Fall 2014
STUART COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL OF THE SACRED HEART
Board of Trustees 2014–2015
Co-Chairs Mark Johnson Suzanne Plambeck Scott Blandford Karin Borchert Patricia Costante Kristin Rodewald Dawson ’80 Patty L. Fagin, PhD Rene Johnson Nancy Kehoe, RSCJ Sara Burchell Kestner ’96 Joan Kirby, RSCJ Cheryl Lagay Laura Lamke Melinda La Nasa Pablo Lapuerta, MD Lorraine McGowen Maureen O’Halloran, RSCJ Hamilton F. Potter III Sohini Rath Cynthia Reiche Schumacker ’73 Marguerite Vera James P. Winder Kathy Zavotsky
Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart serves 455 students in preschool through grade 12. The school admits students of any race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin to all the rights or privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarships, or loan programs or athletic or other school-administered programs. Stuart is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and is a member of the international community of Sacred Heart Schools, the National Association of Independent Schools, the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools, the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools, the Secondary School Admission Board, the College Board, the Education Records Bureau, the Association of Supervision and Curriculum, and the Online School for Girls.
Fall 2014
Stuart News
Goal IV: Sacred Heart Community
From the Head of School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
The Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Class of 2014 Commencement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
“Afternoon of Make” at Stuart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Faculty Staff Goal Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Class of 2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Goal V: Leadership
Senior Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Why Sports are Critical for Girls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
College Matriculation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Welcome Robyn Henry, Director of College Counseling . . 12 Every Stuart Girl Has a Story by Aana Bansal ’14 . . . . . . . 14 The Sacred Heart Network by Margaret La Nasa ’14 . . . . 16
Goal I: Leadership in Faith Celebrating Janet Erskine Stuart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Shaped Like a Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Goal II: Intellectual values STEM Continues to Thrive at Stuart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Goal III: Service Learning Serving Appalachia for 35 Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Alumnae News From the Alumnae President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 The Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Alumnae Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
50th Anniversary Events Hearts of Gold Gala and Auction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Christmas Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Poetry in Motion 5K Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
From the Head of School Dear Friends of Stuart, I am constantly astounded by what our community is able to accomplish when we work together to provide the very best Sacred Heart education for our girls and young boys. Coming off our 50th Anniversary celebrations, I am thrilled that we have met every objective outlined in our 2011 six-year Strategic Plan in just three short years! This past April the Board of Trustees, together with our leadership team, embarked on a second round of strategic financial planning (SFP). With the foundation of the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria and our mission to prepare young women for lives of exceptional leadership and service, we charted Stuart’s course for the next three to five years. Our new SFP builds on the momentum of the 2011 Plan with a strong focus on innovative teaching, programming, and facilities, designed to take our girls well into the future. Honoring our excellent faculty and staff, the plan targets a strong school culture and internal leadership. Over the next few years we will focus on the following. • A Strategic Academic Plan to: °° Continue innovative initiatives in STEM, finance and economics, girl’s leadership, project-based learning, and cross-curricular programming. °° Expand connections with the global community of Sacred Heart Schools.
• Professional development opportunities that continue to: °° Improve student performance, enthusiasm and satisfaction. °° Develop teacher leadership. °° Create strong professional learning communities. °° Strengthen our faculty and staff’s formation to mission. • Faculty Excellence—attracting and retaining the very best faculty through: °° Expansion of leadership opportunities. °° Benchmarking and appropriate funding of the faculty pay scale. °° Investigation of a merit pay system. • An Internal Space Plan The focus will be on preserveing our extraordinary facility while prioritizing renovations and modifications in support of the Strategic Academic Plan. • A Marketing Plan that includes a “Word-of-Mouth” Parent Network, expands our international student population and positions Stuart as the school of choice for girls. The Board of Trustees continues to invest in the future, as they did with the 2011 plan, with support of nearly $1M to ensure the success of this Strategic Financial Plan. We are so grateful for the Board’s confidence, as well as the support of Stuart’s friends and outside foundations. With all of your help we will continue to fulfill our vision for Stuart’s future well into the next 50 years!
°° Evolve our community service program into a true service learning model. °° Develop Signature Experiences at each grade level. Patty L. Fagin, PhD Head of School
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COMMENCEMEN T 2 014 “Whatever you find is your passion, live it … love it … embrace it.” —Georgienne Bradley, commencement speaker Stuart alumna and founder of the Sea Save Foundation
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Excerpted from the graduation speech by AnnaLiza Carey ’14 “The most pressing question is: how do we know that we’re ready? — Are we ready? The answer to this seemingly difficult question is simple: Of course we are. We have developed a personal and active faith in God that will guide us through the next four years and beyond, our hearts and morals serving as unwavering compasses to guide us through any challenging situation that may arise.”
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THE CL ASS Alexis Adie Juhi Aggarwal Faizah Alaoui Aana Bansal Bindu Bansinath Sarah Barkley
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Katherine Blandford Annaliza Carey Kathryn Dunn Ligaya Franklin Gabriela Funez Harshdeep Gill
Abigail Girgis Amy Hallowell Kayla Jones Erin Lamke Margaret La Nasa Isabel Landers
OF 2 0 14 Vanessa Li Larissa Lopes Alianna Maguire Bianca Moreno-Paz Victoria Orellana
Sianna Peal Juliane Raab Caroline Scott Meghan Shannon Rania Siddique
Samielle Taylor Autumn Townsend Lilyming Wageman Margaret Walsh Mary Kate Zavotsky
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Senior Awards Goal I
Goal III
Margarita Condell Award This award is named for a beloved educator who was at Stuart for 20 years. The award is given to a student who exemplifies living an active faith in God. This year’s winner, Amy Hallowell, was the head of Upper School Campus Ministry and a member of the Kairos Retreat Team. She led many of the prayer services and also served as an altar server for Mass. Amy is attending Johns Hopkins University where she is playing field hockey.
RSCJ Service Award This award is given to a student who exemplifies Goal Three, a social awareness which impels to action. This year’s winner, Faizah Alaoui gave over 375 service hours to others during her four years in the Upper School at Stuart. Faizah is attending Yale University.
Amy Hallowell
Faizah Alaoui
Goal IV
Alumnae Award
Goal II
Janet Erskine Stuart Award The 2014 Janet Erskine Stuart award is given to Sarah Barkley and Vanessa Li. Each has demonstrated a deep respect for intellectual values and a love of learning. Sarah is continuing her studies at the University of Virginia and Vanessa is attending Harvard University.
Margaret La Nasa
The Alumnae Award is given to a student who is instrumental in the building of community at Stuart and contributes to the evolving tradition of Sacred Heart education. This year’s awardee, Margaret La Nasa, successfully led the seniors as their class president. Her ability to build community within her class and beyond is exemplary. Margaret is continuing her studies at Boston College.
