TABOR spring 2020
TODAY
a place of ideas
P rogressing T o w ard O ur V ision f or 2 0 2 6
“At Tabor Academy, we are a diverse and inclusive community of life-long learners known for our principled engagement with the world around us. Our school is recognized for its deliberate commitment to transformative personal growth for our students and our innovative ocean-oriented programming. Tabor graduates are leaders, adaptable and exceptionally skilled at navigating the 21st century.” —Tabor 150: Navigating the Future To read our long-range plan in its entirety, please visit https://bit.ly/3a9vi0p.
We hope through the faculty and student voices in this issue, you will see how we are working toward creating the adaptable and skilled leaders we seek for tomorrow. Our work in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, as well as through faculty professional development, has been a significant part of our focus, even as we have built and improved facilities to live and work within. While we are not nearly finished, we have made notable progress enabled by the generous support of our community and the hard work of our faculty and students to bring their ideas to life.
T O R ECEIVE THIS M AGAZINE ELECTRONICALL Y, PL EA SE EM A IL A L U M N I@TA B OR A C A D EM Y.OR G
Tabor Today is produced by the Office of Communications in September and April.
Acting Head of School Julie Salit
Editorial Staff Nita Howland
Director of Advancement P.J. O’Connell
Alumni News and Notes Deb Cohen alumni@taboracademy.org
Tabor Academy, 66 Spring Street, Marion, MA 02738 or call 508.291.8340 or e-mail
Staff Photographers Samantha Barney Gary Lawrence
for timely campus and sports news or to send us news about you. We look forward to
Please direct your comments, ideas, letters or address changes to Kerry Saltonstall at
Director of Admissions Eric Long Director of Communications Kerry Saltonstall
ksaltonstall@taboracademy.org. Visit us on social media or at www.taboracademy.org
hearing from you!
• • Contact us: alumni@taboracademy.org
Visit our Web site: www.taboracademy.org
Cover & Inside Front Cover: Gary Lawrence Geraldine Millham Design
Tabor TODAY
spring 2020
features
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A Diverse Community of Learners Riley Suh ’20 shares her view of the opportunity of living and learning within a diverse community; with context from our Directors of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion D EPA RTMEN TS
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Relational Learning Drew Kirk ’20 uncovers the power of his relationships with his faculty mentors; with context from Derek Krein, Dean of Professional & Programmatic Growth and Development
2 View from the Bridge Julie Salit, Acting Head of School
3 Along Front Street
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Seawolf Radio Lianne Petrocelli, Director of Academic Technology,
Arts & Athletics
22 Making an Impact Alumni and Donor Stories
shares the history of radio at Tabor and the opening of our new podcasting channel
32 Alumni Connections News from the Alumni Council Circle of Excellence Class Notes
view from the bridge
March 21, 2020 by Julie Salit, Acting Head of School
You will see that I have included the date of this writing, since during these unprecedented times every hour feels like a day, every day like a week, and every week like an eternity. Never would anyone have thought colleges and universities would close campuses, entire spring athletic seasons would be cancelled, weddings and funerals would be postponed, “social distancing, out of an abundance of caution, and pandemic” would be the phrases of the day, professional sports teams would suspend games, and Disney World would close its doors. I cannot believe that 11 days ago we were still considering sending students on international and domestic trips. My view from the bridge has changed so rapidly during my very short tenure. However, through it all, our Tabor community remains strong. We are coming together, no matter near or far, in the face of adversity to support our friends, families, students and colleagues. I am proud to serve as Acting Head of School, and look forward to smoother seas in the upcoming days ahead. In these uncharted waters, though, school must go on. We have 317 newly admitted families looking to join our great school. We have over 500 current families looking to our faculty to help their children fare well in our new online model of learning. And we have 9000+ alumni/ae committed to the successes and sustainability of programs at our school. We are a resilient and determined group, and we will once again find ourselves ALL-A-TAUT-O. The recent successes we have been able to bring about at Tabor are examples of what we can achieve together. Our school has already made improvements across the campus in housing for our students, in upgrades to faculty residences, in financial aid grants, in our commitment to programs and faculty professional development. With your support our faculty have revamped the curriculum, created a new schedule, and are once again changing the way they teach to embrace the latest in mind-brain-education research. These have been profound and impactful to the Tabor experience for all. There exist many more ideas and plans on the drawing board: a new campus center; more progress in building a more inclusive community of learners; and considering place-based learning, what School by the Sea means for us, and how we can leverage our location on the Sippican Harbor. In this issue, you will hear from students and faculty about the progress we have made in important areas that move us closer to our Vision for Tabor in 2026: expanding our opportunities with students to deliver transformative personal growth through relevant, individual, and principled engagement with the world around us. Recently, I spoke with an alum from the mighty Class of ’78. I’d never met him, but he reached out during these challenging times to say “at a time when folks are starting to pull away, I want to move closer.” We may be pulling away from one another through social distancing practices, but I hope that our community will forever come together to support our students, one another and our school. There is certainly opportunity in every situation, and I am grateful for mine. 2
T abor S quash Enjoyed Training in Egypt
Thanks to Aly Hussein ’19 and his family, the boys’ squash team once again made the trek to Egypt over Thanksgiving break to enjoy training with some of the best squash players in the world. The team stayed with the Husseins and met with friends of the Egyptian players on our team, enjoying many of the classic sites and activities around town. Camel rides, anyone!
along front street TideRider Proj ect
Tabor partnered with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute to help them troubleshoot a new marine tech device called the TideRider. The device is meant to sink to the bottom as the tide comes in, and then float up and out with the M emorial G arden for Nick Veronesi ’1 3
H elene Sughrue A warded G owing Chair
outgoing tide to travel around
A beautiful seaside sitting area and garden was
We are excited to share that Helene Sughrue, who has served Tabor’s English Department since 1998, was named the James Gowing Chair in English, replacing Kelli McSweeny who retired last spring. Sughrue was honored at an All School Meeting this fall where we also recognized the other three standing endowed faculty chair holders: John Crosby, Chair for Marine Science, Anne Gardiner, the Rudolf Driscoll Chair in History, and David Pierce, the David Pierce Chair in Physics and Math. Nate Meleo ’95, chair of the math and computer science department, was also awarded the one-year assignment of the Graboys Leadership Symposium Chair.
the ocean and take various water
created this past fall in memory of Nick Veronesi ’13. It was completed just as the cold weather was setting in, though we were able to envision the many wonderful memories this place will create as friends gather in the sunshine along our beautiful waterfront to talk, eat, laugh, and reflect together while enjoying the view. Gains C onf erence for Girls
Eight Tabor girls and two faculty members attended the GAINS Conference in Philadelphia this fall. The conference is devoted to highlighting women in leadership roles in science, technology, math and engineering fields. Because it was held at the University of Pennsylvania, the girls were able to meet many university women engaged in research on campus. It was an eye-opening trip for all!
