THE
SUMMIT Spring Magazine 2016-17
Brain-Targeted Teaching
THE SUMMIT The magazine of The Summit Country Day School Spring Magazine 2016-17 EDITOR Nancy Berlier ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER Kathy (Hilsinger) Penote ’93 PHOTOGRAPHY Robert A. Flischel, Jolene Barton, Nancy Berlier, John Fahrmeier, Leah Fightmaster, Juanita Johnson, Karen Kinross, Rick Norton, Jeff Whitehead and Evan De Stefano/ Indiana Daily Student. CONTRIBUTORS Joseph Delamerced ’18, Sandy Champlin, Lauren Guip, Susan Karbowski, Dr. Kirstin McEachern, Kathy Schwartz, Leah Fightmaster, Shannon Russell, Amanda Wood. Special thanks: Jen McGrath, Nancy Snow, Mary Alice LaPille. PRINTING Arnold Printing © 2017 The Summit Country Day School, Cincinnati, OH. The Summit magazine is published three times a year by the Communications Department of The Summit Country Day School, 2161 Grandin Road, Cincinnati, OH 45208. Please direct address changes or other correspondence to the above address.
Summit News Phone: (513) 871-4700 ext. 291 Email: communications@summitcds.org Alumni News Please submit news about new degrees, new jobs, marriages, births and other notable passages in your life. Go to www.summitcds.org/submityournews Summit Online View an archive of The Summit magazine online. www.summitcds.org/magazine The Summit Country Day School serves students from age 18 months through grade 12 in a coeducational setting. The Summit combines the academic excellence and one-on-one guidance of a top-tier independent school with the servant leadership and character-building environment that are hallmarks of a Catholic education.
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ON THE COVER: First grader Landen Richter uses Montessori materials as mnemonics to remember new math concepts. This is one example of how teachers are implementing brain-targeted teaching in their everyday lessons to aid students in mastering new concepts, skills and content. Read more about brain-targeted teaching in a story by Curriculum and Instruction Director Kirstin Pesola McEachern, Ph.D. on page 14. Photo by Robert A. Flischel. ON THIS PAGE: Good grief! The Upper School cast of the spring musical, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” executes a number during a performance. The show ran March 17 and 18 and was a lesson in teamwork for the cast and crew. See more photos on page 21. Photo by Jolene Barton.
Head of School Message
Grace and Wisdom When people think of our mission statement, they
all times, you may abound in every good work.”
gravitate to the five pillars – developing children spiritually, academically, physically, socially and
Romans 6:14 “For sin will have no dominion over
artistically. Alternatively, they often refer to the final
you, since you are not under law but under grace.”
phrase in the statement about developing “leaders of character who value and improve the world they
Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved
inherit.” However, for me the most important words
through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is
in the mission statement are about teaching children
the gift of God ...”
“to grow in grace and wisdom.” When we follow God’s way of living, we exist in a If you look at mission statements of independent
state of grace. Our job as believers is to continually
schools, you typically won’t find these two words.
strive to live as Christ did. Of course none of us will
That’s one of the reasons I like them. The Summit
achieve that perfection. Nevertheless, despite our
Way of developing children is distinctive versus other
shortcomings, God loves us anyway.
schools – public, parochial or independent. To grow in grace, therefore, means we behave Grace is a difficult concept to understand. The
in ways that help build God’s kingdom on earth.
Greek Bible uses the word “charis” to describe the
Part of that is accepting others for who they are,
concept of grace. It refers to how God favors those
rather than who we wish they were. That’s hard
who believe in Him, even though as believers we
to do. Loving others unconditionally doesn’t come
sin a lot. Grace is a gift God gives us. We don’t have
naturally to us. We usually are thinking about ourselves and what we want from others.
to earn it. He favors us because he loves us. The
If we can teach children that God loves them
Latin root “gratia” means
unconditionally and therefore they too should
“pleasing.” The word
extend that gift to others, we will have given them
“gratitude” is closely
a great gift – amazing grace.
related to grace. Defining wisdom is just as hard. The faithful believe 2 Corinthians
that wisdom is one of the highest gifts from the
9:8 “And God is
Holy Spirit. It’s not just knowledge – a word you’ll
able to make all
find frequently in mission statements. No, wisdom
grace abound
is something more profound. It’s the culmination of
to you, so that
knowledge and experience; common sense; insight
having all
and creativity – all for the benefit of the common
sufficiency in
good.
all things at
Contents Benjamin Franklin said that wisdom derives from
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character education. That certainly speaks to an important aspect of a Summit education. Reading “Proverbs” in the Bible provides many examples of wisdom. Solomon was viewed as a great leader because he made decisions that were effective in furthering the common good. His means of making decisions were highly original. He had insight into how people tick and used that to creatively resolve conflicts. Along these same lines, Confucius claimed wisdom could be learned from reflection, imitation and experience. In Taoism, one is wise if one follows the Three Treasures of Taoism: Charity, humility
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and simplicity. Such consistency across faiths and philosophies speaks to the importance and power of encouraging children to use their knowledge, experience, creativity, common sense and insight
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to make decisions that are best for the common good. Doing so requires searching through many alternatives before deciding on the optimal one. It is not easy to teach grace and wisdom to children. But in the striving to do so, we grow our students’ capacity in immeasurable ways which society will value. Growing grace and wisdom in our students is the highest expression of our mission and The Summit Way of educating children.
A partnership of intellectual curiosity and emotional support is at the heart of The Summit’s Signature Enrichment Program in the Montessori. Children dive deeply into the arts, science, geography, world languages (French or Spanish) and cultural studies of each continent. A Lower School first grade teacher and counselor tailored an educational approach for a Russian-speaking student to help him feel comfortable while he learned the curriculum in a new language. The story of Leonard Shparberg illustrates how well The Summit can deliver personalized instruction. Data on the Lower School reading progress shows that 90 percent of our students are reading independently at or above their grade level. We have seen a 58 percent increase in these reading levels since the start of our signature Five Star Reading Program in 2013. On average, fourth grade students are entering the Middle School reading at the same level as a mid-year sixth grade student. For the past few years, The Summit’s teachers have been immersed in neuroeducation, a scientific field that combines pedagogy, psychology and neuroscience. Kirstin Pesola McEachern Ed.D., Curriculum and Instruction Director, looks at how teachers from Montessori through the Upper School are spending their days literally changing the structure of their students’ brains. Theatrical performances thrilled audience in Kyte Theater this year. We share some of the colorful images from Godspell Junior and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. The Latin Club regained the top spot as state champions this year. Joseph Delamerced ’18 examines the many reasons why the study of Latin can help any student be a champ. Members of The Summit girls’ and boys’ basketball teams will long remember their journeys together into postseason play. The girls won their second Division III regional championship appearance in three years. The boys forged its best start in program history and seniors had the winningest season ever. In the end, the Associated Press Division III Player of the Year awards went to Ravin Alexander and Sam Martin, while both Beth Simmons and Pat Cosgrove were named Coaches of the Year.
Departments
Rich Wilson Head of School
Features
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Newsmakers Scholarships Alumni News & Notes In Memoriam Save the Date Summit Magazine 5
First grader Leonard Shparberg, far right, runs with friends Sammy Jacobs-Ramey, Kenzie McAleese and John Trokan. When Leonard moved from Moscow to Cincinnati, Lower School faculty developed a personalized plan for him to learn English, make friends and become acclimated to a new culture.
The Leonard Shparberg Story How a Russian First Grader Learned English in His First 100 Days of School By Nancy Berlier Imagine being 6 years old and moving to the United States. You have left your friends behind, so you don’t know anyone. You’re entering first grade. You don’t know the school rules. You don’t know when you are going to eat or play. You’re worried about how you are going to get home. And you don’t speak English. That was Leonard Shparberg on his first day of school. Leonard’s parents are from Kazakhstan, and he has lived the last four and a half years in Moscow. His father Stan, who works for Siemens, was transferred to Cincinnati in August. “Leonard was a bit panicky at first,” says his mother, Nadia. “He didn’t know English. He 8
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didn’t know how he would be welcomed. He was worried he wouldn’t understand. He wasn’t sure how he would get home.” When he entered Sherry Schneider’s classroom, he only knew basic color words and a few words about people and things. By the 100th day of school, a day celebrated with first grade math class projects, Leonard wrote a report in English about all the people who had helped him acclimate to his new life and made an oral presentation about his project – a Lego school bus made of 100 pieces. On the bus was the classmate who learned Russian words to make him feel at home, new friends Sammy and Landen, a policeman to represent the costume he wore for the Halloween parade and a light post with a wreath representing his first Christmas in America.
Leonard’s story illustrates one of the signatures of a Summit education – personalized instruction. This hallmark is based on an ideal of the founding sisters of Notre Dame de Namur order, who believed that teachers deliver the best education by developing a personal insight into each individual student. In Leonard’s case, Mrs. Schneider and Lower School Counselor Elizabeth Drumm tapped into school and community resources to tailor an educational approach that would make Leonard feel comfortable in his new school while he learned the curriculum in a new language. Russian-speaking piano teachers, a parent, an Upper School student and family members spent time in the classroom with him. Translation tools helped teachers communicate with him. Positive relationships with peers were nurtured early. Inclusion of pictures accompanied by printed English words covering the daily routine of the classroom – such as lunch, book boxes, cubbies – were reviewed every morning and helped ease any anxiety he might have about what happens next. The Summit’s two Lower School literacy coaches had one-on-one sessions with him to help him learn English. “Going to a new school can be a big transition for anyone, but for Leonard it was especially scary and isolating because of the language barrier,” Ms. Drumm says. “Although subjects like math and reading are very important, Mrs. Schneider and I knew that much more learning would take place if we first prioritized helping Leonard feel safe, comfortable and happy at school. We started teaching him the daily classroom routine so that he didn’t have to worry about what was coming next. We made sure his day-to-day experiences were very consistent and predictable and found ways to communicate using pictures, gestures and Google Translate.” First grade classrooms are inherently rich with language and visual stimulation, so Leonard quickly began to recognize repeated phrases and took cues from his classmates when he wasn’t sure what to do. “Mrs. Schneider arranged the seating in her room so that Leonard always had a positive peer model nearby to watch and interact with,” Ms. Drumm says. “She and I worked together to help foster some peer connections
early on so that Leonard would realize how much he had in common with his classmates, despite the communication challenges. It wasn’t hard to find other first graders who loved Legos and Minions as much as Leonard does.” Mrs. Schneider identified words that are used frequently at school, such as “recess” and “bathroom,” and she created a daily classroom activity in which she wrote the word for everyone to see and attached a picture to it. “By adding to the list each day, we essentially made a custom, visual dictionary for Leonard to refer to and build his vocabulary while also helping the entire class work on word recognition and spelling,” Ms. Drumm said. One-on-one time with Ms. Drumm also helped Leonard get into the routine of what a school day looks like, says his father, Stan. “The big surprise for us was how the teachers and the staff were able to get the kids to be nice. You know, kids are kids. We expected a much more difficult transition. But The Summit has a genuinely nice environment. Leonard feels very comfortable. He likes going to school.” Leonard, who was actually born in Australia, is one of several international students from 23 countries attending The Summit, and he isn’t the first child to learn to speak English here. “To be honest,” Mr. Shparberg says, “when we were selecting schools, we looked at a lot of them. The Summit was furthest away from where we live than the others. But people at The Summit were really interested in our story and Leonard’s needs and how they could address those things – language, coming from a different cultural background. That’s the key reason we decided to come to The Summit in the first place. It’s that personalized approach.” Leonard’s 100 day project was a Lego school bus that pays tribute to people who helped him.
