sewickley Academy’s New Secret Garden Grows Young Stewards of the Earth
S u mm er
Where do tomatoes come from?
2 01 3
CONTENTS
8 Secret Garden: Growing Young Stewards of the Earth
18 Struggle for Identity
24 Raising Kids in A Digital Age
26 Working for a Better World
Snapshots of the 175th Anniversary Celebration Winter & Spring sports Wrap-Up
4 6
Farewell to Our Retirees
12
2013-2014 Sewickley Series
16
Class of 2013 Graduation
22 32
Class of 2013 graduates process
Happy 20th Birthday, Summerbridge Pittsburgh!
34
to the commencement ceremony.
Class Notes
36
See more photos on Page 23.
In Memoriam
46
S umm er
Alumni Events
201 3
1
Message from the Head of School Dear Readers of Sewickley Speaking, This issue of your magazine comes at the end of a year celebrating Sewickley Academy’s 175 years of history. It is remarkable to trace the arc of our growth from being a school enrolling students from as far away as New Orleans to being a school devoted primarily to serving the neighborhoods of Sewickley to once again being a regional school serving students from 41 different school districts and as far away as West Virginia and Ohio. This year also marks the 20th anniversary of our Summerbridge Pittsburgh program, a program that has served well over 1,000 at-risk middle school students, as well as provided a glimpse into possible teaching careers for hundreds of high school and college students. One of the most visible and enduring examples of the school’s commitment to its core values of community and diversity, Summerbridge Pittsburgh was named one of the nation’s top internship opportunities for college students by the Princeton Review. The most important aspect of this program, of course, is that it transforms lives, supporting students through to high school graduation and eventual matriculation to college at rates well beyond the national average. That is history to be proud of, indeed! Growth and change over time are the necessary elements of the natural cycle, even for organizations. In fact, change marks the significant milestones we have celebrated this year, and our success today is only possible because of the extraordinary individuals, including teachers, administrators, and trustees, who came before us. History acknowledges the debts we owe to the past and, in our case, serves as a source of the tremendous pride we take in the path we have traveled to this point in time. As we look at the achievements of two of our most recent graduates, Amanda Nocera ’13 and Sarah Rooney ’13, who focused a significant part of their energies this past year on the needs of others, both here and abroad, we get a sense of the tremendous possibilities that exist for us in the future, as students build on Amanda and Sarah’s legacies to push themselves and our school even further. With appreciation to you for helping us be the school we need to be for our students both today and tomorrow,
Kolia O’Connor Head of School
Editor Haley
Wilson
ContRibutors Lawrence
C. Connolly
Greta Daniels
Winthrop Palmer Lynn Sanborne
Design Third Planet Global Creative
Melinda Miller
Mandi Semple
www.333planet.com
Amanda Nocera ‘13
Susan (Ratcliffe ‘55) Sour
Kolia O’Connor
Haley Wilson
2
What Do You Think?
Sewickley Speaking Now on Your Tablet
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 hwilson@sewickley.org or Mrs. Haley Wilson, 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
The Best Fit for Your Child We’ve put together a guide of 27 essential questions that will help you acquire the information you need to make an educated decision about the best fit school for your child. Download your copy at www.sewickley.org/27questions
Heard on Campus
“
Access the digital issue at www.sewickley.org/publications
Be Social
Surround yourself with people who are mashing up
facebook.com/sewickleyacademy
surprising ideas and expressing their curiosity in
blog.sewickley.org
unexpected ways because those are the ones who
youtube.com/sewickley
pinterest.com/sewickley1838/
201 3
— Graduation speaker Erica Dhawan ’03 to the Class of 2013
twitter.com/sewickley
S umm er
”
will be leading innovation.
3
1 Snapshots of the 175th Anniversary Celebration Starting in October with Founders’ Day and culminating with the Grand Finale Picnic in June, the Sewickley Academy community celebrated 175 years of inspiring and educating children. The entire community came together throughout the school year to celebrate our rich history and the school we are today. Take a look back at all the memories made.
2
3 1. SA Athletics and Athletes Through the Years panel participants Kimwood Partenheimer ’71, Tom Droney ’10, Carol (Semple ’66) Thompson, Gloria Lozano ’00, with Athletic Director Win Palmer (far left) and Head of School Kolia O’Connor (far right). 2. Kate (Poppenberg ’82) Pigman and Aly (Barker ’ 82) Korman look at photos from SA’s past at the Reunion Gala.
4
3. Founders’ Day kicked off the year-long celebration, and the whole school spent the day playing field games and learning about SA’s history.
4. On the Day of Service, Lehka Amin ’19 and Alyssa Winters ’19 paint artwork for Amachi Pittsburgh’s fundraising event. In this single day, students, faculty, and staff contributed 6,400 hours of service in the Pittsburgh region. 5. PJ Winters ’16 sings “We’re All in This Together” in “One Singular Sensation.” Written and directed by Marguerite Gregg Park ‘95, this musical revue told the story of Sewickley Academy, from its founding in 1838 to today.
6. The carnival games were a big hit with kids at the Grand Finale Picnic, which was attended by more than 600 guests in June. 7. Academy trustee Ashvin Ragoowansi and daughter Ava win a prize at the ducky pond at the Grand Finale Picnic.
9. Patty Cavalier, Susan (Ratcliffe ’55) Sour, former Head of Senior School Jim Cavalier, and Missy (Ratcliffe ’60) Zimmerman at the Grand Finale Picnic.
8. Patrick Brannan ‘95 razzle-dazzles ‘em in “One Singular Sensation.” Students, faculty, alumni, parents, and grandparents came together to put on this spectacular show in May.
4
8
5
9
201 3
7
S umm er
6
5
Winter & Spring Sports Wrap-Up
Baseball (11-6) The varsity baseball team, led by Jim Nagel ’13, Evan Haines ’13, Jordan Milo ’13, Luke DiLuigi ’13, Justin Ferri ’13, and Rhet Happel ’13, advanced to the WPIAL playoffs for the first time since 2006, finishing with a section record of 7-3 and 11-6 overall. Joe Nagel ’15 and Sam Duerr ’14 each batted over .400 and were named to the All-Section Team. Evan Haines ’13 was selected to play in the WPIAL All-Star Game.
Girls’ Basketball (3-9) The varsity girls’ basketball team, whose members will all return next year, finished 3-9 in the section and 6-14 overall. Katelyn Ripple ’14, Amanda McLeod ’14, and Mackenzie Pryor ’14 led the team as captains. Maddy Casale ’16 led the team in scoring.
Boys’ Basketball (8-13) The varsity boys’ basketball team qualified for the WPIAL playoffs for an 11th consecutive year despite a slow start in section play to finish 5-5 in the section and 8-13 overall. Jordan Milo ’13, John O’Malley ’13, Firas Termanini ’13, and Davis Blaylock ’13 led the team. Keenan Hickton ’14 was selected to the WPIAL All-Section Team.
1
Boys’ Lacrosse (7-11) The varsity boys’ lacrosse team led by Jake Mulholland ’13, Jack Keller ’13, Austin Braksick ’13, Jack Foley ’13, Hunter Ligo ’13, Rob Nogay ’13, and Campbell Sebastian ’13, rallied to finish 4-2 in the section and 7-11 overall to once again qualify for the WPIAL playoffs. Jake Mulholland ’13, Chase Bly ’14, and Barret Fowkes ’14 were named to the WPIAL All-Section Team, and Chase and Barret were selected to the All-WPIAL Team.
2
Girls’ Lacrosse (8-8) The varsity girls’ lacrosse team, led by Micaela Becker ’13, Alexis Bosilovic ’13, Elle Burge ’13, Arianna Carley ’13, and Tori Pawk ’13, rallied late in the year to earn another berth in the WPIAL playoffs by finishing 7-5 in the section and 8-8 overall. Alexis Bosilovic ’13 and Maggie McClain ’14 were named to the WPIAL All-Section Team. Micaela Becker ’13 was named a U.S. Lacrosse Academic All-American. Alexis was selected to the All-WPIAL Team and was named Honorable Mention U.S. Lacrosse All-American.
6
3
Photos by Kristina Serafini
Ice Hockey (6-6) The varsity ice hockey program helped create a new league, the Independent School Hockey League. In its inaugural year, the Panthers finished 5-3 in the league and 6-6 overall. Goalie Hayden Moyer ’13 led the team as captain, while Erik Dietrich ’14, Sam Duerr ’14, Bobby Hapanowicz ’14, Alex Pfeifer ’14, and Connor Zierden ’14 formed a strong nucleus.
Swimming & Diving (Boys 7-2, Girls 3-6)
4
The varsity boys’ swimming and diving team finished second in the section with a 5-1 record and 7-2 overall. The varsity girls’ swimming and diving team had a section record of 2-4 and 3-6 overall. Lauren Gedeon ’13 capped an outstanding career by qualifying for WPIALs. Rhet Happel ’13 joined an elite group by qualifying for states in the 200-meter relay for a second time.
Softball (9-8) The varsity softball team, led by captains Camdin Bartholomew ’13 and Lauren Gedeon ’13, qualified for the WPIAL playoffs for a second straight year by rallying from a 1-3 section start to finish 9-5 in the section and 9-8 overall. As a young standout, pitcher Savannah Henry ‘16 finished 9-7. Katie Maloney ’15 and Sarah Manzinger ’15 each batted over .400, and Katie was named to the All-Section Team.
Boys’ Tennis (18-4)
5 1. Evan Haines ’13 gets ready for the next pitch. The team advanced to the WPIAL playoffs this year for the first time since 2006. 2. In the 1600 meter, Maura Condon ’13 sprints to the finish. This year’s track team had the largest roster in school history.
4. Erik Dietrich ’14 drags the puck away from his Kiski School opponent.
The varsity track and field team had the largest roster in school history with 40 participants. Qualifiers for the WPIAL Championships included Nehemiah Norris ’13 in the 100- and 200-meter races, Aja Thorpe ’15 in the 100-meter race, Summer Thorpe ’16 in the 200-meter race, and the relay team of Aja, Summer, Amaris Gonzalez ’16, and Eve Matten ’16.
201 3
5. The boys’ tennis team wins its 10th consecutive WPIAL Championship.
Track & Field
S umm er
3. Sarah Manzinger ’15 steals third base and avoids the tag. The girls won the game against Avella 10-0.
The varsity boys’ tennis team captured an 11th-straight section championship and 10th-straight WPIAL Championship by defeating Mars 4-1 to finish the season 11-1 and 18-4 overall. Colin Kaye ’13 and Will Kleeman ’13 captured the WPIAL Doubles Championship and finished third in the states. Patrick Dellinger ’13 and Hayden Moyer ’13 were instrumental in helping the team reach the PIAA Semifinals.
7
The Evolution of the Garden
December 2011 8
February 2013
Growing Young Stewards of the Earth
SECRET GARDEN
When kindergarten teacher Barbara Carrier posed the question, “Where do tomatoes come from?” to her restless bunch of 5-year-old students, the unison response of “the grocery store!” was not the answer she was looking for. But it was precisely this answer that first planted an idea in Barb’s mind – an idea for the two lots that sat empty on the Academy’s lower campus in 2009. “When I realized the children did not know how the vegetables got to the store, I began to think. The idea really came to me overnight – I woke up that next morning and thought, ‘Those lots would be the perfect, sunny place for a garden!’” That same day, Barb eagerly took the idea to the administration who encouraged her to put her ideas into a proposal. So Barb put together a plan for the Secret Garden, a multi-age outdoor classroom to be used not just for Sewickley Academy, but the entire community. After receiving the green light to move forward with her plan, Barb gathered together a steering committee – a group of faculty, staff, parents and community members who Middle School teacher and committee member Carla Garfield describes as “having gardening in their blood.”