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quality readings. The device takes commands from a cell phone and is GPS enabled so it doesn’t get lost. Three advanced engineering students have been working on improvements along with the Woods Hole engineers. It has been an enormous learning opportunity for them from fabrication to writing code to getting all the sensors and power systems to work.
www.taboracademy.org
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National Merit C ommendations
Tabor is pleased to announce that six students were named Commended Students in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program. Seniors Ben Ackerman, Xindi (Cindy) Bao, Grace Mead, Christine Steege, Jose Sulaiman, and Yutian (Victor) Wei were presented a Letter of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation at All School Meeting, recognizing their outstanding performance (in the top 3% of scorers) on the 2019 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). Steege also qualified for recognition in the National Hispanic Scholars Program. We are proud to recognize these scholastically talented Seawolves for their accomplishments!
along front street GERACE R E S E A R C H C E N TE R
Coral R eef B uilding Continues at Gerace
celestial
In December, students went to the Bahamas to
The New Bedford Whaling Museum hosted a sold-out crowd for the premiere of Jack Gordon’s ’17 short documentary film Celestial, to kick off its annual Sailor’s Series in February. The film, and panel discussion which followed, told the story of Tabor Boy’s participation in the celestial division of the Marion to Bermuda Race in June 2019. The panel, which was composed of eight members of the student crew as well as Capt. Geil and Gregg Nourjian ’84, who served as tactician, treated the audience to the types of stories only offshore sailing adventures can inspire. The audience, the majority of whom were sailors of one variety or another, were especially appreciative of Capt. Geil’s thoughts on how sailing, and especially sailing on Tabor Boy, allows the practice of very real personal responsibility, uncommon for most high school age students. Cap suggested Tabor Boy is a platform on which students grow into reliable adults. Hear, hear!
continue work on our effort to build coral reef fragment trees in our field nursery. On arrival, the team found that one of the trees we built last spring had been destroyed by a fall hurricane, but they were able to make great progress building a new tree. Hopefully, next December the fragments growing in our nursery will be ready for outcropping, permanent attachment to the seafloor.
En j oy more campus news at w w w . taboracademy .org/news
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R achel S lade is 2019 V isiting A uthor
During her week-long visit to Tabor, teachers across the curriculum took their students to hear visiting author Rachel Slade talk about her book, Into the Raging Sea, the story about the sinking of the containership El Faro. Students participated in small group discussions throughout the week on all manner of topics about the writing process and business. Slade addressed the whole school in Chapel and provided an evening reading and book signing for the public. The art department also made a campus-wide installation to remember the crew and to attempt to depict the relative size of the ship. Rysensteen E x change
along front street Rysensteen Ex change
We enjoyed our third visit from Rysensteen Gymnasium, our partner school in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Danes come each fall and enjoy a week of classes at Tabor, soaking up American culture and sharing their culture with us. A highlight is always the cultural conversation the students enjoy together as they discuss the similarities and differences of their countries, politics, teen and family life, religion and more. Twenty-nine Tabor students planned to go to Copenhagen in March to complete the exchange, though we had to cancel due to Coronavirus restrictions. This is just one of several trips abroad for exchange I n S ports … .
or service that our students can take part in.
Volleyball and Boys’ Cross Country ended up 3rd in New England and Field Hockey won the #2 spot! Also, a girls’ four (pictured above) rowed in the fall Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston; eight student-athletes signed National Letters of Intent in November to play D1 athletics in college; and Thad Lettsome ’20 won the New England Schools Sailing Association (NESSA) Singlehanded Championship for the second year in a row! Boys’ Squash and Wrestling won ISL Sportsmanship and Most Improved Awards respectively, while Girls’ Basketball and Ice Hockey made it into the NEPSAC tournaments. We are so
Taking the Plunge
Our students are stalwart supporters of Special Olympics MA. They raised over $7,000 this year in their best effort yet during the fourth annual Polar Plunge. In all, 65 students and faculty took the plunge just before Winter Break, and a great time was had by all. The event is the annual kick off for the student-run Special Olympics Club’s winter programming which includes their Young Athlete’s program and a February basketball tournament that helps to lighten up the winter season. We are proud of our students’ sustained support for this worthy cause.
proud of the commitment of all our Tabor athletes!
