SUFFIELD 2022-2023 by Suffield Academy

Features 14

A Remarkable Four-Decade Legacy Dave Godin Retires After Forty-Three Years

The Class of 2023 t 190th Commencement Senior Speakers • Matriculation Kent-Davis • Senior Art Exhibitions

Africa to Suffield Right to Dream Students on Campus

Suffield’s Exceptional Tapestry The Diverse Origins of Our Students

On Campus 3 4 6 43 46 57 60 67

Notes from the Head of School Campus Enhancements Campus News & Events Community Charity Alumni Leadership Award Faculty Sabbaticals Tiger Athletics Performing Arts

Alumni Section Legacy Family Profiles Suffield Connect 81 Reunion 2022 86 Parent & Alumni Gatherings 88 Alums in the News 90 Class Agents 92 Class Notes 107 In Memoriam 75 80

AR T & DESIGN DIR ECTOR

C O N T RI B U T O RS

P HO T O C O N T RI BUT E R S

Tobye Cook ’88, P’16

Danielle Barthel Sarah Birmingham Drummond ’89 Charles Cahn III P’18, ’22 Lisa Veratti Dagnoli ’95, P’24 Siena Dagnoli ’24 Finn O’Keefe ’24 Tracy Orr O’Keefe ’85, P’24, ’27 Xingjian “James” Ren ’23 Phil Riegel ’87, P’20, ’24

Tobye Cook ’88, P’16 Highpoint Pictures John Marinelli Photography Risley Sports Photography

CR EATIVE DIR ECTOR & PHO T O G RAP HE R

Hillary Rockwell Cahn ’88, P’18, ’22 F EATUR ES WR ITER S

Danielle Barthel Nancy Waters

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Notes from the Head of School

Charles Cahn III In the past year Suffield lost four titans in our storied history: David Holmes ’60, Betsy and Ken Lindfors, and Andy Lowe. These losses remind us how faculty members form the nerve center of Suffield Academy, carrying forth the school’s core values from 1833 to today. The outpouring of affection from the extended Suffield Academy community for David, Andy, Betsy, and Ken was remarkable—immense gratitude for their character and contributions as teachers and leaders. David Holmes was my professional mentor, and I think of him daily as Hillary and I lead the school. David hired me thirty-one years ago to teach and coach at Suffield. Ten years later, I will never forget going to see David and Board of Trustees President Bill Kotchen ’60 one fall morning. I had been getting calls from search firms about school headmaster opportunities and wanted their advice. The calls were coming earlier in our lives than Hillary and I expected. As I mentioned this to them, David and Bill started laughing and I asked why. “We are stepping aside soon, and you and Hillary are part of our exit plan,” David said. “We just haven’t told you yet.” Bill Kotchen informed me that David had recently decided to conclude his time as Suffield’s headmaster in June 2003, and that the Board was engaged in extensive discussions about asking us to then lead the school. And so began a twenty-month transition and now twenty-year tenure as head. David was an outstanding leader and particularly beautiful writer. He had an incredible talent for articulating his thoughts in engaging and eminently coherent ways. He told me this helped him shape his thinking. One great gift he passed along to me was a document he titled “Effective Leadership at Suffield: 70 Rules to Live By.” Some of the most memorable rules included these:

“

- Never forget you have an honorable, indeed sacred responsibility: the caring for and nurturing of other human beings - In speaking and in writing, strive for brevity and conciseness [what is truly important] - Keep strategic goals in mind at all times [keep your eyes on the ball] - Attack cynicism and passive-aggressive behavior - Don’t take it personally, even when it is meant personally - If you do not feel genuine affection for young people, it probably means it is time for a career change

schools and communities

We celebrate harmony and empathy. Our hope, of course, is that our graduates bring these values into their next

so the goodness of Suffield can proliferate to various corners of America and the world.”

I admired David’s resolve, mental discipline, courage, and sense of humor. I am forever grateful to him for taking such a genuine interest in helping me and Hillary grow as people and leaders. As Suffield moves forward, we are led by a steadfast commitment to core tenets. We emphasize kindness and character, both of which seem more complicated with the proliferation of social media and continual expansion of technology. We expect students to wrestle with important topics and be young adults of genuine substance— to understand and embrace people from varied backgrounds with unique life stories. We celebrate harmony and empathy. Our hope, of course, is that our graduates bring these values into their next schools and communities so the goodness of Suffield can proliferate to various corners of America and the world. This noble goal was nurtured by legends like David, Andy, Ken, and Betsy, and propels Suffield into the future. 3

ON CAMPUS

Campus Enhancements POWERS HALL | SHAY TURF FIELD | SOLO BARN BOOTH FAMILY SOFTBALL DUGOUTS

There have been several new additions to Suffield’s campus over the last year. Construction was completed on Powers Hall, Suffield’s newest dormitory located south of Brodie Hall. It is a 13,000-square-foot building that can house twenty students and has two faculty apartments. The building is a companion to Brodie Hall, with heating and cooling controls in each room. It was designed by Tecton Architects, with FIP Construction serving as construction managers. Fred Powers ’83, P’14 has been a Suffield trustee for more than thirty years and President of the Board since 2015. The building was dedicated on September 30, 2022 and is named in recognition of Fred’s leadership and commitment to Suffield. At the dedication ceremony Head of School Charlie Cahn said, “Suffield emphasizes kindness, humility, service to others, and a lack of pretense. We value authenticity. The Powers family models these traits as powerfully as any family I know.”

Above Photo [Front] Walt Harrison, Ali Salehi, Ken Landis, Chris Houlihan, Suzy Vogler, Fred Powers, Charlie Cahn [Back] James Michel, Michael Gingold, Matt Fine, Jack Robinson, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, Kate Cleary, Russ Hearn, Bob Byrne, Kathy Hoffman, Susan Autuori, Jeffrey White

Bill Hardy and FIP Construction donated dugouts for Suffield’s Rachel Carey Softball Field in honor of Patrick Booth, his late wife, Carol, and their children, Lauren ’12 and Nicholas ’14. The dugouts have the traditional Suffield Academy Hartford red brick façade along with precast accents and a beautiful brick backstop. At the May 3 dedication Charlie Cahn spoke about the Booth family, noting that, “Patrick has been my close partner in leading Suffield for twenty years. His dedication is remarkable, and one of his greatest joys is coming out here to be with our softball players on this field each afternoon in the spring... [His wife] Carol’s life was driven by a commitment to living, laughing, and loving. She relished helping others, including Suffield students, in unsung, behind-the-scenes ways... Amidst the joys and sorrows of life, it is great that we have moments like this—where we can celebrate friendships and connections, the kindness of others like Carol Booth and Bill Hardy, the inspirational coaching of Patrick Booth, and our collective great fortune to be part of this special Suffield Academy community.” Patrick then recounted stories of his earlier life with Carol and spoke about the honor of working with Charlie and his Suffield Academy colleagues, and of course coaching the softball team. Patrick emphasized how over his twenty-two-year career at Suffield the people of the community have enriched and sustained himself and his family. Additionally on campus, new synthetic turf was installed on Suffield’s Shay Field last spring. The new material is FieldTurf XTHD. It is two inches high, with sand and TPE infill designed for field hockey, soccer, and lacrosse. Shay Field is a beautiful playing surface and Suffield Academy student-athletes are excited to be using it for various fall and spring activities. Finally, the climbing wall in the Courtney Robinson ’88 Outdoor Leadership Center [SOLO Barn] has been renovated and enhanced. The installation of brand-new climbing pads, belay anchors, and ropes preceded the creation of over twenty new climbing routes for participants to follow.

ON CAMPUS

Suffield Welcomes New Trustees

Lillian Chen Lillian Chen is an educational leader who, along with her husband Henry Chang, runs an educational consulting and tutoring company in China and Taiwan called the Chinamerica Educational Development Consulting Associates. CEDCA has offices in five Chinese cities and Taipei. They employ nearly 500 people and help many students and families with college and secondary school searches. Lillian has four daughters: one went to Milton and then Wharton, and her twins graduated in May from Exeter and Andover.

Carolyn Tribble Hudkins

Jenn Sanford

Carolyn Tribble Hudkins ’94, P’25 is a graduate of Renbrook School, Suffield Academy, and Connecticut College. She’s held positions in public relations and brand management within Manhattan boutique firms and in-house for Condé Nast Publications. Her time at Condé Nast allowed her to launch on her own and work selectively up until the birth of her daughter. Carolyn has volunteered with several organizations including the New York Junior League, The Newcomers Club of New Canaan, Hartford Junior League, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, and Interval House CT.

Jenn Sanford P’18, ’25 is a graduate of SUNY Stony Brook and University of San Diego School of Law. She has volunteered at Renbrook School in several capacities including serving on the Board of Trustees and as President of the Renbrook Parents’ Association.

Carolyn and her husband Garrison live in Farmington, Connecticut, and are the proud parents of Campbell ’25 and Connor [Kingswood Oxford ’28].

Jenn and her husband Paul live in Canton, Connecticut. Paul is Executive Vice President of Operations at Cigna. Jenn and Paul have been involved with Suffield since their daughter Aubrey enrolled in 2014. Their son Alijah is in Suffield Academy’s Class of 2025.

Lunar New Year Students and faculty participated in a week of cultural activities, crafts, and traditions honoring Lunar New Year 2023, an annual celebration in many Asian countries. The events culminated with a delicious dinner for AAPI members of the Suffield community.

Model UN Ten Suffield Academy Model United Nations delegates attended the Ivy League Model United Nations Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Delegates discussed topics like the humanitarian situation in South Sudan, Private Military Contractors, and Eco-Tourism. This award-winning group of students made Suffield proud as they represented the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire in the Committee on Disarmament and International Security, the Special Political and Decolonization Committee, the UN environment program, the Economic and Financial Affairs Council, and the UN Development Program.

SUFFIELD FAMILIES

Grandparents’ Day More than 240 Suffield Academy grandparents were on campus for our 2022 annual Grandparents’ Day. Cool but sunny autumn weather helped make the day enjoyable and successful. Grandparents attended morning classes with their grandchildren, were welcomed to campus by Head of School Charlie Cahn, and then had a delicious lunch in Brewster Hall.

Legacy Students Students by row, from left to right [Front] Ellie Ruffa ’24, Katie O’Brien ’24, Avery Freeman ’24, Andrew Lange ’25, Ben White ’25, Matthew Hulst ’25, Leelee Sammis ’24, Shea Braceland ’24, Allie Zeytoonjian ’24, Sophie Lawry ’25, Lauren Dobler ’25, Sage Hodgkins ’25, Anna Jolly ’26, Ava D’Angelo ’24, Olivia Horowitz ’23, Sara Broad ’23 [Middle] Griffin Santopietro ’24, Finn O’Keefe ’24, Carson Gall ’23, Tyler Wolkoff ’23, Alexi Wolkoff ’25, Campbell Hudkins ’25, Elizabeth Cerrato ’25, Siena Dagnoli ’24, Andrew Pollini ’26, Brooke Hostetter ’26, Helena Ladah ’23 [Back] EJ Lee ’26, David Bowers ’24, Charlie Riegel ’24, Charlie Gamere ’25, Josh Gamere ’25 Not Pictured: Brendan Mastella ’23, Claire Mastella ’25, Ronan Sullivan ’26, Seamus Sullivan ’26, Ava Willcutts ’26

Parents’ Weekend Suffield had two wonderful parents’ weekends in the fall and spring of the 2022-2023 academic year. Parents joined their children for classes, arts and athletics events, state of the school discussions with Charlie Cahn, and delicious lunches in Brewster Hall. It was great to have many families on campus.

Parents’ Association Auction Close to 200 parents attended Suffield’s 23rd Parents’ Association Auction. There were over 170 items available to bid on including front row Commencement seats, tickets to see the Miami Dolphins and visit with Dolphins start Christian Wilkins ’15, seats at the Head of the Charles Regatta, and getaways to Colorado, Vermont, Utah, and more. In addition to the auction items, almost 700 raffle tickets were sold to win a 2023 Ford Bronco. The winner was a current Suffield Academy parent. Proceeds from the auction will support the second phase of an extensive solar energy project on campus. Engineering and construction plans are complete, related to installing a 1.58 KW system connected directly to the electrical grid. Along with an existing 1.05 KW installation from 2021, this will provide 70% of the school’s annual electricity. The new installation will cost $2.5 million. The school has existing gift commitments of $1 million and will receive tax credit refunds of approximately $735,000. A donor matched all commitments made during the 2023 Parents’ Association Auction. Total fundraising proceeds from the evening reached $300,000. The Suffield Academy community thanks everyone who supported the event and attended this special weekend, especially auction chairs Kerri and Marty Milne P’22, ’25 and the parent volunteers who donated their time.

IN THE CLASSROOM

CREATIVE HYPOTHESES SENIOR SCIENCE RESEARCH PROJECTS Each year in Paul Caginalp’s Honors Research Methods class, students develop a topic of interest into a research project. This requires identifying a unique concept, accessing pertinent literature, developing a research design and determining whether it is something that has been done before or if they’re breaking new ground, and finally, carrying out the experiment in the spring term. We asked each student in the class to give an overview of their project, getting a glimpse into the minds of some of our senior scientists.

HOW CAFFEINE AFFECTS COGNITIVE FUNCTION Hope Clark

BOAT BOTTOM PAINTS VS. ALGAE Christian Varas

Participants sorted cards or completed a digital experiment, then drank decaf or caffeinated coffee—they didn’t know which. Fifteen minutes later, they repeated their initial task to see if they did it faster after the drink.

Boat bottom paints are used to prevent algae growth and barnacles, and to increase fuel efficiency and speed. Christian applied paints of different price points and environmental friendliness on tiles. The paints which seemed most effective are harmful to the environment, containing copper, which is the “pesticide” that kills aquatic growth.

ART THERAPY & HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS Morgan Geisinger Two categories were tested: self-reports versus physical differences. In self-reports, participants selected drawing as the most soothing, but physical effects suggested painting was more therapeutic. Morgan concluded that both drawing and painting are effective, and that the outcome can depend on what you want to get from the experience.

HOW HOT SAUCE CAN AFFECT STRENGTH Austin Moore Austin explored how capsaicin affects stamina and adrenaline reserves. Participants gripped a strength tester and squeezed as hard as they could. They were then given a tablespoon of hot sauce and asked to repeat the action. The number of repetitions completed before and after having the hot sauce was measured.

LEVELS OF BACTERIA ON SMARTPHONES Miles Haight

THE SAFETY OF PLASTIC BOTTLES Morgan Peterson

Miles tested bacteria levels on various surfaces—a classroom tabletop, a mirror, the tile in his shower—and then placed his phone on each surface for the same amount of time. He swabbed the phone after and then placed the swabs in petri dishes to measure bacteria growth from each surface over one week.

Morgan bought several different plastic bottles to test how much plastic released into the water over a period of time. She used UV light to detect and measure the amount of material leached from the bottles. She discovered that bottles labeled BPA-free were still not entirely safe.

NANOPARTICLES’ IMPACT ON UV DETECTION Brighie Hogan Nanoparticles are found in zinc oxide and titanium dioxide—they give sunscreen its white color. Using UV sensor cards, Brighie experimented with whether sunscreen with nanoparticles was more effective at blocking UV rays than sunscreen without them. ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT ALGORITHMS Logan Lee Logan looked into how algorithms on Spotify and YouTube led to advice and recommendations for people on what to watch and listen to.

LEVELS OF FEAR Harry Xu Harry measured different emotional reactions after viewing something frightening. Participants watched scary four-minute movie clips and completed a chart to evaluate their emotional reaction. He then compared this against the Brief Mood Introspection Scale. HOW MUSIC INFLUENCES ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE Harry Yi While playing basketball, participants shot the ball as they listened to music—the kind of music was of their own choosing—and then in silence to see how many baskets they could make under each condition.

ON CAMPUS

The National SEED Project [Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity] partners with communities, institutions, and schools to develop leaders who guide others to motivate personal, institutional, and societal change toward social justice. The project was started by Dr. Peggy McIntosh and Emily Style in 1987 to engage people in conversation about the ways in which diversity shows up or plays a part in our lives, from race to class, gender, religion, ableism, socioeconomic status, and schooling.

S E E D 12

There are some hidden gems in our mind and our heart and our soul that we don’t know are there until we engage in the work. Suffield Academy’s Cultural Diversity Director Liz Warren applied to become a SEED facilitator, and once she was accepted, she began her ten-week online training, which included consuming articles, videos, and documentaries, reflective writing assignments, and conversational pieces. One exercise even challenged her to intersperse art into her work, engaging her hands with physical materials as she looked at life metaphorically, viewing things as nests or cages—what was safe versus a barrier? Facilitators are trained in SEED practices to work in their own local schools, other institutions, and community, student, and parent groups, leading conversations around diversity in our lives. While Liz is Suffield’s first facilitator, she said, “As it grows and gains traction, I’d love for people who have gone through my seminars to then become facilitators so we can co-facilitate.” Right now, the program is for any adult within the Suffield community, but someday Liz would also like to have student and parent groups. Liz continued, “I’m most excited about seeing the transformation in people’s lives and watching those ‘aha!’ moments go off in their heads. A lot of it is personal work just to see the way systems play in our own lives.” Many people struggle to unlearn lessons that are passed down generationally—things like “they pick on you because they like you,” even though that’s not what love looks like. Engaging in conversation with others gives you the freedom to think about things from a new perspective. Liz said, “SEED is transformational for anybody who is willing to open themselves up to be vulnerable and open themselves up to varying perspectives. There are some hidden gems in our mind and our heart and our soul that we don’t know are there until we engage in the work.”

M O RE T H A N A H ASH T AG Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter. In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Cultural Diversity Director Liz Warren and members of the Students of Color group shared essays, poems, reflections, videos, and musical performances with the Suffield Academy community during chapel.

Everybody has got somethin’ they want off their chest ... that they’ve been oppressed And since the very beginning they have always tried their best ... But oh well, guess I’m depressed ... themselves, that’s all they got left ... Cuz wide eyes and potential is all a brother got. EZRA MENDES ’26

I’m tired of looking the other way and having to say “It’s just skin color, Mari, it’s not that big of a deal” ... But it is a big deal ... This disease cannot be cured until we accept the fact it is here now just as much as ever ... Are you willing to accept that? ... Will you help find the cure? MARI McCARTHY ’26

I have a dream that one day the media, the world, the systemic ideals of society will see black women as swan princesses ... nubian goddesses ... bold, breathtaking, blissful queens with beauty like gilded bodices because black girl magic is more than a hashtag. It is a movement, and a promise. CHASTITY BLAIR ’24 | THE WOMANIST DIVINE

I want this to shake up your ground the way earthquakes shake and tear apart my island ... I want this to be a reminder that although all the Taínos are gone, their descendants still live. Because I am constantly reminded, when I wake up and look in the mirror All of the racist comments, the hatred, the discrimination my people face And we still stand, on a shaking ground. ISABEL RODRIGUEZ ’25

Cause I am a Black girl in the states who has big dreams and things to change ... I want to be a soccer player one day—I don’t want that girl staring at me across the room when we are in history class talking about the slave trade ... or picking on you cause your accent ain’t the same Well, this accent tells a story you don’t know about It tells me how to find my way home ... how to speak a language ancient and so old. “BLACK” WRITTEN & PERFORMED BY DIANA BAFFOR ’25 [STAGE NAME BEANIE BABY]

A Remarkable Four-Decade Legacy DAVE GODIN RETIRES AFTER 43 YEARS Dave Godin grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Chicopee, Massachusetts, born to Marcel and Pauline Godin—a couple who stayed married until both passed away at the age of ninety. A middle child, he graduated from Chicopee High School in 1975, after his older sister Michelle in 1972 and before his brothers Mark in 1978 and Robert in 1979. He attended Brown University following high school graduation, with the goal of getting an engineering degree due to his strengths in math and science classes. But as is often the case, life had other ideas.