S umm er 201 3
JULY 2013
9
The group brainstormed ideas, surveyed fellow teachers on how they could use the space, and then came up with a list of needs. Middle School science teacher and committee co-chair Jonathan Riddle explains, “We were given a blank slate and a huge space. We got to decide exactly what we wanted. When you have that type of design freedom, that’s really special.” At SA’s Annual Auction in early 2011, their ideas garnered the support of donors who gave $50,000 to get the project started. Throughout the next year, the muddy lots began their slow, but steady transformation. A handsome fence was installed to enclose the 165-foot by 200-foot space, and during the 2012 Day of Service, students, faculty, and staff planted fruit trees, berry bushes, and native trees, built raised beds, and prepared the lots for growing. Students immediately took to the garden. Shortly after the Secret Garden was established, Senior School students started the Seed to Feed Club that began to grow produce to contribute to the local food bank. In these early days, Carla Garfield used the garden to teach her Grade 7 students about the revolutionary impact of the cotton gin. She had the students pull the seeds out of cotton bolls and then attempt to pull the cotton into a thread.
“They very quickly understood how important that invention was in the late 1700s!” she says. These students then continued the cycle and planted the cotton seeds to be harvested for the following year’s class. Seeing the success of the cotton exercise, Carla has since found other ways to tie the garden into her history curriculum. She and her students planted a colonial herb garden after visiting the herb gardens and apothecary in Williamsburg on their class trip. With the herbs in bloom, her class visited the space to learn how common ailments were treated in that period of history. “The students absolutely loved it. They are so tactile, and really need to see something to remember it,” she says. Younger students, too, have embraced the space. In their science classes, they have learned about soil composition, planting and harvesting vegetables, and have even started a compost pile. “This garden is a great way for kids to learn about the cycle of life and sustainability – and most importantly, to teach them that they are stewards of the earth,” says Carla. As a result of the steering committee’s continued plotting and planning throughout the last year, the Secret Garden has evolved from a few raised beds to a space that today is divided into a number of teaching gardens separated by a winding gravel path. The individual garden plots include a Native Garden, which educates students about indigenous flora and fauna; a Sensory Garden, which provides students with an opportunity to engage their senses as they learn about unique plant life; a Butterfly Garden, which creates a complex ecosystem to attract a butterfly population; a Flower Garden, which will produce flowers for arrangements for campus and school events; and a Victory Garden, which will grow harvestable vegetables for use in our school cafeterias and local food banks. The Victory Garden is named after the patriotic home agriculture movement during Wars I and II when citizens grew their own produce in backyards and parks to reduce the pressure on the food supply. Interesting-
Designed by Colin Carrier ‘96, the entryway to the garden stands as a memorial to the late SA faculty members Kurt Cerny, Susan Houghtaling, and Jerry Smith.
10
During the 2013 Day of Service, Middle School students mulch the Secret Garden, which serves as an multi-age outdoor classroom not only for the Academy community, but also for the community at large.
ly enough, it is rumored by members of the Sewickley/Edgeworth community that the current Secret Garden space was actually used for a Victory Garden during the WWII era. As a nod to the space’s former use, heirloom vegetable seeds from the war-time period were planted this spring.
The Secret Garden is also being recognized by national organizations and is a recent recipient of the Whole Kids Foundation’s garden grant. Grant funds will support planting additional fruit trees, garden beds, as well as rain barrels and picnic tables. Whole Foods Market Wexford Marketing Team Leader Annie Nelson comments, “The Secret Garden exemplifies a viable, sustainable, and well-supported garden that, most importantly, is able to be integrated into student learning for years to come.” The future possibilities excite those who have been instrumental in the garden’s beginnings. When asked what her dream is for the garden in the next 10 years, Barb answered, “I see the garden being whatever the group that is caring for it wants it to be
– just as it is today. That’s what gardening is about. But most of all, I want the garden to be as much a part of this school as any building on campus is.” As the joyful chorus of, “We went to the Secret Garden, we went to the Secret Garden!” rings out from Barb’s kindergarteners on their way back to their classroom, with hands full of freshly picked vegetables, her dream does not sound too far-fetched.
S umm er 201 3
In the same way Victory Gardens brought people together decades ago, the Secret Garden is bringing together not just our school community, but the community at large. Students from all grades are using the space for many different purposes – Senior School students fire Raku pottery in the shade of the large chestnut tree while Grade 2 students harvest vegetables to make salsa in Spanish class. Neighbors walk in and pluck tomatoes and lettuce for their dinners. “We are very dedicated to the concept of a community garden, and the garden is open to the public at all times. We want it to be a place for inspiration and reflection,” Barb explains. As evidenced by the support of community members and local garden clubs
that donated supplies and financial support, it is apparent that the community likes what it sees. “Many times when I’m working in the garden, people in the neighborhood walk by and thank us,” says Barb.
11
Farewell to Our Retirees SUSAN PROSS
Miss Pross and fellow Grade 2 teachers dress up for Halloween as “Rock, Paper, Scissors.” Born on Halloween, Susan led the Lower School Halloween Parade through campus each year.
Say the name “Miss Pross” and the 542 students she has taught over the last 36 years will eagerly tell you a story, a slice of their lives with a much beloved teacher. “I love your smile, Miss Pross. It’s like sunshine,” writes one young student about her favorite teacher. Susan Pross made Grade 2 her life’s work, an accomplishment that is truly extraordinary in today’s world where only 10 percent of the population holds the same job for 20 years or more. Looking back on this exceptional record of loyalty, Miss Pross recalled, “In the early years, the classrooms were so small that more than 10 children and desks made the room overcrowded. We didn’t have bulletin boards, bookshelves, or tables for activities. We bought our own supplies beyond basic pencils and paper.” She gestured around her current classroom, pointing out computers, activity tables, colorful displays everywhere, and plenty of room for 14 students and their belongings. 12
Watching the Academy grow and change and being an important part of that transformation has kept our Miss Pross enthusiastic and energized. “It has been a privilege to be with children who want to learn and with families who value education. It is also a joy to work with educators who care about every child, who go way above and beyond to help those who need it.” Encouraging students to be their best selves is exactly what Susan has always done, prompting them with, “I know you can do this. Come on now – dazzle me!” Miss Pross began her career at the Academy as a substitute teacher, until Gil Smith, acting as Lower School head for Al Dugan, hired her for Grade 2. “How fitting it seemed,” she said, “when Gil Smith came to me and told me he was retiring this year as well.”
“I had the pleasure of knowing and working with the ‘founding fathers’ – Cliff Nichols, Jim Cavalier, John Heagy – and so many memorable people who have been an integral part of shaping this school,” says Susan. During her time here at the Academy, Miss Pross was recognized for her outstanding teaching with the Clark Faculty Chair and the Elizabeth Bishop Martin Award. What’s next? Miss Pross looks forward to having time to visit with relatives, volunteering for her church, and being outdoors as much as possible. She recalled the work of Ann Coburn, Bam Behrer, Jane Conrad, Rives Yost, Linda Edson, and other local nature guides as inspirational. Miss Pross loves to walk and is a “birder.” She also plans to travel to Wales where she spent six weeks as a high school student and hopes to visit historic sites in England, Scotland, and Ireland.
GIL SMITH
Gil Smith loved to pose “What if?” questions to his students.
Gil Smith is the consummate “school man,” but ever so much more. For 40 years he has dedicated his life to the Academy, initially as a substitute teacher, 35 years as a Grade 5 teacher, and most recently as assistant director of admission. Generations of his students specifically rave about how inspiring he was as a history teacher. “I never liked history before, but Mr. Smith made it so interesting that I loved it,” is a common consensus among his students. Gil explains, “If you are excited about a topic, then students become excited about it. You can’t fake enthusiasm. It’s not about content, it’s about movement within the content, making it live.”
Not all of his time was spent in the classroom. Gil drove a van for several years to the South Hills and even to Weirton, West Virginia, to bring students to and from school. He coached Middle School baseball and basketball for about 13 years and later coached Grade 6 basketball.
Gil’s retirement brings to an end an era that included many years when the Academy was a family affair. His wife, Patty, was a teacher for 22 years with additional stints in the business and advancement offices, and their children, Jeremy ’97 and Sarah ’98, were lifers. “We drove back and forth to school together, and talked Academy life at the dinner table. The school formed the fabric of our lives.”
201 3
An avid bike rider for 50 years, he looks forward to more bike rides and to rowing with the local rowing club in retirement. With a natural aptitude for mechanics, Gil can fix almost anything that needs repair (including a 1975 Mini Cooper that he fully restored),
and hopes to do some boat building in the near future.
S umm er
Gil remembers, “I especially liked to pose ‘What if?’ questions. I encouraged the kids to ask ‘what if?’ and they came up with incredibly creative ideas. They stimulated my own thinking about aspects of history that I never could have come up with myself.”
While on the surface Gil maintains a rather reserved demeanor, his colleagues and students can attest to his quick wit and humorous side. Gil explains, “I loved intertwining work with humor. Humor lifts work above discipline and drudgery.” Those interactions with students, stimulating their curiosity, in turn kept Gil stimulated so that he continued to love teaching for 35 years.
13
Farewell to Our Retirees DAVID ED ity among his colleagues was unique. “No matter what kind of day you’ve had, a few minutes with David will brighten your day,” says colleague Eileen Miller.
For years, David Ed and the late Kurt Cerny put together spectacular stage performances.
“
No matter what kind of day you’ve had, a few minutes with David will brighten
“
your day.
— Eileen Miller, Assistant to the Head of Lower School
At the final assembly of the school year, Dr. David Ed was invited on stage to sit in his favorite big red chair from the Marion Hutchins Library. Here, he was serenaded by Lower School students singing “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” That tribute illustrates the affection with which Dr. Ed has been surrounded throughout his 19 years at the Academy. His involvement with the musicals in the Lower, Middle, and Senior Schools has earned him the respect of students of all ages. He encouraged students to find and express their unique creative voice. “How he is able to play anything in any key we need is beyond me,” said one student who has been part of every musical for the past six years. True enough. David Ed can play the whole canon of Broadway music. Hum a few notes and he is there. He loved teaching students about the history of musical theater, as well as the history of classical music, embellishing the stories of the grand masters with little-known tidbits of their lives and idiosyncrasies. Nobody can tell a story better than David, or get such a resounding laugh for its content and presentation. With an amusing anecdote for almost every occasion, David’s popular-
14
Dr. Ed is as accomplished an artist as he is a pianist. His paintings have been exhibited and sold throughout the community. He tirelessly designed and painted sets at the school for years. He has taught art and history of art as well. It is the creative side of life that he loves best and where he will now be able to focus his attention full time. A devoted family man, he loves being with his grandchildren and rejoices in their discoveries each day.
NANCY WILDE
Nancy Wilde signs her first published book of poems and photographs in 2008. She looks forward to having more time to pursue these hobbies in retirement.
For 16 years, Nancy Wilde cheerfully greeted students and parents in the Senior School office. She began her tenure at the Academy in 1997 when Joyce Ferris was head of Senior School. “We hit it off right away,” Nancy said. “She asked me what I was hoping for in my job, and I said, ‘Lots of variety!’”
Nancy has been assistant to three heads of Senior School – Joyce Ferris, Bruce Houghtaling, and Jonathan Cassie. “Each one was such a different individual with a different leadership style. Each year has been unique with its own energy and flow.” Soon, Nancy will have more time to spend with her children, Hank ’00 and Becky ’02, and her whole family. A new resident of a 55+ community, Nancy already is being sought after for activities and responsibilities there. “I look forward to being able to express myself in decorating my new home and resuming my writing and photography.” Nancy also looks forward to being more involved in her church and being able to rekindle relationships from the past.
LINDA BOWERS
Linda’s keen interest in her students always went beyond the classroom, enthusiastically cheering them on at basketball games and other sports events, and at musical performances, plays, and concerts. Head of Senior School Dr. Jonathan Cassie says, “Linda was intensely focused on the needs of children. She worked well with younger students or about-to-graduate seniors, always bringing her charm, insightful questions, good humor, and expectations of excellence to every class and every interaction. There’s a reason why this year’s yearbook was dedicated to her – she is highly regarded by students and parents and will be missed!”
