Spring [2013 Spring/Summer]

suffield

SPRING 2013

TRUSTEES President Daniel R. Tisch ’69, P’02 | New York, New York Vice President Jackson W. Robinson ’60 | Boston, Massachusetts Secretary Frederic B. Powers III ’83, P ’14 | Mamaroneck, New York Headmaster Charles Cahn III | Suffield, Connecticut Susan W. Autuori P’06, ’08, ’10, ’13 | West Hartford, Connecticut Nancy A. Brooks ’87 | Boston, Massachusetts Dennis W. Chalke P’08, ’12 | Longmeadow, Massachusetts Andrew C. Chase | Deerfield, Massachusetts Kate O. Cleary ’88 | Cambridge, Massachusetts Michael J. Daly ’59, Trustee Emeritus | Longmeadow, Massachusetts George B. Daniels ’71 | New York, New York Andrew Fabricant P’14 | New York, New York Samuel S. Fuller ’41, Trustee Emeritus GP ’04, ’05, ’06, ’08, ’09 | Suffield, Connecticut Robert C. Graham, Jr. P’11 | Stamford, Connecticut Valisha Graves ’81 | Brooklyn, New York Matthew W. Greene | Wilton, Connecticut Walter Harrison | Hartford, Connecticut Kathy G. Hoffman, P’13 | Avon, Connecticut Christopher M. Houlihan P’05 | New York, New York Christopher T. Jensen P’07, ’09, ’11 | Riverside, Connecticut Ken Landis P’16 | New York, New York Karen L. McDonald P’12 | New York, New York Jeffrey K. McElnea ’67, P’12 | New York, New York Patricia Q. Moore P’09, P’14 | McLean, Virginia Tracy Orr O’Keefe ’85 | Westfield, New Jersey Steven R. Sheresky P’12 | Rye, New York Hope G. Smith P’12 | Locust Valley, New York John M. Tremaine ’66, P’94, ’03 | New Canaan, Connecticut H. P. Van Ingen, Jr. P’06 | New York, New York Suzy B. Vogler, P’11 | San Francisco, California Jeffrey White ’65 | Westport, Connecticut Jacqueline R. Williams P’04, ’07, ’08 | New York, New York

MISSION Suffield Academy is a coeducational, independent secondary school serving a diverse community of boarding and day 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.

SPRING 2013

EDITORIAL STAFF Hillary Rockwell Cahn ’88, Charlie Cahn, Linda Colo, Tobye Cook ’88, Maeve Ryan CREATIVE DIRECTOR

HIGHLIGHTS

Tobye Cook ’88

CAMPUS NEWS

PROFILES

Master Plan Update Trustee Update Parents’ Weekend and Auction College Matriculation Admissions News Parker Regan ’12 Pond Dedication Spring Chapel Program Leadership Program Projects Spring Athletics Performing Arts Earth Day Chill on the Hill

Faculty and Staff Janet Mish Kim Goodwin Emily Balaban-Garber Paul Caginalp Tanya Andrysiak Jonathan Edwards

CLASS NOTES AND ALUMS IN THE NEWS Alums from the classes of 1951 to 2012 tell us what they have been doing.

Class Agent Marla Zide ’93 Legacy The Fernández Family

ART DIRECTOR & PHOTOGRAPHER Hillary Rockwell Cahn ’88 CONTRIBUTORS Tanya Andrysiak, Emily Balaban-Garber, Georgina Blakeley ’13, Paul Caginalp, Charlie Cahn, Jonathan Edwards, Thomas Foote, Kim Goodwin, Cole Hills ’13, Gerry LaPlante, Betsy McComb P’04, ’06, Janet Mish, Phil Riegel ’87, Maeve Ryan, Ron Schildge, Anna Strzempko ’13, Mark Tolosky P’10, ’11, Alison Vigneau, Sara Yeager, Marla Zide ’93 PHOTO CONTRIBUTORS Tobye Cook ’88, Gerry LaPlante, Maeve Ryan, Alexandra Tremaine ’03, Alison Vigneau SUFFIELD is published by the Marketing and Communications

2 Headmaster Charlie Cahn explores symbols of Gen Z

7 Suffield’s Alumni Leadership Day

Office of Suffield Academy for alumni, parents, and friends of the school. All publications rights reserved. Contents may be reproduced or reprinted only by permission of the editor. Opinions expressed do not reflect the official position of Suffield Academy.

COMMENTS May be addressed to Maeve Ryan mryan@suffieldacademy.org SUFFIELD is printed by Allied

15 180th Baccalaureate and Commencement

Printing Services, Inc. About Allied Printing FSC Certified, EPA Partnership & ISO 9001.

The fundamental principle of Allied’s environmental policy is to minimize any negative impact to the environment, while conserving natural resources.

Using education and administrative controls, we continuously assess our processes and practices to identify areas for reduction in energy, waste, and emissions.

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Faculty member Gerry LaPlante retires Spring 2013 | 1

HEADMASTER’S COLUMN Charles Cahn III

Our recently completed academic year was among the finest I can remember in my two decades at Suffield.

By any form of measurement, it was excellent: strong college placement and admissions numbers, outstanding athletics and arts performances, and a year in which Suffield raised more than $10 million in gifts and pledges to further ambitious campus plans. What struck me as most positive, however, was the intense spirit of our student body. This senior class led in all the best ways.

We saw a symbol of this in late spring as the annual prom approached. Young men and women asked prospective dates to the event in creative, refreshing ways. From signs in swimming pools or on golf courses and tennis courts reading “Prom?” to chalk messages on driveways and sidewalks, dogs heading into dorms with “Prom?” t-shirts, and even scavenger hunts and dinner checks ending with prom invitations, the process was respectful and fun. To me, it was symbolic of how this generation of students is preparing to lead in creative, thoughtful ways.

The famous developmental biologist and psychologist Jean Piaget highlighted four distinct stages of cognitive development. His studies indicate our mental models that persist through adulthood are formed between ages 11 and 15, just after or during the time students arrive at Suffield. The maps are influenced by many factors including parents’ views, race and ethnicity, gender, religion, and socioeconomic status. They are also shaped by shared experiences.

You may have seen an extensive recent piece by Joel Stein in Time about Generation Y, essentially noting that commonly held assumptions about Millennials (Gen Y) related to narcissism and excessive confidence are overly simplistic in describing people adapting to a world undergoing rapid technological change. A more positive spin would be that they are optimistic and pragmatic at a time of major challenge. The Suffield faculty includes Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Gen Ys. They bring different perspectives and styles to their work.

Most of the current Suffield parents are part of Generation X, born between 1961 and 1979. Shared experiences of the late 1970s through the mid 1990s shape the views of Gen Xers, including a troubled economy, widespread layoffs from re-engineering, increasing numbers of women entering the work force, rising divorce rates, and the birth of electronic games and cable television. Gen Xers tend to be self-reliant, pragmatic, and very dedicated parents. I see this last trait in my colleagues, myself, and in Suffield Academy parents, as we are involved in the lives of our children in some different ways than parents of previous generations.

While many in schools find Gen X parents overbearing—seeking excessive feedback and vocally coming to the defense of their children when even a mild stumble occurs—what we largely see at Suffield is investment in their children’s schools in deeper, more supportive ways. This is evident in the 90% parent giving to the Annual Fund, the regular letters and notes of appreciation and encouragement, and the more active attendance at school athletics and arts events.

Most importantly, what do those who study generational traits and differences see in the students we are working with in 2013?

Happily, there is great optimism, symbolized here in small ways by this great year culminated by the creativity and respect surrounding the prom. I was struck in a recent discussion with Suffield seniors about 9/11. They are too young to specifically

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“[The prom asks] were symbolic of how this

generation of students is preparing to lead in creative,

thoughtful ways.”

remember the tragic event that in many ways shaped their world. An impressive young woman headed to a very prestigious college told me she could only recall not being able to watch her favorite cartoon because “the newscasters kept cutting in.” This group has no recollection of a world without heavy security in airports. They are digital natives who have lived through a global financial crisis, red ink, and periods of heavy layoffs. They have seen a housing crisis, unprecedented gasoline prices, the rise of the “staycation,” weather disasters, a landmark presidential election, and women running Fortune 500 companies and serving as Secretary of State. They have seen the massive economic growth in China and increasing global interconnectedness.

The optimism comes from the notion that these momentous events will yield a generation marked by tolerance, conservation, self-reliance, pragmatism, balance, environmental responsibility, and less emphasis on materialism. From the ground level, I can tell you this group is very engaging to work with and lead. I share this sense of hope.

Of course, there is danger in oversimplifying these notions. Yet the essential point is there is cause for optimism, both for Suffield and for this generation of young people.

As another academic year comes to a close, we are fortunate for the cohesion of our community and proud of the students who attend our great school.

Spring 2013 | 3

PRELIMINARY BREWSTER HALL CONCEPT VIEWED FROM THE SOUTHWEST

PROGRESS CONTINUES ON MASTER PLAN PROJECTS AS NOTED IN THE WINTER ISSUE OF SUFFIELD, CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES ON THE ACADEMY’S NEW SCIENCE FACILITY. IT IS CURRENTLY ON SCHEDULE TO OPEN IN THE FALL OF 2013. YOU CAN TRACK PROGRESS ON THE SCHOOL’S WEBCAM AT WEB.SUFFIELDACADEMY.ORG/WEBCAM Construction will also soon begin on the new perimeter road on the northern part of Suffield’s campus, and the school is working through plans to convert Stiles Lane into a central pedestrian area. Several engineering and landscape architecture firms recently made presentations to the Board of Trustees about potential aesthetic options for Stiles Lane. These projects are vital steps in the anticipated addition and renovation to Brewster Hall. Suffield has hired Tecton Architects to take the Brewster project through the approval process and construction documents. The school is focused on fundraising, with the hopes of beginning this construction in the summer of 2014.

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AERIAL VIEW OF PRELIMINARY BREWSTER HALL CONCEPT

PROPOSED NEW BREWSTER HALL LAYOUT

Existing Brewster interior layout

EXISTING BREWSTER HALL INTERIOR LAYOUT

ADMISSIONS SNAPSHOT Suffield had a successful first-round admissions season and will welcome students from 18 states and 26 countries when the 2013-2014 academic year begins in September. Nearly 1,000 students have interviewed for 120 available openings.

Suffield has accepted 30% of its applicants and half of those accepted chose to enroll.

While the largest number of boarding students come from Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York, Suffield will have several students from New Jersey, Texas, and California. Two-thirds of the day students are from Connecticut and one-third from Massachusetts. A unique aspect of Suffield’s student enrollment is that 40% of the students have relatives who are currently attending, or previously attended Suffield. This includes 29 legacies (father or mother attended) and 127 siblings.

Director of Admissions Terry Breault said, “We are really pleased with the quality and composition of our incoming students. From valedictorians to Eagle Scouts, from star athletes to skilled artists, this is a talented group that seems very enthusiastic about Suffield.”

BOARD OF TRUSTEES UPDATE

Guy de Chazal P’10

Guy de Chazal P’10 and Paul Blakeley P’07, ’10, ’13 concluded their service as Suffield trustees following the Board’s May 2013 meeting. Guy chaired Suffield’s Development Committee for several years and was also a member of the Investment Committee. Paul was on the Budget, Finance & Audit Committee and the Long Range Planning Committee. Board President Dan Tisch ’69, P’02 said, “Suffield was fortunate to have Guy and Paul serve in governance roles. They are thoughtful, bright people who support Suffield’s values and goals. They have been real assets, and we appreciate all they have done to help the school flourish.”

Guy was a managing director at Morgan Stanley and a General Partner at Morgan Stanley Venture Partners. He was born in India, educated in England, and received an MBA from Harvard Business School. Guy and his wife Kitty live in Brookville, New York. Their daughter, Justine, is a 2010 graduate of Suffield Academy, and they have a younger son, David.

Paul Blakeley P’07, ’10, ’13

Paul had a distinguished career in management and finance. He worked most recently as president of SB Holdings and Tupman, Thurlow Company. This is a private company that makes and distributes wholesale canned meats and processed fruits. Paul previously worked in England for Ernst & Whinney, a global professional services firm. He also worked for Lancashire General Investment Company. Paul and his wife, Katie, live in South Africa and on Cape Cod. They have three children, all of whom attended Suffield: Tom ’07, Matt ’10, and Georgina ’13.

Suffield’s Board is comprised of 30 trustees. They meet on campus for two-day meetings three times each year and there are seven Board committees. The Board has a diverse mixture of professional experience and is comprised of alumni, current and past parents, and educators including the president of University of Hartford (Walter Harrison), the headmaster of Eaglebrook School (Andy Chase), and an independent educational consultant (Matthew Greene).

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Alumni Leadership Awards

A WARDS 11th ANNUAL ALUMNI LEADERSHIP

THE ALUMNI LEADERSHIP AWARDS WERE CREATED BY SUFFIELD’S ALUMNI ASSOCIATION TO HONOR GRADUATES WHO HAVE DISPLAYED OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL CAREERS OR IN A HUMANITARIAN ENDEAVOR. ALUMNI LEADERSHIP DAY IS A SPECIAL EVENT THAT BRINGS THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO HONOR THE REMARKABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF SUFFIELD GRADUATES. THIS YEAR’S AWARD RECIPIENTS WERE TOR PETERSON ’82, GRETCHEN SCHWABE WILCOX ’77, PAUL SULLIVAN ’58, AND RICHARD WAHLE ’73.

Spring 2013 | 7

AW A R D S ALUMNI LEADERSHIP

Tor Peterson ’82 Director of the Coal and Coke Commodity Department at Glencore

Gretchen Schwabe Wilcox ’77 President, CEO and founder of G.S. Wilcox & Company

Tor began his career with a six-year stint as a commodities marketer at Phibro-Salomon. In 1992, he joined Swiss commodities trading giant Glencore, and in 2002 became the director of the Coal and Coke Commodity Department.

Gretchen is the president, CEO, and founder of G.S. Wilcox & Company, the first female-established commercial real estate mortgage banking company in the United States. The company is one of the top independently owned mortgage banking firms in the country.

With expertise in marketing and coal assets, Tor oversees the global marketing business and industrial assets of the department, including strategy and operations. In May 2011, Tor and Glencore made history when the world’s largest commodity trading company made its Initial Public Offering (IPO) and transitioned from a privately owned to publicly traded company.

In 2005, Gretchen was named among the “Top 50 Women in Business” by NJ Biz, and was among the “Women of Influence” by Real Estate Forum. In 2011, Gretchen was the recipient of a Pillar Award from the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.

Following his two years at Suffield, Tor went on to attend Duke University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and French in 1986.

A graduate of Babson College with a double major in finance and quantitative methods, Gretchen is involved with numerous professional and philanthropic associations and serves on the Board of Directors for the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce.

TOP ROW Charlie Cahn, Tor Peterson ’82, Gretchen Schwabe Wilcox ’77, Paul Sullivan ’58, Rick Wahle ’73; Owen Hern ’15, Margaret Figueroa Hern ’82, Tor Peterson ’82.

BOTTOM ROW Rick Wahle ’73.

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AW A R D S

ALUMNI LEADERSHIP

Dr. Paul Sullivan ’58 Endocrinologist at Hartford Hospital

Dr. Richard A. Wahle ’73 Creator of “The Wahle Lab”

Paul is a retired physician. He graduated from Trinity College in 1962 and Tufts University School of Medicine in 1966.

He completed his residency at Hartford Hospital and his endocrine fellowship at Tufts Medical Center. Paul practiced endocrinology at Hartford Hospital for over 30 years, where he was on the senior staff. He was also a member of the clinical faculty at the University of Connecticut Medical School.

Rick is a research professor at the University of Maine School of Marine Sciences. He established “The Wahle Lab,” a program that performs extensive research on the American lobster. It focuses on developing predictive tools for population trends through an understanding of larval transport, settlement, and post-settlement processes.

Paul and his wife Melinda are involved in philanthropy for the arts and education. They have assembled the largest known private collection of 18th century Viennese (Du Paquier) porcelain. The Melinda & Paul Sullivan Foundation for the Decorative Arts produced a three-volume monograph, Fired by Passion, which débuted at an exhibition of their collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2009. Paul was a 1958 cum laude Suffield graduate and received the Faculty Award for Citizenship.

A tenacious diver and rigorous scientist with over 40 published articles on the subject, Rick has had astonishing findings that have resulted in a dramatic new early warning system for tracking the health of the lobster fishery.

Rick graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a bachelor’s degree in zoology. He later earned a master’s degree in biology from San Francisco State University in 1982 and a Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Maine in 1990.

TOP ROW Charlie Cahn, Olivia Fiallo ’13, Miles Portman ’13, Tor Peterson ’82, Rick Wahle ’73, Paul Sullivan ’58, Gretchen Schwabe Wilcox ’77, Jacqueline Autuori ’13, Chris McCormick ’13, Alex Shabekoff ’13; Melinda Sullivan, Charlie Cahn, Paul Sullivan ’58. BOTTOM ROW Walter Schwabe ’49, Gretchen Schwabe Wilcox ’77; Paul Sullivan ’58, John Rodgers ’58, David Rockwell ’58, Calvin Hills ’58.

Spring 2013 | 9

parents’ association auction

Over 200 parents and families of Suffield students visited campus on April 26 and 27 for spring Parents’ Weekend. Parents visited classes, met with faculty, and attended Saturday afternoon athletic events. Over 280 parents, faculty, and trustees also attended the 14th Annual Parents’ Association Auction festivities on Friday, April 26 and raised over $300,000 for the school. The funds will specifically help support projects targeted in Suffield’s Master Plan, including a renovation and

Top row, left to right Suzy Vogler P’11; Kristan Zimmermann P’13, Charlie Cahn, Vic Zimmermann P’13, Hillary Rockwell Cahn ’88, and Susan Hinrichs P’14. Bottom row, left to right Martha O’Brien P’12, ’14, Kathy Hoffman P’13, Marilina Fernandez Vichez P’12, ’13, ’15, and Karla Rocha P’13, ’15; auction co-chairs Susan Autuori P’06, ’08, ’10, ’13 and Mary DeLiso P’13; Christie Arnold ’14 with parents Colleen and Peter.

spring parents’ weekend

expansion of the Holcomb Science Center that is currently underway. Congratulations to the winners of the 2013 Audi Q5 car raffle who happened to be in attendance, a first for the auction: Kristan and Victor Zimmerman, parents of Lucy ’13.

Special thanks go to the parent volunteers and the auction co-chairs: Trustee Susan Autuori P’06, ’08, ’10, ’13 and Mary DeLiso P’13. The event served as yet another reminder of how deeply valued the Academy is by our parents.

Top row Sharon Cababie Amkie ’15 with mother Linda. Middle row, left to right Aaliyah Davidson ’15 with father Patrick; Michael Barit ’15 with mother Gigi; Callie Platt ’16 with parents Charlie Platt and Maureen McAllister. Bottom row, left to right Hannah Bellorado ’15 with parents Hilari and Larry; Oyikwan Asante ’16 with mother Isabella; Emma Landis ’16 with parents Rosalind and Ken.