Goal V
Faculty Award
Sarah Barkley
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Vanessa Li
The Faculty Award recognizes a student who displays generosity of spirit in all areas of school life. This year’s winner is Gabriela Funez. Gabby has shown tremendous growth during her time here at Stuart—academically and holistically. She is continuing her studies at Tufts University.
Gabriela Funez
College Matriculation
T H E
C L A S S
O F
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is attending the following colleges and universities: Babson College
Harvard College
Princeton University
Bard College (Simon’s Rock)
Johns Hopkins University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Barnard College
Kenyon College
Spelman College
Bates College
Lafayette College
The College of New Jersey
Boston College
Loyola University Maryland
Tufts University
Boston Conservatory
Montclair State University
University of Notre Dame
Brandeis University
Northwestern University
University of St. Andrews
Bryn Mawr College Columbia University Drexel University Gettysburg College
New York University Occidental College Pennsylvania State University, University Park
University of Virginia Ursinus College Wake Forest University Yale University
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Welcome Robyn Henry, Director of College Counseling Excellence in college counseling
has long been a hallmark of a Stuart education. We are excited to welcome Robyn Henry, a leader with more than 15 years of experience in college admissions and administration, to join our community. Robyn came to Stuart from Princeton University where she was an associate dean of admission. During her eight years at Princeton, she was a member of the admission leadership team, collaborated on admission policies and strategies for recruitment, and took part in application reviews for recruited athletes. Previously, Robyn was associate director of admissions at Stevens Institute of Technology, program assistant for the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives at the University of Michigan, and assistant director for the Office of Student Activities at Columbia University. Robyn earned her bachelor’s degree in African American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania and holds a master’s in higher education administration from Columbia University’s Teacher’s College. She and her husband, Claudius Henry, have one son.
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When I think of Stuart girls, I think of intelligent, assertive, go-getters— and that’s exactly what every college wants to see in a young, independent 18-year-old. Walking through Stuart, I see this confidence and a sense of purpose in the fourth graders, the sixth graders, ninth graders, and in every girl in the hallway—it is what impressed me most when I first came to visit. It’s in the way the littlest ones present themselves and walk around the school. I really feel it’s a testament to the parents, the faculty and staff, and the education and values the girls are receiving here at Stuart.
That “Something Else”
Stuart girls get an amazingly comprehensive education. They are certainly prepared for college academically—but Stuart girls bring something else to the table, and that “something else” is what colleges are looking for. Aside from the core academic subjects, so many of
our young women are phenomenally talented in the arts, in the science fields and leadership organization. The emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), social justice, as well as ethics, means our girls are more well-rounded than typical high school students. Each girl is encouraged to find her passions outside the classroom, which really pays off when thinking about what they might want to do in college and beyond. What’s more, our students don’t have to leave Stuart to look for it—it’s built into the curriculum and into the life of a Stuart girl. I’ve only been here a few months, but I have been impressed with the fact that our young women are so interesting! Just in reading their college questionnaires, I see so much evidence of the vast talents and experiences of all Stuart girls.
Finding the Best Fit
I’ve enjoyed already getting to know some of our families and meeting with parents. They all want what’s best for their daughters, as we all want for our children. It’s my job to ensure that parents know the high level of personal attention their daughter has received through the years at Stuart will continue on the tail end of their Stuart journey. Parents are committed, dedicated, and passionate about helping their daughters find the best college fit — and I’m passionate about that too. The selection process can start as soon as students are ready, in all stages of development—from course selection to summer programs. As the girls get closer to junior and senior year, we begin to get into the nitty-gritty such as college lists and visiting schools to hone in on where they want to go after Stuart. With 13 years of experience in college admissions, including the past eight at Princeton University, I can offer students insight into the application process by helping to set expectations
and realistic goals. I’ve run programs for students of all ages and helped so many families with differing college and financial needs navigate the process. I’ve developed an extensive set of skills and tools to help students navigate to the best-fit schools, so whether it’s an Ivy League, a large research institution, or a small liberal arts school—I know what colleges expect, what they’re looking for, and what they hope to see.
My College Counseling Door is Open
I’m very glad to be a part of this intimate community and take such an active role in helping our girls realize their dreams for college. I’m looking forward to getting to know families one-on-one. At Princeton I met thousands of families but didn’t get to know them as deeply or help them as much as I would have liked. This is the piece of the puzzle that was missing for me. All Stuart families should know, my door is always open if they have questions, even in the Lower School. I would love to meet our families as early as possible— parents don’t need to wait until 11th grade to come in. Even if it’s a question about an article they’ve read in the NY Times or something they’ve heard from a friend—they are welcome any time. I’m excited for the school year to begin, meet more families and especially the girls. From preschool through senior year, the combination of values, leadership, challenging academics, individual talents and vast experiences our girls receive here at Stuart make them stronger college applicants—we think deeper, think bolder and dream bigger here.
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Every
Stuart girl has a story. by Aana Bansal ’14
Her story is an account of how her days on Stuart Road transformed her. Each tale is remarkable and engaging, and includes equal parts setbacks and celebrations. Because at Stuart, growing up is about more than just an accumulation of years. It’s about discovering yourself.
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In these postgraduation, hazy, summer days, my friends and I often remark on how much we’ve each changed since freshman year and I’m hit by a question I never actually considered while I was at Stuart. How could so many stories, so many transformations, have occurred simultaneously in one building, without us even noticing? During these last few years, every one of my classmates has overcome daunting challenges (Monday mornings), persevered through setbacks (delayed Goûter), and become stronger. However, we were oblivious to all the movement and change that was occurring within us and our classmates. The days passed as we crammed for tests, hopefully predicted Congé, and made escapades into town. But when we marched out the doors of Cor Unum, diplomas in hand, I had a flashback to the first time I walked in through those doors for freshman orientation with this same group of girls. Only then did I come to realize what had occurred over the last four years. What I couldn’t figure out was “When?” When did the girls I raced to Goûter and fought with over the last muffin become some of the most inspiring people I know? And how did all these stories evolve in one building, without any of us even noticing?
same story: the story of a school that teaches far more than math, english, history, and science; an incubator where students develop an understanding of themselves and the world around them, where the faculty lights the way but students chart their own paths. And that’s exactly what happened to me and my classmates. We grew, and none of us noticed because at Stuart, this emphasis on personal development is an integral part of each school day. At Stuart, these incredible transformations are typical and in this way, it is like no other school. But what’s more, as Stuart graduates, we’ll never stop growing. Our time here has taught us to view everyone we meet as a teacher and every experience we have as a lesson. Because at the end of the day, that’s what Stuart is. A smaller, greener version of the world, with all its richness, wisdom, and opportunities.