A Remarkable Four-Decade Legacy

Dave took some time off from Brown after his sophomore year, following a suggestion that he focus on his writing skills. This time allowed Dave to rethink his plans. The idea of teaching and coaching became appealing to him, as he wasn’t interested in sitting behind a desk for his job. When the opportunity arose to transfer to Springfield College, he finished his final two years of undergrad there, receiving his degree in Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. Becoming a math teacher and coach at Suffield was Dave’s first full-time job after graduation. He sent his resume to about eighty schools, only hearing back from a handful, and receiving interviews and eventual offers from two. At the time, Suffield’s athletic director, Dennis Kinne, was looking for someone to coach football, basketball, and lacrosse, and seeing as Dave played all three sports, he was a perfect fit. Dave loved the game of basketball and found success playing football and lacrosse in college. He was hired into the math department under Abe Adib-Samii, who was instrumental in his early years of teaching. Shortly after, Dave earned his master’s degree in math from Wesleyan University, further cementing his dedication to the field. On the coaching side, he first worked with the Tiger and JV

“

If someone said to me, “Brett, you were a four-year boarding student at Suffield Academy, and you spent forty-two years as a Suffield faculty member—how would you define what it means to be the quintessential faculty member?” My answer: “Be a David Godin.” First, David is the consummate professional as a teacher. His students will attest, he never misses class, he is always in dress code, he is enthusiastic with a great breadth of knowledge and a nice sense of humor, and he will strive to help them find success in his courses. Next, David was also a superb high school and college athlete, and his experience and knowledge of sports made him a gifted three-sport coach respected by both Suffield athletes and the league at large. In addition, if a student is lucky enough to have David as an advisor, you learn that he holds you to high standards of behavior, while treating you with both respect and warmth. As a member of the Suffield community, David is the faculty member who always goes well beyond what is required or expected to make this the best possible school. And David is a devoted and loving family man. I truly admire David as a faculty member and human being. It has been my honor to have him as a wonderful colleague and friend for over forty years.

[Brett Vianney ’70 ]

levels of football, basketball, and lacrosse. He eventually rose to become an assistant coach of varsity football and lacrosse, as well as head varsity basketball coach after Dennis Kinne stepped down from the role. Professionally, Dave moved into several administrative roles, including dean of students for nine years, assistant business manager for five years, and athletic director for nine years, and even worked in the technology department a few years in between. Dave said, “I feel lucky because I’ve been able to do things I really enjoy. Suffield has allowed me to spread my wings and get involved in a lot of different areas of the school. That helped keep me focused and energized.” The only time Dave considered pursuing a different career path was when he thought of coaching college basketball instead

of high school. But that consideration faded after a meeting with Dee Rowe P’88, a revered basketball giant who coached at Worcester Academy before becoming the head coach at the University of Connecticut. Dave asked Dee at what point in his career he was happiest. Without hesitation Dee admitted it was when he coached at Worcester, where he felt he had more of an impact on students’ lives. That conversation convinced Dave he was where he was supposed to be. While finding fulfillment in his career, Dave also met the woman who would make life complete. One winter Dave was on the recruiting trail for basketball and was at a Longmeadow, Massachusetts basketball game talking with a friend, Mike

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I’m not sure words can do justice to Dave’s impact on my life and countless other students throughout his legendary career. Dave is the reason why I chose to work in boarding schools. His commitment to his advisees, athletes, and students is unparalleled. Dave is the epitome of a triple-threat boarding school faculty member who is always committed to every aspect of the job. During my ten years as a colleague, Dave could be counted on to always show up for students and colleagues. To this day, when I have a big life decision, I call Dave for his advice. He is someone who I learn from every time I am in his presence. [Jeff Depelteau ’02]

A Remarkable Four-Decade Legacy

Deary, who happened to be the Longmeadow High School Director of Athletics. Toward the end of the conversation Mike mentioned there was an art teacher he thought would be a good match for Dave. He was right. Two years later Dave and Hilary Barrera were married. They embarked on a new life together on Suffield’s campus and welcomed their son Ben in 1999. Ben graduated from Suffield Academy in 2017, then from Stevens Institute of Technology in 2021, and now works in the technology industry. When asked what kept him at Suffield for forty-three years, Dave said, “People. I wanted to coach and teach, and that’s all about dealing with people, trying to influence and help particularly young people. I was lucky to have tremendous role models in my younger days. After my parents, one of the most influential people in my life was Gary St. Jean, my high school basketball coach. That’s where I developed my love for basketball. My parents set the foundation for working hard and trying to be a good person and doing things the right way, and Gary helped set the foundation for my interest in working with young people through coaching and teaching.”

“

Dave has had a tremendous impact on me as a teacher, coach, mentor, and colleague. He has inspired me to be better in all areas throughout my life. He genuinely cares about everyone that he works with and he represents all that is great about Suffield Academy.”

[Drew Gamere ’93]

It wasn’t just his student relationships he valued, though, but his working relationships, too. He has been best friends with former faculty member Brett Vianney for forty-three years—sharing good times, as well as challenges—as the two began working at Suffield the same year. Dave says former faculty members such as Joe and Marilyn Connors, Bill Scott, Bill Butcher, Andy Lowe, Gerry LaPlante, Barry Cleary, Jock Burns, Hat Thomsen, and many others helped make his life at Suffield so much richer. George Pervear, Dennis Kinne, and Abe Adib-Samii had a profound impact on his coaching and teaching philosophies and encouraged him to pursue roles in administration. Then, of course, there are many current faculty members that Dave grew close to and enjoyed working with and appreciating the Suffield experience. Over the years, Suffield has both changed and stayed the same. Dave said, “The students have not changed all that much. We’ve always had great young people here.” He noted the physical plant as one of the biggest changes, which has elevated the feel of the campus. He’s talked to alums who come back and are proud of their alma mater and what it has become. Dave also highlighted Head of School Charlie Cahn’s messaging of meeting the needs of students where they are, citing that this dictates everything, from how you teach, to how you coach, to how you run a dorm. He said, “The atmosphere of being a whole, happy, safe environment 17

“

When I think of Suffield, Dave Godin is the first person that comes to mind. He is an institution at the Academy and, to me, the foundation of my experience as a student. I wouldn’t be where and who I am today without his leadership, and I will be forever grateful for that. Dave went above and beyond as an advisor, even offering up his kitchen table when I was having more fun than I should have during study hall. When I struggled, he was always the person that would circle the wagons, even writing a letter to my parents out of concern. When I returned to campus as a faculty member, he resumed his advisor duties and was always around for advice. Dave may not remember these little moments, but I always will—he is family to me. I can’t imagine Suffield without

rings true now more than ever. Charlie has done a great job of seeing his vision through, of the school becoming a safe and friendly community.”

him, as he’s part of the fabric of campus life. However, I know he leaves a historic legacy that will continue long after he retires.

[Brian Hetzel ’97 ]

After much consideration, 2023 felt like the right year for Dave to retire. His wife retired a year and a half ago, and they are now living full-time in their home on Cape Cod, which they bought thirteen years ago and have been fixing up to get ready for retirement. The timing also aligned with where his son was in his life. He’s now graduated and self-sufficient. Dave said, “I think it’s a good time to give somebody else an opportunity to have a wonderful job like this. And I still hopefully can enjoy a little retirement in good health.” He’d like to do some more traveling in retirement. The Godins have family in Connecticut, Virginia, Arizona, and Florida, and he might want to get out of the Northeast during some of the cold weather months. He’s also never traveled internationally and would like to explore other continents. On the Cape, Dave is excited to become more involved in his community—where their cottage is about 457 steps from the beach—potentially doing some volunteer work with his church. His parents used to volunteer at a hospital so he could see himself doing that, as well. And for himself? Perhaps a bit of clamming the waters of the Cape and possibly playing a little bit of golf. “Maybe a lotta bit of golf? We’ll see,” he admitted, laughing. Plus, there are always house projects to complete. He’s not worried about keeping himself occupied.

as a group, as much as any team he’d ever coached. Both are highlights in his coaching career. Other special moments include coaching with Thomas Foote and winning a Western New England Division II Championship, being class advisor to the Class of 1987, and keeping in touch with some of his former students many years later. He is also particularly proud of the time he spent working with the NEPSAC Executive Board, where he served as the organization’s president in 2010 and 2011.

Dave said his past forty-three years have been a self-proclaimed “great ride.” He fondly remembers winning a New England championship one year in basketball, but also has a soft spot for a different year that they didn’t even make the tournament but had a bunch of guys who worked their tails off and grew

Ending his career leaves Dave with no regrets. His experiences have taught him that while you may not be able to reach everyone, hopefully you have a positive impact on some. As Dave himself humbly put it, “I believe I worked hard, I tried to do the right thing, and I think I did pretty well.” W

The Class of

50th

NIGHT

PROM 2023

College Bound 116 seniors graduated in the Class of 2023. They are attending 78 different colleges and universities across the United States and the globe. Their college choices reflect the depth and breadth of their talents, interests, and ambitions found in this impressive graduating class. The schools range from small liberal arts colleges to large universities to art or engineering schools and international universities. Below are some examples. Babson College Bates College Belmont University Bentley University Boston College Boston University Bryant University Chapman University College of Charleston Connecticut College Cornell University Elon University Emory University Fairfield University Fordham University Franklin & Marshall College Georgetown University Georgia Tech Gettysburg College Indiana University Lafayette College Lehigh University Lewis & Clark College New York University Northeastern University Ohio State University Pepperdine University

Penn State University Santa Clara University Syracuse University Trinity College Tufts University University of Richmond University of San Francisco University of Southern California University of Tampa University of California, Irvine University of California, Santa Barbara University of California, San Diego University of Colorado University of Connecticut University of Miami University of Michigan University of Paris University of Pennsylvania University of Virginia Vanderbilt University Villanova University Virginia Tech University Virginia State University Wake Forest University Washington & Lee University Washington University in St. Louis Wesleyan University 21

Kent-Davis SPEAKING COMPETITION

Eight members of the Class of 2023 participated in the annual Kent-Davis Oratory Competition, a time-honored Suffield Academy tradition. The Emmett Kent Public Speaking Prize is awarded to a student who demonstrates excellent oratory and speech-writing skills. The Charles G. Davis Oratory Prize is awarded to a student who demonstrates excellent oratory skills with a keen awareness of the subject in relation to the audience. Below are excerpts from this year’s winners.

EMMETT KENT

CHARLES G. DAVIS

Kennedy Morris As a Woman

Luna Kwon To J.K. Rowling, From Cho Chang

[Original Speech]

[Rachel Rostad]

As a woman, I have been told to be grateful for the rights that we do have. To stop fighting, we have enough. We have the right to vote now, and we can work and get an education, but the issues that we should be included in, are somehow the ones we do not have a say in.

I will not forget that your characters and plots did not just fall into your lap. Everything, from my hair color to mannerisms, was your choice. Of course, you weren’t aware of these racist implications, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not there. It doesn’t mean that I should not critique or question. My point is that racism isn’t just present in small niche cultures. It is in the world I live, it is in the world you read.

Voice

In Their Own

As a capstone to Suffield’s four-year Leadership Program, each senior gives a chapel talk to the community during the course of the academic year. Most speak about their personal journeys to and through Suffield. Xingjian “James” Ren [Hangzhou, China] gave the following talk in April.

Today I want to talk about a lesson I learned from horse riding. In middle school, I was made of pure logic and calculation. I always perceived the world hyper-rationally: People cry because it produces hormones that make the body feel better. People refuse to study math because it’s hard for them—the cost is higher than the benefit. I thought about the shortest path algorithms when traveling, and about geometry when decorating a wall or table. Numbers and logic were infallible to me. This all changed after an experience with a horse called Zhuifeng, which means “chasing the wind.” Early on, learning and training in horse riding was no problem for me. Zhuifeng followed my every instruction, and I gradually mastered the basic skills of horse riding. But when learning the more difficult task of jumping hurdles, I can’t recall how many times Zhuifeng refused to obey. He balked before the hurdles and sharply turned away, nearly throwing me off. I began analyzing why Zhuifeng refused to cooperate. Maybe I accidentally pulled the reins? Or did I not lean forward enough? Or maybe the timing was too late to jump? Or did I have to make

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sure that the horse ran in the perpendicular bisector line of the hurdles? Even after making countless adjustments, the following attempts were still unsuccessful. Then my coach stopped me and said, “The horse can read the rider’s emotions. If you hesitate, the horse hesitates. If you are anxious, the horse is anxious. Feel confident about it, and you will make it the next time.” These words made me realize that the reason for Zhuifeng’s hesitation was actually related to my own emotions, which I neglected due to my dedication to pure logic and calculation. At that moment I finally confronted and overcame the anxiety that had been holding both me and Zhuifeng back the whole time. Confidently, we started to run and accelerate toward the hurdles. We jumped over the hurdles, over the obstacles, and into a new chapter: a mental state full of confidence and not only calculation. Yes, the world is not just about logic and numbers; we are all alive and have feelings and must be kind and trusting. I am now James Ren, a person beyond math and science.

CHAPEL

Voice

In Their Own

Alex Cieplinski Take in what you have left of your time at Suffield Will Hick I can’t wait to see what our future holds Aiden Longley It’s okay to fail and ask others for help Tony Luo It’s not about quantity, instead it’s about quality Hope Clark I am a girl just trying to be kind, generous, patient, and full of laughter Juana Díez Londoño Embrace what you don’t know and let it inspire you Kira McCreesh Suffield has given me amazing experiences Olivia Dufresne-Achatz There are so many people who have made a huge impact on our time Biff Tran Confidence is an ambiguous thing; it has no unit Joseph Muslu Suffield has definitely left me with some unique experiences Harry Yi You can try many things, but you need to find something you enjoy and love Natalie Datz Everyone I’ve met at Suffield has had an impact on my life in one way or another Cindy Tsai The most important thing that I learned is not to be a procrastinator Emilia Boino Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, and don’t let your mistakes get the best of you Andrew Kim Sometimes the best things that happen to us are not our first choice Kelly Kim I came to understand the value of open communication William Kim Suffield Academy is more than just a school Brandon Park I’ve come to appreciate the power of diversity in my life Helena Ladah Suffield has connected me with the most incredible people Emily Killoran People come and go through different eras of our lives Kennedy Morris It’s hard to leave but it’s harder to stay Anna Ziegler My experience in Tompkins will be something I will never forget Connor Booth If there seems to be a long way to go to achieve what I want, I won’t give up Chase Stevens Life isn’t about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain Ellie Frisbie Be grateful for the people you have around you Mia Rubenstein The power we have in our voices curates this incredible place into what it is Lauren Egan Suffield has helped me find the most amazing people and memories Luella Uchitel I have finally found a school that combines all the aspects I sought Charlie Zimmerman I love that feeling of accomplishment after doing something scary Julia Bao Art & visual symbols are the communication link between the unconscious & conscious Hugo Hardwick What really defines a home or where you come from? Stacy Yurkovskaya Do all the silly things that make you happy Brighie Hogan A recovered life is a life worth living Harold Xu Always push through any difficult task in your way Morgan Geisinger We are all about to begin new chapters in our lives Johnny Beam Get to know the people around you who are sharing your journey Ben Bryan As I took my last glimpse out around Suffield, I took a deep breath Walton Burdick Take advantage of the time you have here; make the most of every moment Alex Cremins The lessons I’ve learned from [my grandfather] still stand Declan Hehir You wouldn’t be disappointed with the beauty and sense of adventure Sam Chen Cherish the things and the people around you Damon Li The beauty of friendship is that one can find its resonance in shine or rain Trevor Lussier Thank you for making the bad days good and the good days great Jake Islam I aspire to be only half the man [my brother is] Anna Calkins I still look forward to my future with the same hope that I did in sixth grade Tucker Clague To all the boys I’ve ever lived with...you’ve made it pretty great Katie Akers I strive to be just as selfless, passionate, and hardworking as my grandfather was Owen Arnold We’ve been through a lot together and I appreciate everything Peter Cieszko Suffield has provided me an opportunity to create my own path in life Henry Levin We are the sole authors of our books Jayson Mack I am motivated and determined to change the narrative

Sara Broad Thank you Suffield for giving me confidence I never knew I needed Emily Magiera I really don’t know where I’d be without [my twin brother’s] encouragement Nene Uchiumi I want to thank my family for always supporting me Kyle Dunn Thank you, Suffield Cole Higgins My family motivates me to be a role model and to set a great example Carson Gall Our instincts and our ideas are what get you to the places that you dream to go Jason Cao Language is the gateway for you to learn more Logan Lee There are many different opportunities here to lead and impact others Chloe Coffin My best friend is always there for me, no matter what Adriana Davis My brother is everything I aspire to be Sophie Galaburda Family means everything Miles Haight Our lives will always encounter changes or new circumstances Jaiden Johnson I am proud of all that I have accomplished Owen Moreira Embrace your inner Suffield Tiger Jason Ofcarcik Hard work needs to be put into everything Natziri Martinez These are the memories and the moments I will choose to take with me Morgan Peterson I have created memories and friendships I will hold on to forever Michelle St. Jacques My mom’s best has always been more than enough for me Tyler Wolkoff Reach out to your family and tell them how much they really mean to you Ryan Jewell I honor my sister in every aspect of my life Haden Kriston Be who you truly are Brayden Mazzoni Life will be inconsistent but enjoy the process Will O’Connor I truly couldn’t have asked for a better mom Carter Scott I love being a big brother Idrissa Ballo My family is my inspiration and heartbeat Brendan Mastella Only you know exactly what you need to succeed in life Ellie Collier Even the harder times were the moments where I learned and grew Bryn Grant I am the heart of the family Olivia Horowitz Take part in all the things this place has to offer Morgan Maglieri My time is not endless Cambell Rosow Spread love, kindness, and support always Caleb Attianese My parents have been such a great influence in my life Owen Shiffman Be responsible to stay on track while at school Daniel Zola Inclusion is having a seat at the table, while belonging is having your voice heard Josh Boies You have the capability of transforming that raw emotion into action Joey Brook You cannot go wrong with any food here at Suffield Jason Hall Suffield has a lot of amazing and different people from all over the world Ngoni Maodzwa Dorm life has become the hallmark of my Suffield experience Dayyan O’Neal Football brought me places and opportunities I never knew existed Kaitlyn Welsh My year at Suffield has led me to lifelong friendships Ryan Piela I will always be grateful for it Ben Broxson The time spent here was always memorable Nate Morrin Your life is not defined by a list of activities Ken Pardo We can and will be the difference our children read about in their history books Chichi Esielem A life that is finite is a life that is futile Danil Popov My past taught me a lot through many years of travel Christian Varas When you’re juggling, you have to focus on multiple things at once Sophia Kim My roommate has become my home Luna Kwon Saying I love you is a vulnerability CJ Mauthe New Jersey is strongly a part of my identity and always will be Austin Moore I’m incredibly proud of how I’ve grown and matured here Rhys Babcock This experience has helped me learn so much about the value of life Harry Xu The leader inside me has just been born Theo Herbert My brother has helped shape me into the man I am today Drew Hannoush I value each and every lesson I’ve learned and unique experience I’ve had Mekhi Johnson I hope everyone finds success throughout their journey Kingsley Acho Do the right thing Saud Shawwaf My time at Suffield made me understand how truly blessed I am Connor Roman Once you get your shot, you take it Lucas Segal Focus on the journey, not the destination James Ren We are all alive and have feelings and must be kind and trusting Theo Henle Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened

THE CLASS OF 2023

BACCALAUREATE We find comfort in the fact that you have been taught the lessons and learned well: you recognize that life is a journey; you know that journey will never be complete without empathy and hope...and you know that it is not only okay, but imperative that you recognize when you are in too deep—when you need help, and when to correct your course. We are happy you have reached this pivotal moment in your life and yet sad to see you go. AN N SEL VI T EL L I & K E LLI TOSONE | AD VISORS TO THE CLASS OF 2023

You have had a world-class educational and community experience and have earned the privilege of being a Suffield graduate. You will join just over 7,000 others around the world with this wonderful distinction and will be part of Suffield’s legacy forever. We are proud of your individual and collective achievements. C H A R L IE C A H N | HEAD O F SC HO O L

Over the course of all our high school careers Suffield has done everything they can to help us prepare for our future and we are finally headed there now. Now that we have taken a chance to reflect on our class, let us reflect on the people that brought us here today. They are the true reason we are here, the people who work hard at providing the optimal environment for you to be mature, inspired, and most importantly safe. Make sure that you all do your best, that you all represent yourself and your family to the fullest, and honor your last hours on this beautiful campus. DEC L AN HEHIR | CLASS PRESID ENT

190th

COMMENCEMENT May 27, 2023

Ä 190th Commencement

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

James P. Michel P’12, ’17 My parents gave up a relatively good life in Haiti to come to this great country during the mid-1960s when the United States was going through a number of challenges. Their belief in the greatness of this country and all that it offered everyone was never in doubt. They knew it was not going to be easy, they knew how difficult it was going to be. What I’ve come to realize is that, for them, it was never about them, or how hard it was going to be. It was about providing all eleven of us with an opportunity to participate in the American Dream.

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You are strong. You are courageous. You are intelligent. And you are prepared for whatever you want or need to do to help make the world a better place for all.”