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Fostering A Diverse Community of Lifelong Learners
P
by Riley Suh ’20
rior to starting at Tabor, I went to a middle school where I was the only student of my race. When no teacher looks like you and no students look like you, your priority when beginning the new school year is not to show everyone how smart, talented, or interesting you are. Rather, the priority of students who do not see a place for themselves in a school or community is to dim themselves, prioritizing acceptance and relatability. These students may also feel pressure to be the stand-alone voice for their group. Regardless, being a student who comprises a school’s “diverse population” is a lonely existence and an additional barrier to learning that administrators cannot, on their own, alleviate. Thus, an education, which is meant to be an equalizer for people of various conditions, is harder to attain for certain students —even at the same institution. When I was accepted to Tabor, I was eager to enter a community that would celebrate differences rather than one that ignores or ostracizes them. While Tabor has never undermined the importance of diversity and inclusionary practices during my time here, my dreams of the School by the Sea being a post-racial community were naive. Students and teachers alike often laugh about living within the “Tabor Bubble,” a semi-permeable force protecting us from the outside world, letting in just enough pop culture to keep us entertained while sheltering us from the disadvantages that those not from our community may face. The comfort the bubble offers is positive in that it allows students to focus on their academics and their personal growth. 6
For students who cannot separate themselves from said disadvantages though, whether it be because of their race, class, or another identifier, the bubble can be alienating. It is not as simple for students who do not fit the standard mold of a prep school student to focus on their academics and personal growth when lack of representation is a constant reminder that these spaces were not made for them, though they may acknowledge their privilege to be there. Kelli Hammond eloquently summarized this feeling in Here’s What I’ve Learned From Being The Only Black Woman In The Conference Room: “we feel accomplished—but we also feel alone. It’s kind of like “yay me,” but at the same time, “why just me?” While Tabor has made important strides in enrolling more students of color and people from different backgrounds over the last four years while also reducing financial barriers to experiences here, the school has struggled in the past to directly face the cultural challenges students of color face in a majority white institution. Now, both on a cultural and institutional level, Tabor is taking more concrete steps toward attending to the needs and legitimate expectations of said students. This effort began with Anika Walker-Johnson and has been expanded through our current Directors of Equity and Inclusion, Albert Nascimento and Kimberlee Williams. Together, and through the trailblazing of
recent alumni such as Angela Battiata ’19, they have started programs like I.D.E.A. Club (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Awareness) and Debrief which are two, hour-long meetings that rotate each week where ideas and perspectives on issues or areas of concern can be addressed openly by all students. I am proud of Tabor for hiring faculty like Mr. Nascimento and Ms. Williams who have given these groups the freedom to initiate challenging conversations that many adults are wary of beginning. As a student leader of the I.D.E.A. Club this year, I have struggled to find the balance between offering a safe place for students of marginalized groups and prompting the difficult discussions that must be held so that we can all learn from each other. The best way to ensure that students of color have the opportunities to develop cognitively and personally the same way others do is to treat the conversations that pertain to their experience at Tabor as a necessity. It is through this dialogue that the benefits of diversity are found, allowing students to step beyond the Tabor Bubble and to foster compassion for people whose lives are different from their own. The flicker in someone’s eye when empathy strikes or the way a hand softly rises when a question emerges are the moments that prove these meetings are prompting reflection and learning. When everyone is enabled to participate and be heard, when everyone is recognized as capable and worthy, this is the environment where community thrives and where a more inclusive community can begin to develop.
In my own Tabor experience, the benefits of diversity have come to me in both simple gestures and profound revelations. It can be as small as overcoming a math problem because my peer saw the problem in a way I hadn’t. It may also arise in the form of understanding a new approach to the flag debate from a boy’s comparison of his tumultuous, yet loving relationship with his sister to a citizen’s relationship with our nation. His thoughtful contribution to a discussion helped me understand the virtues that can strengthen people’s deep patriotism in this country. Small or big, both instances required that each party could effectively communicate and be willing to understand another’s perspective. Had I been closed off to hearing an opinion different from my own, I would have closed off avenues for learning that have yet to be explored. The Tabor Bubble is not the perfect, egalitarian oasis my freshman self had hoped it would be. However, I recognize Tabor as a small fraction of the larger world that is actively working toward a more inclusive society by giving all of its students the same opportunities the outside may be keeping them from. As the rest of the world may not be working at the same pace as our community, it can be difficult to honor the school’s progress. Yet, I am confident that Tabor’s commitment to having a diverse student body and partaking in challenging dialogue will prepare us for our lives beyond high school. 7
Students at the I.D.E.A. Club meeting
Students attended the Student Diversity Leadership Conference in Seattle, WA, this winter. This opportunity is fully supported by Tabor and awarded through a competitive application process. The NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders (grades 9-12) from across the U.S. and abroad. SDLC focuses on self-reflecting, forming allies, and building community. Led by a diverse team of trained adult and peer facilitators, participating students develop cross-cultural communication skills, design effective strategies for social justice practice through dialogue and the arts, and learn the foundations of allyship and networking principles.
Since becoming the D irectors o f Equity and Inclusion, our primary goals have been to guide the Tabor community tow ards becoming more comfortable w ith being uncomfortable and providing e quitable opportunities for all students .
Paul Collins
Over the last eight years, Tabor has made major commitments to the growth and development of our Student Access Fund. The goal is to provide students as equitable a Tabor experience as possible, regardless of socioeconomic status. Christian Garris ’05, Associate Director of Admissions Multicultural
Equity & Inclusion: Progress and Goals
by Kimberlee Williams and Bert Nascimento, Directors of Equity and Inclusion
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Outreach, shared, “As a student on almost full financial aid from ’01-’05 I can honestly say that I never even thought about participating in most weekend activities, let alone a service-learning trip or the REEF program. One of the most appealing aspects of my job today is helping families access equitable experiences here at Tabor.” Through the Student Access Fund, we are able to provide books, school materials, trips abroad, sporting equipment, weekend activities, and assist family travel to
Paul Collins
campus for family weekends. This access helps students feel more included as they work to become an integral part of the community. Wider access to opportunities allows students to build common bonds and increases their engagement at Tabor. The Student Access Fund is critical to our success in building an inclusive community and we hope it can continue to grow. Another major focus of our work is building tolerance for difficult conversations or events happening on campus or across the globe. Adopting and using community conversation norms has helped us to encourage students and adults to speak from the “I� perspective so that we can each share our own perspectives in order to cultivate openness, engagement, and understanding. Our norms have been crucial for The Debrief and I.D.E.A. Club, weekly open discussion forums to which students and adults can bring any topic they wish to discuss. Topics range from reactions to a recent chapel speech to more national topics such as toxic masculinity. Students and adults fully engage for an hour of thought-provoking, difficult, and at times uncomfortable, but necessary conversations. These conversations have made us stronger while increasing our experience of being comfortable in dialogue and at times agreeing to disagree while learning new perspectives. Students and adults have enjoyed the opportunity to engage and learn from and about others.