Aana Bansal ’14
After some thought, I think I have arrived at an answer. These evolutions were all part of the
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Long before LinkedIn, there was the Sacred Heart Network by Margaret La Nasa ’14
My Stuart journey began when I toddled through the green brick halls for my first day of preschool. Fifteen years later, standing a few feet taller, I walked those same halls on the day of graduation. The act of receiving a diploma carries an air of finality. But for a Stuart girl, this sense of conclusion is almost always a false one. Aside from an exceptional education, Stuart gives its students access to a boundless network. This network, and the opportunities it offers, continues to exist for Stuart graduates long after the diplomas have been conferred.
Though we function within our small, tight knit community on a day-to-day basis, a Stuart girl learns early on that her reach stretches far beyond the Stuart woods. In Lower School we participated in events and projects with our nearby brother school Princeton Academy and sent letters to pen pals at other Sacred Heart Schools around the country. When Middle School came along we raised funds for Sacred Heart Schools in need and took advantage of our first exchange opportunities through SHAEP (Sacred Heart Academic Exchange Program). By the time we were freshmen, we had begun filling out applications to travel around the world and immerse ourselves in new cultures and languages. Everyone reaped the benefits of having exchange students in their classes. Throughout sophomore year we made friends with girls from Pennsylvania to France to Peru, learned about our differences and commonalities alike, and said some tearful goodbyes. This past year, Stuart further opened the Sacred Heart Network by hosting lunches with alumnae from different career fields. We were able to meet with Stuart girls who had found success in the fields we were interested in. It is the job of a school to set its students up with a group of teachers, classmates, and mentors who contribute to the growth of a child until the day of graduation. Stuart takes this duty and expands upon it by opening our lives to a global network that supports the lifelong education of all of its students.
Above: Margaret La Nasa ’14, age 3 in 1999. Opposite: Margaret with her mother and father, Melinda and Ronnie La Nasa at Field Hockey Senior Day in 2013.
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Goal I: Leadership in Faith
Celebrating Janet Erskine Stuart by Dr. Patty L. Fagin
How does one get to know a namesake—especially one they’ve never met? Each day as I walk the halls of Stuart I am greeted by the idyllic face of a six-year old Mother Stuart standing properly poised beside an ornate English side chair. It is a formal rendering of an 1863 stance that places her as far away as the years that divide us. Having fallen in love with Mother Stuart’s writings over the past four years - she has been the source of every graduation talk I have given since my arrival at Stuart—I wanted to know Janet. I longed for her to leap off the canvas and into my heart. This summer, on the occasion of the centenary of her passing, I had that opportunity. My husband and I traveled with over 70 other pilgrims to Cottesmore, England to the home where Janet was born and raised. Entering Cottesmore one is quickly transported back in time. The small village is dotted with light stone, thick-thatched roof buildings, and medieval structures. Prominently placed in the center of town is the Anglican Church where Janet’s father served as vicar. Clearly it is not the small country church I imagined! Dating from the Norman times (early 12th century), it is among the most beautiful churches in Rutland, rising gracefully from a low hill, looming over the cottages and shops of Cottesmore below. Once situated on over 90 acres, the church and adjoining rectory are both beautiful and imposing. Maud Monahan, Mother Stuart’s biographer, described the rectory, Janet’s home, as “a grey stone building, with
high-pitched gables and mullioned windows…its walls overgrown with lichens and ivy.” But it is in Maud’s description of the surrounding countryside that you truly get a sense of the place. The scenery…though not grand, has a beauty all its own, and is typically English, with rich meadowlands, bordered by hedgerows, overgrown with flowers, and dotted with stately trees; and densely wooded districts, the remains of the great forests of former days….In the north and west there is a circle of low, flat-topped hills forming a link with the central highlands. They are clothed from base to summit with magnificent trees and luxuriant evergreens. To the east the hills slope down to join the ’low fen lands so full of mystery.’ Probably nowhere within so small a space can so much beauty and so great a variety of scenery be found. Blue flowers are characteristic of the little county. In spring, the woods are carpeted with blue-bells, so thickly that the deep azure gives a distinct colour to the landscape while in summer the bright blue of the flax lights up the hill sides. Countless wild flowers, among which quaint orchids predominate, find their home its woods and fields, and make Rutland a garden of delights, a paradise for children and lovers of flowers. This is the lovely setting Janet called home. She was the youngest of Canon Stuart’s thirteen children. Her father, Andrew, and his first wife, Catherine, had seven children before Catherine died in 1845. Three years later, Janet’s father married Mary Penelope Noel, with whom he had three sons and three daughters. By the time Janet was born, only seven of her twelve siblings were living and within two short years her mother would be gone as well. Raised by her older halfsister, Theodosia and Swiss governesses, Janet was described as friendly, practical and someone who loved to be busy. As she grew, that need to be busy would eventually translate itself into a keen interest in farming and teaching. As the youngest of Canon Stuart’s children, Janet was beloved by her father. She was his constant companion, a careful reviewer of his sermons, his co-hand in the tending of the fields and livestock, and like him, an excellent judge of horses and cattle. She was a natural horsewoman who cherished riding above all other activities. (In fact, years later, as she struggled
Left: Head of School Dr. Patty L. Fagin at the home of Janet Erskine Stuart (right)
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Goal I: Leadership in Faith
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with whether or not to enter religious training at Roehampton University she wondered, “Could I face the idea of never mounting a horse again it was what cost me the most. Could I for God brace myself to accept life in thirty acres of ground?”)
’word’ (I had received) was from God, He would put me on the prie-dieu instead of the nun who had just come, and almost immediately she left the prie-dieu and came to beg me to take it, saying she felt too ill to stay, so I did not doubt further.”
After Theodosia’s death and at the age of twenty-one, Janet’s friendship with her cousin, Lady Edith Noel, would blossom and turn her heart toward the Catholic Church. Years earlier, Edith, along with the rest of her family, had become Catholic as part of the Oxford movement within the Anglican Church led by John Henry Newman. Edith was now contemplating entering the noviceship with the Sisters of Charity and it would be Edith’s books and conversations that would be the first steps in Janet’s conversion to the Catholic faith. Consequent connections with Harriet Ross, a Catholic friend of Edith’s, and a Jesuit priest, Fr. Peter Gallwey, would seal Janet’s conviction not only to convert but to consider religious life for herself.
Seven months later [in November 1882] she would don the postulant’s habit and begin her novice studies at Roehampton Convent of the Sacred Heart. Seven years later she would make her profession, fully entering religious life and within several months would suffer the loss of her beloved father. Janet would spend the next twenty six years preparing novices to teach in Sacred Heart schools across the globe, assuming increasing oversight of the Society of the Sacred Heart along the way. Her days at her father’s side prepared her well her for the leadership roles she would shoulder.
