The
magazine of
S t . P au l A c a d e m y
and
Summit School
SPA WINTER 2007
Reunion-Homecoming Weekend 2006... p. 14 Promoting HIV/AIDS prevention... p. 19 Taking the L.E.A.D... p. 22
Mission Statement In pursuit of excellence in teaching and learning, St. Paul Academy and Summit School educates a diverse and motivated group of young people for leadership and service, inspires in them an enduring love of learning, and helps them lead productive, ethical and joyful lives.
St. Paul Academy and Summit School values a diverse community and complies with all applicable laws regarding nondiscrimination.
St. Paul Academy and Summit School is an independent, college preparatory day school for students in kindergarten through grade 12. The school was formed in 1969 from the merger of St. Paul Academy, founded in 1900 for boys, and Summit School, founded in 1917 for girls.
Reunion-Homecoming Weekend 2006
Fun for the whole family
16
William C. Canby ’49
19
Leah Dozier ’98
2006 Distinguished Alumni/ae Award recipient
Contents
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Winter 2007 | SPA Magazine
Features
Kicking the HIV/AIDS pandemic Front cover | Cynthia Davidson Bend ’43 greets
22
SPA grads L.E.A.D. the way
in promoting charitable giving
Daphne Roberts Bell ’56 at Heritage Brunch during Reunion-Homecoming Weekend 2006. For more photos from that weekend, turn to page 14.
Inside
Inside front cover | Senior Devon Holstad 2
L etter from the Head
3
T hrough the Doors
1 1
S par tan Spor ts
1 2
C ourse Notes
2 4
R emember When
2 6
A l umni/ae Bulletin Board
2 6
C alendar of Events
2 7
C l ass Notes
4 0
I n Memoriam
points out which class is Number One in his opinion during the Homecoming 2006 pepfest.
Welcome The Ames Room was a very busy place during the last three weeks of the first semester. If you had happened to peek in the windows or slip quietly into a seat in the corner of the room, you would have seen diagrams and pictures of a renovated Upper School, performing art centers, gymnasiums and ice rinks, as well as a team of architects and designers talking with teachers, coaches and administrators. These conversations are an integral part of the preparation of a master plan. The Board of Trustees initiated this process when they voted unanimously in October 2006 to engage RSP Architects of Minneapolis to prepare a master plan for the Randolph Campus. The board also created a steering committee, chaired by Bill Beadie ’58, to serve as a liaison between the school and RSP. Joining Bill Beadie on the committee are trustees Page Cowles, Byron Starns, Charlie Zelle ’73, and me. We anticipate the master plan will be finished and delivered to the Board of Trustees for its review in March 2007. RSP’s engagement with SPA is new, but the evolution of the Randolph Campus has been a compelling subject of discussion since the early 1990s. Over the years, the community concluded that Old Main, the home of the Upper School, required renovation and that the school needed a performing arts center, additional gymnasiums and improved locker rooms and training facilities. Drake Arena, which has served the school so well for 39 years, is showing the signs of age. Now is the appropriate moment to determine if the rink should be renovated or replaced. RSP’s task, for which they are eminently qualified, is to bring definition and form to our goals and dreams and to provide us with a road map for the future. They have been asking questions, and lots of them, in an effort to understand the rhythms of our culture and to ensure their recommendations match our programmatic needs. Should an auditorium have 600 or 800 seats? Do we need a fly space? How many musicians should the stage accommodate during concerts? Would a performing arts center be used for other school events? If so, how many and when? Much time has also been devoted to discussing our athletic program. The Middle and Upper School teams have been sharing Briggs Gymnasium. How many additional courts do we need to guarantee that all of our teams can finish their practices in a timely fashion, thus enabling our athletes to get home for dinner with their families? Should a new field house include an indoor track? With students toting laptops, athletic equipment and backpacks swelling with textbooks, how large should the new lockers be? Drake Arena was initially designed as a seasonal rink but is now used more than 10 months each year. With a revived hockey program at SPA and a growing demand from teams and youth hockey organizations to rent our ice, should we renovate or build a new rink? Should we build one or two sheets of ice? Like all good architects, the team from RSP has worked assiduously to understand our requirements. They have studied plans and surveys conducted during the past 15 years and they listen carefully and ask excellent, probing questions. The process has been collaborative and stimulating, and they have helped us to test and refine our own assumptions about the scale and needs of our program. As the new Head of School, the process has been informative and educational. I have listened as veteran faculty and school leaders talk with passion and vigor about their aspirations and dreams for SPA. I have come away from each session in the Ames Room with a richer understanding of the school’s history and an evolving sense of what the future might look like for SPA in the coming years. We are still several years away from putting a shovel into the ground, but as plans for our facilities unfold we will begin special campaigns to fund the new construction on the Randolph Campus. I look forward to keeping you apprised of this exciting project.
Bryn Roberts Head of School 2
SPA | winter 2007
SPA The Magazine of St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Winter | 2007 Editor Tracy Madden Graphic Design Kimberlea Weeks Contributors Tanya Bui ’08 Jennifer Halcrow Paula Kringle Finlay Lewis ’56 Bryn Roberts Dave Wright Photography Bill Alkofer Daymond Dean Leah Dozier ’98 Jennifer Halcrow Sushmita Hodges Greg Helgeson Andy King Tom Lundholm Tracy Madden Vince Muzik Cory Ryan SPA Magazine is published twice a year by St. Paul Academy and Summit School for its alumni/ae, parents and friends. Send changes of address to Development Office St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105 651-696-1366, phone 651-696-1380, fax alumni/ae@spa.edu Your turn SPA Magazine celebrates the power of thoughts and ideas. We invite you to write, email or fax us your thoughts and comments on subjects related to the SPA community. Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity. Please let us know your suggestions for stories, your thoughts about SPA happenings and your news and photos for “Class Notes.” Visit us at www.spa.edu.
Through the Doors of
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
SPA Annual Fund is key to excellence St. Paul Academy and Summit School’s Annual Fund helps maintain the high standards and excellence that set SPA apart from other schools. Those things we all treasure about our school — extraordinary faculty, a broad and rigorous academic program, outstanding arts and athletics, myriad extracurricular activities — would disappear without your annual support.
2006-2007 Board of Trustees
Making a gift to the Annual Fund is a significant way for everyone to participate in the SPA community. The Annual Fund provides unrestricted operating support for the school, which allows us to recruit and retain excellent faculty, keep class sizes small, and ensure that each student receives the very best education possible. Annual Fund gifts make up the difference between the actual cost to educate students and 2006-2007 Annual Fund what is charged in tuition. Last year the Annual Volunteer Committee Fund contributed more than $1.1 million to the school — that amounts to $1,250 per-student, Chair: Gail Ward or 6 percent of the operating budget. We hope Leadership Giving Co-Chairs: you will consider all that SPA has meant to Ann Ruhr Pifer ’83 and Phil White ’81 you and your family, and join us in generously supporting the school. Alumni/ae Chair: Paul Quast ’72 Show your support for SPA!
Charles A. Zelle ’73, President Page Knudsen Cowles, Vice President Charlotte Shepard Johnson ’64, Vice President Byron E. Starns, Secretary Dorothy L. Goldie ’73, Treasurer Philip W. White ’81, Assistant Treasurer Fahima Aziz William M. Beadie ’58 Roxane Harvey Gudeman Ruth Seely Huss ’57 Frederick C. Kaemmer ’88 Bruce A. Lilly ’70 Ranlet Miner Virginia H. Morris Ann Ruhr Pifer ’83 Dr. Brian C. Rosenberg Gail A. Ward The Honorable Wilhelmina M. Wright
• Make a gift online at our secure website, www.spa.edu/gifts/ • Phone in your gift, using VISA or MasterCard, to 651-696-1320 • Fax your gift, including credit card information, to 651-696-1380 • Send a check or provide credit card information in the gift envelope provided • To transfer securities, phone information to 651-696-1320
Grandparent Chairs: Bob and Gerry Kyle Bullard ’56 Class of 2007 Parents Gift Chairs: Jim and Julia Adams, Jack and Kirsten Driscoll, Allan Klein, Curt and Adele Brown, Nick and Linda Linsmayer, Chip and Terry Lindeke Upper School Parent Representatives: Dave Estep, Catharina Petronio, Laura Ozolins Middle School Parent Representatives: Penny Destache, Sara Brown, Cathryn Middlebrook Lower School Parent Representatives: Dominic Ciresi, Lindsay Herbert Faculty Representatives: Laura Duke Lundgren (LS), Jenni Dorfsman (MS), Tina Barsky (US)
winter 2007 | SPA
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Through the Doors of
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Murphy Family creates scholarship in honor of wife, mother
Members of Judy Murphy’s family include Ellen Murphy ’89, John Murphy ’87, Sam Murphy, David Murphy ’90, John Murphy, Anne Murphy, Ellie Murphy.
This fall, the Murphy family created the Judith Hammes Murphy Scholarship in celebration of the life of Judith Hammes Murphy, member of the Summit School Class of 1962. This endowed, needbased scholarship will benefit a student at St. Paul Academy and Summit School. Judy’s husband, John Murphy, said
of the scholarship, “We were so overwhelmed with the outpouring of love for Judy with the memorials sent to SPA that we said ‘let’s build on it and create this needbased scholarship.’ We are all excited to do this in Judy’s memory. She loved her long association with the school.” In thanking the Murphy
family, Head of School Bryn Roberts noted the scholarship “recognizes Judy’s leadership, her commitment to volunteerism and her love of the arts, and honors her wholehearted participation in all areas of school life.” Known to many generations of alumni/ ae and parents because of her volunteer involvement in the school, Judy was a leader in our community. From her earliest days as a student at Summit School to her contribution as a Lower School parent, Alumni/ ae Council President, Secretary of the Board of Trustees and, later, her service on the Capital Gifts Committee, Judy was dedicated to the mission of the school and its community of parents, students and alumni/ae. A talented interior decorator, gracious hostess and loving mother and
grandmother, Judy was a skilled organizer with a passion for helping others. Trustee Page Knudsen Cowles, who served with her on the Board of Trustees’ Capital Gifts Committee,
Judith Hammes Murphy commented, “Through this scholarship, we honor Judy’s passion and her commitment to the St. Paul Academy and Summit School community. She was a remarkable woman and I am grateful we can celebrate her life in this way.”
Goodrich Campus
Lower School Spanish program ‘exemplary’ The Lower School Spanish program at St. Paul Academy and Summit School was the 2006 recipient of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Melba D. Woodruff Award for Exemplary Elementary Foreign Language Program. The award, presented in Nashville, Tenn., at the 2006 ACTFL Annual Convention Awards Ceremony November 17, included a plaque and a $500 stipend for the school. Criteria for selection included an exemplary program model, curriculum, staffing, advocacy and achievement. The Lower School Spanish program is led by Kathy Olson-Studler, who has been a faculty member at the school since 1981. The program is also supplemented with Amity Interns, young professionals from foreign countries who spend a full or half-year at SPA teaching students about their native language and culture. Artists from Spanish-speaking countries are brought into the classroom annually, and fifth grade students have the option of traveling to Guadalajara, Mexico, each year on a cultural exchange. Fifth grade students from Guadalajara also visit SPA each fall.
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SPA | winter 2007
Kathy Olson-Studler, left, accepts an award for the outstanding Spanish language program at the Lower School from Adele Munsterman, President of the Minnesota Council on the Teaching of Language and Cultures.
Explore diverse cultural traditions with your family at Spartan Express Spartan Express, a biennial event sponsored by the Parent Diversity Committee, celebrates the richness of our community by bringing students and families together to experience a rich tapestry of cultural traditions. The 2007 theme of Walk in My Shoes will showcase a number of traditions celebrated and practiced within the SPA community, as well as in the greater community. Spartan Express will be held Saturday, February 24, from 5-7 p.m. at the Lower School Campus, 1150 Goodrich Avenue in St. Paul. The imaginary train will make stops to visit various people eager to share experiences in an interactive setting. There will be a pre-event food tasting of cuisines from many cultures at 4:30, with suggested donations of $2/child, $4/parent or $10/family. An opening celebration will take place
Saturday, February 24 5-7 p.m. Goodrich Campus
SPA students launch “Operation Glass Slipper” The words “Operation Glass Slipper” probably bring to mind thoughts of fairy godmothers and the chance to go to the ball… which is exactly the opportunity students in the Gender Equity in Leadership and Learning (GELL) group are hoping to give female students across the metro area come Prom season. Operation Glass Slipper invites women and girls to donate gently worn prom gowns and suitable cocktail and bridesmaid dresses to GELL, which will host an Open House in March for female students throughout the Twin Cities for whom a new dress may be cost prohibitive. The group is also accepting shawls,
evening bags and costume jewelry, as well as monetary donations. Invitations to the Open House will be extended to female students in the area based on referrals from school guidance counselors. If you or someone you know have items to donate, they may be dropped off at the Randolph Campus of St. Paul Academy and Summit School, 1712 Randolph Avenue, Saint Paul. Other drop-off sites include: Anchor Bank Arden Hills 1240 West County Road E Arden Hills, MN 55112 651-227-2265
at the “main train station” at 5, after which people may make art, play games, dance, listen to music, hear stories and more. Rich in traditions and values from many cultures, these experiences represent the tapestry of our lives today. The 2007 Spartan Express Walk in My Shoes features participation by SPA students, parents and community collaborators. The Upper School Intercultural Club has organized two stations featuring storytelling and arts and crafts activities from many traditions, and students in grades 3-5 enrolled in a six-week January mini course are also working on Spartan Express activities. For more information, contact Diversity Dean Karen Dye at 651-696-1378 or kdye@spa.edu, or parent volunteer Bea Rothweiler at 612-377-4638 or brothweile@aol.com.
Members of GELL who are collecting prom dresses for Operation Glass Slipper include, from left, Advisor Sushmita Hodges, tenth grader Zuhra Khoyratty, and juniors Arista Gates and Emily Philipp. More than 300 dresses have been collected so far. Later this winter, the group will hold a bake sale to help raise funds to purchase additional dresses.
Anchor Bank Blaine 10710 Town Square Drive NE Blaine, MN 55449 763-795-8400
Anchor Bank Woodbury 1920 Donegal Drive Woodbury, MN 55125 651-738-2265
Anchor Bank St. Paul Park 1030 Hastings Avenue Saint Paul Park, MN 55071 651-459-0554
Gateway Bank 745 Market Street Mendota Heights, MN 55118 651-209-4800
Anchor Bank Snelling 153 Snelling Avenue N Saint Paul, MN 55104 651-747-2900
River’s Edge Dental Clinic 213 First Street Farmington, MN 55024 651-463-7777 winter 2007 | SPA
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Through the Doors of
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Sabbaticals enhance teaching experiences at SPA Taking six months or a year away from work to delve into an aspect of your job and recharge your batteries is something most people can only dream of doing. While sabbatical programs are typical in higher education, they are less common in K-12 schools. Thanks to the Lang Family Fund, St. Paul Academy and Summit School has a permanent, endowed fund to support two or three faculty sabbaticals every year for teachers in grades K-12. The Lang Family Fund was created in 1996 by generous contributions from former SPA Trustee and President A. Scheffer Lang ’45 and his mother, Theodora Hamm Lang ’22, including gifts from their estates following their deaths in 2003 and 2004, respectively. During the 2005-2006 school year, three faculty members received sabbaticals: Middle/Upper School orchestra teacher Almut Engelhardt, Upper School counselor Chuck Fisher and Lower School teacher Laurie Goldfarb. Engelhardt used her sabbatical to research guitar instruction programs for the school, learned to play the instrument herself, and dedicated time to personal rejuvenation and reflection. Fisher devoted his sabbatical to continued research on the HeartMath program, which emphasizes the connection between the emotional state of students and the depth of their learning. Fisher oversees the human development program at SPA, which
Upper School Counselor Chuck Fisher
begins in kindergarten using the Responsive Classroom curriculum. In the Middle School years (grades 6-8), the curriculum focuses on personal identity and responsible decisions regarding sexual and chemical health. The program culminates with the 10th grade wellness class. The personal, reflective portion of Fisher’s year included several wilderness adventures, hiking and camping experiences. Perhaps one of the most powerful experiences which inspired a sabbatical came from longtime Lower School teacher Laurie Goldfarb, 6
SPA | winter 2007
Laurie Goldfarb with Kami Nguyen, October 2003
who volunteered with Children’s Hospital and Ronald McDonald House. Goldfarb and her teaching partner, Ben Pierce, taught Kami Nguyen in first grade in 2003-2004. Following a diagnosis of spinal cord cancer, Kami successfully finished kindergarten at SPA, endured chemotherapy and radiation treatments, and was attempting to lead the life of a regular kid. Throughout her first grade year, a number of questions needed to be answered regarding Kami’s care and education, and her teachers struggled to find the right tools to help her. Ultimately, she lost her battle with cancer in the spring of first grade. Goldfarb reflected, “Kami taught our class more than can be put into words. I knew this was the beginning of my journey to learn more about chronic and terminal illness in children and the resources that are available to teachers and students.” The Lang Family Fund provides recipients with 100 percent of their employee benefits, and half-year sabbaticals include 100 percent of the faculty member’s salary. Teachers who receive full-year sabbatical awards are paid half of their annual salary. Sabbatical appointments are approved by the Head of School from recommendations made by a committee, which includes the principals and several faculty members from each division. Typically, faculty members on the committee have already received sabbaticals. Teachers who have completed seven years of full-time employment or equivalent are eligible for appointment. Reflecting on the program, Head of School Bryn Roberts said, “The Lang Family Fund, which enables veteran faculty members to step away from their traditional responsibilities in the classroom, is an extraordinary resource for teachers at SPA. As Almut, Chuck and Laurie have demonstrated, sabbaticals can enrich the heart and the mind, and they all returned to SPA with a renewed sense of vigor and commitment. I know that the entire faculty appreciates the Lang family’s extraordinary generosity.”