They sacrificed so that we might have a better life than they did. They gave up the comfortable life they created in Haiti and came here, relatively poor, on food stamps, so that I could be your speaker today. I hope you can see and hear in my voice that this is why my parents continue to be my everlasting inspiration. For they have taught me, my brothers, and my sisters that you must look beyond yourself and help others to make for a better world for all. So, the questions I have for all of you this morning are: - Are you ready to take on the necessary sacrifices to make for a better world? - Are you ready to embody the spirit of my parents and look beyond just your own life and needs for the sake of others? As the world becomes more challenging and divided with more people suffering through no fault of their own, it is critical that all of you say yes to both questions. I know this is heavy to lay on you at seventeen, eighteen, or nineteen years of age. We don’t have a choice, you are it, you are the future, you must step up and face these challenges to make for a better world, especially for those who are suffering. Your parents and Suffield have prepared you to face these challenges.

They have built your strength, your courage, and your intellect to prepare you for the challenges that await you. You are strong. You are courageous. You are intelligent. And you are prepared for whatever you want or need to do to help make the world a better place for all. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it is your decision, not someone else’s. And always remember, you are stronger than you think you are. Your courage is bigger than you think. Do not underestimate your intelligence, for you are smarter than you think. And make sure—and I cannot overstate this— make sure you are having fun doing whatever you choose to do. We need to be hopeful and optimistic all the time, but sometimes hope is all we have. That was true for me and my family many times. You just have to believe that everything is going to be okay. As we look around the world and see all the challenges and issues across Africa, Asia, Europe, and in our own great country, some of which are man-made, and others of which are natural, you must ask yourself what can I do to make the world a better place for all and take action like my parents did. X

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Charlie Cahn We are here today to celebrate the accomplishments of a wonderful senior class. These young men and women have come from all parts of the world to study and prepare for the future. They have displayed persistence and perseverance and excelled as campus leaders. As they now reach the final stage of their Suffield journeys, I can tell you this is a group distinguished by leadership, spirit, resilience, and a deep sense of pride in Suffield Academy. Despite, or maybe partly because of the great adversity of the past several years, these seniors have had a very strong impact on the school and on each other. I want to reiterate that we are proud of you and have high expectations of you as you move on. You have done beautifully here, showing dedication to each other and to Suffield, persistence in the face of adversity, and compassion as people. We extend our gratitude and thanks to you for your ability to pivot and adapt to changing circumstances while always reflecting your devotion to growing as students and people. As you head off to the next parts of your life journeys, please try to remember a few ideas we have sought to instill in you. These are among Suffield’s most cherished core values. First, as you know, we feel a vital way to evaluate your life is by the distance you travel, as students and as people. Hard work matters. You will find that your destiny will be more a function of effort than intellect. Diligence, as Ben Franklin said, is the mother of good luck. Second, be yourselves and be proud of who you are, and be inclusive and loving to others. The best way to be happy is to like yourself, and the easiest way to like yourself is to do things that make you proud. And third, as I mention each year and feel most strongly about—always keep in mind the immense importance of good will, and of being uplifting to others. “Three things in human life are important,” Henry James noted. “The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.” As we close this event, and our seniors head off—and ring the Class of 2020 Suffield Bell—we remind our graduates of Robert Frost’s quote: “Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” Suffield extends this offer to you, and we hope you will return often. X

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You have done beautifully here, showing dedication to each other and to Suffield, persistence in the face of adversity, and compassion as people.”

Ä 190th Commencement

CLASS OF 2023 SPEAKER

Pete Cieszko As you know, we are part of a school with a very long history and are the 190th graduating class. Our time here was shaped by the first pandemic in over one hundred years. What is truly unique about our class is that most of us were here before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

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We are a group of individuals that grasp how important it is to have hope, know what you can do with it, and believe you can get through anything with it.”

While some could claim the Class of 2022 shared this distinction, this is the first year since COVID arrived that confining health restrictions were lifted, and all Suffield’s traditions resumed. While the bell behind me honors the 2020 graduates impacted by the pandemic who had their senior spring and graduation cut short, we the class of 2023 have the perspective of being at Suffield throughout this unprecedented time. While it may seem so long ago, being forced inside and isolated for over two years impacted our social, athletic, and academic lives throughout our time in high school. And despite the unexpected amount of change and adversity our class went through during these last four years, we’ve held strong, supported one another, and kept the hope of Suffield alive. During the pandemic, no one knew when they would come back to Suffield and how different things would be. Despite these hard times, Suffield never gave up on us and we never gave up on Suffield. It all seems hard to remember with classes online and headphones on in our rooms at home. I think about one of our old football coaches, Coach Reese, putting together drills to give to us even though we were freshmen and probably the least of his worries at that time. I think of great faculty legends Mr. Vianney and Mr. Godin pivoting to teaching on Zoom after forty years in classrooms, showing their freshman classes fundamental skills they would use throughout high school, college, and the rest of their lives. Coming back on campus, the faculty and staff had to improvise around the restrictions, teachers standing behind sheets of plastic, grab and go meals in the dining room, and masks on both in and outside. It felt like a whole different place. It’s easy to forget, but up until last spring we weren’t allowed to hang out with friends in their various dorms. Even in these hard times, our class kept hope, hope that things would return to normal, and hope that Suffield’s traditions and community feeling would return. As we proceed in life, I encourage my classmates to never lose hope, to fight through discouragement, and to not let hard times get to them. We are a group of individuals that grasp how important it is to have hope, know what you can do with it, and believe you can get through anything with it. To the underclassmen and soon-to-be seniors, please continue to bring this community together. This is when Suffield is at its strongest. X

“ WHAT KIND OF EXCELLENCE A PERSON DEVELOPS IS AN INDIVIDUAL JOURNEY, IT MAY BE FOUND IN THE CLASSROOM, ON THE PITCH, OR BEYOND. BUT NOTHING ABOUT EXCELLENCE SAYS IT IS UNAVAILABLE TO PEOPLE WHO CAME FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS. AND SO WE CAST OUR NET WIDE FOR TALENTED KIDS AND BUILD THE METHODS TO HELP EVERY RIGHT TO DREAM PERSON EXPRESS THEIR EXCELLENCE.”

FROM AFRICA to SUFFIELD

Right to Dream Academy was founded in 1999 by Tom Vernon, Manchester United’s head scout in Africa at the time, with the goal of offering student-athletes their best chance to reach their maximum potential. Right to Dream is a fully residential middle school and soccer academy two hours north of Accra, Ghana. Many students arrive at age ten or eleven without any formal school experience, but they have incredible soccer skills, a strong capacity to work, good moral character, adaptability, and independence. After completing their schooling at Right to Dream, some students in the program are given the opportunity to continue their education at American boarding schools. This means moving to the United States for the entirety of their high school years, and generally only returning home once before graduation. Right to Dream is proactive and purposeful in finding boarding schools in the U.S. that are the right fit for each individual student. The program prepares students for the rigorous athletic and academic requirements of American boarding schools. In the twenty-four years since its creation, academy bases have been developed in Ghana, the United States, Denmark, and Egypt. Today, Right to Dream Academy is one of the top ten academies in Africa and more than twenty students attend eleven boarding schools in the United States. John Powers, Founder and Chairman of Right to Dream U.S., was first made aware of the program in 2004. The next September, the first Right to Dream student to come to America, attended the Hotchkiss School, and played soccer with his son, Kevin. John recognized the incredible opportunities available to these students, and after meeting Tom Vernon he began engineering a connection between other boarding schools and Right to Dream—all while working his full-time job in New York City at

Boston Properties. Suffield began partnering with Right to Dream in 2020. As a student, former Associate Director of Admissions Liz Hodosy attended Hotchkiss, and she became excited about the idea of Suffield also becoming a partner school. Right to Dream looks for campuses with the capacity to embrace these students, supporting them through any challenges they’ll face being so far from home. After contacting Right to Dream, a relationship developed and the first students enrolled at Suffield during the 2021-2022 academic year. Cindy McWilliams, Director of Boarding Relations for Right to Dream, began working with John and Right to Dream in 2018 after retiring from Millbrook School. Cindy said, “Suffield is a cut above. I feel that the people who are in these students’ worlds on a daily basis are very well respected and highly regarded so they can draw upon support from all corners.” Cindy has almost fifty years of boarding school experience, a background that allows her to know an enormous amount about school culture and the importance of relationships. She welcomes the new Right to Dream students from Africa each year with John and knows what must be in place for school communities to support them, communicating with the students’ advisors, teachers, admissions offices, anticipating what Right to Dream can do best to support the transition and their time at school.

“THE SKY IS NOT THE LIMIT. DON’T ONLY AIM FOR ONE THING. JUST DO YOUR BEST AND TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY YOU GET.” Had the COVID-19 pandemic not hit, Nadja Meite ’24 would have begun at Suffield in the 2020-2021 academic year, but she had a delayed start and ended up coming the same year as Diana Baffor ’25. Nadja and Diana are bright, humble, kind, and funny, and they seamlessly fit into Suffield’s community. Diana grew up in Ghana with her mom, dad, brother, and sisters, while Nadja grew up on the Ivory Coast with her parents, two sisters, and three brothers. Both girls learned the sport of soccer from their brothers. Nadja said, “Back home, people believe that women are supposed to be in the kitchen helping and men are supposed to go out working and bringing back food.” But when Nadja’s dad saw her talent on the field, he supported her playing. And then both girls found themselves in the Right to Dream program, which instilled in them that you can focus on soccer and academics, rather than choosing one. It gave them and their fellow students a community of people who were there to help them learn and improve themselves both on and off the field. In Suffield’s academic program, Nadja loves her French classes and, to her surprise, is even starting to like math. Her favorite teacher has been Dave Godin, who retired in June 2023. She also likes history, noting, “I feel like history talks about us, you know?” Amazingly, before entering the program in Ghana at age ten, Nadja spoke no English. She had just a few months to learn the language before entering the school system. In her downtime she loves basketball and going to the gym—one of her favorite spots on campus.

Diana likes history and English, with her favorite teachers being Christian Brown and Kathleen Pillsbury, as both have built strong relationships with her. She loves writing rap and R&B music, along with playing soccer and squash. She also loves being able to call home and speak with her family about what she’s doing at Suffield. Being at Suffield brings both girls joy every day. Nadja said, “When I see everybody walking around I just feel happy.” But that’s mostly on the sunny days—she’s not as big a fan of the cold Northeast weather. Diana is grateful for the friends and relationships she has made in the community. She said, “All the people I’ve met genuinely care about you.” And this can be in the classroom, on the sports fields, or at school dances on the weekends. She finds everyone to be warm and accepting, welcoming her into the spirit of Suffield Academy. She said, “This was the best option they could have chosen for me and I’m 100 percent happy that they did.” Nadja and Diana both plan to continue playing soccer beyond Suffield. Nadja recently committed to the admissions process at Brown University, planning to join another Right to Dream student there next year—and a long-term goal of hers is to become a professional soccer player. After that career she hopes to become a businesswoman, or a leader of some kind, which fits her personality well. When Nadja looks at you and says, “I like to be called Queen Najj. Everyone on this earth is a queen,” you have no choice but to believe her. At this point Diana thinks she wants to go to UCLA—first because it’s warm in California, and 41

FROM AFRICA to SUFFIELD

second because, like Nadja, she wants to play Division I collegiate soccer. While she would love to play professionally, Diana also has an interest in further exploring her musical side.

about what they want to become. They’re fun, they’re happy, they ask a lot of questions, and they love the community here—they have so many friends. They embrace the culture, they embrace Suffield, and I’m proud of what they have done.” Kelly added, The girls have immense pride in who they are today and how far “Their hard work and involvement in the classroom, as well in they’ve come. Nadja, who was told growing up that she shouldn’t the athletic program, have made them tremendously successful play soccer because she was female, said, “I’m proud of the fact on campus. They were a big factor in helping Suffield to a New that I was able to fight the odds.” Being able to leave Africa and England soccer championship in 2021, our first in thirty-five years. come to America was a huge step for her and her family. Though Nadja and Diana’s dreams are becoming a reality. Suffield is very she’s proud of herself, her family is prouder. Her mom was her proud to have played a part in their success.” Rich and Kristen very biggest fan, though she sadly passed away at the end of Carty P’22, ’26 have also become surrogate parents to the girls. the 2021-2022 school year. Diana is also proud of breaking the Regarding the relationships they have developed, Kristen said, African stereotype that girls shouldn’t play soccer “Diana and Nadja are very much part of the Carty and is excited that now more girls from her home family now, as Rich and I have gone from three community are playing. She is grateful to have to now five incredible daughters, who have all SUFFIELD WAS THE come to Suffield and adapted so well to the formed special relationships themselves. Suffield culture around her as she pursues her dreams— Academy and our family are so lucky to have BEST OPTION THEY which began with winning the NEPSAC soccer these two amazing young women as part of our tournament in her first year. COULD HAVE CHOSEN community. On and off the field, their positive attitudes, tireless work ethic, and big hearts set FOR ME AND I’M 100 Though they did not win again in 2022, Diana an example we can all learn from. Diana’s smile sent an email to the whole school thanking PERCENT HAPPY THAT and her sense of humor brighten up our days. everyone for their support. She said, “We would She’s an incredible team player in our home as like to say a big thank you to all the students, THEY DID. well. Nadja’s sense of adventure and competitive teachers, athletic trainers, coaches, parents, and spirit are always on display. Whether it’s beating every single person in the school who made the us—badly—in ping pong or playing soccer with our three dogs in time in their busy schedules to show up to our games and cheer the backyard, Nadja brings fun and confidence to all she pursues.” us on. It meant a lot to me, and I know it meant a lot to everyone on the team. The idea that every time we played, I knew there was Add to this their teachers and their friends, and the girls are someone on the sideline that I know or see every day in school now firmly settled in Suffield. That said, their community still made the season worth fighting for.” Diana’s advice to her fellow extends strongly to Right to Dream Ghana, especially to Director students is: “The sky is not the limit. Don’t only aim for one thing. of Character and Purpose Harry Adekpui, affectionately and Just do your best and take every opportunity you get.” Nadja respectfully known as Sir Harry. One of the most revered faculty followed that up with, “Always be you. You have a purpose in life,” members in the program, he’s a natural at connecting with the knowing that when you find that purpose, nothing can stop you. students—who all adore him—and counseling U.S. faculty on ways to support his students in their new settings. He also makes It’s abundantly clear that Diana and Nadja have found their second sure to come to the United States to watch his Right to Dream family within the Suffield community. Kelly Kinne Patterson ’82, P’13 students graduate. and Melina Lopez-Touceda P’25, ’26 have been part of the girls lives since the moment they stepped on campus, helping with Suffield’s hope and goal is to continue our relationship with the anything from organizing what the girls will do over long weekends Right to Dream program for years to come, welcoming additional to figuring out where to get their hair done and buy toiletries, deserving students to our small Connecticut town. In the 2023or how to live in the much colder weather. Melina said, “They 2024 academic year, two additional students from Right to are sweet, kind, grateful for what they have, and strong-minded Dream Academy joined the Suffield Academy community. 42

2022-2023 Community Charity

Suffield Academy students annually select a charity to support by running a series of campus-wide fundraisers. Events bring the community together to raise awareness and give back. Nominated by Kira McCreesh ’23 and Natziri Martinez ’23, the 2022-2023 charity was Help Hope Live [Adrian’s Fight Against SMA]. Help Hope Live supports Adrian’s journey with Type 2 Spinal Muscular Atrophy, which began for him in March 2017. Funds raised for his cause helped pay for treatments, medications, and therapies that were not covered by insurance. Beyond supporting Adrian and his family financially, Suffield students embraced Adrian as part of the community. Through Color Wars, a sneaker raffle for a pair of shoes designed by Adrian, a student-run thrift store on campus, Telethon [Suffield’s livestreamed talent show], and a year-end charity week, donations exceeded $20,000 for Help Hope Live. Kira, who now attends USC and plans to study business and pre-OT, said, “I am so proud of the work we’ve done, and I am so grateful for the opportunity. I have loved seeing Adrian on his social media with his service dog or his nice wheelchair, knowing that Suffield has helped fund those things that are making him so happy. I also have enjoyed learning more about SMA because I feel I really understand why it is so important that we advocate for support.” As for any advice she could offer future charity sponsors, she said, “I would recommend they be committed to the cause and have plans of events they want to do during the year, in addition to the annual ones like Telethon and Color Wars. Most importantly, I would say they should try and incorporate some sort of interactive element with whatever they are raising money for. This year, Adrian participated in our events, which made everyone more invested.”

Alumni Leadership Award | Manny Simons ’00 Suffield Academy awarded Manny Simons ’00 with the 2023 Alumni Leadership Award. Manny is an accomplished leader in the biotechnology industry and Suffield was honored to recognize his groundbreaking achievements centered on improving human lives.

After graduating from Suffield in 2000, Manny studied neuroscience and music at Harvard, and then earned a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from MIT under Professor Robert Langer and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He’s worked at biotech companies including Voyager Therapeutics, a publicly traded gene therapy company developing potential treatments for central nervous system disorders. In 2016, Manny co-founded Akouos along with leaders in otology, genetics, and gene therapy at Harvard Medical School, Mass Eye and Ear, and University of Iowa. Akouos develops gene therapies for hearing loss and other inner ear disorders, and Manny serves as the company CEO. Akouos had a successful IPO in 2020 and was the first company to receive clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin clinical trials for a genetic form of hearing loss. It was acquired in 2022 by Eli Lilly and Company and continues to operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary in Boston, Massachusetts.

Manny spoke at the ceremony about his winding path in finding the career he is now so passionate about, admitting that where he thought he was headed after graduating from Suffield wasn’t close to where he is now. He said, “In the founding of Akouos, a company built with leading scientists and physicians to develop gene therapies with the potential to restore hearing, I had an opportunity to channel my haphazard collection of experiences into something I felt was worthwhile—finding ways to make the gift of hearing available to everyone. My love of music, my premed coursework, all that lab experience understanding the ear, and the relationships I had built along the way—they helped me understand that hearing loss was an area of immense unmet medical need.” He also highlighted the impact Suffield has had on his life, saying, “Suffield Academy is a special place. I know you’ve all heard this before, and I know some of you believe it more than others, but I feel the need to restate it here today. I’ve been very fortunate to spend time at a number of great institutions, and work with some of the most impressive and accomplished people on the planet, but it’s here at Suffield that I first felt the value of community, and the role of a supportive community in empowering every individual to be themselves.” Manny concluded his talk with some advice to his teenage listeners: “My wish for all of you is that each of you feels comfortable putting in the difficult and often uncomfortable work to find your own unique voice. Regardless of your area of focus—whether in the arts or sciences or humanities or athletics—I hope you can put yourselves in a position to work relentlessly to find your voice as a human being and as a leader. Direct your energy outward, lead with questions, and actively listen. It’s tempting to turn your gaze inward in search of your voice. But we have no voice as leaders without the community around us. We find our voice only when we’ve brought together people who otherwise wouldn’t be together, working together to do something meaningful that wouldn’t be possible but for the cooperative work of those individuals. I believe the community you have here around you today puts you all in a position to embark on this journey.”

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It was at Suffield that I learned that people are at the center of everything of meaning, and that fostering a genuine concern for others is an absolute prerequisite to developing authentic leadership and to having a positive impact on the world.”

Suffield Academy welcomes nominations for the 2024 Alumni Leadership Award. Follow the QR code to identify noteworthy candidates.

Christian Recinos

Newburgh, New York Before Christian Recinos ’24 had a roommate, he had “wombmates.” [You can groan now.] He’s a triplet. Because he and his triplet brothers form a tight triad—with a slightly older sister often along for the ride—leaving his hometown of Newburgh, New York to attend Suffield Academy was an even bigger adjustment for him than it is for many new boarding school students. But it’s a big step he’s very happy he took. Newburgh is a small city on the west side of the Hudson River, about sixty miles north of New York City. It is historic—during

the Revolutionary War it served as the headquarters of the Continental Army. It is also diverse—close to half its residents are Hispanic and a quarter are African American—and gritty, with one of the worst crime rates in the state. Even so, Christian and his siblings led what he called “a sheltered life.” He and his brothers went to San Miguel Academy, a small, private Catholic middle school in Newburgh whose students attend on scholarship and whose mission is to “break the cycle of poverty through education.” The school, which begins with fifth grade students, places most of its graduates in private day and boarding schools. Christian came to Suffield through that program, initially attending Summer Academy between seventh and eighth grade. Christian fell in love with the campus that summer, although he described the program as “difficult and intense.” But, he continued, “That summer kind of grounded me, because I didn’t realize how much I would miss my brothers... After two weeks, I was getting really homesick. But I’m thankful for that summer because when I actually got accepted and admitted to Suffield, it wasn’t that I missed them any less, but I was more prepared for it.”