Moving forward, we hope to foster significant community growth through a balance between respecting culture and tradition while creating a robust environment of cultural competency. To facilitate this, we’ve worked with faculty to identify how DEI work affects every corner of boarding school life. Together, we explore the core cultural identifiers (Age, Sex, Race, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Religion, Socioeconomic Status, Ability) to increase our understanding of how our past affects our daily interactions with each other and our students. Student and adult affinity groups meet monthly for identity exploration, and to develop and grow our allyship across differences. To increase our impact, we hope to eventually include Tabor parents in order to facilitate awareness education, build camaraderie, and address concerns or topics important to our parents. Further, we hope to continue working with department heads and faculty to review our curriculum and help integrate anti-bias and crosscultural education. With this in mind, it is vitally important to use best practices to hire and retain faculty and administrators who reflect the diversity of our students who exponentially benefit when they see educators, staff members, and other adults around campus who reflect their identity. All in all, we have made tremendous strides and are eager to continue our work toward becoming a leader in diverse, equitable, and inclusive practices in boarding schools. 9
A Place
Relational Learning at Tabor by Drew Kirk ’20
During my time at Tabor, I have had the incredible opportunity to learn and grow from the faculty and peers surrounding me. These connections have proven invaluable in my development as a student, a problem solver, and a person. While working as a part of Tabor’s Entrepreneurship Club, I was able to learn a multitude of skills relating to business from our faculty advisors: CFO, Mr. Sanford, and Mr. Krein, the Dean of Professional and Programmatic Growth. They assisted us in organizing the group while also sharing their experiences in the business world. They seemed to know exactly when to interject their insight into the group discussion and when to allow the students in the room to freely share ideas. They ensured we did not veer too far off-topic but never inhibited the out-of-the-box thinking the group was capable of. Whether we were designing a start-up or working with a local business to increase sales, the group was always deeply engaged. The mutual respect and interest in the projects that resonated throughout the group lead to some of the most effective collaboration I have witnessed at Tabor. With this kind of culture in place, there was never a meeting that I left not feeling excited about the project at hand and educated about that day’s topic of discussion. Between the remarkable mentorship and the student collaboration, we were able to do some truly impressive work for our main partner last year, a coworking space in New Bedford focused on offering affordable and practical business accommodations to entrepreneurs in the area. We assisted them in their effort to build their clientele base by researching marketing strategies that would target and engage the demographics they hoped to bring in. When all was said and done, we sent over a full proposal of how to increase clients and grow the overall brand based on data gathered from current 10
of Ideas clients, numerical data, and the industry professionals we interviewed. During our time working on this project, I formed an extremely meaningful mentorship with Mr. Sanford. Later that year, he contacted me about coming to Tabor over the summer to intern for him. I accepted, and while interning I was able to work even more closely with him than I had in the entrepreneurship group. He helped me understand the vast number of financial factors that go into running a business and how to effectively gather, organize, and present those metrics. I was also introduced to multiple members of the Board of Trustees and have been given even more opportunities to do remarkable work in the future from connections he has helped me make. Opportunities such as the Entrepreneurship Club and meeting mentors like Mr. Sanford are far from scarce at Tabor. I was able to once again engage in this culture of relational learning during my time on the robotics team. This group of extremely motivated students has had the chance to grow as a program immensely during my time on the team. With the help of the faculty mentor, Mr. Voci, and the peers on the team, I have been able to learn more in the inaugural two seasons than I ever thought was possible. Mr. Voci is the driving force behind the improvement of the team and the members of it. He is always a guiding voice and ensures that the team stays well on track to complete the robot in the time-restricted season. Along with this, his understanding of the physical capabilities of the materials is second to none. He has been able to pass this knowledge on to those on the team very effectively. My ability to understand the physics at play on many simple machines used on the robot has increased substantially since working with him.
One of his favorite quotes, “Plan the work, work the plan” resonates deeply with me as I strive to be better prepared and stay on track throughout the robotics season and in life. His belief of becoming well educated on a topic before making a decision and feeling confident in the choice you have made is a mentality I have taken to heart not only in robotics but into my day to day life. Along with Mr. Voci, I have gotten to work with some of the brightest student minds I have ever encountered. A close friend of mine, Jose Sulaiman ’20, is an excellent example of a student leader. Beyond his brilliance in programming the robot, he also manages to break down complicated processes and explain them in layman’s terms extremely well. Earlier this year, he showed me how he had designed the code for driving the robot using analog input from a joystick and matrices to give the robot 360 degrees of control. Jose’s code fascinated me, and he was happy to explain to me how it worked. Now, whenever I write code, there is a high chance that some part of it was a technique Jose taught me by explaining his own code. The importance of relationships like Jose’s and mine and those I have created with faculty at Tabor cannot be understated. Everyone at Tabor is dedicated to helping those around them to be the best they can be. This is true all the way from the top administrators such as Mr. Sanford down to the newest freshmen. Tabor has fostered an incredible community where you can find a mentor like Mr. Sanford or a friend like Jose everywhere you turn. No matter what you choose to get involved with at Tabor there is always someone, a faculty member or a student, who is happy to teach and share their experience, and that is part of what makes Tabor so special.
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“
T his is no time f o r
c o mpla c ency in educat i o n [emphasis original] .
Either we must move
Professional Learning Spurs Change
ahead with the w orld progress or our youth will find itsel f unprepared and un fitted to meet the larger
”
demands.
.