Upper School
Ned Smith accepts Head of School position in Texas Upper School Principal Ned Smith has been appointed Head of School at Episcopal High School in Houston, Texas, beginning July 2007.
Become a career mentor The school has recently added a career center to its website. By going to www.spa.edu/alumni/ mentoring.asp, you can sign up to mentor other SPA alumni/ae. As a mentor, you agree to share information on topics such as the state of your industry, various career fields, and regional employment trends. You will also be able to find alumni/ae who have agreed to serve as mentors at this site. To update your alumni/ae profile or change your email address in the online alumni/ae directory, go to www.spa.edu/alumni.
“In my six years at this school, I have grown to appreciate the rich history and tradition that makes SPA the place that it is, and I have been privileged to lead these talented students, these committed parents, and this fine faculty,” he said. “My three years as Middle School Principal were some of the best years in my career, and my three years as Upper School Principal have taught me more than any professional experience I’ve had.” Smith began at SPA as Middle School Principal in July 2001 and became Upper School Principal in July 2004. Before joining SPA he was employed by HarvardWestlake School in Los Angeles, Calif., where he served as Sophomore Dean, Director of Student Activities and member of the Admissions Committee. A national search for an Upper School Principal is under way. The position will be responsible for leadership of the Upper School program and activities in grades 9-12. Finalists will be on campus in February and a new principal will be in place by July 1. The search committee is chaired by Head of School Bryn Roberts. Other members of the committee include Diversity Dean Karen Dye, Academic Dean Cindy Richter ’78, Upper School teachers Ben Danielson, Emily Frank, Steve Heilig and Jim McVeety, Middle School teacher Kris Flom ’80, Co-Director of Athletics Mike Brown ’66 and Dean of Students Judy Cummins. An advisory committee chaired by Cummins, which includes parents, students and faculty members, will also have input on the hire.
Retirement
Sally Foster to step down Admissions Director Sally Davidson Foster ’68 will retire at the end of the 2006-2007 school year. “The decision to leave has been a difficult one,” she said. “I am energized by the daily rewards and challenges of my job, but I’m eager to look for alternative fuel. I will miss the daily contact and support of the SPA community, but I look forward to witnessing its future from a different perspective.” Foster began as a part-time Admissions Assistant in January 1986 and became full-time Upper School Admissions Coordinator in October 1991. From 1994-2000 she took on Admissions duties
for both the Middle and Upper Schools, and in 2002 was named Director of Admissions. In addition to being a Summit School alumna, Foster’s two children also graduated from SPA: Sarah Foster-Walters ’98 and Ben Foster ’00. A national search for a Director of Admissions began in late fall. The position will be responsible for managing K-12 recruitment, enrollment and financial aid. Finalists will be on campus in January/February and a new director will be in place by July 1. The search committee is chaired by Academic Dean Cindy Richter ’78. Other members of the committee include Lower School psychologist Tim Elchert, Lower School teacher Chris Lienert, Middle School science/math teacher George Hower, Upper School Principal Ned Smith, Diversity Dean Karen Dye, Upper School English teacher Lucy Polk, College Counselor Mary Hill and Head of School Bryn Roberts.
winter 2007 | SPA
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Through the Doors of
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
‘Delegation for Diversity’ plan for global leadership Middle School
Math students are really ‘on the ball’ Middle School math students received quite a surprise when they walked into their math classrooms on the first day of school and there were no chairs in sight. Instead, the classrooms were equipped with stability balls, which allow students to express energy in a usually sedentary class while focusing their efforts on studying.
Upper School history teacher Sushmita Hodges traveled to India July 22-August 3, 2006, as part of a 54-person delegation from National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). It was the third such “Delegation for Diversity” group put together under the umbrella of NAIS’ equity and justice program, with trips to South Africa in 2002 (which Head of School Pam Clarke attended) and Brazil in 2004.
Using the balls in place of traditional desk chairs was pitched to Middle School Principal Jill Romans by math teacher Pokey Fiedler, who backed up her idea with a Mayo Clinic study that extolled the use of stability balls in helping students burn off extra energy — and calories. Students do have the option of using a regular desk chair if they choose, but they rarely do.
Hodges explained that each destination has been chosen in recognition of the issues of diversity and multiculturalism facing those countries.
Although the new seating took a little getting used to — and some ground rules had to be established — the overall opinion is that it has been a successful experiment, and will likely be continued in the seventh and eighth grade math classrooms next year.
While in India the delegation visited various educational institutions, learning about the many forms of diversity there, from religions to castes to socioeconomic status. “With its burgeoning economy, India is a land of contrasts,” said Hodges, who is originally from India. “There is a growing educated middle class, but there are many people who have been left behind.” The group spent most of its time in three cities: New Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay). They also took a day trip to the former French colony of Pondicherry and to Uttar Pradesh, a province outside of Delhi.
Students in Jenny Merrick’s eighth grade math class enjoy using stability balls in place of traditional desk chairs in class. From left, Gavi Levy-Haskell, Hannah Lutz, Cameron Matticks, Steven Wendeborn and Gabe Mast.
While there, Hodges learned about the “digital divide” between people living in urban and rural areas, and differences between private and government schools. She visited single-sex schools and even a school for the visually impaired. “It is heartening to see the kind of work that is being done there,” she said. “We met with several NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) that are working to make education more inclusive throughout India.”
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SPA | winter 2007
trip prompts and education One such initiative is The Hole in the Wall Project, which provides outdoor computer kiosks with high-speed Internet access to nearly 60 under-sourced areas in New Delhi and to more than 100 sites throughout the country. The project, founded in conjunction with World Bank, allows disadvantaged children to learn computer skills and have access to the Internet. Pardada Pardadi, a girls’ school Hodges visited in Anupshahar, helps girls and their families break free of the limiting notion often held by rural populations in India that education is unimportant for females. “The idea is to empower girls and for families to recognize the importance of education in their lives, to realize marriage isn’t the only destiny for their daughters,” Hodges explained. In addition to the uniforms, books and transportation that are provided free of charge, the girls are paid to attend school, and are taught vocational skills such as fine sewing.
While traveling in India, Upper School History teacher Sushmita Hodges learned about The Hole in the Wall Project, which provides computer kiosks with high-speed Internet access to undersourced areas in New Delhi and throughout India.
education through such an initiative, and expects to see componenets of cross-cultural curriculum and community service as part of the equation. “The entire purpose of this delegation was to start these conversations, and to bring back possibilities for schools to collaborate or exchange,” Hodges said. “On this trip we discussed what we are doing on a global scale to achieve resolution to various conflicts and strains, and what our responsibility is as independent schools. It was very enlightening and extremely informative.”
Hodges said she is grateful to The Lilly Faculty Development Fund, an endowed professional development resource for SPA teachers, noting she made several contacts that could help further relations between SPA and schools in India. Her first project may be to have students sponsor a girl at the Pardada Pardadi school. “I think it is worthwhile to see how we could bring a change, make an impact,” she said. “Not just to one person, but a whole family, to help them toward a better and more fulfilled life.”
“They earn 60 rupees a week, which they can save for a dowry or even a small business that will help them become self-sustaining individuals,” said Hodges. “This way, they won’t have to depend on a spouse for subsistence.” As a result of her trip, Hodges is working with the American School in Bombay (ASB) to apply for an NAIS teaching initiative, “Challenge 20/20,” which would team students from SPA and ASB to focus on solving one problem identified in the book, High Noon: 20 Global Problems, 20 Years to Solve Them. Working with ASB on this initiative, perhaps in the area of poverty or the environment, would be a precursor to SPA teachers and students traveling to India, or Indian students making an exchange trip to Saint Paul. Hodges said she sees opportunities to teach global leadership and global
These school girls in Mylapore, Chennai, welcomed NAIS delegates with much fanfare.
winter 2007 | SPA
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Not quite like ‘Friday Night Lights’ Dave Wright, sports columnist for the Highland Villager, gives a slice-of-life look at SPA Homecoming
M
Mike Brown chuckled at the request. Could the St. Paul Academy football coach set aside a media pass for an upcoming game? “Uh, that’s not usually a problem here,” Brown said. “Just walk in by the tennis courts. You’ll see the field.” Even though it’s the middle of October, the high school gridiron season is nearing its completion. By the time most people read this, the final games will have been played and it will be on to regional playoffs. Before the trees were bare, it seemed to be a good idea to drop in on a football game at SPA and see what sporting life is like on that end of Randolph Avenue. Although there are similarities between the games played at SPA and, say, a Cretin-Derham game at O’Shaughnessy Stadium (CDH has no actual home field), suffice it to say that a few things happen at SPA that don’t occur at a lot of other football venues. The first tip came when walking past Drake Arena toward the athletic fields. It was homecoming for the Spartans and some of the alumni had dropped by for the Friday afternoon game against St. Agnes. One elderly fan who stood out was a gentleman in a tweed jacket wearing a bright bow tie and a fancy hat. It was the sort of outfit that’s rarely seen at, say, Eden Prairie games. But the old gent fit in perfectly here. Five minutes prior to kickoff, there were perhaps 100 people sitting in the stands. “Where is everybody?” a teacher near the sidelines was asked. “Just wait a second,” was the reply. “They’re getting ready to charge the field.” Sure enough, a couple of minutes later, a cavalry of students came flying over the ridge near the soccer field, roared past the startled Aggies and sprinted across the grass with élan. Richard Egan didn’t do as good a job in the movie The 300 Spartans as did this bunch. Being such a numbers game, football can be a tough sport for a school with just 276 students in grades 10-12. Four years ago, SPA came up with a solution by joining forces with Mounds Park Academy (187 students in grades 10-12). Between the two schools, Brown now has a workable number of bodies — 50 this year, including 17 from Mounds Park. Not Running back coincidentally, the Spartans Santano Rosario, have used that depth to grade 9 climb to the middle of the pack in the Tri-Metro Conference, which is a better league than a lot of people think. SPA took a 3-3 record 10
SPA
| winter 2007
into last Friday’s game at undefeated St. Croix Lutheran. That might not sound particularly impressive, but when you consider the Spartans were winless last year, it’s a huge improvement. “There have been years here when we’ve been really hurting for numbers — and our record frequently showed it,” Brown admitted. “This year isn’t one of them.” There is a general suspicion that since it costs around $20,000 a year to attend SPA, the school and its backers don’t concern themselves too much with such mundane matters as winning athletic contests. Don’t tell that to Brown and Dave Montgomery, who together supervise the athletic programs at the school. Montgomery, who coached football there from 1971-1996, recalled how close one of his teams came to playing in the Metrodome. “In 1983, we beat Wabasso in the Class C quarterfinals at Central,” he said. “The next week, we lost at Belgrade in really rotten weather. The next year, the High School League moved all semifinal games into the Metrodome. Bad timing, I guess.” Brown, who also coaches baseball at SPA, has been around the campus almost nonstop since he was a student there in the early 1960s. Unlike many prep coaches, he delegates authority on the sidelines. His defensive coordinator, Mark Heiser, looked like a crazed third base coach as he signaled defensive formations from the sidelines. The offensive coach took a slightly different tack. “Run the play the way we practiced it the other day,” he quietly advised senior quarterback Spencer McMillan. Brown nodded his approval. On the field, things went well for the Spartans. The Aggies’ star running back, Curtis Herzberg, was nursing an injury and wasn’t playing. Despite the steady rain that started at the end of the first half, McMillan, a gangly fellow who might decide to play hockey in college, ran the offense well. (After six games he led the Tri-Metro by a wide margin with 1,162 passing yards and 10 touchdowns.) His favorite receiver, sophomore A.J. Barker, stretched out the field nicely. Running back senior Ned Rupp may be about the size of a fire hydrant, but he gave the Aggies fits all day with inside and outside runs. The SPA defense made life miserable for the Aggie punter with one safety, a blocked punt and another one that went five yards. As a result, the Spartans jumped out to a quick lead and held on for a 23-14 victory. If Montgomery and Brown have their way, the team will play in new digs soon. Both have their eyes on SPA’s soccer field for a new football home. They dream of the day when the Spartans can play home games at night on a lit field, but they understand the school is located in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Besides, it’s in the nature of SPA that these things take time. “Guess I’ll have to be here a while longer to see it happen,” said Montgomery, who has been on campus for a mere 37 years. “I think I can stick it out a few more years.” Article reprinted courtesy Villager Publications. The article was edited slightly for length.
Jori Belkin, grade 12
Spartan Sports FALL Cross Country _________
Volleyball ________________ The girls’ varsity team went even in the Tri-Metro Conference with a 6-6 record and a 12-13-1 record overall. Seniors Maura Hamilton and Erin Heydinger were named to the All-Conference team. Given All-Conference Honorable Mention were seniors Etonde Awaah, Jori Belkin and Nicole McCormick.
At sectional play in the TriMetro conference, the boys’ team placed ninth of 15 teams and the girls’ team placed eighth of 15 teams. Anne Hart, 9, qualified for and placed 26th at the State meet. Ninth grader Ben Greenwald was named All-Conference, and Thomas Shaw, 12, Kathleen Cann, 11, and Hart earned All-Conference Honorable Mention.
Boys’ Soccer ___________ The varsity boys’ team had a winning season with an 8-1 record in the Tri-Metro Conference. They placed first in the conference and made it to the Section semifinals before losing to the eventual Class A champions, BenildeSt. Margaret. Five players were named to the Tri-Metro
Maren Frisell, grade 11
Girls’ Swimming and Diving __________________________ The Sparks placed second in the St. Paul City Conference. Competing at the State level was the medley relay team of Samantha Fox, 8, Maren Frisell, 11, and seniors Louise Buckler and Natalie Albertson; Fox in the 100-meter backstroke; Buckler in the 100meter freestyle; and Albertson in the 200-meter individual medley. Buckler was champion of the Section 5AA 100-meter freestyle and was named All-Conference, along with Frisell, Fox, Albertson and Kenzie Brown, 12. Named All-Conference Honorable Mention were Courtney Gill, 8, and juniors Meredith Lis, Lauren Mast and Tasha Rhoads. Albertson was awarded the Washington Spirit Traveling Trophy in recognition of being the most outstanding swimmer in the St. Paul City Conference.
The St. Paul United girls’ hockey team, consisting of players from SPA and Visitation, traveled to Stockholm, Sweden, in August 2006 where they played six games, marking a 3-2-1 record. SPA players on the trip included Delaney Middlebrook, 8.
All-Conference team, including seniors Mark Battles, Jackson Lindeke and Nick Long, and juniors Aaron Olson and Matt Wolff. Receiving AllConference Honorable Mention were Rhye Kannasatega, 12, and juniors Evan Wright and Peter Morice. Long was also named to the All-State team.
Girls’ Soccer ___________ The girls’ varsity team marked a Tri-Metro record of 4-4-2, placing them fourth in the conference. Named to the AllConference team were Anna Atchison, 12, Kristin O’Brien, 10, and Megan Leslie, 9. Receiving All-Conference Honorable Mention were Jessi Rick, 11, Bri Rick, 9, and Jackie Norton, 9.
Girls’ Tennis ___________ The girls’ varsity team went 3-5 in the Tri-Metro Conference and 5-9 overall. Madeline Titcomb, 12, and Sarah Whitaker, 9, were the
consolation winners in doubles at the State tournament and both received Honorable Mention in the Tri-Metro Conference. Receiving AllConference nods were Jane Adams, 12, and Carrie Wight, 9, doubles partners who had just two losses all season.
Football __________________ The varsity team, consisting of players from SPA and Mounds Park Academy, had a 3-4 TriMetro Conference record and a 5-5 overall record. Named All-Conference were seniors Spencer McMillan, Ned Rupp, Stuart Klein, and MPA player A.J. Barker. All-Conference Honorable Mention went to seniors Fred Gehrig and Matt Rongstad, Mike Falvey, 10, and MPA player Pete Dahlberg. The Star Tribune and Pioneer Press named Barker to the AllState team, and gave McMillan All-State Honorable Mention. The Associated Press named Barker and McMillan All-State Honorable Mention.
All information on this page was obtained from the Athletics Department at St. Paul Academy and Summit School. For more photos, go to www.spa.edu/athletics.
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Course Notes Physical education program focuses on building excitement about being active
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In a society that has shifted to an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, educating students on the importance of lifelong fitness is at the forefront of the physical education program at St. Paul Academy and Summit School. “People are either too busy or simply forget to exercise,” said Dave Thomforde, physical education teacher at the Lower School. “There are too many distractions, like computers and video games, and not as many parents feel comfortable letting their kids go out and play by themselves.” Although students at the Lower School take physical education classes for 40 minutes three times a week, Thomforde said those classes are no substitute for regular playtime and exercise beyond the school day. “We’re more like a jumpstart, and hope they exercise even more often,” he said. “Parents are the real role models, and we encourage the whole family to get out more and participate in exercise.” In kindergarten through grade four, physical education classes focus on locomotor skills such as throwing and kicking, hand-eye-foot coordination and balance, as well as awareness of how the body moves. In grade five, students start learning about competitive sports, switching units every two weeks.