Growing up as a triplet. I was always with my brothers, and our actions always affected each other’s actions. Breaking off from that and being at boarding school has allowed me to find my own individuality and my own interests and passions. 49

Natalia Paradies

Makati City, Philippines

It took some convincing, with the help of Father Mark Connell, the head of San Miguel, before Christian’s parents were ready to let him go to boarding school. His brothers now also attend private schools—Jonathan is at St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, New Jersey, while Christopher attends The Mount Academy in Esopus, New York. Four years after his first visit, Suffield’s beautiful campus remains one of Christian’s favorite things about the school. “It’s just great to walk around,” he said, “and there are lots of places to hang out with my friends.” He also treasures his strong relationships with his teachers and with his advisor, Suffield’s Director of Admissions Sean Atkins. “It’s not,” he said with a grin, “like having another set of parents, but it is like having another set of parents.” San Miguel is known for its outstanding rowing program, and Christian has rowed with the Suffield crew team throughout his time at the school. Last spring he was named Most Valuable Rower, one of two on the team. He has also played JV soccer and JV squash. Among his favorite classes, he includes Latin American studies, which he took last year. “A big part of my identity is being Hispanic and knowing my history has been really reassuring,” he explained. His father was born in El Salvador, and his mother’s parents hail from Uruguay and Puerto Rico. English class has been another favorite. Looking back over his years at Suffield and thinking ahead to graduation and college, Christian summed up his time at Suffield this way: “I did not expect how much of an individual I’d become because of Suffield. Growing up as a triplet, I was always with my brothers, and our actions always affected each other’s actions. Breaking off from that and being at boarding school has allowed me to find my own individuality and my own interests and passions.” 6 50

Makati City is the financial center of the Philippines, a bustling, cosmopolitan hub known for its gleaming skyscrapers and upscale malls. With 630,000 residents, it is the 41st most densely populated city in the world. It is also 8,500 miles away from the altogether very different town of Suffield, Connecticut—a New England village known for its winding country roads, well-preserved historic homes, and abundance of small family farms. Boarding school always takes new students some getting used to, and a Filipina student who traveled a third of Earth’s circumference to get to a place as foreign as Connecticut could be forgiven for some culture shock, as well as the usual homesickness. But for Natalia Paradies ’26, the transition to her new school and new home at Suffield Academy in September 2022 went remarkably smoothly. She described Makati as hot and crowded, with lots of traffic. And, she said, “My school back home was a lot bigger than this one and a lot different.”

“When I came here,” she continued, “I felt it was really a community. It was small but I liked that closeness. And the campus was gorgeous. I got the hang of the campus quickly and my roommate was great.” It probably helped that Natalia already spoke English—it’s just one of the four languages that she speaks fluently. The others are Spanish, Tagalog [the native language of the Philippines], and Indonesian, which she learned when her family lived there for two years. Natalia’s father is a boarding school alumnus who spoke highly of his experience. [He graduated from Lawrence Academy in Massachusetts.] But she might not have followed his lead if not for the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus hit the Philippines hard, Natalia explained. People wore face shields over their masks, strict lockdowns were frequent with residents confined to their neighborhoods for weeks at a time, and classes were conducted remotely even into the 2021-2022 school year. So, her father suggested she consider boarding school. “He said, ’Why don’t you give it a shot? Nothing’s open and you’ll have more opportunities in America.’”

Natalia’s family had vacationed in California several times, but her trip to visit schools was her first time to the East Coast. The new adventures she savored in her first year included alpine skiing and playing lacrosse. In fact, she liked those two activities so much that she joined the ski team and junior varsity girls’ lacrosse team. An experienced runner, she also joined the varsity cross-country team. She cites her Suffield teachers as continuing sources of inspiration who helped her identify her strengths and weaknesses and find her passions. “Seeing them teach and how great they are, I think, ‘This is what I want to study and you’re inspiring me.’” Unsurprisingly, new friends also played a big role in Natalia’s successful first year at boarding school. “My friends taught me many things,” she said. “I take a look at my friends today and am so glad I have surrounded myself with these people.” And she concluded, “I really like the person that Suffield has helped shape me to become. I don’t think I would be who I am—at least today—without Suffield. I’ve had experiences with friends, with academics, with sports that have helped me grow and learn.” 6

I really like the person that Suffield has helped shape me to become. I don’t think I would be who I am — at least today — without Suffield. I ’ve had experiences with friends, with academics, with sports that have helped me grow and learn. 51

Bridget Hausler

San Francisco, California For San Francisco native Bridget Hausler ’24, the road to Suffield Academy was long and winding, and included a couple of detours. In San Francisco, she and her identical twin sister, Zoe, attended a small private day school where from kindergarten to eighth grade they were two of only five girls in their class. When their father—who had spent a year at the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey as a teenager—suggested they consider boarding school, he found a captive audience. “We both gravitated to that idea,” Bridget explained, “because we didn’t really like the social cliques in San Francisco, and we kind of wanted to go off and try something new.”

Suffield was Bridget’s first choice, but she didn’t get in as a first-year student. So she spent the pandemic school year of 2020-2021 at a different boarding school, where she was one of just a handful of boarding students in her grade and the only one from the West Coast. In addition, many of her classes were on Zoom. It was a lonely and challenging time. But even so, she only submitted one transfer application and that was to Suffield. She knew exactly where she wanted to be. “I knew within the first month,” she said, “that I wanted to apply to Suffield again. I just felt that that was where I was supposed to be.” Suffield, she explained, had “the culture, the academic rigor, the athletics, the facilities” that she knew she wanted.

I feel like I ’ve grown a lot as a person as I ’ve taken on more roles at the school and definitely grown my confidence..and I really have loved my time here so far. Fortunately, the second time was the charm. Bridget arrived at Suffield as a second-year student in September 2021. After adjusting as a sophomore she said that by her junior year she had grown more comfortable and fully certain she had made the right move. “I feel like I’ve grown a lot as a person,” she said, “as I’ve taken on more roles at the school and definitely grown my confidence...and I really have loved my time here so far.” Although she and her twin have managed to squeeze in a few visits to each other’s campuses—Zoe attends Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire—the separation has been difficult. “We always had the same friends and were in the same environment, did the exact same in all of our classes, sports, everything,” she explained. But in Zoe’s absence, Bridget has decided to channel some of her sister’s traits. Among her favorite classes, she puts Suffield’s Leadership Program at the top of the list. “My twin sister assumed the leader role out of the two of us and I was more of the follower,” she explained. “When I came to Suffield with its Leadership Program, I realized I can lead things as well—I have the chance to do that.” She also counts trying so many new sports as a highlight of her Suffield experience. “I wanted to go to a school where I could try a sport, even if I wasn’t right off the bat really good at it,” she explained. She called junior varsity squash “the time of my

life.” And, although track was another new sport for her, by her second year at Suffield she was named co-captain of the varsity team. She also plays varsity field hockey and was co-captain of that team for the fall 2023 season. “I love getting to try these new sports that I didn’t ever think I would try in my life,” she continued, “and finding so much room for me to improve in them and drive for me to do better when I didn’t even know that was something I wanted to do two years ago.” Bridget has found that Suffield gives her the perfect sense of belonging she had been looking for. “I just think Suffield is a really kind place. What drew me here was the balance that I don’t think a lot of other academically rigorous schools have,” she said. “The social balance with kindness, academic excellence, and strong athletics and arts programs—I haven’t heard of or been to any other school that does that as well as Suffield.” 6

Caroline Powell

Charlotte, North Carolina From Charlotte, North Carolina to Suffield, Connecticut is a twelve-hour drive or a two-hour flight [plus the ten-minute drive from Bradley Airport, of course]. But when senior Caroline Powell made that journey last fall, it was like traveling to an alternate universe—you know, the universe where cheerleaders become baseball team managers and where students accustomed to sitting quietly become skillful in-class debaters. Caroline was already a high school sophomore and less than satisfied with her day school in Charlotte when she decided she wanted to check out boarding schools. Her older brother had enrolled at an all-boys school in Virginia, so when she told her parents she was interested, they were receptive.

The revisit days at other schools I went to I was comparing to Suffield, and nothing was going to beat Suffield. I wanted to go somewhere where there is a really good community and where everybody truly wants to be around each other. 53

Because she didn’t have the opportunity to visit Suffield before applying, Caroline’s Revisit Day trip to the school in spring 2022 was the first time she set eyes on the campus. It was also the first of several schools she visited that spring, and it set a high standard that the others were unable to match. “The revisit days at other schools I went to I was comparing to Suffield, and nothing was going to beat Suffield. It was a pretty obvious decision for me,” she said. She added, “I wanted to go somewhere where there is a really good community and where everybody truly wants to be around each other.” At Suffield, she has found that community. Caroline is one of five siblings who are all close in age, and being away from her family was difficult. “I can get upset,” she admitted, “thinking that I’m not living with my parents and my siblings but being in the dorm makes up for what I’m missing. I’m around a ton of girls that I love being around.” And in fall 2023 her younger brother joined her on campus as a first-year student. Back in North Carolina, Caroline's major sport was soccer and she was also an experienced cheerleader. But there’s no cheerleading at Suffield, and she was reluctant to go out for varsity soccer right away last fall with such a big transition in front of her. So, she chose junior varsity soccer instead and did not regret it. In the winter her activity was yoga. And in the spring she tried something completely different, signing up as the manager of the boys’ baseball team. “I didn’t really know much

about baseball,” she confessed. “I didn’t know that the games lasted three hours sometimes. So that was really eye-opening!” Caroline’s academic experiences at Suffield have also been different from those she had at her previous school, where thirty students in a class was common, and the instruction was lecture-based. She appreciates Suffield’s smaller classes and the opportunities the school affords to participate more fully. “Our classes are really discussion-based, especially history and English,” she explained. “We sit at a long brown table, and I don’t feel like I’m getting talked at like I used to. I feel like we can have conversations.” At her former school, she continued, “I didn’t really get much one-on-one attention, and it was awkward to be asking questions in class. Our academics are much stronger here, and it took me a little while to catch up.” Thankfully, the availability of the faculty has made it easy to get extra help. She also praised the Suffield Outdoor Leadership Program [SOLO], which is just one of the programs at Suffield that supports students’ mental health and overall wellness. For Caroline, the school has lived up to the promise of that first day. “Every school puts on a show for Revisit Day to make the school look amazing,” she said. “With Suffield, I could tell that people were being a little more genuine than at the other schools. I feel like since I’ve been here, how it was at Revisit Day is how an actual day at Suffield is.” 6

Anny, Alan, & Alex Suárez Vargas

Bogotá, Columbia For the Suárez Vargas siblings [Anny ’24, Alan ’25, and Alex ’26] the journey from life in Bogotá, Colombia to boarding school in Connecticut has been a shared adventure. The close-knit and very close-in-age trio began that journey in 2019, when they each enrolled at the Rectory School, a junior boarding school in Pomfret, Connecticut. Prior to that, they lived with their parents in an apartment building in Colombia’s bustling capital city, home to eight million people. Study abroad was their father’s idea, but it was not something anybody in their family had done before. Anny explained, “He wanted to give us a bigger vision of what the world is and to give us bigger opportunities for the future.” But their parents knew going so far to such a different place would be a challenge, so rather than sending one sibling at a time, the family decided that they would all go together where they could keep each other company and help each other manage their homesickness. So, Anny entered Rectory as an eighth grader, with Alan in seventh grade, and Alex in sixth. When it was time for Anny to move on from Rectory in tenth grade [the school ends with ninth grade], the family decided that Alan should join her at Suffield. “It was,” he explained, “kind of a no-brainer at that point because my parents didn’t want our sister to be alone in her first year because making the switch from middle school to high school was a big jump. So, it was much better for me to be there with her for support—she didn’t feel all alone at the beginning, and we could hang out together.” Among the features that attracted Anny and Alan to Suffield, the physical campus and the sense of community ranked high on the list. Anny said, “When we toured, I really liked the campus. It felt modern...and everybody seemed really welcoming.” The trio have been studying English from the time they were kids. “Since we were little we were in bilingual schools,” Anny explained. “And we went to summer camps where we actually improved those skills because we were with native English speakers.”

When it comes to academics and athletics, the siblings share a few similarities but also some differences. Alex runs cross country and plays varsity squash and junior varsity tennis. “I really like Suffield’s sport system,” he said. “The sense of teamwork is great.” Varsity squash, where he was one of only two first-year students, was his favorite. Coach Chris Pentz was strict. “But he taught me how to improve myself and my skills.” Alex stated history and biology were his two favorite classes last year. Like his brother, junior Alan has been running cross-country and plays on the junior varsity tennis team. He also plays junior varsity squash. Math generally comes pretty easily to him, and he cited his Suffield math classes—Algebra, Geometry, and Precalculus—as his favorites.

Because it is not as big as many other schools, at Suffield you get to know a lot of people. But it ’s not to the point where you can’t meet a new person on a random day.So, it ’s like a balance between meeting new people and truly getting to know different students. For her part, Anny has played varsity volleyball and varsity squash. In her sophomore year, she joined the track team but decided she didn’t love running. So, last spring her activity was the Suffield Outdoor Leadership Opportunities program [SOLO], with activities ranging from climbing the rock wall and the high ropes course on campus to off-campus hiking and kayaking trips. Her favorite classes last year were Biology and English; she particularly enjoyed the classroom discussions. When asked what they think makes Suffield special or unique, each Suárez Vargas sibling had a different perspective. For Alan, it is the school’s size. “Because it is not as big as many other schools,” he said, “at Suffield you get to know a lot of people. But it’s not to the point where you can’t meet a new person on a random day. So, it’s like a balance between meeting new people and truly getting to know different students.” Alex has been impressed with the school’s scheduling flexibility. “I really love how the schedule is flexible,” he said. Students who need help with their schedule, he continued, “can talk it out” with Dean of Academics & Faculty Sara Yeager. “You can always go to her if you don’t like it and fix it.” And for senior Anny, it’s the accessibility and support of the faculty that makes Suffield stand out the most. “Definitely how the teachers are there to help you,” she said. “You can go for extra help, and they are always willing to help you if you don’t understand something. It’s something that I think makes Suffield really special, how flexible and welcoming and helpful the teachers are.” 6

F A CU L TY S A B BA TI C A L S S U M M E R 2 0 2 2 G RAN T RE C IP IE N TS B R YA N B R I S S E TTE | RA C H E L L L O Y D

SUFFIELD ACADEMY IS PROUD OF ITS TALENTED FACULTY AND COMMITTED TO PROVIDING AN ARRAY OF VEHICLES FOR THEM TO GROW AS EDUCATORS AND PEOPLE. THE SABBATICAL PROGRAM ENABLES FACULTY MEMBERS TO ENGAGE IN NONTRADITIONAL STUDY TO BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE TEACHERS AND SCHOLARS. FACULTY PROPOSALS DO NOT HAVE TO BE STRICTLY ABOUT EDUCATION OR TEACHER TRAINING; THESE GRANTS ARE MEANT AS REWARDS FOR COMMITMENT AND EXCELLENCE AND INTENDED TO HELP TEACHERS STAY INVIGORATED. [FACULTY SABBATICAL GRANTS ARE CHOSEN BY A COMMITTEE APPOINTED BY HEAD OF SCHOOL CHARLIE CAHN]

F AC UL T Y S AB B AT I C AL S

RWANDA TO D.C. BRYAN BRISSETTE

ryan’s sabbatical took place across two separate trips. The first was to Rwanda, Africa and the second to Washington, D.C. In Rwanda, he taught a summer enrichment program to the girls at SOLA [School of Leadership, Afghanistan]. He said that seeing “their positivity and courage was truly inspirational for me. These young girls have experienced a lot yet remain hopeful for their own future and the future of Afghanistan.” The trip was something new and different for Bryan, who said, “Conversations with other people who had gone on the same trip prior to me were helpful but I remained a bit unsure of what was coming. I certainly had some preconceived notions of what being in Africa would be like. As can happen in life, what I imagined and what was reality were quite different.” He was able to immerse himself in the culture and history of Rwanda, a nation that has been through so much in its recent past. He admitted, “Considering the nationwide trauma of the genocide almost thirty years ago, it is unbelievable to see where the country is presently.” Outside of his teaching responsibilities, Bryan was able to experience some of the country of Rwanda himself, including gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. He said, “The once-in-a-lifetime adventure of going on the gorilla trek was amazing. To see these magnificent creatures up close in their natural habitat was incredible. When you look at them and they stare right back at you it is easy to understand that we share 98 percent of our DNA.”

I certainly had some preconceived notions of what being in Africa would be like. As can happen in life, what I imagined and what was reality were quite different. The trips to Rwanda and Washington, D.C. were transformative experiences for me in many ways. It certainly resulted in what I like to call a ‘recalibration’ of my overall perspective.

In Washington, D.C., Bryan traveled to various sites, including the Gettysburg National Military Park, Ford’s Theater [where Abraham Lincoln was shot], and the Peterson House [where Lincoln died], with the goal of enhancing his teaching techniques in his Civil War course. He said, “The trip to Gettysburg was a powerful experience for me. Having taught a Civil War elective for the past twenty-two years, I actually had not been to Gettysburg. To be able to walk on the site of one of the most important battles in American history was both informative and moving.” He added, “While I had gone to Ford’s Theater many years ago, revisiting the site as an educator was a much different experience.” When reflecting on what he gained from his sabbatical trips that he will bring back with him and hold on to, Bryan said, “Overall, the trips to Rwanda and Washington, D.C. were transformative experiences for me in many ways. It certainly resulted in what I like to call a ‘recalibration’ of my overall perspective.” 58

CONNECTION & BALANCE RACHEL LLOYD

I feel fundamentally changed by my sabbatical experience... We talked a lot about how to curate an authentic-to-you experience for your clients and how to teach to the group while also providing specific cuing and connecting with each person individually. I now approach each English lesson in the same way by considering how I can build a sense of community in my classes while allowing space for students to take risks and feel supported in doing so.

achel’s sabbatical focused on her journey to becoming a certified yoga instructor. She was in Charleston in the summer of 2021 taking classes at Charleston Power Yoga—after practicing hot power vinyasa yoga for about eight years—when she learned they were offering a four-week teacher certification program that aligned with Suffield’s start of summer. She said, “Going into the program, I knew it would be intensive as we had to complete 200 hours of training in just four weeks.” When she envisioned earning her certification, she figured she’d be memorizing sequences of poses she was already familiar with, as well as deepening her own practice. She also imagined being tired and sweaty by the end of the day! But when it came down to it, Rachel said, “I quickly learned that there are so many more layers to the yoga practice than I realized. Yes, we memorized the names and order of poses [and I did indeed get pretty sweaty], but we also broke down the class structure to understand how the sequence supports an approach for navigating through life... I learned so much more than I thought possible in just four weeks.” In terms of what she gained from her experience, Rachel said, “I feel fundamentally changed by my sabbatical experience. I am first and foremost excited that with my certification I can share my passion for yoga with the Suffield community through teaching classes in the Balance Barn. We talked a lot about how to curate an authentic-to-you experience for your clients and how to teach to the group while also providing specific cuing and connecting with each person individually. I now approach each English lesson in the same way by considering how I can build a sense of community in my classes while allowing space for students to take risks and feel supported in doing so. On a personal level, my sabbatical experience completely reinvigorated my love of learning and passion for movement, and led me to a community full of others with the same love of yoga as me.” Rachel plans to continue to further hone her knowledge and practice of yoga through workshops, reading, practicing yoga daily, and self-inquiry through journaling to challenge herself and keep sparking her creativity as a teacher.

FALL Suffield’s fall athletic season was highlighted by strong girls’ soccer and field hockey seasons and Drew Gamere’s final season as Suffield’s head football coach. Girls’ soccer earned exciting victories over Deerfield, NMH, and Miss Porter’s and made the NEPSAC postseason tournament. Field hockey successfully navigated a challenging schedule and also made the NEPSAC tournament. Coach Gamere’s tenure included an incredible seven New England Championships and an overall record of 99-25. He is now Suffield’s varsity boys’ basketball coach. Tiger athletes earning fall season All-NEPSAC recognition included Kaitlyn Welsh ’23 and Claire Griffith ’24 in field hockey, Jason Hall ’23 in football, and Charlie Riegel ’24, Nadja Meite ’24, and Diana Baffor ’25 in soccer.