Senior School math teacher Linda Bowers always took interest in her students beyond the classroom.
Linda’s retirement plans include visiting her children in Nashville and Yellowstone National Park, then traveling to Wales with her sister and her husband.
“
Linda was intensely focused on the needs of children. She is highly regarded by students and parents and will be missed!
Head of Senior School
201 3
— Dr. Jonathan Cassie,
S umm er
Linda Bowers came to the Academy after teaching 25 years in Mississippi and two years in southeast Virginia. “The Academy became home to me in a short length of time because everyone was so welcoming. I grew as a teacher here, even in these last 10 years of my 37-year career. The parental support and administrative appreciation for my work were in place, and I got to work beside the best teaching professionals in the education world. Who could want for more?”
In the decade she spent at the Academy, Linda was a leader amongst the faculty. She contributed significantly to the professional life of her colleagues as a member of the pilot program that developed the new Professional Development and Evaluation Plan for faculty, and as a member of the Compensation Task Force. For three years she also served as director of the New Employee Mentoring Program – an experience she cites as fulfilling and rewarding.
“
Those words proved prophetic, because there certainly has been plenty of variety through the years. Nancy loved getting to know students and was sensitive to those who needed a little more understanding and care. She would remind her colleagues about who might need some particular attention on a given day. “I love seeing the creative spark in our students and watching them succeed in so many different disciplines.” She goes on, “Graduation is always the highlight of my year, sharing the culmination of their lives here as they go off into a bigger world.”
15
2013—2014
The Social Media Reality
Coming to a Classroom Near You
The Girl in the Picture
Jesse Miller
Gary Stager
Kim Phuc
Thursday, September 19, 2013 8:30 AM – Rea Auditorium
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Thursday, November 7, 2013 11:15 AM & 12:45 PM – Rea Auditorium
Each day, students connect to hundreds of friends as they post about their daily lives – successes, failures, and everything in between – to social media. For parents, their children’s daily use of social media, in addition to texting and online gaming, can feel overwhelming. Jesse Miller, a trusted resource and recognized speaker in Canada and the U.S. on the topics of social media, Internet safety, and online content evaluation, will present to students and parents about the challenges and opportunities of the new social media reality.
Since 1982, internationally recognized educator, speaker, and consultant Gary Stager has helped learners of all ages embrace the power of computers as intellectual laboratories and vehicles for self-expression. He’s conducted more than 1,000 presentations, keynote addresses, and workshops that are provocative, witty, and chock-full of examples of children doing remarkable things. While teaching a class in each division at the Academy, Gary will engage students in the subjects of math and computer science using technology.
The Vietnam War knows many tragedies. A photograph of a young girl running naked down a road, her skin on fire with napalm, changed the way the world looked at war. The girl in the picture is Kim Phuc Phan Thi.
Supported in part by the Geller Family Educational Speakers Fund.
16
In 1997, Kim established The Kim Foundation International, a nonprofit organization committed to funding programs to heal children in war-torn areas of the world. Kim’s message is one of forgiveness as she shares her own experiences to help others heal from the pains of war. Supported in part by the Albert & Bertha Sector Speaker Series Fund.
Photo by Leslie Cashen
The House at Sugar Beach
NFL to LGBTQ
Helene Cooper
Wednesday, April 16, 2014 7:00 PM – Rea Auditorium
Tuesday, February 11, 2014 9:45 AM – Gregg Theater
Wade Davis
Silk Screen Film Series Saturday, January 11, 2014 Saturday, January 25, 2014 Sunday, February 9, 2014 2:00 PM – Rea Auditorium
Helene Cooper is the White House correspondent for the New York Times covering the Obama administration. She began her career as a reporter and foreign correspondent at the Wall Street Journal. Her childhood was spent in Monrovia, Liberia, the setting for her 2008 memoir, The House at Sugar Beach. Unflinchingly honest and haunting, The House at Sugar Beach details Helene’s childhood which began as idyllic, but on April 12, 1980, quickly turned into a nightmare as the Liberian Civil War erupted.
A former NFL football player, Wade Davis came out publicly as being gay in 2012 after he stopped playing football professionally. Now, Davis is a LGBT Surrogate for President Obama, speaking in support of gay rights on behalf of the president. He’s a member of the GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network) sports advisory board and a mentor for LGBTQ youth on issues like leadership and bullying.
For the fourth year in a row, Sewickley Academy will partner with Silk Screen to present three films that focus on Asian culture.
All Sewickley Series events are free and open to the public.
For more information and to register, visit www.sewickley.org/sewickleyseries. S umm er 201 3
17
The faces of the men, women, and children who now have nationality documentation because of Amanda Nocera’s work in the Dominican Republic.
18
A Struggle for
Identity
In 2012, Amanda Nocera ’13, then a senior, boarded a plane for the first time in her life – not for a college visit or vacation, but for a service trip in the Dominican Republic (DR). What she found there was a country with tourist-lined beaches just a few miles away from thousands of impoverished Haitians toiling in sugarcane fields under the watch of armed guards. These people left their home country of Haiti for the promise of a better life, but instead found themselves in lives of slavery earning $2 or less a day. After 16-hour shifts in the hot sun, these workers return to the bateyes (pronounced bah-tays), or sugar worker towns, where there is little food and no access to electricity, sanitation, or running water – let alone access to healthcare or education. The majority of these workers and their families are without nationality documentation. While generations have been born in the DR bateyes, these people cannot afford the $75 fee for birth certificates. Without this document, they are not recognized as citizens, have no rights, and are denied access to education. Thus the cycle continues as thousands of children and adults unable to escape the life of squalor have no hope of a better paying job. What Amanda witnessed and learned while in the Dominican could not be erased from her mind – she just couldn’t shake the responsibility she felt to help. So at the start of the school year, she launched Project Batey, with the goal of raising $4,000 to purchase birth certificates for people living in the bateyes. She exceeded that goal. In May 2013, as a recipient of the McAdams Global Service Scholarship and as part of her senior project, Amanda returned to the Dominican Republic to witness the documentation of 65 locals funded by Project Batey. This is her story.
“How can my struggles even compare to theirs? I chose to struggle. They didn’t. They were born to struggle.” — Amanda Nocera ’13 S umm er 201 3
19
June 4, 2013 – San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic Today I gave 65 people a future, an identity, a life, a birth certificate. Last August on my plane ride back to the United States, I dreamed of this moment. Yet at the same time, I never would have thought that this moment would actually occur; I never would have thought that I would return to the Dominican Republic in only eight months; I never would have thought that I would be able to personally hand people their birth certificates. Throughout the year as Project Batey progressed and began to make its mark on the community, I often tried to visualize how this moment would look, how it would feel, and how I would act. Would these people accept me and accept my help or would they be hesitant because of our racial differences? But today, all of my worries disappeared when we documented the first person of the day, a one-month-old baby girl.
and the many sweaty bodies crammed into one room, only one representative from the Haitian Embassy was present to document everyone, which made the process much longer than what it needed to be. Despite these inconveniences, 65 Haitians are finally documented. Sixty-five people can now create their own future, establish themselves in the legitimate Dominican workforce, provide for their families, and finally have access to state institutions, like schools. Even though the goal of Project Batey was to provide birth certificates, I’d like to think I did more than that. Initially, all I ever wanted was for the Haitians to feel like they have a support system and that there are people out there to help them. But as I saw the look in their eyes today as they received a simple piece of paper, I know it’s more than a birth certificate – it’s independence, life, equality, happiness, acceptance – a future.
The day started off calm and collected, but after the first two hours everyone quickly became anxious. On top of the Caribbean humidity
June 16, 2013 – Back Home I believe in struggle. By struggle, I mean the obstacles that I once despised: affording tuition, balancing a full-time job while being a full-time student, 18-hour days, and all-nighters; all the while attempting to accept that these struggles ultimately drove me to my disappointment, my exhaustion, my dissatisfaction, and my failures. But, I struggle and fail for a purpose. Failure can be a compelling force that can either modify my course in life or stop me, break me, or tear me apart, but I will not let that happen to me. Regardless of whatever obstacles I must overcome, I know no fear. Failure rejuvenates my motivation and cultivates my willingness to conquer these underlying aspects of my life and makes me ask, “Who would I be without failure?” Failure leads to success, right? So it goes.
20
See, where I’m from, it is easier to find drugs than books. I know more people who are addicted to prescription pills and drugs than who have gone to college. More of my friends have a kid instead of a high school diploma. Where I’m from, finishing high school and continuing onto college isn’t expected. I could have been one of those people. But I’m not. I chose. I chose the path that I am on today. I chose to switch schools. I chose to work two full-time jobs to pay my tuition at Sewickley Academy. I chose to live a harder life. Yes, I am a janitor – I clean toilets and scrape gum off of desks. Yes, I worked nearly 40 hours a week during the school year without receiving any recognition for how hard I was struggling. Yes, I drive an old
beat-up 2004 Buick that a lot of people laugh at. Yes, I don’t fit in here at Sewickley, but that was always obvious. I used to be so self-conscious and so envious of my peers because I couldn’t be a normal teen like them. But, I never realized how none of those things mattered until I went to the Dominican Republic. When I learned that thousands of people labor each day for tiny morsels of food and a hut that is crumbling to pieces, I regretted how I pitied myself because of my hardships and social status. You’ve seen the commercials of a white person holding the dying little boy, stomach stretched across his rib cage like an elastic band ready to burst, and you flip to another channel anticipating another episode of your favorite TV show. You think nothing of the dying little boy because it all seems so fake and staged, but it isn’t – not when you’ve held a dying little boy in your arms like I did. It’s real. His name is Javier de los Pierre. He’s 2 years old, dying of some type of virus because his mother gave him rainwater to drink from a bucket that first bounced off of their rusty tin roof because they simply didn’t have anything to drink. This virus could easily be cured with medication, but without documentation, his parents can’t go to the capital to get a prescription, nor could they afford the prescription if they were allowed to travel. This is common in the bateyes. My insecurities about myself vanished quickly after my trip to the DR, and I frequently ask myself, “How can my struggles even compare to theirs?” I chose to struggle. They didn’t. They were born to struggle. I am struggling for something that people in the bateyes aren’t even given an opportunity to achieve. I struggle for an education and a future. They are struggling for life and independence, which I take for granted. But not now. I now struggle and will continue to struggle to give those in the Dominican Republic what I have. Life. Independence. Freedom. Education. But most importantly, an identity.
Amanda matriculated as a mechanical engineering major at Robert Morris University this August. There, she hopes to raise awareness and money to fund the documentation of more people in the bateyes. She dreams of one day owning her own engineering firm that develops water supply and sanitation systems in third-world countries.
Watch the documentary Amanda made while in the DR at www.sewickley.org/projectbatey.
S umm er 201 3
21
61 Graduates They gave 6,399 hours of community service throughout their Senior School years.
14
Global Studies Certificate Awardees
They were offered more than $4.1 million in merit scholarship money. 22
92%
CLASS OF 2013 were admitted to one of their top-choice colleges.
They were admitted are attending a four-year college or university.
67%
110
to colleges and universities.
will venture out of state or the country for college
Graduation Day
1
5
2
3
4
1. Alumni parents celebrate graduation with their children, the newest SA alumni. Row 1: Will Kleeman ’13, Shannon Doyle ’13, Peter Gordon ’13, Hayden Moyer ’13, Sarah Straka ’13, and Campbell Sebastian ’13. Row 2: Bill Kleeman ’73, Tom Doyle ’81, Tim Gordon ’84, John Moyer ’82, John Straka ’83, and Amy (Simmons ’80) Sebastian.