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“We build up their knowledge with basics like jumping, hopping, skipping and sliding,” explained Thomforde. “As their skills become more sophisticated, we put those skills into a game.” He and teaching partner Stephanie Vibar also use various forms of tag as a source of “disguised fitness,” because kids get tired out by working hard, but don’t really equate the game with exercise, said Thomforde. “They’re not doing sit-ups and pull-ups, but they are building arm strength and using their stomach muscles,” he said. Seven areas of student fitness are assessed twice each year, including the shuttle run, arm hang, standing long jump, 50-yard dash, mile run (half-mile in first grade), vertical jump and the sit-and-reach. No one ‘fails,’ said Thomforde, but he and Vibar do look for improvement from one evaluation to the next. Physical education is taught differently now than it used to be: kids are no longer “eliminated” but are immediately brought back into a game so they can participate, and the typical “dodge ball” model has been disposed of — if anything, objects such as bean bags might be thrown at a competitor’s feet to get them “out.” “Hopefully we’re developing the kids so they’re excited about being active, feeling good about themselves and going to the next level of fitness,” said Thomforde. “It’s important for them to know that it takes effort, what it’s like to be tired and that it feels good.”
Thomforde, who is in his 24th year of teaching at SPA, says there is a noticeable decline in the number of basic skills elementary-aged students have achieved, such as running, punting or throwing. “Families are more likely to go for a walk than to go play catch in the yard,” he reflected. “There are also a lot more onechild families than there used to be, so some kids have no brothers or sisters to play with.” And if a child has parents who don’t exercise, they are less likely to exercise as well. “We hope to teach kids to feel good and competent enough to go out and play soccer or football for fun with a friend,” he explained. “It’s a lifestyle that you have to incorporate,” Vibar added, “just like good eating habits.” In addition to the usual programming, Thomforde and Vibar conduct a number of special programs, including rhythm and dance, bike rodeo, track and field, Peanut Day and Jump-a-thon. “Like everything else, it’s not easy,” said Thomforde. “You need to set goals and decide what you want out of fitness. It takes effort.”
The Middle School fitness program is taught by Carol King and Bill Ross. Students have class every other day and are taught various sports in two-week units. They teach traditional team sports such as basketball and volleyball, as
well as skating, lacrosse, team handball, badminton and more. “Nowadays, kids specialize in one or two sports early on, so it’s important to introduce them to some sports they wouldn’t probably otherwise be exposed to,” said Ross. “Fewer kids today are well versed in a variety of sports, although they may be good at a sport.” For the first time this year, Ross and King decided to try an experiment in holding separate classes for boys and girls in grade 7. “I think it has worked really well, and been especially good for the girls,” said King. “They participate more in class. Sometimes, in a mixed gender class, boys tend to dominate.” “Sometimes less athletic guys are more comfortable in a guys-only class,” Ross concurred, adding, “Seventh grade is a tough time socially; [and] to not have to worry about the boy-girl thing isn’t necessarily bad.” Sixth and eighth grade classes are also occasionally divided up by gender, often for logistical reasons. Lack of appropriate space is one of the biggest challenges to the Middle School physical education program, said King, calling their athletic space a “gymatorium.” “Every time there is an event in the gym, we’re affected by it,” she explained. “We’re constantly in flux and having to adapt our program.” Although there are some alternatives — including outdoors when the weather is good, Drake Arena or even
showing a video — both King and Ross look forward to the time when SPA has more gym space available to their students. In the meantime, they are focusing their efforts on showing kids how it looks and feels to be healthy. “Fitness is not as much a part of everyone’s life as it once was, so we hope to get them excited about a variety of things they’ll want to pursue later on in life,” said Ross. Sports units are a good way to do that, he explained, because not every adult is going to be excited by fitness programs offered at a local gym. “If there is a team sport they are interested in pursuing, and they become part of an adult league when they get older, that’s a good avenue to fitness, too,” he said.
In the ninth and tenth grades, students have class every day for one quarter. If they participate in three sports, they don’t have to take physical education at all. “Or, as I like to say, they don’t get to take it,” said Chris Blum, Upper School physical education instructor. Blum said that while he understands the logic behind the three-sport rule at SPA, he feels playing sports to be in shape and learning how to stay fit as a lifelong venture are two different things. “A by-product of playing three sports is that you’re staying in shape,” he explained. “But what happens when you graduate and no longer play three sports? At that point you have to be intentional about what you’re going to do to stay active.” His goal is to motivate students to exercise on their own because of what they learn and experience in class. “I try to stress the cognitive motivation behind exercise, the ‘Why am I doing this?’,” he said. “I want my students
to understand that it’s worth taking half an hour a day to do something for your body.” He immediately ticked off a list of positive benefits associated with exercise, including better sleep, more energy, stress relief, weight loss, gain in strength,
to people was to get more sleep, drink more water, and get more exercise. If I can teach people at a young age the importance of a healthy lifestyle and they can get a taste of it, they will be more likely to do it on their own when it’s no longer required.”
“People who don’t typically lift weights see the most gains in about one and one-half months,” Blum said. “For most of them, that’s pretty exciting, and those results are what contribute to their coming back and doing it on their own.
“Hopefully we’re developing the kids so they’re excited about being active, feeling good about themselves and going to the next level of fitness,” said Thomforde. “It’s important for them to know that it takes effort, what it’s like to be tired and that it feels good.” improved athletic ability, a decreased chance of injury (whether in sports or in everyday life) and a decreased chance of developing cardiovascular disease. “There is an initial novelty with fitness and circuit training machines for both kids and adults, but then you realize a treadmill is pretty boring,” he said. “That’s when, mentally, you have to have sound reasons for taking the time to do it, or you’re not going to see it as being worth your time.” Exercise, Blum said, is really a form of preventive healthcare. “My father was a physician, and 90 percent of the time his advice
Time in class is split between strength training in the weight room and aerobic exercise in the cardio room. One day each week students have a “game day” where they focus on a lifetime activity such as tennis, softball, ultimate Frisbee or broomball. They receive an effort grade based on the difference in their pre-and post-assessments of strength, resting heart rate and trunk flexibility; results of a fitness quiz; and observation of their overall effort each day. For their own use, they keep a log of how much weight they lift and how many repetitions they are capable of doing.
“The bottom line is, if it’s valuable enough, you’ll make exercise a priority,” he continued. “That’s why results are so important — they help you stay consistent and motivated.” In addition to showing kids how exercise can change their bodies for the better, he also tries to make it fun. He has instituted the Core Challenge (where students commit to working on 10 core exercises four times a week for seven minutes a day), the Pump and Run (a combination of running a mile and seeing how much weight you can bench press), and the Green Runner Intensive Program (which encourages people to pick up litter when they are exercising), all designed to get the SPA community rallied around the common focal point of fitness. He also presents his students with a Cardio Challenge, where they switch machines every three minutes during class and try to rack up miles. Results are compared with other classes and the class with the most mileage earns an additional game day. “It’s fun, it’s competitive and they work twice as hard,” said Blum. “It’s exciting to see high school kids get so fired up about their fitness. winter 2007
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Reunion-Homecoming Weekend 2006
Fun for the whole family! This fall marked the first time the school has combined Reunion and Homecoming as one event. The weekend included many new activities, providing ample opportunities for alumni/ae, students and families to celebrate together.
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A - Sixth grader Claire Samuelson poses with the caricature created for her by a visiting artist Saturday, September 30, during the Kids’ Carnival. At right is her mom, Marya. B - Junior Willie Gambucci fronted the band The Gibbons as they played between soccer games Reunion-Homecoming Weekend. Other members of the band included junior drummer Sam Donaldson, junior keyboardist Peter Lile and Upper School math teacher/bass guitarist George Leiter. Junior guitarist Jake Schuerger is also a member of the band. The Gibbons recently put out a CD, Exuber-Ray, which is available for $10 by emailing the.gibbons.
mail@gmail.com.
C - This young girl tries her hand at spin art, one of many games and activities available during the Kids’ Carnival.
D - Thanks to Paul Quast ’72 of Saint Croix Vineyards near Stillwater, members of the SPA community watched people energetically compete for “best grapestomping style” ReunionHomecoming Weekend. Participants included Board of Trustees President and parent Charlie Zelle ’73, Development Director Jennifer Halcrow and parent Jock Donaldson. E - Alumni Roger Bacon ’54, Bill Pedersen ’56 and Pedersen’s wife, Elizabeth, joined students Friday, September 29, to watch the pepfest as a kick-off to sporting events during the weekend. In addition to cheers led by junior Travis Churchward as “The Spartan”, there were chariot races, a Dance-Dance Revolution competition and remarks from sports captains.
F - SPA parents Linda Linsmayer and Emily Blodgett face off during the doubles tennis tournament held Saturday morning, September 30. G - Popcorn and more were available at food stands staffed by parent volunteers during athletic contests at Reunion-Homecoming Weekend 2006. H - Tenth grader Kristin O’Brien, goalie for the Spartan girls’ soccer team, makes an important save during the 2006 Homecoming game against Totino-Grace. Despite her efforts, the team lost 0-1. The team is coached by Upper School history teacher Ben Danielson. I - Senior Jackson Lindeke uses his head to return a kick during the September 30 varsity boys’ soccer match against Totino-Grace. The Spartans, coached by Tod Herskovitz ’91, won the game 2-1.
J - Senior quarterback Spencer McMillan throws a pass during the Homecoming football game against St. Agnes. The SPA/Mounds Park Academy football team, coached by Mike Brown ’66, defeated the Aggies in the rain, 23-14. Other weekend highlights: • Jennifer Bend ’96 art exhibit in the Harry M. Drake Gallery • Screening of Wally by documentarian Bob Fink ’66 • Chinese calligraphy class donated by Summit School Class of 1956 • Campus tours and class visits by alumni/ae • Lecture and lunch with scientist Maura Donovan ’81
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Above, Jane Adams Canby ’51 introduced her husband to the assembled crowd at a dinner in his honor October 16. Left, 2006 Distinguished Alumni/ae Award recipient Judge William C. Canby ’49
William C. Canby ’49
Federal judge traces roots of his success back to SPA
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“Alumni/ae offer students a roadmap to the future, and embody what it means to live a rich and meaningful life,” Head of School Bryn Roberts told an assemblage of friends and well-wishers Monday, October 16, as he introduced 2006 Distinguished Alumni/ae Award recipient Judge William C. Canby ’49 at a dinner in his honor. Jane Adams Canby ’51 followed Roberts at the podium, noting it was an “enormous treat” to introduce her husband to a crowd of St. Paul Academy and Summit School faces. “The Academy played a significant role in my husband becoming a contented,
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interesting, well-traveled and ironic man,” she said. “He learned focus, discipline, and how to ask questions in a healthy way.” Canby himself then came to the front of the room, thanking “the previous speaker for her gracious remarks” and went on to say he was delighted both with the award and the honor of being selected the Distinguished Alumni/ae Award recipient for 2006. He spoke of his indebtedness to the Academy and of his experiences in the Peace Corps, in teaching law and in serving on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The following day he presented a similar speech to
Middle and Upper School students at an all-school assembly. Head of School Roberts told students Canby’s life and work were not exclusively defined by law, but that he was a prime example of someone who has used his background and intellect to help solve major social problems. He reminded them Canby was once a student at SPA, just as they are now. “He walked these halls, played on these fields and he studied in these classrooms,” Roberts reminded. “He is an important part of the SPA community to which you all belong.” Canby took the podium, noting it was fun, albeit somewhat daunting, to be
talking to the entire school. Nobody, when he was a student, called him “Judge,” he joked, and his primary use of the gymnasium in those days was for Thursday night target practice — something he felt would no longer be condoned. He expressed gratitude to the Academy for his education, noting the school has changed significantly over time and likely for the better. He credited part of that change and betterment to merging with Summit School in the late 1960s. Canby came to SPA as a student in the seventh grade after having attended public school. He told students he was not terribly interested in academics
when he first came to school here, that he had “always been careful not to excel.” “The faculty, certainly, encouraged me, but so did the student body,” he remembered. “They showed me it was good to try and learn as much as you could in school.” After Canby graduated from SPA he earned a degree in English from Yale University and a law degree from University of Minnesota. He practiced law in the D.C. area for five years and then he and his wife, Jane, decided to expand their horizons. “The world seemed to be expanding, in newspapers and in front of our eyes,” Canby explained. “Jane and I talked about it and decided we wanted to do something truly broadening.” For Canby, that meant joining the Peace Corps — then a fledgling organization — and moving with his wife and three young children to northern Ethiopia. He said it was a wonderful experience for many reasons, among them the lush beauty and distinct culture of that country. “Peace Corps volunteers expanded the Ethiopian middle and secondary school system, which had an impact on Ethiopians they have not forgotten,” he said. “Perhaps the greatest impact was on those of us who went there from the United States, many of whom have continued on in careers of public service.” About six years ago, Canby told students, he and five other former Peace Corps volunteers returned to Ethiopia and what is now independent Eritrea in an unofficial attempt to negotiate an end to the war between the two countries. “It is a tribute to the goodwill the Peace Corps left in Ethiopia and Eritrea that they
even bothered to take the time to listen to us,” he said. Canby and family traveled to and worked in Uganda after their stint in Ethiopia, and soon after he became a professor of law at Arizona State University. He later returned to Uganda to teach law for a year on a Fulbright grant and, while there, a coup was staged and the government overthrown. “Many countries in Africa were just becoming independent from colonialism in the early 1960s, and it was the height of an optimistic period,” Canby said. “It’s sad to see what is happening in a lot of the countries since then. Victories there are hard to find.” He discussed his current job as a federal judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, noting the Ninth Circuit has an historical reputation of being more liberal than other circuits. He credited that reputation to Jimmy Carter’s presidency, noting the Ninth Circuit was expanded at that time and 13 of the 23 judges were appointed by Carter himself. “It created a certain culture that differed somewhat from the other circuits, and certainly from the Supreme Court,” Canby said. “The trouble is, the Supreme Court gets the last word on the cases they hear.” That amounts to approximately 2-3 percent of all cases heard by the Ninth Circuit, he explained. While it may be easy to emphasize the differences between a liberal and a conservative judge, Canby noted it’s not a very accurate measure. Judicial philosophies can differ, he said, which may affect a few cases that are ideologically charged, but three judges hear each case and most are decided in a certain way due to the rule of law behind them. Canby applied to the Ninth Circuit, which he calls “very
Alumni/ae Council president John Bradford ’90 presented William C. Canby ’49 with the Distinguished Alumni/ae Bowl at a dinner in his honor October 16, 2006.
Nearly 180 people attended the 2006 celebration dinner in honor of Judge Canby, including Board of Trustees member Ann Ruhr Pifer ’83 and Molly Bigelow McMillan ’37, a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni/ae Award in 1988.
collegial,” after 13 years of teaching law, and was short-listed not once, but three times before he got the job. “I tell you this because you don’t always get the job you desire — or anything you desire — on the first try,” he reminded students. He likened his success to a .333 hitter in baseball, noting that while that’s a pretty good batting average, it still represents failing two-thirds of the time. As a judge on the Ninth
Circuit, Canby and his colleagues preside over the nine western states, which includes 30 percent of the population in the U.S., as well as 30 percent of federal cases heard. “When hearing an appeal, we are reviewing a record to see if something went wrong in the trial phase,” he explained. “The consequence is that you can’t go into trial with a new reason or new winter 2007
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Jeanne Goodman Herzog ’72, member of the Alumni/ae Council, introduces herself to Judge Canby.
evidence — you can’t shift your ground. Your whole effort has to be made in District Court. People are bound by the facts that come out during a trial, and that confines the argument and confines what we can do.” One of the pleasures of being a federal judge is they don’t specialize, but hear cases of all types, said Canby — including criminal cases, Indian law, antitrust cases, securities, unemployment law, Constitutional cases and Civil Rights law, among others. One of the most significant cases he has ruled on, he said, was against discrimination of homosexuals in the military.
