Solebury School Magazine
Campus Highlights
Plus:
Focus on Alumni
Campus Highlights Solebury School’s Publications Have a New Look! Solebury School continues its efforts to embrace “green” alternatives. One way is to reduce the number of printed publications and offer more information on the school’s website, www.solebury.org. There will now be two Solebury School Magazines to replace the two newsletters and the Annual Report that you have received in the past. The magazines will still focus on the many great school events and alumni in the news, but we will ask you to visit our website to get more details and related stories. The Annual Report financial information will soon be available on the school’s website. Your feedback and suggestions are always welcome as we look for “greener” ways to bring you the latest school news and events. Please contact Beverly Berkeley, Director of Communications or Peter Pearson, Director of Advancement with your suggestions. ❖
2 ❖ Solebury School Magazine Summer/Fall 2009
2009 Solebury School Class of
FIRST ROW, FROM LEFT: Laura Magno, Sun Hee Park, Yi-Wen (Everina) Chen, Vi Pham, Yu Jin Sung, Ji Hye (Jackie) Ok, Salvatore DiLisio, Ryan Goldfarb, Joshua Ginsberg, Austin Naids, Hannah Salamone, Shelby Jacobsen, Samantha Zbik, Jessica Crowley, Brittni Addye, Krystal Marte, Melanie Rader, and Tess Graham
SECOND ROW, FROM LEFT: Hung-Hsu (Ivan) Wei, Yae Yoon Lee, Jeonghwan (John) Hong, Matthew Wilson, Sean Synakowski, Jennifer Barbo, Alexis Davis, Zoe Donohue, Bronwyn Krug, Ryan Todd, Nathaniel Danciger, Anne Parham, Shanna Falch, Morgan Parker-Klimpel, Stefanie Barbo, Justine Keller, Montana McKim, Lina Pearson, Stephanie Ulm, Wilson Garrido, Sebastian Downs, Nicholas Lopez, Benjamin Leinweber, Khalil Martin, Justin Driver, Katsuhiko (Ken) Kayama, James Moore, and Owen Becette
THIRD ROW, FROM LEFT: Gebrewold Hailu, John Curran, Brendan Nerney, Ethan Rutherford, Joseph Beckett, Thomas Shapiro, Peter Moretzsohn, James Emge, Benjamin Neidhardt, Daniel Maza, Samuel Bolenbaugh, Anders Simpson-Wolf, John Farrell, and Charles (Casey) Edwards www.solebury.org
2009 Middle School Class of
FRONT ROW, from left: Adriel Magidenko, Annie Benjamin, Keziah Groth-Tuft, Amanda Morgan, Nick Tardelli, Toni Spiller
BACK ROW, from left: Theo Blasko, Julian Dahl, Andrew Hafner, Anna Brown, Nikki Gale, Jonah Winkler, Danie Palermo, Joshua Weinstein
4 â?– Solebury School Magazine Summer/Fall 2009
Solebury Class of 2009 HOPING TO CHANGE THE WORLD
S
“I would like to offer you one hope I have for each of you, the Class of 2009. The other evening I listened to a number of you deliver your senior project reports. One of your classmates, Justine Keller, stood before us and said with all confidence and sincerity, ‘I hope to change the world.’ Whether your goal is as lofty as Justine’s or a tad less ambitious, my hope for each of you is that you find something to invest in, to be passionate about, that you give of yourself to a cause greater than simply your enjoyment and material gain. Find something that will give your life meaning and improve the lot of those who walk with you as you make your life’s journey.” Tom Wilschutz, Head of School Graduation 2009
olebury School’s Class of 2009, with 60 graduating seniors, is one of the largest and most diverse classes in the school’s 85 year history. This class also has 60 young people who are prepared to go out into the world and make positive contributions. These students’ homes spanned the country and the globe, from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, California, to South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Tunisia, Germany, and Vietnam. Sixteen of the seniors graduated from Solebury’s Middle School. Head of School, Tom Wilschutz, welcomed over 400 family and friends to the graduation ceremony, which took place on the campus lawn, as is a school tradition. Senior class representatives Tess Graham, Justine Keller and Melanie Rader presented the senior class gift, a four seat swing set that has already been installed on campus, near the pond. The class raised $2,500 for charitable giving and decided to split the money between two charities. The first is the FINCA Village Bank program, which offers microloans to female heads of family in impoverished countries as seed money to start businesses that will allow them to raise themselves and their families out of poverty. These businesses often employ other community members, and when the loans are repaid, the money is then available for another family. The second is to go toward the installation of a playpump for the Masai representatives from Kenya who had visited the school during the year. The playpumps are playground equipment that pump water up from the wells while the children play on them. The Masai visitors explained that the women and children now have to walk many hours a day to find clean water. This pump will not only provide them with clean water, it will also make it possible for the children to go to school since they will no longer be needed to carry water. The senior class speakers, Ken Kayama and Anders SimpsonWolf, both chosen by their peers, talked about their high school years and how Solebury has prepared them for their future in college and in life.
Justine Keller, Melanie Rader, & Tess Graham offer senior class gift
A debonair John Farrell
Sam Bolenbaugh, Miranda Nordell, Melanie Rader, Alexis Davis & Zoe Donohue
Ken Kayama with his mother, Rie Kayama
The Barbo Family
Yu Jin Sung & Jackie Ok performed Ice Pond The DiLisio Family
6 ❖ Solebury School Magazine Summer/Fall 2009
“Throughout my years here, I have learned that Solebury is the kind of place where you never stop learning, inside and outside the classroom,” said senior speaker, Anders Simpson-Wolf. “After six years, I can honestly say that I am ready to leave the stepping stone that is Solebury and go forward onto a new stone. Whether you are going to college, spending a year exploring the world, or are going directly into the work force and finding a job, we are all stepping forward onto the next stone of our lives. We have all learned a tremendous amount from Solebury and each other.” Ken Kayama came to Solebury from Tokyo, Japan. When he first arrived, though an accomplished baseball player and athlete, he knew very little English. Throughout his four years here, he has made his mark on Solebury sports, the school community, but most importantly, his English skills and academic skills are now solid. He will attend Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania. “Being at Solebury has helped me to ask myself the important questions about what I want for my future. Solebury has given me both freedom and trust to explore my possibilities in many things and go beyond my limit,” said Ken. Commencement speaker Jon Downs ’71 and his family have a long history with Solebury School. Jon shared his memories of the school with his son Sebastian, a member of the senior class, and his classmates. See page 8 for Jon’s speech. Solebury School’s chorus performed two songs, Sho Chen Sho (Hand in Hand) by Shang-Wen Cheng, and Where You Lead by King & Stern, with musical arrangement by chorus director Phyllis Arnold. Seniors Jackie Ok and Yu Jin Sung performed Ice Pond by Jin Woo Park.