It isn’t hard to imagine what a struggle her decision to convert to Catholicism must have been. Beyond giving up freedom, landscape, and privilege, she risked the relationship she valued most—that with her father. This was a time when many members of the Anglican Church were reverting to Catholicism, but for the Vicar’s daughter to turn her back on the faith was unconscionable. Her father begged her to reconsider but nothing would dissuade her and on March 6, 1879, Janet was received into the Catholic Church at the Altar of the Sacred Heart at Farm Street Church in London, England. Janet would never live with her father again. As rector, he could not allow a Catholic to live under his roof, particularly one so beloved by his parishioners. He suffered greatly from her absence and never wavered in his love for her. Over the next nine years he would write to her regularly and she would visit him occasionally outside of Cottesmore. During that time Janet would solidify her decision to become a Religious of the Sacred Heart. She would spend three and a half years traveling with her friend Harriet Ross and her husband giving “her day to fishing and hunting, and often the greater part of the night to prayer and study.” Slowly she said goodbye to the life she had led and loved. Eventually, in May of 1882, on a walk through Regent’s Park in London, standing beside a bed of blue hyacinths, it is said that she “saw it all” and hurried across the street to Helpers of the Holy Souls Convent. There, in the chapel, she relates, “the Blessed Sacrament was exposed, and the nun who was on the prie-dieu (kneeler) was replaced by another as I came in. I asked as a sign that, if the
Painting by Peggy Peplow Gummere based on a photograph of Janet Erskine Stuart as a young girl.
I left Cottesmore knowing that Janet would have loved our “little school in the woods of Princeton.” She would have reveled in its early growth among the woods, rocks, and streams at the once rural edge of our city. She would have been immeasurably proud of the academic rigor and cutting edge instruction which is the hallmark of our school; after all, it was she who introduced the typewriter and electricity to the Convent at Roehampton! Equally, she would have embraced our religiously diverse community, understanding the very personal nature of one’s journey in faith. My travels to Cottesmore did just what I had hoped. They gave life and context to the distant young girl whose portrait hangs on Stuart’s green glazed brick. At Cottesmore, amidst the fields and the flowers, in the town church and country school house, I could see her on horseback riding across acres of rolling hills, hear her sister’s loving voice and imagine the father who loved her unconditionally. At Cottesmore, Mother Stuart became Janet—no longer a child, but a woman of incredible strength, determination, wisdom and faith - a kindred soul the 21st century girls who learn and grow at the school that bears her name.
Janet Erskine Stuart, RSCJ
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Goal I: Leadership in Faith
Shaped Like a Heart by Martin J. Arsenault, Chair of Theology
“Look, the lights are shaped like a heart,” exclaimed the excited Lower School girl to some of her classmates. “Those are the lights from this morning” said her friend. They were at a table set up in front of Cor Unum on which over 100 flickering electric candles formed the shape of the Sacred Heart emblem. The candles were part of the all school Thanksgiving prayer held that morning. The prayer celebration was led by students from Campus Ministry and was part of a year long effort to make Campus Ministry deliberately campus-wide and to focus on Sacred Heart Goal One, a commitment to a personal and active faith in God. That commitment to the spiritual lives of each member of the Stuart community was central to several activities that coincided with the celebration of Stuart’s fifty years. The campus-wide efforts deliberately involved members of all school divisions in reflecting on and expressing faith. Two central symbols anchored the Thanksgiving prayer celebration, hearts and lights. Prior to the celebration, all members of the school community were asked to put words or drawings on paper hearts, expressing gratitude for the people and blessings in their lives. The hearts were hung around Cor Unum prior to the celebration. As the celebration began, representatives of the various divisions came forward with some of the hearts. Prayers of Thanksgiving from various religious traditions were offered. Since this year’s Thanksgiving coincided with the celebration of Hanukkah, we were blessed to have Rabbi Sara Rich, from Princeton University, speak about Hanukkah and thankfulness. Rabbi Rich’s reflection was followed by a Litany of Light. Electric candles were lit to express our gratitude for the light and blessing of God in our lives. We prayed that that through us, the light may shine on in the lives of others. At the end of the celebration the candles were placed on a table in front of Cor Unum (see photo above). A key initiative to expand Campus Ministry was the formation of a Middle School Campus Ministry Club in a style similar to the long-standing Upper School version. The new club was made up of students from many religious backgrounds. They became regular leaders in communal prayer events involving members of every division.
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One important discussion was the decoration of the new Campus Ministry room. The central idea was to express our uniqueness as individuals blessed by God and our life as a community. This discussion led to an exciting idea that involved as many members of the school as possible. Through the Handprint Project, everyone in the school was invited to put her or his handprint on the Campus Ministry wall. The response was amazing! Students from all divisions, faculty and staff came to put their prints on the wall. The wall is now filled with handprints of all sizes and expressions. The handprint wall is a true expression of our faith in God and the uniqueness of each member of this vibrant community.
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Goal II: Intellectual Values
STEM CONTINUES TO by Dr. Michael Schwartz, Director of STEM Programs
Since my arrival last summer as Stuart’s first director of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs, I have been so very impressed with the interest and enthusiasm at all grade levels for everything STEM.
From our Little Engineers after-school program for kindergarten and first grade girls, to internship opportunities for Upper School students, STEM activities are plentiful and growing at Stuart. Here’s an update: We continue to develop new STEM classes for Upper School students including History of Medicine and Disease and Forensic Science. This past year, these elective classes included real-world experiences, with visits to the Mütter Museum in Philadelphia and to the Princeton Police Department Forensics Lab. Biotechnology is the newest STEM elective, thanks to the Rita Conlon and Alice McLaughlin Innovation Fund. The Innovation Fund also allowed us to install a Weatherbug. We’re very excited to engage our girls and get them excited about not just using technology, but designing it too! We’ve expanded computer science across all three divisions with schoolwide activities such as the Hour of Code and we’ve added a new elective in the Upper School titled Designing Emerging Technology (DET). In addition, we offer AP Computer Science, Computer Science Principles, Introduction to Programming, and Web Design, and all grade 8 students learn how to program through video game design. We are working toward a spiraling, thematicbased science curriculum for grades 5-8 that will include a fifth grade design class. As always, our faculty continue to find innovative ways to introduce technology into classrooms. We know that it’s important to keep our girls interested in using math, science and technology so we’ve established cross-curricular projects at all levels.