—Walter Lillard, 1923
by Derek Krein, Dean of Professional and Programmatic Growth
Nearly a hundred years since Headmaster Walter Lillard envisioned a school willing to prioritize the skills and sensibilities that would prove both timely and timeless for Tabor students of the day, the very same legacy vision catalyzes how Tabor faculty today are building a culture in which intentional professional learning, inspired exploration, and continuous renewal are the norms of our futureoriented learning community. To help Tabor students develop a reliable compass and the navigation skills to thrive with principled engagement in an increasingly complex, dynamic, and ambiguous world today, we faculty—as lead learners—must possess and model the very same adaptability, curiosity, and agency we hope to cultivate in others. Given what learning science research tells us, we chose to reimagine professional learning and pursue opportunities that deliberately shift faculty practice to strengthen the desired student outcomes in preparation for their future —whether in academic, co-curricular, residential, advisory, or equity and inclusion endeavors. The Center for Transformative Teaching Learning (CTTL), our partner in this effort, has translated 12
much of the jargon-based Mind-Brain Education (MBE) research into readily applicable strategies for designing curriculum, cultivating learning environments, and fostering lifelong learning— significant portions of our professional practice across school-life areas. As a Pioneer Partner School with the CTTL, we were well-positioned to make significant gains in the strategic priorities we outlined for our school. Tabor today is a burgeoning center of excellence for faculty growth and intentional program evolution. In particular, our reprioritization of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives six years ago was inextricably linked to Mind-Brain-Education pursuits and has strengthened relational learning throughout school life. The MBE research on learning reveals that cognition and emotion are inseparable; minimizing sources of negative emotion is essential to lowering the barriers for enduring learning. Ideally, a learner must feel known and validated for who they are, secure in her belief that she is safe from threat and embarrassment, that he is listened to and heard, and that their unique story matters to the teacher, coach, dorm parent, —or colleague— and is relevant to the learning at hand.
To further expand our faculty’s collective capacity for and agency with establishing optimal relational and learning environments, we have pursued an impressive array of related professional learning opportunities with some common features: •
•
•
Learning alongside peers in mixed groups in novel environments has proven invaluable for our adult learning culture, building years-long conversation and accountability partners in our school, and building ever-expanding external networks of resources and expertise. S ustained I nvestment: We have committed to a handful of yearly learning opportunities, such as the CTTL Summer Academy, NAIS People of Color Conference, and the Stanley King Counseling Institute. Each year’s new cohort strengthens our capacity and agility in these skills and sensibilities. C ohort T eams :
O pportunity f or P ersonalization:
By differentiating competency development through relevant learning and in job-embedded ways, our faculty are modeling the types of experiences we seek for our students.
•
Each and every professional learning endeavor and programmatic evolution initiative must demonstrably serve to elevate and advance the critical priorities articulated in our long-range plan, the tenets of our mission statement, and the aspirations of our vision statement.
Strategic A dvancement :
With change as the foreseeable constant, our adult community is well-positioned to continue developing a strategic thinking posture and to continue pursuing our lifelong love of learning with humility, vulnerable, and conviction. In this way, change at Tabor is seen as a sign of progress congruent with our legacy and not as an attack on our traditions. Our willing pursuit of learning, curiosity, and creativity for the benefit of our students, our community, and our global citizenry, propels us toward becoming the innovative, consequential, and indispensable school our founders envisioned and leaders in the conversation about what independent boarding education might be.
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by Lianne Petrocelli, Director of Academic Technology
The History and Rebirth of
Tabor Radio Tabor Radio w as born in 1981, one o f very f e w high school live radio stations on the air during that time .
If you attended Tabor Academy after 1981, you may have known the station as Rock ’n Roll Navy, WTBR, Tabor Radio, The Rock of Marion, or WWTA. The station was primarily run by students with faculty facilitation. Over the years, the station’s pulse depended on student interest and leadership. It is unclear how and when the station fizzled out, but during my time at Tabor, I have heard stories from our faculty who have shared hopes and ideas for breathing new life into Tabor Radio. We are now doing just that, but with a 21st century twist, by launching Seawolf Radio as a podcast channel. But first… a little history about Tabor Radio. In an attempt to research the history of the station, Sophie Arnfield, Tabor’s archivist, helped me to gather various sources about Tabor Radio: Log articles, pictures, and physical artifacts left in Hoyt Hall where the station was located. The station’s story begins with a student named Clark Burgard ’82, otherwise known as “Dr. Shockwave.” Clark was passionate about electronics, and he became the mastermind behind piecing old army surplus 14
parts together to give the station power. (He would love today’s MakerLab!) He launched the station in 1981, called WTBR 108.5 FM, with an impressive power of 1 Watt. It eventually became known as Rock ’n Roll Navy as well as The Rock of Marion and was broadcast from a small room on the third floor of Hoyt that was eventually soundproofed. On a good day, the signal would reach all the way to Lillard Hall. The station played mostly vinyl records which included jazz, rock, and fifties music. If you were lucky enough to be close to Lillard Hall, you could tune in from 10:00 p.m. until midnight. Mr. David Pierce had a segment on Friday nights, called Blast from the Past, when he would play music from the fifties. It is interesting to note that Clark’s passion for radio at Tabor translated into a lifelong career. Today, he is the general broadcast manager at WGCH Radio in Connecticut. Alongside Clark, some additional students deserve credit for the station’s success over the years: John Gannon ’83, Stu Dixon ’83, Jon Hall ’88, Kirk Moody ’88, Valerie Termini ’94, and Ian Malin ’95. Some pivotal faculty include Phil Sanborn, Karl Kistler, and Sarah Watson, from the Tabor Summer program. Organizing and documenting the station’s history is a work in progress. Enjoy artifacts, pictures, and descriptions assembled in a visual timeline at right. Fast-forward to 2020 and the podcast revolution. Podcasts have gone from a trot to a gallop in the last five years. Podcasting has transformed and expanded an area of communication that was previously inconceivable with live radio. Audiences are broadening, content is diversifying, and podcasts have become a pillar of communication within education, news, sports, and entertainment. It made sense to infuse new life into Tabor Radio as a podcast channel. The channel’s name is Seawolf Radio, and I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to tune in much further than Lillard Hall.