Special Senior Prizes were awarded to nine seniors, and several named awards were presented as well, followed by the diploma ceremony. Please read pages 1215 to see who received these prizes. Senior Tess Graham started her Solebury School career as a seventh grader. She wants people to know how much the school means to her. “I spent six years at Solebury and it absolutely changed my life. This campus is my home and these people are my family. I can’t think of a way to thank the people who have given me the opportunities that I have had at Solebury. I have never seen a school that even compares and I will highly recommend this school, always. I’m so proud to graduate with a Solebury diploma and excited to spend the rest of my life as an alumna.” ❖
The Chorus performed two songs
Stephanie Ulm with her parents The Hailu Family
The Driver Family Tom Shapiro with his family
The Zbik Family
The Marte Family
The Parker-Klimpel Family
www.solebury.org
JONATHAN C. DOWNS ’71
Family History With Solebury School Spans Five Generations
“My family’s DNA is wrapped up in this school. By my count, 15 members of my family of five generations have either been a founder, attended or worked for the Holmquist School for Girls or Solebury (which merged in 1948), from my son Sebastian, who is graduating today, to his great great grandfather, Frederic Holmquist, who was the original accountant at the Holmquist School. From the very beginning, Solebury represented the antithesis of a traditional school. It squeaked into existence on a shoestring in 1925, the vision of four founders: Julian Lathrop, Pop Shaw, Uncle Laurie and Doc Washburn. These 8 ❖ Solebury School Magazine Summer/Fall 2009
men were truly ahead of their time, and all of us lucky enough to be associated with this school still benefit from the lasting effects of this visionary yet focused foundation they laid down for Solebury. In 1925, Pop Shaw described the school. ‘Solebury School was started with an emphasis on simplicity, leaning towards the creative, with friendly student-adult relationships, good food and plenty of it, including unlimited ice cream on Sundays.’ There’s a tradition we should reinstate! For his part, Doc Washburn wrote in an article in Progressive Education Magazine that Solebury “was not just another school for several reasons. First, no wealthy person gave money to found the school. Second, he wrote, ‘A real effort has been made to keep the school from becoming institutional in appearance or atmosphere. At most schools, there is a good deal of system and regulation. This has been reduced to a minimum at Solebury.’ This last value I truly believe has been kept alive throughout the years. In fact, one of my children, when starting college, complained how there were more rules than at Solebury. Here’s a description by Pop Shaw of the living conditions in the early years. ‘In 1927, the three boarders and I started out living in
the one room second floor of a pigsty,’ (He means literally a pigsty, not in the way that I refer to my daughter’s room.) ‘Access was from a ladder. The south side was open to the air so that one had to cover the beds with ponchos if rain or snow was forecast. If we had a cold morning, it was a precipitous rush down the ladder and over to the nearby barn showers for thawing out purposes.’ Wow! And today you guys get cranky if the internet is too slow! But these snippets of amusing stories don’t do justice to the fact that the original founders were truly ahead of their time in building a school that was very progressive for its day. The founders set a movable stage on which the school could evolve over the years to what it is today, eclectically creative in its culture, hardy in its spirit, fun, and admittedly at times, a bit zany, but, never compromising in its academic rigor. Amazingly, right down the road was another school, started nine years before Solebury, the Holmquist School for Girls, founded by my great Aunt Karline Holmquist in 1917, with five students. The Holmquist School was also founded on a progressive education, based on close relationships between the students and teachers. Classes were held
under apple trees, during long walks, crowded around a large fireplace while lounging on bright colored pillows, and even in canoes on the canal. I guess you can teach your class on the canal if your whole student body can fit into two canoes. Holmquist Girls School emphasized a classical education, including a lot of art, music, and drama, but equally important, Holmquist, along with Solebury, emphasized social work, community involvement, and charitable commitment. This tradition of ‘doing good, not just doing well,’ is still part of the backbone of Solebury’s legacy. Let me give you an example: as some of you know, this spring break, a group of our students and teachers went down to Galveston to help rebuild homes destroyed by the hurricane. I was truly moved when watching their video and hearing the testimony of the students. What shone through was their enthusiasm, their commitment, their hard work, and the sense of joy they maintained throughout. The City Team organizers said that of all the crews they had overseen over the years, at both the high school level and college level, our students were by far the most dedicated and funloving team. Even the City Team leaders became infected by the Solebury spirit. Another Solebury legacy that will stand you graduates in good stead as you sally out into our globalized world is our school’s international orientation. Just after the turn of
the 20th century, my great Aunt Louise Holmquist traveled all over the world doing work with the YMCA, and returning to teach at Holmquist, she added international courses to the curriculum. This global connection continues to this day with our relatively large number of international students from all corners of the world...
A generation later, when I showed up at Solebury, and was squeezed with another boarder into a tiny dorm room in the barn, now a paint closet, the school was embroiled in the chaos and heady time of the ‘60s. As excited new boarders, we discussed into the night the writers that we devoured: Hermann Hesse, Dostoevsky,
Jon’s wife Diane Downs, English department head, with son, ’09 graduate Sebastian
…Solebury and Holmquist Schools joined in 1949 and it was a marriage of remarkably similar educational philosophies. It was a lucky coincidence that two schools, only a mile apart, could mesh together so seamlessly. There were a few adults who fretted about bringing young boys and girls together in such close hormonal proximity. During the merger, in a conversation reported by Pop Shaw between Doc Washburn and Uncle Charles Lawson, Doc observed, ‘I’ve noticed some of the boys and girls holding hands. What do you think we should do?’ Uncle Charles replied, ‘Envy them, dear Arthur, envy them.’
Freud, and Carlos Castenedas, and Spinoza to name just a few... we explored new ideas like reincarnation and Zen Buddhism, reciting Zen Koans, ‘before enlightenment, chopping wood hauling water-after enlightenment, chopping wood hauling water.’ Man, to us, that was life-changing stuff. Before I forget, my daughter told me to tell you that I was a ‘hippie’ back then. For some reason, she thinks this is hysterical. But interwoven throughout our teenage angst coupled with the excitement of discovering the world, we received an education that was broad in its range, relevant to the issues of the day, yet with classical www.solebury.org
flavors. In our senior year, we were even allowed to design our own course of study. My roommate in my first year designed his own program in political science, and went on to become a renowned political-economics professor who is regularly invited to speak at Davos and other forums around the globe. My roommate my second year pursued his passion for scientific research and now is a respected medical doctor and researcher, still pursuing his passion that sprang to life at Solebury. When I studied Chinese here in 1970, Solebury was one of the only private schools that offered Chinese language. I had no idea then that my exposure to Chinese at Solebury would spark an interest that would lead to a career in the Foreign Service with postings to Taiwan, Beijing and Kuala Lumpur. Here’s just a small sampling of the patchwork quilt of paths chosen by alums: they became fine artists and craftsmen, educators, social workers, a national flat picking champ, a world renowned appraiser of antique musical instruments, movie and TV stars…we produced brilliant novelists, athletes, a world famous concert violinist, several noted chefs, a congressman, a professional soldier on his fourth tour in Iraq, and the first world famous female anthropologist – how many of you knew that Margaret Mead attended the Holmquist School for Girls? From those fledgling years in the ‘20s to this proud commencement
in 2009, students at Solebury have been taught not just how to think, but how to choose what to think about. You have learned critical awareness, and to engage the world with openness, not arrogance or unequivocal certainty. Take it from me, much of what I’ve learned since leaving school has turned out to be wrong, and I’m continually revising my notion of reality, so don’t you be afraid to be wrong or to fail. As Winston Churchill once said in a commencement speech, ‘Success is the ability to go from one failure to another, with no loss of enthusiasm.’ Over the last several years, your dedicated teachers have painted for you an expansive canvas of choices you can pursue. They have done a remarkable job of infusing you with the confidence to forge your own way, to be, if you want to be, a square peg in a round world. But you will find out soon enough that we live in a world that does not always welcome the free thinker, the creative soul, the square peg. So
what? From your years here at Solebury, you know it’s okay to be a square peg, a round peg or even a pierced trapezoidal peg…as long as you retain your self-respect and your curiosity and pay attention to what’s important to you. As you move on to your next incarnation, whatever it may be, remember to engage with your new friends and community, express your passion, and live your commitment. Do it by truly living moment by moment, with awareness, intention, and kindness. Keep the Solebury spirit alive by making your voice heard and by listening well. As your life unfolds, constantly remind yourself to listen to your significant others, your friends, even your enemies, but most important, listen to your heart. And always listen to your parents. In closing, I would like to recite part of a poem that I think captures this theme beautifully. It’s call The Wild Geese by Mary Oliver. ❖