2013 COLLEGE MATRICULATION University of Alabama American University* Art Institute of Chicago Assumption College Babson University* Bentley University* Boston University Brandeis University* University of British Columbia Brown University

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Bryant University* Case Western Reserve University University of Chicago Colby College Colgate University University of Colorado Columbia University* Connecticut College Cornell University* Elon University*

Emory University* Florida Atlantic University Franklin and Marshall College George Washington University* Georgetown University Gettysburg College Ithaca College* James Madison University Kenyon College Lafayette College

BELOW IS AN ALPHABETICAL LIST OF COLLEGES THE CLASS OF 2013 WILL ATTEND * DENOTES MULTIPLE STUDENTS

Loyola University Maryland Marist College University of Massachusetts University of Miami University of Michigan Nazareth College The New School for Liberal Arts New York University* Northeastern University* Parsons The New School For Design

Penn State University Princeton University University of Richmond Roanoke College University of Rochester Roger Williams University* Rollins College* St. Lawrence University Santa Clara University* Skidmore College

University of Southern California* Southern Methodist University Syracuse University* Trinity College* Tulane University* University of Vermont* Villanova University* Wake Forest University* Wesleyan University* University of Wisconsin

Spring 2013 | 13

50th NIGHT On April 4, the Class of 2013 celebrated 50th Night with a banquet dinner and speeches. Faculty member and senior class advisor Joe Hernick utilized the theme of “50,” offering 50 unique facts and complimenting the senior class for their impressive growth and maturity. Senior class president Jamie Johnson also spoke, reminiscing about the days the Class of 2013 has spent together at Suffield and challenging his fellow classmates to finish the academic year on a strong note. Headmaster Charlie Cahn, the final speaker of the night, talked about the core values of the community and the moral foundation that seniors have developed at Suffield. The evening ended with everyone singing “To Fair Suffield” under the direction of Tom Gotwals.

The 50th Night tradition is a special evening for seniors and faculty to spend time together, reflect on the road traveled together, and plan for what lies ahead during the final 50 days of the academic year.

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2013

Baccalaureate Spring 2013 | 15

Baccalaureate Talk Excerpts

Cole Hills ’13 I will never forget a moment during the orientation in my freshman year—when my father and I were moving some things into Hornick Dorm—and a member of the maintenance staff came up to me with a huge smile on his face. He was so enthusiastic and made both my father and me feel so welcome. To this day, he is one of my very good friends and is a special person I will always remember from this community. It was Mark Collins, who works on the grounds here. He always stops to say hello to us and makes us feel comfortable at Suffield.

This is symbolic of the type of place that Suffield really is, a genuine community. The 101 seniors here tonight are different in many ways—we come from various states and countries; we are interested in different courses and activities. But I think we all know we share a unique bond that comes from being part of Suffield Academy.

Life at Suffield has challenges. Like all of us, there were moments during my four years where I was not all that happy, whether it was because of my workload, social issues, sports, or anything else. There were other moments during my time here when I would say I have never been happier. The friends we have made, the games won and lost, dorm life, great classes, real faculty mentors—we have learned valuable lessons at Suffield that will help us as our lives unfold. What I am trying to say is that maybe the best and most valuable thing we have learned here

is that life is not all that simple. Managing this gray area and seeing the good amidst challenges is what separates happy and successful people from others. So what will we remember—what will we really remember years from now as we look back on our time at Suffield? Being required to leave our comfort zones in Leadership? Having teachers take so much interest in our lives? The awesome sunsets and beautiful views on Bell Hill? Sitting in Brewster Hall as a community, meeting people we did not really know?

I think it will ultimately be two important things. First, knowing deep inside that we were in a place where people cared for us and wanted us to be successful. And second, realizing you get out of things what you put into them.

Georgina Blakeley ’13 When I look back upon my four years at Suffield Academy, I realize it has become a second home.

The Class of 2013, once a group of strangers, has grown into the family you see here tonight.

What comes to mind when you picture the stereotypical family? The TV sitcoms of today always seem to include the golden child, the quirky jokester, or the rebellious black sheep. Needless to say, our own Suffield family has its fair share of the typical stereotypes. On the one hand, we have the successful academics who are going to the top schools in the country. Our own “golden children” have led to a record number of students from Suffield attending the country’s most prestigious colleges, an achievement that speaks for itself.

When we think of the athletes in our class, we immediately think of the football team and its success on the field—of course I’m speaking of the Class of 2013 Powder Puff girls winning this year’s football tournament. But, let’s not forget that our real football team has never lost a home game since our class’ arrival on campus. When you combine that with 24 (yes, 24!) New England or league championships in only four years, it appears our athletes have found their own share of success. As for the rebels, unfortunately they are not here to celebrate with us today—but history tells us that these

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are typically the people who will form their own dotcom start-ups and become multi-millionaires, like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates, so one day we may all be working for them.

Then there’s the rest of us; those who are somewhat academic, somewhat athletic, and even somewhat of a rebel. We, each and every one of us, are a part of that Class of 2013 family.

I would like to ask everyone here to take a moment and think about all of those people who stood up for you, believed in you, helped you make it through these four years, and helped you become part of the Suffield family. Thank you to all of those people, and a special thanks and congratulations to all of my fellow classmates.

Baccalaureate Talk Excerpts

Headmaster Charlie Cahn In speaking to how we change as we move from adolescence to adulthood, Mark Twain, one of America’s great writers, once remarked, “When I was a boy of fourteen my father was so ignorant, I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.”

It was of course the boy, not the father, who had changed.

If you’re not careful, and you forget to cherish moments like this and like tomorrow’s, you will have missed important opportunities for love and for celebrating our humanity. As John Lennon wrote, “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.”

Now, we know you are ready and eager to move on from Suffield.

The time is right for this. This graduation ritual marks an important step along the way, and I ask that you please remember what we have emphasized here—that you encourage other people, work hard, and strive to make a positive impact on others and on the world around us. I always keep near me a talk I made when I became Suffield’s headmaster nine years ago. After sharing some stories and ideas I said this: Let me tell you about my vision, my plan for leading Suffield with you as partners. Here are some overarching goals:

This is, of course, a special weekend for you and your families. You have earned the privilege of being a Suffield graduate, and we are proud of your individual and collective achievements.

“The point of the game is distance traveled, not just SAT scores.”

As I said earlier, you have had some real partners on this journey, including your family and this faculty sitting with me tonight. They are the nerve center of Suffield Academy and carry forth the values and history of our school—from 1833 to today. They have taught you, motivated you, laughed with you, and given of themselves to help you grow and prosper. They have embraced our emphasis on the distance traveled by each student during their years at Suffield. Teaching is a calling, and you have been beneficiaries of this faculty’s dedication to not just teaching, but teaching at Suffield Academy.

So as you head out to seek a newer world, and to face the challenges ahead, I again ask that you thank those who made this experience at Suffield possible for you—your parents, your families, and your teachers. You will start to see things differently now, as Suffield’s structure is removed and you head to the next part of your lives.

You will have a different perspective.

1. That we have students who are compassionate, engaged, moral people that honor the part of our mission speaking to “preparing for a lifetime of learning and active citizenship.” We will do all we can with who and what we have—for the point of the game is distance traveled, not just SAT scores.

2. That we sustain and enhance this beautiful campus.

3. That the importance of meaningful human relationships, and an emphasis on community, be priorities at all time.

4. That this great faculty is nourished and supported to do their crucial work—to encourage students to have a plan, and to inspire them.

5. And finally, we want you and future students to feel pride and passion for Suffield. We want you to love this place—to share our vision of core values about being kind to others, trying our best, and winning and losing with class. This preservation of Suffield’s core values is our highest priority of all.”

I think we’re headed in the right direction with these goals, and I thank all the members of this class for helping strengthen our school.

So as we look ahead to tomorrow’s commencement, we should all feel a sense of gratitude for this school nestled between the great Connecticut River and a modest little tributary called Muddy Brook; gratitude for our teachers; and gratitude for our parents, sisters, brothers, grandparents, and extended family members who sit with us here tonight. Thank you again for caring about our school and about each other, and please follow your instincts and your hearts in the years ahead. As Eleanor Roosevelt famously said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

Baccalaureate Talk Excerpts

Sara Yeager

This is a hard talk to give. I know you want it to be short, and I want it to be sweet. For adults: it takes us back to the night before our own high school graduation. We think about our long lost dreams of high school, who we were, and what we’ve become.

Recently, I read an essay in The New Yorker, and it cited graffiti that the author had seen in the subway station at 14th Street and 8th Ave, while waiting for the uptown A. It said “COLLECT THE PARTS OF YOU THAT WENT AWAY.” So, as I think about where I was the night before my high school graduation, and parents, here’s a topic for lunch tomorrow—what are the parts that went away, and what do I need to get back? There is no formula for a good life, and there is no right or wrong life, but there are choices and consequences. So claim your life—be intentional—don’t be defined by what you didn’t know, or didn’t do.

So what should you do? Learn to rely on yourself. Your life does not actually depend on what is happening to others or within a group.

Facebook has the power to make you feel more connected and less alone, yet it isn’t real. Research tells us that Facebook isn’t about connecting. It is less about looking up friends than it is about looking AT friends. The site’s most frequent visitors use the site for “social surveillance.” They aren’t getting in touch with friends as much as they are checking up on them—then judging and evaluating themselves and others. It is a place “not to be, but to seem.” Sound familiar? We want you “to be, not to seem.”

My message to you is the same—find meaning in your life—it isn’t some prize to be won or the answer to a riddle—it is something you build into your life. You build it out of your past, out of your affections and loyalties, out of your talent and understanding, out of the things you believe in, out of the people you love, out of the values for which you are willing to sacrifice something. It is all there—but you are the only one who can put it together in a pattern that is your life. Live a life that has dignity and meaning for you.

So next year, don’t sit in your room on Facebook. Leave your door open, walk down the hall, talk to people. Cut the eternal umbilical cord—your cell phone. It keeps you from figuring out what to do. You lose the ability to think, rely on yourself, and plan ahead. I watch you as you walk out of class. The first thing you do is go for your phone... “just got out of class, see you in the Union in five minutes.” Absent the phone, you would have to make arrangements ahead of time, plan, or talk face-to-face, or walk into the Union and just chat with someone new. There is something I know about you that you may not even know about yourself. You have within yourself more resources of energy than have ever been tapped, more strength than has ever been tested, and more to give than you have ever given.

The first few weeks of college were rough for me. I hated my roommate, I thought my professors were mean, and if not for sports, I probably would have tried to leave. I spent days crying my eyes out—and I’m not a crier.

It was hard, but I had to figure it out. Like everyone else on my floor, I spoke to my parents once a week, on Sundays, when I called them from the pay phone in the hall. I had far too much pride to stand in the hall crying, telling them I hated it. I had to buck up. I had to figure it out. I had to “dig in and do it.”

This is the big lesson: no one is going to do it for you; you are in control of how you live every day. We live with uncertainty. It is the reality of our lives, particularly from high school, through college, into early adulthood. You have no idea what you’ll be doing, where you’ll be living, or who you’ll be with in two, or even 10 years. You don’t know if you’ll be a photographer, or lawyer, or designer, or banker. You don’t know how things will work out.

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Trust yourself, rely on yourself, and never give up. I want for you to live your life with four things—the four things I always remember to collect back, or more importantly, to have never leave me.

1. Wake up so happy you can’t wait to start your day.

2. Work with people you love and admire.

3. Connect with people and make people feel special.

4. Fall asleep at night knowing you did your best that day.

So what is my final word of advice to you and my to my high school self on the night before graduation? Okay, I have two. Be patient (with yourself and others).

180th Commencement

180th Commencement

Mark Tolosky P’10, ’11 Commencement Address

Greetings, President Tisch, the Board of Trustees, including my friend and Baystate Health colleague, Dennis Chalke, Headmaster Cahn, faculty, alumni, family and friends, and our fine upstanding graduates of the Suffield Academy Class of 2013. What a wonderful sight you are! Thank you, Charlie, and President Tisch for this honor.

The Tolosky family—myself, my lovely wife Noreen, and our incredible sons, Matthew, Class of 2010, and Patrick, Class of 2011—all have great affection for this fabulous place of growth and learning. I was so moved when Charlie asked me to speak today that I cried when I told Noreen! Not very typical CEO behavior, is it?

The four of us have incredible respect for Suffield’s history, its traditions, its culture, and its excellence—on so many dimensions.

Our memories are recent and fond as we navigated the usual school challenges, attended teacher conferences, watched many athletic events in soccer, football, and lacrosse and celebrated championships in wrestling and riflery. We watched our sons grow into incredibly mature, sophisticated, yet gentle young men. We are forever grateful to the advisors, teachers, counselors and coaches—there are many, but you all know who you are. Thank you.

I would certainly hope that our graduates today feel grateful for your time here at Suffield Academy and how fortunate you have been to be a part of its 180-year history during a time of new facilities, ever stronger applicant pools, academic excellence, and athletic successes. What a chapter in this school’s enduring story.

In my role at Baystate Health and in our community, I am asked to speak publicly often. I am rarely intimidated. But I am today! You see, Suffield

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Academy has a great tradition of speakers at graduation that has set a remarkably high standard for those to follow. I am particularly worried about the standard set two years ago in 2011. Oh yes, New England Patriot Coach Bill Belichick was really good. But, I am more worried about matching the high standard set that day by the student who spoke for his class—our son, Patrick. Way to go, Pat! There are two major themes that I’d like to share with our graduates today: • “the soft or humanistic side of success” and • “personal discovery and growth.”

There are many attributes to success in school, in your chosen profession, or in your life’s journey. Our graduates would recognize many of these that they know intuitively or have been told: • • • • • • •

Good grades Hard Work Ambition Setting goals Technical skills Drive Determination

180th Commencement

They are indeed necessary, but I’d like to offer another set of attributes—some “softer” ones, so to speak. They are more around behaviors and values. At Baystate Health, we have 10,000 dedicated staff members serving the communities of western Massachusetts, northern Connecticut, and beyond, and we require hundreds of individuals in leadership positions. We recruit physicians, scientists, and executives from all over North America, and in some cases globally. We have an incredible breadth and depth of talent. All of our top Baystate leaders must exhibit the seven or eight attributes I mentioned above. But that it is not enough to succeed as a leader at Baystate Health. It is truly unfortunate that some of our leaders are not as successful as they could be or not successful at all. Some have had to step out of leadership or out of our organization altogether.

Some of those have been men and women who were top level executives. As I look back, these individuals were smart, they worked hard, and they delivered solid short term results.

They failed because they did not embrace or exhibit what I call “the soft or humanistic side” of leadership. And I believe that these “softer” behaviors and values transcend leadership and are generally applicable to your potential for success in all aspects of your personal and professional life. Much has been written on this topic, but here is my own summary. So, graduates, I’d urge you to reflect on these eight behaviors and values: 1. EMBRACE APPRECIATION: for what you have and for those who helped you along the way.

2. EMBRACE HUMILITY: it can’t be about YOU all the time; share success; let others get credit.

3. EMBRACE COMPASSION: be mindful of the many less fortunate than you; do a kind deed daily. Create stories with your kindness.

Be as mindful of the housekeeper as you are of the headmaster.

4. EMBRACE VULNERABILITY: be comfortable asking for help or support or saying, “I’m not sure, what do you think?” Let down the façade.

5. EMBRACE RESPECT: for people different from you or who have different views; seek the opinion of others.

6. EMBRACE HUMOR: smile—it’s the universal door opener.

7. EMBRACE OPTIMISM: people gravitate to positive thinking and possibilities; and lastly 8. EMBRACE RELATIONSHIPS: at all levels and in all parts of your life. Embrace relationships. Build them. Work at them.

Regarding this last one, relationships, let me share a story. I take great satisfaction in mentoring—students and young executives.

Several years ago, I was engaged in a long distance mentoring with a graduate student at Xavier University, one of my alma maters. Lauren was pursuing her master’s degree in health services management.

During one of our many calls she asked me: “If you had to name one single thing that contributed most to your successful career, what

would it be?” I had never thought of it that way. I told Lauren what I TREASURED most was my personal and professional integrity. But, I asked her if I could think about her specific question until our next conference call.

We spoke the next month and her question came back up. “If you had to name one single thing that contributed most to your successful career, what would it be?” My response to her: “Relationship building—the single most important thing in my professional career has been relationship building.” And the foundation for many of those relationships has been the behaviors and values I just described.

And so, as you sharpen your technical skills with drive and determination in whatever you do, don’t forget about these “softer/ humanistic” values. They will serve you well in all aspects of your life.

My second major thought for this morning is “personal discovery and growth.” What about this journey you are embarking upon?

Don’t anguish too much if you are not certain what you want to study, what profession to pursue. My own pursuit of a career in health care executive management began with a chance discussion with a friend of my father’s who was in my profession. I was a senior in college.

I didn’t know I wanted to be a CEO—until I actually was one! Your journey can be very purposeful or it can unfold before you. Either can be a good path.

Hopefully each of you recognize that today is a wonderful achievement, but not a conclusion. It’s merely an early chapter in your unique personal journey. Never find yourself saying: “There, that’s it.” No—there will be chapters to follow—growth to continue.

Keep reaching. Keep yearning. Keep growing. My own development continues today—as a husband; as a father; as a leader; in my faith.

It’s very exciting.

The journey to today is over. The journey ahead is yours to create—a blank page—a personal canvas. Many choices have been made for you; many choices are now yours to make. Believe in yourself. Believe that the world—or some small part of it NEEDS you. Believe that you can make a difference. Tell yourself everyday: I know that I can make this • • • • • • •

A better relationship A better family A better school A better workplace A better community A better country A better world

Commit yourself to making big and small differences—in all you do. Don’t try to live up to the expectations of others. Set your own expectations high—and live by them. As Henry David Thoreau said, “Live the life you have imagined.” So, don’t wait to be discovered.

Discover someone. Discover something. And, “discover yourself.”

Most of all, “discover yourself.” Congratulations to each of you and your families. Thank you.

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Spring 2013 | 23

180th Commencement

Anna Strzempko ’13 Commencement Talk

On behalf of my class, I want to express gratitude to all of you who are here today. To my classmates: we have made it, and here we are, gathered, all together, on this magnificent campus for the last time today. A day for celebration and nostalgia. A day to seize. But, as we enjoy our last few hours here, I have to wonder what it is that makes us so sentimental on this day.

There are the things about Suffield that are easy to love, but is it just Suffield’s beautiful campus that has helped shape us into who we are at this moment? Is it just the impressive sports and classes that have had a part in transforming us into eager young adults about to impact the world?

“It is the

individuals— both adults and classmates—on this

campus that create this attitude of unconditional

love.”

We are sentimental today because Suffield has touched our lives in irreversible ways that are much more significant than just what we see when we walk around campus.

It is because Suffield gives when we are in need. That giving, that constant support, is what creates our love for this place. Suffield is not just a pretty campus with good statistics that we will be able to brag about. It is a place that loves us when we succeed, whether we are exceptional scholars, athletes, artists, or any combination of these things. But, perhaps more important is that it does not stop loving us when we fail. In fact, we feel even more supported when we do just that.

When we are at our lowest and we need somewhere to turn, these are the times that the community cements a place in our hearts. It is the individuals—both adults and classmates—on this campus that create this attitude of unconditional love. Such an individual is my teammate and close friend, Seth Magoon.