Podcasting is a great way for students to learn and share the art of storytelling, verbal communication, and gain experience with the technical end of production. Because of the asynchronous nature of Podcast creation, students have a lot more flexibility in creating content than they previously had with live radio. Allowing students to publish content publicly and globally delivers to them the experience of sharing content with authentic audiences beyond their teachers and classmates. Seawolf Radio is still in its infancy, and much like the old Tabor Radio, it will only stay alive with new ideas, commitment, and interest from students and faculty. Creating and submitting content is open to all who are willing to capture a story, create music, or have an interesting topic to share. The Media Lab equipment is available for recording, and help is plentiful through our Student Help Desk and the Academic Technology Office. Recent episodes focus on History, Science, Psychology, Health, and Music. We have also launched a new bi-weekly segment called Poetry at Lunch with Mr. Heavey and Mr. Chaput. Even the Tabor Log is getting into the act! You can listen to Seawolf Radio on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or at https://taboracademy.podbean.com/. NOTE: We would love to hear from those alumni and faculty involved with the station over the years. Your stories are important to us, so please reach out to Lianne Petrocelli, Director of Academic Technology or Sophie Arnfield, Archivist, and share!
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arts
Mamma Mia!
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Our winter musical was a total smash sensation! It was upbeat and fun, just what the doctor ordered for the middle of February. The student actors were incredible singers and dancers and they entertained us with the terrific music from ABBA. It was really such a pleasure. Well done, Seawolves!
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A thletics : C ommitted to E x cellence
Photos by Suzuno Seki ’19
Cat Barry ’20 Cat Barry is well known in athletics circles as an All-American soccer player who committed in her sophomore year to the University of South Carolina women’s soccer team. She worked hard in club youth
soccer to achieve that sort of success, but she wanted much more than to define herself as only a soccer player. Thankfully, at Tabor, she found a place to expand her understanding of herself in new directions. With many of her role models attending independent schools, Cat began her search and was enamored with the beauty of the Tabor campus. “I loved everything I was seeing and hearing. I saw lots of well-rounded kids and athletes who were involved in much more than just sports. I saw a cool opportunity to write my own story and challenge myself in new ways and forge my own path here. I wanted the opportunity to be a leader for other girls as people had been for me.”
a terrific soccer player, but she has been so much more, as a student, teammate, captain, volunteer, and tour guide.“
Indeed, a serious and tenacious academic, Cat has challenged herself in advanced courses in marine Cat has distinguished herself at Tabor as a three-season athlete playing science, math, computer science, and engineering, soccer, basketball, and lacrosse while continuing her commitment to club thriving on problem-solving, while also finding soccer year-round. She harnessed her competitive nature and discipline to time to commit to serving the Tabor community achieve varsity status across the board since her junior year, earning a spot as a head tour-guide and engage in community on our acclaimed girls’ basketball team, playing on two championship service. Seeing it as a great way to give back, she teams in basketball and soccer, and serving as the captain of girls’ soccer loves representing her school in Admissions and and basketball this year. It was through balancing the demands of club and mentoring others whether they be a prospective Tabor sports that she learned that good communication, time managestudent, a friend, classmate or teammate. “As a ment, and a strong work ethic pays off, and she used those same qualities captain, I have learned so much about leadership to achieve her desire to be a positive contributor beyond athletics. Her and problem solving and getting people with coach, Steve Sughrue, said: “We all had high hopes for Cat when she chose different goals to work together. These skills Tabor four years ago, and she has exceeded them. We knew she would be translate across all aspects of life, and my favorite 18
High School Recognitions Tabor
Tabor Girls’ Varsity Soccer Team Captain (2019) Broke Tabor Academy Single Season Scoring Record (2017, 2018)
is building relationships with my teammates so they feel comfortable coming to me with any need. I especially enjoy mentoring younger students trying to navigate school and club soccer and the college recruiting process. I want to demonstrate the focus and work ethic, communication and organization skills you have to have to be successful. You have to be proactive about planning and keeping a balance for success.”
Broke Tabor Academy All-Time Scoring Record (2018) Tabor Academy “Contribution To Athletics” Award Winner (2018, 2019) League
ISL Scoring and Points Leader (2017, 2018, 2019) ISL MVP (2018, 2019) First Team All-ISL (2017, 2018, 2019) First Team All-NEPSAC (2018) N ational / REG ION A L
Through her success on and off the field, Cat now defines herself as both an athlete and a leader, not only a soccer player. “You are allowed to be so many things here, a good athlete, a great student, involved in your dorm, service, and so much more. I found support at Tabor for challenging myself, setting a goal, and achieving it no matter what I set my mind to.”
US Soccer U20 Women’s National Team (2019, 2020)
Coach Sughrue summed up our feelings about Cat so well, “Whatever we have asked Cat to do, she has always done it exceptionally well. We are so proud of her and how she has represented our school these past four years and it has been a privilege to have had the opportunity to work with her. We will miss her here, but we’re excited to follow her success at USC—watch out SEC!“
Preseason USA Today All-USA Selection (2018, 2019)
United Soccer Coaches All-State (2017, 2018, 2019) United Soccer Coaches All-Region (2017, 2018, 2019) United Soccer Coaches All-American (2018, 2019) High School All-American Game Selection (2019) TopDrawerSoccer All-American (2018) Allstate All-American (2019) Allstate All-American Team Captain (2019) USA Today First Team All-USA (2018) All-USA Player of the Year Finalist and Vote Winner (2019) Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year (2019) Boston Globe All-Scholastic (2018, 2019) Boston Herald All-Scholastic (2018, 2019) Featured in Sports Illustrated “Faces in the Crowd” (2018) Featured in Sports Illustrated Kids “On Our Radar” (2019)
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A thletics : C ommitted to E x cellence
Thad Lettsome ’20 Senior Thad Lettsome, captain of the 2020 TA Sailing Team, is a “Peaky Blinder” at heart. Like the Shelby family of the BBC television series, which Thad ranks in his top five of all time, he is a young force rising swiftly in a competitive world. Driven and tenacious, Thad aspires to represent his home country of the British Virgin Islands in the Olympics, and his recent accomplishments on the water have increased his chances to qualify for 2020. Like Tommy Shelby’s expansion of power from the sooty streets of Birmingham to the House of Commons, Thad has broadened his horizons from Tortola to Tabor to the globe.