You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves. Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine... Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, are heading home again. Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting– over and over announcing your place in the family of things.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE OUTSTANDING CLASS OF 2009. 10 ❖ Solebury School Magazine Summer/Fall 2009
SENIOR AWARDS: Our Leaders, Present and Future This year at graduation, the faculty presented four special named awards and prizes to four outstanding seniors for specific achievements. In addition, the faculty awarded nine graduates special Senior Prizes. In accordance with Solebury’s philosophy of respecting and honoring the individual, rather than having specific criteria for the prize which the students have to meet, Solebury lets the student mold the prize. The Number One Rank in the Class of 2009 Ryan Todd, Flemington, NJ This year, Ryan Todd was the Number One Rank in the Class of 2009 with the highest cumulative GPA of 4.37. Ryan will attend Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, OH in the fall. The Frank Ammirati Mathematics and Science Prize Ryan Todd, Flemington, NJ Ryan’s aptitude in both math and science has earned him this award. The prize is given in honor of Frank Ammirati, who taught mathematics and science at Solebury School for more than 30 years. The recipient is a student who excels in both fields. Ryan Todd earns Best GPA in Class and Math & Science Award
The Mike Mullen Prize Ben Neidhardt, Ivyland, PA This award is presented to a senior who has exemplified Mike Mullen’s characteristics of hard work, honesty, and love of the Solebury Community and its natural surroundings. It is an honor to acknowledge a student that contributes to the community because of their love for the community. Mike Mullen was head of buildings and grounds at Solebury School during the 1980s. Ben will attend Wyotech, Blairsville, PA in the fall. Ben Neidhardt with Diane Dauer
Tom Shapiro received the William P. Orrick Prize
Morgan Parker-Klimpel earned Dorothy MacBrien Award
The William P. Orrick Senior Prize Tom Shapiro, New York, NY This award honors William Pendleton Orrick, Headmaster of Solebury School from 1948 – 1968. It is awarded to a senior who has made the greatest academic improvement during his or her time at the school. Tom will attend the University of Hartford in Connecticut in the fall. The Dorothy MacBrien Award Morgan Parker-Klimpel, Pittstown, NJ Given in memory of Dottie MacBrien by her husband Hugh and son Chris, this award goes to a senior for his or her contributions to making Solebury School a better community and for demonstrating a willingness to help others. Morgan will attend Pitzer College in California in the fall. ❖ www.solebury.org
SPECIAL SEN enjoyable, but profoundly important for him. I recognize him not only for his love of language, but his love for all the arts and intellectual life, and his ability to bring them all together in his daily work.” Nate will attend Syracuse Nate Danciger Spanish teacher Emma Ferguson said, “Nate Danciger is receiving our special recognition for fearlessly expressing himself both intellectually and artistically and being a true friend and classroom comrade to many. In short, he is a stellar example of what we love to see seniors achieve. As his teachers have said, he makes each of their classes seem like his favorite class by how much he shows dedication, energy, and respect for the courses. He asks questions when no one else does. He stays after class to ask more questions. He has written poems in Spanish outside of class because he wants to. His drawings are exceptional. He has taken lead roles and minor characters alike and turned them into wonderful spectacles on stage, making it look so easy. He is appreciated by each teacher who has had him, and I personally appreciate how much he’s kept me on my toes when I teach grammar, and how much he has made me feel that the general academic pain inflicted on the Spanish Honors class is not only 12 ❖ Solebury School Magazine Summer/Fall 2009
University in New York this fall. Alexis Davis Scott Eckstein presented a senior prize to Alexis Davis: “Your energy and your humor have been huge additions to the school the past three years. But those of us who have worked closely with you know just how much lies behind your smile. We are awed by your determination – you felt your school in Oregon wasn’t going to get you where you wanted to go, so you found us, you earned a Merit Scholarship, and you moved across the country from your family and friends. You were saddened by the dissolution of D-Club, so you coorchestrated its resurrection and once again made it one of the most vibrant clubs on campus. You are
relentless in your approach to your schoolwork. You have consistently taken a heavy load and put your all into making sure you are successful in every class. This determination, along with your intelligence and your personality has made you a joy to teach and a truly valuable member of the community.”
Alexis will attend Auburn University in Alabama this fall. Sebastian Downs Hanna Elliot presented Sebastian Downs his senior prize: “Today, I honor Sebastian Downs with one of my favorite books; Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. I wish it were titled Sebastian Downs Takes Over the World because I believe if he were in charge, the world would be a better place. It would be a place where people are genuinely kind to one another; a place where compassion is more important than anything else. The world would be a place where people are encouraged to be inquisitive and intelligent and are required to stop and think before
NIOR PRIZES acting. In Sebastian’s world, freedom of expression and nonconformity would be celebrated. Equality and justice would simply be expected of the world’s citizens. It would be a world in which people are purely decent to one another and to all the creatures living on the planet. That is what Sebastian strives to be, and inspires the rest of us to be. For better or worse, it isn’t in Sebastian’s nature to contemplate total world domination so we will have to hope he spreads his good habits in other ways. Along the way, I know he’ll remember to stop and
enjoy the vegan cupcakes.” Sebastian will attend the University of Vermont. Krystal Marte “Krystal Marte is a very special young woman,” began math teacher Suzy Belmont. “Her humor, honesty, intellect, and kindness instantly shine through in her every word and action. Krystal’s love for learning and academics truly surpasses anything I’ve seen in a student. For example, at the
beginning of this year, she came tearing out of her room excited and fired up. I asked, ‘What’s up Krystal’ She replied, ‘Do you know any U.S. History trivia? I’m trying to stump Steve Buteux in a U.S. history battle we’re having through e-mail.’ My response, ‘Um, I teach math?’ So she tore back to her room and scoured Trivial Pursuit cards and history texts, searching for the perfect fact. Krystal also reads more than any person I have ever met. I have given her books throughout the year and watched her read them all while maintaining a rigorous academic schedule. Add to that her involvement in a variety of other activities such as field hockey, the boys basketball team manager, and being a proctor in the girls dorm. Krystal is a natural leader. In lacrosse and field hockey, even in the walking club, she leads by example. As a proctor, her compassion and hard work make her a student role model. Anyone and everyone comes to her for help and she is someone all the girls deeply respect. Her determination and dedication was instrumental in her founding and maintaining the Hispanic Affinity Group throughout her years here at Solebury. She is a true renaissance woman. Next year, Krystal will attend Bryn Mawr College with plans to
study history and international relations. I have no doubt that she
will make an impact there. I know she will continue to grow as a person and enjoy learning at college and for the rest of her life.” Morgan Parker-Klimpel Kristy Thurrell presented Morgan Parker-Klimpel with a senior prize: “I have the honor of presenting this senior prize to a young lady who epitomizes in many ways what it means to be a Solebury student. This year, I had the privilege of teaching her in two classes, coaching her in two sports, and working with her on a community service trip to Texas. In these venues Morgan proved herself to be intelligent, talented, hard working, passionate, compassionate, mature, and a leader. In the classroom she demonstrated a passion for learning, impressive critical thinking skills, and an ability to make interesting and thoughtful connections. She constantly challenged herself to come to a deeper understanding of the www.solebury.org
SPECIAL SEN material at hand, making her a true pleasure to teach. On the field she proved herself an excellent leader. Her hard work and dedication to improving herself as an athlete influenced the other girls to do the same. Despite playing on two teams with not such great records, she always maintained a positive attitude which in turn bolstered the spirits of the other girls. In Texas, her hard work illustrated her compassion and maturity. She worked without complaint and that same positive attitude was ever
present encouraging the rest of the group. Again her leadership was invaluable throughout the trip.” Morgan will attend Pitzer College in California in the fall. Anders Simpson-Wolf Anders Simpson-Wolf was presented a senior prize by History teacher John Petito. “Anders Simpson-Wolf has a rendezvous with destiny. He is a singularly determined and incredibly bright young man who makes others 14 ❖ Solebury School Magazine Summer/Fall 2009