He is one of the most talented athletes this school has ever seen.

He spent four years preparing for a day this past February that did not go as he had planned. At the New England Prep School swimming championships, as a senior captain, Seth took second in two individual events that we expected him to win, and he had the same high expectations for himself. His team lost New England’s by just. One point. The final score was 389 to 388.

The girls’ team on the other hand, won New Englands for the first time in the history of Suffield’s swim program. As a fellow senior captain I was thrilled, proud of my team and myself. After the girls’ final relay, which cemented our victory, Seth approached me. With tears in his eyes, he told me he was proud of me and happy for me. I stood, confused but inspired as I watched him walk away and hug Mr. Lowe and his parents. Seth put his pain aside to let us celebrate our moment. He may not have known it then, but he exemplified the best of Suffield that night. And those values were reflected back at him.

Nobody at Suffield—not friends or advisors or Mr. Lowe was disappointed in Seth—but disappointed for him. Only invested in his well-being.

180th Commencement

It is easy to love a place when you are happy and you are successful.

It is easy to appreciate Suffield when the sun is shining, and classes are fine, and friends are happy, and the smile on your face seems to mirror the sunset on Bell Hill. When everything is going well, it’s easy to love Suffield. It’s not so easy after a heartbreaking loss, like Seth’s, but the support that Suffield provides makes us love this place in spite of ourselves.

Our class has had its fair share of trials and tribulations—days when nothing is going well. To put it mildly, I really hope that high school does not end up being the best time of our lives. Yet here we sit at Suffield Academy with nostalgia and love for this place. This place is the scene of some of the hardest moments of our young lives, but it is also so difficult to leave behind.

We have grown here. Seth is but one example. I have had the pleasure of watching all of my classmates grow into who they are meant to be. I have watched Wynn Mason and Cheryl Kuo create some of the most incredible visual art I have ever seen. I have watched Colin Pascoe be named to the All-New England basketball team over and over again. I have watched Gina Nasiadka and Victoria Page defy gender norms and shoot a rifle in ways that seem physically impossible. I have watched Filippa Brandolini pick up cross- country in her junior year and become one of the most talented runners in New England. I have watched Mikhail Kozak deliver an amazing performance for the theatre arts department in his second language. I have watched Mariam Ibrahim, and that’s all I really needed to do. I have watched myself grow into the confident young woman who stands in front of you now. I could literally give an anecdote about every one of my classmates.

However, I hope that Wynn relishes the memory of the most frustrating piece she ever worked on. I hope that Colin does not look back on Suffield and only remember his key free throws. I

hope that Mariam takes the most pride in the class she struggled with. I hope these things because when I look back on Suffield, yes I will remember the good, boastful things, but my most important memories are different.

When Mrs. Vianney asked me to put a little bit more into my 22-page research paper because she believed in my interest in feminism.

When I had to stop swimming due to serious health issues two weeks before New Englands my sophomore year, and Mr. Zwirko said, “Anna stop moping and support your team.” When I missed an entrance to the first scene of my first ever play, and Jay O’Brien, a seasoned actor, gave me a hug and the courage to finish an amazing show. When I sat sobbing in Lucy Zimmerman’s room in Nathena Fuller house and realized my pain had actually made us closer.

The real world will not be as loving as Suffield when we are at our worst. Mr. Cahn said it to me himself: “Anna, there will not ever be another time in your life when this many adults care about your well-being.” That one was hard to swallow. However, Suffield has taught us that when we are low, when we are disheartened, our community will not give up on us. Now it is time for us to build new communities, keeping those values in mind.

The world is a wide, beautiful place, and we have the power to transfer the values of Suffield to it. Whether you are like me, and going an hour away, or going to North Carolina, California, Canada, Michigan, or Wisconsin, the world will appreciate our triumphs and our failures in the same way that Suffield has accepted us.

So, let us go, the young men and women we have become, and seize this day. Let us seize all days. Let us fail, and let us seek the encouragement to get back up again, always remembering that that is what Suffield has taught us to do.

View Anna’s speech at www.suffieldacademy.org/commencement

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PARKER REGAN ’12

The Regan Family: Chris and Leslie, Brendan, Rebecca, and Tersey

Pond Dedication

The pond by Suffield’s Courtney Robinson ’88 Outdoor Leadership Center was dedicated in memory of Parker Regan on May 24, 2013. Parker Regan ’12 Pond will be a permanent symbol of the transformative experience Parker had at Suffield.

The restoration of the pond was made possible by gifts in Parker’s memory from many family members, classmates, faculty members, and other Suffield students and parents. The dedication was moving for everyone in attendance. In addition to comments from Parker’s father, Chris Regan, remarks were made by Parker’s advisor, Dave Rockwell ’58, Headmaster Charlie Cahn, Director of Academic Support Kim Wiggin, classmates Patrick O’Brien ’12 and Izzy McDonald ’12, and family friend Ken Graboys. Briell Smith ’12 and Carly Smith ’12 sang a beautiful version of “What Hurts the Most” by the Rascal Flatts.

In addition to the Parker Regan Pond, other projects at Suffield in Parker’s memory include a scholarship fund aimed at helping promising students with untapped potential gain access to Suffield, and a commencement prize endowed for Parker. This prize is awarded to a graduating senior who has shown sustained, transformative growth intellectually, emotionally, and personally as a Suffield student. It is intended to honor the school’s emphasis on distance traveled.

The first recipient was Emilio Rocha ’13.

REMARKS BY DAVID ROCKWELL ’58 On this day of the dedication of Parker’s Pond, I would like to extend my best thoughts to Parker’s family. Times like this can be very difficult, but I hope some measure of solace can be gained knowing that this place will forever be Parker’s Pond. I was Parker’s advisor during his time at Suffield. During that time, we developed a wonderful friendship. I nudged him along as he grew from a young teenager to a solid young man.

In the early years, Parker would stop by to see me on a regular basis as he worked to develop ways to manage his academic work and life in general. As a senior, Parker needed my counsel less and less. This is as it should be. This speaks to a comment I’ve made frequently about him, and that is “he knew what he needed to do, he figured out a way to do it, and he did it.” I liken the process to taking a Labrador puppy to experience water for the first time. Even though he or she is fully, physically equipped to swim, there is hesitation. It is a new world. As they figure it out with a little wading, soon they no longer need encouragement to confidently jump off a dock, chasing that favorite stick, and a whole new, exciting world opens up. As Parker’s world opened up, he began to realize his potential and to enjoy considerable success.

My approach with Parker was to always lay out options and encourage him to make the final decisions. Far be it from me to tell him what to do, though he would often figuratively look back over his shoulder just to be sure he was headed in the right direction. I was always pleased that he did the right thing. In the spring of his senior year, Parker wanted to pursue one of his passions—fishing. To meet his athletic commitment, he concocted this plan whereby he would have a car at school and each afternoon fish different streams in Connecticut. This would mean that he wouldn’t do one of his other favorite things—play golf.

So, what to do? After several conversations with Chris—who wasn’t too keen on the idea—and his golf coach (who obviously wanted him on the team), Parker and I sat down and had a talk about options. I even added the possibility of participating in Suffield’s Outdoor Program, SOLO. What did he do? After much back and forth, he decided to play golf. Again, he knew what he needed to do and he did it. I was proud of his decision.

Parker’s love of the outdoors and all that nature has to offer makes the naming of this pond in his memory not only fitting, but special.

This is a very special place. It is peaceful, except of course for the croaking of frogs. The area is home to ring-necked pheasants, a great blue heron, Canada geese, red-winged blackbirds, just to mention a few. It is a place to slow down and just think, or merely let nature come to you; something we all need to do more often. The effort to create this space has been a community effort—from Leadership classes to Suffield’s Physical Plant staff. While it is a still a work in progress, the pond ties in beautifully with a unique part of the Suffield campus. While Parker’s Pond will never hold a trout like the one he is holding in one my favorite photographs, we are looking into the possibility of stocking it with bass.

In spirit, Parker can fish in the afternoons at Suffield. I know he would approve.

Come back when you can and sit by Parker’s Pond.

Spring 2013 | 27

SPRING CHAPEL SERIES The spring chapel series exposed Suffield’s students and faculty to a diverse range of talented speakers. Sara Wolff, Bob Morris, Martha O’Connell, and Melissa Goodall spoke about important, engaging topics including overcoming fears, taking initiative, making a difference, and being resilient. The chapel series ended with traditional spring term events including student council election speeches and the Kent-Davis Oratory Contest.

SARA WOLFF Sara Wolff, an advocate for developmental disabilities, spoke to the Suffield community about living with Down syndrome.

Now 30 years old, Sara credits her parents for never excluding her from participating in her brothers’ and sister’s activities while growing up. They were also very supportive and encouraging, reinforcing the fact that there was nothing Sara couldn’t do. “Inclusion takes a team effort,” Sara said. “The words ‘I can’t’ don’t exist for me.” A former law clerk, Sara now serves on three boards including the National Down Syndrome Society of New York. She has rubbed elbows with a few celebrities including Barbara Walters, Meredith Vieira, Hillary and Bill Clinton, and Dwayne Johnson (“The Rock”). Sara is a true example of resilience. “We are all different and we all have our own special gifts,” she commented, “so be proud of yourself.”

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BOB MORRIS ’68 Bob Morris ’68, a U.S. Army Green Beret veteran and former CIA operations officer, spoke to the Suffield community about the opportunities he was given both at Suffield and Georgetown University. After his first semester at Georgetown, Bob decided to join the Army, and it was his time in the military that he feels helped build his confidence in overcoming fears. He advised Suffield students to do the same: confront your fears in order to overcome them; serve the community to the best of your ability; and live from the heart. Bob is also the author of a recently published book, Fighting Windmills: A Quixotic Odyssey, which reflects upon his many experiences.

MARTHA O’CONNELL Martha O’Connell, Executive Director of Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL), spoke to the Suffield community about the many questions and doubts students may have when selecting a college. Martha stressed the importance of finding a school that best suits individual needs rather than simply because of its particular reputation.

She also highlighted some ways students can improve their chances of making a lasting impression on college admissions counselors. Martha addressed strategies for writing strong college essays and ultimately finding a college or university that will help students excel in the workplace after graduation.

MELISSA GOODALL Melissa Goodall, Yale’s Assistant Director of Sustainability, spoke to the Suffield community on Earth Day. She addressed some factors that may lead to climate change such as skyscrapers, traffic, meat production, and other non-recyclable goods. She gave helpful tips on how to conserve energy such as reducing the amount of technology gadgets we own, unplugging power cords when we’re not using them, recycling plastics, and reconsidering what we eat. She added, “If it’s bad for you, it’s probably bad for the environment.” Melissa emphasized that energy and planet conservation can significantly improve the way we leave the planet for future generations.

Spring 2013 | 29

2013 KENT-DAVIS SPEAKING COMPETITION A great Suffield tradition continued as 10 seniors participated in the annual Kent-Davis Speaking Competition. The Emmet Kent Public Speaking Prize is awarded to the student who best demonstrates excellent oratory and speech writing skills, and the Charles G. Davis Oratory Prize is given to the student who most effectively demonstrates excellent oratory skills and a keen awareness of the subject in relation to the audience. This year’s participants were Erin Ferraro, Casper Neo, Didi Ezeamama, Angelina Massoia, Jackie Foley, Paul Metscher, Anna Strzempko, Michael Simmons, Mariam Ibrahim, and Jay O’Brien. The students spent a great deal of time preparing for the event with the support of faculty members Tanya Andrysiak, Brooke Depelteau, and Tom Dugan. The Kent Prize went to Anna Strzempko, and the Davis Prize was awarded to Angelina Massoia with honorable mention to Jay O’Brien.

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THE

ROAD AHEAD Gerry LaPlante retires after 35 years

A

nyone who knows Gerry knows he rides a bike. The current one you see him on around campus is actually a recent acquisition, a hand-me-down from his daughter Kristen ’06. With its gray milk crate and Middlebury College water polo bumper sticker, it’s a fixture on campus and a sign that Gerry is not too far away. Its presence is comforting, reminding us that while change is inevitable, tradition carries on. Gerry can often be seen darting across campus, with tie flying over his shoulder, heading to or from class. Gerry doesn’t just embody the school’s emphasis on “distance traveled”; he travels nimbly and with a sense of adventure.

When first sitting down to talk with Gerry LaPlante, it was clear that two hours cannot in any way sum up his 35 years at Suffield.

And while a list of Gerry’s titles and responsibilities over the years would certainly be impressive—biology teacher, assistant business manager, coach, work program director, chemistry teacher, dorm head, business manager, physics teacher— those wouldn’t quite capture him either. Nor would a summary of his specific coaching or teaching roles; Gerry has coached six sports and estimates he’s taught 15 different courses over the years. Even a list of Gerry’s numerous awards that honor teaching excellence and meaningful contributions to the growth of students—such as the Elisha Benjamin Andrews Award in 2008 and the Richter Teaching Prize this year—would provide an incomplete picture.

Gerry is a man who rises each morning at 5:00 a.m. to play squash. Gerry once biked 3,000 miles across the country.

He boasts the largest collection of plants on campus. He’s been known to bake desserts for Fuller dorm students with the cleanest room; his “fabulous cheesecake” even fetched several hundred dollars at the most recent Parent Auction. A man of diverse talents and interests, Gerry has made sure that his road has never been staid or boring.

Perhaps this is why, despite being at the same place for 35 years, he managed to have what he calls “three careers” during his tenure here at Suffield. It was in the mid-80s, after years of being a traditional boarding school “triple threat,” when Gerry transitioned to the business office. Creating student schedules by hand and running the on-campus work program were just two of his many duties there.

Faculty members Greg Lynch, Gerry LaPlante, Beth Krasemann, and Hillary Rockwell Cahn ’88

When asked about how the work program has changed over the years, Gerry laughed. When he first arrived at Suffield in 1978—and for most of his tenure in the business office—students did nearly all the grounds work as the school employed only one full-time physical plant worker. For an hour per day, students mowed the grass, pulled weeds, raked leaves, and shoveled snow. “It was a very different time,” Gerry reminisces. “Since the school didn’t have enough funds for a maintenance crew, students served as our gardeners and landscapers. It was a lot of work but a lot of fun too.”

While in the business office, Gerry continued to teach, coach, and work in a dorm, explaining, “I always had it in the back of my mind I would go back to teaching.” His devotion to his students pulled him back into the classroom full time in 2001. “I get very excited when I’m teaching,” Gerry added, “and I want my students to be excited. I’m energetic, and yes, it’s true… I’ve been told many times that I’m loud.”

Former faculty members Bill Berghoff, Brad Gooch, and Peter Benson with Gerry

Headmaster Charlie Cahn said, “The diversity of experiences Gerry had at Suffield really helped him gain a broad perspective on the school and on the work of educators. He has always exuded great pride in our school and felt it was important to pitch in wherever Suffield had a need. From the classroom to the business office, from athletics to the quiz team, to running dorms and advising students, Gerry understood that working at a boarding school is a lifestyle commitment. Suffield has been fortunate to have Gerry as a key member of our faculty for four decades.”

Gerry’s four decades at Suffield have certainly seen many changes, such as new facilities, increased staffing, and adjusted programming. Yet he stresses that the fundamental Suffield experience remains unaltered and that those students who do well are those who take advantage of the opportunities around them. “It’s the same in terms of those that do the best here,” Gerry says. “They come in highly motivated and leave on a high note.”

Gerry will also be leaving the Academy on a high note. His enthusiasm for his retirement is evident as he talks about how he and his wife Nancy plan to do as much traveling as possible. They both grew up in Westfield, Massachusetts, and graduated from Westfield High together in 1972. “We weren’t high school sweethearts,” he explains, “but we knew each other.” After high school, Gerry went on to graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Trinity College. He stayed at Trinity after graduation, completing a master’s degree in education, working as a sports information director, and coaching football and lacrosse.

But it was through teaching in Trinity’s Upward Bound program that Gerry found his true calling. With his fiancée Nancy already a teacher in the Granby public schools, Gerry wanted to teach at a prep school in the area. When he landed the job at Suffield in 1978, he remembered important advice from a mentor to marry in the summer. So Gerry and Nancy pushed up their wedding from November to June to prevent the nuptials from interrupting their dedication to the academic school year. “It’s pedal to the metal all year. You want to take your foot off the pedal?” Gerry asks rhetorically. “That’s called summer.”

What his coaching colleagues have to say...

“I have learned so much from coaching alongside Gerry. His experience with the program and with the league has been an invaluable resource, meaning that we always knew the procedure, the other coaches, or the directions to get anywhere. In addition to his knowledge, Gerry was a wonderful role model for me and for the girls on the team.

He always fought to make sure that our team had the treatment and recognition it deserved. His obvious impact on the girls is reflected in their love and respect for him and in the way that former players frequently come back to see -Rebecca Strong him and to help out the current team.”

“Gerry has been a great mentor to me over the past 10 years. As a colleague in the science department and a coaching partner, Gerry has been an important confidant and friend. Gerry’s knowledge of water polo has helped me to become a better coach and his unflagging commitment to Suffield students and athletes is impressive.”

-Greg Lynch Spring 2013 | 33

Gerry is excited about the prospect of having an endless summer. As a retiring teacher, though, he says, “The change won’t hit me until September.” One of the things Gerry is looking forward to is spending more time with his daughters, Jeannie ’04 and Kristen ’06. Both are also teachers; Jeannie teaches biology in New Canaan, while Kristen is a math teacher in Manhattan.

“We’ve passed the torch to a new generation,” Gerry says proudly. When asked why he and Nancy decided to stay in Suffield after retiring (their home will be just a few miles down the road from campus), Gerry answers, “Where would we go? Our friends are here, our family is here, we like it here.” Suffield is his hub, the place where all of his journeys start.

Some of the many journeys Gerry has taken over the years have been his bike rides with Suffield alumni. In 2011, he completed a weeklong biking excursion through western New England with Joey Palomba ’11. The pair met up with various family members and alums, including Chris Destito ’85, Kristen LaPlante’s godfather. When asked about the trip, Joey describes them as “the best 450 miles of my life.” The following year, Gerry rode another 300 miles to Long Island and back with Conrad Mish ’12.

Conrad described the trip as “a life experience I will remember forever.”

It’s clear that Gerry’s impact on his students—and people in general—is powerful. “Looking back,” Gerry explains, “it’s the positive impact I’ve had on young people and the knowledge that I’ve somehow helped them that matters most.” To the new generation of teachers, he advises, “Put your all into your teaching and deliver the mission of the school.” He also wants to see both students and teachers find what makes them passionate.

Gerry reflects on “The Spencer Revolt,” an incident in the mid-80s when residents marched into Brewster Hall wearing black armbands to try to take back the 10:00-10:30 p.m. socializing time that Gerry eliminated after a dorm prank. Current faculty member Dave Eckhardt ’86, who lived in Spencer at the time, remembers the experience well. Students in the dorm were upset that the collective group was being reprimanded for the actions of one or two people. “On the second night, we started pounding on the radiators,” Dave recalls. “That’s when Gerry called a meeting.” Unbeknownst to Gerry, Spencer residents had already met and decided upon a plan of action. What finally caught everyone’s attention—Headmaster Lindfors’ included—was when the boys entered the dining all shoulder-to-shoulder and sat down without saying a word. The socializing half hour was restored because the students had taken peaceful action. Dave looks back on that time with admiration for the person to whom he can now refer as his valued colleague, explaining, “Working with him has made me respect him more as a faculty member.