WINTER The winter athletic season included a Brigham Ski League Championship for the boys’ varsity ski team and a New England Championship for boys’ squash. The swim teams remained highly competitive in New England’s Class A prep league, as the boys finished 5th and the girls 6th at the New England Championship meet. Girls’ basketball earned big wins over Miss Porter’s, Deerfield, and Williston, and the boys’ varsity team finished well with victories over Choate, Deerfield, and Berkshire. Wrestling had exciting victories over Salisbury, Deerfield, and Canterbury. Tiger athletes earning winter All-NEPSAC recognition included Robby Kurzer ’24 in skiing, Keyvanna Bennett ’24 in basketball, and Mackenize Headley ’24, Nora Boino ’24, Cambell Rosow ’23, Anna Calkins ’23, Iza Zajac ’25, and John Rusnock ’25 in swimming. John also earned USA Swimming All-America honors and won the 200 IM at the NEPSAC Division I Championship.

SPRING The spring season was highlighted by 9-1 [boys] and 8-3 [girls] track teams that included New England champions Jason Hall ’23 [discus], Jaiden Johnson ’23 [long jump], and Kayden Bennett ’26 [shot put]. Keyvanna Bennett ’24 [100 meter dash] and Maeve Curtin ’24 [110 and 300 hurdles] set school records. The softball team played in the Western New England semifinals and earned exciting wins over Loomis, Williston, Taft, and Deerfield. Kennedy Morris ’23 made all-league. Girls’ tennis had a memorable season with team wins over Miss Porter’s and Berkshire. Tiger athletes earning spring track & field All-NEPSAC recognition included Ava Butterfield ’26, Maeve Curtin ’24, Dylan Marzouca ’24, Jaiden Johnson ’23, Mason Wright ’24, Owen Moreira ’23, Nicholas Warren ’26, Kayden Bennett ’26, and Jason Hall ’23. In girls’ tennis, Charlie Zimmerman ’23 earned All-NEPSAC recognition.

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PERFORMING ARTS

Suffield Academy’s Performing Arts department put on three incredible nights of Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5: The Musical in December 2022. Highlighted by incredible singing performances, creative outfit changes, set pieces reflective of the musical’s 1970s time period, and even a few video appearances by Dolly herself, the audiences were captivated from the very first song. More than 40 students and faculty members were involved with the production directed by Tom Dugan. The shows featured the immense artistic talents in the Suffield Academy community.

PERFORMING ARTS

Live in Living Color Annual Dance Show Featuring Tap • Broadway • Jazz • Ballet • Composition • Hip-hop • Modern

The play Puffs, a Harry Potter-inspired tale for anyone who has never been destined to save the world, highlighted the spring term. The play was the final mainstage production for four of Suffield’s seniors: Brighie Hogan, Luna Kwon, Theo Henle, and Chloe Coffin. Also in featuring roles were Sophie Lawry ’25, Dominic Balise ’24, Jack Clancy ’25, Sean Wilson ’24, and Vyom Tiwari ’25, plus nine additional talented performers.

PERFORMING ARTS

GUITAR SHOWS There were two Michael Simmons ’13 Guitar Shows this year, showcasing Suffield students’ musical talents for families and friends. The winter show featured fifteen students, and the spring guitar show featured twenty-one students—a wonderful way for the seniors to play together with their peers one last time before graduation.

TOM GOTWALS Performing Arts Faculty Member Retires

After more than twenty years on the faculty, Suffield’s Bradford Gooch Music Chair Tom Gotwals decided to retire. Though he committed four decades to education—which is no small accomplishment—he joked, “I looked into my closet over March break and realized that I was running out of dress code clothes, so it was either buy more or retire.” Tom and his older brother [now a lobster fisherman] and younger brother [now a scientist] grew up in Northampton, Massachusetts to musician parents. Music has therefore been a part of their lives from the start, whether at home, in church, or at concerts. Tom graduated from Oberlin College with a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Greek Literature and a conservatory degree in performance as a trumpet player. He also completed a secondary study in piano and organ. Tom continued his education at Yale University, earning his graduate degree in performance for trumpet. Following his time at Yale, Tom felt his career options were pursuing either music or cabinetry, and he ended up taking a job teaching music at The Williams School in New London, Connecticut. There he learned how much he enjoyed working with students between the ages of twelve and eighteen, especially since he could keep playing music of all sorts.

PERFORMING ARTS

building: plays, dances, assemblies, even blood drives. Now we have a real developing performing arts program with dedicated spaces.” He has other incredible memories from his years at Suffield, from the time a snowboarder made him laugh so hard during a Wednesday team run that he skied backward into the woods and ended up in a snowbank still laughing, to more serious moments like listening to the Chamber Singers performing several movements from Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” when they sounded like a group of thirty instead of the sixteen singers they were. He added, “The Chamber Ensemble’s performance of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville - Overture wasn’t bad either—both the playing and the fact that we had an instrumental group varied and capable enough to learn the piece.”

After teaching in Providence, Rhode Island and Poughkeepsie, New York, with a semester in Sydney, Australia along the way, Tom, his wife Molly [English department], and their daughter Hannah came to Suffield Academy in 1999. Tom said, “We were impressed with the balance Suffield pursued between supporting and challenging students.” Since then, Tom has taught music of all sorts: jazz, classical, rock, vocal, and musicals. He’s also played “To Fair Suffield” for 50th Night across the years. In addition to his musical talents, he coached thirds soccer with Steve Goodwin [science department], taught freshman Leadership with Gerry LaPlante in the program’s infancy, and said, “Of course, I’ve been the Prime Minister of Snowboarding for about ten years.” Being on campus for such a significant period of time allowed Tom to see Suffield grow and evolve. He commented, “In my particular area, there were various performing arts activities going on but no comprehensive program. The Music Center was contained in what is now the Williams Studio; the Guttag Music Center was the health center; and the theater was a catch-all activities 74

Now, after forty years of teaching, his career feels complete. He will continue playing musical gigs, both around Suffield and near the Gotwals’ home in Stonington, Maine. Tom has spent the majority of his life finessing his trumpet-playing career; he has played in big bands, rock bands, jazz combos, churches, choruses with Bach and Handel that need the trumpet’s high baroque, and pretty much anywhere else you can imagine. He doesn’t plan on stopping any time soon. In addition, he’ll be doing work on their home [“I can’t claim to be a cabinet maker, but I’m a passable carpenter”], as well as on the ten acres of woods on their property. There’s fascinating research on the left and right brain connections in people who are talented musicians that shows their creative side is often complemented by proficiency in math and logical thinking—certainly requirements for carpentry. This characterization fits Tom. Not at all worried about getting bored in retirement, he said, “I have more than enough trumpet playing and home/property projects to stay busy for quite some time.” d

Legacy Families

O’Keefe Tracy Orr ’85 | Finn ’24

Tracy Orr O’Keefe spent much of her youth in the town of Suffield with parents who were born and raised here. Some of her earliest memories of our school include watching tennis matches, baseball games, and soccer games from her grandparents’ house on Day Avenue, which was surrounded by Suffield’s athletic fields. When considering high school, Tracy’s mother encouraged her— and two years later her brother—to apply to Suffield Academy. Aware of relatives who had attended before there was a public high school in town in the early twentieth century, Tracy was happy to return to her original hometown. She said, “Suffield has shaped my life in innumerable ways. Academically and socially, the school truly prepared me for college [Clark University]. I still treasure my days learning from legendary Suffield teachers like Abe Samii, Joe Connors, Andy Lowe, Dave Godin, Brett Vianney, ‘Wasky,’ and many others. Suffield introduced me to organized sports, which helped keep me focused and on task in college, ingrained in me the healthy habit of exercise, and taught me teamwork and leadership skills I later found to be indispensable in business.”

“

Bell Hill is such an iconic spot at the school. I fondly think back to the times I enthusiastically ran up Bell Hill and rang the bell after winning sports games and of course at graduation... The thought of my kids ringing that bell for the same celebrations makes me really happy.”

The social side of Suffield played a vital role for Tracy as well. The relationships she made here remain important to her today and her marriage to her high school sweetheart Alex Steinman ’87 is one of her most treasured. Tragically, Alex, who worked for Cantor Fitzgerald in the World Trade Center, was killed on 9/11. Soon after, Tracy worked with Director of Development Phil Riegel ’87 and then-Headmaster David Holmes to plan a memorial service for Alex on campus. The next year, David Holmes approached Tracy to join the Alumni Council and later the Board of Trustees. Tracy said, “My time on the Suffield Board over the past twenty years has given me a front row seat to witness the tremendous progression of the school under the impressive direction and vision of both David [Holmes] and Charlie [Cahn]. As an alum, current parent, and Board member, I’m continually impressed by the school’s leadership, its nurturing culture, and dedication to excellence on every level.”

After college, Tracy pursued a career in communications and public relations, working on the agency side with clients including Procter & Gamble’s Cover Girl Cosmetics, and then in-house in global communications at The Estee Lauder Companies with the Origins, Prescriptives, and Clinique brands. She now consults and has spent many years serving on her kids’ local school PTO Boards and coaching their soccer teams. Today, when she comes back to campus Tracy makes time to spend a few moments on Bell Hill just to take it all in. She says, “Bell Hill is such an iconic spot at the school. The bird’s-eye view of the fields below and mountains in the distance is just incredible. I fondly think back to the times I enthusiastically ran up Bell Hill and rang the bell after winning sports games and of course at graduation.”

“

As much as I look forward to college, I know it will not match the genuine sense of community at Suffield. The campus is one of the best I have ever seen, with it being incredibly well organized

much more social and outgoing. Almost every year, at least one of my teachers would say that I was the one in their class that had grown the most since the beginning of the year. I also have a stronger work ethic, always trying my best at all of my assignments.” Finn chose to attend Suffield because of his family ties to the school and the town, coming here from Westfield, New Jersey. It’s significant that he unwinds with friends on the same tennis courts where his mom watched matches as a kid. Finn’s time at Suffield continues to be incredibly meaningful, and he said, “Suffield is so special because of the warm and welcoming community it fosters. Wherever you look, there are always smiling faces ready to greet you. As much as I look forward to college, I know it will not match the genuine sense of community at Suffield. The campus is one of the best I have ever seen, with it being incredibly well organized and beautiful.” Besides the friends he will miss after graduation, one of the members of the community Finn has connected to most strongly is his French teacher Jem Bullock. Finn said, “Mr. Bullock has probably had the greatest impact on my life at Suffield. He always makes me laugh in class, showing me how learning can be fun and engaging.” Finn is a history buff who plans to pursue his favorite subject as a minor in college while majoring in finance. Finn proudly maintains the legacy of his mother and uncle, Todd Orr ’87, enjoying his time here as much as they did.

and beautiful.”

Tracy always hoped her children would attend Suffield and said, “The thought of my kids ringing that bell for the same celebrations makes me really happy; it’s kind of like life has come full circle. With a Suffield experience under their belts, I feel the possibilities are endless,” she added. Tracy married Joe O’Keefe—also a 9/11 widower—in 2006. Their oldest child Finn will graduate with Suffield’s Class of 2024; their daughter Riley entered the Class of 2027 this fall and plays on the varsity soccer team. Tracy said, “It has brought us great joy to see Finn thrive at Suffield. We believe his growth and development here would be unrivaled anywhere else.” Finn agrees, saying, “In my time at Suffield I have become 77

Legacy Families

Dagnoli Lisa Veratti ’95 | Siena ’24

Growing up in nearby East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, Lisa Veratti Dagnoli initially came to Suffield’s campus in 1991. She remembers her first impression of the entry to the dining hall, with its beautiful artwork and high ceilings, which to this day still gives her a visceral “wow” feeling. Though she applied to other schools, Suffield was the right choice for her for many reasons. A big one turned out to be the supportive faculty members. George Pervear had a massive impact on her life, fostering her love for science. She said, “His biology courses and teaching propelled me toward a degree in the sciences. I loved his love of the course content and his delivery was contagious.” She also fondly recalls Andy Lowe [“He was a really great teacher and one of the smartest people I have met”], her roommate from Thailand [“She was a wonderful person and taught me a lot”], the school’s art program [“I have never had such a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the arts and learn so much about creating”], and her community service experience [“It was nice to know more about giving back and being a part of the community”].

“

I have never had such a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the arts and learn so much about creating... Suffield affected my life in a positive way because I left with knowledge, opportunity, direction, and experience.”

From the classroom to the soccer field, Lisa loved her high school experience, sharing, “Suffield affected my life in a positive way because I left with knowledge, opportunity, direction, and experience.” She appreciates how every student’s experience and what they take away from their time here is what makes Suffield so special, and admits she misses “being young and playing sports and having only the responsibilities of learning and education. The whole world lies ahead of you when you are in high school.” When it came time for her daughter Siena to look at secondary schools, Lisa found returning to Suffield to be eye-opening, saying, “The campus is much bigger than when I was there and they have done an amazing job updating the buildings, campus, and architecture. I especially love how they kept the consistency of the brick buildings and the bucolic architecture of Suffield, Connecticut with the barn and wooden New England feel.”

“

All the teachers in my experience at Suffield truly care about your education and want you to succeed. They are always in your corner for extra help and make time for you as a student... I am proud to be a student at Suffield and hope I can offer the same opportunity to my kids so they can experience Suffield someday.”

Siena fell in love with the school much like her mother, selecting Suffield for its welcoming students and faculty, the variety of opportunities that are offered, and the beautiful campus. She remembers meeting all her new peers and truly experiencing Suffield for the first time during registration her freshman year. Since then, she’s found happiness in many places on campus, like Memorial Building with its incredible views and appealing modern classrooms. But it’s the people who really make the biggest impact on Siena’s day-to-day life. She said, “All the teachers in my experience at Suffield truly care about your education and want you to succeed. They are always in your corner for extra help and make time for you as a student.” When she graduates, she will miss not just her friends, but these supportive and kind faculty members as well. Her Suffield experience has been a special one: “Suffield has made me genuinely look forward to school.” She’s passionate about history, and also about biology like her mom, which might make her a legacy in more ways than one. She says, “I am proud to be a student at Suffield and hope I can offer the same opportunity to my kids so they can experience Suffield someday.” Today, Lisa is a stay-at-home mom, following a twenty-one-year career in the family business, an environmental testing laboratory the family sold in December 2020. Following her passion for science while at Suffield, Lisa received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Syracuse University. As a senior, Siena is in the middle of the college process, and will be making plans for next fall. Until then, you can find Lisa and Siena boating on Lake George with their family, enjoying the nature and beauty of their favorite place.

Juniors preparing for the college application process are heavily supported by Suffield’s college counselors and alumni mentors. Suffield Connect allows alums to support other graduates and to utilize the trusted Suffield Academy environment to expand their professional networking. By fully integrating with social networks, and cultivating a culture of helping and giving back, alums can again benefit from being a part of the Suffield Academy community. Below are the alumni who presented to juniors during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Billy Glidden ’10

Jermaine Frazer-Phillips ’14

Senior Writer at REFORM Alliance

Big Up Brew, Founder

Gratitude, joy, relationships—these are the most important things.

Slow down, live your life, have fun, and be happy.

Mariam Ibrahim ’13 Mechanical Engineer

You will be the best version of yourself when you’re doing something you want to do.

Abby Blyler ’15 Positive Psychology Researcher

Learning what you don’t like is just as valuable as learning what you do like.

Amanda Leonard ’14 Account Manager for Corporate Partners, Colorado Rockies

Matt Jones ’07

Take advantage of opportunities at Suffield—enjoy your time because it goes by very fast.

Time doesn’t stop, so enjoy the time you have now.

Jasmine Rayonia ’13

Arielle Kempinsky ’09

Director of Growth Marketing

Medical Researcher

Change is okay. People are constantly changing their minds and trying new things.

Try not to pay attention to what others are doing, and do not be afraid to take your own path.

Jasmine Brooks ’14 Freelance Theatre Director & Producer

Don’t hesitate to ask for advice. No question is a dumb question.

Business Development

Scan QR code to read more about each presentation. suffieldacademy.org/suffieldconnect

RE U NION ’ 2 2 1 0.14-16

2017

2012

2002

2007

1997

2017 [Front] Ben Godin [Second] Riley Carrier, Kayla Rosenkranz, Julia Murphy, Jeremy Greer, Alex Clarke, Sam Henderson, Jason Louro, Nick Mayo, Amelia Hern, Isabelle Ricke, Cari Cyr, Hannah Arthur, Tanner Moore, Casey Kaplan, Maddie Kauffman, Katherine Kalill, Laura De Los Santos [Third] Griffin Kornaker, Isabella Pesaresi, Sarah Pajouh, Lauren Henzy, Brooklyn Hayes, Andrew Robatille, Ben Toczydlowski, Kristen Kertanis, Marissa Flevotomos, Lane Tryon, William Burke, Maxwell Toczydlowski, Emma Paul [Fourth] Bryce Butler, Ashley Sarris, Becca Collins, Graham Shannon, Chris Ennis, Brandon Liao, Peter Kelley, Cam Auchinachie, Harry Hildreth, Caleb Wurster [Back] Winfield Hunter, Brian Daddario, Rob Johnston, John Kuzmeski, Garrett Stephenson, Ryder Mosby, Noah Cyr

2012 [Front] Connor Kaplan, Gabi Webb, Lexi Hildreth Vize, Patrick O’Brien, Jazzy Salehi Mercure, Alyssa Fruce, Thayer Smith, Billy Deegan [Middle] Taylor Grand Pré, Jameson Everett, Stephanie Hetzler, Chris Sonberg, Remington Lyman, Dan Bailey [Back] Josh Galant, Eleanor Kelly, Zac Czikowsky, Izzy McDonald Piper, Marie Casey Welton, Lauren Booth, Grace Vianney, Joanna McElnea, Colin Dowd, Conrad Mish, Molly Stromoski, Alex Apkin, Will Sartorius 2007 [Front] Bill Cargill, Zeke Donnelly, Cassie Daniels Diaz, Khaya Leary [Back] Mariama Perry, Bianca Molta Cargill 2002 [Front] Billy Simons, Kip Moncrief, Penelope Stowe, Nick Oleksak, Emilio Martinez, Caroline Harrison, Liz Pace, Alison Carey Lynch, Rich Tyson [Back] Peter Snedeker, Jeff Depelteau, Ryan Sample, Paul Wagner, Spencer Homick, Elizabeth Michael, Kylene Westerholm Collins, Sari Biddelman, Sarah Rabbett Gamere, Susan Korte

1992

1987

1982

1977

1967

1972

1997 [Front] David Cirelli, Joseph Fadoir, Deborah Fingerhut-Leifer, Danielle Therriault, Megan Lawler, Lewis Dunn [Middle] Daniel Finkelstein, Katiana Siatras Dillon, Erica Heath, Betsy Boardman, Aysha Moore-Manwaring, Mark Tassie [Back] Erik Pompi, Brian Hetzel, Delvin Williams, Rob Champagne, Jesse Clark 1992 [Front] Julie Granger Brassard, Nicole Pisapia Doyle, Marcy Milionis Minogue [Back] Andrea Lembo Erickson, Dan Doyle, Josh Cohen 1987 [Front] Wendy Birmingham Allerton, Kim Delfino Mellekas, Pam Thomas, Dara Pizzuti, Nancy Brooks, Jeffrey Martini [Back] Charlie Birbara, Scott Gunn, Neil McCullagh, Phil Riegel, Milo Terzich, Kristen Federowicz Sullivan

1982 [Front] David Carangelo, Fred Zeytoonjian, Alison Welch ’81, Bob Smith [Back] Kelly Kinne Patterson, Clinton Wright, James Ubertalli, Chris Shaw 1977 [Front] George Katsoulis, Gwendolyn Worthy, Beth Tyler, Mary Elizabeth Oleksak Cochrane, Mary Pohanka Scott, Charlie Alfano [Back] Bob Clark, Ed Kaplan, Tom Landers, Mark Palomba, Scott McEwen 1972 [Front] Ted Falkowski, Nemo Nieman, Bill Chisholm, Ken Turnbull ’73, Tom Cox, Bob Byrne, Pancho Cole, Steve Groo, Guy Morgan, Peter Zurn [Back] Jeff Smith, Peter Montgomery, Joe Shaw, George Vann, Mickey Ahearn, John Adler, John Therriault, Ned Higgins ’73, Chip Spear 1967 Leon Lombardi, Jeff McElnea, Chris Harlambakis 1962 [Front] Peter Wylie, Robert Jehu, Andrew Spector, Richard Jones [Back] Arthur [Buzz] Victor, Marcus Hurlbut

1962

ALUMNI & PARENT EVENTS | FALL 2022

ON the GREEN

Annual Golf Outing On a beautiful fall day, over fifty parents, alumni, and friends gathered at Suffield Country Club for a golf outing. It was an 18-hole scramble format with various events including a putting contest, long drive and closest to pin competitions, $1 million shot contest, and the opportunity to win a car for hole in one. 2

TIGERS REUNITE Annual Sports Day Alumni Sports Day commemorates the long-lasting bonds that exist between Suffield athletes and the school, coaches, teammates, and friends who helped foster a great love of athletics and community across the years.