around him, both student and teacher alike, better. He is brilliant, he is earnest, steadfast, engaging, and he is the fastest cross-country athlete to ever don a pair of corduroy pants during a track meet, but this characterization would only begin to scratch the surface. Throughout the course of my year with Anders I have known him to be a remarkable example of the type of
student Solebury prizes: a hard working, rugged individualist who is both confident and enthusiastic about school and life’s journey.” Anders will attend Tufts University in Massachusetts this fall. Ryan Todd Math department head Britta Milks and Foreign Language department head Steve Benoit presented Ryan Todd with a senior prize. “The accolades and superlatives that we could integrate into our discussion about Ryan Todd would be wholly inadequate as there are words yet undefined that we would need to use to truly capture his
intellectual pursuits and achievements,” begab gus Math teacher Britta Milks. “Ryan has demonstrated an understanding of mathematical concepts that has no bounds - he derives pleasure from taking concrete concepts into the realm of infinite possibilities. Having exhausted the courses offered at Solebury School in spectacular fashion through AP courses and independent studies, Ryan attended Harvard Summer School over the course of two summers to extend his studies in mathematics in Multivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra – courses that many math majors do not take until their sophomore year of college. I remember receiving messages from him when he had a question on the summer material. By the time I figured out the question, researched the answer, and was ready to reply, I would invariably have a reply from him, saying ‘never mind, I got it.’ Ryan has kept me on my toes since I met him and I cannot thank him enough for sharing his brilliant, intellectually driven spirit with us. He demands the best from his teachers and classmates.” “Beyond the realm of mathematics,” began French teacher Steve Benoit, “Ryan is a prodigy in the humanities as well. His French abilities have surpassed those of any
NIOR PRIZES student I’ve taught, and his insights are razor-sharp when dissecting literature. In his AP French literature class, Ryan proved that he is more fluent in French than many people are in their native tongue. I was awestruck at his level of discourse in both class discussions and essays. Ryan Todd is a true Renaissance man: a musician, mathematician, scientist, linguist, and literary
scholar. He has seized everything we have to offer here, and sought more. What a rare treat to have such a voracious learner in our midst.” Ryan will attend Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio. Ivan Wei “When I first met Ivan Wei in the summer of 2006,” began ESL teacher Matt Verber, “he had a huge smile on his face. His leadership qualities were immediately evident as a group of Taiwanese students followed him around and he introduced them to the dorm. Not much has changed since then; Ivan still has an infectious smile, and
other students still follow his lead. By setting an example, Ivan has encouraged the younger international students to break out of their comfort zones, try something new, and make friends with American students. In class, I had my beginner ESL students write an essay on the greatest person in their lives. All of the students wrote about their parents, except for one who wrote about Ivan as the greatest person in that student’s life at Solebury because of everything he does to help him. Ivan should be proud of his accomplishments in the three plus years he has been at Solebury School. He was a dorm proctor for two years, soccer team captain, community council president, coffeehouse host, Texas trip leader, honors student, and the list goes on. What sets Ivan apart from most students is his heart. He cares about other people and shows them that he is interested in how they are doing. For example, when I returned from a teacher conference last October, he ran from the Abbe Science building to the parking lot by the boys dorm. He was so eager to see me, I assumed something was wrong or he needed help with an assignment. I could not believe it when he explained that he ran over just to greet me and ask about the
conference. It reinforced my appreciation for teaching at Solebury.” Ivan will attend Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Samantha Zbik “Samantha Zbik is a scholar, an athlete, an activist, and one of Solebury School’s biggest cheerleaders,” said Steve Benoit, Foreign Language department chair. “Most importantly, she is a role model. It’s hard to believe that she’s only been here for a couple of years, because her positive influence is so far reaching.” On the academic committee, Sam talked about overcoming her own academic difficulties, and her peers listened to her and grew from that experience. As one of the student leaders in Spectrum and a constant presence in diversity club, Sam always spoke out about justice and compassion. In the dormitory, Sam proved that you don’t need the title of proctor to be a leader. On community service trips, Sam showed everyone that one person www.solebury.org
Special Prizes Aw a r d e d o n Frank Ammirati Most Valuable Senior Athlete (these two sports awards were presented at the Athletic Banquet)
Jennifer Barbo, Carversville, PA Katsuhiko (Ken) Kayama, Tokyo, Japan Jenn Barbo embodies the spirit of an athlete. She has played three sports since 8th grade: soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter, and softball in the spring. She has been team captain the last two years in softball, and was captain this year in all three sports she played. She has won two MVP awards in soccer and two MVP awards in softball. Jenn will play soccer at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, IA this fall. Ken Kayama has played at least two sports each year since his freshman year. He played soccer and baseball in 9th grade, was a three sport athlete his sophomore and junior seasons, soccer, basketball, and baseball, then he played two his senior year (basketball and baseball). He decided not to play soccer this year–even after receiving the Defensive MVP the previous year– to focus more on baseball, but soccer coach Jeffery Love talked him into playing a few games because of his intensity and fierce competitiveness. He played basketball this winter and though injuries limited his play, he was an invaluable leader on the team. Baseball is his sport, though. He is one of the best to ever play for the Spartans. He can add this year’s MVP trophy to the four others he’s received, a total of five. He is a natural outfielder, but talented enough to play any position. As a pitcher, in 27 starts, he won 16 games. He pitched 177 innings and allowed less than a hit an inning. He had 312 strikeouts and finished with a 4.01 ERA. He played in 64 games and started every one of them. He has a lifetime batting avg. of .459 over 170 AB. 45 of his 78 hits were extra-base hits, and he finished his career with 22 HR and 84 RBI. He walked almost three times as much as he struck out, stole 53 bases, and scored 97 runs. Ken will join Susquehanna University’s baseball team next year, and will play right field. 16 ❖ Solebury School Magazine Summer/Fall 2009
Head Tom Wilschutz presented Will Holstrom with the Founders Prize
The Founders Prize William Holstrom, New Hope, PA The Founders Prize, established by John A. Silver III, and Betsy Orth Hill, Solebury School Class of 1957, is intended for a member of the junior class who exudes personal maturity, integrity, intellectual curiosity, a sense of responsibility to the school community as well as society in general, sympathy for others and courage.
Alexis Davis and Tess Graham received the Diversity Award
The Commitment to Diversity Award Alexis Davis, Eugene, OR Tess Graham, Doylestown, PA Established by the Class of 2003, this prize is presented to a student who has demonstrated enthusiasm for diversity through his or her willingness to cross social boundaries, to be respectful of Solebury’s diverse population, to participate in diversity activities on campus, and to encourage understanding within the community. Alexis will attend Auburn University in Alabama and Tess will attend Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA.
Prize Day
Justine Keller earned the Home & School Community Service Award
Tim Gallen presented Rachel Tafoya the Bryn Mawr Book Award
The Home & School Community Service Award Justine Keller, Wrightstown, PA This award is given to the student who has made the most outstanding contributions to the school’s Community Service Program. During her junior year at Solebury, Justine founded Solebury School Combating Hunger, through which she raised over $1,600 to help lessen worldwide hunger. She personally did over 100 hours of community service for the program her junior year. The Combating Hunger group performed over 7,000 service hours. Justine will attend Connecticut College.
The Bryn Mawr College President’s Book Award Rachel Tafoya, Doylestown, PA This award is presented to a young woman in the junior class who “demonstrates an intense intellectual commitment, a self-directed and purposeful vision of her life and a desire to make a meaningful contribution to the world.” For the sixth year, Bryn Mawr selected the book, Riding the Bus with My Sister, written by Solebury School alumna Rachel Simon ’77, as the award. The Director of Studies Award Sean Synakowski, Princeton, NJ The Director of Studies Award goes to the student(s) in any grade whose actions in and outside the classroom demonstrate intellectual curiosity, love of learning for its own sake, and speculative habits of mind. Sean will attend Clark University in Worcester, MA. ❖
Sarah Duff earned the Lucien Peebles Scholarship Prize
The Lucien Peebles Scholarship Prize Sarah Duff, Milford, NJ The Lucien Peebles Scholarship Prize is funded by Robert and Barbara Hillier and presented to a junior who embodies Lucien Peebles’ ’65 qualities of hard work and intellectual curiosity. www.solebury.org
During the last three weeks in May, seniors have the opportunity to do a senior project that explores a field of interest that could some day become a career. They may apprentice, volunteer, conduct independent research and development, or pursue a creative project. This year, 35 out of 60 students participated in a senior project.