He’s such an approachable guy, and he’s always there for everyone.”

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It’s no surprise that Gerry has grown close with many alums over the years, referring to them as his “extended family.” His favorite time of year is Reunion weekend when he gets to reconnect with former students, learning about where they are and what they’re doing in their lives. “Sure I get a paycheck every two weeks,” Gerry said, “but I really get paid at Reunion. I love to hear what they’ve done, see the successes they had. That’s the payoff, what motivated me all those years, and what still motivates me to this day.”

Gerry reflects on his time here at Suffield with nostalgia and pride, talking about the students more than anything else. One gets the sense that he is both sad to leave but excited to see how the school will continue to grow and change after he’s gone. When asked what his plans for retirement include, besides visiting his daughters, Gerry says, “Whatever we feel like doing.” Some of his concrete plans include attending the Westminster Dog Show, the 2014 Women’s Final Four, The Today Show, and The Grammys.

“The last thing I’m going to be is bored, Gerry says, “I’m a very active person. If there’s nothing to do, I’ll just hop on my bike.” And if Suffield faculty members see Gerry in the squash courts next year, it’s not a mirage. One of the things Headmaster Cahn says he has earned after more than three decades of service to the Academy is a set of keys to the squash courts. Still, Gerry’s favorite thing to do on campus is to go down to the athletic fields and look back up at the school. “It’s like this now,” he says as opens his arms wide. “You can see how the school has grown. This is a really impressive campus when you think about it. The possibilities are endless.”

Excerpts from Gerry’s Baccalaureate Speech As I wind up, I would like to share a few LaPlante-isms, the things my students and players heard me say repeatedly: • To succeed in chemistry, you must learn to see the particles, and never forget that atoms are mostly empty space.

• In the grand scheme of our biosphere, never forget that plants are really important. We cannot live without them.

• Pay attention to everything that goes into and comes out of your body.

• As squash players know, the secret of success is to mostly hit rails; simplicity and consistency are the bases for success in most ventures.

• And, as the lady polo players have traditionally heard from the coaches the day before every game since the beginning of the program: Sleep well and Dream of Aquatic Glory.

Finally, I wouldn’t be making the most of my opportunity tonight unless I left you with a few words of advice: • Keep positive traditions alive. Take advantage of every opportunity to “Ring the Bell” in all phases of your life.

• Listen to the overwhelming scientific evidence: We WILL eventually run out of oil, and the climate is INDEED changing more rapidly than it has anytime in human history. Do what you can to stem the tide of these important environmental trends.

• Take care of your brain cells. They are the only ones you have, and they need to last you a good long time, so don’t needlessly put them at risk.

• Wear your seat belt.

• Max out the contributions to your retirement fund.

• Define Your Life, Ride A Bike.

I would like to close with one final quote, one of my favorites, which has most often been attributed to John Lennon: “When I was five years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”

I wish you all the best for a happy life!

LEADERSHIP SERVICE PROJECTS

Suffield recently completed the eleventh year of its Leadership Program. Every student is required to take a Leadership course each year they attend Suffield. The program follows a developmentally appropriate curriculum sequence with a pyramid design. The base serves as the focus of freshman and sophomore courses, and the curriculum emphasizes an evolving series of skills during the junior and senior years. The program highlights seven core elements which each student is exposed to in direct ways: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Personal mastery Moral foundation Goal-setting Communication skills Problem-solving Self-awareness Inspiring & mobilizing others

This spring, Suffield’s sophomores and juniors executed a series of service projects. The sophomore projects took students off campus, while the juniors focused on a series of initiatives at Suffield. These included the installation of a solar energy collector at the Courtney Robinson ’88 Outdoor Leadership Center, clearing of the named in memory of Parker Regan ’12, restoration of the campus frisbee golf course, work on Suffield’s greenhouse and community garden, and landscaping at the school’s childcare center.

The sophomores took part in volunteer efforts with Suffield’s local elementary school, the Forest Park Zoo in Springfield, the Ronald McDonald House, Head Start, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, the Suffield town library, and the American Cancer Society. On the next page are some comments from sophomores about their spring service work.

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STUDENTS REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY “What matters is that what we did was helpful and contributed to the zoo. What we got done there was work the staff did not have to spend time on. We helped make the zoo a better and more efficient facility. The first time I walked in through the gates of Forest Park Zoo I was skeptical about how much we could contribute. Yet each and every time we came back, I witnessed the zoo blossom into a nicer and nicer place, in part through our help.”

-Aidan Clark Long ’16

“I’ve learned we can support the fight against cancer by raising money and awareness but also through other ways. There might not yet be a cure, but there is a way of helping support survivors in their battle.” -Peak Maleenont ’16

“I am part of the fundraising group, and I think that working as a team has taught me how to be a leader but not a dominating force in the group. I think this collaboration has helped teach me new skills as a leader working with a team. I have really liked supporting others and this was another chance to help out.” -Diana Wallace ’16

ALUMNI DONORS

2013 IN 2013 1,480 alumni have already donated this year. We need 533 more alumni donors by June 30, 2013, to reach 40% participation.

Alumni, you have helped reach this milestone for the past two years.

LET’S DO IT AGAIN THIS YEAR!

THANKS ALUMNI

WWW.SUFFIELDACADEMY.ORG/DONATE 38 | www.suffieldacademy.org

CLASS AGENT

Marla Zide ’93

From her first visit

to the Suffield Academy campus, Marla Zide knew this was the school for her. She loved the warm welcome, the family-style lunch, the fun dorm life, and the diverse yet nurturing sense of community.

Marla started here as a junior, after wanting more of a challenging curriculum than was offered in the public schools of Lunenburg, Massachusetts. After hearing how much Marla loved it here, her sister Trina ’95 entered as a sophomore in Marla’s senior year.

Marla became very involved in the Suffield life from the get-go. She was a tour guide leader and, as an accomplished athlete, she played varsity field hockey and varsity lacrosse. She was one of the field hockey tri-captains her senior year. But one of her most memorable experiences at Suffield was being a dorm proctor. “I felt honored to be a proctor and developed lasting friendships with other proctors.” As her coach and teacher, Molly Vianney had a tremendous impact on Marla’s future academic and career choices.

Marla says, “In both her ‘Constitutional Law’ class and ‘Women and History’ class, Molly always presented an engaging debate for her students. But Molly was more than a teacher and coach to me, she was also my friend and mentor.”

After graduating from Suffield in 1993, Marla received her bachelor’s degree from Goucher College, where she majored in psychology and minored in women’s studies. Marla knew from a very young age that she wanted to be a lawyer, and in 2001 she graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law, where she concentrated in family law. Marla now operates her own law office and dedicates herself to advocating for her clients. “I recognize that family law cases are extremely stressful, and parties need direction and focus from their attorney. I strive to make each one of my clients feel like they are the only client, and I am truly a counselor of law in every sense of the word.” Her dedication to service is evident through Marla’s involvement on the Executive Board of Governors with the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA), Women’s State Bar Association (WBA), and her local Anne Arundel County Bar Association. Marla was the 2011 recipient of the David Hortzberg Award—recognizing solo and small firm lawyers—and was also recognized in 2010 and 2011 as a Rising Star in Maryland Super Lawyers. Most recently, Marla was named a Maryland Super Lawyer 2013 specifically for family law.

When asked how Suffield helped shape her life, Marla said it was “the importance of service, of giving back and being involved, of not only taking care of yourself but making sure others were taken care of too that really changed my life. The Suffield Community is a mix of people of different races, religions, and family backgrounds. Everyone is treated equally, and everyone has to help and support each other.” Her advice to current students is to “take advantage of all opportunities that you have at Suffield. It is a short period of your life but it matters the most. Learn about other cultures and backgrounds from the friends you meet.”

When she’s not working, Marla is captain of her 26.5-foot boat. She is a dedicated fan of the Orioles and Ravens and loving stepmother to her two stepdaughters: 12-year-old Savannah and 11-year-old Juliette. Marla is a motivated class agent and encourages her classmates and alumni to give back to the school that helped them grow into the people they are today. “Continue to believe in Suffield, as it has the same sense of community with cultural diversity and moral traditions. Everyone should be so fortunate to go to Suffield Academy.” She hopes to see many of her 1993 classmates at Suffield in October for their 20th Reunion.

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BOTTOM ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT KIRA DEMITRUS ’15, COACH PATRICK BOOTH & VAL SCHWEIN ’13, ANGELINA MASSOIA ’13

SPRING SPORTS

SOFTBALL After starting the season 3-4, the softball team executed an impressive turnaround, winning nine straight games to earn a spot in the WNEPSSBA Class A semifinals.

Big wins for the Tigers included victories over Deerfield, Loomis Chaffee, and Hotchkiss. The battery of pitcher Angelina Massoia ’13 and catcher Val Schwein ’13 led the way all year, while sophomore infielders Kira Demitrus, Marysa Massoia, and Kimmie Meunier were steady contributors with bat and glove. The Tigers bid goodbye to Angelina, Val, and outfielder Jillian Kertanis, but a strong core looks to continue Suffield softball’s proud history.

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BOTTOM ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT CJ MOORE ’14, JACK PATTERSON ’13, JAMIE JOHNSON ’13

BASEBALL The baseball team captured its fourth straight Cleary Division title en route to a 12-5 record and a spot in the WNEPBL championship game. The Tigers were led by seniors Jack Patterson, Jamie Johnson, Ryan Tettemer, and Paul Metscher, four-year varsity players who compiled a 48-15 record over their careers. Patterson, who finished the year with 0.77 ERA, repeated as League Pitcher of the Year, and he was joined on the All-League First Team by Johnson and CJ Moore ’14. Sophomores Alec Turer and Drew Mahoney each received Second Team nods. Though Suffield loses Patterson, Johnson, Tettemer, Metscher, Mickey Keating, Jake Lazarus, Logan Barer, and Sam Auch to graduation, Coach Brissette’s team will gear up to again defend their division crown.

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ABBY BLYLER ’15

TRENT BELLOWS ’15

HALEY LEISHMAN ’14

BRICE MCALLISTER ’14, KYLE BARRETT ’16

SPRING SPORTS

BOYS’ TRACK & FIELD

GIRLS’ TRACK & FIELD

The boys’ track team finished with an undefeated regular season that included wins over Berkshire and Avon Old Farms before finishing third in the New England Champions. At that meet, junior Gustaf Lidfeldt swept the 1500m and 3000m, while Christian Wilkins ’15 captured the shot put. Lidfeldt also placed in the 800m, as did sophomore Kaison Ifill, and Brice McAllister ’14 finished fourth in the 100m. Seniors Stephen Leo and Chris McCormick placed in throwing events, while classmate Colin Pascoe was runner-up in the high jump. Their graduations, as well as the losses of seniors Max Axelrod, Eric Chen, Denzell Jackson, and Kendall Jackson, will hurt, but young Tigers look poised to continue the run of success.

The girls’ track team dashed to a 10-1 record and a top-ten finish at the New England Championship Meet. Abby Blyler ’15 led the way with a win in the 3000m and a runner-up finish in the 1500m while Jasmine Brooks ’14 and Rhi Fletcher ’15 scored in the high jump and triple jump, respectively. The Tigers picked up points from the 4 x 400 relay team of Filipa Brandolini ’13, Susannah Ferris ’15, Jordyn Gonsor ’15, and Amanda Leonard ’14. The graduations of Brandolini, jumper Erin Ferraro, and mid-distance runner Wynn Mason will leave holes, but a host of talented underclassmen aim to pick up the pace.

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HANNAH BELLORADO ’15

SPRING SPORTS

GIRLS’ LACROSSE

LINDSAY HAYDEN ’15

MACK MONTAGUE ’13 AND TUCKER NEWMAN ’15

In a transition year, the girls’ lacrosse team saw the season highlighted by a strong victory over Kent School and a come-from-behind win over King School.

Georgina Blakeley ’13 led the team in scoring, while Mary Franco ’13 and Beanie O’Shea ’14 provided tough defense in front of goaltender Denny Smythe ’14.

Blakeley and O’Shea were honored as All-New England selections, while freshmen midfielders Katie Kuzmeski and Micaela Quinn were Western New England picks.

In addition to Blakeley and Franco, the Tigers lose seniors Bea Fregonese, Jasmine Rayonia, and Hannah Williams, but with 15 returning varsity players, the future looks bright indeed.

WATER POLO

BOYS’ LACROSSE

Despite fielding a small roster, the girls’ water polo team competed hard all year. Back-to-back wins over rivals Loomis Chaffee and Williston Northampton buoyed a Tiger squad that featured only one substitute. Sophomore Pure Maleenont racked up 52 goals and was a tough defender, while Jackie Foley ’13 and Amanda Mancuso ’14 split goaltending and swimming duties. The side’s success was a total team effort, though, and Kiley Caravella ’13, Lindsay Hayden ’15, Ashley Lombardo ’14, Caroline Mellekas ’14, and Ali Veitch ’15 were also tough players and strong competitors. The returning players will look to grow and strengthen the team for next year’s run.

The boys’ lacrosse team went out on top with a late season overtime victory over Kingswood Oxford School and a dominating final game performance against King School. Senior Austin Cunningham, a two-year captain, topped the team in scoring all year, but his biggest goal was the Kingswood game-winner that capped an impressive comeback. In addition to Cunningham, the Tigers bid goodbye to seniors Will Goodwin, Jack Howat, Seth Magoon, Max Manes, Mack Montague, Miles Portman, James Reimer, Ben Stein, and Chad Woodfine, but Tiger lacrosse is looking to roar next year.

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SARAH BERCHUCK ’13

SPRING SPORTS

GIRLS’ TENNIS

ANDRÉS FERNÁNDEZ VÍLCHEZ ’13

The girls’ tennis team finished 8-3 and with a second place finish at the yearend Suffield Invitational Tournament. The majority of the Tigers’ wins came in dominating 6-1 or 7-0 fashion, as the squad got contributions from the entire roster. Sarah Berchuck ’13 was strong at the #1 singles spot while Hailey Burke ’13 and Millie Valero ’14 provided a tough top doubles team. Emily Hudson ’14, Lucy Zimmerman ’13, and Lexie Bicknell ’13 helped give the team impressive depth in the singles ladder, and though Berchuck, Burke, Zimmerman, and Bicknell graduate, those who return are sure to be ready.

The golf team finished with its best record in four years, clinching a .500 mark with a late-season win over Northfield Mount Hermon.

The Tigers saved their best golf for that big moment, firing their lowest collective round of the year. Behind the leadership of captain Geoff Lowe ’13, the Tigers also earned victories over Loomis Chaffee and Williston Northampton. Andrés Fernández Vílchez ’13, Jay Fields ’13, and Larke Nimocks ’13 were steady contributors, and though the team bids goodbye to those seniors, returning players like Naoki Takahashi ’16 and Emily Ferguson ’14 are ready to build on this year’s successes.

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PETER DERBY ’14

GOLF

BOYS’ TENNIS The boys’ tennis team earned big wins this season over Kent School, Salisbury School, and Deerfield Academy. Andy Bicknell ’16 and Peter Derby ’14 were the Tigers’ leaders at the top spots, while Alton Sioussat ’13 and Emilio Rocha ’13 provided tough, steady presences further down the ladder. Nick Hudson ’13 and Daniel Berchuck ’14 also earned solid individual wins. With graduating seniors Sioussat, Rocha, Hudson, Brandon Sharir, and Jay Prasad, the tennis program looks to its underclassmen to carry the torch forward.

25 YEARS The two women profiled here help Suffield function effectively.

In unsung ways, they are an important part of the school’s strength.

Kim Goodwin

Janet Mish

Receptionist to the Headmaster

Assistant Director of Physical Plant

Kim Goodwin

Tell us about how you got your job at Suffield. When was it, how did you learn of it, and why did you want to work here?

I saw a job posting in the newspaper for a switchboard operator. I had been working for a place called Med Pool doing private duty in home health care. It was difficult because I was recently divorced and had two baby boys. The job had me going all over the place with no guaranteed hours. I was looking for a steady job to support my boys. I came in to interview and somehow, I got the job. I started February 23, 1987.

Tell us about what you do here (and have done here)—your roles and responsibilities.

When I first started, I was basically just answering the phone and helping other departments as needed. Things were very different back then. We did not use computers, and I sat in a space downstairs. I received packages, and the mail came in and out of the office I worked in. Zita Kinne was doing the mail back then. I had quite a bit of interaction with students, which I loved. After five or so years, I was moved upstairs in Fuller Hall. I was still answering phones and receiving packages, and it was then that I started greeting visitors.

As time went on, enrollment went up, things got busier, and we started using computers. My husband, Steve Goodwin, and I lived in Spencer Hall for four years and were dorm parents to 46 boys. I have covered dorm duty over the years if someone has been on leave.

In my present role, I am involved with mailings, collecting and helping parents with forms, scheduling for Parents’ Weekends, and planning for graduation… just to name a few things. It’s great fun now because the school is thriving. We all work as a team to do what needs to be done, just sort of jump in where we are needed. It is never boring because things change from day to day.

How have you stayed so committed and enthusiastic about your work?

Suffield has always supported me through the years; it is a very family oriented place. I honestly love it here. It is so much a part of who I am. My boys went to school here (Nicholas ’01 and Zachary ’03 Faas), and my husband (Steve Goodwin) teaches here. We lived on campus for many years, and my closest friends are here. I am the person I am today because of Suffield. It isn’t hard to stay committed—I just am.

What changes have you seen at Suffield during your years here?

There have been so many changes—far too many to list. From the Computer Initiative to the Leadership Program, changes in headmasters and deans, many new buildings—it goes on and on. The school has continued to grow and get better and stronger every year. It has been remarkable to watch the progress over the past few years in particular.

Tell us something we don’t know about you.

Some people don’t know that I met my husband, Goody, here and that we were married on the terrace of the Tremaine Arts Center.

Maybe some people don’t know that I was a bridesmaid in Hillary’s and Charlie’s wedding.

What are your hobbies, and what activities do you enjoy when you’re not working?

I love to cook, and I am pretty good at it. I really enjoy feeding people.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us?

I guess the only other thing I would say is that I feel very lucky to be a part of this community for so many reasons—some obvious, some not. What we get to do here, the whole process, is pretty amazing. To watch a student grow up in this environment is very rewarding.

To be able to stay connected to so many of them after graduation is a feeling I cannot fully describe. The values of this school are great, and I am proud to be part of it.

Janet Mish

Tell us about how you got your job at Suffield. When was it, how did you learn of it, and why did you want to work here?

I had been working for the Town of Suffield Highway Department for about two years, and one day while mowing the Town Green right in front of the Suffield campus, “Wasky” (Leon Waskiewicz, the business manager at the time) flagged me down. He walked up to me and asked, “Are you a career woman?” Apparently, he had read about me in the Hartford Courant just a few weeks before. [The article, “Suffield Woman Proves She Can Cut It” written by Katherine Farrish, was published on July 17, 1986 and highlighted Janet’s role at the time as the only woman laborer in the Suffield Public Works Department.] Back in the 1980s, I rocked the boat. I was doing a guy’s job, and a lot of the guys I worked with didn’t like it.