3. Katie Lehman ’13 and her father, Steven, look with pride at her diploma.
4. Pooja Pokharna ’13 and Shannon Doyle ’13 celebrate their graduation. 5. Graduates process into the tent for the commencement ceremony. 6. After the ceremony, Class of 2013 members Luke Schramm, Grant Goetze, Rhet Happel, Evan Haines, and Austin Braksick gather for a photo.
S umm er
2. Graduates wait to receive their diplomas.
6
201 3
23
RAISING KIDS IN A DIGITAL AGE By School Counselor Lynn Sanborne
Parents often ask me, “At what age should I let my child have a cell phone?” and “How much ‘technology time’ should I allow my child to have on a daily basis?” These parents are sometimes surprised at how militant I am in my responses, but based on my years of experience as a child and family therapist, school counselor, and a parent myself, I can’t help but have some pretty strong opinions. Even when considering the research, I believe there is a compelling case for parents to restrict, supervise, and sometimes even forbid texting and other technologies for children. While that may seem impossible, I’ve compiled some tips for parents as they navigate raising kids in this digital age.
24
1
Promote reading and other literacy activities by restricting technology time. Voluminous research indicates that early and frequent use of technology contributes to a decrease in reading and other activities that promote literacy and creativity (writing, cartooning, play-acting). I personally don’t know many young adults who love to read widely and deeply who also spend a lot of time engaged in excessive technology. Passionate and engaged readers also tend to score highly on verbal aptitude tests (SAT and ACT) and don’t need excessive test preparation to improve their scores.
2
4
Parents too are missing out on those opportunities to engage with their kids during “down time.” Kids often let down their guard and share worries, concerns, and triumphs during car rides, at the dinner table, and at bedtime. When a child is texting or playing a game, it is unlikely that they will open up and share their deepest thoughts and fears. Alternatively, they may be burying these worries and fears by getting an adrenaline rush from playing Angry Birds or sending a confrontational text message.
Fight “must have” consumerism by modeling that the best things in life aren’t things.
5
Encourage good sleep hygiene and unplug from all screens at least one hour before bedtime. We’ve created a nation of sleep-deprived children (and adults). Using technology in the evening contributes to difficulty unwinding and affects circadian rhythms, so that kids can’t fall asleep easily or have a restful sleep. I have worked with many children whose disturbing nightmares result from violent video games. More subtle, but equally troubling, is the child who lies awake perseverating, “Did she not respond to my text because I said something wrong?”
6
Let kids be kids. I believe that many of today’s children are being robbed of their childhood by being encouraged to act and think at older developmental ages than they are ready for. Excessive texting and social media involvement tend to promote dating, dressing, and acting “too sexy, too soon” for kids who should be enjoying childhood unburdened by the rush to grow up. As adults we should be promoting the preservation of childhood, not the onset of adolescence at age 10. Someone once wrote that “childhood is a short season.” As parents and educators, it’s our job to ensure that this fleeting season is a time of discovery, innocence, and meaningful engagement with others. To me, technology more often hurts than helps this challenge. S umm er
Kids are flooded with advertising messages and peers bragging about the latest and greatest must-haves: whether it’s the latest version of the iPhone or a hot new Playstation game. Recent research shows that adolescents from affluent backgrounds (who have had all of their material demands anticipated and provided for) are more prone to anxiety and depression than children from lower income groups. When these kids face the great existential questions that arise during ado-
Encourage real-time, up-close-and-personal friendships and communication. Elementary age children are still developing age-appropriate, real-time, real-life friendships and communication skills. This is challenging in and of itself; adding technology to the mix (especially texting and other types of social media communication) can seriously complicate this process. Feelings are easily hurt and miscommunication abounds because the nuances of eye contact, voice, and tone are missing, as is the natural “pause” button in our brain that keeps us from saying something in haste that can hurt or offend.
Provide opportunities for meaningful multi-age interaction (with grandparents, neighbors, etc.). Interactive technology such as texting and online gaming promotes excessive same-age peer segregation. Children are losing the ability to interact in a meaningful way with people of different ages. Ask any grandparent who has grandchildren who range in age from 5-30. They will often tell you that the younger ones have trouble making eye contact or engaging in meaningful conversation with them.
3
lescence and early adulthood – such as “What do I truly value in myself and others?” or “Who am I besides what I possess?” – they often find their lives lacking.
201 3
25
Working for a Better World
Meredith Kinney ’07 and Sarah Rooney ’13 Shine the Light on Human Trafficking By Senior School English teacher Lawrence C. Connolly
Even today, a century and a half after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, slavery persists. And we’re not just talking about other countries. Even in the United States, slavery is a growing concern, with an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 American children being trafficked within U.S. borders for sexual exploitation each year. Yet, according to U.S. Attorney David J. Hickton, who is also an Academy parent, the problem goes unrecognized by the general public, creating a situation in which “many victims are hiding in plain and painful sight.”
26
Fortunately, two members of the Academy community are working to shine light on this crime that too often remains hidden in the shadows, invisible to all but those who know what to look for. Meredith Kinney ’07, currently with Resolution Hope, an organization devoted to ending child trafficking in America, tells a story about the importance of being aware of the victims around us. In the story, a bus rider notices a child sitting with two men. Neither man looks old enough to be the child’s father or young enough to be her friend. Sensing that something is wrong, the bus rider tries making eye contact with the girl. When he does, one of the men leans toward the girl and whispers in her ear. The girl shudders and turns her face to the floor. At the next stop, the men take the girl off of the bus, away from the watchful eye of the one rider who seems to be onto them. Having recently attended a talk on human trafficking, the bus rider recognized the warning signs associated with victims of modern slavery. He placed a call to Resolution Hope, who put him in touch with a local FBI task force. “Hopefully,” Meredith says, “they will be able to identify the girl and the men she was with through security cameras. It just goes to show what a difference education and empowerment can make.” Such education and empowerment have become Meredith’s mission. She sees it as an effective way of exposing criminals whose ability to function is made possible by public ignorance. “What we’ve found at Resolution Hope is that while most Americans recognize that human trafficking and modern-day slavery are happening abroad in places like
India and Thailand, they all too frequently fail to recognize that this injustice is happening here in America.” To address such concerns, Meredith recently coordinated the Legacy of Freedom Concert Tour. “Through the tour we visited colleges across the country and brought students together around a concert event to further educate and empower them. It was exciting to meet college students and campus leaders across the country who are taking a stand against this injustice.” Meredith clearly understands the commitment young people are willing to make in combatting human trafficking. A few years ago, after graduating from the University of Richmond, she found herself eager to take a stand and make a difference. “I knew I wanted to be involved in anti-trafficking efforts in a hands-on manner, so I did a six-month program through Youth With A Mission. I spent four months in Las Vegas and two months in India and Nepal learning about the issue and working with ministries and organizations combatting the crime in each respective location. When I got home, I spoke at my church about that experience and from there was put in touch with Brian Shivler who started Resolution Hope. In the fall of 2012, an internship opportunity arose, and I have been working at Resolution Hope ever since.” Sarah Rooney ’13 tells a similar story. This past summer, casting about for ways to raise awareness about human trafficking, Sarah contacted Sisters Jeanette Bussen and Susan English of the Beaver County Human Trafficking Coalition.
S umm er 201 3
Working for Resolution Hope, Meredith Kinney ‘07 traveled the country on the Legacy of Freedom Concert Tour, which raised awareness for human trafficking. Here, she interviews a Geneva College student for a video.
27
“Most Americans recognize that human trafficking and modern-day slavery are happening abroad ... and fail to recognize that this injustice is happening here in America.” “I told them that I wanted to do something about human trafficking, and they got me connected with the Southwestern Pennsylvania Human Trafficking Coalition.” Through that organization, Sarah received an invitation to attend an event called Human Trafficking 101, a gathering of non-government organizations, social service agencies, educators, members of law enforcement, and religious organizations that was held last December at Heinz Field. When she arrived at the event, Sarah was surprised to find that she was one of the few high school students in attendance. “The message there was that everyone needed to educate young people to join the fight against human trafficking,” Sarah says. “But there were no kids at this conference. They were all professionals.” Not surprisingly, the professionals in attendance welcomed Sarah’s involvement as a way of reaching out to the age group that, in the words of U.S. Attorney Hickton, “is in position to make a significant change by bringing attention to and taking a united stance against this intolerable crime.” During the conference, Sarah met Tamara Collier, one of Mr. Hickton’s associates. Tamara proved instrumental in helping Sarah develop the event that would become Sewickley Academy’s first Human Trafficking Awareness Conference. It was Tamara who suggested that Sarah focus her attention on local issues, and she offered to help Sarah contact a wide range of speakers for the event. At first, Sarah found the prospect of running a conference exciting, but also a little overwhelming. “I was a little hesitant, thinking that I only had five months or less to put something together. But Tamara said, ‘We’re going to do this.’” The proposed conference became Sarah’s senior project, and five months later the Academy welcomed 200 students from six area schools who came to listen to talks presented by U.S. Attorney
Know What to Look For Children who are victims of trafficking often:
· Appear malnourished · Are provided scripted answers to questions · Are with an older, controlling person (usually a man) · Have cigarette burns, scars, cuts, or other signs of physical abuse · Are chronic runaways or homeless youth · Miss school · Have branding or tattoos · Don’t know what city they are in and travel frequently · Look scared, nervous, ashamed · Won’t make eye contact · Use a lot of street language · Have a sudden change in clothing, possessions, behavior If you suspect you have witnessed a case of human trafficking, do not approach the potential victim, but instead report what you saw to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. www.resolutionhope.org
Hickton, Intelligence Analyst Matt Trosan, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Smolar, healthcare professionals Heather McCauley and Maria Catrina D. Virata, and Meredith Kinney from Resolution Hope. And so, on May 2, Sarah and Meredith got the chance to work together to inspire a new generation of students to take up the fight against human trafficking. “Sarah’s conference was exciting,” Meredith says. “It brought individuals from so many different fields together, an important step as we move forward against this crime.” The attending schools included Knoch, North Allegheny, Our Lady of Sacred Heart, Quaker Valley, Quigley, and Seton LaSalle. According to Sarah, at least three of those schools are now working on establishing their own clubs for next year. And so the fight continues, with Meredith and Sarah engaging other young people to work for a day when slavery really will be a thing of the past and all Americans can consider themselves truly free.
Sarah Rooney ‘13 and Meredith Kinney ‘07
28
Announcing
The Sewickley Academy Alumni App!
Keep Sewickley Academy in the palm of your hand with the new SA Alumni App. • Find and contact fellow SA alumni nearby. • Filter your search by class year, location, industry, etc. • Contact classmates and alumni through the directory. • Update your personal and professional info. • Sync up with your LinkedIn and Facebook accounts. • Follow SA happenings through the social media stream. • Find out about alumni events near you.
First-time users will need to authenticate their accounts through email verification. This verification process only takes place during your first login. Sewickley Academy will need a valid email address on file in order to authenticate your account.
Learn more at www.sewickley.org/alumniapp. Questions? Contact alumni@sewickley.org.
• Support your alma mater through easy and secure mobile giving. S umm er 201 3
The SA Alumni App is FREE and available to all alumni iOS and Android users. To download, search Sewickley Academy Connect in the App Store or Google Play Store.
29
New Trustees Jeff Hennion Jeff Hennion has had a long career in Pittsburgh, holding a number of positions within the finance, treasury, marketing, and e-commerce sectors. Currently president of Branding Brand Inc., the leading provider of mobile commerce strategies to retailers and leading brands, Jeff previously served as executive vice president and chief marketing officer at General Nutrition Centers, Inc. Prior to GNC, Jeff spent 10 years at Dick’s Sporting Goods, in various positions including treasurer, vice president of finance, senior vice president of strategic planning, and executive vice president and chief marketing officer. During the last two years of his tenure as CMO, Jeff was also responsible for Dick’s e-commerce business. Before Dick’s, Jeff spent 11 years
at Alcoa, in Pittsburgh and in Lausanne, Switzerland. In addition to his work at Branding Brand, Jeff is also an advisor to Metamorphic Ventures and Consigliere Brand Capital, two leading New York venture capital funds. Jeff is on the board of advisors at Songza music streaming service. Previously, Jeff was on the board of directors of the Pittsburgh Marathon, the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Jeff has a bachelor’s in economics from Northwestern University and a Master of Business Administration in finance from Duquesne University. Jeff and his wife, Betsy, have three children: Andrew ’12, Nicholas ’14, and Paige ’16.