Shanna Falch with 94.5 WPST DJ Toni Ryan
Senior Projects Offer Networking Opportunities
Shanna Falch has plans to study graphic design at Arizona State in the fall, but she was intrigued when she saw that local radio station, 94.5 WPST, had an internship program for college students. It was an opportunity for Shanna to get a look at the daily operations of a radio station and learn about her two other interests, advertising and marketing. She contacted radio show host Toni Ryan, set up an interview, and while she wasn’t yet a college student, landed the internship that became her senior project. Though she did a lot of clerical work, she quickly found herself working closely with Toni, helping to write public service announcements then editing and recording them. When Toni was 18 ❖ Solebury School Magazine Summer/Fall 2009
running a contest on the air, Shanna would help Toni answer the phones, advising contestants of whether they’ve won or not. Then there was Toni’s Entertainment Buzz, and Shanna was one of several interns who would do online research of the more popular entertainment news websites and pick up the latest entertainment and celebrity news. “My favorite part was getting to learn what happens behind the scenes, how Toni runs her show on the air and how announcements and commercials are pre-recorded,” said Shanna. Radio show host Toni Ryan said that the station relies heavily on interns, young people who are tech savvy and who have their pulse on who’s who in pop culture today. She said that Shanna excelled more than
some of the college students. “My expectations are high.” Toni said. Shanna only needed to be given instructions once, and she completed each task quickly and efficiently. She trusted Shanna with training new interns. “This is a great opportunity for these students to form relationships in this industry, especially if they are interested in pursuing a career in radio. A lot of people who work here now started as interns. Networking is so important in business. Developing a relationship with our interns is good for us, but also good for them.” To find out what other seniors did, visit www.solebury.org and click on About Solebury and then click on School Newsletters. ❖
First Annual Athletic Awards Banquet Celebrates Outstanding Athletes Solebury School’s Athletic department held the first Annual Spring Athletic Banquet on Saturday, May 30 in the John D. Brown Athletic Center. First year Athletic Director, Rob Eichem believes in the importance of celebrating outstanding student athletes with their parents, coaches, and friends. Lunch was catered by school chef Carmen DiFoggio and his staff. Rob presented the first Coach of the Year award to Solebury’s winning soccer coach, Staci Freer. 2008-09 Athletic Awards Fall Awards Girls Soccer Most Valuable Player: Jennifer Barbo Coaches Award: Lillie Rana Most Improved: Beatrice Becette and Alison Sutch Boys Soccer Most Valuable Player: Gebrewold Hailu Coaches Award: Hung-Hsu Wei Most Improved: Wyatt Bonner and Adam Blasch Cross Country Most Valuable Player: Claudia Harris and Anders Simpson-Wolf Coaches Award: Laura Magno, Aaron Winkler, and Nick Carugati Most Improved: Danielle Nelson and Gifford Elliott Field Hockey Most Valuable Player: Krystal Marte Coaches Award: Olivia Hagerty and Eva Ciccodicola Most Improved: Vi Pham and Clover Stieve Winter Awards Girls (Varsity) Basketball Most Valuable Player: Shanna Falch Coaches Award: Camille LeBlanc Most Improved: Eva Ciccodicola Girls (Junior Varsity) Basketball Most Valuable Player: Clover Stieve Coaches Award: Solana Hoffman-Carter Most Improved: Julia Oppong
Boys (Junior Varsity) Basketball Most Valuable Player: Chris McNaughton Coaches Award: Gerald Truehart Most Improved: Jason Kreinberg Wrestling Most Valuable Player: Ethan Rutherford Coaches Award: Aaron Winkler Most Improved: Mat Wust Spring Awards Girls Lacrosse Most Valuable Player: Ashley Nugent Coaches Award: Morgan Parker-Klimpel Most Improved: Shanna Falch and Yun Ting Chu Softball Most Valuable Player: Jennifer Barbo Coaches Award: Clover Stieve and Kerry Robinson Most Improved: Sul Gi Han and Shameya Andrews Baseball Most Valuable Player: Katsuhiko Kayama Coaches Award: Hung-Hsu (Ivan) Wei and Josh Ginsberg Most Improved: Yi-Hsien Lu Track & Field Most Valuable Player: Claudia Harris, Anders-Simpson Wolf, and Peter Wight Coaches Award: Gerald Truehart, Tess Graham, Lillie Rana, Emmanuel Lewis, and Dahlia Wesley Boys Tennis Most Valuable Player: Daniel Maza Coaches Award: Qi Xiang Zhang Most Improved: Paul McMullen Golf Most Valuable Player: Casey Edwards Coaches Award: Will Holstrom and Jimmy Woo Most Improved: Elliot Miller Annual Awards Frank Ammirati Most Valuable Senior Athletes: Katsuhiko (Ken) Kayama and Jennifer Barbo Coach of the Year: Staci Freer, Girls Soccer
Boys (Varsity) Basketball Most Valuable Player: Justin Driver Coaches Award: Emmanuel Matlock and Khalil Martin Most Improved: Brett Stewart www.solebury.org
Softball-Assistant Coach Chris Niederberger, Sarah Sargent, Jen Barbo, Lillie Rana, & Coach Staci Freer
Girls Varsity Basketball-Assistant Coach Suzy Belmont, Shanna Falch, Camilla LeBlanc, Eva Ciccodicola, Coach Renee LaPorte
Boys Soccer-Assistant Coach Gretchen Faras, Gebrewold Hailu, Ivan Wei, Adam Blasch, & Coach Jeff Love
Girls JV Basketball-Awards went to Julia Oppong, Clover Stieve, Solana Hoffman-Carter
Cross Country-Coach Russ Carrick, Claudia Harris, Danielle Nelson, Laura Magno, Nick Carugati, Anders Simpson-Wolf, & Coach Jodi Woods
Boys Varsity Basketball-Coach Cleve Christie, Mrs. Driver for Justin Driver, Manny Matlock, Brett Stewart, Kahlil Martin, & Rob Eichem
Field Hockey-Coach Kristy Thurrell, Vi Pham, Clover Stieve, Olivia Hagerty, Krystal Marte, & Eva Ciccodicola
Boys JV Basketball-Coach Cleve Christie, Chris McNaughton, Mr. Truehart for Gerald Truehart, , Jason Kreinberg, & Rob Eichem
20 â?– Solebury School Magazine Summer/Fall 2009
Lacrosse-Coach Kristy Thurrell, Ashley Nugent, Morgan Parker-Klimpel, Shanna Falch, & Coach Suzy Belmont
Golf-Coach Jon Freer, Jimmy Woo, Will Holstrom, & Casey Edwards
Sotball-Coach Nicole Primeau, Jenn Barbo, Steff Burho, Mimi Andrews, Kerry Robinson, & Coach Christine Niederbergee
Athletic Director Rob Eichem with Most Valuable Senior Athletes, Jenn Barbo & Ken Kayama
Varsity Baseball-Assistant Coach Chuck Ciganick, Josh Ginsberg, Yi-Hsien Lu, Ivan Wei, Ken Kayama, & Coach Rob Eichem
Track & Field - Coach Jen Perez, Claudia Harris, Anders Simpson-Wolf, Emmanuel Lewis, Lillie Rana, Dahlia Wesley, Peter Wight, Mr. Wight, & Coach Tom Rondeau
Staci Freer-Coach of the Year
www.solebury.org
ARTS
Festival Celebrates The Arts, Music, and Theater
Solebury School’s Art Director Erika Bonner added a new twist to the Annual Arts Festival. This past April, Arts Festival week was filled with great music and theater entertainment for the whole every night during the week. This complemented the many artistic opportunities, and the traditional multitude of artist workshops on Thursday afternoon. On Monday evening, popular jazz guitarist Bob Miles, was joined by two musicians, Jim Rowland on Bass, and Kevin Richardson on Saxophone. The trio performed some great jazz pieces. On Tuesday, singer John Flynn took the stage, with his powerful songs of humanity and hope, which are deeply rooted in the traditions of Woody Guthrie and Phil Ochs. On Wednesday, our own alumna and actress Joyce Bulifant shared her delightful Hollywood and Broadway stories in her program, Life Upon a Wicked Stage, a life chronicle, featuring Joyce and her current husband, actor Roger Perry. On Thursday, Solebury’s own chef Steve Ackerman, and Anthony Porter, kitchen support, with their band, Clashing Plaid, rocked the Alumni gym with their original and cover rock and roll music. On Sunday, The Bucks County Gilbert & Sullivan Society present Gilbert & Sullivan’s Trial by Jury, in Solebury’s theater, performed with a 14 piece orchestra. Our chorus director Phyllis Arnold had a part in the show. The Thursday afternoon workshops, run by guest artists or our own students and faculty, offered opportunities to learn about various art forms. Workshops included Origami, Belly Dancing, Improvisation, creating Friendship Bracelets, Silk Screened Tee-shirts, Brush and Ink Calligraphy, Pen and Ink Calligraphy, Jamaican Dancehall, Stained Glass, Tessellation Workshop, Kite Making, Felting, Print making, Raku Firing, pottery making, and contemporary ballet/jazz. Special guest artists included stage and lighting professional Rick Belzer, and Tiling the wall, Creighton Sillars, Paul Mullen, Morgan Tebinka, & Camille LeBlanc Gloria Kosco. ❖ 22 ❖ Solebury School Magazine Summer/Fall 2009