People didn’t understand at the time that a female can do exactly what a man can do. But Wasky understood that, so he offered me the job as Suffield Academy’s head groundskeeper on the spot. I started working here about a week later. I was also working at G. Fox [the former Filene’s] part-time. That was my “girl job.” I guess you could say I had a “man’s job” during the day and a “woman’s job” in the evenings. And I knew that Wasky hired me to prove a point: there’s nothing that a woman can’t do.

Tell us about what you do here (and have done here)—your roles and responsibilities.

I started as the head groundskeeper in 1986 and stayed in that position until I decided that I wanted to do an “inside job” (in other words, a job that would get me out of the sun once in a while). I am currently the assistant to the director of physical plant. Among many other things, I’m in charge of all the planting. I’m the go-to person for the flowers you see throughout the year.

How have you stayed so committed and enthusiastic about your work?

I believe that you should have fun every day at work. Having camaraderie with the people you work with makes most tasks more fun. Our team is a cohesive group; everyone looks out for everyone else here. We work hard, so it’s important to joke with each other and make each other laugh.

If you’re happy in your job, why change things? Suffield Academy is an amazing place to work. Every year brings a new group of kids, and it’s great to see them grow and mature into young adults.

What changes have you seen at Suffield during your years here?

When I started here the last Master Plan—which included building the Performing Arts Center— was just being started. At the time, that area was just a bunch of apple trees. Since then, the campus has doubled in size. And when Centurion was built, a few of the townspeople were upset because we were infringing upon their sledding territory. The demographic of the students has changed over the years, but we always have good kids.

Tell us something we don’t know about you. What are your hobbies, and what activities do you enjoy when you’re not working?

Hobbies? That’s a hard one. My kids are my life. I’m an empty nester and it’s hard now that they’re not home. Alexandra ’09 graduated from Springfield College this year, and Conrad ’12 is a sophomore at UMass Amherst. Fortunately, my kids will be home for the summer. Alexandra works as a special events camp coordinator at Springfield College during the summers, and Conrad rode to Long Island and back on his bike with Gerry LaPlante last summer. I’ve taught my kids the tricks of the trade and showed them it’s possible to break down barriers.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us?

I’m originally from Covina, California—the last town in Los Angeles County—and I moved to Suffield when I was 12. I went to Suffield High School and used to run Stiles Lane for cross-country practice when I was a high school student. I have a degree in agronomy from University of Connecticut. And in 1985, I got married at Suffield’s Sunrise Park. I may be the only woman who can say she mowed the grounds to get them ready for her own wedding.

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per forming

guitar show The annual Spring Guitar Show was held on May 4 in the Jeanice A. Seaverns Performing Arts Center. The show featured a variety of songs and performances by the following Suffield students: Premal Faldu ’13, Nick Booth ’14, Julie Doten ’14, Clare Guerreiro ’14, Josh Hillman ’14, Amanda Mancuso ’14, Griffin Manos ’14, Briana Matthews ’14, Roger Siver ’14, Lily Zhou ’14, Nathan Rosenkranz ’15, Kevin Doten ’16, and Katie Madrak ’16. The set list included the following songs: “Hallelujah” (Paramore), “She” (Green Day), “Better Than Love” (Griffin House), “Superstition” (Stevie Wonder), “Sunday Morning” (Maroon 5), “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” (Jet), “Halo” (Beyonce), “Everlong” (Foo Fighters), “Greetings From Space” (Amanda Jenssen), “For Reasons Unknown” (The Killers), “Do You Love Me” (Amanda Jenssen), “Nova Baby” (The Black Keys), “Skyfall” (Adele), “Roxanne” (The Police), “The Story” (Brandi Carlile), and “Learn to Fly” (Foo Fighters).

Left to right, top to bottom Griffin Manos ’14; Briana Matthews ’14, Kevin Doten ’16, Lily Zhou ’14 Premal Faldu ’13; Amanda Mancuso ’14, Griffin Manos ’14 Julie Doten ’14, Clare Guerreiro ’14; Katie Madrak ’16.

theater enhancements

Several Suffield parents, led by Trustee Pat Moore and her husband Walter P’09, ’14 helped fundraise for upgrades to the Jeanice Seaverns Performing Arts Center.

The overarching goal was to enhance the acoustics of the space, and this was effectively achieved through the addition of acoustical sound panels, carpet, and a new seating arrangement that includes risers. The improvements make for a better experience in the theater for both performers and spectators. Pat Moore noted, “Our family and the others involved were pleased to help support these improvements, and this is a wonderful example of how parents can make an immediate and important impact at Suffield.”

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ar ts

spring play: august: osage county On April 18,19, and 20, 13 Suffield students performed Tracy Letts’ play, August: Osage County. Centered around the dysfunctional Weston family, the drama is set in Oklahoma and examines the intricacies and challenges of family dysfunction. Director Tom Dugan and assistant director Jay O’Brien ’13 led an impressive cast which included Amanda Baildon ’15, Jasmine Brooks ’14, Clare Guerreiro ’14, Piper Holliday ’15, Jay Hutzler ’16, Mikhail Kozak ’13, Harrison Moore ’14, Jay O’Brien ’13, Jesse Phillips ’15, Michael Simmons ’13, Caroline Skofterud-Nilsen ’14, Denny Smythe ’14, and first-time actress Anna Strzempko ’13, who starred as the Weston family’s eldest daughter, Barbara Fordham. Shanelle Watson ’16 wrote a compelling review in the May 2013 issue of the Suffield Bell noting that “the hard work of the cast, crew, and directors created an enormously successful production.” On all three nights, the cast received a standing ovation for their impressive adaptation of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning play.

Left to right, top to bottom Clare Guerreiro ’14, Mikhail Kozak ’13, Jasmine Brooks ’14, Anna Strzempko ’13, Denny Smythe ’14, and Jay O’Brien ’13, Cast & Crew of August: Osage County, Anna Strzempko ’13, Harrison Moore ’13 and Jasmine Brooks ’14.

The Art of Resilience Each year, Suffield selects a school theme with the goals of offering the community a shared intellectual experience and the chance to examine some of the important issues of our time. This year’s theme was resilience. In addition to chapel speakers who spoke to the school theme (including Garth Stein, author of the community text The Art of Racing in the Rain), resilience was explored through coursework and the school’s film and discussion series. Many faculty members found ways to further investigate the theme of resilience in their classes to help students study the topic on a personal level.

Faculty member Melinda Fuller, for instance, encouraged Art I students to express their interpretation of resilience through a series of art projects. The class watched the documentary Exit Through the Craft Shop—which chronicles the controversial art of underground graffiti—and discussed art as a form of political and social commentary. “Students were motivated by the philosophy that art can take many forms and that it’s for everyone,” explained Melinda. The class then dressed in disguise, as the street artists do, and created their own “street art” on faux brick walls the students made out of cardboard. The final product allowed students to learn that nontraditional art can inspire and even serve as a form of resilience.

A second project involved choosing visual representations of resilience. “Once the pieces were chosen, students created pointillistic mosaics. The mosaics gave students the opportunity to further explore how the theme relates to them,” said Melinda. “They wrote reflective pieces that allowed them to connect their work with their thoughts about the topic.”

On the following page, students reflect on the theme of resilience in their artwork.

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“I chose to do a portrait of Gandhi for my piece on resilience. He worked very hard for his cause and never gave up. He showed great resilience, never abandoned his dream, and did it in a non-violent way.” -David Johnston ’15

“My collage shows a beautiful flower growing in a desert. It represents resilience by flourising in a space where no other plants grew. The journey was most likely very long and full of obstacles like the lack of water. If you work hard enough, you can accomplish anything.”

-Brad Gibson ’15

“Resilience is being able to recover from difficulties. In my project, the spider web is spun precisely and perfectly on two thin branches. The spider had to spin its web for food in a challenging place. I used pieces of green and purple paper to create a mosaic-looking background, and real branches and white string with shimmer in it to create a more realistic look for the spider web.”

-Meg Williams ’16

5fact s fast

R R R

SUFFIELD’S ANNUAL FUND YEAR ENDS JUNE 30, 2013.

R

THE ANNUAL FUND ACCOUNTS FOR NEARLY 10% OF THE SCHOOL’S OPERATING BUDGET.

92% OF THE CLASS OF 2013 DONATED TO THE ANNUAL FUND. THE SIZE OF GIFTS MAY VARY, BUT EACH GIFT COUNTS THE SAME FOR PARTICIPATION.

2004 - 2012 PARENT ANNUAL FUND PARTICIPATION 93%

58%

ALUMNI ANNUAL FUND PARTICIPATION 40%

17% ANNUAL FUND DOLLARS RAISED $2,134,014

$1,172,429

building on tradition

by Director of Development Phil Riegel ‘87

It is a great honor for my family and me to live on Suffield Academy’s campus in the Gay Manse. Few people will ever have the opportunity to inhabit a home built in 1742. The thought of a structure enduring for 271 years stretches the imagination of our fast paced, disposable society. By the time Suffield Academy came to be (initially named the Connecticut Literary Institute) in 1833, the Gay Manse was almost 100 years old. In fact, the first classes that were held for our venerable institution took place in this home.

Eight years ago Suffield began a renovation project on the Gay Manse and replaced all 46 windows with custom made replicas, repaired the main structural beam of the home, put supports in the attic to bring the house back in true, and rebuilt a significant portion of the chimney. This spring, we continue our work to save this historic home by removing all the siding and molding that was rotting and replacing it with cedar that matches the materials used when the home was first constructed, in accordance with the town historical society.

As the current resident (in a long line of legendary faculty members), having a front seat to this project has been fascinating and educational. It has also made me reflect on Suffield Academy as a whole and the current position of this special school. I feel that a renovation project was started at Suffield Academy with the hiring of Headmaster David Holmes ’60 and continues on in earnest today under the leadership of Charlie Cahn.

Over the last two decades, the Suffield campus has been transformed. We have invested in what makes us stronger in our physical plant and endowment and what makes us unique via the laptop initiative, the Leadership Program, and area studies curriculum. We have added, or significantly renovated, 18 buildings on campus, (including the current work on the Holcomb Science Building, Tisch Field House, Rockwell Hall, and a massive pool renovation), while keeping the student body to 410. This has dramatically improved the experience of the Suffield student.

There is a sense of pride that comes from honoring and protecting the past—like our work on the Gay Manse. But it is just as important to move the school forward with new ideas, innovative programs, and a state-of-the-art campus.

So where am I going with this article? I want the Suffield family to be a part of the attention and care that is being paid to this institution. Take pride in it.

Major funding for buildings and endowment are exciting for the community and move the school forward, but it is your gift in the Annual Fund year after year that keeps Suffield strong. It is our “main structural beam.” The number one way to support Suffield is through a yearly gift to the Annual Fund. Over the past eight years, participation in the Annual Fund by alumni and parents has increased dramatically. It has become tradition.

The Annual Fund closes on June 30, 2013. If you have yet to make a gift to Suffield, please join me in doing so. If you have already made your Annual Fund donation this year, thank you.

The Suffield story is still being told, and it’s better than ever.

Spring 2013 | 53

Green School Alliance

On April 15, Suffield Academy co-sponsored the New England Independent School Sustainability Conference with Loomis Chaffee School and the Green School Alliance. The conference took place at Loomis and consisted of workshops related to energy-saving solutions, ways to integrate sustainability into the curriculum, and solutions for funding green initiatives. Suffield’s sustainability coordinator and Green Classroom Professional, Ron Schildge, organized the event with Loomis’ Jeff Dyreson.

Five Suffield students attended the conference: Denny Smythe ’14, Peter Eckhardt ’16, Jono Nelson ’14, Charlotte Hinrichs ’14, and Neelam Mahtani ’14. In addition, Bozhou Luo ’13 and Nick Brown ’13 presented in an afternoon session about project-based learning. Suffield’s Assistant Academic Dean Nick Zanussi also presented; using Suffield’s greenhouse as an example, his workshop “Weaving Greenhouses into the Curriculum” covered the different ways a school greenhouse can be built and maintained. www.greenschoolsalliance.org

ONE ON ONE

TANYA ANDRYSIAK / PAUL CAGINALP / EMILY BALABAN-GARBER / JONATHAN EDWARDS

EMILY

BALABAN-GARBER LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT B.A. BOWDOIN COLLEGE

What influenced you to work at a private school, and why Suffield Academy in particular?

I was attracted to the idea of a private school because of the intimate setting. As a student at a small high school and college, I enjoyed the experience of working with teachers who genuinely understood who I was and how I learned. Private schools were appealing because of the small class sizes and opportunities to get to know students outside of the classroom. I was specifically drawn to Suffield because I connected to the school’s mission and close focus on measuring the progress of each individual; Suffield doesn’t try to fit students into a mold but encourages each student to be their best self and focus on personal growth.

From your perspective, what makes the Suffield Academy education and experience special?

This is the most supportive group of people I have ever worked with. All of the faculty, staff, and students are always willing to help out a fellow member of the Suffield community. This winter, with two feet of snow covering campus, an abundance of students and faculty could be seen shoveling sidewalks and clearing out cars, helping the maintenance crew get everyone back to normal as quickly as possible. The community goes beyond the classroom, and it is clear that Suffield is home to a group of people who truly care about one another.

How did your previous educational background or work experience lead you to Suffield?

I think teaching has always been my first choice career, subconsciously. I didn’t know this at the time, but I remember sitting in some high school classes thinking to myself, “When I’m a teacher I’ll never do this!” or “When I’m a teacher, I really want to be like him/her.” My Bowdoin professors were a big inspiration for me; their dedication and commitment to students really impressed me. In the spring of my senior year, I attended an information session with an agency that matches recent graduates with independent schools. Three of my grandparents were teachers, so I figured it might be in my blood and gave it a shot. At the time, I honestly thought that I would give it a couple of years and then find something else to do. But, as fate would have it, I fell in love with teaching and can’t imagine myself doing anything else.

What is your history at Suffield? What courses and departments have you taught in, and how would you describe your teaching style/philosophy?

I teach in the languages department and have taught Spanish I, II, and III at Suffield. My approach to teaching Spanish is that there are many different components to learning a language, and I try to help each student find their strength; some students are great at writing essays, while others excel at oral expression or simply memorizing vocabulary. Because learning a language can take students far from their comfort zone, I try to create a classroom environment that allows everyone to feel comfortable trying something new. I encourage students to make mistakes rather than avoid them because I believe that the best teaching moments come from common mistakes.

Tell us something we don’t know about you. What are some of your hobbies, and what do you like to do outside of the classroom?

In addition to Spanish, I speak French, so one of my favorite hobbies is helping French students with their homework (whether they need it or not!). I love to travel, but I prefer to go to places I’ve already been so I can avoid acting like a tourist. I read anything I can get my hands on and read every day, even if it’s just for five minutes. I also have a nine-month-old chocolate lab named Oliver, whose exercise, feeding, and training occupy most of my free time.

56 | www.suffieldacademy.org

PAUL

CAGINALP SCIENCE DEPARTMENT B.A. COLGATE UNIVERSITY M.A. BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY

What influenced you to work at a private school, and why Suffield Academy in particular?

As part of my undergraduate education, I got a certificate to teach in the state of New York. Part of that process was student teaching. While I was student teaching, I felt conflicted between teaching for a test that I didn’t believe in (the New York State Regents Chemistry Test) and teaching students to use chemistry in their lives. I realized that I couldn’t be happy as a chemistry teacher if I had to teach the breadth of chemistry information with no depth or meaning in the curriculum. That choice led me to independent schools. Suffield Academy was one of the first schools that I interviewed at, and it felt right. The community was small and inclusive. The campus was beautiful. It was easy to call Suffield home.

From your perspective, what makes the Suffield Academy education and experience special?

The Suffield education is special because of the connections forged between students and the connections students form with teachers. Suffield Academy has genuinely nice students. They all seem to magically get along, and any student can feel comfortable at a lunch or dinner table with any other student. Our students care about each other, and they build relationships that cherish each other’s differences. Students also build great ties with faculty. As another graduation is pending, perhaps the best example of the fondness that faculty and students share for each other is reflected after the Baccalaureate ceremony. Affectionately referred to as the “Hug and Cry line,” this is a chance for the teachers and seniors to say good-bye to each other. It is a truly special Suffield tradition, which shows the depth of commitment and friendship that students and faculty feel for each other.

How did your previous educational background or work experience lead you to Suffield?

Since I was in the fourth grade I knew I wanted to be a teacher. All my life I’ve prepared for this job through summer camps, lab teaching assistantships, and student teaching. I never really expected to work in a private school, but I am glad to be here today. I enjoy getting to know my students in the dorm, in sports, and in the classroom. We always get to see the best side of our students, no matter where they shine.

What is your history at Suffield? What courses and departments have you taught in, and how would you describe your teaching style/philosophy?

I am lucky to have the most stable course assignments in the science department. I have taught three chemistry sections, and one honors chemistry section since I arrived seven years ago. I taught one elective for a term, “The Science of Art,” which was a fun diversion. Having the same courses each year granted me a great amount of material for reflection and revision of my craft. While the course titles have remained stable, the course I teach today is very different from the one I taught in my first year. I have moved towards a more active style of teaching, where students produce information instead of simply consuming it. Students need to learn how to spin information, unspin information, and they need to know when to do both. The chemistry class uses the scientific method as a basis for how to unspin information, while learning to communicate scientific information in an effective manner.

Tell us something we don’t know about you. What are some of your hobbies, and what do you like to do outside of the classroom?

Outside of school, I take Tai Chi lessons, which I started to learn back in college. I learned from a teacher in Syracuse while I was at Colgate, and I found a local teacher in West Springfield, Massachusetts, to carry on my instruction here. I find that the Tai Chi lesson once a week is a good way to slow down from the race of the academic year. It is a purely selfish three hours, and I take that time very seriously. It helps me recharge. I also enjoy skeet shooting as a hobby. I learned to shoot recently from my father-in-law, and I love to get out into the field on a nice day.

Spring 2013 | 57

TANYA

ANDRYSIAK CHAIR, ENGLISH DEPARTMENT B.A. WELLESLEY COLLEGE M.A.T. BOSTON UNIVERSITY What influenced you to work at a private school, and why Suffield Academy in particular?

I have always loved curriculum development and educational policy. Though I began working in a public school and my intention was to stay in the public sector, a certification is required to move into any administrative role. Private schools are not bound by this, and in my view they benefit from not adding this hurdle. So I was able to pursue my interests through my experience, rather than through yet another costly and time-intensive program. I came to Suffield as the assistant academic dean after working at a small all-girls day school in Boston as the dean of student and faculty programs, and as the English department chair. Frankly, I needed to move forward in my career, and living in Boston had become prohibitively expensive on a day-school salary. After an extensive search, I decided to come to Suffield. I was impressed by Charlie Cahn’s insistence that the school keep its enrollment relatively small, and that it would always have students with a variety of academic backgrounds and goals. I liked that there was a commitment to keep the student body diverse in a variety of ways and that students of all abilities were supported and encouraged—the “distance traveled” theme really resonated, and it still does to this day.