Paul H. O’Neill Jr.
30
Paul H. O’Neill Jr. is currently the managing director of the O’Neill Alpha Fund, which commenced trading in November 2007, and has served as the managing director of O’Neill Advisory Services since 2004; acting as the investment advisor to high net worth individuals and family offices.
became a partner of Ayco and served in that capacity throughout his employment.
In 2005, Paul co-founded Value Capture LLC, a healthcare consulting firm. He served as the managing director until November 2007 and currently acts in an advisory capacity. From 1993 to 2003, Mr. O’Neill served as senior account manager at The Ayco Company, L.P., a Goldman Sachs company. In 1996, Mr. O’Neill
Paul serves on several community boards in Pittsburgh including the John Heinz History Center of Western Pennsylvania where he serves as head of the investment committee. Paul and his wife, Celene, live in Sewickley with their two sons, Reils ’15 and Jackson ’16.
Before his time at Ayco, Paul served as an associate attorney at Buchanan Ingersoll. He received a juris doctorate from Hofstra University School of Law and a bachelor’s in economics from Northeastern University.
It’s not just numbers.
20%
1,631
books, audiobooks, and e-books were purchased for our libraries
63 37
of our students received financial aid
Lower School field trips
98
faculty members attended a professional development course
Grade 5 students visited NASA Wheeling Space Lab
50+
990 athletic balls and pucks purchased
15
international trips and exchanges
theater productions performed
of clay purchased for our ceramics studio
Your Annual Fund gift helps to support an environment where all students can engage their hearts, minds, and hands in order to reach their full individual and collective potential.
Office of Advancement | 315 Academy Avenue, Sewickley, PA 15143 | 412.741.2113 | advancement@sewickley.org
201 3
Please make your gift today at www.sewickley.org/givenow.
S umm er
2
TONS
Alumni Events
1
2
3
4
5 1. Lowell ’61 and Freda Dexter catch up with Gus Nimick ’42 at the Sarasota cocktail party hosted by trustee Lisa Giusti this winter. 2. Former Head of Senior School Jim Cavalier, former Academy parent Erika Wehmeier, Patty Cavalier, and Helge Wehmeier at the Naples gathering this winter. 3. Ted Waller ’74 reconnects with party hosts John ’76 and Mary Schaff at the Naples area cocktail party. 4. Johanna Innamorato ’07, Daniel Koffmann ’04, Katarina Lackner ’05, Mary Grace Mock ’03, Jessica Lally ’03, Julia Deutsch ’04, and Phil Caputo ’05 catch up over cocktails at the Torch Club in NYC this winter.
32
6 5. John Buchanan ’68, Josh Snyder ’05, Sarah Hay ’06, Peter Cullen, Sarah Buescher ’85, Scott Fetterolf ’05, Ann (Harvey ’71) McMurray, Virginia (Moyles ’77) St. Pierre, Fraser (Zimmerman ’88) Traverse, Raymond St. Pierre, Robert James ’85, and Connie (Wood ‘74) Spencer at the 175th Anniversary Celebration at the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C. 6. Althea (Standish ’77) Kaemmer, Elise (Robinson ’51) Browne, Josh Gould ’77, Deborah Gray ’68, Madeleine Lord ’66, John Harrison ’81, John Nevin ’97, and Peter Standish ’79 gather for a fun and casual evening at the home of David and Althea (Standish ’77) Kaemmer in Concord, Massachusetts.
Welcome to Patty Butz,
Director of Teaching & Learning
7
8
9
10 7. Melinda Roberts ‘67, John Buchanan ’68, and Jean Roberts ’68 at the 175th Anniversary Celebration in Washington, D.C., this spring. 8. Row 1: Tina Smith ’01, Susan (Hawk ’75) Coy, Stephen Ratcliffe ’58, Anthony Suber ’93. Row 2: Debi (Butteri ’73) Akers, Ayesha Tejpar ’98, Director of Alumni Relations Greta Daniels. Row 3: Linda (Hawk ’73) Kluge. 9. Deliann Campbell ‘15 and Keegan MacDougall ’14 learn about the various ways that philanthropy impacts the Sewickley Academy community during the inaugural Student Engagement and Philanthropy Day.
A world traveler who understands and appreciates the variety of cultural experience that can be gained through travel and international study, Patty will contribute substantially to SA’s growing Global Studies program, which will benefit immeasurably from her unique experiences and perspective. With experience in the classroom and a strong track record of leading change in schools, Patty possesses a perfect blend of educational and administrative experience and expertise to support the Academy as we further our commitment to serving the children entrusted to our care with the most dynamic and robust educational experience we can provide. S umm er
10. At the annual Senior Class Luncheon hosted by the Alumni Council, Alexis Krey ’13, Pooja Pokharna ’13, Jerome Watts ’13, Sebastian Knott ’13, and their classmates learn what it means to be alumni.
Sewickley Academy welcomes Patty Butz as our new director of teaching and learning. Patty comes to us most recently from the American School in Japan (ASIJ), where she served for 10 years as director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. During her tenure at ASIJ, she facilitated the growth of the school’s Professional Learning Community, led the faculty in the creation of valid and reliable assessments, and led and supported the faculty in curriculum mapping. Prior to her work in Japan, Patty served as the curriculum coordinator at the American Embassy School in New Delhi, India, and as a middle school English teacher and curriculum coordinator at the Saudi Arabian International School in Riyadh.
201 3
33
Summerbridge student Dayna Rouse works with peer Kenny Minton on a science observation.
Happy 20 Birthday, th
Summerbridge Pittsburgh! Summerbridge Pittsburgh (SB) opened its
for the next six years, with the ultimate goal
doors on Sewickley Academy’s campus in
of college matriculation.
1993. Since then, the program has helped
Students who are interested in the Summer-
more than 1,000 students gain access to a topnotch education and inspired hundreds of high school and college-aged students to pursue careers in education and youth service. The SB program recruits underserved students during their sixth-grade school year. After a rigorous application and interview process, Summerbridge accepts and commits to a student’s academic growth and success
34
bridge program and complete the challenging application process are kids who possess high academic potential but have limited access to educational resources. They are students like Dayna Rouse, a 10th grader at The Ellis School. “Other than an exciting way to spend the summer, my brother and I have seen a dramatic improvement in our grades and enthusiasm to learn,” says Dayna. “Summerbridge welcomes kids who are smart,
unique, creative, and want to learn, so that on the first day of the program, unlike regular school, you are surrounded by kids just like you. No one at Summerbridge is chastised for being different or smart. Differences are welcome, and being unique is encouraged.” During their middle school years with the program, students are required to attend a sixweek summer session that mimics a typical school schedule and requires approximately two hours of homework each evening. The summer program is also encouraged, but not required, for rising ninth and 10th grade students. As an extension of the summer component, monthly Saturday programming, as well as intensive tutoring, is offered to SB students throughout the regular academic year. Additionally, all students participate in individualized high school options counseling to ensure that each student will move on to attend an academically rigorous, collegepreparatory high school. At the core of the Summerbridge program is the “students teaching students” model. Each summer, 20 teachers are selected from a highly competitive pool of high school and college student applicants to teach an academic core subject (math, science, literature, or writing) throughout the summer program. Students teaching students has proven successful through 20 years of practice, but it is also supported by research that shows that having peers who are planning to attend college can be even more important than parental encouragement and support. One study showed that students are four times more likely to enroll in college if their peers intend to enroll in college. Summerbridge creates peer groups among students and teachers where high academic achievement is expectThe relationship between teacher and student
merbridge teachers build great relationships with you,” Dayna comments. “Even after my
What’s New at Summerbridge Pittsburgh?
many summers at Summerbridge, my teach-
This summer, Summerbridge stu-
ers have stayed in touch. They’ve cheered me on at my basketball games and checked on me to make sure I’m doing well in school.”
dents had the opportunity to work in Sewickley Academy’s Secret Garden (see Page 8) through elective courses
Former SB teacher Nick Reck reflects on his
focusing on sustainable agriculture,
teaching experience, “The Summerbridge
healthful cooking, and nutrition.
program pulls off one of the most important
This year’s program also piloted a
and difficult challenges in life: balancing hard work and fun. SB is half summer camp and half academic boot camp. For us teachers, it was a great chance to work with other passionate people our age and get real classroom experience. For students, they are surrounded by a group of highly motivated young people.” For Dayna’s mom, Jennifer, the impact of
summer program for its rising 10th graders. These students participated in a three-week summer program that included extended class time in math, a course called “Writing Through Literature,” and workshops addressing high school transitions, college-bound resources, and leadership skills.
SB on her two children has been profound. “Throughout the program, I have seen Dayna blossom into a natural leader who especially excels in math. My son, Seth, now has the confidence to try anything – even poetry! Most importantly, I truly believe that the Summerbridge staff cares as much about my children’s future as I do.”
S umm er
ed and college-going is the norm.
goes well beyond the classroom. “The Sum-
201 3
35
CLASS NOTES
Susan (Mann ’58) Flanders, Lovi (Ewing ’58) Aldinger, Sara (Wheeler ’58) Forster, Vicky (Viot ’58) Martin, Stimson Kennedy ’58, and Jane (Paffard ’58) Nichols take to the stage in the spring play.
1940 While Bill Arrott ’40 and his wife, Elizabeth, originally moved to Lake Worth, Florida, to retire, they soon found that they simply could not sit still! Bill and Elizabeth founded the Center for Spiritual Living Fort Lauderdale and are in the midst of starting their own Internet marketing business as well.
1942 Tony Arrott ’42 and Patricia Graham celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in June with Bill Arrott ’40 and Lyde (Arrott ‘47) Longaker . Bill was best man and Lyde was a bridesmaid in 1953. The Arrotts went to the Academy briefly in the 1930s. After a short honeymoon at Seven Springs, the couple attended the weddings of Sammy Adams ’42 to Carol Goldsbury and Howdie Nimick ’43 to Sally McKnight ’44. Sammy, Sally, and Tony were second cousins, descendant from James West Arrott and Isabella Waddell. Patsy and Tony live in Washington, D.C., and Vancouver, British Columbia. Their first great-grandchild, Connor
36
Michael LaMarche, was born in Halifax in January, adding to their four children and eight grandchildren. Patricia taught drawing at the Art Students League in New York, and Tony taught physics at Simon Fraser University before their retirements. Charles Lyon ’42 writes, “I enjoy lunches and dinners from time to time with my daughter, Beth (Lyon ‘68) Copenhaver, who lives about an hour away. I also enjoy following on Facebook the doings of my two great-grandkids, my daughter Julie (Lyon ‘71) Donnon’s grandkids, who live in the D.C. area.
1944 Bill ’44 and Peggy (Oliver ’56) Standish celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in June 2013.
1953 Since April 13, 2013, Mimi (Brooks ’53) Woodbridge has slogged her way north from Bolivia through Peru to Iquitos and boated
to Santa Rosa on the Amazon, with flights to Manaus and Boa Vista, Brazil. “It was a taxi from Santa Elena de Uairen, Venezuela, with more flights to Puerto Ordaz and Maracaibo. Taxis and buses got us to Cartagena, Columbia, where we set sail for the journey from hell through the San Blas Islands. We hopped north from Panama City, visiting friends and are now in Puerto Cortes, Honduras, on our way to Belize and the Yucatan. I have a glass of rum and lime in my hand as I write this and am very happy.”