Thad has just returned from the ILCA Laser Standard World Championship, where he raced for a week among 124 men in the stiff breezes of Melbourne, Australia. “This was my third time racing against the world’s top Laser sailors and my first regatta where all of them were there,” says Thad. “It was really eye-opening in terms of learning what the best are doing on the water.” One of the highlights of his week in Australia came when Thad nailed the best start in a qualifying race. “It’s so satisfying to put yourself in that position,” he says. “It makes it easier to work even harder as the adrenaline drives you, and there’s the incentive to hold the lead.” Thad would go on to finish 28th in the bronze fleet at Worlds, and he has taken some key lessons home from the regatta. The winds were steady and strong at about 16-24 knots every day, and he knows that he’ll need to work on his confidence sailing downwind in such conditions. “I need to be able to sail loose and still be stable, without having to worry about death rolling,” he says. Also, he quickly realized that he needs to build his upper body strength. He explains that, “Just in the parking 20
lot, I could see that my lower body is about the same as the top sailors, but everyone else up top is like a rock.” According to Thad’s Laser coach, Chris Watters, the Olympic selection process is complex, but Thad is the only one of his immediate competitors to have raced in Melbourne. This fact combined with a fine showing at the Miami World Cup in January could bolster his case; he should know by the end of May about Tokyo. Here at Tabor, Thad’s growth has been dramatic. Thad arrived as a relative unknown among a strong group of freshmen. That said, Head Coach Rob Hurd recalls, “it soon became clear that Thad would be special too—a quiet force who leads with his actions and lifts those around him up, like a rising tide.” Last spring, the members of Tabor Sailing, including JV and varsity sailors, elected Thad to the position of captain for the 2019-2020 school year. Next year, Thad will attend Tulane University and sail in college even while he pursues international success. A young man of eclectic tastes, Thad plans
L aser Ma jor R egatta R esults : 2 0 1 6 - present Newport, RI, during 2018 New Englands
2016 Orange Bowl Youth Regatta (Miami, FL)
6th/84
(Radial)
Laser Radial North Americans (Vancouver, CA)
16th/53
(Radial)
47th Youth Sailing World Championships
33rd/51
(Radial)
10th/76
(Radial)
2017
(Sanya, China) 2018 US Laser Class National Championships (Houston, TX) 48th Youth World Sailing Championships 14th/58 (Radial) (Corpus Christi, TX) Cork International (Kingston, Canada)
by Chris White, faculty
to major in either civil engineering or in architecture. He has enjoyed a variety of subjects at Tabor, but says, “I love ceramics, but I don’t want to sound cliché by saying that’s been my favorite.” This winter, he has also served as a practice player for the girls’ varsity basketball team, which has allowed a small squad to practice 5v5, contributing to their overall success. Says Coach Chris Conley, “He simply loves to compete and get better. It doesn’t matter that he is not allowed to play in the games.” For all of Thad’s success, he remains humble— eager to learn and improve, and generous in sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm. A story from his first day on the water here will likely go down in Tabor Sailing history, too. On the first day of tryouts in Thad’s freshman year, one of the captains told him to “have fun out there.” According to Coach Hurd, “Thad responded with something like ‘Fun? This isn’t fun; this is the most important day of my life.’ That story synthesizes my view of Thad as a serious (maybe too serious at that time) sailor.”
4th/125
(Radial)
22nd/55
(Laser Standard)
88th/101
(Laser Standard)
Laser Midwinters East (Clearwater, FL)
8th/89
(Radial)
Europa Cup (Hoorn, Netherlands)
14th/70
(Radial)
Hempel Youth World Sailing Championships 2019 19th/57
(Radial)
2019 Laser US National Championships/LOCR (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) Hempel World Cup Series 2019 Miami (Miami, FL)
(Gdynia, Poland) XVIII Pan American Games 2019
19th/22
(Laser Standard)
(Lima, Peru) 2020 ILCA World Championships (Melbourne, Australia) 111th/124
(Laser Standard)
Miami World Cup
(Laser Standard)
24th/40
Ma jor Tabor A cademy H igh S chool R egattas : 2 0 1 7 - present 2017
Overall Fleet
Downeast Invitational/Main St. Championships
1st/20 schools B Fleet skipper
(Castine, ME)
(1st/20 schools) (420)
2018 Downeast Invitational/Main St. Championships
2nd/19 schools A Fleet Skipper
(Castine, ME)
(1st/19 schools) (420)
NESSA Singlehanded Championship
1st/6
(Laser Standard)
(New Englands) (Newport, RI) ISSA Singlehanded National Championships
5th/18
(Laser Standard)
1st/4
(Laser Standard)
6th/18
(Laser Standard)
(Lake Macatawa, MI) 2019
Here’s to hoping Thad enjoys many more “most important days” in his bright future, both on and off the water.