From your perspective, what makes the Suffield Academy education and experience special?

In addition to what I stated previously, I think the small community makes a big difference. Suffield faculty really get to know the student body because of the many roles that we have. No one is anonymous. I can catch up with a student after dinner, or I can be at the same lunch table as a girl in my dorm. Being part of a community requires patience, manners, and forgiveness, as well as awareness of the impact we all have on each other. This is a great thing to become conscious of in adolescence, since our students will go on to live in communities in college, and they will need to work with each other when they enter the professional world. Also, I’ve found that I can be a more effective teacher when I know my students well, and the students are more comfortable asking questions and expressing ideas when they know me. I can tailor lessons to the individuals in front of me. I change the way I teach things every year because I have a new group of students with different needs and interests.

58 | www.suffieldacademy.org

How did your previous educational background or work experience lead you to Suffield?

Andre Dubus III, the author of The House of Sand and Fog, was recently speaking at the Kent Memorial Library in Suffield. He said we can all list the résumé or life events that eventually led us to where we are, but what is really interesting is to consider, “How did I get here?” The funny thing is that I never planned on being a teacher, but in college I did complete a thesis on trends in women’s education. Once I graduated, I found myself volunteering to teach immigrants how to read in English and recording textbooks for students who were blind. I had very strong opinions about how education should be, and I was happy to express how everyone could be better. However, like many young people, I had much to say with little experience to back it up. I entered a combined English Master’s and teaching certification program at Boston University, then taught for three years at a public school north of Boston. Teaching 150 students each day and having 18 minutes to eat lunch gave me a very different perspective on educational theory. I really honed my skills and developed my educational policy ideas when I worked in Ecuador for two years, and then started an inner-city charter school in Boston. I could not relate, personally, to the experiences of the Ecuadorian or charter school students, unlike the students in Massachusetts. Little personal anecdotes or proximity in age was not an effective way to reach them. All of my educational theories were tested when I was starting a school, and all of my skills were put to the test when I realized I had no idea how to teach the level of student we enrolled. As the result of working at five different schools—public, private, international, and boarding—I’ve been able to see effective teaching and effective managing, as well as very ineffective practices. Because I am passionate about creating the best possible environment for teaching and learning, I use all of the experiences I have had to do the best work I can. Some days I am a better teacher than other days, but I value the opportunities I have at Suffield to further my own education, get to know students, and have all the materials I need to teach well.

What is your history at Suffield? What courses and departments have you taught in, and how would you describe your teaching style/philosophy?

I began as the assistant academic dean in 2005. While working in the Academic Office, I managed the course loads of our ninth and tenth grade students. I worked

on educational technology initiatives and the advisor program. After five years in that role, I moved back to full-time teaching. I have been the chair of the English department for three years and have been teaching a survey course in religion since I arrived (which recently became a full-year honors course). I’m gratified that some of my former religion students have gone on to study religions in college. It makes me feel that I have helped open their minds. If I can ignite curiosity and engender appreciation for a text or an idea, I have succeeded. Facts come and go, but if a student leaves my classroom remembering they loved a book or at least were no longer threatened by reading and writing, I have succeeded. I believe students learn best when they feel I want them to succeed and I like them. I believe in coaching them, not controlling them. And honestly, if I haven’t laughed throughout the day, I need to lighten up.

Tell us something we don’t know about you.

What are some of your hobbies, and what do you like to do outside of the classroom?

I love being outdoors. When I was in college, I was inspired by Edward Abbey to go work for the Park Service, and I spent a summer in Idaho as a park ranger and a fire fighter. He probably would have turned over in his unmarked grave if he knew Desert Solitaire had led me to answer the same inane questions hundreds of times—for example, “How long is the eight-mile loop?” Since then, I’ve continued to work outdoors (and camp with more than plastic and a governmentissued sleeping bag) in my own way. I’ve had the opportunity to help dissect a beached whale. Their tongues are gigantic and they smell worse that anything I could have imagined. I work on a garden in New Hampshire, and I am slowly helping resurrect the faculty community garden on campus. For March break, I worked with Habitat for Humanity clearing space and laying a foundation for a small house. As much as I love the students and my job, I’m really looking forward to working outside again this summer.

I am also currently enrolled in a graduate program at Hartford Seminary. While I can only take a few classes a year because of the Suffield schedule, the plan is to complete a master’s degree in theology and ethics. It’s really an incredible program with people of all faiths from all over the world—I love being there.

JONATHAN EDWARDS

MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT B.A. TRINITY COLLEGE M.A. TRINITY COLLEGE What influenced you to work at a private school, and why Suffield Academy in particular?

Teaching, as a profession, is something I fell into but have loved it ever since I started in the summer of 1994.

As a teacher, I am not stuck behind a desk analyzing data or crunching numbers; I thrive in the routine and enjoy being able to do something different every hour or so. The material being taught may be the same, but every class is different…from day to day and from year to year. After being in the classroom for the day, I get to head outside to coach. I loved sports: growing up and playing them after school became a routine for me: wake up, go to school, spend time in the classroom, head out to practice, head home, eat dinner, do some work, go to bed. I have been doing it professionally for 19 years now and it never gets old, as each day is different. As for working for Suffield Academy, it was the right school at the right time. I was looking to return to the Hartford area, a place where I grew up and went to college. I applied for a job the year before, but the right opening was not available. The following year, in 2004, a position in the math department became available and it has been a great place to work.

From your perspective, what makes the Suffield Academy education and experience special?

Suffield Academy is a diverse place. People from all backgrounds come here and thrive. The academics are rigorous, but the final grade is not the only goal. Rather, it is the desire to learn the material and understand what mistakes were made and how to not make the same mistake again in the future. The same could be said about the education Suffield students get outside of the classroom.

Learning how to work as a team on the sports field or being able to learn to live with others in a dormitory— these are crucial to many aspects of life that students will encounter in their future. What makes Suffield special is the strong sense of community and focus on these necessary life skills. Each person has their own history, shaped by their own experiences, and we grow and learn from them as we share their teachings with those around us.

How did your previous educational background or work experience lead you to Suffield?

I majored in art history at Trinity College, a far cry from Algebra II or geometry. At my first teaching job, I taught a little bit of everything, from Art History to U.S. History to English. It wasn’t until I got a teaching job at Hyde School in Woodstock, Connecticut, that I became a math teacher. I had taught a few sections of math at my previous school, but this is where I first taught Algebra II. I was not a mathematician by trade and thus did not focus too much on the vocabulary associated with certain topics. I used language that the students understood and that did not intimidate them. I coined and invented some of the “Edwardism’s” that I still use today. For example, ”a house under a bridge” is a radical in the denominator, or “Barbells” and “Airplane Wings” are conjunctions and disjunctions, respectively. Others I pick up from current and former students. As a teacher, I think it is important to continually grow and evolve. Some of my movie quotes are getting a bit outdated, but this fall, Taylor Swift’s hit “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” was very helpful in helping students understand that one can never ever divide by zero. Sing it…trust me, it’s catchy.

What is your history at Suffield? What courses and departments have you taught in, and how would you describe your teaching style/ philosophy?

I arrived at Suffield in the fall of 2004 and have been a mathematics teacher during my entire tenure. I have taught Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Algebra II Honors, and Pre-Calculus. Outside of the classroom, I have coached Tiger A soccer, girls’ and boys’ JV squash, and boys’ varsity lacrosse. As a teacher, I try and eliminate the “fear” of math. For many, mathematics is not their favorite subject. It can appear scary with new symbols, confusing formulas, troublesome definitions, and finite answers. There is no real way you can make up an answer. You must show your work, and you either know how to do it or you don’t. It is pretty black and white. Eliminating some of the fear and confusion allows students to build confidence.

Overcoming fears is important. I encourage students to go to the board each day and demonstrate their skills

at solving problems by redoing one of the problems that they did for homework the night before. It does not matter if the work is correct or not, it is more about going to the board and showing what you know. If you get it right, your confidence grows. If you get it wrong, hopefully you figure out where the error was made and you won’t make it again in the future. The biggest gain, though, is being in front of your classmates and performing. I understand that for a 15-year-old this can be intimidating. You don’t want to be wrong in front of your friends, but if you can be comfortable taking that risk, then it will become second nature to you, and the bigger risks in life may not appear so challenging.

In the grand scheme of things, making a mistake in front of 12 people you see everyday is no big deal.

I also try to make the classroom fun: cracking corny jokes, quoting random movies, poking fun at myself, odd sayings to help students remember things. The material I teach has not changed much in the nine years that I have been here, but the people have, and that is what makes the classes run. Engaged and active learners tend to do better, and we have those at Suffield.

They focus more and tend to grasp the material more easily. For them, the time goes by faster as well, and what they expected was going to be a long, drawn out lecture about rational expressions or graphing quadratics (parabolas) in fact flies by quickly. Students in my classes know what the boundaries are and know when we can be lighthearted and when we need to buckle down and really focus.

Tell us something we don’t know about you.

What are some of your hobbies, and what do you like to do outside of the classroom?

I spend most of my time away from Suffield with my wife Allison, our daughter Hadley, and our son Oliver.

Summer days are usually spent playing golf or traveling to the beach or the pool to swim or relax. Attempting to grow a garden that actually produces some vegetables is on the agenda for this coming summer, as well as a trip to Mount Desert Island to visit my parents. I also continue to dream of the return of my beloved Hartford Whalers, the professional sports franchise I spent my childhood supporting.

Spring 2013 | 59

EARTH day

Recycled glass vases and celebrated growth of daffodils

Worked on Oxen Hill organic farm preparing soil recipes, and planted squash and tomato seeds

Cleaned up and restored outdoor volleyball court on campus

Prepared beds at community garden and planted seeds

CHILL ON THE HILL On May 5, Suffield Academy held its annual Chill on the Hill event. Students participated in fun-filled activities including an obstacle course, bungee trampolines, inflatable jousting, powder puff football games, and airbrush tattoos. Several Leadership classes also sponsored booths to help raise money for charity. Students enjoyed a barbeque on the terrace and live music by a Boston band, Cahill. Once again, Chill on the Hill was a wonderful opportunity for the Suffield community to unwind as they prepared for the final stretch of the 2012-2013 academic year.

LEGACY PROFILE THE FERNÁNDEZ FAMILY

Leopoldo Fernández Pujals enrolled at Suffield in 1963, the year his father arrived at the school to teach Spanish. His dad, Genaro Fernández Centurión, taught here from 1963 to 1973. Leo has had a remarkable professional career, leading TelePizza and now Jazztel, a top telecommunications and data transmission carrier. A son of Leo’s named Carlos Centurión was a member of the Suffield Class of 1997. Leo and his wife, Marilina Fernández Vílchez, have three sons and they are all part of the Suffield Academy family. Alberto graduated in the Class of 2012, Andrés was a member of this year’s graduating class, and Alfonso is in the Class of 2015. SUFFIELD learned more about the common bonds these four family members share with their relationship to the Academy.

WHAT ARE YOUR MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES AT SUFFIELD? Leopoldo: We left Cuba in 1960 after my family lost everything. In 1961, there was the Bay of Pigs fiasco, and in 1962 The Cuban Missile Crisis. After that showdown, we knew Cuba was not going to be free for quite a while. To prepare for a long diaspora, my father, Genaro Fernández Centurión, who had a private law practice in Cuba, decided to become a Spanish professor to help maintain the family. After interviewing with Appleton Seaverns, my father accepted the position in the languages department at Suffield in 1963. I came along as part of the package for my senior year. My memorable experience was the sacrifice that my father made for his children, and in his honor Centurión Hall exists!

Andrés: There are two experiences that always stand out in my Suffield career: Sunday brunches and the varsity golf road trips to away matches. Every Sunday the 2013 class reunited at 10:00 a.m. for brunch, and we shared captivating stories and loved each other’s company. I will never get tired of hearing Hat’s many tales and trying to pound chicken nuggets from McDonalds on the way back to campus from our varsity golf road trips.

Alfonso: My most memorable experiences at Suffield have been funny moments in the dorm. I have also had two memorable soccer seasons, one in which we almost went undefeated.

Alberto: My favorite moments were playing and rehearsing for Guitar Shows and spending a lot of my time practicing instruments in the music center. It was convenient because it was open most of the time. Being able to work on stage crew was also a nice experience. Working as a team to build a play set and then run the behind the scenes action helped me get a sense of how live acts are carried out in reality. It was also just fun to be able to do this with the friends I made on stage crew.

HOW HAS SUFFIELD INFLUENCED YOU IN POSITIVE WAYS? Leopoldo: I guess Suffield instilled in me a sense of “giving back.” After only one year as a student at Suffield, four of my children who have studied here for four years are the ones who have been influenced the most. I was asked as an alumni and as a parent of Carlos Centurión ’97 to contribute to Suffield. In addition to “Centuriòn Hall,” I helped found and fund the initial two years of the Leadership Program and also the current Alumni Legacy initiative a decade ago.

Andrés: Of the schools I have attended, there is no doubt that my best experiences came at Suffield Academy. Every day the students and the faculty create a cheerful and upbeat environment. Also, Suffield taught me how to be independent and how to develop a good work ethic.

62 | www.suffieldacademy.org

Leopoldo Fernández Pujals enrolled at Suffield in 1963, the year his father arrived at the school to teach Spanish. His dad, Genaro Fernández Centurión, taught here from 1963 to 1973. Leo has had a remarkable professional career, leading TelePizza and now Jazztel, a top telecommunications and data transmission carrier. A son of Leo’s named Carlos Centurión was a member of the Suffield Class of 1997. Leo and his wife, Marilina Fernández Vílchez, have three sons and they are all part of the Suffield Academy family.

Alberto graduated in the Class of 2012, Andrés was a member of this year’s graduating class, and Alfonso is in the Class of 2015. SUFFIELD learned more about the common bonds these four family members share with their relationship to the Academy.

WHAT ARE YOUR MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES AT SUFFIELD? Leopoldo: We left Cuba in 1960 after my family lost everything. In 1961, there was the Bay of Pigs fiasco, and in 1962 The Cuban Missile Crisis. After that showdown, we knew Cuba was not going to be free for quite a while. To prepare for a long diaspora, my father, Genaro Fernández Centurión, who had a private law practice in Cuba, decided to become a Spanish professor to help maintain the family. After interviewing with Appleton Seaverns, my father accepted the position in the languages department at Suffield in 1963. I came along as part of the package for my senior year. My memorable experience was the sacrifice that my father made for his children, and in his honor Centurión Hall exists!

Andrés: There are two experiences that always stand out in my Suffield career: Sunday brunches and the varsity golf road trips to away matches. Every Sunday the 2013 class reunited at 10:00 a.m. for brunch, and we shared captivating stories and loved each other’s company. I will never get tired of hearing Hat’s many tales and trying to pound chicken nuggets from Spring 2013 | 63

ALUMS IN MARK W. TEED ’75

ALLEN LEFFERTS ’72

Joins Raymond James

Adding Some Spice to Traditional Favorites

Suffield alum Mark Teed ‘75, a resident of Longmeadow, Massachusetts, was recently named Senior Vice President at Teed Capital Management of Raymond James. After Suffield, Mark earned a Bachelor of Science from Springfield College.

Allen Lefferts ’72 is the chef at the Longmeadow Adult Center, where his culinary talents are well known. He is an artist when he designs a plate of food and a gourmand when he plans the menu.

Mark started his career at A.G. Edwards & Sons and saw the company transition into Wachovia and later Wells Fargo & Company. He has spent the last 25 years in investment management and was the Senior Vice President at Wells Fargo Advisors until 2012.

Mark is also a registered broker in 23 states and television news commentator on investment and market trends.

ERICA WYNN ’10 Trailblazing Towards Healthier Living

Erica Wynn is part of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). She was introduced to the NOLS community through Girltrek—a non-profit organization that encourages black women and girls to kick start healthy lives. Girltrek is a part of the NOLS Gateway Partner program, which is NOLS’ attempt to reach out to under-served communities by partnering with organizations that work with them and providing members of those organizations full scholarships to NOLS courses.

In an effort to make history and increase diversity in the outdoors, the team has organized the first all-African American team to attempt to summit Mount McKinley (known by its Inuit name, Denali), which is the tallest standing mountain in North America.

This project, titled “Expedition Denali,” doesn’t just entail the summit attempt but also will engage in many outreach events during and after the summit. For example, “10,000 steps to Denali” is a NOLS event that encourages organizations that serve diverse communities to walk 10,000 steps (about five miles) on the day they attempt the summit. 10,000 steps is roughly how far the team will travel on the rigorous trail that day. After the summit, the team plans to tour schools, colleges, and communities across the country to talk about their experience and encourage others to seek outdoor opportunities.

The goal of “Expedition Denali” is to make history by climbing the mountain, but also look to create a strong African-American presence in the field. The project will also serve as an example for youth of color and inspire them to reach beyond their boundaries. NOLS hopes to make a full-length feature documentary film of the expedition. Please visit their page for the film and watch the sizzle reel at: http://tinyurl.com/wynn10.

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He adds flair to traditional favorites, which draw crowds daily. Special meals sell out in the first few days of every month. On an average day, he produces over 100 meals for the dining room and takes lead for the Meals on Wheels program. Allen knows he does not do it alone and gives credit to his assistant chefs and volunteers who help him deliver food to tables and homes.

Allen moved to Springfield, Massachusetts from New Jersey as a young child. He grew up in Forest Park in Springfield, and attended Suffield Academy. Following his time at Suffield, he enrolled at Keene State for a year but never truly found his niche. He was then invited to Long Island by a friend and found his love for the kitchen and creating delicious meals.

After working in the kitchen at different schools, and other businesses, Allen finally found his place at the Adult Center in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. http://tinyurl.com/lefferts72

EVAN MCGLINN ’75 Photojournalist for The New York Times

Evan joined The New York Times as a freelance photographer in 2010. One of his most recent photographs was featured on the front page of the May 3, 2013 issue, showing a woman covered in black exiting her Cambridge apartment. The woman, Katherine Russell, is also known as the widow of Tamerlan Tsarnev. In his blog, Evan writes, “It goes to show why I never delete a photo. I didn’t know who she was at this point in the story...It wasn’t until I photographed a mosque in Dorcester for a profile of her that I realized it was her that day.”

In addition to The New York Times, Evan’s work has appeared in many publications including The Boston Globe, Forbes, Rolling Stone, Men’s Journal, and Town & County. He is also a contributing editor for Departures magazine. www.evanmcglinn.com

THE NEWS MICHELLE KAMINSKY ’84

Author: Reflections of a Domestic Violence Prosecutor: Suggestions for Reform

A graduate of the Class of 1984, Michelle recently published a book about her experiences prosecuting domestic violence cases titled Reflections of a Domestic Violence Prosecutor: Suggestions for Reform. She uses 11 compelling cases she prosecuted to highlight the legal dilemmas battered women face in the criminal justice system, and she offers a number of reforms for legislatures, prosecutors, the judiciary, the media, and educators. Her book is available at http://tinyurl.com/kaminsky84

WILL BOYLE ’10 Hard Work Paying Off

The Statesmen Athletic Association and the Hobart Athletics department recognized four members of the Statesmen squash team at the annual Block H. Awards Dinner on April 22, 2013.