1955 Joan (Foedisch ’55) Adibi writes, “Time passes and still some things stay the same. We are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary this year. I am still playing tennis after rotator cuff surgery in 2012. We are going to Chappaquiddick Island for the summer as well. The big news is three of our grandchildren are moving to Pittsburgh from San Francisco in July!”
1966 Chip Garber ’66, associate professor of marketing at the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business at Elon University, spent this summer traveling the world, including a stop in Istanbul in July for a conference and India where he taught from the middle of July through August. Nancy (Bennett ’66) Haynes writes, “My daughter, Inslee, got engaged over Easter weekend to Anderson Fariss from High Point, North Carolina. They met at Washington and Lee University. He works for the Manhattan Wine Company in New York City. We are busily planning a May 2014 wedding in Georgetown!”
’40
Carol (Semple ’66) Thompson participated in two international golf trips in 2012. She traveled to Scotland in June to spectate at the Curtis Cup Match in Nairn and traveled to Turkey in September as the non-playing captain of the U.S. World Amateur Team. The U.S. team finished eighth out of 53 countries at that tournament.
’44
’42
1968 45th Class Reunion October 11-12, 2013 www.sewickley.org/reunion
1969
’53 Bill Arrott ’40 is enjoying life in Florida.
Niland Mortimer ’69 writes, “After five years, we are still enjoying living and working in San Francisco. Our oldest son, David, teaches science at the Bank Street School in Manhattan and is completing a doctorate in physics at Columbia; middle son Sam graduated from law school last Thursday and was married in Finland on December 22; youngest son Adam graduated from Bowdoin, like Dad and David, and moved to San Francisco while applying to med school. All in all, life’s great.”
This drawing of Tony Arrott ’42, done by his wife, Patsy, was featured in the Art Student League catalogue.
World traveler Mimi (Brooks ’53) Woodbridge on her recent South American sojourn.
S umm er
Bill ’44 and Peggy (Oliver ‘56) Standish celebrate their golden anniversary this year.
201 3
37
1970 Star-crossed lovers Raina Petkoff (Deb Canter ’70) and Capt. Bluntschli (Scott Ferguson ’70) were reunited in Santa Monica 44 years after they appeared in George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man onstage at the Academy. Raina sojourned from New York City to Los Angeles on a 250 cc Kawasaki, averaging 800 miles per day, to rejoin her long lost love. “Whatta woman!” writes Scott.
’73
Margaret “Peggy” (Prine ’70) Joy’s daughter, Katie (Joy ’98) Rosinski, now has two children, Cole (2) and Reese (7 months). Peggy says, “I love spending time with them! I am practicing family law in Pittsburgh and am still grateful for all I learned at the Academy!”
1973 40th Class Reunion
’70
October 11-12, 2013 www.sewickley.org/reunion
James McKain ’73 is still living in Clifton, Virginia, near Washington, D.C. He and his wife, Miriam, celebrated their 25th anniversary in May and will be empty nesters this fall with three kids in college (broke empty nesters, but empty nonetheless!). James is flying 767s for United – a nice mixture of European, domestic, and a few flights throughout the Caribbean. He traveled to Kenya, Iceland, and a few National Wildlife Refuges over the past year to take pictures and is hoping to head off to Haines, Alaska, this fall to shoot photos of Bald Eagles during the salmon run. “It seems that more and more of my free time finds me in a swamp, bog, forest, or park somewhere in the world. My nature photography website is up and running, so check it out if you get a chance – www.jaymckain.com.”
1977 Debi (Snow ’77) Trau is the head girls’ varsity lacrosse coach at Culver Academy and finished the 2013 season with a record of 21-1 and the Indiana Girls’ High School State Championship. Debi was fortunate to have her sons, Griffin (Western Reserve Academy
38
’81
’77
Jay McKain ’73 and his wife, Miriam, in Kenya at the Masai Mara National Reserve. Scott Ferguson ’70 caught up with classmate Deb Canter ’70 when she rode her motorcycle across the country this year. Debi (Snow ‘77) Trau coached the Culver Academy girls’ lacrosse team all the way to the state championship this year. The Bridges Academy was founded by Molly Hays-Jette ’81 and will open its doors in the fall.
‘14) and Duncan (Episcopal High School ‘17), on the sideline with her as guest statisticians for Championship Weekend in Indianapolis.
1978 35th Class Reunion October 11-12, 2013 www.sewickley.org/reunion
1981 Immediately after Long Island was hit by Hurricane Sandy, 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 independent school for the south shore of Long Island called The Bridges Academy. The doors to the school will open in September to children from 2 years old through eighth grade. “It’s been an amazing and rewarding experience working on this
grass roots effort to build a school for our community. So much of the inspiration for this school comes from my time at SA!” Check the school out at www.thebridgesacademy.net. Nancy (Kennerdell ’81) Lawrence writes, “Diana Ring ’81, Mark Dugan ’81, and Meghan (Toth ’81) Strubel joined me in McKinney, Texas, for a collective 50th birthday celebration. Diana reminded us that because she has an October birthday, we were all driving before she did. Her reaction to driving later was to say to us on our 16th birthdays, ‘Well that’s OK, because you will all turn 50 before me!’ We had great fun together at SA and treasure our friendships even now at 50. I hope the rest of the Class of 1981 is healthy and happy!”
DFW, a national network organization that escorts WWII veterans back to Washington, D.C., to honor them for their service. Maria serves as the medical lead, and Valerie has been an integral part as a local guardian. “Together, we have participated in more than eight trips. In the fall of 2012, we had the privilege of escorting our uncle, Col. Theodore Gaydos, ret. U.S. Army, WWII veteran, who participated in the invasion of Normandy. We plan to continue in this journey until the last WWII veteran has gone.” To learn more about Honor Flight DFW, visit www.honorflightdfw.org. On May 18, 2013, Clark Mitchell ’84 achieved a lifetime goal by completing the
Ironman Texas triathlon. An Ironman triathlon includes a 2.4-mile swim followed by a 112-mile bike ride, and then finishes with a full marathon run. Clark trained for about a year and completed several shorter triathlons in preparation. “Going into the race, I was confident in my training and preparation. The wild card on race day was the weather, as it turned out to be 95 degrees and windy! Regardless, I was able to push through, beat the heat, and achieve my goal of crossing the finish line. One of the cool Ironman traditions is to announce each finisher as they cross the line. Getting to hear ‘Clark Mitchell from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, you are an Ironman!’ was the highlight of my day!”
1983 30th Class Reunion October 11-12, 2013 www.sewickley.org/reunion
1984
’84
’84
Mark Dugan ’81, Nancy (Kennerdell ’81) Lawrence, Meghan (Toth ’81) Strubel, and Diana Ring ’81 gather together to celebrate their 50th birthdays this year. Maria ’84 and Valerie ’85 Gaydos with several veterans of the U.S. armed forces during one of their Honor Flight trips to Washington, D.C. Clark Mitchell ’84 finishes the Ironman Texas triathlon this spring.
201 3
Maria Gaydos ’84 and her sister, Valerie ’85, became volunteer members of Honor Flight
’81
S umm er
David Bonnett ’83 writes, “We are coming up on five years on the South Island of New Zealand and are very happily settled here, to the extent that we became New Zealand citizens. Life is much more relaxed than the U.S. (even compared to Boulder, Colorado, our old hometown), and I am able to get out on my road or mountain bike several times a week, either for a race or to train with my daughter, Fiona, who races in the under-13 grade for road and track cycling. My wife, Anne, is working as a research chemist for a local institute, and I’m the managing director for a small technology consultancy here in Nelson. While we are on the other side of the globe, we do try to keep up with the goings-on in Sewickley and the rest of the U.S. Sadly, we’ll miss the 30th reunion for our class due to a trip to Sydney, Australia, that same week. We have had a good number of U.S. visitors drop in and would always welcome SA alumni or family who happen to be visiting New Zealand. Just drop me an email at hdbonnett@ gmail.com.”
39
1985 Sarah (Friedman ’85) Brennan writes, “After 13 years of living in southern Vermont, I find myself on the move: my husband, Kevin, recently accepted the position of director of study abroad at UConn, so we’ve relocated to Storrs. It’s comfortingly rural here (we’ve already watched our neighbors’ sheep giving birth), plus it’s a great opportunity for Kevin. I see lots of travel in our future (yes, I plan on tagging along!). While I figure out what to do next, I’ve taken a summer job working at a ropes course. I remember quite well the first time I ever encountered a ropes course – it was with a Trailblazers trip to the Adirondacks in 1983. What goes around, comes around, I guess. I’m about twice the age of most of my coworkers, which is entertaining. If your idea of fun includes dangling in a harness some 20-40 feet up in the trees, I can hook you up. Visitors welcome!”
1988 25th Class Reunion October 11-12, 2013 www.sewickley.org/reunion
1989 Kyri (Greenleaf ’89) Jacobs was recently elevated to the Circle of Excellence in The Daily Record newspaper’s annual Maryland’s Top 100 Women list. Only those who have been selected to this top 100 list on three separate occasions are eligible for this distinction. The Top 100 Women listing recognizes those who make a difference in business, mentor young females, and are active in the community. Jennifer Markus ’89 hosted Grace Meakem ’13 at her non-profit organization, Village Green Partners, during Grace’s senior project this spring.
Jennifer (Gold ’90) Iserloh just launched a line of brand new sauces, Skinny Chef Superfood Sauces – a product line that uses superfoods and is designed to be cooked with superfoods to give you more nutrition and taste with every home-cooked meal. Each sauce addresses your cravings (sweet, spicy, smoky, and rich) but does it in a new, healthier way. Sauces are made with whole, all-natural ingredients, are gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, and dairy-free. Looking to get sauced? Visit naturalfoods.skinnychef.com.
1992 Dan and Heather (Snyder ’92) McLane are thrilled to announce the arrival of Colin Bennett McLane, born on March 28, 2013. He joins MacKenzie (5) and Connor (3).
Back to Basics
“I didn’t realize you could be this happy with a job,” were Amy Aloe’s (‘02) exact words when asked about being head chef at a cabin in the wilderness of northern Maine. But, Amy’s path to her “happy place” was a bit of a windy one and, for her, definitely the road less traveled. After graduating in 2002 from the Academy, she attended Kenyon College where she studied molecular biology. After earning a master’s in genetic counseling from the Graduate School of Public Health
38 40
at the University of Pittsburgh, she accepted a fellowship position in 2011 at Baystate Medical Center. She soon realized what she had expected all along – that she liked genetic counseling better in theory than practice, and that it just wasn’t working for her.
I still didn’t feel like cooking was right, that it was something I could actually do for a career,” says Amy. Despite her doubts, she followed her heart, applied, and got the position as cook at the Gorman Chairback Lodge and Cabins.
But something else did work for Amy – a passion for food, cooking, and the outdoors. So, after deciding to take a break from school and her “chosen” path, she went out on a limb to pursue her passions – mere hobbies in her opinion – and applied for a naturalist position with the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), an outdoor recreation and conservation organization in New England. She got the job and was placed at Mizpah Spring Hut at Mt. Pierce in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest.
“It was a very interesting winter,” she says. By interesting, Amy means making the seven-mile journey to the lodge with food supplies in minus-20-degree temperatures on a snowmobile and learning how to cross-country ski in her spare time. Again, she loved every minute of it.
To Amy’s delight, one of her job responsibilities as a naturalist was cooking throughout a 14-hour day for up to 60 people. And in order to cook for the large groups, she and her fellow staffers had to carry the food and supplies on their backs from the nearest road, a 2.7-mile trek! Her thoughts on this new transition? “I absolutely loved it.” When the position ended in the fall, she was encouraged by friends to apply for a cook position with AMC in the more upscale Maine Wilderness Lodges. “But
This summer, she was promoted to head chef at another AMC lodge, Little Lyford. “I’ve finally decided to stop denying this creative side of myself,” says Amy. “I am a nurturer at heart, and I feel like that’s why I thought of health care. I’ve always wanted to make the world a better place, and now I feel like I am doing that at the most basic level – through food.”