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Lower School Outcomes
Accelerated Reading Sends Above-Grade Level Readers into Fifth Grade
Third graders Ava Dona and Callie Karageorges practice reading to others, an element of The Summit’s signature Five-Star Reading 1010 Spring Magazine 2016-17 Program “The Daily Five.” Data shows that 90 percent of Lower School students can read independently at or above grade level.
By Susan Karbowski A fourth grade student reads comfortably in a reclining chair annotating her thoughts as she progresses through her favorite book. The classroom teacher holds a reading conference with a third grade student or performs a running record. Second grade partners converse their way through the most recent nonfiction text. A teaching assistant assembles a small group of first grade students in a group discussion about the story in hand. Welcome to any given day at the Lower School where you will see students and teachers working together, exploring the reading process, producing readers through differentiated instruction, focusing on the variety of individual learning styles and monitoring student progress. This is our accelerated reading program in action. The Lower School has 90 percent of our students reading independently at or above their grade level. We have seen a 58 percent increase in these reading levels since the start of our signature Five
Star Reading Program in 2013. Making sure each student’s educational experience is the best possible is a priority for Lower School Director Kendra Thornton, Ed.D. “We are very proud of the results from our reading program,” Dr. Thornton says. “It enabled us to quantify the cumulative effect of a Lower School education at The Summit. On average, our fourth grade students are heading to Middle School reading at the same level as a mid-year sixth grade student.” Several components fostered this reading success. The Lower School’s Five Star Reading Program developed methods and practices that produce lifelong learners. Phonics instruction relates spoken sounds to written words. Teachers can work with students, one-on-one and in small groups on specific tasks. Students work in dyads reading and analyzing, others choose to work alone by reading silently or partnering with technology to accelerate their learning. Students
Kayden Smith ’29 reads to himself, another practice of The Daily Five that improves children’s reading skills and comprehension.
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Kindergartner Max Heimbouch reads a writing prompt he pulled out of the fishbowl as his classmates Evie Curt, Josie Lyons and Lila Miller wait to hear it. Writing is a Daily Five approach to improve reading.
improve comprehension by making personal connections between various texts and the world around them. Applying data-based instruction through the use of multiple formative and summative assessments helps drive our lessons. Students’ progress is measured three times each year with diagnostic or evaluative tools. The months between the assessments are filled with observations, discussions and running records. Teachers compile the data as a team to design plans that increase reading development and also make note of which areas need growth. Each teacher is supported by a teaching assistant, library specialist and literacy specialist. The Literacy 12
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Lab has many materials to support different learning modalities and resources to monitor growth. The Lower School has more than 12,000 books, housed to aid in instruction and support the development of lifelong readers. Most books are labeled by reading level so students may easily choose a “good fit” book. Another component the Lower School’s reading success is early intervention in the Montessori Program. This program helps identify students who need extra support as they begin their education. A literacy specialist works cooperatively with the teachers to identify children who may benefit from daily or weekly breakout sessions combining Montessori practices with guided reading lessons. This
personalized instruction finds the right balance so even our youngest learners start off with their best foot forward. Next time you see a student actively engaged in a book of poetry or a classroom teacher conferencing with a student to encourage higher-order thinking skills, know that data supports this process as best practice. Whether it’s the teaching assistant leading a small group in identifying the vocabulary for their upcoming selection or student partners comparing and contrasting two plots from different genres, you can recognize reading strategies at work. This is our Lower School accelerated reading program. Susan Karbowski is a literacy teacher in the Lower School. Third grader Zoe Jackson practices reading to others as classmate Devlan Daniel practices listening to reading, both aspects of The Daily Five.
First graders Samuel Sprengard and Avery Northern use whisper phones, rather than speaking with their “inside” voices, as they work on vocabulary by reading, analyzing and sounding words out to each other to improve their phonics skills. Reading to others and practicing vocabulary are aspects of The Daily Five.
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Neuroeducation
Faculty Hits the Mark with Brain-Targeted Teaching
Research indicates novelty and movement support brain function. Landen Richter ’28 sits on a Kore wobble chair that allows him to wiggle. The Montessori mnemonic devices he is using help the brain to transfer lessons from short-term to long-term memory. 14 14 Spring Magazine 2016-17
By Dr. Kirstin Pesola McEachern As you walk through The Summit’s halls, you might see Montessori Literacy Coach Alexis Weaver and her reading group playing hopscotch with sight words or Upper School biology teacher Karen Suder’s class engaging in a breakout room activity to figure out a certain strand of the influenza virus. All fun and games? Yes, but it’s also brain-targeted teaching (BTT) in action. If you worked with a machine all day long, you would expect some training on how to use it, right? Most teacher education programs do not include courses about how the brain works, even though teachers spend their days literally changing the structure of their students’ brains. For the past few years, The Summit’s teachers have been immersed in neuroeducation, a scientific field that combines pedagogy, psychology and neuroscience. During the summer of 2010, all faculty read Eric Jensen’s Teaching with the Brain
in Mind for an overview of brain research and its applications in the classroom. According to veteran Montessori teacher Mary Humpert, “There is so much to learn, and we constantly need to rethink and reassess. Our work is never finished.” Lower School Director Kendra Thornton earned her doctorate degree from The Johns Hopkins University with a specialization in “Mind, Brain and Teaching.” Last year, she presented the latest neuroeducation research at monthly faculty meetings. Teachers learned how to manage ADHD in the classroom, identify learning differences and implement behavioral interventions, among other topics. This year, faculty members could elect to participate in cross-divisional, interdisciplinary teacher-led professional development groups, one of which took a deeper dive in BTT. A useful framework for BTT comes from Johns Hopkins University’s Dr. Mariale Hardiman, who distilled neuroscience research and combined it with specific pedagogical strategies in The Brain‐Targeted Teaching Model, which identifies six brain-targets.
Josie Lyons ’29 reads into a whisper phone to practice her World Language fluency. 15 Summit Magazine 15
Six brain targets are identified in the Brain-Targeted Teaching Model. The Summit’s signature Advisement Program focuses on “brain-target one” – setting an emotional climate for learning. Fifth grade teacher Allie Hadley sits with students in her advisement, L to R, Lyla Soper, Reagan Bricking, Matthew Langenderfer, Alek Stanisic and James Johnson.
Brain-Target One: Setting the Emotional Climate for Learning
Brain-Target Two: Creating the Physical Learning Environment
Acknowledging the interconnectedness between emotional and cognitive brain systems, the first brain-target focuses on using positive reinforcement, establishing classroom routines and procedures and fostering positive teacherstudent relationships, which Summit alumni frequently cite as one of our school’s strongest attributes.
Incorporating research on how the brain processes visual and other sensory stimuli, the second braintarget focuses on intentional planning of the classroom space. Nowhere is this more evident than in our light-filled Montessori classrooms, where children are free to move from various workstations set up throughout the room.
In the Middle and Upper Schools, the advisement program is intentionally designed to set an emotional climate for learning by giving students an adult on campus who knows them well and offers space during the day to check in and regroup. “A good example of BTT in the Lower School is our incorporation of mindfulness, which ends up improving working memory because kids learn to ignore distracting thoughts,” Dr. Thornton says. Fourth grade students can participate in mindfulness activities for 15 minutes every day. Options include a building room for activities like Lego and knitting, or a movement room for dance and yoga.
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Each Lower School classroom added Kore wobble chairs this year to provide novelty and movement for students, which research supports increases brain function. In World Language classes throughout all four divisions, teachers have incorporated movement with vocabulary teaching. Spanish teacher Katia Palek has her students use American Sign Language with each new vocabulary word so they can move while associating a kinesthetic activity to the word to help them better retain it. Brain-Target Three: Designing the Learning Experience – Creating the ‘Big Picture’ Neuroscientists have discovered that the brain categorizes new information into either familiar or novel concepts and then engages in patterning,
As movement supports brain function, Aubrey Blakely ’29 plays hopscotch with high-frequency words.
In an Honors Biology “break-out activity,” freshmen Sarah Sutton, Jack Melink and Emily Warden pretend to be interns for the Centers for Disease Control where they must apply their knowledge of DNA, RNA, protein synthesis and mutations to determine which strain of an atypical flu may be causing an outbreak among a research team. This is an example of a brain-target five activity, applying classroomlearned knowledge in real world experiences.
Brain-target five supports application of classroom knowledge into real-life situations. Seventh graders Cooper Bush (foreground), Natasha Zeilstra and Erin Johnson (background) are applying what they have learned about proportion and ratio to design a plan for a new Middle School playground.