“We have a huge breadth of cases so we look into something, try to become an expert, and decide the appeal,” said Canby. “It’s done this way because someone who is trying to win a legal argument ought to be able to convince a generalist of the rightness of their cause. It shouldn’t require someone who’s a specialist in a particular theory of law.” Nearly every political dispute winds up in court, said Canby, who noted, “When you start deciding hot-button issues in court, people get mad.” Those people, he said, might include Congress and the President. “If you do something
controversial, sometimes there’s a reaction,” he explained. “We’re in a period right now of reaction against the courts by the other branches of government.” Congress has passed a law that says courts no longer have habeas corpus jurisdiction over the detention of enemy combatants, Canby said, and there have been threats to split the Ninth Circuit Court. “Those are examples of branches of government that do not want the check of the third branch,” Canby explained. If such actions are carried too far, he said, “it affects the judicial independence that’s more important to all of our rights than we sometimes realize.” He talked about a recent trip to China where he taught continuing education in law to Chinese judges, and said they — much like people in the rest of the world — asked how he felt about the outcome of the O.J. Simpson trial. “It’s not the first time — if he is guilty — that a defendant has walked away,” Canby said. “But you can’t design a system that’s perfectly accurate. What you have to do is design one that has the balance you want,
and we have a balance where the protection of the defendant against improper conviction would be very, very high, even though we acknowledged that, from time to time, people who were guilty would go free. “If that’s the choice we made, there’s no reason to change it just because that might happen once in a while,” he continued. “We knew that when we selected it.” He was told judges in China do not have the freedom to make the sort of independent decisions that are the lifeblood of the American judicial system. “We have a great system here where people aren’t looking over our shoulder all the time,” acknowledged Canby. “A federal judge has life tenure, so it’s pretty hard to threaten us.” He wound down his speech, saying, “This all gets back, I suppose, to the fact that almost everything I have done every day, whether in the Peace Corps or teaching law or judging law, really got started at the Academy. The business is one of expression, one of writing, and the kind of a launch the Academy gave — even though it wasn’t as good a school as the one you are attending today — was invaluable.”
Nominate a Distinguished Alumni/ae Award candidate To nominate someone for the 2007 Distinguished Alumni/ae Award, they should meet one or more of the following criteria: • Achievement in or contribution to any of, but not limited to, the following: arts, athletics, business, community service, entrepreneurship, government/politics, human service, the professions (law, medicine, etc.) or sciences. • Service to community through professional or volunteer work. • Embodiment of the values of St. Paul Academy and Summit School, as expressed in its All nominations must be Mission Statement: In pursuit of excellence in teaching and learning, St. Paul Academy and Summit School educates a diverse and motivated group of young people for leadership and received by February 15, 2007. service, inspires in them an enduring love of learning, and helps them lead productive, ethical and joyful lives. Nominees must have been enrolled at the school; graduation from the school is not a requirement for selection. Nominations may be sent to: Alumni/ae Relations Office, 1712 Randolph Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55105 Nominations should include the name and class year of the person you are nominating, as well as their contact information. Please describe your nominee’s major achievements and the significance and impact of these accomplishments. Include any information on local, national or international recognition the nominee has received. Your name must be included as well. All nominations must be received by February 15, 2007. Nominees are kept on file for three years. For more information, go to www.spa.edu/alumni/award.asp or call 651-696-1308.
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Kicking the HIV/AIDS pandemic one at a time
soccer game
When visiting SPA classmate and Peace Corps volunteer Nicole Sheldon-Desjardins ’98 in Cameroon in February 2005, Leah Dozier ’98 had no idea her outlook on life was about to change. At first she thought she loved Africa simply because it was new and different, but she quickly realized her destiny was to make a difference. She returned to Africa just a year and a half later to put that destiny into action. Dozier is the Zambia Program Director for Grassroot Soccer (GRS), an organization that trains professional soccer players and other role models in Africa to spread the message about HIV and AIDS prevention. She began as a volunteer teaching intern with the program in September 2005 and has been directing the program in Lusaka, Zambia, since August 2006. “The premise behind Grassroot Soccer is to mobilize the global soccer community to join the fight against HIV/ AIDS,” Dozier explained. “Our method is to use the power of sport to engage young minds in essential life skills and HIV/ AIDS prevention education.
“People here are almost severely passionate about the game and pretty much everyone you meet is a footballer,” she continued. “We’ve found that tying football (soccer) and HIV/AIDS education together works extremely well to engage children and get them excited about learning.” The GRS curriculum is activity-based and geared toward youth ages 10-18, with a special emphasis on kids ages 12-14. A typical eightweek program includes some 15-plus games that keep kids energized and talking about HIV and AIDS prevention, as well as basic tenets of living in a healthy way. Games include such things as “Pressure Limbo” winter 2007
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Leah Dozier ’98 poses with a group of Zambian children involved in the Grassroot Soccer program.
with a limbo stick that reads “sex,” and participants discuss why the stick gets harder to pass under the older you get. “We teach them that it’s okay to feel pressure to have sex, but that they need to be aware of what’s right for them,” Dozier said. “That might include abstinence, monogamy, or using condoms.” To participate in the program, each child has to sign a team contract. Under the terms of the contract, participants agree to talk about difficult topics and share their own viewpoints, to actively participate, to respect the opinions of others and recognize there are no ‘right’ answers, and to share what they learn with family and friends. “The kids in our programs aren’t afraid to talk about sensitive issues,” Dozier said. “In school they are lectured at, or learn things by memorization. Our activities are so engaging, so active, that 20
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they learn almost without realizing it.” Approximately 20-30 kids participate in each eight-week program. The program begins with a game called “Categories,” where facilitators might ask kids to share their favorite color or animal and to group themselves with others who have the same view. The point of the game, said Dozier, is that although it is easy to follow your friends, everyone has the right to make their own decisions. “We talk about whether or not it’s easy to stand alone if no one else shares your opinions,” she said. “We teach them that they have a right to choose, and that we are going to give them the information to make informed decisions.” Another game, “My Supporters,” places one child in the middle of a group of eight, with each person in the circle representing the child’s support network — teachers, parents, siblings, friends, doctors, coaches. The group role-plays that the person in the middle is HIV-positive, and discusses whether or not they would turn their back on that person, perhaps due to fear or social stigma. They talk about how they can support each other and why it is necessary to do so, as well as what the person in the middle can do when there is no one left to lean on. “We teach them that the person with HIV might need even more support,” said Dozier. “Our goal is to prevent HIV, but with infection rates so high (16.7 percent in Zambia) the reality is that we must accept, and embrace, those who do have it, and we need to be able to talk about it.” At the end of the program, kids engage in culmination activities that show where they stand on a variety of topics in a game called “Where do I
stand?” They agree, disagree or state they are not sure to a number of probing statements, such as, “If you teach children about sex, they will become more sexually active.” Although they can answer any way they choose, they have to back up their answer with sound reasoning. “During ‘Where do I stand?’ you can really see how much they’ve learned,” said Dozier. “They are so thoughtful in their answers and comments. It’s amazing how sports can get kids involved in positive things, and that even HIV education can be something they look forward to.” Parents and extended families are extremely supportive of the GRS program, Dozier said, noting most people in Africa are starved for information about HIV and AIDS. “No one here is unaffected by HIV. It has infiltrated every family, every community, every province, the entire nation in one way or another,” she said. “Giving these kids a forum to learn about and talk about HIV is giving them hope for the future and a reason to believe they have control over this killer disease.” The GRS program is taught by a variety of Zambians — from soccer players to teachers — who have been trained in its curriculum. Dozier’s job is to mentor the trainers and facilitate the program, making decisions on funding, curriculum, recruiting and more. She visits with each of the volunteers in their communities at least six times a year to give them feedback on their teaching, and conducts two-day refresher courses three times a year to help keep them motivated. In addition to the
programming in Lusaka, Dozier is in charge of placing the program in several refugee camps throughout Zambia. She travels to the camps monthly to monitor and evaluate their progress, and has partnered with a local organization, Breakthrough Sports Academy, to train even more coaches in the GRS method. She also organizes a 25-member peer education team of 18-to-25-year-old volunteers in conjunction with Africa Directions, a local youth community center. “The GRS peer educators work with schools, churches, orphanages, sports teams and more,” said Dozier. “We teach them how to teach and give them money for transportation to the programs, and they do the rest. We would never be able to accomplish what we’re doing without the generosity and enthusiasm of the Zambians we work with.” Grassroot Soccer was initially begun in Zimbabwe in January 2003 through a grant funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and continues primarily with the help of private funding
and lots of public support. The program was established in Zambia in early 2005, with Barclays Bank and the International Organization for Migration providing the bulk of financial support. Leah and three other volunteers traveled to Zambia in September 2005, never having worked in health care or for a non-governmental organization (NGO) of any sort. “I didn’t know anything when we began,” Dozier admitted. “It was difficult at first because I wanted to help right away, but we couldn’t fix things instantly. My daily work and the challenges I face are extremely different than anything I could have prepared myself for, but prove to be great learning experiences and are helping to guide me on my journey into public health work.” One of her favorite success stories comes from a GRS trainer, who told Dozier three separate sets of parents came to her after their children graduated from the program to thank her, noting that since their children went through the program they are able to talk
Dozier travels to refugee camps throughout Zambia to teach the Grassroot Soccer curriculum, including to Mayukwayukwa in the western part of the country.
Zambian teens play “Pressure Limbo” to explore the idea of being pushed to have sex, and discuss ways in which they might cope with that pressure.
openly about HIV/AIDS as a family, even feeling comfortable enough to admit to their children they are HIV-positive. “It is still extremely taboo to talk about people actually having HIV,” Dozier explained. “Usually people who pass away here have died from a ‘cold,’ a ‘cough,’ ‘pneumonia’ and such. Hearing that these parents were comfortable enough to tell their children they are infected is one of the most powerful things I’ve heard Grassroot Soccer has accomplished for African families.” Volunteering doesn’t necessarily come cheap, and Dozier had to raise funds to finance her initial unpaid internship. Although she was advised to raise $5,000, she raised nearly $10,000, and used almost all of that money before landing the paid Program Director position. “GRS volunteers pay for everything themselves, and the exchange rate doubled what I thought a lot of things would cost,” she said. “But the support I got from people — some of whom were practically strangers
— was overwhelming; truly unbelievable. “Coming to Africa has definitely changed my career path,” she continued. “Visiting Nicole in Cameroon opened my eyes to a lot of things, and when I came back from that trip I started looking for places to volunteer.” She credits her education at SPA with encouraging her to take the first steps of what has become an incredible journey, and she steadfastly encourages others to get out of their comfort zones and try something new. “SPA opened my eyes to the world, to places outside of Minnesota and outside the United States,” she said. “When I talk about my experiences here, almost all of my friends say, ‘I wish I could do that.’ It’s almost frustrating, because you can. Anyone can. If your heart is in it and you want to do it, you won’t fail.” For more information about Grassroot Soccer, go to www.grassrootsoccer.org, or visit www.kickaids.org for information on U.S.based programming. winter 2007
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SPA grads show L.E.A T
The question on the simple white business card is ambiguous, leaving only an Internet address to answer the question. Generating enough curiosity to get people involved is exactly what members of The Leadership Emergence And Development (L.E.A.D.) Project are hoping for, and they’re willing to throw a big party to do it. L.E.A.D., brainchild of Matt Hemsley, 27, of Minneapolis, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to “directing the energies and resources of young professionals in the Twin Cities toward philanthropic causes that serve the community.” This is achieved by a volunteer board that hosts charity events at popular venues in an attempt to attract and mobilize 20-and 30-somethings to learn about issues facing the Twin Cities community, with the potential to volunteer with the organizations that help address those issues. Serving on the volunteer board with Hemsley are Jim Delaney ’93, Corporate Relations; Uri Neren ’94, Community Relations; and Ravi Ramalingam ’96, Director, along with four others. “We all left to go away to school, and we’ve all chosen to come back to Minnesota,” 22
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explained Delaney. “L.E.A.D. is a way for us to answer the question, ‘How are we going to make this the best place to live?’” L.E.A.D.’s plan is to host unique social events quarterly in support of a nonprofit charity in one of the following areas: Arts, Education, Environment, Healthcare, Income Inequality. In September 2006, L.E.A.D. hosted its first party-with-apurpose in support of Bolder Options, a Minneapolis-based youth mentoring program that focuses its efforts on at-risk youth 10-14 years old with an interest in running and biking. The event was staged at Chambers, a luxury art hotel which opened in September on Ninth Street and Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis, and featured Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak as the keynote speaker. “There is so much going on in the city right now,” observed Delaney. “Theater, art, stadiums, the downtown Minneapolis library… I don’t want to look back one day and say a) I wasn’t a part of it, and b) I didn’t do anything to advance it.” The first event sold out at $85/ticket mainly via word of mouth, with the eight members on the volunteer board counting a network of some 700-800
people between them. Between five and 10 people registered with Bolder Options at the event, and the other 300 guests now have a clearer idea of what that organization is all about. “We had a really excellent response afterwards, and we had to deal with all these people who wanted to be involved — not just with Bolder Options, but also with L.E.A.D. itself,” said Neren. “Our goal is to funnel off their enthusiasm to the charities we sponsor.” L.E.A.D. supports smallerto medium-sized nonprofits based in the Twin Cities that are innovative and forward-thinking; are efficient in their use of resources — financial, capital and human; experts in their fields; collaborative; and can exhibit a history of volunteer management experience. “We seek to support and develop the capacity of innovative and emerging organizations,” explained Neren. “L.E.A.D. does not support large nonprofit organizations, except in the case of specific new and innovative projects. L.E.A.D. also does not provide start-up funds nor partner with organizations too small, unstable, or new to handle the task of hosting a L.E.A.D. party, administrate funds, provide volunteer experiences, maintain a partnership with L.E.A.D., or
maintain organizational success into the future.” Selected charities must be certified by the Charities Review Council or similar organization, must apply at least 70 percent of their budget toward direct charitable activity, demonstrate ethical fundraising practices, and address issues currently afflicting the Twin Cities community. L.E.A.D. does not directly fund individuals, government agencies, scholarships, publications, political organizations or activities, religious organizations or activities, efforts to increase public awareness of a social problem without suggesting an approach to prevent, solve or reduce it, or federated giving programs. L.E.A.D. events are funded in three ways: corporate sponsorships, ticket sales and monies raised through silent auctions at its events. Its September 2006 event raised $15,000 net profit, all of which was funneled directly to Bolder Options. Delaney’s job is to manage the corporate sponsors, which currently include C.H. Robinson, Best Buy, United Health Foundation and Target. L.E.A.D. is also in talks with Medtronic, USBank, General Mills and Dorsey Whitney. Each corporate sponsor donates $10,000 in a fiscal year to L.E.A.D., and hand-picks one of their up-andcoming employees to serve on the roundtable L.E.A.D. board. “We believe that young professionals who become involved with The L.E.A.D. Project will develop broader relationships with other young professionals in the Twin Cities, become more engaged in the issues that are impacting the Twin Cities and develop a sense of ownership in the community,” said Delaney.