You can follow Amy’s culinary and woodsy adventures on her blog at www.cookingscraps.com.
’98 ’93
’93
Sebastian Thomas Fincke, son of Jason Fincke ’93 and Melissa Fincke-Bosma. Tim McKinney ’13 goes over the floor plans of his senior project with project advisor Jonathan Glance ’93 of Glance Architecture and Design. Ryan ’98 and Jayme Thompson welcomed Alderman James on January 10, 2013. Recent graduate Amy Kolor ‘13 with project supervisor Ryan Thompson ‘98 at Clear Water Technologies where Amy completed her senior project this past spring.
’98 Heather (St. George ’92) Gibson writes, “My husband and I made the decision last summer to become foster parents. We spent many, many hours in training and interviews to become licensed. Our license finally arrived on March 26 – the same day we discovered I was seven weeks pregnant. Now we have an abundance of riches! We’re continuing to foster until my due date in November, and then we’ll see where life takes us from there.”
’99
Tim was exposed to a variety of aspects of the architecture and engineering fields. During the project, Jonathan charged Tim with the design of a hypothetical home for the headmaster of Sewickley Academy. Tim arranged meetings with his prospective client, created floor plans and renderings, and ultimately presented a comprehensive design for a fitting home for any head of school.
1996
1993 20th Class Reunion October 11-12, 2013 www.sewickley.org/reunion
Ryan Thompson ’98 hosted Amy Kolor ’13 for her senior project at his company, Clear Water Technologies, in Sewickley. Amy quickly became an integral part of the Clear Water team during her project work, and Ryan was reluctant to let her leave at the end of the twoweek externship. You can read more about his experience in his recent post to the SA blog entitled, “How to Convince an SA Grad Not to Go to Yale.” (www.sewickley.org/blog) Ryan and his wife, Jayme, also welcomed their first child in January.
1999 15th Class Reunion October 11-12, 2013 www.sewickley.org/reunion
John ’99 and Bethany (Giles ’99) Colavincenzo welcomed Cara Blythe Colavincenzo on March 4, 2013. She joins big siblings Emma (4) and Grant (2).
201 3
Jonathan Glance ’93 hosted Tim McKinney ’13 for his senior project at Glance Architecture and Design in downtown Pittsburgh.
1998
Stephanie (Madey ’98) Morton and her husband, Pete, are still living happily in Newport, Rhode Island, and just moved into a new house in March. Their daughter, Charlotte, will be 3 in the fall, and they are thrilled to share that she will be joined by a baby brother in late September.
S umm er
Jason Fincke ’93, Melissa Fincke-Bosma, and daughter Kaatje welcomed Sebastian Thomas on June 16, 2013. “I am looking forward to seeing the Class of 1993 at our 20th reunion weekend on October 11-12. Be on the lookout for more details regarding our class party!”
Mac Lewis ’96 recently accepted the position of creative director for Playboy magazine. Prior to taking on this new role, Mac held deputy design and art direction positions at many well-known national publications such as Los Angeles magazine, Rolling Stone magazine, and Maxim magazine, among others.
Cara, Grant, and Emma, children of John ’99 and Bethany (Giles ‘99) Colavincenzo.
41
2000 Kelly (Pesce ’00) Cassaro and husband Michael welcomed James Porter Cassaro on February 25, 2013, in Brooklyn, New York. “We are grateful and thrilled.” Since his birth, James has been visited and adored by Dana Palmer ’00, Wes Goldstein ’01, and Allyson (Pyeritz ’00) Colaco.
’00
Sarah (Grenert ’00) Funk and Gloria Lozano ’00 will be inducted into the Sewickley Academy Sports Hall of Fame during Reunion Weekend 2013. All classmates, friends, fellow lacrosse players, and alumni are invited to attend the induction ceremony on Friday, October 11, at 11:30 AM in the Rea Auditorium.
’01 2001 Emily Craig ’01 hosted Micaela Becker ’13 at Pittsburgh TODAY during Micaela’s senior project.
2002
’02 James Porter Cassaro, son of Michael and Kelly (Pesce ’00) Cassaro. Emily Craig ’01 and Micaela Becker ’13 at Pittsburgh TODAY. Timian Naomi Christensen, the daughter of Bjork and Vergia Siovhan (Norris ’02) Christensen.
42
Vergia Siovhan (Norris ’02) and Bjork Christensen welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Timian Naomi, into the world on April 17, 2013. Timian weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces. She was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, where the family currently lives. Siovhan and her family are preparing for a move back to the U.S. where Siovhan will continue to focus her aspirations and pursue her dream of one day performing on Broadway.
2003 10th Class Reunion October 11-12, 2013 www.sewickley.org/reunion
Urie Norris ’04 recently had the opportunity to meet Barry Gordy, music industry mogul and founder of Motown Records at a gig in Los Angeles. Barry is only one of many wellknown and famous guests who stop by the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles where
Alicia Koval ’03 and Megan Steck ’03 successfully summited Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,341 feet) on a trip to Tanzania in February this year. Alicia graduated from Penn State University with a degree in petroleum and natural gas engineering, and went to work for ConocoPhillips as a reservoir engineer. She currently lives and works in Aberdeen, Scotland. Megan graduated with a mechanical engineering degree from Santa Clara University and now works for Intuitive Surgical. She lives in San Francisco.
’03
Evan Mallory ’03 is a co-founder of Three Rivers Village School, an innovative independent K-12 school. When it opens this fall, it will be Pittsburgh’s first democratic school. Evan is living in Squirrel Hill and enjoys the chance to go running with cross-country teammate Yann LeGall ‘03. Robin Yost ’03 writes, “After several years of vagabond existence at sea and on farms, I’m going back to school to study urban planning at the University of Pennsylvania.”
’04
2004
Alicia Koval ’03 and Megan Steck ’03 atop Mt. Kilimanjaro. Urie Norris ’04 with music industry legend Barry Gordy at a recent gig in Los Angeles. Ester Barbuto ’04 completes her first half Ironman, Vineman 70.3.
75’ ’04
S umm er
Ester Barbuto ’04 moved to San Diego in January to take on a new role and pursue business development opportunities in strategic consulting at her current firm, Booz Allen Hamilton. Thoroughly enjoying “America’s Finest City” and the birthplace of the triathlon, Estee completed her first half Ironman in July, Vineman 70.3. She swam 1.2 miles, biked 56 miles, and ran 13.1 miles, all in hopes to progress to a full Ironman before 2015. Additionally, Estee was recently elected to serve as a trustee for the Society of Women Engineers. She is thrilled to bring her diverse portfolio of experiences to the table to manage the endowment for an organization that has allowed her to “aspire, advance, and achieve” as a female engineer.
Urie performs regular sets with many gifted soloists. Urie also recently traveled to Macau, China, this past January to perform with other talented musicians and dancers at a New Year’s Eve celebration at the MGM Grand, China.
201 3
43
2008
2005 In February 2013, Carolyn Devens ’05 returned to U.S. soil after living and working in South Africa for a year. Carolyn is a field researcher and a project manager for the Landmark Foundation’s Leopard and Predator Project, which has enabled her to be based in a coastal town on the Garden Route and travel throughout the beautiful Western and Eastern Capes conducting camera trapping surveys and leopard conflict management. “I look forward to being home with family and friends for a few months before returning to South Africa to pursue a doctorate with the data I’ve been collecting specifically about the leopard population existing in the Robertson Wine Valley, Western Cape.” Adam Wilberger ’05 graduated with a doctor of medicine from Drexel University College of Medicine in May 2013. He will be completing his residency in pathology at Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio.
5th Class Reunion October 11-12, 2013 www.sewickley.org/reunion
Maggie Dimmick ’08 is living in New York City and pursuing a career in the fashion industry as a colorist for Elie Tahari. She also is doing freelance textile and costume design work on the side. Melanie Wilberger ’08 graduated from the University of Richmond with a bachelor’s in business administration in May 2013.
2009 Nikki Becich ’09 moved to Guatemala this summer for a three-month veterinary internship. She will then move on to Ecuador, Amazonian Peru, and Brazil studying ornithological biology in national natural preserves. She hopes to ultimately pursue a doctorate in
exotic wildlife medicine. During her college years at Pomona College, Nikki participated in a study abroad experience in Costa Rica where she studied the life history of bareshanked screech owls. In San Francisco, she presented her research on side-blotched lizards at the Society for Integrative Biology Conference. Shayne Harris ’09, daughter of Taryn Harris ’77, graduated summa cum laude from Loyola University of Maryland this spring and has already been accepted to nine different law schools. She will attend the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Taryn writes, “I told Shayne it all begins with SA, and she agrees!” Mac Means ’09 was named to the 2013 Division III All-American Honorable Mention squad after finishing second in scoring on the Washington and Lee men’s lacrosse team this season. Mac was named to the 2013 USILA Scholar All-America team this year as well. He ranked fifth all-time in scoring at Washington and Lee with 155 goals.
Adam Wilberger ’05 received his doctor of medicine from Drexel University this spring. Carolyn Devens ’05 is a field researcher studying the leopard population in Africa.
’05
’05 44
Melanie Wilberger ’08 graduates from the University of Richmond.
’08
’12
’12 Charlie Carbeau ’12 and Griffin Lang ’12 visit with Maura Condon ’13 and Isabella Maroon ’13 over the holiday break. Sarah Weber ’12, Gabby Amato ’12, Lauren Tancer ’12, and Meredith Doyle ’12 reconnect with fellow classmates and SA seniors at the 100 Days to Graduation celebration this winter.
’12
Michael Sutton ’12 stops back at the Academy during holiday break from Duke to catch up with friends Jerome Watts ‘13 and Justin Ferri ‘13.
One-Man Show Sociology major Kenny Fedorko ’09 didn’t spend much time celebrating his May 18, 2013, graduation from Kenyon College. Fedorko landed in New York City in early June and began building on his already impressive acting credentials. In spring 2013, he received the Paul Newman Trophy, granted to the Kenyon student with the best acting performance during the academic year for his role in the one-man show Thom Pain written by Will Eno.
His immediate plans are to keep auditioning. His philosophy is to start small, do everything he can, and get seen. Hopefully, the opportunities will continue to follow.
201 3
Photo by Ally Schmaling
Kenny also appeared in a short film entitled Caleb’s Gift by Bob Bates ’77 (http://www.dailymotion. com/video/xvwgv5_caleb-s-gift_shortfilms).
S umm er
Residing with a relative for the summer, Kenny has been picking up work as a film extra and recently collaborated with fellow SA alums Julia Hansen ’09 and Lauren Lasorda ’08 (both living in NYC) on a show called BOX with the Improbable Stage Company, which opened in late June at the IRT Theatre on Christopher Street in Manhattan. The trio has worked together on this same show several times and is performing it for the compa-
ny’s five-year anniversary. The show was developed at Sewickley Academy with former Theater Director Stacy A. Donovan, who is currently the artistic director of Improbable Stage Company. A second show with the company is in development for performance in the late fall.