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Freshmen Bella Santamarina, Graham Hartman, Zejun “Mark” Zhou, Maeve Talty and Michelle Chen work with Upper School health teacher Laura Haas to identify areas of the brain influenced by stress, anxiety and depression in order to grasp the typical symptoms of these psychological health variables. Understanding how brains work can help students be aware that daily behaviors, such as sleep and exercise, can counteract the activity in these brain areas to create a healthier lifestyle.
combining these concepts to create new patterns of understanding. Thus, presenting material in a sequential order is not always best for student learning, but providing students with the larger concepts at play makes a big impact. Students in Laura Haas’s Upper School health course learn “the big picture” idea of how their brains work. “A better understanding of the function of their brain helps them to understand the stressors in their lives, learn to balance emotion and decisionmaking and to better manage their personal wellness,” she explains. “Students are very interested in these topics as they understand how they relate to their efforts at ‘survival.’” Graphic organizers, such as providing a diagram of the brain, are accessible ways of communicating essential concepts to students. 1818 Spring Magazine 2016-17
Brain-Target Four: Teaching for Mastery of Content, Skills and Concepts The fourth brain-target draws on research about the brain’s memory systems and how teachers can structure lessons that will help their students transfer information from their short-term and working memories to their long-term memory systems. Providing students mnemonics to help them remember patterns, rules or word lists is a strategy Chinese teacher Bonnie Pang consistently uses with her students in our introductory Chinese course. In this course, students are not only learning a new language, but they are also learning a new alphabet. When teaching the vocabulary and the resulting Chinese characters, Pang points out when the word looks like what it means, such as the circular figures that resemble eyes for the character that means “look.”
Brain-Target Five: Teaching for the Extension and Application of Knowledge – Creativity and Innovation Relying on real-life activities for learning is an effective strategy for brain-target five, and Middle School students are doing just that. “We are putting our new playground design and budgeting process at the service of student learning,” says Middle School Director Mike Johnson. “The architects presented to students in grades five and six regarding estimating costs for the project, and they met with students in grades seven and eight to discuss design.” Students put their knowledge of proportions and ratios to work in their math classes as they designed their ideal playground area to present to the architects. Students reviewed the designs and provided input on which design elements they like best. Brain-Target Six: Evaluating Learning In the final brain-target, teachers utilize what cognitive science tells us about feedback: immediate responses help strengthen learning and memory systems. Fifth grade students in language arts teacher Meghan Cole’s class use laptops to participate in an online vocabulary quiz prior to a unit test. They are testing themselves before the real test and can record the words they get wrong to be more strategic in their studying. Brain research is ever-evolving, and we are always learning more about how the brain works. Upper School math teacher Cathy Flesch, a participant in the professional development group on BTT, says, “I need to keep repeating it, ‘Our work is never finished.’ It actually summarizes what we want our students to believe about education.” Kirstin Pesola McEachern Ph.D. is The Summit’s Curriculum and Instruction Director. Her doctorate is in curriculum and instruction from Boston College.
Second grade teacher Martha Rich uses the app Plickers to collect real-time assessment data in her math class. This immediate feedback addresses brain-target six, allowing Mrs. Rich to quickly address learning needs and aid in strengthening memory.
Professional Development In addition to professional development on neuroeducation this year, The Summit’s professional development program has run the following teacherled courses, all of which relate to one or more of six brain targets identified in Dr. Hardiman’s The BrainTargeted Teaching Model: • Creating a Pedagogy of Hope through Writing and the Spoken Word • Creating Classrooms that Honor Diversity • Effectively Incorporating Student Projects and Project-Based Learning into the Curriculum • Integrating Technology in the Classroom • The Intentional Environment – Establishing Classroom Routines, Procedures and Expectations • Moving Along the Continuum: Refining Assessments for Deeper Learning • Strategies and Methods to Provide a Differentiated Education • Tech Tools for Interactive Learning Experiences 19 Summit Magazine 19
GODSPELL JUNIOR
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In the Middle School performance of “Godspell Junior,” our young thespians used various theatrical traditions, including pantomime, clowning, charades and vaudeville. Based on the gospel according to St. Matthew, the play is a contemporary reflection of the life of Jesus with an underlying message about love, tolerance and kindness. Directed by Drama Coach and Director Tom Peters, the cast and crew staged their production on Dec. 2 and 3. L to R, row by row from top: Greg LaLonde ‘22; Caroline Beckes ’23 sings “Bless the Lord” with The Company; Christian Verdier ‘21. Cast members perform a song L to R, back row: Camille Nicholson ’23, Erin Devine ’21 and Avery McEachern ’21. Middle row: Christian Verdier ’21 and Greg LaLonde ’22. Front row: Sophia Stanisic ’21 and Jennifer Sullivan ’22. Kneeling: Jude Gerhardt ’24. Sitting: Alek Stanisic ’24; A sign of the times, students “dab” during their performance.
YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN
Summit actors and actresses brought the Peanuts Gang to life as the musical based on the beloved comic strip celebrates its 50th anniversary. Drama Coach and Director Tom Peters said teamwork was integral to the success of the show since no one character was significantly larger than another – including the titular character of Charlie Brown in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” The Peanuts Gang took the stage on March 17 and 18. L to R, row by row, from the top: Sophie Evans ’20 as Sally; Sophie Evans ’20, Beckett Schiaparelli ’19, Reyyan Khan ’19, Christopher Guarasci ’19 and Caroline Karbowski ’18 stand around Carter Fee ’17 and Vivianne Skavlem ’18; Vivianne Skavlem ’18 as Snoopy; Hudson Nuss ’19 as Schroeder and Caroline Karbowski ’18 as Lucy; Anna Fahrmeier as a member of the Peanuts Chorus; and Beckett Schiaparelli ’19 as Linus.
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NEWSMAKERS
Caroline Walton ’17 was accepted for a poster presentation to the Fourth World Congress on Acute Heart Failure April 29 through May 2 in Paris, France. Additionally, the abstract will be published in the European Heart Journal. Her research was conducted through a clinical cardiology study for the Science Research Institute with her mother, Dr. Lynne Wagoner at The Heart Institute at Mercy Health. Her retrospective study on “Tolvaptan Reduces Readmission Rates in Acute Heart Failure Patients with Hypervolemic Hyponatremia” was the topic of her poster.
Jenna Eveslage ’18 has been accepted into A Cappella Academy, an exclusive summer program at Mount St. Mary’s University in Los Angeles. Jenna will be one of 70 high schoolaged students out of nearly 600 applicants worldwide who will attend the camp June 29 to July 9.
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Wanyi “Sherry” Xiao ’18 qualified for the USA Math Olympiad, based on a national math test, ranking her among America’s top math students. Sherry and Hanchen “Jeffery” Huang ’19 competed at the Ohio High School Mathematics Invitational Olympiad at Capital University in Columbus. Sherry took seventh place at state overall and for the second year in a row was the state’s topscoring female student. She also finished fifth overall on the individual test and fourth overall on a ciphering (use of numbers) test.
Lavina Grzymajlo ‘23 was published in BirdSleuth Investigator 2016, a publication of Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology. Lavina’s drawing of a male house finch, labeling the bird’s distinctive markings – red head and breast, brown wings streaked with white, brown cap and small bill – was published. A total of 26 students earned medals in the national Online Etymology Exam and Medusa Mythology Exam taken in the fall. The Online Etymology Exam is a 50-question, multiple-choice test on the Greek and Latin roots used in more than half of the words in the English language. Gold medals were awarded to Isa Bishop ’20, Irene Calderon ’22, Matthew Casañas ’21 and Joseph Delamerced ’18. Silver medals were awarded to Cat Alway ’19, Maliah Bricking ’20, Patrick Casañas ’18, Elizabeth Dziech ’21, Colby
Gordon ’19, Hudson Ritch ’22, Matthew Warden ’20 and Michael Warden ’18. Bronze medals were awarded to Abby Almaguer ’22, Ryan Burns ’20, Brooklyne Darby ’22, Davis DeFoor ’18, Brigid Devine ’19, Tommy DiPaola ’21, Caroline Klette ’18, Elsa Khan ’20, Laura Klug ’17, Caroline Kubicki ’19, Aidan Lawler ’21, Ava Norton ’21, Brendan Ochs ’18 and Maya Warren ’18. The Medusa Mythology Exam is a 40-question, multiple-choice exam. This year’s theme was “The Rise and Fall of the Titans.” Caroline Klette ’18 won a silver medal, and Irene Calderon ’22 won a bronze.
Three students on the Fantastic Five robotics team won the WrightPatterson Air Force Base Founder’s Award, took second place out of 62 teams and received recognition as a Global Innovation Award Finalist at the FIRST Lego League state championship robotics competition. Pictured L to R: Laura Fitzpatrick ’22, Thomas Lamarre ’22 and
Student Newsmakers Jack Crane ’22. The team designed a solution for better human-animal interaction. They focused on elderly pet owners with limited mobility and designed a pet food elevator to move meals from a counter to the floor.
L to R: Evan Baker, Hope Thomson, Liam Lindy, Ruku Pal, Carter Fee, Cat Alway, Matt LaMacchia and Pierce Kreider.
Sophia Stanisic ’21 competed in the state geography bee sponsored by the Ohio Geographic Alliance. Every year, the entire Middle School takes an 80-question geography test. The top 10 scorers advance to the Middle School Geography Bee in which they answer oral questions. Winners of local bees then take a test sponsored by the National Geographic Society to qualify for the state bee.
The Summit’s Team Blue competed at the state level of the mock trial competition, marking the fifth time in six years that a Summit team has made it to that level. In round one of the regionals, Evan Baker ’18 won the Outstanding Attorney Award, and Carter Fee ’17 received the Outstanding Witness Award. In round two, Ruku Pal ’18 won the Outstanding Attorney Award. Other members are Matt LaMacchia, Hope Thomson and Liam Lindy, class of 2017; Cat Alway ’19; and Pierce Kreider ’20. Back row, L to R: Kat Fitzpatrick, Shannon Dennemann, Laura Fitzpatrick, Jennifer Sullivan, Brooklyne Darby and Sadie Joseph. Front row, L to R: Kendall Ralph, Lavina Grzymajlo, Trey Butler, Andrew Murtaugh, Molly Ragland, Megan Ebken and Addie Ransick.