A.D. ership potential “The L.E.A.D. Project represents a unique opportunity in supporting and developing employees of the corporate sponsor who have excellent leadership potential,” added Neren. “Ultimately, we hope it helps provide a social network for them and leads to increased employee retention. A paycheck will only keep someone here so long if they are otherwise unhappy.” A L.E.A.D. event will typically feature a presentation by the sponsored charity as well as a keynote speaker, silent auction, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. The group plans to promote each event some six-to-eight weeks in advance with a Happy Hour geared toward 70 or so people they consider good ambassadors who will be asked to help spread the word about the event. “There’s no nonprofit organization in the country that’s having more fun than L.E.A.D.,” Delaney enthused. “It’s a really great blend of friendships and trying to do something good.” Although on the surface it may look like a group of young professionals looking for any excuse to throw a big party, Neren said the real impetus in forming was knowing that many organizations are floundering without the involvement of a younger generation of leaders. “Statistically, with Baby Boomers and The Greatest Generation stepping out of leadership roles, we’re in a near-crisis situation,” he said. “We figure we can help bridge the generation gap at nonprofits by creating opportunities for young professionals within the organization.” “In a community the scale of the Twin Cities, you can actually make an impact,” added Ramalingam. “It’s pretty
Board members of The L.E.A.D. Project include, from left, Ravi Ramalingam ’96, Liz Scatarella, Ryan Burnet, Dan Miller, Eric Dayton, Uri Neren ’94, Jim Delaney ’93, Matt Hemsley. Ramalingam is a director in the nonprofit organization who helped write the charity selection criteria, Neren is in charge of community relations, and Delaney is in charge of corporate relations for the group. Photo courtesy Vince Muzik
easy to make a difference here; if you get the message out, it’s not unfathomable to get people involved. L.E.A.D. makes it easy for people to see the potential the city has beyond its current greatness.” Young people have a natural thirst to get involved, Neren said, and The L.E.A.D. Project is an easy and enjoyable way for them to do so. “We are a people who are very advantaged and we want to leverage that to become a closerknit community of professionals,” he said. While the old model of fundraising centered on obligation, The L.E.A.D. Project promotes a chance for people to have fun and be social while still contributing to the betterment of society. “The credit for this organization really goes to Matt,”
said Ramalingam. “He had a great idea, and he got a good group of people together to execute it.” All three agreed the environment at SPA was significant in forming the world views that have since led to their becoming involved with L.E.A.D. “SPA is an incredibly socially conscious school; people there are very aware of both political and social causes,” said Ramalingam. “Sending me to SPA was the best decision my parents ever made. “It was and is a liberalthinking school,” he continued, “with a tremendous caring for people and for helping others. The teachers were like parents; they knew you and looked out for you.” Neren related the volunteer aspect of his senior project to his involvement in L.E.A.D., noting the sense of ethics of the school
and its teachers has stayed with him over time. “SPA was a very sophisticated environment,” added Delaney. “We had remarkable speakers come in, and the level of serious political debate among 16-and 17-year-olds was truly incredible.” Each noted their families are politically and socially engaged as well, and that L.E.A.D. has the full support not just of their parents and friends, but of their employers as well. The next L.E.A.D. event will be held Saturday, February 3, from 8 p.m.-1 a.m. at Franklin Art Works, 1021 East Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis. Its charity partner is People Serving People, a temporary homeless shelter for youth and men and women with families. For more information, go to www.theleadproject.org. winter 2007
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Remember When Finlay Lewis ’56 connects the bittersweetness of yesterday with the reality of today
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Making that turn from Randolph Avenue onto Davern brings it all back, 50 years of separation vanishing in an instant. Ah, it’s all so familiar — the middle class houses coexisting with that brick building amidst all those trees that must have been there in 1916 when John deQ. Briggs opened the doors to a new St. Paul Academy campus. It would be a country day school rivaling Blake and dedicated to enriching the minds of the local elite’s sons, and instilling character in the bargain. Not much country around that neighborhood anymore, but then the pasture land had long ago retreated when Beulah Brown gave our commencement speech and Ed Read wished us all well as we, the Class of 1956, embarked on the journey of the rest of our lives. But the fleeting sense that nothing has really changed doesn’t survive the right turn at mid-block. Where was the old parking lot with the study hall just ahead and the hockey rinks a bit beyond? For those of us who have lived most of our subsequent lives elsewhere, the shock of the new was exciting and yet also unsettling: have we changed as much as the school? And so it was as well with our Summit School counterparts — a reintroduction to a school and classmates that was at once awkward and exhilarating. How do you reconnect with somebody 24
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who went to class with you every school day for a decade or more when you have to peer — surreptitiously — at a name tag before that person begins to come into focus? How do you bridge the gap carved between us by time and life’s frictional passage? Do we have anything in common at all anymore? Well, yes we do. If nothing else, it is the school that provides the connective tissue. Some — perhaps most — of us needed a guide to find Friday night’s All-School Reunion Dinner in the dining hall just off the John deQ. Briggs Gymnasium. The different generations seemed to sort themselves out, and it was a bit of a shock to see all those unfamiliar younger faces and to realize they were all alums, too. Yes, the school has continued to function quite nicely after the ’56ers left this reconfigured campus. And we did find each other — easterners, westerners, Twin Citians, academics, fundraisers, lawyers, bankers, writers, even an architect, a city councilwoman and a political reporter. The years melted away as we wondered at the oddities of school life in the mid-’50s — the uniforms, the unchallenged tradition of gender apartheid that resulted in two campuses for so many decades and, for the Academy grads, all those hours of drill. What on earth was that all about? Through it all was a sense of both continuity and change, and that was underscored for us the next day at the Heritage Brunch in Bigelow Commons. Bryn Roberts may be in his rookie year as headmaster, but his research had penetrated deeply into the SPA/Summit School institutional culture during the middle years of the 20th Century. We were products of a program
with few electives. The school and our parents had bought into a pedagogical conviction that a classical curriculum, regular participation in team sports and military discipline would produce a well-rounded young adult ready for college and, after that, a lifetime of useful citizenship. We were also taught the importance of learning to think — and to read — and to appreciate that there are no simple answers to the complex questions that adult life inevitably poses. The message from Bryn and others at the school underlined a continuing dedication to incubating and stirring young minds. On the other hand, some of us who had been on the student council in those days recalled our having scoffed at a visiting educator’s question whether there was time and tolerance at the Academy for a kid who wanted to write poetry. What kind of weirdo would want to do that? Hey, buddy, here at SPA we all play football. The educator’s question continues to be an absurd one, but with a reverse twist: of course, there would be time and tolerance. It’s part of what St. Paul Academy and Summit School is all about nowadays. Forget about poetry: would you believe calligraphy? Thanks to the remarkable generosity of Summit ’56, the school received funding to commission a piece of Chinese calligraphy and to offer a calligraphy workshop for advanced students in Mandarin. Speaking with emotion and eloquence, Vicki Churchill Ford made the presentation in memory of her classmate, Elaine Donham Dennett, underlining a recent academic venture aimed at keeping SPA relevant to a changing global community — the teaching of Chinese. Add
that to the school’s extraordinary success in AP exams, in Merit Scholarships and in statewide competitions dominated by The Rubicon, and we began to appreciate the magnitude of the changes between Now and Then. Saturday evening brought us all together again thanks to the gracious hospitality of Charc and Susan Rose Ward, who wined and dined us in precisely the kind of setting that made us feel like a class once again. We became more comfortable at exchanging narratives that were themselves a kind of shorthand to summarize 50 years of living. The wine certainly helped, and laughter came easily. The next morning it was Vicki and Si Ford’s turn to play host. As we filed into the University Club for their farewell brunch, exhausted marathoners were plodding along Summit Avenue. They had started at the Metrodome in Minneapolis and now the finish line at the State Capitol was in sight. Inevitably, for some of us, it may have been a metaphor — there surely having been moments in our lives that made us appreciate the loneliness of long distance runners. Inside, we applauded a classmate’s accomplishment when Daphne Roberts Bell presented Headmaster Roberts with her book, New to New Zealand. But there seemed a bit of melancholy mingled with high spirits on that lovely morning. The 50th was over. When would we next see each other? As we emerged into the sunlight, the really slow runners were still straggling along the avenue, persevering against themselves. Finlay Lewis is a White House correspondent for Copley News Service in Washington, D.C.
Alumni/a e News Alumni/ae Council: Making connections by Tanya Bui ’08
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Since its founding more than 100 years ago, the number of alumni/ae at St. Paul Academy and Summit School has increased by the thousands. The Alumni/ae Council, a group of alumni/ae with membership currently from the classes of 1947 through 1994, represents alumni/ae who attended all three of our schools — Summit School, St. Paul Academy and the merged school of St. Paul Academy and Summit School. “Anyone who attended the school is considered an alumnus/ a,” said Alumni/ae Relations Director Daymond Dean ’85, who organizes the group. “The purpose of the Alumni/ae Council is to connect alums with each other and with the school, resulting in relationships that work toward the betterment of the school and alumni/ae community.” John Bradford ’90, President of the Council, chairs the bi-monthly meetings and oversees the Council’s committees. The committees include: Communication, which maintains communication with alumni/ae via the Class Agent program, producing an alumni/ae directory and communicating alumni/ae events with friends and classmates; Connections, which works with the Alumni/ae Office to review connections with and find lost alumni/ae; Core Events, which plans and organizes annual, recurring events such as Reunion, Homecoming, the Distinguished Alumni/ae Award dinner and holiday gatherings; Special Events, which helps plan and promote events geared toward specific interest
groups within the alumni/ae community; Recognition, which seeks to find and recognize alumni/ae accomplishments and selects the Distinguished Alumni/ae Award recipient; and Governance, which establishes the group’s structures, practices and procedures, and selects the Council’s membership. The full Council meets every other month for one and onehalf hours in the Ames Room on the Randolph Campus. “What we’re trying to do is stay current with what is going on with the school and to be a voice to communicate more directly with alumni/ae on the school’s behalf,” said Bradford. “At each meeting, a current faculty or staff member makes a presentation to update us about various school programs. Presentations range from updates on academic programs to College Counseling to the
2006 - 2007 Alumni/ae Council Stan Shepard ’47 Junie Stringer DeCoster ’51 Jean Elmquist Hart ’52 Tom Mears ’57 Ward Johnson ’64 Jeanne Goodman Herzog ’72 Kathy M. Spraitz ’80 John Patterson ’86 John Bradford ’90, President Dave Murphy ’90, Past President Charlie Neimeyer ’90 John Cosgriff ’93 Jim Delaney ’93 Bryan Smith ’94 Laura Nuffort ’02 Daymond Dean ’85, Alumni/ae Relations Director
Alumni/ae Council members John Bradford ’90 and Dave Murphy ’90 chat with Board of Trustees member Fred Kaemmer ’88 during the October 2006 Distinguished Alumni/ae Award dinner honoring William Canby ’49.
structure of the yearly budget.” The months the full Council does not meet are reserved for committees to meet and coordinate their activities. On average, Council members are expected to spend two to three hours per month in meetings, and to attend several alumni/ae events throughout the year. The Council also works with the Alumni/ae Relations Office to produce the Alumni/ae Directory, which is published every five years. In the upcoming year, the Council plans to launch an online version of the directory. The goal is to maintain an up-todate directory that is easily accessible for alumni/ae and will facilitate networking within the alumni/ae community. Additionally, the Council hopes that by using technology they can extend their Council, currently comprised of local Twin Cities alumni/ae, to include alumni/ae who live in other cities, states and countries. This extension of the Council will be accomplished through committees using a secure Internet site to communicate assignments and report on committee tasks, as well as to provide a vehicle for Council members to discuss specific topics or provide feedback. Dean estimates
that while half of the school’s alumni/ae live in the Twin Cities area, the other half are scattered across the United States and in other countries. Dean and Bradford emphasize that while SPA does need the financial support of its alumni/ae, “In addition to writing a check, there are many other things you can do to support the school,” said Bradford, “and hopefully the Council is providing alumni/ae ways to facilitate that support. For instance, you can serve as a Class Agent, host a regional alumni/ae event, coordinate or supervise a senior project, assist the Alumni/ae Relations Office in planning your class reunion, or volunteer to work at one of the many school events.” To become involved with the Council or its work, Dean says, “Call me up; we are looking to enhance the Council committees by providing opportunities for at-large alumni/ae to be active, and we are looking for a representative group of varying class years.” Dean encourages all alumni/ae interested in serving as a member of the Alumni/ae Council to call him at 651-6961308 or email ddean@spa.edu. New members are added to the Council each summer for threeyear terms. winter 2007
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Bulletin Board Class Agent
Class Notes
To submit a class note, write: Tracy Madden, St. Paul Academy and Summit School, 1712 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105, email tmadden@spa.edu, or go to www.spa.edu/alumni. Please include your class year, and maiden name if applicable. Photos are welcome and will be returned.
Drop In
Next time you are in Saint Paul or driving in the neighborhood, please stop by the school for a visit and quick tour! Call Alumni/ae Relations Director Daymond Dean at 651-696-1308 to set up an appointment, or simply drop by any time. Say hello to former teachers, walk the halls and see the many changes that have taken place since you left.
www.spa.edu
If you would like to become a Class Agent, even if there is one already listed for your class, contact Tracy Madden at 651-696-1323, or tmadden@spa.edu. Class Agents keep in touch with their classmates several times throughout the year, updating them on the school, their friends and upcoming events. They also help with special events and reunion planning.
New Address
Need to update us with a name change, address, telephone number or other information? Email tmadden@spa.edu, fill out the online alumni/ae update form at www.spa.edu/alumni/updateus.asp, or write: Tracy Madden, St. Paul Academy and Summit School, 1712 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105.
Get Involved
Would you like to receive periodic email updates from the school? If so, send your email address to tmadden@spa.edu or go to www.spa.edu/alumni.
Important N
um
bers Main line: 651-698-2 451 Main fax: 6 51-698-67 87 Admissions: 651-696-1 33 Alumni/ae Relations: 6 9 51-696-13 Annual Fu 08 nd: 651-69 6-1320 Athletics: 6 51-696-14 49
Would you like to volunteer to help with Reunion, be interviewed by a student, come and speak to a class, host a senior for their senior project? Find out about these and other volunteer opportunities by calling Alumni/ae Relations Director Daymond Dean at 651-696-1308, email ddean@spa.edu, or write: Daymond Dean, St. Paul Academy and Summit School, 1712 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105.
Calendar of Events February 7 | Alumni/ae Council meeting, 12-1:30 p.m., Ames Room, RC 10 | Admissions testing for grades 6-12, 8:30-11:30 a.m., RC 10 | Admissions testing for grades 3-5, 9-11 a.m., GC 10 | Upper School Winter Vocal Concert and Community Chorale, 7 p.m., United Church of Christ in Saint Paul 11 | SPA Neighborhood Valentine Ice Skating Party, 12:15-1:45 p.m., Drake Arena 15 | Financial Aid deadline 15 | Re-enrollment contracts due 20 | Board of Trustees meeting, 4-6 p.m., Ames Room, RC
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24 | Annual Fund Phonathon, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Development Office, RC 24 | Spartan Express, sponsored by the Parents’ Diversity Committee, 5-7 p.m., GC 25 | Winter Instrumental Concert, 2 p.m., Sarah Converse Auditorium, GC
March 3 | Admissions testing for grades 6-12, 8:30-11:30 a.m., RC 3 | Admissions testing for grades 3-5, 9-11 a.m., GC 9 | MS musical, 7 p.m., Sarah Converse Auditorium, GC 10 | MS musical, 4 p.m., Sarah Converse Auditorium, GC
April 4 | Alumni/ae Council meeting, 12-1:30 p.m., Ames Room, RC 16 | Board of Trustees meeting, 4-6 p.m., Ames Room, RC
18 | Luncheon for Past Presidents of the Parents’ Associations, 11:30-1 p.m., Ames Room, RC 25 | Luncheon for former faculty/ staff, 11:30-1 p.m., Ames Room, RC 26 | Friends Reception, 6-8 p.m., Dining Hall, RC 28 | US Spring Concert, 7 p.m., Sarah Converse Auditorium, GC
May 3 | Alumni/ae luncheon: Meet Head of School Bryn Roberts, reconnect with classmates and learn about plans for Reunion-Homecoming Weekend 2007, 11:30 a.m.1 p.m., Ames Room, RC 4 | Senior Art Show reception (exhibit runs through June 10), 5-6:30 p.m., Harry M. Drake Gallery, RC 17 | MS spring play, 7 p.m., Bigelow Commons, RC
18 | MS spring play, 1:30 p.m., Bigelow Commons, RC 18-19 | US spring musical, Evita, 7 p.m., Sarah Converse Auditorium, GC 20 | US spring musical, Evita, 4 p.m., Sarah Converse Auditorium, GC 21 | Board of Trustees meeting, 4-6 p.m., Ames Room, RC 24 | MS Spring Concert, 7 p.m., Sarah Converse Auditorium, GC
June 6 | Alumni/ae Council meeting, 4-6 p.m., Bigelow Commons, RC 10 | Class of 2007 Commencement, 4 p.m., RC 11 | Board of Trustees meeting, 4-6 p.m., Ames Room, RC
Class Notes 1930s 1931 Kelly Earl Davis
1932 1933 1934 Mary-Hill Kueffner French writes, “A fine trip to Russia, starting with four days in St. Petersburg, which meant time to see old friends there (and make new ones). Gray is gone, now it’s color everywhere — palaces in green and white, blue and white, yellow and white, gilded domes on the churches, flowers in the numerous parks. The ship N. Chernyshevsky took us, via river, lakes and canals, with stops at cities along the way, to Moscow for three days. Shipboard lessons in Russian/Cyrillic helped us read signs and lectures on art, history and politics and current life gave us some background for all we saw. Now we are about to leave for a visit with our son and wife: boating on Lake Mead, picnics in the mountains and, of course, gambling and shows in Las Vegas.”
1935 Duncan Baird dbaird4413@aol.com Bayliss Griggs writes, “I plan on celebrating my 90th birthday January 18, 2007. Mary and I plan on celebrating our 60th anniversary March 24, 2007. God bless SPASS and all it stands for!”
1936 Ben Rogers writes, “Sorry I couldn’t be at Reunion but I thought of SPA all day. I’m coming up on 89 and have no complaints about how life
has treated me. Plenty of kids and step-kids, grandkids and step-grands, and a couple of great-grands. Peggy and I have been married for 34 years and are looking forward to the years ahead. I am a double-crostic maniac, play solitaire and read books. Any of my friends who are still kicking will be surprised to hear that I haven’t had a drink in over 10 years.”
1937 70th Reunion October 12-14, 2007
Henry Morgan writes, “I am now four score and seven years of age. Hard to believe I’m 87. 1937 seems long ago and far away, but also like yesterday.”
1938 1939
1940s 1940 1941 Marney Brown Brooks marneybb@aol.com Betty Herrmann Cowie Joann Wilkinson Aalfs writes, “Hi to all of you! I haven’t forgotten ‘the gang.’ I’m now depending on all of you to celebrate our history as the ‘thundering herd’ (maybe no longer ‘thundering,’ but certainly ‘heard’, right?). Thanks for ‘carrying on’ at our Reunion. I am enjoying life in Northampton — just celebrated my youngest daughter Janet’s 50th birthday with all of my children.” Milt Williams writes, “I was in Ruidoso, New Mexico, during our Reunion — sorry. Good health, lots of golf. Has been hot in Austin, Texas.”
1942 65th Reunion October 12-14, 2007
Leila Jackson Poullada Harry McNeely Jr. hmcneely@meritex.com Joe Elsinger Harry McNeely has been a member of the University of St. Thomas Board of Trustees since 1969 and serves on the Academic Affairs, Audit-Finance, Board Affairs and Executive committees. He has helped fund several initiatives at St. Thomas, including a faculty development program to support sabbaticals in 1974, the start-up of graduate programs (1970s-1980s), and the establishment of the Institute for Family Business (1990), which later evolved into the Center for Family Enterprise. He also commissioned a statue of Monsignor Terrence J. Murphy, president of St. Thomas from 1966-1991. Leila Jackson Poullada writes, “Sofia Poullada ’71 is currently studying for an M.A. in early childhood development. Her daughter, Roxana Safipour, is a sophomore at MIT, majoring in geology.”