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THRIVE AT STUART Some examples include kite design and building, cloud journals, and we’ve really made great use of our 3D printer to create student-designed cells in Grade 7 Life Science, demons in English, and key chains on World Arts Day. We continue to develop STEM-related project based learning (PBL) across both disciplines and divisions. A wonderful example was the sophomore solar suitcase project. The solar suitcases our girls built were taken to Haiti and installed in schools this summer. STEM is thriving outside the classroom as well, in student clubs! The Sparks, our FTC robotics team, continued to compete in state competitions and also enjoyed a visit to the University of Pennsylvania’s Robotics Laboratory. In the Middle School, the Remote Control Race Car, Future Cities, and Tinkering Clubs continued, and a new Robotics Club was offered. This club took advantage of a cross-divisional opportunity, and taught Lower School girls about robotics during their STEM lessons. In addition, the Lower School Math Club was started.
We are building our mentor program by bringing outside speakers to talk with the girls about opportunities in STEM careers and we continue to establish connections that will give students the opportunity for real-world research opportunities and internships. Many alumnae have returned to share their experiences and we look forward to additional alumnae involvement in the STEM programs here at Stuart. Our faculty have spent quite a lot of time on professional development in STEM, attending various STEMrelated conferences and workshops throughout the country. Our students have also been out and about in the STEM education world, attending the Inspiring Women in STEM Conference in October at the City University of New York and a STEM lecture at Princeton University. We presented a session at the National Council of Girls School Annual Conference on our STEM Sisterhood program, and several faculty are scheduled to present at the upcoming NJAIS Biannual Conference in October 2014 on STEM topics.
It’s been a busy summer for STEM at Stuart—Upper School girls helped with robotics in the Summer Stars Program, two weeks of Young Women in STEM for Middle School girls, digital design, video game design, and a Middle School STEM camp. Additionally, we now offer Lavner Camps at Stuart which expanded our summer offerings to include robotics and technology, Minecraft, filmmaking, culinary arts, and graphic design. We are working on a student-designed STEM Night program that takes our girls on the road to deliver STEM demonstrations and projects to other schools and organizations. As you can see, STEM is alive and thriving at Stuart! Through curriculum, clubs, increased participation at STEMrelated conferences, workshops, regional and national competitions, and realworld experiences, we know our girls will be well prepared with critical skills they’ll need for success at Stuart, college and life!
In the spring we held a very successful and well attended Lower School STEM Fair and for Stuart’s 50th Anniversary, a Lower School STEM game event was held and 15 girls participated in a successful afternoon of STEM activities. We also held our first annual “Afternoon of Make” for Middle and Upper School students (more about this in goals section). The success of this event has prompted us to design and build a MakerSpace for the Middle and Upper School. Upper School students competed in several STEM related competitions including Envirothon and the New Jersey Science Bowl.
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Goal III: Service Learning
Serving Appalachia for 35 years by Ana Maria Sauthoff Soler, EdD ’02
Coffee in hand and nervous, I ventured into Stuart’s third-level parking lot. Having graduated in 2002 after 15 challenging and empowering years as a student, I was returning as a chaperone for the Appalachia Service Project (ASP) and as Stuart’s new coordinator of service learning and campus ministry. I came across Doug Green, the former coordinator of ASP. He looked at me and immediately said, “I taught you in 6th grade!” My nervousness vanished as the girls quickly realized I was one of them. Within five minutes of being in the van, they burst into song, and I realized that I was truly with Stuart girls—some things never change. I joined in on the singing and immediately felt at home. It was an honor to participate in Stuart’s thirty-fifth year serving ASP, especially working alongside Walt Cupit, Eric Anderson, Cathy Murphy and Zach Green, who have years of experience with ASP. While I had participated in my youth, this was quite different. I worried someone would saw off a finger or nail their foot to the floor, but what was most special was listening to the girls share their reflections. I felt honored that they could talk to me, someone they barely knew, about questions of who they are, and how doing community service was changing them into who they wanted to become. ASP’s service trip is all-encompassing: a full week of complete immersion in community, spirituality, social justice, and hard manual labor. As many of the girls
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stated, this trip is life changing. While gluing down a floor in a handcrafted 30-year-old house in the mountains, I watched as our team built strong relationships with the family we were serving. They didn’t treat them with pity, but rather with dignity and respect. I was so proud to be a part of this group as our family approached me expressing their gratitude for the time they spent with these Stuart ladies. This immersion trip embodies all five Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria. Because of ASP’s Christian focus, the girls have the opportunity to explore and act on their own spirituality and faith in God. Each year we split into small groups with each assigned one family home to work on. This year our three groups restored two floors, replaced a ceiling, built a porch, and completed new siding. Not only were we changing the lives of the people in the Appalachian region to be “warmer, safer and drier,” but we were living in community with them, learning from them, sharing ourselves with them and shifting our own lenses of the world. I listened as our intelligent young women discussed issues of poverty and social injustice. They asked questions about the past, the present and the future and how they fit into it all. I was immensely impressed with their ability to come at these large issues from both an academic standpoint and a compassionate one. As Stuart’s fiftieth year comes to a close, it’s exciting to know ASP has impacted our girls for more than half of our existence. While I reflect on my return to Stuart, I’d like to end using the words of one of the girls: “I was really nervous about coming on this trip at first, because I’ve lived most of my
life in Princeton and have never really seen what I saw on this trip…. I’ve never seen a house like the one I worked on where the living conditions looked so difficult and different than my own. I was nervous because I didn’t want to accidentally say something or get a look on my face that would offend the homeowners…. However, once I met them, they were not what I expected at all. They were so warm and welcoming that I felt completely at ease and comfortable working there…. Seeing the faces of pure elation when they saw the finished product helped me realize how much I was changing their lives. The relationships that you make change your outlook on everyone and it’s an amazing experience. Stuart girls should go on this trip… because it truly is life changing.”
Ana Maria Sauthoff Soler graduated from Stuart in 2002 and has returned to serve as coordinator of service learning and campus ministry. Annie has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in experimental psychology from St. Joseph’s University. She recently completed her doctorate in education from the University of San Francisco.
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Goal IV: Sacred Heart Community
The Arts
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100
%
Art Students participating in
gallery exhibitions
3
5
Choral Awards
Major Theatrical Productions
Every Single Stuart Girl
Visited a Museum
33 Thespian International Society Inductees
Goal IV: Sacred Heart Community
“Afternoon of Make” at Stuart On May 16, 180 young women enjoyed our School’s first “Afternoon of Make” in celebration of the Maker Movement.