Liam Lindy and Lillian Chow of the class of 2017 were invited to participate in State Science Day at the Ohio Academy of Science at Ohio State University. They received superior scores on work they presented at the Southwest Ohio Science and Engineering Expo at the University of Cincinnati. Liam’s project was titled “Epigenetic Effects in Drosophila Melanogaster after Exposure to Car Exhaust.” Lillian’s project was titled “senseSack: A Wearable Sleepsack Containing Wireless Sensors for Monitoring Infant Body Vitals.” Lillian’s project also received a GE Aviation Engineering Award and qualified to compete at the Buckeye Science and Engineering Fair at OSU. Evan Baker ’18 and Joseph Delamerced ’18 have been accepted into the 2017 Class of TAP MD, a selective physician exploration program sponsored by Cincinnati MD Jobs. Throughout the course of the next year, they will join other local high school students in shadow experiences and visits to hospitals and outpatient clinics. Since the TAP MD program started in 2011, 19 Summit students have been accepted and participated.
Two teams competing in the STEM-based Destination Imagination program placed first in their categories during regionals and advanced to the state tournament. Seventh grade team Copyright 2013 – Brooklyne Darby, Andrew Murtaugh, Molly Ragland, Laura Fitzpatrick, Jennifer Sullivan and Sadie Joseph – used technical theater methods to create a vanishing act of the color blue and how that disappearance changes the world. Sixth grade team The Book Worms – Shannon Dennemann, Kat Fitzpatrick, Megan Ebken, Lavina Grzymajlo, Trey Butler, Addie Ransick and Kendall Ralph – collected 419 books for the West End Emergency Center, then wrote and performed a fable designed to engage students in public service. For the third year in a row, The Summit Country Day School took home superior ratings in both Level 1 and Level 2 competition at the University of Cincinnati Math Bowl. Superior ratings went to the Level 1 Calculus team composed of Neng “Ben” Chai and Hanchen “Jeffery” Huang, Class of 2019; Keith Meyer and Wanyi “Sherry” Xiao, class of 2018; and Sofia Nieto ’17. In addition, the Level 2 Geometry/Algebra 2 team composed of Maliah Bricking, William Fassler, Junbo “Tom” Li and Ziyan “Richard” Zhang, all Class of 2020, received Superior ratings. An Excellent rating went to the Level 1 Calculus team, comprised of Zhuonan “George” Ruan, Jiuhe “Vivian” Zhang and Libin “Andrew” Zhou, Class of 2017, and Shang Qing “Albert” Cao and Wenxin “Sabrina” Wu, Class of 2018. Summit Magazine 23
Student Newsmakers
Alex Ragland ’19 won first place in the 21st annual Mount St. Joseph University Writing Contest in the personal essay category. Her submission, titled “Next Stop …Copley,” will be published in MSJ’s literary magazine Lions-on-Line.
Back row, L to R: Lily Ritch, Lavina Grzymajlo and Jamie Gieseke. Middle row, L to R: Kira Njegovan, Sophia Nery and Maria Min. Front row, L to R: Bebe Heekin, Olivia de Lacy and Heidi Crowther.
Nine students distinguished themselves in statewide art competitions sponsored by the Ohio Art Education Association. In the Jerry Tollifson Art Criticism Open, Lily Ritch ’21 won the Division 3 award for her essay on “The Water Carriers” by Frank Duveneck. Olivia de Lacy ’27 placed third in Division 1 for her essay on “Christina’s World” by Andrew Wyeth. Sophia Nery ’25 tied for second place and classmates Maria Min and Kira Njegovan tied for third place in Division 2 for their essays on The Two Fridas by Frida Kahlo. Works by Bebe Heekin ’27 and Lavina Grzymajlo ’23 were two of 110 pieces selected for the Young People’s Art Exhibition at Rhodes State Office Tower in Columbus. Pieces by Jamie Gieseke ’21 and Heidi Crowther ‘25 were selected by a jury for display with 109 other works in the Youth Art Month Exhibit at the State Teacher’s Retirement Systems building in Columbus. Nine Middle School students participated in the Southwest Ohio Catholic Honor Band March 3-5, a regional band comprised of a select group of students from Catholic schools in Cincinnati and Dayton. Summit students invited to perform were eighth graders Tommy DiPaola, clarinet; Grant Gerhardt, trumpet; Ava Norton, flute; and AJ Ferguson, trumpet; seventh graders Irene Calderon, flute; Jimmy Fraley, trumpet; Jennifer Sullivan, flute; and Lavina Grzymajlo, clarinet; and sixth grader Caroline Burns, clarinet. In addition, Tommy was honored as the concert master, an honorary title that recognizes the achievement of the first chair clarinet who sounds the tuning pitch for the rest of the band. 24
Spring Magazine 2016-17
Irene Calderon, Class of 2022, won this year’s Middle School spelling bee after 10 rounds and qualified for competition in the regional bee. Irene’s winning word was “netsuke” — the word for a carved Japanese ornament that is worn with a kimono.
Melina Traiforos ’21 received the Best of the Best award following
the regional Power of the Pen competition, qualifying her for the state tournament and a published spot in the competition’s Book of Winners. Erin Devine ’21 earned a second-place finish out of 122 eighth graders at the Power of the Pen competition held at The Summit in January. Her story, “Tell Our Stories,” is based on the background of the stained-glass windows at the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur convent chapel in Reading. Erin learned this story from Sister Mary Ann Barnhorn, whom she interviewed as part of her eighth grade capstone on justice. She advances to regional competition with team members Alisha Shabbir ’21 and Melina Traiforos. In addition, the seventh grade team placed second overall, and members Irene Calderon, Audrey Campbell, Jimmy Fraley and Sadie Joseph qualified for the regionals. Caroline Karbowski ’18 received an honorable mention for her work while attending the Model United Nations Conference held in October at Wyoming High School. Caroline and Reyyan Khan ’19 served as board members who favored rebuilding Overthe-Rhine. Shang Qing “Albert” Cao ’18 also attended the conference and presented arguments as Chinese political leader Chen Yun. Seniors Kyle and Ryan Schneider were each awarded a Chick Evans
Student and Faculty Newsmakers Caddie Scholarship, which will provide them a full ride for four years in college. The scholarship is awarded to golf caddies and goes to students who have an excellent academic record and demonstrate good character and leadership. Kyle and Ryan are the sons of Summit alumna and first grade teacher Sherry (Schloemer) Schneider ’81.
Sabian Swan, class of 2026, spent the holiday season as a cast member of Playhouse in the Park’s annual performance of “A Christmas Carol.” He played several roles, including George, a youngster whom Ebenezer Scrooge pays to deliver a turkey to the Cratchit family. Sabian appeared in 42 performances, sometimes in two shows a day.
L to R: Nick Sutkamp, Davis DeFoor, Caroline Karbowski, Libin “Andrew” Zhou, Keith Meyer, Hanchen “Jeffery” Huang and Neng “Ben” Chai.
A project by Caroline Karbowski, Davis DeFoor and Nick Sutkamp of the Class of 2018 won second place at the TechOlympics, the largest high school technology conference in the country, and earned them an invite to the IT Expo at the University of Cincinnati. Their project, See3D, is a three-dimensional printing outreach program that uses 3-D models to help blind people understand the world around them. The project received a top score in creativity, tied for first in presentation and came in second overall. In addition to the See3D project, Caroline also won first place in the “Start Up” competition, was recognized by her interviewer from mock interviews for her passion and skills and received second place for her TED Talk.
Faculty Newsmakers Alumna and Upper School English teacher Alice (O’Dell) Brannon ’85 exhibited her art at Awakenings Coffee and Wine in Hyde Park during March. The exhibit was titled “Lines,” because the works are delineations in graphite, charcoal and carbon and are named with lines from literature. The Summit welcomed back local artist Jan Brown Checco for a community-based art project to recognize donors in the Aiming Higher Campaign. Ms. Checco is working with Summit students through the end of the school year to produce a high-relief mosaic sculpture in the form of an angel, which will be installed on a wall facing the Chapel. The work will be called “The Angel’s Light.” Ms. Checco’s work has been shown regionally, nationally and internationally,. She is well known in the Cincinnati community from installations at Krohn Conservatory, Fountain Square and Cincinnati parks, as well as her associations with the city park district and regional arts organizations. The Summit community is familiar with Ms. Checco’s work because she worked with students in 2004 and 2005 to create the “Dreambuilding Cathedral” and “Spirit of Generosity” mosaics in the lobby of the school’s chapel. Longtime Summit Middle School art teacher and alumna Paula Yarnell ’65 commissioned the work as a legacy gift from her family. Jim Jackson has been promoted to the position of chief philanthropy executive from development director. Michele Duda, formerly the development assistant director, has been appointed development director. Both Mr. Jackson and Ms. Duda played key roles in the 2015-16 Aiming Higher Campaign. Mr. Jackson will be responsible for philanthropic strategy and policies, endowment growth, planned giving, major gifts and capital campaign planning and execution. Ms. Duda will be responsible for day-to-day operations of the Development Office, including the Annual Fund for Excellence, alumni relations, volunteer management and gift stewardship.
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2016-17 LATIN S
Latin students Patrick Casanas ‘18, Kathryn Sullivan ‘20 and Brooklyne Darby ’22 hold three of the Latin team’s trophies from their big wins at the Ohio Junior Classical League state convention in February. Among their top team wins are first place in overall points and overall per capita points, as well as second place in academic per capita points.
By Joseph Delamerced ’18 Prior to my first state convention, my Latin teacher, Larry Dean, encouraged me – a young, awkward, inarticulate and shy Middle School kid – to attend. I considered the offer, and one clear advantage stood out to me: I could miss all of my afternoon classes. I signed up immediately. Today, instead of being an awkward, mumbling child in Middle School, I am now in high school. So, well – OK, not much has changed. However, I still do remember my first Ohio Junior Classical League (OJCL) Convention as a Middle School student. I loved being there, filled with a spirit of camaraderie, sharing one ultimate thing in common with the people there: incredibly good looks. And Latin. We all took Latin. So two things.
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The OJCL is made up of students of the Classics who are dedicated and passionate toward a language many Spring completely Magazine 2016-17 people disregard in our modern world.