Courtney Lok at the potter’s wheel
Emmanuel Lewis creates a stained glass piece
David Zhang works on silk screen tee
Russ Galiber learned Calligraphy
Seven New Students Awarded Trustees Merit Scholarships Solebury School welcomes approximately 70 new students to our community each year. For these young adults, their years at Solebury will open minds and open doors. The best of these incoming students are eligible for the school’s Trustees Merit Scholarship Program with awards ranging from $2,500 to $10,000. The Trustees Merit Scholarship Awards are based on the candidate’s demonstrated academic achievement, intellectual curiosity, leadership, contributions to the school community, and our assessment of the student’s potential to significantly contribute to, and enhance, the educational experience for all Solebury students. The following seven students have been awarded a Trustees Merit Scholarship:
Chris Ciccodicola
Ariana Cruz
Mackenzi Martin
Olivia Harrison
Hana Rose Mershon
Tafari James
Sara Stanczak
www.solebury.org
to
ordained minister and community leader, who died in 2003. The John Fisher Citizen Scholar Award gives scholarships to 25 Bucks County high school students who demonstrate the unique combination of leadership, academic commitment and dedication to the community. Alexis Davis ’09 was the runner up. Ryan Todd ’09, for being selected for WPVI-TV, 6ABC’s Best of Class of 2009. Students selected for this honor are included in a half-hour broadcast, as well as a series of TV tributes, which aired on Channel 6 and our the webpage (6abc.com) throughout the summer.
Ivan Wei ’09, who was presented the 2009 John Fisher Citizen Scholar Award by the Bucks County Courier Times/Intelligencer. This award is dedicated to John Fisher, a longtime Bucks County Courier Times/Intelligencer employee, 24 ❖ Solebury School Magazine Summer/Fall 2009
Ryan Todd, Krystal Marte, Nate Danciger, Anders Simpson-Wolf, Morgan Parker-Klimpel, Casey Edwards, Melanie Rader, Justine Keller, Sebastian Downs, and Sun Hee Park who were selected to represent Solebury School in The Times of Trenton’s Top 10 Seniors. Jess Crowley ’09, Morgan Tebinka ’10, Camille LeBlanc ’12, Olivia Hagerty ’10, and Montana McKim ’09, for having their photographs included in the Phillips Mill Photographic Exhibition in June. Monique McLean ’11, who studied dance with Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre in New York City this summer.
Justin Driver ’09, for being awarded The Links, Incorporated, $500 Book Award. The Links, Incorporated is a national service organization of more than 12,000 African American women, with chapters in more than 40 states, the Bahamas, Frankford, Germany and Johannesburg, South Africa. The Bucks County Chapter, in its local program, annually makes awards to high achieving African American high school seniors in need of financial assistance to further their education.
Solana Hoffman-Carter ’11, who studied with Deeply Rooted in Chicago, a dance company whose artistic expression is based in the African American aesthetic whose mission is to share its philosophy and understanding of dance and its profound effect on human potential. All the students and faculty who participated in the Day of Silence, a day that promotes gay rights awareness.
Freda Thomson-Stolz, Brianna Whiteman, Matt Wilson, Jack Farrell, Yiorgos Georgeson, Tessa Mania, Nate Danciger, Danielle Palermo, and Brendon Schneider. Understudies included Annie Benjamin, Amanda Morgan, Keziah Groth-Tuft, Eliot Hagerty, Jonah Winkler, Theo Blasko, and Toni Spiller. The theater director is David France, technical director Chris Langhart, and theater assistant Sue France. Kiss Me Kate
The cast of the winter musical Kiss Me Kate, which included Nathaniel Danciger, Freda Thomson-Stolz, Brett Glauser, Gifford Elliott, Beatrice Becette, Sebastian Downs, Michael Baskin-Searles, Jonah Winkler, James Booth, Yiorgos Georgeson, and Gracie Mitchell-DiMicco. Ensemble included Sul Gi Han, Claudia Harris, Solana Hoffman-Carter,
Tessa Mania, Monique McLean, Samantha Messina, Danielle Nelson, Lillie Rana, Brandon Schneider, Kitty Siderits, Nyhemia Thompson, Stephanie Ulm, and Dominique Wiggins. The cast of the spring production of Noel Coward’s Relative Values, which included Gifford Elliott, Nikki Gale, Beatrice Becette,
The spring chorus directed by Phyllis Arnold, Instrumental Ensemble directed by Gregory Lipscomb, Jazz Ensemble directed by Jim Rowland, and the dance troupe directed by Rebecca Summers, for a great performance to end the year. The Middle School for performing two plays, Blue Eyed Boy, written by eighth grader Theo Blasko, and Just One More Thing by eighth grader Julian Dahl. Special thanks to Sue France and Rebecca Summers for leading the group. All the writers and artists who contributed to SLAM, Solebury’s Literary Arts Magazine and the staff which includes Diane Downs, English department chair and faculty advisor, Henri Dumas, Hannah Fung-Wiener, Wilson Garrido, Yoon Hee Jun, Max Levites, Peter Moretzsohn, Lina Pearson, Yu Jin Sung, Clayton Weeks, and Brianna Whiteman. ❖
Relative Values
www.solebury.org
Focus on Alumni New Board Members
Add Depth of Expertise Solebury School’s Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the appointment of four new members, Elizabeth Tallet (Wavle), Brett Webber, David Christiansen, and Charlie Woo. Many thanks to Mike Sienkiewicz and John Petito whose terms are ending and Hermann Platt who is stepping down due to a change in residence. John Chambers is not standing for re-election. The Board appreciates the service of the departing trustees and values their contributions to the Board and school. ❖
26 ❖ Solebury School Magazine Summer/Fall 2009
David Christiansen has been involved with Solebury since the early 1990s when his two children came to Solebury in the 7th and 8th grades. He also served as Solebury’s unofficial trainer during many soccer seasons. He is a regular volunteer at the dinner auction and served in a more official capacity as president of Solebury’s Home & School Association, and as a parent representative on the Long-Range Planning Committee in 1998-99. David holds a BA from West Virginia University and his MD from Medical College of Virginia. His wife, Cyd Fenimore, worked part-time in the Alumni Office from 2000-07, and has volunteered countless hours while her children attended Solebury, and more recently in her free time. Their two children, David and Emily, graduated from Solebury in 1996 and 1999, and have since attended Franklin and Marshall College and Haverford College. David has been an emergency physician at the Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington, NJ since 1990, holding positions as Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine and Medical Director of the Occupational Health Services. Elizabeth E. Wavle, known professionally as Elizabeth E. Tallett, is a respected leader with more than thirty years experience in the worldwide biopharmaceutical and consumer products industries. Her senior management experience includes President and Chief Executive Officer of Transcell Technologies Inc., President of Centocor Pharmaceuticals, member of the Parke-Davis Executive Committee, and Director of Worldwide Strategic Planning for WarnerLambert Company. Born and educated in England, she graduated from Nottingham University with dual first class honors degrees in mathematics and economics. She is married to James Wavle and mother of Christopher ’11.