1943 Bob Knox John Baird writes, “This picture may amuse some of the older alumnae. This snapshot was taken in 1939 at the Van Cleve dude ranch near Big Timber, Montana. It shows Sarah Converse, headmistress of the Summit School, about to climb on a horse for a ride in the Crazy Mountains. She was visiting with the Baird family and apparently having an enjoyable time. Not only did she go for afternoon rides to some of the scenic overlooks, she also went on a pack trip with us to a
camp above timberline where there were no facilities and the sleeping accommodations were located under some bushes where bed rolls were spread out. For a dignified Southern lady, these were radical changes from her usual routine. I recall she entered into dude ranch life with enthusiasm and as a ‘good sport.’ This was just before the Germans invaded Poland and lives of my generation were deeply affected.”
1944 Georgia Ray Lindeke writes, “My full-length literary biography of Saint Paul writer Grace Flandrau, 1886-1971, will be published by Edinborough Press and will come out (hopefully) in time for Women’s History Month March 2007. Edinborough specializes in Civil War history, regional history and women’s history. Dan Hoisington is the publisher.”
1945 Ed Bronstien elb@rybovich.com Ginny Kinkead Stockwell
1946 George Mairs Winslow Briggs writes, “I am still going strong with a National Science Foundation grant to investigate the biochemistry of plant photoreceptors. I have one postdoctoral fellow, one graduate winter 2007
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Class Notes 1940s continued
Alumni/ae at the Distinguished Alumni/ae Award dinner in October had the opportunity to socialize with other alumni/ae of all ages, as well as current students. Pictured are senior Derek Schaible, Bob Platt ’49, and Daymond Dean ’85.
student, and two sabbatical visitors in my lab. I feel incredibly lucky! Still getting asked to talk at international meetings — last spring two in Paris, one in Tuscany, and three in China; this fall, two in Taiwan! My very best wishes to the Class of ’46 (and before and after).” Merritt and Amity Alexander Osborn write, “Merritt retired 15 years ago, got bored and started a small experimental manufacturing company. He goes to the office every day unless we’re out of town. Four children all over the country and doing well. Ten grandchildren, seven of these are in or through with college — seven different schools in seven different states. Hard to keep up, but we try. Spend a little time in Arizona and Florida but not enough. Sorry we couldn’t get up for our 60th but try to keep in touch with classmates.”
1947 60th Reunion October 12-14, 2007
Stan Shepard stanlucyshepard@ worldnet.att.net Sallie Stoltze O’Brien
1948 Anne Hartley
1950
Brad Smith jbradner575@comcast.net Jettabee “Jerrie” Christenson Edman writes, “Wonderful to have seen so many of you on August 25. Just like old times! Love to all.”
1952 55th Reunion October 12-14, 2007
Helen McGovern Frye Dean Alexander deano472@aol.com
J. Bradner Smith writes, “My son, Bradner H. ’86, and his wife, Laura, presented us with a grandson June 5, 2006. Named Harrison Bradner Smith, he perhaps will be an SPA alum in the near future, making it three generations of Smiths to attend SPA. Little Harry just happens to be the grandson of another SPA grad, Tomy O’Brien ’51.”
1951
1949 Peggy Hamm Lemmon peglem49@aol.com Bill Clapp gusclapp@qwest.net
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1950s
Class Agent Dean Alexander writes, “Austy Pryor is in a state of mourning because the golf season is over. However, he and Dorothy compensate by singing in a nationally ranked chamber choir. Check it out at www.stbarnabasgreenwich. org. Next July, they will be following the Ramaleys and other classmates in taking their family on a cruise to Alaska. This will be extra-special because they will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. The Ramaleys were beaming in New York recently because they were looking at their beautiful new granddaughter, Indra. Indra was joining her two-year-old big sister, Kaia. Being a balanced family, they also have two grandsons with their daughter in Minnesota. They plan to escape to Bonita Springs, Florida, in March. Jock is preparing to look
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Bruce Monick monick4215@aol.com Wellsie Griggs Mack writes, “Although I was not able to attend the Reunion weekend, I was definitely there in spirit! I have such fond memories of each and every one of you, and hope that we can have another get-together soon again. Take care!”
Tomy and Alvina O’Brien hosted the Classes of 1951 reunion party at their home September 30. Pictured are, row one from left: Donna Perlt Wyatt, Rebecca Driscoll Blodgett, Anne Stringer DeCoster, Cathy Myers Buscher, Genna Lewis Anderson. Row two: Bruce Monick, Thomond O’Brien, Scotty MacGregor Gillette. Row three: Joanna Rarig Victor, Eddie Emerson. Row four: John Valentine, Jim Rupert, Angus Mairs, Leo Hauser, Hugh Klein and Herb Buscher. Also present were Henny Jackson Schoeller and Ella Carpenter Slade.
Class Notes handsome in his bathing suit by swimming three times per week and pumping iron the other two days. Afterall, he received the nickname ‘Jock’ for a reason. Speaking of grandchildren, Judy and Bill Briggs must be the class champions. They are expecting their 14th next June. Who will be the first great-grandparent? The race is on. We have a 21-year-old granddaughter but no marriage is imminent. My wife and I shall be visiting Fountain Hills, Arizona, in February. We are looking forward to seeing Chuck and Mary Bancroft Field, Dave and Dottie Anderson Hollatz, and Tom and Valerie Osborn. Regretfully, we shall miss, by about 10 days, the Briggs, who shall be obtaining Bill’s Arizona Fix.” Dottie Anderson Hollatz writes, “I am recovering from my second bout with melanoma cancer and doing very well. My good friend since fourth grade at Summit, Mary Bancroft Field, lives 20 minutes away from me during the winter and she has been very supportive of me and a wonderful friend.”
Charc and Susan Rose Ward opened their home for the 50th reunion party for the Classes of 1956. Pictured, row one from left: Sally Emerson Ruplin, Clover Fobes Earl, Charlotte Seymour Johnson, Charles Ward, Julie Seabury, Finlay Lewis, Daphne Roberts Bell, Ginny Low Campbell, Brenda Raudenbush Griffin. Row two: Vicki Churchill Ford, Mike Armstrong, Cis Stoms Phillips, Jonathan Rose, Bill Goldenberg, Peter Wolf, John Mears, Joel Nash. Row three: John Watz, Sara Torrison Ewald, Gerry Kyle Bullard, Sandra Swanson Hammer, Bob Gardner. Row four: Bob Fisher, Norton Cross, Lollie Benz Plank, Bill Angell, Bill Pedersen, Ed Sommers.
colloquium at the Metropolitan Museum focused on an exhibit of medieval heads (see New York Times, Science, October 24, 2006). It was wonderful to see pieces from many museums gathered together and beautifully displayed, many of which my Limestone Sculpture Provenance Project had rescued.”
1953 John Holman copas2@msn.com
1956
1954 Polly Cross Olmstead dpolmstead@ mindspring.com Norb Winter
1955 Kate “Minty” Klein Piper mintypiper@aol.com Georgia Sommers Wright writes, “Barbara Muhs Walker and Beth Wright (daughter) constituted my claque at my talk on neutron activation and its findings, given in a
The Summit School Class of 1956 donated money to the school on its 50th reunion in honor of their classmate, Elaine Donham Dennett, who passed away in January 2006. The money went toward commissioning a Chinese calligrapher to create a print for one of the Chinese language classrooms at St. Paul Academy and Summit School, as well as to bring the artist in to teach students in the Chinese classes about calligraphy, as Elaine had had an interest in Chinese art and had worked as a docent at Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Since the calligraphy class was held during Reunion-Homecoming Weekend, members of the Summit School Class of 1956 also had the opportunity to participate in learning more about calligraphy. From left, Daphne Roberts Bell, Ginny Low Campbell, Clover Fobes Earl.
Gerry Kyle Bullard rlbullard@comcast.net Ginny Low Campbell ginnybell@aol.com Gale Harris writes, “Sorry I couldn’t be with you all for Reunion… am in Tucson — have guest room… pool. I did go to the other 50th reunion this spring in New York — just to say I didn’t cop out — Vicki can verify!”
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Class Notes 1950s continued
1958
1957
Barbara Hoff Chrane writes, “Addison Woodward and his wife, Pam, paid a visit in August on their way from Maine to Manchester, New Hampshire, on their way back to Chicago. We had a fun day walking around historic Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and are looking forward to our 50th in ’08. I am now retired and volunteering for the Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce and working parttime at the City Hall. My family (five kids, seven grandkids) are all on the Seacoast and doing well. The grandkids now range in age from 6-25. On a sad note, my former husband, Bruce, passed away September 2, 2006. I hope to see all my classmates at our upcoming 50th Reunion!”
50th Reunion October 12-14, 2007
Dutton Foster pardilqua@aol.com Susan Rose Ward cswsrw@earthlink.net Tuck Langland writes, “I just received the Annual Report and I noticed something of great interest to me, since I am a full-time artist. A few years ago I received a book telling the story of SPA, and in it the headmaster of my years, Edward M. Read, was quoted as saying he did not believe in fads and frills, like the arts. Indeed there were no arts during my years there, no mention of Michelangelo or Rembrandt, no indication of Germany producing its great music during the 19th century, and certainly no suggestion that such things as dance were anything more than the annual Christmas party. Naturally, there were no studios or hands-on classes at all. Therefore, I was very pleased to see in the Annual Report that of the 17 photos used throughout, 10 showed students participating in the arts one way or another. How the school has changed and, from my point of view, how much for the better. I’m sorry I’m not a student there now!” Class Agent Dutton Foster writes, “I had a nice visit recently with Tuck Langland, up from South Bend for a reunion with friends in Saint Paul. We talked art and trains and reminisced about those fabled teenage years. He’s looking forward to the 50th celebration next fall.”
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Albert (Jim) Dickinson
Addison Woodward and Barb Hoff Chrane, Classes of 1958
Molly Power Balzer in Everett, Wash., with her grandchildren
1959 Ethel Welch Griggs c.griggs@comcast.net Jim Gardner Tom Hauser George May Molly Power Balzer writes, “I am alive and healthy out here in Vancouver, B.C. George and I spend time year-round at our cabin near Mt. Baker in Washington State. I am enjoying my five grandkids, ages 17 to 1-1/2. While in Anna Maria, Florida, my annual April trip, I visited Lee Fobes Murphy and got caught up. Occasionally I hear from Cathy Turner Boykin. I get back to Minnesota once a year. I have recently reconnected with my
The Classes of 1961 had their 45-year reunion party at Crosby Sommers’ condominium in Saint Paul. Pictured, row one from left: Sandy Drake, Crosby Sommers, Sally Morgan Cuningham. Row two: Rik von Bergen, Dee Levin, Wood Foster, Ivar Siqveland. Missing from photo: Linda Shoemaker Blyth and Pock Otis.
two college roommates after 45 years, so now how about my SPA/SS pals?” Lee Fobes Murphy writes, “Returned to St. Paul in September to visit Clover and George Earl and attend Dodge Nature Center Auction and Fundraiser where Clover was being honored as a longtime board member. Attended the Ovarian Cancer 5K run in Edina and cheered on Christy Earl White ’81 and Karen Earl Reis ’86. Summers spent on Nantucket brought Brad Ward ’86 (and Missy, Elizabeth and Lucy), Scott Ward and Sarah, Hailey and Lindsay in July, while Todd Ward ’81 and Lindy, Laurel and T.J. awaited arrival of Oliver, born September 3 in Cincinnati.” Molly Power Balzer and Cathy Turner Boykin shared news about each other’s lives, with Molly noting that Cathy’s son, “Sam,” married “Antha” June 10, 2006, in Maryland, with their wedding announcement appearing in the New York Times. Cathy noted that Molly’s brother, Robert, appeared on Antiques Roadshow when it was in St. Paul a few years ago, learning that a family pocket watch was worth a sum of money. Recently, he was featured in a “Best of 10 Years” edition of the show.
Class Notes F. Michael Brown writes, “The 40-year Reunion was fantastic. Thanks, Judy Titcomb, for opening your house to this wild and crazy group. Betsy and I have become grandparents — Lisa ’89 and husband Doug gave birth to a beautiful little girl, Ella Rose, on October 11, 2006.”
1960s 1960 Raleigh Ormerod Presbury West writes, “I am enjoying a new home, early retirement, sailing and skiing. My youngest, son Scott, is pursuing a Ph.D. in organic chemistry at Berkeley after graduating from Tufts. My two daughters are both working, one in Denver and the other in Chicago.”
Crosby Sommers Crosby Sommers writes, “I had a ball co-planning the 45th Reunion with Sally Morgan Cuningham and my wife, Barbara. With those two pros, my part was mostly ‘Right-ho’ and ‘Sounds good.’ Looking forward to the 50th.”
1962 45th Reunion October 12-14, 2007
Class Agent needed. Please contact Tracy Madden if you would like to volunteer at 651-696-1323, or tmadden@ spa.edu.
40th Reunion October 12-14, 2007
The Classes of 1966 celebrated their reunion at the home of Dan and Judy Titcomb. Pictured, row one from left: Andy Field Albrecht, Ellen Donnelly, Mary Davis Dewart, Wendy Krueger Kardia. Row two, Mike Brown, ChiChi Hannaford Steiner, Ann Lockhart Harris, Betsy Bond. Row three: Fritz Magnuson, Judy Leslie Titcomb, Herb Ward, Binky Wood Rockwell.
defend Charles Manson. Wife and I had a wonderful trip to Mexico on an airline grounded by the Mexican version of FAA the day of our return — inspectors said the airline pilots flew like ‘kamikaze of World World II.’ Next year we’ll drive to New Ulm!”
25 (teacher) and 21 (aspiring writer), and a 4-year-old grandson. Life is good. I have often thought of the fun times we had at Summit School and have wondered how you all are doing. Would love to hear from any of you at vbarzen@hotmail. com.”
1965
Binky Wood Rockwell played the role of “Momma” in Ballet of the Dolls’ production of Nutcracker (not so) Suite December 13-21, 2006, at the Ritz Theater in Minneapolis, Minn.
Robert Erickson Bob Works
Nancy Leavitt Mulvey
John Rendall writes, “My fifth child just finished graduate school and I feel like I just got a raise!”
1964
1966
1963
Cindy Schuneman Piper repip2@aol.com John Maher John Bradford writes, “Son John and his bride, Jill, have one son, Thomas, who is gifted and charming, as one would expect of the lineage. Daughter Kate finishing law school and presently assisting public defenders. With luck, she will
Nancy Platt Jones nandbjones@yahoo.com Phil Bratnober pbratnober@mn.rr.com
Mike Brown mbrown@spa.edu Vicki Mahood Barzen writes, “I am so sorry I wasn’t able to attend our 40th Reunion. Tim and I were at Boston College for our last Parents Weekend. Our third child is graduating from college! Where did the time go? We have three girls, 29 (lawyer),
Photo credit: Desiree Olson
1961
1967
Class Agent Phil Bratnober writes, “Several SPA Class of 1967 members have begun discussing our upcoming 40th Reunion. People have expressed interest in holding it next fall, in line with the school’s new direction of holding the AllSchool Reunion in the fall. Nothing has been finalized, so every classmate’s input and participation will help. To join the discussion and learn more about events that have been discussed thus far, classmates can write to me at pbratnober@ mn.rr.com. Bob Altman has started a ListServ for widening our reunion discussions, so it would be great if you could contribute your email address to that. For instructions on how to join the ListServ, email Bob at altlaw@mindspring.com.”
1968 Anne Cowie
1969 Ruth Schilling Harwood E. Benton Gill writes, “I have now been the CEO of the San Diego Symphony for the past three years. It has been a wonderful time. Our daughter, Laurel, was captain of the
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Class Notes 1969 continued La Jolla High School golf team and her swim relay team had an All-American time. If you are in the area, please call. You can’t beat 73 degrees and sunny.” Christopher Linsmayer writes, “With the interest of the soccer coaches, Chris has narrowed next year to Amherst and Colgate. Menlo never had a chance! Lizzy has given up the no-homework environment of theater at the Denver School of the Arts and is finding lots of homework at Colorado’s oldest school, St. Mary’s Academy.”
1970s 1970
Class Agent needed. Please contact Tracy Madden if you would like to volunteer at 651-696-1323, or tmadden@ spa.edu. William Christopher Downey writes, “Chris, Jeannie and Michael, age 16, are in Golden Valley. Jeannie continues her work as a psychologist. I recently completed Board Certification in Hospice and Palliative Medicine.”
1971 Tom Wood tom.wood@gs.com
The Class of 1971 celebrated their 35th Reunion at the home of Charles and Alice O’Brien Berquist. Pictured, row one from left: Binkie Cammack Closmore, Punki Wieland Nolan, Nancy Thayer Haggerty, Alice O’Brien Berquist, Michael Adkins, Jack Whitaker. Row two, Mary Manlove, Mark Harrison, Nancy Mairs Daly, Lisa Foster, Nancy Clapp Hardenbergh, Bob Hartzell, Endel Kallas, Mary Sprafka Foshee, Peter Myers, Bake Baker, Donald Lewis. Row three, Ted Haberman, Marion Warwick, Ginny Stryker Brodeen, Molly Greenman, Daniel Titcomb.
1972 35th Reunion October 12-14, 2007
more info.). Looking forward to our 35th Reunion next October. Send me photos — then and now
— and I’ll make a collage! P.O. Box 1553, Lyons, CO 80540.”