Although we are excited to come together for various contests and competitions (including this year, when we took first place at the state convention), we also feel a quiet distress. Being a Latin or Greek student is hardly glamorous or easy. We are constantly under fire for our foreign language decision. While Spanish, French, Chinese and other foreign languages receive the limelight, our beloved languages of Latin and Greek are belittled to little more than a “language for nerds.” Most commonly, we receive the most biting insult: “Latin is dead.” Our responses to these claims are varied and consistent. We argue how our language can help us with standardized tests. With Latin being the mother of the Romance languages, we are able to learn any other language that much faster. We even have a better handle on the English language, as it has been proven that Latin can improve our own syntax and word choice. These counterarguments and many more, however, have held minuscule gravity in the eyes of those who are adamant on pushing the Classics away. Yet, it makes little sense to push away a language that is so important in our world today.
For one, more than 60 percent of the English dictionary is made up of words derived from Latin and Greek roots. After phonics, learning these basic patterns from Latin and Greek would be essential. Additionally, Latin is the language for lawyers, doctors, scientists, theologians and many more esteemed positions. Furthermore, Latin is key to understanding our own Western civilization and culture. The ancient thinkers of the world recorded philosophical and logical ideas in not only Latin, but also in Greek. These ideas have been passed down, codified in the Latin language. Latin is one of the most influential languages in my life and in the history of the world. There are few organizations like the OJCL that recognize this. At this past OJCL convention, the thrill I saw in my school, The Summit, was palpable, especially in the younger
students. I was excited to see their enthusiasm grow and love the Latin language just as much as I do. Moreover, at this past convention, I realized just how many smiles I felt appear on my face during this weekend. I’ve found that this sense of joy I felt there is unique to the Classics. It cannot be translated to other languages. There are so many reasons to take Latin and Greek, but the OJCL is one of the main reasons why I do. The OJCL sees that this language is not outdated or useless or dead. The OJCL sees our language as equal as any other, and it provides a home for a loving community to celebrate that. Junior Joseph Delamerced is president of the Ohio Junior Classical League.
N STATE CHAMPS
The Summit Latin Club reclaimed their state championship title this year. The club has been state champion seven times, all in the last 10 years. They took second place the other three years. Front row, L to R: Brigid Devine, Ava Norton, Matthew Casanas, Jimmy Fraley, Andrew Murtaugh, Kendall Richard, Jennifer Sullivan, Brooklyne Darby, Hali Clark. Second row: Tullus Dean, Caroline Klette, Joseph Delamerced, Patrick Casanas, Maliah Bricking, Connie Nelson, Michelle Chen, Anna Fahrmeier and Jennifer Whitehead. Third row: Ryan Burns, Mike Hall, Liv Hartman, Julia Dean, Isha Tamrakar, Leah Neltner, Elizabeth Fahrmeier, Maya Warren, Eliot Schiaparelli, Abby Almaguer. Back row: Latin teacher Lisa Mays, 27 Alex Almaguer, Matthew Warden, Conrad Coldiron, James Speed, Graham Hartman, Hudson Huss, Lee Armitage, Kathryn Summit Sullivan, Beckett Magazine 27 Schiaparelli, Michael Warden, Latin teacher Larry Dean.
Girls Varsity Basketball Head Coach Beth Simmons instructs the team during a timeout.
Girls: 27-1 What They Lacked in Height, They Made Up in Speed
L to R: Alea Harris ’18, Ravin Alexander ’18, Rachel Martin ’20 and 28 Daniel Spring’17. Magazine 2016-17 Kerri
By Shannon Russell Beneath the trappings of a dominating regular-season, a strong postseason push and a second Division III regional championship appearance in three years, The Summit’s varsity girls’ basketball team was propelled by an overriding theme: Sacrifice. After 16-year Head Coach Beth Simmons wrote the word on a board in the team locker room, the Silver Knights made it their mission. “Coach asked, ‘What does this mean to you guys?’ We all just threw around examples and she said, ‘Sacrifice means giving everything for your teammates.’ That means diving after a loose ball or sacrificing playing time and other examples. And I think that really stuck with us,” junior point guard Ravin Alexander says. “Before every game the rest of the season, we all talked about making sacrifices for each other.” The Silver Knights entered the 2016-17 campaign with promising components, from good camaraderie to gifted players. What they didn’t have in size they made up for in speed. And there was history, too, as most of the roster knew the agony of losing to Versailles in the 2015 regional final. Ravin says the team hankered for a Versailles rematch all season. It got that, but a lot of things needed to fall into place first. The Silver Knights, ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Division III state girls’ basketball poll for part of the season, won their first 27 games and tallied a perfect Miami Valley Conference record (13-0). They clinched a fourth Scarlet Division title in five years under 2017 conference coach of the year Simmons. Most games throughout the regular season were lopsided in The Summit’s favor. Behind Alea Harris (10.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg), Ravin (10.2 ppg, 6.5 apg, 4.9 spg), Kiana Allen (10.4 ppg) and Niah Woods (9.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 63.5 field goal percent), the team outscored its first 18 opponents by an average of 37.6 points. Five days after routing Cincinnati Christian 70-26 in January, the Silver Knights faced their first big test of the season. Turpin parlayed its height advantage into a nine-point halftime lead, but The Summit rallied to force a tie with 15 seconds left in the fourth quarter. “I called a timeout and we set up a play, and (junior) Alea Harris got fouled and went to the line. She made one of two free-throws, and we ended up winning the game by one. It was a big deal for us. It was exciting,” Coach Simmons says.
Top: Team Manager Jennifer Whitehead ’17, Kiana Allen ’18, Ravin Alexander ’18 and Niah Woods ’18 stay energetic on the bench. Left: Junior Niah Woods drives in against her opponent for a layup. Right: Sophomore Sam Crew sets up for a free throw. 29 Summit Magazine 29
The girls’ basketball team poses for a team photo after winning the district championship. Back row, L to R: Junior Varsity Head Coach Gage Welch, Varsity Assistant Coach Shanan Barga, Varsity Head Coach Beth Simmons, Kiernan Cinque ’20, Meghan O’Brien ’17, Sam Crew ’19, Alea Harris ’18, Rachel Martin ’20, Katie Chamberlin ’20, Team Manager Jennifer Whitehead ’17 and Athletic Trainer Amber Gerken. Front row, L to R: Alexandra Simmons, Niah Woods ’18, Sydni Brooks ’18, Kiana Allen ’18, Ravin Alexander ’18, Kerri Daniel ’17 and Sydney Black ’20.
Said Ravin: “We all realized that we could lose this game and we really wanted to stay undefeated. We just had enthusiasm, especially on defense. We held them to (12) points in the second half, which was really, really cool.” The 35-34 victory extended the team’s unblemished record to 19-0 and provided a dose of adversity that Simmons knew The Summit would need in the postseason. The regular season continued with a familiar script, as the Silver Knights trounced St. Bernard 72-15 in their ensuing game. In tournament play, top-seeded Summit dispatched Aiken, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, Williamsburg and Arcanum before clipping Liberty Union in a 53-50 regional semifinal. That brought up Versailles, The Summit’s nemesis from two years prior. The outcome was eerily similar. The Tigers won 50-33, matching the margin from the teams’ prior regional final, on a day The Summit shot just 25 percent. Kiana, who set a school record with 73 made 3-pointers throughout the season, was held 3030 Spring Magazine 2016-17
to a rare 0-for-6 mark from the perimeter and Ravin missed 11 of her 14 field goal attempts. Versailles rocketed to a 21-7 lead and never trailed. “I think we went into the game maybe a little timid, just a little nervous, being in the regional finals,” Ravin says. “We missed a few shots early and that definitely was deflating for us. As they continued to put in lay-ups, we were trying to make some shots from outside that weren’t going in. It just kind of got away from us.” Although the team (27-1) mourned the season’s finality, especially on behalf of seniors Meghan O’Brien and Kerri Daniel, Coach Simmons urged players to be proud of their achievements. Ravin, the Associated Press Southwest All-District Division III and MVC Scarlet Player of the Year, texted her teammates soon after. The sacrifices were worth it. This, she says, was a season to remember. “To go 27-1 is something really special and something that a lot of teams would want to do,” Ravin says. “I try not to think about that last game. I try to think about the rest of the season we had.”
The team takes a group selfie with their trophy and medals after winning the district championship.
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Boys: 26-1 Seniors Are the Winningest Class in Program History By Shannon Russell Since taking over The Summit Country Day School’s varsity boys’ basketball team in 2014, Head Coach Pat Cosgrove ’01 has had to make difficult locker-room speeches after three seasonending losses. None were as tough as the one he gave March 18. A 70-64 defeat by Roger Bacon in the Division III regional championship knocked the Silver Knights out of the tournament and signaled the team’s first loss all season. The Summit (26-1) played well, shooting 55.8 percent behind four double-figure scorers. Roger Bacon played even better.
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“That was the hardest postgame end-of-season talk I’ve ever had. I actually didn’t get all the way through it,” Coach Cosgrove says. “I was just so sad and disappointed for the team because they Spring 2016-17 gave meMagazine everything they had.”
Top: Senior Blake Warren hoists the Silver Knights’ trophy as they are announced as the district champions. Left: Senior Sam Martin calls a play during a game. Right: Senior Tyrice Walker attempts to jump higher than his opponent for the tip-off to start a home game.
The team takes a group photo after winning the district championship. Back row, L to R: Varsity Assistant Coach Jerry Hilton, Varsity Head Coach Patrick Cosgrove, Henry Schertzinger ’18, Terry Evans ’19, Sam Gosiger ’19, Sam Martin ’17, Andrew Bissmeyer ’17, Alex Dahling ’17, Rylan Woods ’19, Blake Warren ’17, Alonzo Motley ’19, Allen Waltz ’17, Harrison Schertzinger ’18 and Varsity Associate Head Coach Scott Martin. Front row, L to R: Zairn Davis ’17, Xavier Johnson ’18 and TJ Walker ’17.
Coach Cosgrove thought all season that the seniorladen team, ranked third in the Associated Press Division III state boys’ basketball poll, had a real chance to reach the state semifinals and play a game or two at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus. Those aspirations dissolved in the late stages of the regional final. Although The Summit took the lead with 3:31 left, Roger Bacon controlled the scoreboard the rest of the way and ended the Silver Knights’ season for the fifth straight year. For senior point guard Sam Martin, the outcome’s finality was surreal. “Everybody was asking me how I was after the game and obviously I was upset. A lot of my best friends were on the team and we had such a great year, and we had high hopes,” Sam says. “But honestly, looking at that game and at the season, I can’t be too upset. I’ve seen Roger Bacon play a lot of times this season and in my opinion that was probably their best game all year.”