GOLF OUTING

SPORTS DAY

1 Chris Sonberg ’12, Kyle Vigneault ’09, Adam Pistel ’08, Connor Kaplan ’12

1 Paul Dean ’84, Brian Hetzel ’97, Trevor Lyne ’16, Chase Crean ’14,

2 Ali Salehi P’12, Meg Goodrich, Dave Godin P’17, Niece Massoni P’24

Ricardo Ball ’14, Zach McCormick ’14, Ryan Tettemer ’13, Rory Tettemer ’18,

3 Charlie Cahn P’18, ’22, John Gray, Chris Overbye, Sean Atkins P’26

Jack Patterson ’13, Colin Dowd ’12, Alex Clarke ’17, Edward Akel ’75,

4 Alan Kurzer P’24, Diane Kurzer P’24, Rich Lord P’27 5 Paul Dean ’84, Leo Chappel ’84, Scott Owsiany ’84, Kevin Kinne ’84

Will Cooley ’08, John Watson ’71 2 Dennis Kinne ’89 and Brian Swider ’93 3 John Watson ’71 and Zach McCormick ’14

ALUMNI & PARENT EVENTS | 2022-2023

„

Celebrating Suffield CHICAGO, ILLINOIS [Front] Adam Jacobs ’09, Cathleen Evans ’00, Arielle Kempinsky ’09, Lexi Walston Aldrich ’07, Alex Anderson ’10, Adam Pistel ’08, Colin Dowd ’12 [Back] Larry Griffin ’99, Ben Toczydlowski ’17, Matt McCoy ’18, Graham Shannon ’17, Jake Selbst ’18, Harrison Philipps ’12, Bill Aldrich ’74, James Anderson ’11, Michael Jacobs ’09, Ben Fish ’08, Bob Churchill ’83

BERMUDA [Left to Right] Charlie Cahn P’18, ’22, Terry Faulkenberry P’04, Jenny West, Christopher Gibbons P’21, Ann Durhager P’17, ’18, John Singleton ’99, Donna-Mae Fletcher P’09 P’15, Seamus Durkin ’99, Alison Morrison P’08, ’12, Ralph Gardner P’25, Tom Hulst P’25, Carol Gutteridge Hulst ’88, P’25, Jazzy Salehi Mercure ’12, Evan Faulkenberry ’04, Ardette Hardtman-Gardner P’25, Cary Butterfield P’26, Spencer Butterfield P’26, Tracey Gibbons P’21, Michael Budge P’19, ’21, Jodi Daly P’18, Andrew Daly ’18

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS [Front] Hillary Rockwell Cahn ’88, P’18, ’22, Maura Deedy ’99, Kate Dineen ’01, Matt Jones ’07, Larke Ann Nimocks ’13, Lucy Zimmermann Hovey ’13, Casey Kaplan ’17, Becca Collins ’17, Julia Murphy ’17, Amelia Hern ’17, Sage Maggi ’14, Hunter Newman ’16, John Barrett ’87, Kathryn Giles Jones ’87, Phil Riegel ’87, P’20, ’24 [Middle] Brendan Moss ’08, Charlie Cahn P’18, ’22, Adam Pistel ’08, Jessica Aiken Scola ’04, Dave Godin P’17, Michael Lombardo ’12, Graham Lowe ’11, Gabriel Appleby ’12, Christine Alaimo ’87, Nancy Brooks ’87, Kelly Taylor ’15, Maura Eagan ’16, Chase Moran ’18, Bridget Carey ’18, Chris Ennis ’17, Drew Gamere ’93, Bobby Lally ’04, Joseph Alsop ’63, Franklin Hardy ’64, Ted Fuller ’05 [Back] Colin Dowd ’12, David Appleby ’05, Alex Apkin ’12, Eric Yale ’03, Will Burke ’17, Tori Tryon ’18, Patrick Stone ’99, Amy Groszyk Sheiber ’99, Sandra Klemmer ’98, Sam Feldman ’14, Cole Rogalin ’16, Max Axelrod ’13

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 1 Gil Ahrens ’81, David Spitzler ’81, John Martin ’81 • 2 Rick Devlin ’05, Suzy Vogler P’11, Kwaii Bell, Arseniy Dolgin ’17 • 3 Jono Nelson ’14, Sam Feldman ’14 4 Jonathan Rockman, Rebecca Auster P’24, Suzanne Bernier P’24, Rich Nunez ’85, Linda Groszyk ’94, Martha Groszyk ’93, Casey Sullivan ’06

WASHINGTON D.C. [Front] Curtis Dubay ’98, Sandy Prouty ’63, Gavin Clough ’98, Fred Zeytoonjian ’82, Jack Way ’85, David Lingua ’81, Amy Werner Fox ’87, Meghan Werner Murphy ’88 [Back] Jim Hochschwender ’66, Schuyler Cunningham ’00, Peter Dunn ’74, Colin Dowd ’12, Kevin Xue ’16, Blair Childs ’74, Adam Pistel ’08, Garrett Lasnier ’08, Eric Litmer ’06

DENVER, COLORADO [Front] Phil Riegel ’87, P’20, ’24, Andy Glover ’85, Peyton Cahn ’18, Lindsay Life ’08, Amanda Shifrin, Madison Graney ’09, Katie Lichtsteiner ’89, Amanda Leonard ’14, Kira Demitrus ’15, Chris Shaw ’82, Hillary Rockwell Cahn ’88, P’18, ’22, Katiana Siatras Dillon ’97 [Back] Evan Boyle ’08, Maria Alford Suehnholz ’80, Austin Bouthillier ’88, Matthew Shifrin ’05, Bart Thompson ’06, Hannah Thompson Mann ’07

WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

[Front] Leo Letendre ’71, Bill Kelly ’65, Phil Riegel ’87, P’20, ’24, Jazzy Salehi Mercure ’12, Michael DiPietro ’07, Will Cooley ’08, Matt Wiggin ’06 [Back] Chris Sonberg ’12, Connor Kaplan ’12, Matt Mercure, Tom Webster ’74, Bill Bishop ’74, Bryan Brissette, Jesse Clark ’97, John Henzy ’06, Colin Dowd ’12, Adam Pistel ’08

[Front] Heecheon Lee ’96, Suzy Vogler P’11, Hillary Rockwell Cahn ’88, P’18, ’22 Charlie Cahn P’18, ’22, Sean Atkins P’26, Clara Shin ’07, Gun Kwon ’99 [Back] Byung Woo Park ’02, Sang Min Bae ’03, Hyun Suk Lim ’08, Yeon Kyu Kim ’09, Kyung Ho Song ’10, Paul Lee ’03

TIGERS IN THE NEWS

ALUMS in the NEWS INDIA SHAY ’18 LAS VEGAS KNIGHTS COORDINATOR, COMMUNICATIONS & CONTENT During India’s first year in the front office for the Las Vegas Knights, her responsibilities ranged from overseeing player interviews to drafting press releases and the club’s game notes for broadcast and media use. It was incredibly exciting, therefore, when the team won the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history. India said, “I’ve watched countless teams raise the Stanley Cup in my life but I never thought I would have the chance to do it myself. There aren’t enough words to describe the feeling of raising the Stanley Cup. It was a dream come true and a moment I will never forget.”

TOM CASEY ’09 TOWN OF SUFFIELD ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE Tom was inducted into the Town of Suffield Athletic Hall of Fame on February 3, 2023 for his swimming career at Suffield and University of Virginia. Tom attended Suffield Academy and earned All-American honors in six individual swimming events, plus two relays. In his senior year he set a school record in the 100m breaststroke that was not broken until 2021. He also set a record in the 500m freestyle which lasted for five years, the 100m butterfly which lasted seven years, and the 200m individual medley which lasted nine years. Tom won the UVA swimming Rookie of the Year award at University of Virginia [UVA], earned All-American honors, and starred in the ACC Championships while finding success in the individual medley, breaststroke events, and medley and freestyle relays.

CHRISTIAN WILKINS ’15 NFL RECORD HOLDER In the 2022-2023 football season, Christian Wilkins broke the NFL record for most tackles by a defensive lineman in a single season with 92, which breaks the previous record of 89 tackles. Wilkins was a first-round pick for the Miami Dolphins in the 2019 NFL draft, and he has remained with the team ever since.

GRACE OBOMA-LAYAT ’87 APPOINTED JUDGE New York City Mayor Eric Adams appointed Judge Grace Oboma-Layat ’87 to Interim Civil Court in May 2023. Grace began her legal career in public service at The Legal Aid Society, Juvenile Rights Practice, and has served there for almost two decades. Prior to her judicial appointment, she served as a staff attorney in child protection, termination of parental rights, and custody and visitation proceedings.

CASSANDRA DUMAY ’21 ENVIRONMENTAL WRITER Suffield Academy alum Cassandra Dumay, who is pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Journalism at Boston University, published her first professional article in the Boston Globe about urban farmers adapting to climate change. After taking an application-only class and working with editors from the Globe and WGBH, Cassandra was the only student to have her work published. Cassandra reached out to Suffield Environment Science teacher Amy Norris about the article to say, “Taking your Environmental Science class a couple years ago helped me come up with and pursue this topic. Your teaching stuck with me and informed how I researched for this article and talked to sources.” She also spoke to history teacher Molly Vianney, saying, “I still remember being too nervous and self-conscious to participate in the first few weeks of APUSH. Your class helped me come out of my shell and develop confidence in academic settings. That confidence has helped me stand out to editors and professors here in Boston.”

KATE DINEEN ’01 BOSTONIAN OF THE YEAR: HONORABLE MENTION Kate Dineen, an abortion activist who needed to travel from Boston to Bethesda, Maryland, to seek care in 2021 after her son suffered a catastrophic stroke in utero, influenced the state’s 2022 abortion shield law. New state law clarifies that abortions may be performed later in pregnancy when one of four criteria is reached: if the abortion is “necessary to preserve the life of the patient,” “necessary to preserve the patient’s physical or mental health,” “warranted because of a lethal fetal anomaly or diagnosis,” or “warranted because of a grave fetal diagnosis that indicates that the fetus is incompatible with sustained life outside of the uterus without extraordinary medical interventions.” Kate was a guest at the 2023 State of the Union, in recognition of her reproductive advocacy work.

Kelly Taylor ’15

Bill Kelly ’65

Patrick Dorsey ’88

Aysha Moore-Manwaring ’97

Thank You CLASS AGENTS

Charlie Alfano ’77

Eric Yale ’03

Mariah Gonzalez Hayes ’10

Madeline Lemza ’21

2023 Johnny Beam Josh Boies Sara Broad Ben Broxson Juana María Díez Londoño Lauren Egan Mekhi Johnson Kelly Kim Sophia Kim Damon Li Saud Shawwaf 2022 Harrison Cahn Izzy Choi Giselle Ciriaco Hannah Cote Zeno Dencanet Rylie DeSabato Grace Kotchen Bella Lutton Jack Lynam Kelsie Nemeth Annabelle Oman Suleni Sabio-Arzu Brown Max Schwartz Henry Shiftan Sophia Tosone Vasundhra Vasanthan Ben Vollert Campbell White 2021 Grace Caso Jenna Daly Daniel Ennis Max Santopietro Will Schmitz Megan Swanson George Bauer Samantha D’Angelo Madeline Lemza 2020 Akira Alleyne Myles Bard Mozi Bici Michaela Domino Conor Hawkins Karly Higgins Sabrina Luoro Vivian Riegel Lexi Roberts Gabriella Tosone Laurel Vardakas 2019 Olivia Alfano Audrey Arthur Becca Bauer Ben Bonavire Chris Burke

Kristin Hostetter Pandit ’86

Graham Shannon ’17

Mia D’Angelo Erin Hayes Kate Killam Tom Killam Tyler Pereira Cam Purdy Joe Rousseau Jonathan Walker Maddie Gerwe Wolfe Tayla Ziadie 2018 Isabella Boonstra Peyton Cahn Sasha Derby Meg Durhager Kevin Kuzmeski Cecile Meier-Scherling Carlin Molander Michael Robidoux Aubrey Sanford Sarah Swanson Tori Tryon Nick Vardakas Max Wiener 2017 Hannah Arthur Becca Collins Cari Cyr Amelia Hern Katherine Kalill Casey Kaplan John Kuzmeski Ryder Mosby Julia Murphy Graham Shannon Garrett Stephenson Ben Toczydlowski Max Toczydlowski 2016 Cecilia Arntzen Bella De Simone Tahj Herring Wilson Miles Johnson Baek Kang Katie Kuzmeski Trevor Lyne Elijah Wilson 2015 Nick Alfano Sarah Apkin Hannah Bellorado Abby Blyler Olivia Caligiuri Owen Hern Emily Lowe Marysa Massoia Sarah Pickup Kelly Taylor Ali Veitch

2014 Charlotte Hinrichs Briana Matthews Zach McCormick Jono Nelson Denny Smythe Izzy Thompson 2013 Georgina Blakeley Andrés Fernández Vílchez Jay Fields Chris McCormick Noel Nakamura Jay Prasad 2012 Reed Barbe Colin E. Dowd Connor Kaplan Izzy McDonald Remington Lyman 2011 Joe Begley Serge Derby Kachenta Descartes Jay DiPietro Didi McDonald 2010 Michelle Autuori Mariah Gonzalez Hayes Alyssa Palomba 2009 Rosemary Chandler Liz Monty Moffie Amy Samenuk Kyle Vigneault 2008 Becca Bathrick Kirsten Chalke Thomas Drummond-Hay Barbara Kaplan Rebecca Joslow MacGregor Adam Pistel 2007 Mike DiPietro Sydney Greenberg Katy Heydinger Doar Matt Jones Harry Melendez Erik Osborne Meredith Rarus Sarah Thomsen Meeks Rob Zammito

2006 Kim Autuori Weisburg Alison Leonard Eric Litmer Gina Petrone Chris Stafford 2005 Rick Devlin Dan Fisher Steph Shaker McKeever Casey Shanley Kegelman 2004 Kate Braden Mounkhall Jake McComb Alex Naboicheck Anthony Rousseau William Taylor 2003 Lindsey Pell Lindsay Rousseau Eric Yale 2002 Alison Carey Hilary Golas Rouse Erin Orr Ligay 2001 Paige Diamond Kraft Kate Dineen Greg Hearn Russ Hearn 2000 Michael Coleman Carmine Petrone Andrea Rich Rabatic Manny Simons Meagan Ward Jenkins 1999 Steven Darling Maura Deedy Larry Griffin Mark Soticheck Patrick Stone 1998 Sarah Fletcher Meaney Sarah Hotchkiss Curtis Dubay 1997 Brian Hetzel Aysha Moore-Manwaring Danielle Therriault 1996 Tabitha Bliven Heidorn Ryan Dowd

1995 Bryson Tillinghast 1994 Eric Feijo Alison Kennedy Auciello Scott Sartwell 1993 Pam Eisen Lauren Roginski-Strelec Marla Zide 1992 Marigrace Canter Morris Ntsekhe Moiloa Wadiya Peterson Wynn 1991 Kim Ames Ide 1990 Steve Canter Tom Hamilton Amy Newman Vaughn Kelli Tosone Courtney Wilson Nixon Bob Yap 1989 Tom Burton Michelle Motta Stewart Jed Nosal 1988 Kate Cleary Patrick Dorsey Jack Warren Jenn Yamzon Jordan 1987 Betsy Coughlin Tod Jeff Martini Phil Riegel 1986 Sean Federowicz Brinley Ford Ehlers Kristin Hostetter Pandit 1985 Aaron Buckwalter Andy Glover Michelle Hashioka Lord Jack Way 1984 Shelley Frazier Pelletier Scott Owsiany Hossein Pourmand

1983 John Boozang Marybeth Riley Mike Sabellico 1982 David Carangelo Margaret Figueroa Hern Madeline Phillips 1981 Valisha Graves Chris Kennedy Barbara Cartmell Howaniec 1980 Jim Hagan Joe Palomba 1979 Matt Cartmell Ruth Kennedy Renee McDaniel Margolis Lisa Palomba Deni 1978 Lisa Longo Ed Palomba 1977 Charlie Alfano Bob Clark Ed Kaplan Tom Landers 1976 Scott Craig 1975 Jim Plante Mark Teed 1974 Blair Childs Bud Hancock Tom Leonard 1973 Jody Cranmore Ned Higgins Jim Knight Jim Raporte Chris Richter Ken Turnbull 1972 Chip Spear John Therriault

1970 Kit Warner Chris Weeden 1969 Greg Putnam 1968 Tyler Bumsted Tom Christian 1967 Chris Harlambakis 1966 Charlie Claggett Bruce Fletcher Chris Frost 1965 Tim Hemingway Bill Kelly 1964 Jon Booth Ned Smith Nat Stevens Tom Webster 1963 Sandy Prouty 1962 Andy Spector 1961 Mike Menzies 1959 Paul Grimmeisen 1957 Ralph Jennings 1956 Peter Olin 1955 Bob King 1951 Dick Raphael 1949 Bob Harrison 1948 Gene Spaziani

1971 Pierre Genvert Leo Letendre

1948 Paul Norman At age 94, I am thankful for my health and my family. With four children and seven grandchildren, I stay busy and involved in their school and sporting activities. Working in my yard, enjoying a good cigar, and watching Judge Judy are also some of my favorite pastimes.

1957 Jack Locke I had a shoulder replacement. Still can’t throw a curveball.

1959 Dr. Richard German I’m still active as a surgeon, placing bio-identical hormone pellets into menopausal women and men. I am up to nearly 10,000 such implants.

1961 Thomas West I’m continuing my research and talks related to the talents for innovation and discovery often seen among dyslexic scientists and other dyslexic individuals. This focus has recently blended with my three books and my long-term interest in scientific data visualization, computer graphics, and AI [now ChatGPT]. My proposed title for an upcoming conference talk is: “Orton and Geschwind Were Right—Dyslexic Strengths in Times of Adversity, Rapid Change, and Great Potential.”

1962 David Holdridge I returned last year from four years of work in Lebanon where I managed U.S. public funds to help small businesses survive the 2019 financial collapse.

Alexander [Alec] Lyall Every year, fewer of us encounter classmates from the turbulent ’60s. Many have departed or we have trouble remembering. A warning to those more recent alumni: you too will grow old. It’s generally assumed old age is preferable to an earlier exit. My VA doctor suggests I erase most of the past. Stay grounded in the present. As a combat veteran, that’s good advice. As an airline captain, forced by regulation into early retirement, the past was stolen and can’t be replaced. Reflection isn’t what we thought it would be. Prepare to be obsolete, yet optimistic, and avoid looking back. Take up hang gliding or pickleball. Andrew Spector I am keeping busy delivering Meals on Wheels and being a docent touring students at the Holocaust museum here in Houston. We are moving to a condominium and selling our home to make things easier. Timothy Madison Just enjoying getting old in Georgia. I retired from GE and Coca-Cola but I’m working full time as a Certified Financial Planner—I love it too much to stop helping people with their retirement finances. Plus it is a job where I can work wherever we travel, thanks to Zoom and cell phones. Spare time is spent with our three grown adult kids and their seven children, none of whom have married. So no great-grandchildren on the horizon.

1964 Jon Booth I had dinner with Jack Bruso ’64 last November while in Phoenix, Arizona for a family wedding. I have dinner with Franklin Hardy ’64 every September in the Boston area while on my way to a vacation on Martha’s Vineyard. I have phone conversations from time to time with Ned Smith, Tom Webster, and

Nat Stevens [all Class of 1964]. This spring Jim Lo Dolce ’65 and I were doing exercises together while seeing the same physical therapist. I look forward to seeing at least a dozen people from the Class of 1964 when we gather for our 60th Reunion in 2024.

1965 James Lo Dolce About ten classmates enjoyed a Zoom Reunion in April. It was great to share stories and to see old faces [and I do mean old]. We hope to do this again in a few months. I would love to have our class make up for our lost 55th [due to COVID] by returning to Suffield this fall on Reunion weekend, but I am not sure there is enough interest. I do see Jon Booth ’64, at times since we live in the same town. We look forward to catching up with my Suffield and Columbia roommate Bill Kelly ’65 and his wife Sue at our Columbia University NEX fraternity reunion early June. My wife Donna and I are doing well, continuing to live in the Syracuse, New York area. We have a nice thirteen-acre lot on which in 2005 we designed and built our home where we spend a lot of time maintaining our vegetable and flower gardens. We installed a 17,000-kw solar array last summer that supports all our electrical needs. We are still in the process of switching our heat, air, domestic hot water, and autos to electric. We still love sailing our Freedom 40/40 forty-foot sailboat on Lake Ontario in both U.S. and Canadian waters. I still play a lot of golf with an 11 handicap. I enjoy working at the Skaneateles, New York Urgent Care Center about twenty hours per week, with my time split between seeing patients and supervising PAs and NPs. My health has been good except for four previous joint problems [bilateral ankle and knee] and an incredible high-tech twenty-minute transcutaneous aortic valve replacement [TAVR] in December 2022.