Class Agent needed. Please contact Tracy Madden if you would like to volunteer at 651-696-1323, or tmadden@ spa.edu. Mystie Brackett writes, “I live in Lyons, Colorado, 12 miles from Boulder — a quirky little town of 1,600. Very active in the local arts community (see artinlyons.org, sculpturetrail. com or lyonsartique.com for
This photo, taken in mid-August in Cortona, Italy, at Tim Grady and Catherine Allen’s home, includes, from left, Mills Turner ’04, Nick Grady ’04, Lark Turner ’07, Melley Turner ’05, Roddie Hauser Turner ’74, Ben Oehler ’66, Chase Turner ’02 and Jamie McMillan ’04.
The Class of 1976 participated in a tree rededication ceremony on the Randolph Campus during Reunion-Homecoming Weekend 2006 in honor of classmate Erik Flom, who passed away during his senior year. From left, Tom Braman, Suzan Brewster McCarthy, Randy Lane, Claire DeCoster, Dennis Countryman, John Knox, Liz Wieland Martin, Ginny Holbert, Blake Shepard, Laura Aronson Thrane, Jeff Norton, Molly Martin Harrington, Frank Leslie, Sue Holman-Sutich, Trip Lund, Becky Haven Clapp, Anne Warwick, Peter Jackson, Prescott Bergh, Sandra Rosenberg, Johan Holm. 32
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Class Notes Jim McCartney writes, “After 25 years, I have left my job as a reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press to be a director at Weber Shandwick, a large public relations company.”
1973 Charlie Zelle czelle@jeffersonlines.com
1974 Roddie Hauser Turner roddie.turner@comcast.net
1975 Lit Field lfieldjr@tcfield.com
1976 Doug Whitaker dwhitaker@pjc.com Prescott Bergh writes, “My family and I were glad to host Johan Holm of Stockholm for lunch and a tour of our Black Angus beef farm during Reunion weekend.”
1977 30th Reunion October 12-14, 2007
Hank Brandtjen hbrandtjen@kluge.biz
The Class of 1981 celebrated its 25th reunion at the home of Phil and Christy Earl White. Pictured are, row one from left: Sarah Scanlan Boggess, Molly Stokes Theisen, Daniel Zelle, Ann Samson Celander, Martie Holman Herrick, Charlie Stringer, Pete Grebner, Karen Reynolds Knoll, Phil White. Row two: Katy Gretsch, Christy Earl White, Paul Harstad. Row three: Valerie Sands, Michael Kyle, Walt Lehmann, Sarah Storvick Kunau, Andrea Sahlin, Chris Geist, Jim Langford, Sanjaya Saxena, Tim Theisen (non-SPA), Owen Walton.
Oregon, the chair of my law firm’s (Rider Bennett, LLP) Intellectual Property Practice Group, and an adjunct clinical professor in the Business Law Clinic at William Mitchell College of Law. Additionally, I authored the Executive Summary for the book released in August 2006 by the American Bar Association’s Commission on Homelessness and Poverty entitled Lawyers Working to End Homelessness.”
1978 John Butler Shannon McNeely Whitaker swhitaker@ meritexenterprises.com
1979 Julia Doermann juliadoermann@hotmail.com
1980s Jamie Forman writes, “Over the summer I became a member of the Board of Trustees of my undergraduate college, Lewis and Clark College in Portland,
1980 Kris Flom kflom@spa.edu
1981 Walt Lehmann walt@lehmannstrobel.com Bernard Goott writes, “Just call me when you’re in Vegas! They call me Bernie Mac here!” Peter Grebner writes, “Had a nice time at the reunion. Thanks to all those who helped organize it, especially to Phil and Christie White for opening up their home for the party. It was really great to talk to old friends I haven’t seen in years and to talk to a few I was too shy to speak with back in the day.”
1982 25th Reunion October 12-14, 2007
David Weyerhaeuser dweyerhaeuser@ gradstaff.com Sally Cammack Miesen
1983 Tracy Cosgrove Lakatua tlakatua@bigsky.net
Jimmy Rathmanner ’83 writes, “It was fun to assistant coach my 10-year-old son’s (Mac) soccer team at our local Catholic school, St. Odilia. We faced a very good SPA team in the championship game. Having worn the Spartans’ jersey I had some mixed emotions. Hopefully Mac will one day play for SPA, too.”
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Class Notes 1980s continued 1984 Tom Guyer tomg@winsorcorp.net Karin Swisher Barnes writes, “After 17 years in California, I’m happy to be back in Minnesota with my husband and son. Still working for the same company I did my senior project with.” Lisa Pope Neary writes, “Am now living on the west side of town and working in marketing for Medtronic. Very busy juggling a busy career and four kids (including two teenaged steps!). I also own a side photography business for a fun, creative outlet. Always fun to run into former SPA-ers around town.” Joe Bagnoli writes, “Tom Guyer, George Leiter, Trip Johnson, Nick Johnson and Dave Murphy, who collectively perform as the Hipwaders, played a standing room-only gig at Sweeney’s last February. All agreed that their new stuff is good, but doesn’t swing like their old stuff prior to their surprising sell-out to the pop music scene. Sarah Bullard, Joe Bagnoli, Brian Hols, Spencer Deinard, Trip Johnson, Nick Johnson, John Bradford and a variety of other broomballers are looking forward to playing in their sixth consecutive year for team Gilligan in the Minneapolis winter broomball league. Unfortunately, their opponents keep getting younger. Fortunately, Spencer is very, very wily and takes no guff. In another shock to the Episcopalian Church, Hans Dekker, in his continuing effort to meet celebrities, has become a devotee of Kabala. He wants any SPA types who are passing through the greater NYC area 34
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John and Jill Magnuson Romans hosted the Class of 1986 for its 20th reunion in September. Pictured are, row one from left: Bob Verhey, Kirsten Banks Cutler, Guy Beadie, Becky Stewart, Chanya Butt Charles, Melissa Weisman. Row two: Brad Smith, Karen Garrett Tvedt, Sarah Bancroft-Howard, John Patterson, Karen Earl Reis, Roxane Snyder Becken, Ben Leadholm, Mariel Dickson Milito, Natalie Waters Wright, Steve Dunning. Row three: Brad Winges, Chris Manlove, Jill Magnuson Romans, Sasha Aslanian, Ned Moody, Heather Irvine Capuano, Steve Pelletier, Susan Dickinson, Val Johnson Dean, Norman Abramson.
to contact him if they wish to accompany him on a Kabala outing. Additionally, he believes that the red string wristband provides a nice complement to his yellow ‘Live Strong’ bracelet. Finally, many of those who have remained in Minnesota to spend quality time with their parents wish Hans Dekker well in his lawsuit against Justin Timberlake. We agree with him, he most assuredly brought sexy back in the early 1980s.”
1986 John Patterson sonier-patterson@ mindspring.com Renee Hilmanowski Ochaya theochayas@comcast.net Karen Earl Reis writes, “After graduating from college, I worked at NBC in New York
City for three years. I moved home in 1993 to work for Deloitte Consulting. I got my MBA from the University of Chicago between 1995 and 1997. I left Deloitte Consulting in 1999 to become a Product Director with CBS MarketWatch.com. Since the summer of 2001, I have been freelance consulting part-time.
1985 Dave Kansas davekansas22@yahoo.com
Pictured are the children of Peter Hart ’85: Phoebe, 5; Lucy, five months; Henry, 2-1/2. The Hart family resides in Maine.
Geoffrey ’80 and Belinda Buscher hosted a reception for alumni/ae at their home in Seattle December 2, 2006. Head of School Bryn Roberts met with alumni/ae and shared highlights from his first six months at SPA. Math teacher George Leiter and Alumni/ae Relations Director Daymond Dean ’85 also attended the reception. They were part of a larger SPA contingent in Seattle for the National Association of Independent Schools’ People of Color Conference. Among those at the reception were, from left, Tom Morrisey, Upper School math teacher George Leiter, Belinda Buscher, Allison Aichele ’76, Geoffrey Buscher ’80, Sean Gilshannon ’85.
Class Notes I have recently been divorced, continue to raise my two children, Ellie and Jack, and have moved near the Lower School. I continue to keep in touch with many of my lifelong SPA friends — Brad Ward, Jill Magnuson Romans, Gretchen Lilyholm, Sarah Bancroft-Howard, Bob Verhey, David Gretsch, Heather Irvine Capuano, Karen Garrett Tvedt, Karla Klocow, Brad Winges and Chris Manlove.
1987 20th Reunion October 12-14, 2007
Carol Bagnoli cbagnoli@yahoo.com Rob Mairs robert.mairs@gpmlaw.com Jay Ettinger jayettinger@comcast.net Amy Tobin writes, “I now have a beautiful baby boy, Liam Patrick, who was born January 14, 2006. Who ever would have thought?!”
1988 Dan Deuel Anne Marie Ligda Vorbach writes, “We have moved back to Minnesota! After living in Texas, California and Massachusetts, we have decided to make Minnesota our permanent home. My husband is not a Midwesterner, but is fast
becoming a convert, as is 3-yearold Zoe.” Dr. Aaron Satran completed his fellowship in Interventional Cardiology at University of Louisville and has accepted a position with the cardiology group Heart Specialists at University of Louisville. Satran, his wife, Dr. Angela Singh, and their two-year-old daughter, Shanti, live in Louisville, Ky. Michael Washburn, Ph.D., is married to Laurence Florens, Ph.D., and together they have two boys, Alexandre, 6 years old, and Rafael, 2 years old. Since 2003, Michael has been the Director of Proteomics at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in Kansas City, Mo.
1989 Class Agent needed. Please contact Tracy Madden if you would like to volunteer at 651-696-1323, or tmadden@ spa.edu.
Manny Lagos was elected to the United Soccer Leagues Hall of Fame November 17, 2006 in Tampa, Florida. Lagos won the 1994 USL Most Valuable Player Award with 18 goals and nine assists when he led the Minnesota Thunder to an undefeated season until they lost in the championship game. He had 20 goals and 10 assists the next season, when the Thunder went 19-1 and again lost in the championship game. In June 1996, he was signed by Major League Soccer’s MetroStars and played for five teams in the league. After retiring from play last year, he joined the Thunder as Director of Soccer Operations. His dad, Buzz Lagos, a former teacher and coach at SPA, is also a member of the Hall of Fame.
1991 Josh Kriesel krieselj@hotmail.com
Jim Dickinson Jr. writes, “Our twin boys, Sam and Will (Class of ’24!), were born in January 2006.”
1990s
1990
Debbie Lipschultz Goldenberg goldenlips275@aol.com Darren Strafelda
is a third-year Cardiology fellow at University of Minnesota, and lives in south Minneapolis with his wife and son. Peter Price writes, “We just moved to Chicago; I’ll be going back to school at Northwestern Law. All three kids are doing great, and have adjusted quickly to their new city.”
1992 15th Reunion October 12-14, 2007
Andy Droel droe0007@tc.umn.edu Chris Murphy cmurphy2004@kellogg. northwestern.edu
1993 Ben Beach beach_benjamin@ hotmail.com John Cosgriff jcosgrif@gsb.uchicago.edu Mary Dickinson mgdickinson@yahoo.com
1994 Erica Nelson ericanelson@students. wisc.edu Dr. Dan Satran and Jessica Levine announce the birth of their son, Ezra Yale Satran, Sunday, July 2, 2006. He weighed 6 pounds, 15.5 ounces, and was 19 inches long. Satran
The Class of 1991 gathered at Chico Chica in Saint Paul in September to celebrate their Reunion. Pictured, from left: Heather Zehring, Pete West, Jesse Darley, Brian Vegoe, Dan Markowitz, John Coughlin, Rachel Rubin, Dave Sorenson, Shannon McCarty Ingersoll, Pat Cameron, Kate Bradford, Stuart Johnson, Lydia Conn, Dan Satran, Mark Abuzzahab, Tasslyn Frame Magnusson.
Nicolas Currier married Ellen Hendriksen August 25, 2006, in Berkeley, Calif. Ellen is a graduate student at UCLA and Nic is working on his MD/ Ph.D. at BU. “We are living a bi-coastal existence in Boston and Los Angeles, but will soon be settling in Boston. Best wishes to everyone,” he writes. Pictured are Sophie Currier ’93, Nic and Ellen.
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Class Notes 1990s continued F. Michael Brown writes, “Alyson and I were married on the 9th of July, 2005. I’m currently enrolled in the Master of Arts in Teaching program at Hamline University, and was a student teacher this fall at St. Paul Arlington High School.”
Teal Bathke Harada writes, “My husband, Matthew, and I are delighted to announce the birth of our daughter, Eleanor Catherine Harada, on April 17. Jackson is 2 now, and adores little Ellie.” Keren Gudeman was honored as the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s Coach of the Year in her role as head coach of the women’s soccer team at Carleton College in Northfield, Minn. It was Gudeman’s first year as coach of the Carleton Knights, and she took a team that had won just three games a year ago and led them to the most successful season in Carleton history, marking a 12-5-3 overall record and an 8-2-1 record in MIAC play. The team made it to the MIAC championship game, where they fell to Concordia in a penalty kick shootout.
Northwestern University in June 2006. I completed my Ph.D. in EE and she finished up her MBA. We’ve settled in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I’m working as a researcher with Sandia National Laboratories.”
Alexis Schad Lomen writes, “Andrew and I welcomed our second child this summer. Madeira Elizabeth was born July 5 and joins her big brother, Aiden, who is almost 5. I am continuing my work on my second degree in Horticulture. I am still not sure what degree I am going to end up with… We live in Saint Paul with our new neurotic dogs.”
1996 Matt Gollinger mgollinger@hotmail.com Minette Loula mloula@courts.state.nh.us
The SPA Nordic Ski Team held its third annual Peter Westra Memorial Sprints at Trollhaugen Ski Area in Dresser, Wis., December 1. Volunteers at the event included, from left, Mark and Mary Westra, Michael Thompson, Sarah Jensen, Roger Jensen, Page Knudsen Cowles, Bob Hollenhorst, Ruth Westra, Peggy Scholz, John Scholz, Rick Lessard.
Andrew Youn launched One Acre Fund, a non-profit farming organization in Kenya, approximately one year ago. The organization was recently asked to submit a full proposal to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, one of just 47 agricultural organizations invited to do so from an initial 1,300 first-round proposals.
1997 10th Reunion October 12-14, 2007
Dena Citron Larson dena.larson@genmills.com Jeff Jarosch jefforama@aol.com Alex Pekker writes, “In August I completed my Ph.D. in mathematics (number theory,
1995 Kris Weum kris.weum@gmail.com Katie Kirschbaum katiekirschbaum@ hotmail.com Aaron Gin writes, “My wife, Sarah, and I graduated from 36
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The Class of 1996 celebrated its Reunion at O’Gara’s Bar and Grill in Saint Paul. Pictured, row one from left: Lukas Bergstrom, Alex Schutz. Row two: Hannah Meyers Mody, Elizabeth Callahan, Joe Krawetz, Ben Reed, Johanna Keifert. Row three: Gene Suh, Tom Nelson, Travis Prunty, Eric Johnson, David Ong, Paul Ginder, Brian Fairchild, Kristen York, Ben Polk, Daniel May, Lucy Morgan, Lisa Sharrock, Angela Hendrickson, Maureen Garrett. Row four: Adam Whitney, Rob Pottle, Paul Swenson, Spencer Gerberding, Matt Schultz.
Class Notes Ben Foster founded an a capella vocal rock band, Up ’til 2, which placed third in the Minnesota State Fair Talent Competition in early September. Visit www.uptil2music.com.
to be more specific) at the University of Texas at Austin. After five years of studying in far-flung places, I am glad to be back in California.” Penelope Sheets writes, “Moved to Seattle to pursue a Ph.D. in political communication at UW.”
1998 Michael Lorberbaum lorberbaum@hotmail.com Mara Schanfield Dean Maragos deanm88@yahoo.com Wilhelmina Mauritz Shoger writes, “I am still in the Chicago area working toward my Ph.D. in clinical psychology. I also just got married October 1 to Owen Shoger, whom I met my first year of undergraduate at the University of Michigan. I hope all my former classmates are doing well. Please feel free to drop me a line if you’re ever in Chi-Town area!” Kristin Vukovic writes, “Graduated Magna Cum Laude from Columbia University in the City of New York, School of General Studies, with honors from the Writing Department (2006). I am currently pursuing an M.F.A. in Creative Nonfiction at Columbia University School of the Arts. Also, I just returned from Russia, where I partook in a writing program, Summer Literary Seminars, in St. Petersburg. I was an editorial intern with mediabistro.com until school started in the fall.” Aaron Bergad writes, “Since dropping out of college in 1999, I spent a handful of years living out West, rock climbing, skiing, enjoying the amenities the back of a station wagon has to offer. I also attended the Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building, after which I worked in a wooden boat building
Sara Ehrlich married Scott Friedman of St. Louis, Mo., June 3, 2006, at Landmark Center in Saint Paul, Minn. Pictured from left: Jennifer Ehrlich, Ben Kremenak, Kathryn Grande, Scott Friedman, Sara Ehrlich, Rebecca Ehrlich Axner, Jessica Cohen, Kyra Hamilton, Hannah Phipps-Yonas, Trevor Axner, Monisha Mitra, Marin Nelson, Jenny Lappegaard and Becky Jarvis. Sara will graduate from the University of Minnesota medical school in May 2007. She and Scott will honeymoon late February until early May by touring around the world before she starts her residency and he completes his Ph.D. program, likely in Chicago.
shop for a time. More recently, though, I’ve purchased a house, gotten married, and settled into a real job at a summer camp.”