Coach Cosgrove, the Miami Valley Conference (MVC) Scarlet Division Coach of the Year, says the Silver Knights were so selfless offensively that there were times the leading scorers were unaware of their point totals. As long as the team won, players were satisfied. MVC Scarlet Player of the Year, Sam averaged a teambest 15.8 points with 2.9 assists. Senior Alex Dahling added 15.2 points and 3.6 rebounds while senior TJ Walker contributed 13 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Junior Xavier Johnson chipped in 7.9 points and 3.1 boards. The Summit steamrolled most of its opponents before facing a stiff challenge in Taft. The Senators used their athleticism to their advantage and led 21-18 after the first quarter. But the Silver Knights outscored Taft 3629 in the ensuing quarters and collected a 54-50 win. “We kind of needed that wake-up call. It’s good to know that you can pull out those games when its close and you’re not playing your best,” Sam says.
The Summit had a memorable journey to the postseason. The team forged its best start in program history (26-0) by vexing opponents with an efficient offense and defense.
That was Jan. 28. The Silver Knights didn’t play another thriller until their March 15 regional semifinal against Worthington Christian.
Only four opponents scored 50 or more points against The Summit all season. Sam says the team prided itself on its offense in 2015-16 but grew to understand that “defense is what wins you games.”
The Warriors’ strategy was to double-team the ball, keep it out of Martin’s hands, dare other Silver Knights to shoot and then hold the ball when they Magazine were on offense. With possessions atSummit a premium, it
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didn’t help that The Summit missed 15 of its 19 shots in the paint. Worthington Christian led the game with just 25 seconds left. “We finally got a stop and then Sam went down and scored a lay-up. When you say ‘don’t foul,’ all of a sudden the pressure gets a little less. So he just went around them and laid it in. We got a steal and they fouled and we got two free throws,” Coach Cosgrove says. TJ converted both shots and The Summit won, 3532. Roger Bacon awaited. Although the season ended soon shortly thereafter and the aftermath was difficult, Sam couldn’t have asked for a better career with his friends. He, Alex, TJ, and seniors Allen Waltz, Andrew Bissmeyer, Zairn Davis and Blake Warren formed the winningest class in program history. The Summit went a combined 45-6 in conference play the last four seasons, with 13-0 records in 2014 and 2017. “The thing I’ll miss the most is probably sitting in the locker room before practice every day and just hanging out with those guys,” Sam says. “I’ve never had more fun playing basketball than I did this year.” Shannon Russell is a longtime Cincinnati sports writer, now working at WCPO.
L to R, row by row from top: Varsity Head Coach Pat Cosgrove walks the sideline at a home game. Senior Andrew Bissmeyer receives a pass during a game. Senior Zairn Davis smiles as he enters the game. Sophomore Terry Evans snips a keepsake part of the net at the district championship game. Senior Alex Dahling dribbles down the court. Juniors Xavier Johnson and Harrison Schertzinger are still in awe after winning the district championship. Cheerleaders encourage players in Flannery Gym. 34 34 Spring Magazine 2016-17
Top: Students pack the stands for a home game. Bottom, L to R: Cheerleaders Abby Brinkman ’20, Brooke Dittman ’20, Mackenzie Robinson ’18 and Dee Pierre ’17.
Summit Magazine 35
Nineteen incoming freshmen received endowed scholarships to The Summit, including a newly endowed one honoring Upper School English teacher and Summit historian J. Patrick Kelly.
Newly Endowed Scholarship Honors The Summit’s Resident Historian By Nancy Berlier The Summit Country Day School welcomed the Class of 2021 on March 29 during a ceremony awarding 33 merit and 19 endowed scholarships. The 48 scholarship recipients come from 13 different middle, junior high and parochial schools in the area. Among them, one received a newly endowed scholarship honoring J. Patrick Kelly, a veteran language arts teacher in the Upper School and resident historian. Mr. Kelly is the author of To Grow in Grace and Wisdom: The History of The Summit Country Day School. The J. Patrick Kelly Endowed Scholarship was established in 36
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2016 and is the fourth scholarship endowed by Robert Conway Jr., a Summit parent, trustee and frequent donor, whose mother, Ruth (Jung) Conway, was a 1946 alumna. Merit scholarships are carefully selected based on high academic achievement, testing, character references, teacher recommendations, an individual interview and an essay. Endowed scholarships are funds established by parents, grandparents, alumni and friends of The Summit who hope to assist in providing a Summit education to future generations of students. “Our community has many generous benefactors like Robert Conway who have made gifts to our endowment so we can recognize and honor
talented students from across Greater Cincinnati,” said Kelley Schiess, Assistant Head of School for Enrollment Management and Special Projects. “Our scholarships are possible only because of the generosity of our parents, alumni and friends who share our passion to help every child reach his or her potential.”
James E. Evans Scholarship, Maalik Cody, St. Joseph; Amelia Hamberg Foss ’24 Scholarship, Gates Flynn, Cardinal Pacelli;
Endowed scholarships were given to these students:
Frank X. Homan Scholarship, Kelvin Turner, The Summit;
Farrell Ackley Memorial Scholarship, Alex Waak, Little Miami;
Margo Homan Scholarship, Bryana Woodard, Bethany;
Alumni Scholarship, Elizabeth Dziech, The Summit;
J. Patrick Kelly Scholarship, Mariah Mukasa, Bethany;
Marc Bohlke Memorial Scholarship, Matt Dahling, St. Andrew St. Elizabeth Ann Seton; Constance (Alf) Castleberry ’20 Memorial Scholarship, Morgan Nuss, All Saints; Susan and Edward Castleberry SBS ’46 Family Scholarship, Jordyn Pez, Bethany; Patricia and Joseph H. Clasgens II SBS ’37 Scholarship, Maggie McGrail, Our Lady of Victory; and Emma Perez, St. Ursula Villa; Kim and Scott David Family Fund, Naomi Purdie, Bethany;
Legacy Scholarship, Charlie Wilson, The Summit; PNC Bank Scholarship, Rachael Montgomery, Bethany; Amy and Ben Russert Family Fund, Margot Lakes, The Summit; Arthur and Irma Theobald Scholarship, DuPree Phillips, St. Joseph; and Sam Vessel, Bethany; and William J. Williams ’29 Scholarship, Matthew Brumfield, St. Margaret of York.
How you can help Learn how you can support the endowment at www.summitcds.org/giving. Summit Magazine 37
The Summit Young Alumni Survey Results From 2013-2016, 382 seniors have graduated from The Summit. All of them were accepted into colleges and universities across the United States and abroad. As a group, they received $72.39 million in scholarship offers, including 66 full-tuition scholarships. Every four years, we survey young alumni to measure the effectiveness of our academic program and how well we prepare our graduates for college and life beyond as compared with other schools surveyed by the National Association of Independent Schools. Our November survey results reflect how vital faculty/student relationships are at The Summit and the strength of academics, athletics and extra-curriculars. Here are significant findings from the survey:
93% 89% 89% 73% of Summit’s graduates said they were “well” or “very well” prepared for college, compared to 88% of their peers at benchmark independent schools.
ranked their “Overall Academic Ability” higher than their college peers, compared to 75% at benchmark independent schools.
ranked their “Writing Ability” higher than their college peers, compared to 77% at benchmark independent schools.
are attending their first-choice college/ university, compared to 61% at benchmark independent schools.
10 Top Services Provided by College Counseling The Summit rated higher than benchmark independent schools in these categories.
Kept me Aware of Deadlines
Provided a Counselor with Knowledge of Provided an the College Available & Selection Accessible Process Counselor
Assisted me with Career Counseling
3838 Spring Magazine 2016-17
Provided a Satisfactory College Counseling Experience
Began the College Selection Process at an Appropriate Time in High School
Offered a Variety of Programs to Inform me of the College Selection Process
Provided an Approachable Prepared me for the Counselor
Application Assisted me with the Process Application Process
10 Most Valuable Aspects of The Summit Experience
10 Highest Ranking Skills for College Students
The Summit rated higher than benchmark independent schools in these categories.
Young alumni rated these skills garnered at The Summit higher than their peers at benchmark independent schools.
1 Interaction with Teachers
6
7
Small Classes
Culture of Your School
Individualized Attention
4 AP Courses
1
Studying
2
Conducting Research
3
Interpreting mathematical/ scientific concepts
4
Public Speaking
5
Contributing to Class Discussions
6
Taking a Leadership Role
7
Working Collaboratively on a Team
8
Empathizing with Others
9
Practicing Sports and/or Exercising Regularly
10
Participation in Athletic Teams/Sports
2
3
Writing
8 Interaction with Staff
9 Participation in Specialized Clubs
5
10
Other Students at your School
Participation in Community Service/ Volunteer
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Thomas C. Theobald SBS ’50 meets with Theobald Scholars in the Bishop’s Parlor.
Theobald Scholarship Positions Alumni to Improve the World Thomas C. Theobald SBS ’50 attended The Summit through eighth grade thanks to parents who had a deep appreciation for education. While he continued his education at St. Xavier High School, Holy Cross College, the University of Vienna and Harvard Business School before embarking on a remarkable career in banking and finance, he returned to The Summit time and time again to give back to the school. By way of thanking his parents, Arthur and Irma Theobald, for sending him and his brother, Jerry BMS ’45, he created a scholarship in their names. Since 1996, 24 students have benefited from a Summit education thanks to the Arthur and Irma Theobald Scholarship. We asked Theobald scholars for an update on their lives. Here are a few excerpts: Shayla A. Walker ’00 I am honored to have been one of the recipients of the Theobald scholarship. Growing up in a less privileged community has not only offered financial and academic challenges, but has also helped me realize the value of a great education. I have begun my career as a maintenance coordinator at Good Samaritan Hospital College. I plan to return to school to obtain a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering. My educational pursuits would not be 40
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possible without generous support from scholarship sponsors like Mr. Theobald. Steven Muldrow ’03 After The Summit, I went to Xavier University where I earned a degree in liberal arts. I’m now working on my master’s in business informatics at Northern Kentucky University. For five years, I’ve been working at Express Scripts as a project manager. I think often about the simple fact that the Theobald scholarship afforded me a rare opportunity at The Summit. My time there molded me in remarkable ways. Chadwick M. Bailey ’05 I moved to Atlanta, Ga. in 2008 and finished my accounting degree at Georgia State University in 2010. I began a career with a large corporate restaurant and eventually started a restaurant with two partners. We opened our second location at the end of 2015 and have been doing great. My latest endeavor has been residential real estate in metro Atlanta. This year, my real estate partner and I are seeking our first renovation project. My experience at The Summit and the opportunity afforded me has been extremely powerful in my life.