Kevin McKeown The summer before I came to Suffield for my PG year, I worked as a Teamster unloading trucks for the New Haven toy company that made Erector Sets. Since Suffield, I’ve worked continuously except during semesters at Yale. I’ve had careers in radio and voice-overs [New Haven, Hartford, San Diego, and Los Angeles], IT [the Mac tech guru for all Santa Monica public schools], and government [six-time-elected Council member and Mayor of Santa Monica]. It is with pleased astonishment, then, that I find myself finally retired. I wake up when I want to, do what I want to [or not], and have time to shower affection on my wife Genise, who for so many years put up with a husband who was “busy.” I remain vice-chair of the California Democratic Party’s Irish-American Caucus, but that doesn’t involve much daily effort. I’ve been graced with doing a life’s work that I truly enjoyed, since I left those trucks behind. Do you have any idea how heavy barrels of Erector Set nuts are? Now, at 75, I’m relishing the leisure I’ve earned. After a successful hip replacement, I’m enjoying my health and my pedal-assist e-bike in the ultimate SoCal beach town. Congratulations to all of us who’ve made it this far.

1966 Perry Gleason I’m still chugging along and refusing to go gentle into that night. Raging and raging against the light. Marshall Collins I retired from my lobbying firm three years ago and I’m enjoying retirement. I’ve been married for fifty-three years with two children and six grandchildren. I just took a small-ship cruise from Lisbon to Barcelona. I keep busy and fit with CrossFit and bad golf—no more marathons since I had my knee replaced. I’m also on the Board of Finance here in Salem, Massachusetts.

1967 Paul Fox I moved to an independent living retirement community in Sarasota, Florida in late May 2022 from nearby Venice, Florida. Much less work, much more fun.

1968 John Miller I completed the Appalachian Trail on October 16, 2022.

1970 Richard Loomis I am still working full time as a structural engineer and still having fun doing it. Paul Gossling I retired from my company in 2020 after a long career of building an international manufacturing and distribution company. My wife Nancy and I are living in Cambridge, Massachusetts and East Orleans, Massachusetts. We have four grandchildren and we are enjoying our family. I have fond memories of, and am very grateful for, my postgraduate year at Suffield.

1971 Paul Loether I retired from my final professional position as Rhode Island’s State Historic Preservation Officer two years ago following a successful forty-three-year career in historic preservation. This final retirement fully qualifies as “thirdtime lucky” it seems, in that I had already previously retired as the State of Connecticut’s Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer in 2007 and the National Park Service’s Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. Roughly half of my time these days focuses on the “hands-on” maintenance of our retirement property at Johnnycake Hill in Old Lyme, Connecticut—the

property includes lots of Japanese, Chinese, American, and Korean specimen trees, shrubs, and perennials to be pruned, fed, and appreciated, as well as a wonderfully quirky, historic 19th-century cottage that always has something that requires attending to. Much of the rest of my free time continues to be devoted to my lifelong love of “playing out” locally as a semi-professional folk musician [singer-songwriter]. Samuel Rapp I am now fully retired. I am enjoying my family, especially my grandchildren. My granddaughter will be a junior next school term. My grandson just graduated from pre-K, he’s five.

1972 Ron Rivard My days at Suffield are always with me. Time passes so fast. We were just kids then. I often think about those special people who taught us to be respectful and accountable for our actions, as well as the friendships we shared while there. Thank you, Suffield.

1973 Matt deGarmo I’m still playing with old cars for a living and still loving every minute of it. I have also started volunteering at a seeing eye dog training facility called Guiding Eyes for the Blind. It’s more fun than you can imagine. One of the tasks I do is help socialize puppies. Looking forward to our next Reunion.

1976 Karin Aurichio A warm and cheery hello to all. It’s been quite a while since I have communicated with my Suffield family, so I feel compelled to share my latest adventure. Last year, I retired from teaching ESL to middle schoolers. I want to thank the Suffield community for allowing me to experience

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1 Paul Norman ’48 and his family 2 David Holdridge ’62 3 Jim Lo Dolce ’65 with his wife, Donna 4 Kevin McKeown ’65 with California Governor Gavin Newsom 5 Paul Gossling ’70 with his granddaughter Elia on Cape Cod 6 Sandy Orr ’69 hosted a golf outing at the Country Club of

Wilbraham on October 7, 2022 [left to right] Don Lee ’69, Sandy Orr ’69, Bill Morin ’70, and Brian Rothwell ’69 7 Class of 1976 Paul Hugo and Abhichart Abhinoraseth in Michigan 8 Matt deGarmo ’73 with seeing eye puppies from Guiding Eyes

for the Blind 9 Art by Ken Turnbull ’73 10 Takeo Watanabe ’78 11 Matt deGarmo ’73 organized a vintage rally recently shown

in his 1957 Porsche 356 12 The McCullagh Family: Chuck ’78, Neil ’87,

Linda O’Leary McCullagh ’80, and Mark ’81

Tammy Robbins ’81 celebrates her 60th birthday

2 Marius ’86 and Lone Haas 3 Niko Mosko ’86 with Andy Lowe 4 Adrian Seto ’95 and Pinyot Pibulsonggram ’95 5 Andrew Kotchen ’90 & Grace Kotchen ’22 after participating in Swim Across America: Nantucket 6 Adrian Seto ’95 and family celebrating Christmas in Niseko, Japan 7 Fabio Santos ’96 8 Nkenge Hook ’92

a multicultural environment at such an impressionable age. It has served me well throughout both my personal and professional life. While I may have “retired” from teaching, I am finally pursuing my core passion: arts and crafts. It took me this long to actually have the courage and confidence to share my creations with the public rather than just family and friends. Ah, the wonders of getting old and realizing one should follow their dreams. Kudos to the late Mr. Vincenti for allowing me to express myself the way that I wanted to in order to learn more about painting and drawing. And thanks to Mr. Gooch for inspiring me to appreciate art history and its significance in understanding how our world’s past is woven into our present times. My new venture, KamaArt aka Heart2HandArtCrafts, is still evolving. But if you would like to see where it’s at now, please visit my Etsy page [bit.ly/3PjNhIV]. Tracy Milliken Fengler I’m still living the dream in San Diego, California. I’m semi-retired from my career as a postpartum doula. I send love and hellos to my special classmates Cynthia, Molly, Jennifer, and Alex. Jan Walker Larsson Recently made the move from our house of over twenty-one years in the greater Stockholm area, Sweden to move to an apartment in Malmö, a city six hours away from Stockholm and very close to Copenhagen, Denmark. Wow what a process. All of our six kids had flown the coop, so my husband and I wanted to move on to new adventures as a couple, close to the sea. We’re super excited about it and it’s an incredible learning experience about life. We have one grandchild and two soon to arrive, so feeling grateful for being in such a good place. I still have my business in which I can coach from anywhere in the world, so looking forward to new adventures, more sun, and the flexibility to find greater work-life balance.

Paul Hugo Diana and I are happily retired living between our home in Spring Lake, Michigan and our winter residence in Port Charlotte, Florida. In Florida we live in our motor home on an RV pad we purchased last year. Thinking about coming to our 50th in 2026, but no plans yet. I have reconnected with Abhichart Abhinoraseth ’76, my roommate junior and senior year. He is currently here with me in Michigan now. We are having a great visit. From here he is going to see Betty Corsak ’77 before he returns to Thailand. I am still swimming when we are not on the road. Hope everyone else is doing well, look me up if you are ever in west Michigan. Jennifer Cartmell I am in my eighth year working for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid Maine, with over 100 youths in my program. My Bigs are from Bates College and it’s heartwarming to see the positive life-changing work being done for the poverty-level children/Littles in my program. Next up is our 50th Reunion.

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1981 Tammy Robbins Hi, I just wanted to let my Suffield family know that I’ve moved to Miami. Please call me if you’re in the area; I’d love to see you.

1982 Robert Smith III I had a great time at the Class of 1982 40th Reunion. It was fun to be back on campus and spend time with old friends.

1984 Helen Nickerson Ah! Middle age joys. I’m the grandmother to two brilliant little girls & my son is graduating from high school in June. He’s headed off to do a scuba diving course in Costa Rica and I am headed to Palm Springs, escaping the Pacific Northwest rainforest. We’re covering our bases with water and desert oases.

1986

John Heffernan I retired from full time K-12 engineering design and computer science teaching last June and I am now adjunct faculty at UMASS, Amherst College of Education and Tufts Center for Engineering Education and Outreach. Our son is a junior and playing varsity baseball at Frontier Regional High School in Deerfield, Massachusetts.

Marius Haas After thirty-plus years I have retired from the technology sector and am staying busy launching a new private equity firm called BayPine with some great colleagues. To celebrate the occasion, plus our thirty-year anniversary, Lone and I toured through the Greek islands where we saw wonderful places, met magnificent people, and ate incredible food. Best wishes to all Suffield alums; I just reconnected with Trip Nabors ’86.

1978

1992

Takeo Watanabe As CEO, I am working for Takara Standard Co. which manufactures kitchen and bathroom related products in Japan. I have two daughters and one son. They are triplets. One daughter just married and the other one will soon.

Nkenge Hook I am an alumnus of the Class of 1992. I am looking forward to my next class Reunion in 2024 as well as visiting the campus in a few weeks. I am currently pursuing my master’s in public administration at Albertus Magnus College. I desire to

1 Bryson Tillinghast ’95, Harry Williams ’07, Jackie Williams P’04, ’07, ’08, and Harry’s wife Francesca 2 Hillary Rockwell Cahn ’88, P ’18, ’22, Eliza Epifano ’99, and Dave “Rocky” Rockwell ’58, P’79, ’82, ’86, ’88 meet up on the coast of Maine

influence policies which foster diversity, equity, and inclusion. Also, my goal is to return to the boarding school environment as a faculty member. I want to mold and shape young lives to be trailblazers in their communities and the world at large.

1993 Alan Bruderer Hello from Guatemala—sorry for not keeping in touch much over the years but time flies. After Suffield I attended Southern Methodist University, graduated in 1997, and worked at a bank in Houston for four years. I came back to Guatemala to work in our family business in 2002. In 2008, Lotty and I welcomed our daughter Emma and in 2009 Martin, our son. I have had the pleasure to visit Suffield several times since; the campus is amazing. Last year in December we got the great news that Martin will be attending SA as a freshman in the Class of 2027.

1995

2002

Adrian Seto Hello from Hong Kong! We are doing well. Even though we were one of the last countries to come out of the pandemic, all restrictions have been lifted and life is back to the “new” normal. We are now finally able to travel and since last October we have been to Tokyo and Niseko [for Christmas and New Years] and most recently to Bali for the Easter holiday. Over the Christmas holiday in Niseko, we met up with Pinyot Pibulsonggram ’95 and his family and had a wonderful time skiing together. We are very grateful we have made it through the pandemic and are able to reunite with our friends. I hope all the Suffield family is doing well and if anyone comes through Hong Kong please drop me a note.

Hilary Rouse I was bummed to miss our 20th Reunion last fall but enjoyed seeing all the pictures from the weekend. I’ve been working in advancement in independent schools for the past fifteen years. My husband, Dave, and I have settled outside of Boston and have two energetic boys—Jack [7] and Charlie [4]. They keep us busy and remind us to enjoy the crazy yet fleeting moments of childhood. I stay in touch with Sara Kerin ’02 and Sarah Rabbett Gamere ’02. I have been back to campus several times over the past few years, and the view from Bell Hill is just as pretty today as it was in the early 2000s. Wishing health and happiness to you, 2002. Ashley Scibelli Leduc I serve as co-chair at Hinkley Helpers, an organization whose mission is to fundraise, plan and build a fun, safe, and inclusive community destination playground in

1 Lucy Reinhardt ’05 and Kelley Riley ’05 2 Bronya Shillo ’03 3 Margaret Gustafson ’05, Kelley Riley ’05, and Stephanie Shaker ’05 4 Ashley [Scibelli] Leduc ’02 [second left, standing] accepts a $250,000 American Reinvestment

Plan Act check designated to Hinkley Helpers, an organization whose mission is to fundraise, plan, and build a fun, safe, and inclusive community destination playground in Medfield, Massachusetts. 5 [Left to right] Stephanie Shaker McKeever ’05, William Powers ’05, David Appleby ’05,

Alex Moore ’04, and Harley Saftler ’05 with Gabriel Appleby ’12 at David’s wedding 6 Evan Faulkenberry ’04 with his wife Tammy and their children, Finn and Xander, at Skogakoss in Iceland 7 Charlie [L] and Jack [R], children of Hilary Golas Rouse ’02 8 Kelley Riley ’05 with her Maine Coon

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7 1 Stephanie Fox ’06 with her husband, Mitch, and their blended family of seven 2 Erica Siver Taupier ’08 with her husband Alex and their sons, August & Ronan 3 Jieming Wu ’12 4 Lorenzo Bernardez ’11 with Slice of Excellence where they trade report cards for pizza 5 Remington Lyman ’12 at his quarterly brokerage meeting 6 Colin Dowd ’12 at the Make-A-Wish Providence Half Marathon 7 Members of the Class of 2012 at Lexi Hildreth’s wedding: Lexi Hildreth, Stephanie Hetzler, Alyssa Fruce, Jazzy Salehi Mercure, and Gabi Webb

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Medfield, Massachusetts. Within months, we raised more than $500,000, and have only $25,000 left towards the organization’s goal. I’m a communications consultant currently working for Zipcar and have worked in-house for Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard, and Twisted Tea.

2003 Bronya Shillo This year, I sold my company, Fishers Island Lemonade, to Spirit of Gallo, the third largest spirits supplier in the United States by volume. I grew up in Bloomfield, Connecticut and spent summers on Fishers Island, New York where my family owned and operated The Pequot Inn, the only bar on the island. I began to work there as soon as I was old enough. Frequented by locals and visitors alike, The Pequot Inn is known for its signature “FIL” cocktail that was handcrafted in fifteen-liter batches prior to busy summer weekends. Due to the drink’s popularity, it would sell out regularly at the bar. During my time there as a manager, I began to focus on the idea of canning the cocktail, which would not only allow me to serve customers quicker but also bring the delicious taste of Fishers Island to a wider audience. After two years of research and development, I launched Fishers Island Lemonade on Memorial Day 2014, pioneering the canned cocktail category which is one of the leading contributors to the success of the RTD category today along with High Noon from Spirit of Gallo. Today, the Fishers Island Lemonade family also includes Fishers Island Half and Half and Fishers Island Pink Flamingo. Most recently, the Fishers Island Family earned Platinum, Double Gold, and the Consumer’s Choice Award at the 2022 SIP Awards, and Gold at the 2023 San Francisco Spirits Awards.

2004

2008

Evan Faulkenberry 2022 was a memorable year for the Faulkenberrys—we welcomed our second son, Xander, in April, much to his big brother, Finn’s [now 3], excitement. We avoided the Bermuda heat by spending two weeks in Iceland last summer, and we closed out the year with the purchase of our dream home—we couldn’t be more grateful.

Abbie Schuster My husband Justin and I welcomed a baby girl on March 12, 2022. We enjoy laughing with our daughter Isla Ann Painter.

2005 David Appleby In July of 2022 I married Hannah Bradley, the love of my life, in a beautiful ceremony in a field by the ocean in Weekapaug, Rhode Island. In attendance were more than a few Suffield alumni. My wife and I have settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts and of these days I’ll get her over to campus to see what makes Suffield so special. Kelley Riley Class notes rule! An opportunity to brag about how cool we all are. I’m living in a tiny house on wheels in South Berwick, Maine. I designed it and my friend built it. It was featured in Maine Home + Design [bit.ly/3qXMyTm]. I have a massive Maine Coon cat named Finbar. Tiny house, huge cat style. I started my own little business picking up the deceased in the evenings for eight local funeral homes. Couldn’t escape the funeral business, I guess. It’s in my blood. I still talk to Lucy Reinhardt ’05, Stephanie Shaker ’05, Margaret Gustafson ’05, and Samantha Malcom ’05. They’re amazing and all doing well. I wish I could time travel back to 2005 for a week. That would be sick. Praise be.

2006 Stephanie Fox I recently got married to my husband Mitch and moved to Rhode Island with our blended family of seven. I hope everyone is doing well.

Frank Sambor Hi Suffield! I’ve been living in Miami, Florida the past five years and now I work in commercial and residential real estate development. The move from Suffield to Miami has been nothing short of adventurous and rewarding. I also met my wife, Tatielle, in Madrid, Spain while traveling and we got married in late 2022. Erica Siver Taupier Hi all! In 2020 we welcomed our first son August and moved to Philadelphia. In the last three years I have established my career as a pediatric dietitian working with children that have inborn errors of metabolism and refractory epilepsy. In April 2023 we welcomed our second son, Ronan. Hope everyone is well, reach out if you’re ever in Philadelphia.

2011 Lorenzo Bernardez Love and light to all. Many of us are in different stages in our lives. Give yourself some grace and give your loved ones grace. Better days are ahead of us all. Thank you to all of the Suffield alums who have supported my nonprofit organization Slice of Excellence. We trade report cards for pizza, sponsoring pizza parties every month for perfect attendance and academic excellence in schools all over New York City. A positive incentive goes a long way with our youth who need our consistent love and support. Be the village for someone that you always wanted. Without a village, there would’ve been no Suffield Academy for me. I have to put myself in my community to show our youth a safer, brighter, and more positive way of living to reach excellence.

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Kate Prentis I got married to Stephen Beckett in September in Brooklyn, New York. We are very excited to get to celebrate our love with friends and family.

view the world and especially the people and things that are close to you. I hope to come back for the 15-year Reunion [which is only four years away; wow] and see familiar faces [or more]!

Charles Warner Good afternoon, Suffield. Hope everyone is well and enjoying the beautiful spring weather. Things have been busy but fantastic on my end. This past October, I started a new job in Greenwich, Connecticut at the Delamar Hotel, which I am thoroughly enjoying. I became an uncle recently and my nephew George is quite the cutie. I still think about my time at Suffield and how fortunate I am to have gone to such an amazing place. I heard about Andy Lowe, and it broke my heart. Anyway, I hope all is well with everyone and hope to head up to Suffield in the near future.

Jieming Wu I’ve recently been feeling very nostalgic for my days at Suffield and wanted to share something for the alumni life updates. I’m living in the beautiful mountains of Wengen in Switzerland now with my husband. We got married in 2021 during the height of COVID and then had our wedding party in beautiful Tuscany in 2022. For work I am a wellbeing coach as well as a meditation and mindfulness coach.

Jason Spazzarini It’s been a busy year for me. My girlfriend of five years, Shelby Rimetz, and I got married in Old Saybrook, Connecticut in October 2022. In other great news, we purchased a home in Avon, Connecticut and are looking forward to settling down.

2012 David Huang How time flies! It’s been more than a decade since our graduation; I can still vividly remember the joyful scenes and the select photographs taken that day that I still have. Since then, I’ve attended college, gone back home to work, came back to the US, and finished my master’s degree, started at three different jobs, got married, and now moved to the Pacific Northwest [Seattle, to be exact]. It’s a whirlwind of emotions and flashbacks just reminiscing about all of it. But I have never written a class note! So here’s one for the record. The biggest change of mindset that I had was due to having to share my life with my wonderful wife; it puts a radically different perspective on how you

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Remington Lyman I had my brokerage quarterly meetup last week. If you are looking to buy real estate in Ohio, please reach out to me. Ohio is great for cash flow.

2013 Dr. Joseph A. Fields I am pleased to announce my engagement to Maura E. Mullaney of New York City. I graduated from Trinity College Cum Laude 2017 and received a MS from Columbia University Summa Cum Laude 2019. I’m an engagement manager with Ernst & Young in New York City. Maura graduated with a degree in Economics Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Cappa from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. Maura was captain of the women’s swimming team. Maura is the daughter of Kenneth Mullaney, Esq., an attorney and Marie Mullaney, Ph.D., a professor of history. Maura is a vice president of client relations with the Blackstone Group in New York City. Our wedding is planned for October 2024.

Cheryl Kuo Chiu Ten years after graduating from Suffield, our daughter came into this world in February 2023. Her name is Amelia Yi-Ai Chiu, born to my husband Jon and I. How time flew by. Victoria Kiarsis I’m living in the beautiful and sunny Charleston, South Carolina. I sell real estate successfully and spend much of my time outside with my mini Aussie.