Suffield alum, Will Boyle ’10 was one of the four student-athletes honored, and received the Most Improved Player Award.

Will started 23 matches this season. He went from playing at Nos. 5-7 last season, to playing 14 of his matches this year at the No. 1 spot. Facing the stiffest competition each team had to offer, he logged victories at No. 1 against the Terriers and the Raiders. Boyle also posted a 4-5 record at the No. 2 spot. He was tabbed the Liberty League Performer of the Week once this year.

BRIELL SMITH ’12 Roanoke College Athlete of the Week

Briell, a freshman from Locust Valley, New York, earned her first ODAC Women’s Tennis Player of the Week honor. She picked up two singles victories and one doubles win. On April 16, Briell won a singles match over #20 Bridgwater College’s Brittany Wilson 6-1; 6-1. In the ODAC Quarterfinals, she was part of two matches in the Maroons 5-0 win over Randolph College.

She won in singles 6-3; 6-0 and doubles 8-2. Smith holds an 8-0 record in singles matches against ODAC opponents (courtesy of Roanoke Athletic department).

SAM STONE ’09

A Diplomat Leaving His Mark Sam Stone ’09 was awarded the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Sportsmanship Award at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

The Sportsmanship Award is bestowed upon a male and female athlete who have demonstrated consistent good sportsmanship and ethical behavior in his/her daily participation in intercollegiate athletics.

He/she must also have demonstrated good citizenship outside of an athletic competition setting and be in good academic standing. Sam was a part of the tennis team for the Diplomats, and recently graduated from Franklin & Marshall in May, where he majored in government and minored in Spanish.

ALISON CAREY ’02

Carey Careers: Helping Tomorrow’s Professionals Develop the Tools Alison is a career-coaching specialist with over seven years of experience helping people make decisions at every stage of their careers. Originally from Rocky Hill, Connecticut, she currently resides in New York City. In 2006, she received a B.S. in Business Management from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. After graduation, Alison spent time doing on campus recruiting for a publishing company, where she advised students on career paths and ran seminars on resume writing and successful job searches. She then moved to agency recruiting, where she worked with experienced professionals, helping them find positions across various industries.

Recently, Alison decided to take her expertise to the next level and founded Carey Careers. She looks to help people develop the tools they need to find the right career path for them. For more information, please visit: www.careycareercoaching.com

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archives from the

Help us identify the alumni in the photographs from our archives! Please contact Suffield Academy’s Director of Archives Laurie Cleary at lcleary@suffieldacademy.org with any information.

Can you tell us about this cap? Any idea what the initials ESA stand for?

Class of 1988

CLASS NOTES

1951

1956

CLASS AGENT Sam Marks | samrks@aol.com

CLASS AGENT Bob Houghton | bobhoughton@bellsouth.net

RALPH COLE I am alive and well.

JON KLARFELD I remain director of online and print journalism at Boston University. One of the challenges is to steer fledgling journalists towards understanding that no matter what platform—paper or electronic—the requirements for a successful journalist are: skills in reporting, writing, and editing. One student did very well in this: Whitney Tuthill ’09, not only a star pitcher for BU softball, but most importantly, a fellow Suffield graduate.

1952 CHARLIE HERDMAN I recently went to a lacrosse game—Suffield vs. Cheshire Academy.

My grandson, Sean Herdman, plays for Cheshire. Life is good in sunny Florida. I enjoy my memories of my days at Suffield. They helped me prepare for my future life.

1953 DICK LANDERS I’m retired from the State of Connecticut Highway Department of Surveys and Plans after 35 years; I did 20 years of private surveying.

I have three boys: one is a software engineer and two are carpenters.

I retired from work at the age of 71 and now play tennis three times a week.

Former Trustee Jack Billhardt P’77, Trustee Emeritus Sam Fuller ’41, and Headmaster Charlie Cahn Spring 2013 | 67

1958 CLASS AGENT Mike Sheridan | mfsllamas@gmail.com BRUCE GLASS I am very busy with my senior care consulting business. I am hoping to visit Greenland this summer.

HUNTER BROWN ’60

By Carolyn Hartman The photography of Hunter Brown ’60 was exhibited at the Stairwell Gallery in the Gunn Memorial Library in Washington, Connecticut from May 4 to June 8.

Using a Leica M-9P digital rangefinder camera, this world traveler captures the color and customs of all the places he visits. His previous exhibit in the Stairwell Gallery followed a to India. The images in the current show are from a three-week tour that included Cairo and scenes from the southern part of the country taken during a boat trip along the Nile. Hunter writes of his work, “I try not to be a ‘postcard’ photographer, though I admit the temptation frequently arises. I see Egypt—anywhere for that matter—in terms of its people. I will leave the monuments to others.”

Hunter began to learn his way around cameras using a Brownie when he was a child. He was born and raised in Connecticut, and it was at Suffield that he learned how to develop his own film.

Graduating from Union College with a degree in International Relations, he served with the U.S. State Department’s Agency for International Development in Vietnam from 1966 to 1969. It was in Vietnam with his Minolta SLR that his creativity found new focus.

The atmosphere, surroundings, and people were natural inspiration.

Having access to a photo lab in Saigon, his artistic eye matured and he found that while his images were all encompassing, he gravitated to photographing humanity.

Mr. Brown has received many awards, is a member of the Camera Club of New York, and has his own darkroom at home. After working many years in the U.S. and abroad for a major New York bank and more recently with the Paley Center for Media in New York, he now resides with his wife in Washington Depot, Connecticut.

Permission received from Gunn Memorial Library and Museum to reprint.

DOUGLAS GREENE I have been giving serious thought to making it back to Suffield for my 55th Reunion. It will be a push as I have a college homecoming in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, on the weekend of October 24-26. My association with Southeast Missouri University has been very rewarding since the university honored me by naming the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in my honor a couple of years ago. I have been the driving force in developing the entrepreneurial programs at the university, and they now have an MBA, major, or minor degree in six of the seven schools within the university. In addition to spending my “retirement” years developing an entrepreneurship discipline in several other channels, I have launched a new company with a new product that you will be seeing nationally in late 2013 and 2014. The company is called Aqua Smart, Inc. featuring a single product, a wireless thermostat for electric hot water heaters. It retrofits onto existing electric hot water heaters and allows the homeowner to program the operation of their hot water heater seven days a week and put in an “away” or “vacation” setting with the press of a button. I developed the product relying on the Skytech remote control technology I developed when I invented the wireless remote control systems for gas fireplaces in the mid-1980s. Some of the same technology is found in the Aqua Smart product. I still have fond memories of my days at Suffield, and particularly Headmaster Appleton Seaverns, who allowed “free thinkers” like me (that’s what they called entrepreneurs then) to think outside the box while attending a prep school that had much stricter regulations on personal freedoms during that era.

Things are considerably different these days, and a coed institution was not even a consideration in the 1950s. It was some of the “rule bending” that Ap allowed which helped me to develop my entrepreneurial skills.

These skills later provided me the opportunity to develop my managerial skills in owning and developing, companies and products. I would love to share those adventures with the Suffield students, as I have done with the university students.

PAUL WILSON Hi all! It’s our 55th Reunion this year. It seems like we were just together getting up at midnight or 5 a.m. to spray the rink so we could practice.

I’ve retired from teaching, but I am still producing prints and paintings and finishing two documentary short films: one about a Philly painter and another about Native American high school students. I am still hiking and traveling. I also got my right hand fixed (arthritis) so I can ride a dirt bike again. If you’re going to be back at Suffield in October or if you’re coming through Philly, email me at pswilso@me.com. We can do dinner and be good Irish. Be well.

1961 CLASS AGENTS David Isaacson | david@ffr-mass.com Jerry Kargman | gkargman@gmail.com Mike Menzies | mgmenzies43@gmail.com THOMAS WEST Some Suffield folks may recall that I wrote a book called In the Mind’s Eye, which deals with the distinctive talents often found among dyslexics and how these talents fit nicely with many of the newest technology trends,

especially computer graphics information visualization technologies.

In recent months, I has been invited to speak on these topics at a conference in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, at the University of Trieste in Italy, at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California, and at a Director’s Colloquium for scientists and staff of NASA Ames Research Center (at Moffett Field in California’s Silicon Valley) for the Arts Dyslexia Trust. More recently, I spoke at a conference in Norwalk, Connecticut, on dyslexia and talent sponsored by the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation.

1963 CLASS AGENT Sandy Prouty | charles.prouty@gdit.com BOB HORNE Retirement is great! I still do suicide prevention training in New York State. Occasionally, I play recreational soccer with my son, but at 67, it hurts a bit. I enjoy sailing on Lake Champlain and gardening with my wife Pat. BILL JORDAN I have been retired for 11 years and have enjoyed catching lobsters recreationally until this year. I need new knees, which is probably a result of all those soccer goals I scored from 1959-1963 for Paul Sanderson.

to see the Beach Boys concert and spent some time with Peter Kinnear. It’s great to get together with old friends. Looking forward to our 50th Reunion.

1966 CLASS AGENTS Charlie Claggett | ceclaggett@gmail.com Bruce Fletcher | bfletcherdmd@gmail.com Chris Frost | frostchris@verizon.net DAVID CHASE So long, Rick Spetnagel. Raising a glass to the great Mason Nye. FRED DOEPKE (in memory of Rick Spetnagel) Although I only recently discovered the news that my friend of four years, and sophomore year roommate passed away on January 23, 2013, my memories are fresh and vivid as if no time had passed at all.

Rick was from Scarsdale then, and his family had a place on beautiful Lake Waramaug in the New Preston, Connecticut, area. Many wonderful times were shared in those places together. He was a fun, likable guy and some would say bigger than life. A jock who loved football and played varsity from freshman year on. Rick enjoyed life in all his endeavors. He was also a practical joker with a great sense of humor which he got from his close family.

1964 CLASS AGENT Tom Webster | twebster45@cox.net JACK BRUSO My son Jeff and his wife Jenny are heating up Facebook pages with a three-year-old and new twin girls. My son Jason’s first child is due in August. Sally and I have stepped up tennis and gym workouts to keep up with the grandkids. Looking forward to the 50th Reunion next year.

MARK LOETHER I am now fully retired from my long career as business manager in four very different Connecticut independent schools. It’s my first fall and early winter season in 41 years of not having to prepare an annual budget and no more worries about snow days. While I miss the interaction with young people, all the rest is gladly left behind.

Our house in Connecticut was put on the market in early February, and if good fortune smiles, my wife Amy and I will be in Asheville, North Carolina in May. Learning how to operate a floor buffer in what was then a brand new Brewster Hall dining room floor—and all the Leadership lessons that came with it—has stood the test of time for me.

Jeff McGowan ’75 and wife Gloria

1965 CLASS AGENTS Tim Hemingway | ttheming@comcast.net Bill Kelly | william.kelly@himco.com BUTCH FULLER Jenn (Mary Burnham) and I just celebrated our 47th anniversary this past May. We met on a blind date at a dance between our two schools. Larry Andre arranged the pairing. Thanks Larry! I have retired from working for other people and we are enjoying South Florida (Boca Raton) with our grandchildren. We also love traveling.

Jenn writes a blog on all of our trips, which can be found at www.travelingfuller.blogspot.com. We flew to Houston last year George W. Shepard ’69 sunflower photography Spring 2013 | 69

We are empty nesters as our three kids have flown the coop; Nate, Tess, and Haley are doing great things in the world. Warm regards to all of my Suffield family.

JOE SHAW I caught up with Mickey Ahearn at the Reunion last October and talked him into meeting me at Mt. Sunapee this winter. That boy can ski!

1973 CLASS AGENTS Jody Cranmore | jcranmore@cfmlawfirm.com Jim Knight | jimknight23@comcast.net RICHARD NICHOLSON I’m living in Lakeland, Florida, and restoring homes in our many historic districts. I am very involved with my church (Trinity Presbyterian) and have been working in Eastern European missions over the years.

JOHN WOODRUFF Continuing to focus on architectural photography and winning Lure coursing ribbons with our Pharaoh Hound “Juno.”

1974 Tor Peterson ’82 and Trustee Fred Powers ’83, P’14 at Suffield on Alumni Leadership Day

CLASS AGENTS Blair Childs | blair_childs@premierinc.com Bud Hancock | albert.hancock@inginvestment.com Tom Leonard | run26leon@cox.net

As our four years concluded, we went our separate ways to further our education, life experiences, and unfortunately, never spoke again.

Now, his memory reminds me of those early bonds that do, in some ways, last a lifetime and cause pause for recall of the good things we enjoyed together. At this 65th year of life when many of life’s trials come to an end and new adventures begin, it’s hard to think that Spet won’t be out there doing his bit any longer. RIP friend.

ROBERT COLE I have been busy these past few months with some interesting projects.

From my home studio, I worked on The Le-Brons, Season II for a production company in Santa Monica and also finished up work on a couple of 3D scenarios for foreign corporate clients. Quite a contrast in styles and content, but all-in-all much less demanding time-wise than my previous feature film work. My wife and I are looking forward to our visit to Istanbul later this year.

1969 CLASS AGENT Greg Putnam | serena3162@aol.com GEORGE W. SHEPARD My classmates might remember that I did a bit of photography back in 1969. Still enjoying it. I hope you liked the sunflowers from last year.

1972 CLASS AGENTS Chip Spear | charles.spear@navy.mil John Therriault | john.therriault@janostech.com BILL SCOTT All is well for the Scott clan; Nina (former Suffield Academy English faculty) and I are still working with our students at Andover. Nina teaches English to sophomores and seniors and serves as faculty advisor to the school newspaper. I will be the next Chair of the mathematics, statistics, and computer science department starting July 1. Of course I am still coaching soccer and will begin my 34th year as a prep school soccer coach. Hard to believe I’m still at it.

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1975 CLASS AGENTS Carey Fiertz | cfiertz@exportrisk.com Mark Teed | mark.teed@raymondjames.com PIA BUNGARTEN Greetings to all old friends! My family and I have been in Washington since the middle of 2009, and I work on transatlantic relations for Germany’s oldest political foundation. Our son Anton is about to graduate from high school and is planning to study mechanical engineering in Germany but will take a gap year first. Tom and I will be in the United States for another year before moving again to take up a new assignment. I often think of my year in Suffield; the family I have would not have been possible without this year. I enjoy being involved with the Washington Chapter of ASSIST, the exchange program started by Suffield’s former Headmaster Paul Sanderson, which brought me to the United States.

JEFF MCGOWAN My wife Gloria and I visited family in Ecuador at the end of May. We are looking for a place to retire for half of the year (probably near the beach in Manta area). I am still the business manager for IKEA in Charlotte.

Hello to my Suffield friends!

Ruben Chalela ’84 and family visit in October 2012

CRISTIAN RODRIGUEZ I’m living in Guatemala and have not been back to Suffield in close to 40 years. As you can imagine “soy disconnected” from the school and the alumni. Life is good here; I started to run when I turned 50 and have managed to run a marathon every year since. We will see how long this body stands up to it, but so far I am loving it. Work is busy and the kids are in the United States and Korea. Catherine and I have been empty nesters for the last seven years. Although disconnected from the Academy, I love receiving the news. ¡Saludos!

1976 CLASS AGENTS Scott Craig | scott.craig@officedepot.com Molly Debevoise Rennie | renniembd@aol.com Sharon Fischer Grubaugh | sharongrubaugh@verizon.net CYNTHIA DOBSON After 15 years in Wisconsin, I decided to make a change and move to Oregon. I do not miss the snow and sub-zero temps, and the rain out here is really no problem, as the more temperate climate is great.

Since I did move out with no employment (remember 2008!), it took some time to find a full time job, but I am now working at Nike. I never thought that I would be here, but it is great. I am with the running category and really love going to work. Wonderful people, product, and some amazing experiences—like going for a jog around campus with Joan Benoit Samuelson (truth be told, she still sets an amazing pace, so needless to say, I was with the group that was way behind her lead). If anyone is in the Northwest, do not hesitate to contact me.

MARK SOLLINGER Ran into Carl Case and his family at LaSamanna in St Martin. I had my Suffield lanyard around my neck, and he mentioned that he went to school at the Academy and it was like someone slipped a switch.

We recognized each other and had a good laugh! It was great to see him and his wonderful family.

Charlie Pandit (in Suffield t-shirt), Joey Pandit, Kristin Hostetter Pandit ’86, Shaun Pandit, Dominique Smookler Estlund ’86, and Bjorn Estlund

1978 CLASS AGENTS Ben Davol | bdavol@me.com Lisa Longo | lml33060@gmail.com Ed Palomba | edward_palomba@banksi.com BEN DAVOL Last summer I rode 100 miles in the Connecticut Challenge, a benefit for cancer survivors. The year before I completed the 50-mile challenge.

I encourage people to support this great cause. The course runs from Fairfield, Connecticut, up to the Litchfield hills and back. My children, Charlie and Emily, are both at George Washington University. They are smarter and better looking than their dad, thankfully. I work for Thermo Fisher Scientific Immunodiagnostics Division as head of public policy. I’m doing a fair amount of hiking in the White Mountains and am traveling to Italy this summer to try my hand at those hills. I live back in my hometown of Stonington Borough, 30 feet from the seawall. The wall held up against Storm Sandy. I look forward to seeing old friends in October for Reunion.

1981 CLASS AGENTS Valisha Graves | valisha@mindspring.com Mark McCullagh | mmccullagh@alpha-pure.com David Spitzler | davidspitzler@yahoo.com Alison Welch Davee | davee@lincolnacademy.org DIANA DYER KEIR I made many lifelong friends during my two years at Suffield. I am now an attorney with Nair & Levin, PC in Bloomfield, Connecticut. My husband Drew is a local builder and owner of Keir Construction, LLC. We live in North Granby, Connecticut, with our two sons, Kyle and Sam. Kyle is a sophomore at Westminster School in Simsbury and Sam is in the seventh grade. I recently reconnected with John (Gator) Howell ’80 through Facebook and it’s been great catching up with him.

I also maintain contact with Kelly Dustin ’80 and Ann Troiano. My sister, Debbie Dyer Leroux ’77, lives close by as well. I hope all of my fellow classmates are well!

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Pat Dorsey’s ’88 son, Chase Dorsey

Sons of Diane Cullen Page ’87 and Kristen Federowicz Sullivan ’87 on Bell Hill: Cliff Page, Brady Page, Cormac Sullivan, Ronan Sullivan, and Seamus Sullivan

1982 CLASS AGENTS David Carangelo | dlcarangelo@yahoo.com John Cook | jwccomp@earthlink.net Margaret Figueroa Hern | ahern@snet.net Madeline Phillips | mkphil@hotmail.com BILL EAGAN My wife Kara and I have two sons, Liam (age 16) and Aidan (age 13).

Liam is a high school sophomore and just obtained his learner’s permit.

I’m the assistant coach of Aidan’s lacrosse team; he’s an outstanding athlete—obviously taking after his mother who was an All-American in soccer at Mount Holyoke College. I recently started a small business called William Eagan Videography (www.williameaganvideography.com), which offers high definition video (HDV), editing, and title graphics services for a broad range of production styles, including advertising, athletic recruitment, auditions, corporate identity, documentary/ independent film, events, music videos, and weddings. We also offer external digital audio recording services for clients requiring enhanced audio capabilities. My friend and classmate, Steve Abramson, lives in California these days. He’ll be traveling to the East Coast later this month, and we plan to catch up in Boston to do a little Suffield Academy reminiscing.