45
In Memoriam
Remembering Alden Sector On May 6, 2013, the Academy’s long-time friend and former faculty member Alden H.J. Sector passed away. Alden Sector has been a part of the Sewickley Academy community since his arrival in 1955. A graduate of Fitchburg State Teachers’ College in Massachusetts, he originally taught Grade 5 at a public school in Groton, Massachusetts. Following a stint at the Perkins School, he came across a classified ad in the New York Times for a Grade 5 teacher at Sewickley Academy. It would be the next, and last, teaching post he’d ever interview for. During his 33 years at the Academy, Mr. Sector taught Grade 5 and Grade 7 history, and was interim head of Middle School for one year. He also served on the board of trustees. Ancient history was Mr. Sector’s favorite topic amongst those he taught. Students often addressed him as “Sir” because of their respect for his personal style and intellect. “His love of history was contagious and he opened wonderful vistas for me. His style and grace were wondrous in a sea of rowdy middle schoolers. But it was his sense of humor, always subtle and wry, but never mean, and the sparkle in his eyes that I remember best,” says Richmond (Morrow ’66) Rabinowitz. After retiring in 1988, Mr. Sector remained a very close friend of the school and its community, establishing the Sector Speaker Series in honor of his parents, Albert and Bertha Sector. The series invites distinguished speakers to the Academy every year to present before students and community members. Mr. Sector was also a member of the Sewickley
46
Academy Pillars Society, which recognizes those benefactors who have provided for the Academy’s future through gifts such as bequests, trusts, or other planned gifts. Mr. Sector was an avid collector of antiques and looked every part the distinguished and discriminating expert. Always smartly dressed, Mr. Sector was often seen strolling the streets of Sewickley, taking his regular exercise, in earlier years accompanied by his favorite corgi. He was a welcome guest at social gatherings because of his quick wit and wonderful recall of people and stories from the past. Former faculty member Dolly Paul summarizes, “Alden will be remembered as one of the unforgettable characters that crosses our paths. He was a gentleman, a scholar, a wonderful conversationalist, witty and charming. He believed in tradition and loved Sewickley Academy. If I may steal from a mid-sixties movie and song from the movie title, I would say ‘To Sir, with deep affection and respect.’ Alden will be missed.” Those who wish to make a gift in memory of Alden can do so at www.sewickley.org/givenow.
Remembering Claudia Gallant
Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs Claudia Gallant lost her valiant battle with cancer on April 21, 2013. Claudia died peacefully, attended by her loving and supportive family.
cultural immersion, study, and service abroad. Global Studies has quickly become a marquee program of the school.
Claudia also oversaw the transformation of our existing Teachers as Partners program into our New Employee Mentoring Program, which has received national recognition as a model for supporting new employees as they join our community.
Those who were privileged enough to know and work with Claudia know that she was true to her philosophy, and each of us and our school are better for the difference she made in our lives.
Perhaps the crowning achievement of Claudia’s tenure was the design and implementation of our Global Studies program. With formal exchange agreements with schools in seven foreign countries, and study and travel opportunities in at least four others, the Global Studies program has grown to embrace our existing trips and exchanges into a comprehensive, curricular, and co-curricular program that begins in Pre-Kindergarten and provides numerous opportunities to learn about the world well beyond Sewickley Academy. The program culminates in the Senior School with an opportunity for
To honor Claudia, the school has established the Claudia Gallant Global Studies Fund, an endowed fund that will provide financial aid for students to engage in travel, study, and service as part of the Global Studies program.
In her educational philosophy, Claudia wrote, “I think that, in the end, meeting the highest standards in education requires what comes down to ‘guts,’ the ability to act and to engage in the fray, whatever that fray happens to be, in the classroom, on the playing field, in a parent meeting, in the head of school’s office, at a board meeting, in a capital campaign. It means having the guts to make decisions, to swim upstream at times, to communicate clearly, to maintain an open door and listen to all comers, but in the end, to judge, act, and take responsibility.”
S umm er
Claudia came to Sewickley Academy in July 2006 to take a newly created position, director of academic affairs. In her inimitable way, Claudia quickly made her mark throughout the school, and the position title was subsequently changed to assistant head of school for academic affairs. As the chief academic officer, Claudia led our curriculum development efforts. She also was responsible for
the ongoing professional development of our faculty, guiding teachers to opportunities to learn and grow and strengthen their classroom practice. Former Senior School teacher Chris Anderson poignantly remarks, “Claudia was keenly intelligent, deeply contemplative, and delightfully articulate. She always came at issues from a unique perspective, continuously challenging each of us to reflect upon our philosophies, personal interactions, and teaching methodologies ... She would pluck an observation from an undetectable vantage point or toss out a question that would never cross one’s mind, and off we all were, racing to regain perspective, to strengthen our skills, and to lift each other to a higher plane.”
201 3
47
In Memoriam
As of June 15, 2013
ALUMNI CLAIRE ELIZABETH (HAINES ’34) FAIRLEY
JOHN ORMSBY WILLARD ’54
Claire Elizabeth (Haines ’34) Fairley passed away May 5, 2013. Claire was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Albert Langley Fairley Jr., and her brothers and sisters-in-law. She is survived by her nephew, James B. Haines V ’55 (Marnie), and many nieces and nephews. Claire graduated from Dana Hall and Connecticut College, class of 1941. She was married in 1949 and lived in Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Montreal. In 1972, she and her husband moved to Birmingham after Albert retired. They loved to travel and visited almost every continent. Claire loved the arts and flowers, and the Botanical Gardens was one of her most frequent destinations. She was a patron of the Alabama Symphony, Alys Stevens Center, Birmingham Museum of Art, and Birmingham Botanical Gardens. She was a member of the Birmingham and Mountain Brook Country Clubs, many garden and literary clubs, and the Daughters of the American Revolution.
John Ormsby Willard ’54 of Philadelphia, died January 21, 2013. He attended Phillips Andover Academy, Yale University, and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor’s in music. John served in the U.S. Army from 1963-1965 and was stationed in Dusseldorf, Germany, where he worked in Army Intelligence. He worked many years for W.W. Norton & Company, and then as comptroller for a company in Delaware. After retirement, John worked as a volunteer concierge for the National Park Service in Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Visitors Center where his fluency in French and German, along with his vast knowledge about the city, was a valuable asset. He was an excellent cook who enjoyed entertaining and eating at all the new restaurants in Philadelphia. He was an avid bridge and cribbage player, and a lifelong birder. He loved music and attended many concerts, rehearsals, operas, and had an excellent bass singing voice. He was a founding member of the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus and also sang in the Music Group of Philadelphia. John is survived by his sisters, Wendy ’56, Sally ’59, and Molly ’66 Willard; his beloved friend, Stephen B. Doll; and five nieces and nephews.
TALBOT ALBERT CHUBB ’38 Talbot Albert Chubb ’38 died December 10, 2011, in Arlington, Virginia. He was predeceased by his wife, Mary, and his brothers, Charles ’34 and Nicholas ’37. Talbot graduated from the Hotchkiss School and received his bachelor’s in physics from Princeton University. During World War II, Talbot did research on uranium isotope separation for the Manhattan Project at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Part of the time he was at Oak Ridge he served in the U.S. Army. He earned a doctorate in physics from the University of North Carolina. Talbot was an experimental physicist at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington, D.C., for more than 30 years. He worked on the detection of radiation and conducted experiments that established the variability of the sun as an X-ray generator, measured intensity of solar radiation in the far ultraviolet, and contributed to the understanding of the earth’s upper atmosphere. His team mapped the main X-ray sources in the sky and studied Cygnus X-1, the first confirmed black hole candidate, as well as neutron stars. Additional recognition included the E.O. Hurlburt Science Award (1963), the NRL RESA Pure Science Award (1978), and the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award (1978). He was a charter member of the U.S. Senior Executive Service. He is survived by four children and nine grandchildren.
48
JAMES HAROLD HEROY III, M.D. ’55 James Harold Heroy III ’55 passed away unexpectedly on March 13, 2013. He graduated from the Choate School and Yale University where he completed his premedical studies, and received his medical degree from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. After completing a surgical internship at the University Hospitals of Cleveland, Jim served in the U.S. Navy as a medical officer and surgeon. It was during this time that he became interested in the specialty of otolaryngology, head and neck surgery, which he practiced for more than 42 years. Jim completed the residency training program for this specialty at the Johns Hopkins University Hospital. Completing post-graduate training, he continued to teach at Johns Hopkins University as well as maintain a private practice in Maryland. An avid fly fisherman, he made an annual trip to Canada to enjoy this hobby. Also an accomplished painter and photographer, he especially enjoyed travel and learning about different cultures. He joined Ear, Nose, and Throat Consultants of Nevada in 1997 after moving to Las Vegas. He is survived by his wife, Karen, his children and their families, and his sisters, Ann (Heroy ’53) Webb and Kate (Heroy ’61) Hartley.
FRIENDS OF THE SCHOOL ALEXANDER MONTGOMERY BROOKS III ’59
PETER BABYAK
Alexander Montgomery Brooks III ’59, a resident of Alfred, Maine, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, died January 15, 2013, after a struggle with heart disease. Sandy, known as “Alex” or “Brooksie” after his years at Sewickley Academy, was “bigger than life, literally.” He was a chef extraordinaire, an inspired artist, a skilled writer, a great song lyricist, a knowledgeable food critic, world traveler, tour guide, band manager, restaurant and nightclub owner, ambassador at large, bon vivant, raconteur, and a minister in the Universal Life Church. After graduating from The Cornell Hotel School, Sandy worked in hotels in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He ran several nightclubs including The Minor Key Room of the St. Thomas Club, The Grass Shack in St. Thomas, and a nightclub in Managua, Nicaragua. Sandy also established the epic music venue, The Rongovian Embassy to the United States, in Trumansburg, New York. Sandy befriended people wherever he went, frequently offering encouragement and support. He inspired others with his understanding, creativity, inspiration, wit, and wonderful sense of humor. He was the loving husband of Rosie Brooks and brother to Mimi (Brooks ‘53) Woodbridge and Robbie Brooks ’52.
Peter Babyak, member of Sewickley Academy’s maintenance team for 25 years, passed away on June 8, 2013. Pete began his career here as the Senior School custodian, taking great care of the building. Later he moved to the Lower School in the same capacity. Ten years ago, Pete shifted gears and became a member of the day crew, doing everything from mowing the lawns, to trimming hedges, to shoveling snow. Pete was a member of the Holy Ghost Orthodox Church and was an avid golfer. Surviving are his wife, Denise, three children, and three grandchildren.
FAMILY OF ALUMNI GEORGE MCKEE BLAIR Father of William Robinson Blair, stepfather of George Foster McCullough ’78, uncle of Bill Wardrop ’55, Jamie Wardrop ’57, and Nina (Wardrop ’62) Brooks WILLIAM MICHAEL FITZGERALD Father of Mollie Fitzgerald ’81 and Michael Fitzgerald ’83, grandfather of Abby Larsen ’10
LUKE SCRIVANICH ’10 Luke Scrivanich ’10 passed away unexpectedly in Huntington Beach, California, on April 23, 2013. He is survived by parents Luke and Becky, sisters Lena ’11 and Marigrace ’13, brothers Nicholas ’18 and Eric, and was a member of St. Rose Parish. Luke was a student at Sunrise Aviation in Santa Ana, California, and had nearly completed his private pilot certification. He also attended classes at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California. Luke loved spending time with his siblings, teaching them to snowboard, skimboard, or play paddle ball on the beach. Luke had a zest for life, a wonderful laugh, and a big heart. He will be fondly remembered for his zany sense of humor, his boundless energy, his unwavering loyalty, and his compassion for others.
CARROLL O’BRIEN KANE Former Academy teacher and mother of Katherine “Candy” (Kane ’74) Blaxter CHARLES HOWARD MUSE JR. Father of Amy (Muse ’80) Lang, Charles “Chip” H. Muse III ’83, and James “Jay” G. Muse ’85, grandfather of Griffin Lang ’12, Lucas Lang ’17, and Charlie Muse ’19 MYRA ANN GRAF (BUCHANAN) PEARSON Mother of John G. Buchanan III ’68 and the late Joan Buchanan ’61
S umm er 201 3
315 Academy Avenue | Sewickley, PA 15143
The weekend will include... • Hall of Fame Women’s Lacrosse Clinic • Reunion Gala • Celebrating 50 Years of the Senior School • Individual Class Parties for Classes Ending in ’3 and ’8
...and much more! For more information, visit www.sewickley.org/reunion.
Questions?
Reunion Weekend OCTOBER 11 & 12, 2013
Contact Director of Alumni Relations Greta Daniels at gdaniels@sewickley.org or 412.741.2230 ext. 3044.