2014 Jack Frank I am working for an amazing real estate development company in Miami, Florida and doing very well. Robert Douglas I am still traveling around building businesses but have recently gotten very into sailboat racing and have been competing out of Austin, Texas and Miami, Florida. In Austin I race laser to the degree I have been scoring points with a hull from the 1996 summer Olympic games. Out of Miami I’m doing multi-hull racing, taking a trimaran out to Key West and occasionally across the Atlantic.

2015 Jesse Phillips I spent the majority of 2023 out in Colorado training for the Boulder Ironman. Got a PR for the 1.2 mile swim with 38 minutes and a PR for 3:13 for the 56 mile bike ride. Pretty much just coasted the run because I was making great time. Can’t wait to do more. KASA!

2018 Sarah Swanson Congratulations to all of my classmates from the Class of 2018 that graduated from college last spring. We did it!

Dr. Joseph Fields ’13 with his fiancée, Maura Mullaney

Amanda Leonard ’14, Emily Ferguson ’14, Neelam Mahtani ’14, and Tristan Grush ’15 in Vail, Colorado

Cheryl Kuo Chiu ’13 with her family

Jesse Phillips ’15 after completing the Boulder, Colorado Ironman

Robert Douglas ’14 on his racing sailboat

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PHOTOS SHOWN FRONT TO BACK & LEFT TO RIGHT

1 David Appleby ’05 to Hannah Bradley n 07.30.22 {shown with their dog, Luna} 2 Lucy Zimmerman ’13 to Tommy Hovey n 10.22.22 {Lucy Zimmerman Hovey ’13, Lexie Bicknell ’13, Hannah Williams ’13, Colin Dowd ’12, Larke Nimocks ’13, Austin Cunningham ’13, Wynn Mason ’13} 3 Tim Bautz ’09 to Hayley Lindahl n 06.25.22 4 Jieming Wu ’12 to Carlo Leonini n 02.18.21 5 Jaclyn Ann Chalke ’12 to Andrew Leff n 09.18.23 {photo: Jaclyn with Matt Tolosky ’10} 6 Lexi Hildreth ’12 to James Vize n 08.07.22 {Harry Hildreth ’16, Francesca Hildreth, Lexi Hildreth ’12, James Vize, Bob Hildreth ’75} 7 Jason Spazzarini ’11 to Shelby Rimetz n 10.22.22 {RJ Currey ’14, Neil Spazzarini ’14, Erich Seifert ’11, AJ Placanico ’11, Jason Spazzarini ’11, Shelby Rimetz, Patrick Tolosky ’11, Andrew Rarus ’11, James Anderson ’11, Eric Spazzarini ’09} 8 Frank Sambor ’08 to Tatielle Almeida Rodrigues n 12.09.22 9 Charlotte Yordon ’11 to Sam Barrett n 06.03.23 Not Shown Nicole Matysiak ’14 to Jermaine Frazer-Phillips ’14 n 10.08.22

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1 Rory Bautz n 04.24.23 Tim Bautz ’09 & Hayley Bautz 2 Abraham “Abie” Beck Greenberg n 01.09.23 Adam Greenberg ’98 & Anna Greenberg 3 Riley Elizabeth Broadwater n 01.11.23 Ginny McDermott Broadwater ’10 & Nick Broadwater 4 Leo Harris Cargill n 06.13.22 Bianca Molta Cargill ’07 & Bill Cargill ’07

5 Heidi Lyon Herbig n 06.15.22 Eliza Lyon Herbig ’03 & Max Herbig

6 Luna Estelle Leech n 07.17.21 Calvin Daniel Leech n 12.06.22 Emily Leech ’08 & Cynthia Leech 7 Avery Jacobs n 05.19.22 Michael Jacobs ’09 & Caroline Aldrich Jacobs ’10 8 Genevieve Nancy Drenzek n 05.30.23 Nancy Fuller ’06 & Justin Drenzek Not shown Aria Lee Belchior n 01.17.23 Lindsay Moura Belchior ’08 & Daniel Belchior

We Would Love to Hear from You Scan QR code to easily submit your class note for the next issue of SUFFIELD. For additional questions, please contact Colin Dowd ’12 [cdowd@suffieldacademy.org]. suffieldacademy.org/classnote -or- magazine@suffieldacademy.org Please note: if you include a photo please send in the highest quality, preferably 300 dpi or photo-lab quality print.

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In Memoriam

Remembering Those We Have Lost 2022 b Vincent F. Yannone ’55 January 27

b Dr. Charles Black III ’66 March 1

b James Crowley ’56 June 11

b Thomas Martinelli ’42 June 15

b Anthony [Tony] V. Page ’74 July 23

b Francis B. Rainey III ’51 August 5

b William J. Waldron ’48 August 8

b William [Bill] R. Givin ’50 August 24

2023 b James F. Dineen ’50 October 10

b Richard A. Derr Jr. ’70

b David S. Caruso ’82 March 6

b Ira A. Levin ’48 March 11

October 19

b Michael D. Shlesinger ’21 October 26

b Monica Z. Suleski ’40 November 6

b Paul A. Connor ’62 November 8

b Bruce A. Cohen ’66 November 11

b John Wire ’63 December 8

b Thomas R. Cox ’72 December 20

b Christopher M. Easdon ’89

b Mark B. Bigelow ’71 March 19

b Mark Wright ’71 March 26

b Daniel B. Anderson ’88 April 19

b Gary W. Miller ’52 May 20

b James M. Beale ’68 May 31

b David W. Webb ’55 June 1

b Anne S. Braig ’80

September 9

June 2

b Bruce A. Charland ’54

b Robert B. Peck ’58

October 9

June 18

Former Faculty & Staff b Claire A. Padron | Substitute Teacher June 24, 2022

b Kenneth I. Lindfors | Head of School September 13, 2022

b Ronald L. Connors | Maintenance October 31, 2022

b David R. Holmes ’60 | Head of School December 2, 2022

b William [Toby] B. Harwood III | Faculty February 5, 2023

b Betsy Lindfors | Admissions & Head of School’s wife March 13, 2023

b Andrew [Andy] G. Lowe | Faculty, Swim Coach April 25, 2023

b Gail L. Sanderson | Head of School’s wife August 9, 2023

Betsy & Ken Lindfors

Beloved Suffield community members Ken and Betsy Lindfors passed away during the 2022-2023 academic year. Ken passed in September 2022 and Betsy in March 2023. The Lindfors’ spent 26 years at Suffield—Ken as a history teacher, administrator, and Headmaster from 1974 to 1987, and Betsy as an admissions officer, advisor, and Ken’s partner in leading the school. A memorial service for Betsy and Ken was held in May 2023. Suffield’s Director of Development Phil Riegel ’87 spoke at the service and some of his remarks are included here.

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Ken Lindfors was a remarkable educator, coach, and leader whose impact on Suffield Academy and its community will be felt for generations to come. As a history teacher and head girls’ soccer coach, he instilled in his students a deep love of learning and a passion for teamwork and sportsmanship. But it was as headmaster that he truly shined, guiding the school with calm grace and compassion for many years.

were coming online, and coeducation had been reintroduced to campus. Ken consistently brought in people that were positive and energetic and worked for the students building a real “We are all in this together” mentality on campus. In fact, from 1976 to 1987 the number of students applying to Suffield doubled and the amount of financial aid being given rose dramatically. The endowment increased sevenfold from $1.2 million to $8.6 million and the school ran a balanced budget for all those years. Ken and Betsy’s time leading the school was marked by too many achievements to list, but some that I found particularly inspiring were: a significant increase in faculty focused on hiring more women; the addition of several advanced level courses; three endowed teaching chairs in English, languages, and mathematics; a summer sabbatical program; the addition of both a dean of faculty and a director of residential life; and the building of three new faculty homes on Stiles Lane.

We both have such fond memories of Ken as a quiet but powerful presence at Suffield Academy when he served as our headmaster. Always thoughtful and friendly, Ken instilled a sense of calm over the busy schedule and commitments that were part of life at Suffield. [Lisa ’79 & Andy Rarus ’80]

Ken and his wife Betsy retired in 1987, but their legacy at Suffield Academy continued long after their departure. They fostered a community that was designed to challenge and nurture. Their leadership was benevolent, upbeat, and hands-on with a calm equanimity. To this day, they remain two of the kindest, most intellectual, thoughtful, and well-intentioned people I’ve ever met. The last real quality time I spent with Ken and Betsy was actually with my in-laws in Florida. The four of them laughed and cried [well, Betsy and Abe cried] and reminisced all day long on their time together at Suffield. The true bonds of the life they built were never more on display for me. It made me think specifically about Ken and the delicacy of his role as headmaster. Ken and Betsy’s leadership of the school was a time of real growth. As we pan out historically the nation had just come through the tumultuous early ’70s and there was a real anti-establishment mood in the country. Computers

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Even before Ken assumed the role of headmaster, Betsy had already established herself as a force in the admissions office, famously offering to work for free when the school decided to return to coeducation. She traveled extensively for Suffield, with and without Ken, to beat the drum for the school. Betsy joined professional organizations to both further her own knowledge and bring credit to the school, serving on the Boarding Schools Committee and the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools. As spouse to the headmaster, Betsy’s role increased exponentially. She entertained alumni, housed and fed visiting speakers and artists in residence, hosted dinners and receptions for the Board of Trustees, welcomed student groups into their home, and played an active role in the social lives of the faculty. Moreover, Betsy still found time to be actively involved in the life of the town volunteering for the League of Women’s voters, the Suffield Garden Club, and the Second Baptist Church. She also spent a tremendous amount of time and effort for the local Child and Family Services Organization. In the spring 1987 issue of SUFFIELD, Ken was asked what his hopes were for the future of Suffield and he replied: “I hope the school changes in the years ahead, as surely it must, but that the character of the school remains unchanged. Suffield in my experience has always been a place that has never defined education in solely academic terms, as important as that obviously is. It has also been concerned about social, physical, emotional, and spiritual growth; about service to others; about values like integrity and thoughtfulness. That broad sense of mission is something that I hope is cherished and preserved.” This is Suffield as it is today and I hope he and Betsy knew that. The character of the school that they cared so much about not only endures but thrives and we owe so much to them.

Ken was a very thoughtful and caring leader at Suffield. Ken took a chance on hiring me right out of college, which became the start of a forty-three-year career at SA. [Dave Godin] Mr. Lindfors instilled in me a growth mindset by encouraging me to expand my views, challenging me to do my best and achieve my goals. He really cared about my happiness, well-being, and life beyond the classroom. [Charlotte Post ’84] A soft-spoken giant and a true role model to us all, inspiring us to open our minds and consider new perspectives. [Jan Walker Larsson ’76]

The discipline and focus that he encouraged allowed me to excel academically at Suffield and opened doors to top-notch universities and law schools that shaped my entire career. [George Richardson ’65] I fondly remember his quiet, gentle spirit, and kindness. [Renee McDaniel Margolis ’79]

Ken was a leader by example; a man of principles, an educator who believed in educating the heart as well as the mind. So much of what Ken believed in and stood for made Suffield a vibrant, caring community; a place that changes one’s life. [Bill DeSalvo] Ken’s was a life well lived. [Richard von Riesen ’76]

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Andy Lowe

Andy came to Suffield Academy in 1979 as a history teacher and had a truly profound impact on our school over five decades. He served two stints as Chair of the History Department, where he taught courses in a variety of subjects including world, European, Russian, Chinese, and American history, as well as very popular elective courses in economics and business. Andy earned Suffield’s highest teaching honors, for both classroom excellence and student mentoring. Andy’s historic impact on Suffield went far beyond our academic program. He was a leading force behind Suffield’s Computer Initiative in the early 1990s. He started Suffield’s Summer Academy, helping students from around the world experience this incredible community. He led student trips to Europe, Asia, and the former Soviet Union. And, of course, Andy was one of the most accomplished coaches in the prep school world, coaching top teams and many all-Americans as a legendary swim coach, leading both boys’ and girls’ water polo to the top of New England play, and serving as head coach for a NEPSAC champion boys’ soccer team. As Charlie Cahn said, “The diversity of Andy’s accomplishments was astounding.”

Great schools are formed in large measure by inspirational educators like Andy. He utilized all the resources Suffield offers—talented young people, incredible facilities, and an unwavering philosophy blending rigor with intense encouragement—to inspire others and positively impact the destiny of thousands of lives. [Charlie Cahn, Head of School]

Sarah Birmingham Drummond ’89 is the Founding Dean of Andover Newton Seminary at Yale Divinity School. She graduated from Yale College with a major in Ethics, Politics, and Economics; Harvard Divinity School with a Master of Divinity; and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Ph.D. in Urban Education, specializing in administrative leadership. She is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. Andy Lowe taught and coached Sarah and her sister Wendy ’87, and he asked Sarah to speak at his celebration of life service. Andy didn’t shelter us from anything, including his exacting expectations. He took us on trips to Puerto Rico to swim in the blazing sun: two practices each day that left us too exhausted to misbehave…very much. He took us to the Soviet Union, something that changed my life and that of many of our classmates. He made us memorize maps of the USSR and China, learning that comes in handy for me now amidst spasms of global conflict. Andy didn’t do isolation. He connected with people deeply and constantly. About ten years back, Andy, Andrea, and their kids took a day trip to Martha’s Vineyard. While they were waiting for the ferry, one of the kids ventured, “I wonder who Dad will run into today?” Not two minutes later, they heard someone shouting, “Andy? Andy Lowe? Is that you?” Jill Desautelle, champion breast-stroker in the class of 1988, was calling his name, and the whole family burst out laughing. A little more than a year ago, Andy let me know that I’d be co-officiating at his memorial service when the time came. He didn’t ask me, mind you, but he knew I wouldn’t argue. Remember how it never occurred to me to say no to Andy? Saying yes to his invitations has served me so well; why change now? I was aware upon receiving that so-called invitation that there were Suffield graduates with whom Andy had stayed closer than he had with me. Andy asked me to be up here today because I’m a minister, and although he was avowedly secular, he had a habit of turning to and trusting religious leaders more than any other atheist I’ve ever known. For that reason, I want to share with you my analysis of Andy’s real pedagogical model, which I find best described in—dare I say it?—the Bible. Like the Apostle Paul, Andy believed in his students. He thought we could do anything. Once in a while, we took him at his word, and wonderful things happened when we did. Andy detected and drew out the gifts inside each one of us. Like Paul, it never would have crossed Andy’s mind that he’d given us our gifts. Rather, he understood it to be his duty to help us discover and improve upon them, whether we liked it or not. I never thought Andy saw something special in me. He assumed something special to be in every one of his students and athletes, and he made us assume that, too.

David Holmes

David Holmes ’60 passed away in December 2022. David was Suffield’s Headmaster from 1991 to 2004, leading a period of major infrastructure enhancement for the school. Many construction projects unfolded during David’s tenure including the Kotchen Quadrangle dormitories, Tremaine Visual Arts Center, Centurion Hall, and the Courtney Robinson ’88 Outdoor Leadership Center. David was a visionary leader and the guiding force behind Suffield’s Computer Initiative and Leadership Program. Prior to returning to Suffield as Headmaster, David was a professor of Higher Education Administration at the University of Vermont and a grants administrator at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington. Following his time leading Suffield, David was Director of the Community School in Ketchum, Idaho, where he helped found the Sun Valley Ski Academy. In his final years David helped lead The Character Collaborative, an organization focused on elevating consideration of character attributes in the college admission process. 112

David was born in Rutland, Vermont and was educated abroad in Frankfurt, Germany and Tokyo, Japan before arriving as a junior at Suffield. He frequently noted that his years as a Suffield student were highly formative. He went to Middlebury College, where he was a three-sport athlete and captain of the football team. He then earned his master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University and his Ph.D. in education from the University of Denver. David was an outdoors enthusiast who loved to bike, hike, and ski. He left this world doing what he loved most: skiing down the slopes of Sugarbush. Head of School Charlie Cahn was mentored by David Holmes and noted, “David was a wonderful man and an incredibly skilled leader. He articulated an ambitious, compelling vision for Suffield and stayed firmly focused on the steps required to make the vision a reality. He was skilled at considering both sides of complicated issues and was a particularly beautiful writer. He played a key role in the history of Suffield Academy, energizing the school through his leadership and paving the way for our current success.”

David was a wonderful man and an incredibly skilled leader. He articulated an ambitious, compelling vision for Suffield and stayed firmly focused on the steps required to make the vision a reality. [Charlie Cahn, Head of School] He truly was a unique, wonderful, talented, and caring person. [Nippy Haydash ’60]

Dr. Holmes was an amazing leader, mentor, and even better person. So many of us are lucky to have gotten to meet and know him. [Quentin Packard ’97] I will always remember the warm smile of Dr. Holmes. [Sarah Zellweger ’04]

His influence and goals for Suffield and the educational process will be felt for generations, and our debt to him can be repaid partially by trying to live up to his ideals. [Chris Houlihan, Trustee]

Having chaired the search committee that selected David as Headmaster in 1991, I always held him in the highest regard... The outstanding leadership he provided helped make Suffield the great school it is today. [Leon Lombardi ’67] He was graceful in sports, as a friend, and in the leadership of Suffield. [Bard Jones ’63] He was a treasured friend. I will miss him. [Craig Stewart]

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Save the Date 2024 Parent & Alumni Gatherings New York City January 18 [Thursday] • The Harmonie Club Boston April 2 [Tuesday] • Central Wharf For more information, please contact Colin Dowd ’12 cdowd@suffieldacademy.org • 860-386-4464

suffieldacademy.org/events

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The Suffield Academy Annual

PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION AUCTION APRIL 19, 2024 -------------------Landis Student Union {Brewster Hall} 6:00 pm • Cocktails & Silent Auction

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Suffield Academy Board of Trustees Head of School Charles Cahn III P’18, ’22 | Suffield, Connecticut -----

President Frederic Powers III ’83, P’14 | Greenwich, Connecticut Susan Autuori P’06, ’08, ’10, ’13 | West Hartford, Connecticut Vicky Bauer P’19, ’21 | Southborough, Massachusetts Nancy Brooks ’87 | Boston, Massachusetts Cindy Burke P’13, ’15, ’17, ’19 | East Longmeadow, Massachusetts Jared Carillo ’00 | Glastonbury, Connecticut Andrew Chase | Deerfield, Massachusetts Lillian Chen | Shanghai, China Kate Cleary ’88 | Cambridge, Massachusetts George Daniels ’71 | New York, New York Ann Durhager P’17, ’18 | Pembroke, Bermuda Matthew Fine ’95 | Riverside, Connecticut Michael Gingold P’16, ’18, ’21 | West Hartford, Connecticut Valisha Graves ’81 | Brooklyn, New York Walter Harrison | Wellfleet, Massachusetts Russell Hearn ’01 | Dallas, Texas Daniel Hostetter Jr. ’88, P’21, ’22, ’26 | Osterville, Massachusetts Christopher Houlihan P’05 | Stonington, Connecticut Carolyn Tribble Hudkins ’94, P’25 | Farmington, Connecticut Andrew Kotchen ’90, P’22, ’26 | Irvington, New York James Michel P’12, ’17 | Bloomfield, Connecticut Tracy Orr O’Keefe ’85, P’24, ’27 | Westfield, New Jersey Ali Salehi P’12 | Ipswich, Massachusetts Jennifer Sanford P’18, ’25 | Canton, Connecticut Monica Shay P’18, ’20 | Southborough, Massachusetts Hope Smith P’12 | Palm Beach, Florida Michael Tisch ’02 | New York, New York Suzy Vogler P’11 | Palm Beach Gardens, Florida Jeffrey White ’65 | Westport, Connecticut Stephanie Winston Wolkoff ’89, P’23, ’25 | New York, New York {Trustee Emeritus} Jackson Robinson ’60 | Little Compton, Rhode Island Daniel Tisch ’69, P’02 | New York, New York John Tremaine ’66, P’94, ’03 | Vero Beach, Florida

Mission Suffield Academy is a coeducational independent secondary school serving a diverse community of day and boarding students. Our school has a tradition of academic excellence combined with a strong work ethic. A commitment to scholarship and a respect for individual differences guide our teaching and curriculum. We engender among our students a sense of responsibility, and they are challenged to grow in a structured and nurturing environment. The entire academic, athletic, and extracurricular experience prepares our students for a lifetime of learning, leadership, and active citizenship. Non-Discrimination Suffield Academy does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship, physical attributes, disability, age, or sexual orientation. We administer our admissions, financial aid, educational, athletic, extracurricular, and other policies so that each student is equally accorded all the rights, privileges, programs, and facilities made available by the school.

Suffield Academy 185 North Main Street Suffield, Connecticut 06078