Kiaren Hickson ’09 I graduated from the University of Virginia in 2014 with a chemistry degree and worked in the biotech industry for two years making DNA and RNA strands in pharmaceutical drugs. I’m now pursuing my MBA at the University of Cincinnati. I’m incredibly grateful for everything Mr. Theobald has done, and it was always great to meet with him when he would stop by The Summit. Khiry T. Hankins ’09 I attended Holy Family College in Philadelphia on academic and athletic scholarships where I played basketball. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in management and marketing, and a master’s degree in business administration. I was involved in the start-up of several recording studios in the Indianapolis area. Returning to Cincinnati, I am now working at 1 Vision Academy, an organization that works with youth interested in improving their basketball skills. I am also an assistant varsity basketball coach at The Summit. James E. McLean ’12 I graduated from the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. There, I served as a resident advisor, head of a research team investigating the effects of change blindness, as well as manager of the university’s recording studio. I am set to graduate in May with my Master of Arts in Business Management at Wake Forest University. I have served as a graduate business consultant for Cigna Healthcare and the YWCA. I am searching for positions in marketing and brand management in Dayton and Cincinnati.
Khiry T. Hankins ’09 is an assistant varsity basketball coach at The Summit.
Armand T. Walker ’13 I am a senior engineering management major at Morehead State University. I have also played defensive end on the football team the past four years. However, my biggest accomplishment here came last semester when I earned a 4.0 GPA. In addition to school and football, I interned at Jacobs Engineering in Forest Park during this past summer and was offered a full-time position when I graduate as an equipment engineer. This is a wonderful opportunity, and I can credit a great deal of it to Mr. Theobald, because without him I would not have been able to go to what I feel is the best high school in the city. James E. McLean ’12 graduates this month from Wake Forest University with a Master of Arts in Business Management.
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As No. 51, a defensive tackle with the Indiana University Hoosiers, Michael M. Barwick ’14 appeared in all 13 games this year, posting 22 tackles.
Michael M. Barwick ’14 I am a student athlete at Indiana University, excelling in the classroom and on the football field on a full athletic scholarship. Next year, I will graduate from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs as a management major with a minor in sociology. I will also have an opportunity to go to graduate school the following year and play football for a fifth year, as well as a possible opportunity to go to the NFL. Of course, this depends on whether I continue to stay healthy and put together some great game film. Going to The Summit has prepared me to be successful not only academically and athletically, but also most importantly, The Summit will be one of the main reasons why I will be successful in life. That opportunity would not have been possible without the Theobald scholarship. Vaughn McLean ’16 I am majoring in sports management at Ohio University, and I am loving it. I finished the first semester with a 3.75 GPA. As a result of that, I was 42
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extended an invitation to join the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society. I am also a member of the Multicultural Sport Professionals Club. One of my goals for next year is to become a student manager for the basketball team. Davionne Laney ‘16 I am attending Seton Hill University studying exercise science with the intention of becoming an orthopedic or a physical therapist. During the summer, my plans include shadowing with Beacon Orthopedics and a chiropractor. I am enjoying my time here in Greensburg, Pa. The environment here is great, and I have been branching out. I am also playing football. Thanks to the Theobald scholarship, I was gifted the opportunity to be educated at one of the best high schools in the state, and it gave me chances to know and interact with many classmates, friends, teachers and mentors along the way. I am very thankful for everything that the school gave to me. — Compiled by Sandy Champlin
Class Notes 80s
Nader Donzel ‘84 is recognized as an entrepreneur and an expert in the field of medical devices and instruments for life science and clinical research. A one-year exchange student at The Summit, Nader says he has fond memories of his time in here and that his experience influenced decisions he made in his career. “I felt the school was then already visionary accepting international students,” he said. Nader holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Babson College and master’s degree in engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. During his career, he co-founded Scitec Laboratory Automation and is head of operations and finance. He was a co-founder of Biocartis SA and served as chief technology officer. He is a former chief software architect at Zymark Corporation. He also worked as worldwide marketing manager for the automation product line at Caliper Life Sciences.
90s
Rob Dziech ’88, partner at The Farrish Law Firm, was named as one of the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers. The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 is an invitationonly organization comprised of the premier trial lawyers from each state or region who meet stringent qualifications as civil plaintiff and/ or criminal defense trial lawyers. Selection is based on a thorough multi-phase objective and uniformly applied process which includes peer nominations combined with third-party research. Membership is extended only to a select few of the most qualified attorneys from each state or region who demonstrate superior qualifications of leadership, reputation, influence, stature and public profile measured by objective and uniformly applied standards in compliance with the state bar and national Rule 4-7.
00s
Laura Steinmanis ’02 graduated from St. Louis University and moved to Los Angeles to work as a wedding planner. In 2009
she moved to Chicago where she now lives with husband, Adam Bieschke, in the Lakeview area of Chicago. She currently works as an event planner for the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. René Cheatham ’03 was hired as the chief financial officer for the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts. Rene currently serves as the president of The Summit Alumni Board. Jenni Fearing ’07 graduated from UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning with a bachelor’s degree in industrial design in 2012. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in marketing research from Michigan State University while working at Kaleidoscope, a Cincinnati design firm. She also recently traveled to Macau, China to gather insights regarding the Chinese gambling industry.
10s Hannah Hart ’11 founded Sabik Design, a creative agency which provides graphic design services from branding to packaging to web design. As a world traveler and fearless adventurer from a young age, Hannah always dreamed of finding a way to combine her two passions: travel and graphic design. In 2015, after graduating from Savannah College of Art and Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and completing her last corporate design internship in Cincinnati, she moved to Bali, Indonesia for a year to Summit Magazine 43
Class Notes run her freelance business. It boomed. She spent the year working for clients all over the globe, and every month she would leave Bali to renew her visa and refresh her mind. She thinks it is one of the most detrimental things for designers to be cooped up in offices, staring at white walls. “We are designers, thinkers, observers; our brains need to be fully stimulated at all times or we fall flat.” So on she went, every month; Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar, New Zealand, Australia. After a year in Asia, she returned to Cincinnati to establish her company, Sabik. An entrepreneur at age 23, she is now back in Bali running her business. Hannah says she has come to think of “the office” as an outdated term. “At Sabik, we don’t see the need for a concrete office, we consider the world as our workspace. As I always say, a desk and a laptop are still a desk and a laptop, no matter the location.” Find out more at www.sabikdesign.com Christy Cashen ’12 graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and minors in medical studies and Spanish. She is currently in Honduras working as a volunteer for one year at Montaña de Luz, an orphanage for children affected by HIV/AIDS. Alex Marcellus ’13 was very involved during his 44
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time at The Summit. He participated in Student Senate, mock trial, was an academic team captain and contributed to the Summit Insight newspaper as a technology columnist. During his college career at Purdue University, Alex has interned for GE Aviation, Intel Corporation and Microsoft. Upon graduating with his degree in computer engineering this spring, he will make the move to Seattle, Wash. to begin his dream job as a software engineer on the OneCore team in Microsoft’s Windows and Devices Group. Dale Lakes ’13 will graduate from West Point on May 27 and be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army Cyber branch. Cyber is the newest branch of the Army, created in 2015. The mission of Army Cyber Command is to direct and conduct integrated electronic warfare, information and cyberspace operations as authorized, or directed, to ensure freedom of action in and through cyberspace and the information environment, and to deny the same to our adversaries. Radek Lord ’14 was featured in a 2017 Super Bowl ad with actress Olivia Munn. Radek is currently living in Los Angeles and his story documenting life as an actor after The Summit was featured in The Summit magazine 2016-17 winter edition.
BIRTHS
Lisa Mays ’05 and John Peterson ’05 welcomed the birth of their daughter, Nora Ellen Peterson, on Sept. 6, 2016. Jaime Masters ’98 and wife Alison welcomed the birth of their daughter, Joanna Kathryn Masters, on Dec. 28, 2016.
WEDDINGS In the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel Faculty member Kathryn Roedig and Ronnie Sickinger, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016 Ben Brinker ’05 and Katie Neal, Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016 Nina Ewing ’09 and Tim Longo, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017
Caroline (Conners) Lewis ’99 and her husband George welcomed the birth of their first child, daughter Blakely Caroline Lewis, on Aug. 17, 2016.
Todd Cooper Jr. ’04 and Mary-Kate Ryan, Saturday, March 25, 2017 Zachary Kling ’07 and Adrienne Sereta, Saturday, May 6, 2017
WEDDINGS elsewhere
Erica (Pierce) Leavitt ’12 and her husband Randon welcomed their first child, son Maximus Stephen Leavitt, on Nov. 15, 2016.
Laura Steinmanis ‘02 and Adam Bieschke at The Renaissance Hotel in Cincinnati, Friday, Oct. 7, 2016
Class Notes
IN MEMORY Mary Alice (Heekin) Burke ‘41, mother of Tom Burke SBS ’62, Robert Burke SBS ’65, Peter Burke SBS ’67, Daniel Burke SBS ’70, Stephen Burke BMS ’73, and sister of Laura Heekin Totten ’44, Oct. 30, 2016. Susanna Henkel ’87, sister of Chris Henkel ’85, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016. James Bacho, father of Andrea Bacho ’12 and Lauren Bacho ’14, Nov. 29, 2016. Richard Koeninger, husband of Nancy (Richmond) Koeninger ’60, Dec. 6, 2016. Beverly Kiley, parent of Daniel Kiley ’90, Paul Kiley ’93, Andrew Kiley ’94 and Mary (Kiley) Thompson ’98, and grandparent of Colin Kiley ’10, Madeline Kiley ’14, Jude Kiley (attd.), William Thompson (attd.) and Stephanie Kiley ’18, Dec. 12, 2016. Sr. Noreen Joyce SNDdeN, former Montessori Director, Dec. 20, 2016.