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irls in grades 6–10 participated in 19 hands-on, creative workshops ranging from making bio-plastics, dry ice sorbet and paper beads, to soldering circuits, chemical wood burning and 3D computer design and printing. The Maker Movement is a growing global community that encourages creativity and innovation through a techinfluenced extension of traditional DIY (do-it-yourself) pursuits. Maker activities include such things as robotics, electronics, woodworking, metalworking, 3-D printing, arts and crafts, and other hands-on projects that inspire ingenuity and problem solving. New, lower cost tools and technology, such as 3D printers, microprocessors and “smart” materials have enabled an unprecedented pace of experimentation and innovation. The Maker Movement has natural overlaps with education and potentially vast implications for how students learn—
particularly how and when girls are exposed to the traditionally male-dominated STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math. By encouraging our girls to “tinker” with new tools such as the 3-D doodler printing pen, and by using electronics to make LED jewelry, for example, they see that possibilities for engineering and innovation are limited only by their imaginations. Our girls at Stuart are beginning to realize from an early age that they already are inventors, scientists and mathematicians. Recent research confirms that it’s important to expose young girls to STEM activities so they will have the confidence to pursue further studies and careers in STEM fields. The “Generation STEM” Report (from Girl Scouts USA, 2012) found that 92 percent of girls who engage with STEM subjects believe that they are smart enough to pursue a career in STEM
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Goal IV: Sacred Heart Community
— versus 68 percent of girls who don’t display an interest in science, technology, engineering or math. Stuart’s Afternoon of Make included two sessions, giving students an opportunity to explore two different interests from a wide variety of workshops, including: duct tape creations, LED accessories, weaving, paper beads, building circuits, making kites, tie-dyed pillow cases, Escher-esque artwork, knitting, Zentangles (designing tiles to Zen music), building birdhouses, making rice pudding, making sorbet using dry ice, creating “magic mud” bio-plastic, building a 3D creature, chemical wood burning, making brushbots (mechanical toys), composing haiku, and sewing. A list of workshops with descriptions can be downloaded from the Stuart website. This wonderful afternoon of exploration was organized by Stuart’s Director of STEM Programs Dr. Michael Schwartz, Science Teacher Melinda Huffman-Schwartz and Computer Science Teacher and Tech Integrator Alicia Testa, and is part of Stuart’s STEM Initiative. Workshops were designed and led by faculty from all departments within our school. In addition to the STEM educational benefits, the Afternoon of Make was a terrific success as a community builder. Faculty were able to share their creative talents and students had a lot of fun trying new things and working with girls from different grades and school divisions. For more information on the Maker Movement, visit Maker Magazine at http://makezine.com.
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Faculty Staff Goal Awards 2013–2014 Our outstanding faculty and staff lead and mentor by example every day at Stuart. Each year those who truly exemplify a specific Sacred Heart Goal and its Criteria are nominated by their colleagues and selected by the Board of Trustees to receive an award. We applaud those who live and breathe life into the words that make up our Sacred Heart Goals.
Martin Arsenault
Jean Hannay
Beth Amir
Dominique Di Meglio
Risa Engel
Goal One:
Goal Two:
Goal Three:
Goal Four:
Goal Five:
Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to a personal and active faith in God.
Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to a deep respect for intellectual values.
Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to a social awareness which impels to action.
Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to the building of community as a Christian value.
Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom.
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Goal V: Leadership
Why SPORTS ARE Q & A WITH JUSTIN LEITH, NEW DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Why do sports matter?
Sports offer young women so many things in today’s world. Research shows that girls who play sports do better in school than those who don’t—exercise improves learning, memory, and concentration, clearly beneficial to academic performance. In addition to health benefits of which we’re all aware, sports help develop team-working skills, trust, friendships and relationships between girls and their coaches. What’s more, playing sports can make you a happier person … exercise reduces stress and the brain chemicals released during exercise help make you feel good! In addition to these across-the-board benefits of sports, I believe the most important thing sports can offer is an opportunity to teach and learn important life lessons. I like to focus on one life-long lesson in particular—achieving success. These days, too much focus is put on winning championships. We need to change that focus by changing the definition of success and what it means.
How does changing the definition of success help girls?
Success is not about the win. It’s about putting yourself out there—putting everything you can into the effort and seeing the result. It’s about working as hard as you can. I strive to instill this in young athletes and here at Stuart, I want to empower our young women with a powerful work ethic that can be carried over to so many other areas in life. Think about what this means in the classroom or in their future career … it’s a wonderful thing! (continued on page 36)
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CRITICAL WELCOME JUSTIN LEITH Justin Leith comes to Stuart from The Asheville School in North Carolina where he served as the associate director of athletics, an admissions officer and the varsity boys’ basketball coach. He has worked with girls and boys at all levels, from student athletes striving to make the team, to high school AllAmericans preparing for Division I, II and III athletics in sports such as basketball, lacrosse, field hockey, tennis, volleyball, soccer, football, and more. Justin has also worked with many highlevel professional athletes. Previously, he was the strength and conditioning coach and a faculty member at Peddie School in Hightstown, NJ. Justin’s stellar basketball career includes playing professionally in Europe, Asia, and Central and South America from 2008-2011. In 2009, he was invited to summer workouts with the NBA’s New Jersey Nets. Justin attended Merrimack College where he scored over 1500 points and pulled down over 700 rebounds. For his accomplishments, he was a three-time All-Conference selection and an honorable mention AllAmerican. In high school Justin was a standout player at Princeton Day School, helping the Panthers win two state championships and was NJ Prep Player of the Year, scoring over 1,400 points with a record 830 points as a senior.
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Goal V: Leadership
(continued from page 34)
It’s hard to generalize, but it’s been my experience, having come from a co-ed boarding school, girls may be more reserved and hesitant to take part. Stuart girls exude a self-confidence they don’t seem to get in a co-ed setting. Just one example is when I came for a visit during my interview, I taught a class of third and fourth graders. They had no problems asking questions. In fact they grilled me … we had a great time! When you apply the same attentiveness and assertiveness to sports, i.e., you put the extra time in the gym or on the field, and leave it all out there at the end of a game ... at least you can say you’ve “dared greatly.” Giving it all you’ve got, pushing yourself, and taking that risk … it builds confidence and resilience, which are such important character traits for young women and success in life.
How does your personal success in basketball transfer to the job of teaching students and managing coaches? I’ve been blessed to play sports at the highest level and have put many years into professional development. I’m excited that many of our coaches here at Stuart already understand this work. I’ve coached some great athletes, and some who were not great basketball players. But these kids would work really hard and get better. High school, and middle too, are great times to play sports because if you work harder and smarter, you can beat someone who has more talent than you do. This is true across the board, for all sports. While coaches need a certain level of autonomy, I’m excited to share my ideas and learn from them as well. As an athletic department we’ll work together as part of our mission to articulate what we expect from our girls, how we can support them as coaches, and map out how we will get there.
With a background in co-ed schools, do you anticipate any difference working with all girls?
I’ve coached boys and girls, including a top girls high school basketball program and it was a real highlight. The young women were eager, passionate and hard-working. They’d run through a wall for you. I would listen to them talk and was so impressed with the encouragement they gave one another. With boys, this has to be cultivated and developed, but with women, it’s natural, and a critical component of a team sport.