Currently, Liz is a Principal of Hunter Partners, LLC, a management company for early to mid-stage pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies. Liz is a member of the board of directors of Principal Financial Group, Inc., Varian, Inc., Coventry Health Care Inc., Meredith Corp. and IntegraMed America Inc. She is currently the Lead Director for both Principal and Coventry Health Care. She was a founding board member of the Biotechnology Council of New Jersey, and is a member of the board of the Museum of Contemporary Science, NJ. Brett Webber, ’85, founded Brett Webber Architects, PC in Philadelphia, a full service firm providing architecture, planning and interior design (www.bwadesign.com.) He also created BWA ImageLab, an inhouse digital imaging studio producing computer generated graphics, models, animation and full video production for public and private clients. He lives with his wife, Martine and eight year old son, Ian in Center City Philadelphia in an historic house they bought in 1995 and renovated. Charlie Woo, the parent of Jimmy Woo ’10, will be the first representative of our international parents on the Board of Trustees. Charlie is a successful businessman with several ventures in Korea, the United States and Canada. He and his wife, Yuna have homes in Toronto and Seoul. In Korea today, many weddings take place in Wedding Houses instead of churches. Charlie owns one of the most popular wedding houses in Korea. He also owns a state-of-the-art advertising and marketing company that lights up many parts of Seoul. ❖
www.solebury.org
TWO Alumni in PROMINENT the News
Rachel Simon ’77, an award-winning author and nationally known public speaker, has recently published her fifth book, Building a Home With My Husband: A Journey Through the Renovation of Love. It is available now on bookshelves and is receiving great reviews. She is best known for her critically acclaimed, bestselling memoir Riding The Bus With My Sister, which was adapted for a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie of the same name, starring Rosie O’Donnell and Andie MacDowell. The book has garnered numerous awards, and is a frequent and much beloved selection of many book clubs, school reading programs, and city-wide reads throughout the country. Rachel is the author of five books: the memoirs Riding The Bus With My Sister and Building A Home With My Husband; the writing book The Writer’s Survival Guide; the novel The Magic Touch; and the short story collection Little Nightmares, Little Dreams. Rachel visited Solebury School in late September. She shared a slideshow presentation about her life and her journey as a writer, followed by a book signing. ❖
28 ❖ Solebury School Magazine Summer/Fall 2009
Award-winning director Robert Kenner’s ’68 newest documentary, Food, Inc., is in theaters nationwide right now. In this documentary, Kenner takes a hard look at America’s food industry. Before directing Food, Inc., Robby received the 2006 Peabody, the Emmy for exceptional merit in Non-Fiction Film-Making, and the Greirson (British Documentary) for his previous films, Two Days in October. Robby’s collaborated with famed film director Martin Scorsese on the documentary, The Blues Series. His film, The Road to Memphis, included interviews with legendary B.B. King. His documentaries for The American Experience include War Letters which focuses on American soldiers and their loved ones from the Revolutionary War to the Gulf War. Other films include his numerous specials for National Geographic. ❖
Spotlight on Alumni Malcolm Ingram ’06 – Meeting Goals Means Being Focused and Flexible From his years at Solebury School through his four years in college, Malcolm Ingram ’06 has always set his goals high and has worked toward attaining them. While at Solebury School, he consistently earned Honors in his classes, and he is one of only 19 students in Solebury’s basketball history to earn 1,000 points during his high school career. He averaged 22 points and 9 rebounds each game. And he is always smiling! Malcolm graduated from Solebury with a full athletic scholarship to play Division II basketball for Philadelphia University. Last season, he averaged 15 points and 8 rebounds per game. To date, he has 1,300 career points and 600 rebounds. Now a senior at Philadelphia University, he continues to map a future in law. Why Solebury School? Before coming to Solebury I attended Central High School in Philadelphia. For my first two years of Central High School I was an all-public swimmer, but then switched to basketball in my junior year. I decided to attend the Solebury School because I felt I would have better opportunities athletically and an equal if not better opportunity academically. I loved the thought of having a class of 15 people as opposed to 31 in public school. The small class sizes made learning a lot easier. During my first visit, I was able to get a good feel for the school and culture, and decided Solebury was the place for me. You earned a full athletic scholarship to Philadelphia University to play Division II basketball. Who at Solebury School influenced the hard work you did that was necessary to achieve your goal? One of my goals when I came to Solebury was to leave with a full athletic scholarship. Everyone at Solebury played a part in me receiving the scholarship in some form or another. Varsity basketball coach Cleve Christie, former athletic director Lyle Hazel and my teammates helped me flourish on the court by constantly working with me, and making sure that every day I was getting better. All of the teachers and faculty pushed me in the classroom, so that I would have the grades necessary to receive an athletic scholarship when it was offered to me. And last but not least, all the students always came out and supported the team which, in turn, made me work even harder. Internships are a great way to network and learn about your field of interest. Tell us about your summer internship. This summer I interned at Comcast. It’s been a great experience. In this position, I collected and analyzed data in spreadsheets, organized and led presentations, and worked closely with executive management. My basketball teammate Russell Frederick and I were lucky enough to sit down and talk to the CFO of Comcast, Michael Angelakis, who put me in contact with three great attorneys at Comcast. What are your plans after college graduation? Now that I am a senior it is time for me to join the real world. My ultimate goal, since I was about eight years old, is to become a lawyer. I recently signed up for a Kaplan LSAT prep course, and I plan to take the LSATs in December. I hope to get into the best law school possible, and after three years of study, become a practicing attorney. I have also applied for the Fulbright Fellowship and the Gates Fellowship. I know it may sound like a lot, but one thing I have learned from every successful person I’ve talked to, is that you must remain flexible with career plans and be willing to try different things. Although law school and both the fellowships are highly selective, I am confident with what I have done and I feel I have a good shot in all three. A Note from Malcolm I have always said that it was the best decision of my life to attend Solebury. If I could do it all over again, I would have gone to Solebury for four years and not just two. I look back on my time at Solebury as some of the best years of my life. To all those who attended Solebury, and those who attend Solebury at the moment I wish you all the best! ❖ www.solebury.org
Reunion Weekend Saturday, May 1, 2009
Mark Ma, Takaya Ota, JuSung Yoon, Cynthia Hui, Derek Lin, & Ben Tsai reconnect
Chuck Linder, Sarah Cheever, Morna McGoldrick, Mira Nakashima, Jeannie Storrs, Francis Martin Malone, Kathy Logan, Jay Abbe & Neil Cubberley
David Duppereault and Peter Ammirati catch up at the burger & beer bash
30 ❖ Solebury School Magazine Summer/Fall 2009
For the first time in years, the Friday evening cocktail party and dinner was held at the Head of School’s home. The tent was situated behind the house, overlooking the main campus on a warm but foggy evening. Hosted by Tom and Rebecca Wilschutz, the lovely dinner was prepared by Max Hansen ’77 of Max Hansen Caterers. Though it was a smaller crowd, those who returned enjoyed reconnecting with old classmates and friends. It was great for her classmates to see Frances Martin Malone ’59 return back to the school for the first time in 50 years! Welcome back Frances! On Saturday morning, Tom Wilschutz and Director of Finance, Doug Haigh gave the State of the School address. Doug said that, in view of the current economic problems, the school had undertaken a series of measures to prepare for the possibility of a lower enrollment. The school’s financial position remains strong and the steps taken should enable it to stay that way. Later on Saturday morning, a memorial service was held. Led by Tom Wilschutz, visiting alumni gathered to remember fellow alumni who have passed. Saturday afternoon brought the burger and beer bash back at the Head’s home, with a nice turnout of younger alumni. Remember to mark your calendars for next year’s reunion weekend, April 30 – May 2, 2010. ❖