Marjorie (Ackerman) Baylis ’48, Dec. 21, 2016. Cecilia Speed, grandparent of James Speed ’19, Dec. 24, 2016. Carolyn Sue Mayo, mother of Middle School math teacher Laura Priede and grandmother of Alexander Priede ’10, Dec. 29, 2016. Beverly Prather, mother of Jeffrey Prather SBS ’71, Trinily (Prather) Mariol ’77 and Randall Prather BMS ’78, Jan. 6, 2017. Carol Ann Bosley, mother of Scott Bosley ’91, Jan. 8, 2017. David Nordman, father of Alexandra Nordman (attd.) and Garrett Nordman (attd.), Jan. 9, 2017. Jennie (Bosse) Heine, mother of Elizabeth (Heine) Durkin ’77, Jennie Heine ’80 and Julie (Heine) Bleh ’82, Jan. 15, 2017. Donna Hudepohl ’74, Jan. 21, 2017.
John Wagoner, grandfather of Emily Walton ’15, Caroline Walton ’17 and Victoria Walton ’19, Feb. 6, 2017. Paul Seta, grandfather of Paul Seta ’05, Feb. 12, 2017. Marion Croswell, grandmother of Benjamin Wyler ‘06, Feb. 23, 2017. Joanne Schweer, mother of Montessori teacher Mary Humpert, grandmother of L. Joseph Humpert ’00, Edward Humpert ’04, Matthew Humpert ‘07 and Mark Humpert ’10, Feb. 24, 2017. Barbara Van Den Broek ’61, sister of Kathleen (Foley) Luttmer ’60, Elaine (Foley) Sicking ’63, Margaret (Foley) Davis ’66, Martha (Foley) Helmick ’66 and Harry Foley BMS ’72, March 3, 2017. Helen Sammarco, mother of Alissa (Sammarco) Magenheim ’83, Vincent Sammarco ’85 and Alexander Sammarco BMS ’85, March 3, 2017. Charles Hugan, grandfather of Cecilia Donovan ’16, March 9, 2017.
Susan Castleberry, wife of Edward Castleberry SBS ’46, mother of Kelly Castleberry ’74, Anne Castleberry ’75, Bizzy Driscoll ’82, and Christine Lippert ’89, grandmother of Lily Lippert ’22, Holland Lippert ’25, Wayne Lippert ’25, Andrew Pund (attd.) and Margaret Pund (attd.), March 16, 2017. Mary Bonita, grandmother of Nicholas Ciaccio ’22, March 20, 2017. Tom Monaco, former Upper School Director and grandfather of Carter Fee ’17, Alexis Fee ’19 and Annie Fee ’23, March 28, 2017. David Desch, grandfather of Luke Desch ’19 and Grant Desch ’24, March 27, 2017. Mary (Janszen) Blum ’41, mother of Charles Blum SBS ’63, Mary Lee (Blum) Olinger ’66, Christine Blum ’69, John Blum SBS ’70 and Margaret (Blum) Grubbs ’77, grandmother of Andrew Blum (attd.), Charles Blum (attd.), Michael Blum (attd.), William Blum (attd.), Colin Grubbs (attd.), Kristen Grubbs (attd.), Margaret Grubbs (attd.) and Mary King (attd.), April 1, 2017.
Alumni News
UKnight on Social Media Join our Summit Country Day Alumni group on Facebook and Summit Country Day Alumni & Friends group on LinkedIn.
Please submit news about new degrees, new jobs, marriages, births and other notable passages in your life. Go to www.summitcds.org/ submityournews or contact Amanda Wood, Alumni Engagement and Gifts Officer, at wood_a@summitcds.org or call 513-871-4700 ext. 240. Summit Magazine 45
In Memoriam Dr. Tom Monaco 1942-2017
Tom Monaco’s mantra – “respect, responsibility and civility” – echoed through the Upper School for many years. Dr. Monaco lived by those words and they continued to reverberate through the Upper School long after he retired as its director. “In truth, everyone who heard Dr. Monaco say those words knew that he lived by them,” says Middle School Director Mike Johnson, who taught religion during Dr. Monaco’s tenure as a teacher, coach and Upper School Director from 1989 to 2007. “There was no hypocrisy. There was no doubt about his intentions. There was clarity. He was a straight shooter, yet he only spoke if he was able to build you up while at the same time offering you the opportunity to improve. In contrast to today’s popular saying, ‘just sayin,’ Dr. Monaco spoke out of a profound respect.” Dr. Monaco had an enormous impact in the growth and development of the Upper School. He raised the standards and rigor of the school and was known for hiring great teachers. He added 14 Advanced Placement courses to the school’s curriculum. He recognized the importance of leadership training and introduced several initiatives to give students more leadership experiences. A man of deep faith, he was instrumental in starting the tradition of Formation Days in the Upper School, which we now call Days of Grace and Wisdom. “He has been the single most influential person in my professional life, and I realize that I have a long journey ahead if I am to approach the humble, intentional and accomplished leader that he had become,” Mr. Johnson says. Those sentiments were echoed by Laura Haas, coordinator of leadership and student activities in the Upper School, who said Dr. Monaco put her on a road that would be the best traveled of her life. “Tom Monaco was a servant first and therefore one of the best leaders I’ve ever known,” she says. “His values of faith and service were a constant. He was always teaching and always learning. Most importantly, reflection was a component of his personal and professional diligence.”
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Many alumni offered similar reflections on the impact of Dr. Monaco. Kristin Baker ’96: “Dr. Monaco was truly a pillar when I was in high school. His passion for education and teaching the whole student impacted Spring Magazine 2016-17
me greatly. He believed in us – and supported our ideas.” Ashley Peck Marinich ’94: “What a wonderful man! Being a teacher, I’ve been able to reflect on his leadership and huge impact on students. He was fair, calm, wise and honest. He left a legacy that he should be proud of.” Laura Janneck ’01: “Dr. Monaco was instrumental in teaching leadership to me and so many of my classmates skills I still use on a daily basis. Dr. Monaco was born in Oneonta, New York, and grew up in Queens. After graduation from Franklin and Marshall College, he studied at New York University and received his doctorate from the University of Dayton. After retirement from The Summit, he consulted with several Cincinnati nonprofits including the Executive Services Corps, Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, Wordplay and Linden Grove School. He served as chair of the social justice ministry at Immaculate Heart of Mary. He is survived by his wife, Marie; son David, daughterin-law Mollie, and their three sons, Thomas, Robert and Samuel of Dallas, Texas; and daughter, Diane Fee, son-in-law, Michael, Upper School counselor, and their children, Carter ’17, Alexis ’19 and Annie ’23. Tom was preceded in death by his father, Thomas; his mother, Arnelda; and his brother, Richard. “Dr. Monaco’s love and passion for his wife, Marie, for his family and his grandchildren, his lifelong friends, the faculty and students of various schools, for his endless hours of community work, education and ministry, and also for a well-coached team, of any sort, was unending,” Ms. Haas said. “His life is a light that has shined bright for so many. He made our lives better.”
Save The Date May 28, 2017 Upper School Graduation Chapel 2 p.m. September 22, 2017 Homecoming SPA Fall Festival Family-friendly festival with special activities, games and festival foods located on the driveway and leading up to the circle. 3:15 p.m. Alumni Campus Tour Meet at the registration table in the lobby. 4 to 5 p.m. Alumni Homecoming Hospitality Suite All alumni are invited to attend this social gathering in the Alumni Parlor. 5 to 7 p.m. Uknight Reunions Class years ending in “2” and “7” are encouraged to plan individual reunion gatherings on or around homecoming weekend. September 26, 2017 Legacy Photo St. Cecilia Hall 8:15 a.m. Commemorative photo for current students and their parents or grandparents who are Summit alumni.
Staying Engaged, Involved and Invested Throughout the past several months, I had the pleasure of individually connecting with many of our alumni and always walked away with the same feeling: overwhelming excitement and passion to keep moving forward. Every day, you inspire us to help connect alumni to each other. You motivate our team to continue creating opportunities for you to stay engaged, involved and invested in the school. During the next year, our goals will be to strengthen our alumni network; create programs which match the interests and needs of alumni and the school; maintain and build upon the positive relationships we have with our more seasoned alumni; and increase the participation, involvement and communication with younger alumni. A good place to start is by inviting alumni to the 2017 Homecoming festivities and reunions for class years ending in “2” and “7.” This year, we are switching things up a bit to incorporate even more Summit school spirit. Alumni will receive more detailed information during the summer. In the meantime, here is a snapshot of activities for Friday, Sept. 22: Campus Tour • 4 to 5 p.m. Take a guided stroll down memory lane and get a glimpse of the incredible updates and improvements made to the school, thanks to our generous donors. Uknight Alumni Hospitality Suite • 5 to 7 p.m. Join us in the hub of it all, the Alumni Parlor. Take in The Summit’s proud history on the shelves of our display cases, enjoy game-day fare, learn what your alma mater is doing today and reconnect with favorite faculty and fellow alumni. Homecoming Game • 7 p.m. Do you remember the days of meeting up with your classmates, dressing up in school colors and getting a good seat in the stands for the big game? Well, we are excited to bring those memories back to life. Each alumnus who attends the Alumni Hospitality Suite will receive a ticket to the game to cheer on our student athletes. Uknight A longstanding tradition among alumni, reunions play a vital role in keeping our alumni network thriving and connected to the school. This fall, we are celebrating the class years ending in “2” and “7.” Can you check off these boxes? I am a class rep. I have started to plan my reunion. If not, don’t worry. To help make your planning a breeze, we have created a Uknight Reunion Toolkit. Download it at www. summitcds.org/alumni. Uknighted in Spirit,
Amanda Wood Alumni Engagement and Gifts Officer Summit Magazine 47
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We put the fun in summer! The Summit Country Day School invites you to join students from all over the tri-state area. Programming for ages 3 through high school.
www.summitcds.org/summer