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I wasn’t looking for an all-girls school but I am so impressed with the young women, the coaches and school leadership at Stuart. I’ve talked to Missy Bruvik and I know she understands the importance of a powerful work ethic. After meeting with Dr. Fagin and her administrative team, I can’t tell you how excited I am to be here at Stuart and for the school year to begin. The environment is so progressive and the energy is fantastic!
I believe that all girls should reap the life lessons and other benefits team sports have to offer. Everyone should have the opportunity to participate, especially those who are not gungho about sports. At Stuart all students take their academics so seriously, and rightly so. Ideally, I’d like to see no drop off between athletics and academics. It’s not going to happen overnight, but slowly and surely, through hard work and commitment, we’ll get there.
What plans do you have for the athletics program at Stuart?
Remember, we’re changing the definition of success. There’s so much pressure to excel, but it’s only pressure if we are defining success by a win or by points scored. If your definition of success is to put your heart and soul into the effort and not worry about the outcome—most of the time, you’ll come out on top. Even if you don’t, you will always have a sense of satisfaction and know where you stand. If you can use athletics to push yourself and step outside your comfort zone, you’ll get to be one of the lucky people to experience success from within. Maybe the next time, you’re working on a problem, and it’s 2:00 AM and time to quit … it seems like an impossibility, but something makes you want to work a little harder, putting in the extra effort to push through and push limits … It becomes a part of who you are.
I believe that athletics should permeate everything and be a part of every day life. I think pep rallies, game attendance and other activities can give athletics more visibility and develop support from within. Our greatest asset is that we are a preschool – grade 12 school. I’d love for our JV and varsity athletes to participate in activities and clinics with our younger students on a regular basis. They pass each other in the hallways and the younger girls look up to the older ones. Fostering mentor relationships through sports will naturally grow the athletic culture and school spirit. Athletics can also be a great retention/ yield tool.
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A L U M N A E
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N
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W
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In March, eight Stuart alumnae returned for a special career day for Middle School and Upper School girls. Pictured here are (left to right): Joanna Wilson Vargas ’88, Lorena Sayer O’Brien ’88, Farha Naqui ’97, Mari Keeler ’96, Head of School Dr. Patty L. Fagin, Allison Keves ’01, Sarah Pierpont ’04, Mary Anne Bitetto Wassel ’02 and Sabrina Lupero Reichert ’94
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Mari Keeler ’96 meets with Middle and Upper School girls during Alumnae Career Day in March, 2014.
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FROM THE ALUMNAE PRESIDENT Stuart is coming off of a wonderfully successful 50th anniversary year full of opportunities to celebrate Stuart’s place in our shared history. Of particular pride is the way in which we all demonstrated a commitment to one of the Goals of a Sacred Heart education: “A social awareness which impels to action.” Stuart alumnae lived this value, exhibiting our life-long commitment to service through a campaign, “50 Acts of Service—Show Us Your Hearts.” Stuart alumnae also gave a remarkable show of our ties to our school when the “50 Phenomenal Philanthropists” campaign raised more than $500,000 in honor of Stuart’s 50th. This achievement is an expression of the appreciation for the role that Stuart has played in our development as women and leaders and our interest in supporting current and future Stuart students.
Looking ahead to the coming year, I encourage you to take advantage of opportunities to engage with fellow alumnae and friends of Stuart at various events taking place during the year. We hope you were able to join us at Alumnae Day 2014, and hope you will return during the holidays for the annual Christmas Cocktail Party, Christmas Eve Mass or Little Christmas. I am honored to be your new Stuart Alumnae Board President. As a brief introduction, I live in Pennington with my husband, Peter, and our daughter, Anna, a member of the class of 2021. I work in project management at Bristol-Myers Squibb, bringing new drugs to market. Living locally has allowed me to remain active with the school and it has been a rewarding experience. I encourage those who may have lost touch with Stuart to contact me if you are interested in re-engaging with the school and fellow alumnae. I hope to see many of you in the coming year! Kristin Rodewald Dawson ’80 Alumnae Board President
Young alumnae gather in January for Little Christmas.
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THE BARBARA BOGGS M
argaret “Gary” Hughes Bender is a social advocacy leader and educator committed to creating awareness of the many social injustices facing people with developmental disabilities. This became Gary’s focus 21 years ago after the birth of her daughter Alex who has Down syndrome. Gary Hughes Bender graduated from Stuart in 1975 as a member of the “first” first grade of Stuart. After graduating from Colgate University with a bachelor’s degree in history, Gary worked in investment banking and corporate banking for over 20 years. This was just the beginning of her story. In 2010, Gary co-founded Valley Life for All, a local non-profit with a mission to connect existing resources in her community to people with disabilities, creating opportunities for them. She has served as executive director of WindWalkers Equine Assisted Therapy, an organization devoted to helping families and individuals with challenges to grow and thrive. Gary is also a Certified PATH Facilitator and delivers PATH (Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope) sessions to young
adults with disabilities and their circles of support. She has served as a board president and treasurer for both national and local organizations that focus on individuals with disabilities. Gary’s commitment and passion also extends to individuals and families throughout all of our communities. She writes a well-followed weekly blog, The Ordinary Life of an Extraordinary Girl, about the challenges and triumphs of raising a daughter with Down syndrome. She shares with families and young children with Down syndrome that the future for their children is bright and full of hope. She has also written a criticallyacclaimed book of her family’s journey with Alex, From Grief to Celebration, How One Family Learned to Embrace the Gift of Down Syndrome, available through the blog and on Amazon. As a self-proclaimed, life-long learner, Gary’s journey continues as she completes her masters in social work. Yet another tool that will support and guide her commitment and passion for the improvement of the human condition in our world.
Established to honor the memory of Barbara Boggs Sigmund, a former Stuart teacher and public servant, the purpose of the award is to highlight the achievement of a Stuart alumna and to demonstrate the relevance and merit of a Sacred Heart education in the contemporary world. Criteria for the Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award require that a candidate demonstrate a commitment in her life to the Sacred Heart values of: A social awareness which impels to action, A critical sense which has led to reflection in our society and its values, and A profound commitment to the improvement of the human condition in the world.
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SIGMUND AWARD
Margaret “Gary” Bender ’75 receives the Barbara Boggs Sigmund award from Stephen Sigmund, son of Barbara Boggs Sigmund and Ruby and Nola, granddaughters of Ms. Sigmund.
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Located just outside the office of the Head of School, the Alumnae Gallery highlights alumnae whose work exemplifies the Sacred Heart Goals and characteristics outlined in Stuart’s Portrait of a Graduate. Featured alumnae have been selfor peer-nominated, are selected by the Alumnae Association Board and are rotated annually.