Bill Berkeley, Peter Hoyt, Tom Cooper & Tek Talmont
Highlights Matt Merwin & Scott Eckstein
Tarchar Wilkins, Joe Cucinotta, Nicole Drummond, Rusty Cassway ’84 and his daughter, & Geoff Tilden
Alan Donley & Howard Dean
Saturday Alumni weekend attendees
www.solebury.org
AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS A Heartfelt Thank You Once again, the auction was a success, having raised over $90,000. These funds are earmarked for Solebury’s Annual Fund and special projects sponsored by Solebury’s Home and School Association. The special fund appeal for the school’s Arts technology raised $25,000. Many, many thanks go to auction co-chairs Karen McKenna and Whitney Parker-Klimpel, Auction Coordinator Rachel Eichem and past Auction Coordinator Cyd Fenimore, Alumni Administrative Assistant Pam Lyons, the auction committee, the many parent volunteers, and the Home and School Association. Thanks also to
Chris Langhart for technical expertise, Bill Falabella and Charles Gale for technical support, and the school’s maintenance staff. Corporate sponsors include Comm Solutions Company of Malvern, Direct Airways, E. Allen Reeves, Inc. of Abington, alumna Barbara Winslow of Brooklyn, NY, Firstrust Bank, Pegasus Emergency Group of Flemington, NJ, Compass Display & Promotion, Co. of Trenton, NJ, and Turnaround Marketing Communications of Newtown. Special thanks to auctioneer BJ Jennings and the Jennings Auction Group, LLC for another successful
night of fun and fundraising. Thanks to Phillips Fine Wine in Stockton for donating wine and spirits. The buffet dinner was prepared by Solebury’s own chefs Steve Ackerman, Carmen DiFoggio, and Joe Kienzle, with help from Anthony Porter. In addition, we thank Hamilton’s Grill Room in Lambertville, and Max Hansen Caterer in Gardenville, for donating hors d’oeuvres. Finally, thanks to all of Solebury School’s alumni, parents, faculty, staff and students and friends for all the help and support in making this auction a success. ❖
Holly & Bill Mullin place a bid at the silent auction
A Festival of the Arts–The venue
Freda ThomsonStolz & Beatrice Becette sing for auction goers
32 ❖ Solebury School Magazine Summer/Fall 2009
Ansi Stephano ’58 raises her number at the live auction
Wedding Bells for Tom Wilschutz and Rebecca Summers (Wilschutz) Shown with Tom’s children Kara, Kate & Seth
School Nurse Carol Hey wins trip to Williamstown with friends Renee LaPorte, Annette Miller, & Diane Sugden
Brett Glauser ’11gets a little jazzed Below Kevin Nakashima ’73 will enjoy dinner with WHYY radio host Marty Moss-Coane
Parent Marcy Weinstein wins a pair of diamond earrings
Lynn Simpson ’69 wins vacation to the Florida Keys
Head of School, Tom Wilschutz married Rebecca Summers, our dance instructor, at 6:00 PM on Sunset Beach, Cape May, New Jersey, July 11, 2009. “We intentionally crafted a very small wedding – a few relatives, my three children and a few close friends – approximately 40 people total and had a wonderful time,” said Tom. The couple honeymooned on the Isle of Palms just outside Charleston, South Carolina. Congratulations, Tom and Rebecca!!! ❖
www.solebury.org
2009-2010 Solebury School Summer/Fall Magazine
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Chris Hedges Friday, December 4, 2009 • 7 PM John D. Brown Athletic Center Book signing to follow event RSVP to the school, 215-862-5261 Join us for an illuminating evening with Pulitzer Prize-winner Chris Hedges and a discussion of his most recent book, Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle. In this book, Hedges argues that we now live in two societies: One, the minority, functions in the print-based, literate world that can cope with complexity and can separate illusion from truth. The other, a growing majority, is retreating from a reality-based world into one of false certainty and magic. Hedges navigates the culture, attending WWF contests as well as Ivy League graduation ceremonies, exposing an age of decline and heightened self-delusion. Chris is also known as the best-selling author of War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction. In 2002, he won the Amnesty International Global Award for Human Rights Journalism. He is currently a senior fellow at The Nation Institute in New York, and currently writes a column for truthdig.com ❖
Reunion Weekend April 30 – May 2, 2010 Reunion years ’00s & ’05s
Save The Date 34 ❖ Solebury School Magazine Summer/Fall 2009
Editor Peter Pearson Director of Advancement Associate Editor Beverly Berkeley Director of Communications Design & Production EnForm Graphic Productions, Inc. Photography Beverly Berkeley, Stephen Barth Please send change of address to: Solebury School 6832 Phillips Mill Road, New Hope, PA 18938 Phone: 215-862-5261 Fax: 215-862-2783 E-mail: alumni@solebury.org Web Site: www.solebury.org Copyright ©2009 Solebury School BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2009-2010 Charles J. Abbe ’59 (CA) Chairman Thomas Hunt ’74 (NJ) Vice Chairman Dan Cohen ’63 (FL) Treasurer Diane Carugati (PA) Secretary William D. Berkeley ’49 (NC) Ezra Billinkoff ’03 (PA) Christopher B. Chandor, Jr. ’86 (MA) David Christiansen (PA) Lou Cyktor (NJ) Jonathan Downs ’71 (PA) Barbara Hillier (PA) Mary Beth Kineke (PA) Ken Klimpel (NJ) Margaret Kornblum (PA) Angelo John Lewis (NJ) Holly Mullin (PA) Gregg Rackin (NJ) Joan Reinthaler ’53 (DC) Alan Sheriff (PA) Anne C. (Annsi) Stephano ’58 (PA) Thomas S. Stevenson, Jr. ’65 (PA) Elizabeth E. Wavle (NJ) Brett Webber ’85 (PA) Karl Welsh (PA) Barbara Slaner Winslow ’63 (NY) Charlie Woo (So. Korea) Navarrow Wright ’88 (NJ) Head of School Thomas G. Wilschutz Honorary Trustees Chris Chandor ’60 Alan Donley ’55 Betsy Bidelman Meredith ’54 Richard Moss ’48 Eric Shaw ‘55 Jean Shaw ’53 Carol Chianese Van Duyne ’52
A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF SCHOOL HISTORY
Pop Shaw’s Desk
For years, Geoff Tilden sat at Pop Shaw’s old walnut roll top desk. It definitely had seen better days. It had been taken apart to be moved, drawer handles were missing, and the roll top and part of the top of the desk had been lost long ago. Yet Geoff saw the beauty and the historical significance of the old desk. When he retired from his position as Assistant Head, he asked if somehow it could be restored to the beautiful piece it once was. When Tom Wilschutz saw it, he decided that he wanted to use it in his office as his desk. So master woodworker Ethan Perry, whose daughter, Julia, graduated in 2007, and whose brother David Perry graduated in 1964, agreed to restore the desk. Pictured here is Head of School, Tom Wilschutz, sitting at the restored desk that Pop Shaw once used. ❖ www.solebury.org
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Bensalem, PA Permit No. 182
6832 Phillips Mill Road New Hope, PA 18938-9682 Address service requested
Your gift now helps future generations of students at
Solebury School.
Y
our gift to Solebury’s endowment through your will, a charitable trust or gift annuity, helps ensure that Solebury will have the resources to provide the same kind of personalized education to future generations of students. Solebury’s endowment now stands at $4,075,000 thanks to the foresight of alumni, parents and friends who have included Solebury in their estate planning. Just think what a few more bequests could mean for Solebury! The interest from endowment given as gifts from bequests is used to support scholarships, faculty salaries, academic departments, athletics, the arts and the upkeep of our facilities. Check out the website... www.solebury.org, and click on
“Giving” on the left side of the home page to explore how easy it is to help Solebury School and how both the School and you can benefit from your donation. It is relatively easy to make a bequest or a planned gift to Solebury School. You can add language to your will which states: “I give and bequeath to Solebury School, New Hope, PA the sum of $_______ or ______% of my estate for the School’s endowment. You could also make a gift to the school now through a Charitable Trust or a Charitable Gift Annuity and, in exchange, receive an income stream for life. You also
receive an immediate federal income tax deduction. Gift Annuities can be started with a gift of $10,000. Gift Annuities rate currently range from 6% to 9% depending on your age. To learn more about how a bequest or a planned gift can benefit you, your family and Solebury School, please contact Peter Pearson, Director of Advancement at 215-862-5261 or email peterp@solebury.org. ❖