Mollie Moore-Goldstein works for Atlantic Records in Los Angeles as a music talent scout.
1999
2000s
Mark Heinert Lisa Stein lstein@bu.edu Marin Nelson writes, “I am living in Brooklyn, New York, and working as the wholesale sales director for The Future Perfect, a design and homeware store in Williamsburg. Stop by the store if you’re ever in the area.”
Alex Starns writes, “After graduation from Stanford University with a BS and MS in mechanical engineering, I moved to La Jolla, California (just north of San Diego), to take a job designing machinery for pharmaceutical, medical and disease research. Drop me a line if you’re going to be in the area.” In October 2006, Michael O’Halloran was named a co-owner of the family-owned O’Halloran and Murphy Funeral Home of Saint Paul. He is the fourth generation of O’Hallorans to enter funeral service. John and Michael O’Halloran operate three locations, including St. Paul’s O’Halloran and Murphy, Roseville Memorial Chapel, and Dare’s Funeral Home in Elk River.
2000 Jesse Markman jesse.markman@yale.edu Ann Marie Miller amiller2@gac.edu Uju Obi obi@fas.harvard.edu Megan (Maggie) Sullivan mys@lclark.edu Noah Mehlan mehlan@stolaf.edu
The Class of 2001 celebrated its Reunion at the Downtowner Woodfire Grill in Saint Paul. Pictured, from left: Alex Rice, Alex Asancheyev, Sarah Barnes, Mike Bateman (non-SPA), Anne O’Connor, Owen Flygare, Megan O’Rourke, Zach Eustis, Becky Johnson, Biz Mills, Kristina Gorder, Justin Dux (non-SPA), Amanda Schlesinger, Aram Desteian, Katie Hottinger. winter 2007
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Class Notes 2000s continued
2001 Tiffany Clark tclark@gustavus.edu Aram Desteian desteian@stolaf.edu Emily Kraack writes, “I’m continuing with my second year of law school at the University of Minnesota. I will be working for Briggs and Morgan this summer.”
2002 5th Reunion October 12-14, 2007 Head of School Bryn Roberts visited with Boston-area alumni/ae and friends of the school November 10, 2006. Pictured at the gathering, row one from left: Mayme Hostetter ’97, Laura Martini ’04, Nicole Ali ’04, Jesse Kanson-Benanav ’99, Matthew Dorris ’99. Row two: Becky Driscoll Blodgett ’51, Mara Schanfield ’98, Dena Milligan ’01, Uju Obi ’00, Elizabeth Pabst ’01, Lynn Cornell ’92, Carole Winkler ’79, Natalie Waters Wright ’86, Mary Roetzel ’87, Sam McVeety ’04. Row three, Tim Blodgett ’47, Head of School Bryn Roberts, Bob Kegan (faculty member 1968-1971), Rick Driscoll ’54, Kyle Skor ’01, Arne Boernsen ’03, Bill Schrader ’51, Alex Johnson ’05.
Volunteers in St. Louis and Boston host alumni/ae events Each year, the Alumni/ae Office of St. Paul Academy and Summit School benefits from the assistance of hundreds of volunteers who help plan reunions, serve on the Alumni/ae Council and alumni/ae task forces and assist with events in Minnesota and around the country. We thank Jesse Kanson-Benanav ’99, Mara Schanfield ’98 and John Works ’62 in particular for their help with regional alumni/ae gatherings. Jesse and Mara set up a reception, greeted guests and introduced Head of School Bryn Roberts at a Boston-area gathering November 10. Earlier in November, John Works ’62 welcomed a half-dozen Washington University students and SPA graduates to his home for a reception with Head of School Roberts in St. Louis. Guests in attendance were Emily Becker ’06, Moriah Cohen ’04, Patrick Fahey ’06, Adam Schanfield ’03, Nikki Stennes ’05, Jeff Weiss ’04 and Laura Zimmerman ’85. “Meeting alumni/ae, whether they graduated 40 years ago or five years ago, is one of the joys of my job,” said Head of School Roberts. “Without reservation, alums are deeply devoted to their alma mater and they are keenly interested in the SPA of 2006. Our graduates’ passion for SPA is one of our community’s greatest strengths.” If you would like to assist with a reunion event, nominate someone for the Alumni/ae Council, serve as a Class Agent or help with an alumni/ae gathering in your area, contact the Alumni/ae Office at 651-696-1366 or e-mail ddean@spa.edu.
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Sara Cornell scornell@gwu.edu Lauren Nuffort lenuff02@stlawu.edu Chike Obi obix0004@tc.umn.edu Carly Thomforde cthomforde@northpark.edu Jocelyn Herzog writes, “Last January, I studied Arabic at the American University in Cairo and also traveled to Israel this past summer. My next stop in my travels is to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, to begin training for the Peace Corps. I will be teaching ESL there for two years.” Graham Ravdin writes, “Hello, teachers and friends! I am having a wonderful time managing an amazing educational nonprofit in Hong Kong. Drop me a line or come and visit!” Greg Paulus, alumnus of the Manhattan School of Music and currently living in Brooklyn, performed at the Artists Quarter in downtown Saint Paul, Minn., November 22-25, 2006. He played trumpet both with Doug Little’s Seven Steps to Havana band and his own quartet, the Greg Paulus Quartet. In the past
few years he has performed in Europe, Cuba and across the United States. Currently he is working on an electronic album scheduled to be released in spring 2007. Jeff Paller writes, “I recently graduated from Northwestern University and I am currently working at the Daniel M. Kerrane Jr. Foundation in downtown Chicago. DMK is a non-profit organization that awards scholarships and offers personalized educational support to students who attend the City Colleges of Chicago. Honestly, without my SPA education I would not be as passionate about education as I am today. I want everybody to be able to have the type of education that I received at SPA. I encourage SPA to continue its push to expand the diversity and offer competitive financial aid packages so that more students can benefit from the great quality of education from which I benefited. I am also very grateful for the trip I took to Cuba during my junior year of high school. It opened my eyes to politics and other parts of the world. Largely because of this experience I studied political science in college and studied abroad in South America. I hope to further these studies in graduate school soon. The educational trips that SPA offered were great; I hope you only strengthen this part of the curriculum. I want to once again thank St. Paul Academy for having such a positive impact on my life, and I hope you will continue doing the same for many more students to come.”
Class Notes 2003 Kendra Ackland acklandk@carleton.edu Tom Christ s07.tchrist@wittenberg.edu Jillian Degerness jillian.degerness@trinity.edu Brenden Goetz bgoetz@ups.edu Emily Shor ershor@wisc.edu Aleks Sims aks010@drake.edu Elizabeth MacNeill writes, “Spent 2005 Fall Semester at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Graduated from University of Pennsylvania May 2006. Working at U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Alexandria, Virginia.” Colin Hartman writes, “I’m getting commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps in May after I graduate from NYU. I spent last summer in Quantico, Virginia, at USMC Officer Candidates School. It was the hardest thing I have ever been through, but also the most rewarding. This school year I plan on visiting lots of friends, continuing to enjoy what I am studying (economics and history), working out a lot in preparation for The Basic School (the next training school for Marine officers), and am also captain of the varsity fencing team.”
2004 Sarah Anderson smanderson1@wisc.edu Andria Cornell acornell@gwu.edu Ashley Malecha maritaluv@hotmail.com Tyler Olson tylerolson@aol.com
Tim Sheehy was recognized for graduating first in his Army Ranger School class. Of 340 original class members, just 86 made it to graduation. Prior to the Ranger School, Sheehy graduated second in the Ranger Indoctrination Program, with just 38 of the original 64 participants completing the program.
2005 Jack Adams Lindsay Giese Hannah Lamb hel1@cec.wustl.edu Kate Meyer meyerk@carleton.edu Nikki Stennes nikkis2100@aol.com Sarah Wald skwald@gmail.com Joe Radosevich took a semester off from college this fall to work for Amy Klobuchar, Democratic candidate from Minnesota for the U.S. Senate. He became the Deputy Executive and Field Director for the Minnesota DFL Youth Coordinated Campaign and was responsible for volunteer recruitment and message development for 18-to 24year-olds. He also ran the field operations at 16 campuses and more than 25 precincts in Minnesota. Although he completed his official duties in November 2006, he continues to be involved with fundraising and preparation for the presidential and senate races in 2008. Many people with connections to SPA were involved with the DFL Youth Coordinated Campaign, including Noah Smith and senior Charlie Sellew.
2006 Lien Bui lbui@gac.edu Rory Collins collinsr@carleton.edu Alex Gast a-gast@northwestern.edu Marjahn Golban mgolban@wellesley.edu Henry Parker hsparker@gwu.edu
Kate McDonald, a member of the Walker Art Center Teen Arts Council (WACTAC), helped curate the Hot Art Injection IV exhibit in July 2006. WACTAC members sorted through slides, audio and video clips, and digital images of artwork submitted by teens in the metro area, and then voted on final selections for the show.
Faculty and Staff Former Faculty and Staff news welcomed! Contact Tracy Madden at 651-696-1323, or e-mail tmadden@spa.edu. Tom Smith, athletic trainer at SPA 1994-2000, was named head athletic trainer for the Orlando Magic professional basketball team in July. He had spent the previous six seasons as assistant athletic trainer for the Atlanta Hawks professional basketball team. Smith’s career in athletic training began as a graduate student trainer with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1990. From 1992-1995 he served as head trainer and travel coordinator for the Rapid City Thrillers of the Continental Basketball Association. He also worked one season (1995-1996) with the International Hockey League’s Minnesota Moose. Smith is a certified member of the National Athletic Trainers Association and a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
He has assisted the training staffs at many different sporting events, including the Magic’s summer league team and several NBA Pre-Draft camps. He has a B.S. in sports studies from Northwestern College and earned his master’s degree in sports medicine from U.S. Sports Academy. He was an eight-time national championship qualifier for the cross country and track teams at Northwestern. Smith is on the Board of Directors for the Exponential Fund, a charitable organization established to support student athletes in their pursuit of higher education. He and his wife, Lisa, have three children, Grant, Kailee Jo and Jackson. Kathy Holmes, Upper School principal in the early 1990s, retired from Visitation High School of Mendota Heights, Minn., after 11 years as a member of their math department.
In the September 8, 2006, issue of Trident, newspaper for the United States Naval Academy,
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In Memoriam John “Jack” Murphy ’38, August 19, 2006, Escondido, Calif. Survived by children Maureen Blomgren, Josephine Zimmel, John, Andrew and Bruce; and eight grandchildren. Preceded in death by his wife, Rosemary. John Daniels Sr. ’39, September 18, 2006, Camden, S.C. Survived by wife Martha; two sons, John Jr. ’65 and Christopher; two daughters, Martha ’61 and Dr. Jane Moffett ’67; eight grandchildren (including Peter ’02 and Caroline ’10) and three greatgrandchildren. He was a trustee at Summit School from 19541956 and 1958-1961. Jep Knox ’40, October 27, 2006, St. Paul, Minn. Survived by brother Robert Jr. ’43 and wife Marian; children Jim and wife Jean, Tom, Nancy McDonough and husband Tom, Doug and wife Karen, Betsy, Carrie Agre and husband Steve; nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by wife Shan. Sally Washburn Shafroth ’43, August 11, 2006, Denver, Colo. Survived by husband Frank; five children, 12 grandchildren and one greatgrandchild; and by sister Jane Washburn Wood ’41. Robertson Moore ‘44, December 6, 2006, Saint Paul, Minn. Survived by wife Eileen; sons David and wife Cathy, Jonathan and wife Jennifer, and William; granddaughters Julia and Esme; sister-in-law Marjorie Moore; nephew Robert Moore; niece Marnie Young; and the extended Flanagan family. Preceded in death by brother Kent Moore ’43.
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Walter “Check” Tiffany ’44, December 25, 2006, Grand Marais, Minn. Survived by wife Cynthia Imsdahl-Tiffany; daughters Carol Rone ’68, Laura ’69 and husband Ned Foster ’69, Peggy ’71 and Diane ’74; step-daughter Lara Imsdahl; and six grandchildren, Jerusha and Jessica Rone, Ben and Page ’03 Foster, Lindsay and Emily Tiffany. Preceded in death by his first wife, Adel, and brother Frank Tiffany ’45. Sally Bronstien Fischbien ’48, October 2, 2006, Scottsdale, Ariz. Survivors include husband George; daughter Debra Cohn; stepdaughters Connie and Karen; brother Edward Bronstien ’45; nieces Janie Leiser and Linda Kalin, nephew James Bronstien ’78, other family and friends. Preceded in death by parents Edward and Sylvia Bronstien. Joan Glendenning Kennedy ’48, July 16, 2006, Le Pointe on the St. Croix, Wis. Survived by brother William Glendenning; sons Roger and wife Pamala, and William Jr. and wife Sandra; grandchildren Samanatha, Julia and Nicole; and lifelong friend and companion Colonel Joseph Luger. Preceded in death by her parents, Louise and Gordon Glendenning, and by her husband, William Kennedy. George Olson ’65, August 21, 2006, Spokane, Wash. Survived by his father and stepmother; and two step-sisters, Laurie and Michele. Deborah Napier Kemp ’67, August 25, 2006, Maple Plain, Minn. Survived by husband George Kemp; daughter Shannon Lindquist and husband Rusty; grandson
Tanner Lindquist; mother Anne Elsinger ’42 and step-father Joe Elsinger ’42; sisters Patty Napier ’65, and Chrissie Napier Cammack ’69 and husband Huck ’69; brother Bill Napier and wife Kim; nieces, nephews and friends. Preceded in death by her father, William Napier. John Bratnober ’69, October 3, 2006, San Francisco, Calif. Survived by two sons, Tomas and John Jr.; mother Patricia Bratnober Saunders ’42 and step-father Walter Saunders; brother Philip ’67; sisters Jane Ransom ’71 and Sarah Bratnober; niece Carolyn Bratnober; nephew Mark Ransom; aunt Georgia Ray Lindeke ’44; and his former wife, Margarita Ramos Phillips. Preceded in death by his father, Harry Bratnober ’41. Paul Martin ’75, December 17, 2006, Austin, Texas. Survived by brothers Earl and Dale ’77 Martin and their families. Paul’s wife, Lillian, and their two children, Shawn and Kitanna, were also killed December 17, 2006, in the private plane crash. Rogers Donnelly ’80, November 16, 2006. Survived by mother, Marnie Donnelly; sisters Pamela ’68 and Sarah ’73; brother Stan III ’70; aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Preceded in death by his father, Stan Donnelly Jr. ’40. Rachel Vaughan ’80, March 18, 2006, London, England. Survived by parents Sharon Rice Vaughan and Peter Vaughan ’55; brothers Thomas and Jeremy ’87; and grandmother Lilian Hopkins.
Faculty and Staff Charles “Charlie” Adamson, Russian and German teacher and former head of the Modern Language Department, October 23, 2005, Lake George, N.Y. Survived by wife Lillian; son Timothy ’72; daughters Mary Adamson Davis ’73 and husband Ronald, and Carol Adamson Mosher ’77 and husband Richard; and granddaughters Jessica and Sara Davis. Preceded in death by his son, William. Richard Fournelle, head of maintenance in the late 1960searly 1970s, August 29, 2006, Cottage Grove, Minn. Survived by wife Carolyn; brother Robert; sons Michael, Steven and wife Kathy, and David and wife Jolene; daughter Lisa Smestad and husband Scott; eight grandchildren; nieces, nephews and friends. Preceded in death by parents George and Emma; brother Father Geron; and sisters Grace and Marcella.
s Elizabeth Berg, 12
s Back, Steph Jones, 12; Carrie Wight, 9; Kari Olmon, 10. Front, Nakami Tongrit-Green, 9
s Matt Wolff, 11; Tasha Rhoads, 11
s Charlie Collins, 11
Come see the choirs perform during the Upper School Winter Vocal Concert and Community Chorale Saturday, February 10, 7 p.m. at United Church of Christ in Saint Paul. This event is free and open to the public.
and Roll
The Upper School Pops Concert took place Sunday, November 5, 2006, in Briggs Gymnasium, Randolph Campus. The musical event featured performances by the 9-12 orchestra, Academy Chorale, Summit Singers, Gold Jazz Ensemble and Blue Jazz Ensemble. Directors included John Koziol, jazz ensembles; Almut Engelhardt, orchestra; and Anne Klus, vocal.
Pop, Rock
s Austin Lilly, 11; Colin Wymore, 10
Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage
PA I D
St. Paul, MN Permit No. 3400 1712 Randolph Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105-2194 Address Service Requested
Extra postage is needed for forwarding. To parents of alumni/ae: Please let us know if this is no longer the current mailing address for your son or daughter. Call 651-696-1366 to update us.
Charge up your school spirit and mark your calendar now for Reunion-Homecoming Weekend 2007!
To receive occasional email updates about Reunion activities and other school news and events, go to www.spa.edu/alumni and update your email address in the online alumni/ae directory.
October 12-14, 2007