Marina Cords ’74 is an award-winning scientist, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a professor at Columbia University. A deep enthusiasm for nature has been part of Marina Cords as long as she can remember. It was not until seventh grade, her first year at Stuart, that she was introduced to the idea of formal investigation, which would become the foundation of her career and passion. “It was heaven mucking around in my very own quadrat on the edge of the stream on Stuart’s grounds.” Her education, as a student and teacher, continues to hone all the relevant skills, and almost every bit of the process is both a challenge and a pleasure. Marina has focused 35 years of her professional life studying monkeys in one particular forest in western Kenya, and is also committed to safe-guarding that wonderful place. She works with local community groups – mainly on environmental education – so that this ecosystem, and the many services it provides local people, remain functional. “Supporting environmental conservation, and helping others learn of its importance, is hardly rewarded in my formal job environment, but I couldn’t feel satisfied if this kind of service were not also part of what I do.”
The Alumnae Gallery is being updated to include all past inductees as well as Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award winners.
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Jennifer Garver Landis ’90 “The values I hold to be the most important in my life are from my family and my time at Stuart.” Jennifer’s strengths as a leader, educator, friend and confidante are founded in the values learned at Stuart and from her family. As a student at Stuart, Jennifer always greeted each new experience with focused eyes, a wide smile and treated each individual with respect and compassion. Upon graduation, Jennifer went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in religion from Colgate University and a master’s degree in education from La Salle University. After graduate school, she met her husband and began a family. Stuart soon came knocking on her door to come back as an educator. During her tenure at Stuart, Jennifer taught over nine different courses ranging from religion to social sciences. Always up for a challenge, Jennifer led by example and brought a perspective to her students that we are all life-long learners if we choose to be. Jennifer’s passion for learning, compassion for others, and faith has guided her lesson plans and impacted many girls within our Stuart Community. Her role as an educator and service to our community encapsulates a portrait of a graduate.
Joy Robinson Melendez ’89 Stuart was the foundation and catalyst for Joy Robinson Melendez’s commitment to service and work in the fields of non-profit project management. With degrees in public health administration and social work, Joy has served the greater New Jersey community through the development and management of programs largely centered around public health education and HIV/AIDS awareness. Joy has been invited to collaborate with physicians and medical professionals to revise and update the asthma education curriculum for The Kids on the Block, Inc. She also created another award-winning educational program geared towards raising HIV/AIDS awareness and sensitivity, promoting healthy decision making skills and character building for inner city youth. Joy is currently the program xoordinator of the Infectious Disease Program, based in a federally qualified health center in New Jersey, having secured over $3 million dollars in federal and state grant funding to provide comprehensive medical and psychosocial services to over 400 adults living with HIV/AIDS. The foundation set at Stuart continues to impact Joy’s life to this day, always searching for opportunities to help others and reach out to those who are otherwise stigmatized. “ Stuart taught me to have a compassionate view of the world. K eeping God in my mind and my heart has helped me to grow and has provided me the confidence to step up, venture out and make a difference.”
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50th Anniversary Hearts of Gold Gala and Auction
Stuart’s largest fundraising event, the Hearts of Gold Gala and Auction held at the elegant Jasna Polana was an incredible success! The evening provided a special opportunity to honor Founding Mothers; Mary Murray Garrett, Millie Harford and Peggy McNeil as well as the members of the Council of Founders and the Project Princeton Advisory Board whose contributions were critical in the formation of Stuart. The Gala was a wonderful culmination to Stuart’s 50th Anniversary celebration, honoring our past and propelling Stuart into the future. Selling out weeks in advance, Hearts of Gold was a success from the start! Special thanks to Co-Chairs Cheryl Lagay and Kristin McConkey and the Gala and Auction Committee for their tireless commitment to Stuart and their attention to every detail. This historical evening became a record breaking success, raising over $312,000 to help fund, school-wide initiatives, enabling us to provide a cutting edge education to our girls for the next fifty years! Many thanks to our guests for their outstanding support.
Gala Co-Chairs Kristin McConkey (Kathryn ’21) and Cheryl Legay (Molly ’21)
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Jennifer and Jamie Brown (Poppy ’27) hit the dance floor at the Gala.
Guests enjoy the stylings of volunteer auctioneer W. Bryce Thompson (Finley ’22).
Right: Bonnie Beairsto and Fran Caswell – daughters of founding mother Peggy McNeil Below: Millie Harford with granddaughters Ayla Peacock and Amanda Harford
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Christmas Party Nearly 250 guests were welcomed at the front doors by the beautiful voices of the Tartantone Selects. The Front Hall was filled with the holiday spirit as the Stuart community gathered to celebrate together and officially kick off the holiday season.
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Celebrate ’63 Trivia Night Guests pulled out all the stops in costume and decoration at Stuart’s Trivia Night, celebrating the founding of Stuart in 1963. Flash back to the ’60s and your favorite characters were in attendance. Hippies and flower children were joined by Rolling Stones groupies, Johnny Cash, Jed Clampett, and more! Between trivia rounds, players were challenged with ’60s themed games—building the Berlin Wall, erecting the Seattle Space Needle, and attempting a moon landing. The team Musicians of the ’60s swept the honors, winning best-theme as well as the overall trivia competition. Thanks to all who participated, you made it an incredible celebration!
Poetry in Motion 5K Run 152 runners enjoyed a beautiful day at the 7th Annual Poetry in Motion 5K Run. Dedicated to the memory of Victoria Flournoy McCarthy ’71, proceeds from the race support the Lies, Light, McCarthy Visiting Author Program at Stuart. Exciting children’s races and activities on the turf field keep our youngest participants happy and engaged. Congratulations and thanks to each of the 152 race participants for supporting the Visiting Author Program. Many thanks to Co-Chairs Kathy Zavotsky and Mollie Morgan, and all of the race volunteers.
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage
PAID
Princeton, NJ Permit No. 310
SAVE THE DATE! AFFAIRS OF THE HEART KICK-OFF PARTY Saturday, January 10, 2015 6:00 PM Fruscione Athletic Center Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart
* Games * Silent Auction * Affairs of the Heart Event Sign-Ups * Refreshments
BRING THE WHOLE FAMILY!
Affairs of the Heart January 10–June 30, 2014
Affairs of the Heart is a series of parties, dinners and other exciting events for Stuart students, parents, faculty, staff and alumnae, organized and hosted by Stuart families. Events include something for everyone, from a family-friendly concert at $15 to a connoisseur’s dream wine-tasting dinner at $200 per person. We are currently seeking hosts for events and we welcome your ideas. Part of the fun of the series comes from having opportunities to try new things. If you have an event idea or questions, please contact Shannon Rangecroft at srangecroft@stuartschool.org or 609-921-6104.