JOHN KILLEEN I am currently in my sixth year teaching at Year Up in downtown Boston as a financial operations instructor. It is the best job I’ve ever had and very inspirational each day, week, and year. My children, Abby and Jack, are 17 and 19-years-old, and do not want to spend as much time with us anymore! I am in touch with Lee Vardakas from time-to-time and recently spoke with Mark Baranski ’84 about some great soccer stuff.

1983 CLASS AGENTS Bob Churchill | rlchurchill@comcast.net Marybeth DiBuono-Riley | marybethriley@verizon.net STEVE CLARK I live in the Boston area with my wife Karen and three great kids. While my kids go to public school, I’ve enjoyed seeing nieces and nephews

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attend Suffield, with another enrolling in the fall. I see John Boozang and Todd Wilson regularly, and we’re looking forward to a big turnout for the 30th year Reunion. We may even wear our corduroy blazers with patches on the elbows.

ART SHETTLE Having missed our 25th Reunion due to my son being born around that time, I am very much looking forward to our 30th and reuniting with so many special people.

1987 CLASS AGENTS Betsy Coughlin Tod | betsytod@gmail.com Jeff Martini | martini.jeffrey@gmail.com Phil Riegel | priegel@suffieldacademy.org WENDY BIRMINGHAM ALLERTON After a 22-year career as a teacher and dean in private schools, I have been lucky to get a job in management at Aetna Insurance in Hartford. I am looking forward to this new chapter of my life and am grateful every day for the opportunities I have had.

BOBBY HOYT I am still living in Hawaii, teaching yoga, and now spending some of the summer months in Manchester, Vermont. Fortunately, about 14 minutes from Tom and Suzy Harris, so we get to play a lot. Todd Orr and his wife Erin just had baby. Kate and my godson Logan are the best ever.

1990 CLASS AGENTS Kelli Chamberlain Tosone | ktosone@yahoo.com Peter DaPuzzo | pete@dapuzzo.com Amy Newman Vaughn | avaughn@ryanfaenza.com Courtney Wilson Nixon | cew1149@comcast.net NIKKI PERVEAR VARNEY My family and I live in Pennsylvania where I teach chemistry and physics. We are excited to have our oldest daughter Megan join Suffield’s Class of 2017 in the fall.

Daniel Pac ’98 with wife Crystalline

1992 CLASS AGENTS Marigrace Canter Morris | marigrace.morris@verizon.net Ntsekhe Moiloa | moiloa@alum.swarthmore.edu Wadiya Peterson Wynn | diya.wynn@verizon.net NICOLE PISAPIA DOYLE It seems that time is passing by so quickly! Dan and I love being parents to our beautiful kids, Caroline (age 8) and Logan (age10). The spring is finally here and Caroline received her First Communion this past weekend. I remember spring at Suffield like it was yesterday— playing softball, watching Dan’s track meets, hanging out with friends on Bell Hill. I hope my kids will make memories there as well someday. I hope all of my classmates are doing well!

JENNY RUSSO MURPHY My husband Brian and I welcomed our newest addition to our family on March 18, 2013: a son, Braden Nicholas Murphy. He joins big brother Brendan, who turned four in April.

1998 CLASS AGENTS Meghan Liljedahl | lils2480@gmail.com Mickey Allen | nimue144@hotmail.com Sarah Fletcher | bashanfletch@gmail.com Sarah Hotchkiss | sarah.hotchkiss6@gmail.com CURIS DUBAY I am living in Washington, D.C., on Capitol Hill, with my wife Johanna, our two-year-old son Theodore, and our dog Dewey. I work as an economist at the Heritage Foundation where I specialize in tax policy.

We love living here but wish we could make it back to Connecticut more often. If anyone from Suffield is ever in D.C. let me know. I’d be glad to show you around!

DANIEL PAC In recent years, I have been hiding out in the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts. My professional life is currently divided between two part-time careers. By day, I teach pre-algebra and music at the Academy at Charlemont, a college prep day school, and at other odd times, I perform original and traditional folk music with my wife

Curtis Dubay ’98 with wife Johanna and two year old son Theodore

Crystalline Ruby Muse in a duo that we call “Fireseed.” It was Fabio Santos ’96 who introduced me to the craft of songwriting, and that initial interest has grown into a full-blown obsession. Thanks to Brett Vianney for a thorough introduction to the mechanics of poetry. “Sound and Sense”: I’ve still got it and I still use it. If you are curious about my recent work, please visit www.fireseedmusic.com for videos and mp3s.

1999 CLASS AGENTS Mark Soticheck | mark.soticheck@dhgllp.com Patrick Stone | prstone7@yahoo.com Larry Griffin | lgriffin@gmail.com Maura Deedy | maura.deedy@gmail.com Steven Darling | stevenjaydarling@gmail.com PATRICK STONE My wife Jennifer and I welcomed our daughter, Cora Beatrice Stone, on February 17. I was able to spend the first month home with her while we got settled. It was a wonderful time. We’re still living in Virginia (outside Washington D.C.) and welcome anyone coming through the area to stop and say hello.

2002 CLASS AGENTS Alison Carey | carey.alison@gmail.com Sari Biddelman | sari.biddelman@gmail.com Hilary Golas Rouse | hilary.golas@gmail.com Erin Orr Ligay | e.orr@comcast.net Lynx LaCroix | lisheli@me.com JAMES CRAMPHIN I recently returned from a memorable trip to Thailand with Billy Simons, Kip Moncrief, Dani Amato, Sara Kerin, and Sarah Rabbett where we had been invited by Payu “Saran” Nerngchamnong to celebrate his 30th birthday. Our mini Suffield Reunion explored Bangkok, several surrounding towns, and beautiful Koh Samet. At the end of our trip, we scattered back to our homes in Denver, China, and various parts of Connecticut and Massachusetts with hearts full of new memories, sunburned skin, and a firm resolve to keep in better touch.

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Class of 2002 in Thailand Top: Dani Amato, James Cramphin, Kip Moncrief, Billy Simons. Bottom: Sarah Rabbett, Sara Kerin, Payu Nerngchamnong

PAYU NERNGCHAMNONG The final months of 2012 were quite busy for me. With the expansion of new businesses, I missed our 10th Reunion. However, Billy Simons and I keep in touch via Facebook and late one night the idea sprung about celebrating my 30th birthday with a few close SA friends in Thailand. Little did I know that a few months later, Billy, James Cramphin, Sara Kerin, Kip Moncrief, Sarah Rabbett, Dani Amato, and I would spend a memorable week together in Bangkok. After all these years, it was amazing to be able to recreate our senior year, as well as create several new memories. It was good to spend quality time with the important people from one of the milestone years of my life. As I was approaching another “milestone” of my life—turning 30—I couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to spend it with. One of the many things we did was go to a pro soccer game. The team is currently a defending champion in the Thailand Premier League, and my Thailand national lacrosse team shares the stadium with them. It was a great way to ease into an action-packed week. The picture in this magazine was taken after the team came out victorious 2-1. For these guys to take the time out of their busy schedules with work and school, and come all the way here to reconnect with an old friend is a true testament to their characters and our friendships formed at Suffield.

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2003 CLASS AGENTS Lydia Pillsbury | lydiapillsbury@gmail.com Lindsay Rousseau | lindsaymrousseau@aol.com Eric Yale | eric.yale@gmail.com Lindsey Pell | lindsey.k.pell@gmail.com MIKE ATHAS I just got married to Lauren Coshatt Athas on May 4, 2013, in Seaside, Florida. Eric Yale and Cam Ross-MacCormack attended. Cam was actually my best man. Lauren and I will continue to live in Washington, D.C., and are excited to start our new life together.

VIVIT JIVAMONGKOL I am back home in Thailand after graduating from Babson and spending two years in Beijing learning Chinese. I’m not married yet but am self-employed, selling hardware tools for construction and agriculture. If anyone needs tools to do anything, let me know!

GREG SCHULTZ I recently got married in September to Whitney Ryan and we just moved to Belmont, a suburb of Boston, so that we could have some more space and get a dog. We now have a five-month old black lab named Cooper who is awesome. We’re hoping to make it to the 10-year Reunion to catch up with everyone.

Morgen Carillo, wife of Jared Carillo ’02 and children, Catherine and Addison

Class of 2002 in Thailand Billy Simons, Sarah Rabbett, Dani Amato, Sara Kerin, Payu Nerngchamnong and James Cramphin

Carrie Carpenter Meckel ’04, husband Steven, and new puppy Sadie

Mike Athas ’03, Cam Ross-MacCormack ’03 and Eric Yale ’03

2004 CLASS AGENTS Jake McComb | jcmccomb@gmail.com Alex Naboicheck | alexnaboicheck@me.com Will Taylor | william.r.taylor17@gmail.com Anthony Rousseau | roo0686@aol.com Andrew Scully | arscully@gmail.com Kate Braden | kate.braden@gmail.com CAROLINE CARPENTER MECKEL My husband and I recently moved back to my hometown of Simsbury, Connecticut. We purchased a home and adopted a puppy from Double Dog Rescue. Her name is Sadie, and we think she is an Australian Shepherd/Catahoula Leopard mix. She is six-months old and the light of our lives.

2006 CLASS AGENTS Alison Leonard | aleonard21@gmail.com Eric Litmer | eric.litmer@gmail.com Luke McComb | lucas.mccomb@gmail.com Gina Petrone | petronegina@gmail.com Chris Stafford | christopher.stafford.2010@gmail.com Jen Mais | jnicolemais@gmail.com CHRIS STAFFORD I am still living in Norwalk, Connecticut, and working for Fairfield

Chemical Carriers as a vessel operator. This summer I’m headed to San Diego for training with the Navy and I’m also going on vacation to Italy.

In December, I saw Matt Wiggin and Juan Arreaza in New York, and in March, I saw Meredith Rarus ’07 in Chicago. Lexi Bosee is my neighbor and it’s great having her right down the street. I was very touched to hear from so many Suffield friends, classmates, and faculty after my father passed away in February. Thank you all.

2007 CLASS AGENTS Mike DiPietro | dipietro@gmail.com Sydney Greenberg | sydney.greenberg@gmail.com Matt Jones | jonema06@gmail.com Catherine Mis | cjmis@bu.edu Erik Osborne | fao615@gmail.com Meredith Rarus | rarus.meredith@gmail.com Charlie Huck | charlesrhuck@gmail.com Tyler St. Pierre | tjstpier@gmail.com Rob Zammito | rzammito@me.com Katy Heydinger | katy.heydinger@gmail.com Harry Melendez | hmelendez@suffieldacademy.org CHRIS DIAMOND Suffield spring is definitely my fondest memory. From playing golf at the Suffield Country Club with Pat Donahue, to hanging out on the lawn near the Bell, Suffield in my mind is nicest in spring. I am still working at Bloomberg in fixed income. I am working with product managers to roll out new initiatives for 2013. I am also studying for the CFA Level II, which I will take June 1. I gave Mariama and Harry a tour of my office

Spring 2013 | 75

Chris Stafford ’06 and Lexi Bosee ’06 at The Ginger Man in South Norwalk, Connecticut

Grace Sickles ’09 graduating from St. Lawrence University in May

after a New York City lunch gathering, but other than that, I have been held up studying. I hope to see Bill Cargill, Scott Furlaud, and other New York City alumni after I complete this test.

HENRY SMITH I graduated from Rutgers and in March, I enlisted in the Army. I am presently stationed at Fort Benning in Georgia.

JOE MARTINI I remember the cool breeze coming off Bell Hill as I gave baseballs a one-way ticket to Home Run Island.

REAGAN TEED Hi, everyone! When I think of Suffield in the spring, I’m reminded of lacrosse practices with Mrs. Abbott, finally being able to wear skirts again, and students hanging out on the lawn. I can’t wait to come back and see the campus at Reunion in October. Until then, I’ll be celebrating my first year in Louisiana, working for the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC), and running my first half marathon in New Orleans in the fall. I miss you all and hope you’re doing well.

2008 CLASS AGENTS Barbara Kaplan | bkaplan1287@gmail.com Kaela Keyes | makeyes@loyola.edu Lindsay Life | lindsayklife@gmail.com Becca Bathrick | Rebecca.Bathrick@gmail.com Thomas Drummond-Hay | thomasdhay@gmail.com Kirsten Chalke | chalke.kirsten@gmail.com THOMAS CYRAN I graduated from Hamilton College in 2012 with a degree in economics and a minor in mathematics. I was also co-captain of the swim and water polo teams during my time at Hamilton. I earned NESCAC All-Conference Championship honors in swimming and was named to the All-Conference water polo team. I now live and work in New York City as a consultant for a financial services and software company, in their investment banking division.

MARIANNE DANIELS I’m excited about the prospect of a master’s program—Literacy Learning and Literacy Difficulties—which I hope to do in the evenings next year while I complete a second year in London. I’ve been working at the American School in London (ASL) in the lower school, where I’ve found some Suffield connections. I met Sarah Zellweger ’04, who is also working at ASL, and one of the fourth graders always wears a Suffield sweatshirt because her cousin gave it to her as a hand-me-down!

WILL PRESTON I graduated from Birmingham-Southern College in January 2013 and majored with honors in Business Administration.

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2010 CLASS AGENTS Michelle Autuori | michellebell1840@gmail.com Justine de Chazal | justinedechazal@gmail.com Tommy Leonard | tleonard@bates.edu Mariah Gonzalez | gonzalezm@oxy.edu Alyssa Palomba | apalomba@middlebury.edu Lucas Traber | ltraber@mac.com ALYSSA PALOMBA Spring at Suffield reminds me of the days after lunch when people cleared out of the Student Union and sat on the back lawn enjoying the day. I just finished my junior year here at Middlebury College. Between studying and sports, I try to find time to enjoy beautiful Vermont. This lacrosse season I have been able to play against many of my Suffield teammates like Kim Nault ’12 at Bowdoin, Kate Pistel ’09 at Colby, and Melanie Watson at Bates. I am also hoping to play Mary Mitchell at Franklin and Marshall in post-season play. We have all been talking about how much we miss our Suffield lacrosse days playing for Mrs. Abbott. Middlebury women’s lacrosse has been doing really well this year, and we are now competing in NCAAs. I am not sure where I will be ending up this summer, but I am hoping to catch up with some Suffield friends. I hope everyone is doing well!

2011 CLASS AGENTS Emily Aiken | emily.aiken@trincoll.edu Joe Begley | bbegley@uvm.edu Serge Derby | sergederby@me.com Kachenta Descartes | kkd2119@columbia.edu Didi McDonald | dem252@cornell.edu Joey Palomba | palombjo@bc.edu James Park | thelastradiance91@gmail.com Shamier Settle | shamier.settle@vzw.blackberry.net Lester Taylor | lctaylor1992@gmail.com Karoline Hegbom | khegbom@hotmail.com Colin Dowd | cdowd33@gmail.com WINNIE CHEN I miss Suffield a lot. I’ve successfully transferred into the Marshall accounting major at USC, so I will be going to school in Los Angeles next year! I am excited that I can finally pursue my goal to become a certified public accountant (CPA).

KAROLINE HEGBOM I am enjoying life in Switzerland, playing squash for the city club and the Norwegian team. It’s no secret that I miss Suffield and all the people there. Luckily, some Suffield classmates will come and visit me in Norway this summer, which I am beyond excited for!

I hope everyone is doing well. I can’t wait until we reunite.

ARGENIS ROJAS Hi, Suffield! Just finished my sophomore year here at Bentley.

It was a busy year, but I am doing well. I will be taking some summer courses into late June to get ahead. I was also at Suffield

in May for Commencement and it felt great to be back. I will more than likely be at one of the Suffield at Fenway events since I will be in Boston. I hope everyone is doing well!

2012 CLASS AGENTS Reed Barbe | reed.barbe@du.edu Katherine Battle | kbatt111@gmail.com William Evangelakos | wevangelakos@wpi.edu Jameson Everett | jevere21@student.scad.edu Josh Galant | joshgalant@yahoo.com Taylor Jett | taylor.jett13@gmail.com Connor Kaplan | kapslocks12@gmail.com Caroline Leonard | carosperry@gmail.com Izzy McDonald | imcdonal@bates.edu Carly Smith | carly.alex.smith@gmail.com Colin Dowd | cdowd33@gmail.com David Huang | y.d.huang28@me.com Alex Porter | alex.porter@44shoreline.com CAROLINE LEONARD I can’t believe freshman year in college is over! I remember our final days on Suffield’s campus like it was yesterday. Spending time outside on the lawn and walking down to Scoops as much as we could are definitely some of my fondest memories. As I look back on my first year at college, I can’t imagine myself anywhere but Elon. I’ve recently joined a sorority and will be an orientation leader in the fall for incoming students. The weather has been nothing but beautiful! I look forward to coming back to Suffield to see everyone for graduation.

weddings

engagements

Mike Athas ’03 to Lauren Coshatt Athas on May 4, 2013

Alessandra Perna ’07 to Mario Carullo Melissa Carey ’06 to Mike Fitzpatrick

(not shown)

bir ths 1

2

3

1k 10/25/12 To Jeff Beaudette and wife Lyndsey, a boy, Julian Patrick Beaudette 2k 2/17/13 To Patrick Stone ’99 and wife Jennifer, a girl, Cora Beatrice Stone 3k 3/18/13 To Jenny Russo Murphy ’92, a son, Braden Nicholas Murphy 4/15/13 To Meghan Doyle Kuether ’98 and husband Mark, twin daughters, Reagan & Brynna (not shown)

in memoriam

Nathena Fuller ’37

Kathryn Kelly Yellen ’38

Robert Brainard ’47

Edmund Skellings ’49

David R. Mosher ’50

Doris Lord Cooper ’32 12/4/12 (not shown) Nathena Fuller ’37 5/29/13 Raymond M. Seabury ’37 4/8/13 (not shown) Kathryn Kelly Yellen ’38 3/2/13 Robert Brainard ’47 1/18/13 Edmund Skellings ’49 8/19/13 David R. Mosher ’50 4/25/13 Michael Rosenthal ’56 10/8/12 (not shown) G. Emerson Sartain III ’58 5/22/13 (not shown)

SUBMIT CLASS NOTES FOR THE FALL EDITION OF SUFFIELD Send your class notes and photographs to Harry Melendez III ’07, Development Associate EMAIL hmelendez@suffieldacademy.org -orMAIL TO Harry Melendez, 185 North Main Street, Suffield, CT 06078 The deadline for fall submissions is November 1, 2013.

NOTE If submitting digitally through email, please send a high-quality, JPEG file (preferrably 1MB or larger to suffield.magazine@gmail.com).

If submitting prints through the mail, please send a photo-lab quality print.

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SAVE THE DATE! OCTOBER 4-6, 2013 www.suffieldacademy.org/reunion QUESTIONS? CONTACT: Harry Melendez ’07, Development Associate hmelendez@suffieldacademy.org or 860.386.4463