NESSA Singlehanded Championship (New Englands) (Hyannis, MA) ISSA Singlehanded National Championships (Santa Barbara, California)
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ma k ing an impact
l-r: Shakin, Sprague, Martignetti t
Donors Pave the Way for Over the last few years, what had been a mostly quiet stretch of the south end of Tabor’s campus has experienced a transformation. This past fall, the newest piece of this evolution was realized with the opening of a new dormitory called Cornelia Hall. In the sloping space adjacent to Spring Street just south of Braitmayer Art Center and the Hayden Library, both Cornelia Hall and Matsumura House, the nearby boys dormitory that opened in 2015, are prime examples of the ongoing execution of Tabor 150: Navigating the Future, the school’s long-range vision for the year 2026 adopted by the Board of Trustees in 2014. Among other improvements, it calls for significant investments in upgrading and improving residential spaces for students and faculty. Following Matsumura’s opening, plans were put in place for an adjacent dormitory dedicated to girls. The vision required financial support to proceed, and a number of generous donors stepped forward to make the project a reality. Leading the way were Trustee Stephen Sprague ’68 and his wife, Cathy Cornelia Capasso, the dormitory’s namesake. Other key contributors included Trustee Clem Benenson ’00 and his wife, Stephanie; Trustee Chair Carmine Martignetti ’71 and his wife, Beth; and Trustee Regina Shakin and her husband, Jim, parents of three Tabor alumni. 22
“It beautifully complements Matsumura House and fits in with the south campus movement,” Sprague said. He noted that architect William Saltonstall ’82, who designed both buildings, effected a nice synergy between the two. Where Matsumura provides a state-of-the-art residence for boys, Cornelia offers a comparable place for Tabor girls, one with its own distinct identity. The entrance to Cornelia Hall features a mural of a whale breaching the ocean surface, an image that promotes a tone of empowerment for the 26 girls living there. “I wanted it to be a building of inspiration and influence, a place that pulls students together,” Capasso said. Indeed, the origin of the building’s name can be traced to a woman who had a significant impact on Capasso’s life, her elementary school teacher, Sister Ann Cornelia, whom Capasso honored years ago by selecting Cornelia as her own
The residents of Cornelia Hall decorated the chalkboard wall near the entry with statements of gratitude before donors and trustees arrived to celebrate the opening of the new dorm. t
New Girls Dormitory middle name during her religious sacrament of confirmation.“She always encouraged me to be me,” recalled Capasso, noting that she hopes gracing the dorm with this name will carry similar encouragement for the girls who live there. Cornelia and Matsumura, the numerous capital improvements made in recent years, and a planned Student Center project that will serve as, among other things, a hub for student interaction and engagement, are all part of a commitment by Tabor to further advance the campus living and learning environment. The vision is but one piece, one that requires generous financial support to become a reality. “Tabor is responsibly addressing our identified priorities,” said Director of Advancement PJ O’Connell. “It’s been humbling to witness the amazing generosity on the part of so many people, including the lead donors to Cornelia Hall. Making plans is exciting; witnessing the kind of generosity that makes them a reality, like we’ve been fortunate to have here, is very gratifying.” For Capasso and Sprague, their commitment comes at a pivotal time. “It’s an opportunity to be part of the new school by the sea,” Capasso said. A few months after Cornelia Hall opened its doors, its energy is palpable. History teacher Emily
by Lesley Mahoney O’Connell
Kaplan, one of four faculty families living there, was thrilled to be placed in the new dormitory and reported that her experience has far exceeded her expectations. “I think there’s something so important about feeling like you’re going home to a space that’s inviting and comfortable, both in terms of physical space but also the vibe of the residents,” she said. “In both regards, it’s such a positive atmosphere.” Cornelia’s large common area, which can accommodate all the dorm’s residents, engenders collaboration and connection. “The space is conducive to coming in and hanging out,” Kaplan said. Meanwhile, study rooms offer additional space for students to work collaboratively. “We are all so grateful to be here,” she said. Lainie Cederholm ’21, a proctor in the dorm, shares Kaplan’s sentiments. “We’re all so excited for the opportunity to be in Cornelia,” she said. “Not only is it a brand new space, but we’re all experiencing it together for the first time. There’s an opportunity to create a dorm culture. We’re such a diverse group and everyone talks to everyone.” The chalk wall at the entrance to Cornelia, illustrated on a recent night with thank you notes to donors from the girls, is a glowing testament to that gratitude. 23
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making an impact
Serving
Double-Time
Y ou may not have k no w n this , but M r . N athan J . M eleo ’ 9 5 , our mild - mannered math / computer science teacher and department chair , had been w or k ing double - time as both a S ea w ol f and an A irman in the U nited S tates A ir Force during his time at T abor .
For the last nine years, despite the “triple-threat” demands of boarding school life, Mr. Meleo has also had another career; one that was as critically important to the future of our country as his role inspiring students in STEM skills at Tabor, but at a much larger scale. In that career, Lieutenant Colonel Nathan J. Meleo was Commander of the 439th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Westover Air Reserve Base, located near Springfield, MA. On November 2nd, he celebrated his retirement after five years as commander and with over 20 years of outstanding active duty and reserve service with the Air Force.
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“The Air Force has been a large part of my life really since graduating from Tabor. It is a great privilege to have served in this way and have the impactful experiences I’ve had. Being in the reserve and working at a boarding school like Tabor was not always easy, and there is no way I would have been able to accept and serve in my command role effectively without the support, encouragement, and willingness to ‘cover for me’ that the faculty at Tabor has provided me, absolutely unwaveringly,” said Meleo. Of course, all of us at Tabor are incredibly grateful and proud of Meleo’s extraordinary service to our country, and we count ourselves extremely lucky to have attracted him back to Tabor for his civilian career in 2011. A powerful teacher, mentor, and role model to all his students, colleagues, and Airmen, Meleo epitomizes our mission tenets of personal responsibility, life-long love of learning, high standards of achievement, and care for others and committed citizenship. One Air Force colleague, Chief Master Sergeant Lee Hareld, said best what almost everyone here at Tabor would say about 24
Meleo: “I learn something every time I talk to him. He has made me a better person and leader.” At Westover Air Reserve Base, Colonel Meleo led over 180 enlisted Airmen and officers in one of the largest squadrons in the entire Air Force Reserve. As commander, he was responsible for setting the culture, focusing the effort, taking care of the people and utilizing resources. The personnel are proficient in nine different kinds of aircraft maintenance specialties for the C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft used by the United States Air Force, the largest in the fleet. The unit’s mission is to fix, maintain, and prepare aircraft and provide highly-trained missionready aircraft technicians to combatant commanders around the globe to be sure they can safely generate strategic airlift sorties on-demand 24/7. The aircraft entrusted to Colonel Meleo and his squadron are valued at over 1.4 billion dollars, though they are actually priceless as they carry the best pilots, equipment, relief supplies, and military personnel in the world into potentially precarious situations. It was a lot of responsibility, to say the least. “One thing people often don’t realize is that even though it’s the Reserve, our jets are always flying missions, and half of our people are working full-time at the base; it’s a non-stop operation out there and I was always the commander whether at the base or not,” Meleo said when speaking about the balancing of time at Tabor and time for the Reserve. The squadron’s new Commander and Meleo’s former Maintenance Operations Officer, Major Chris Nissen said, “Lt Col Meleo has helped guide us through heavy operational demands while facing significant downsizing of unit personnel. His leadership helped ensure we could tackle issues with confidence. His coaching and high expectations
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helped us earn excellent ratings with zero negative findings during 2015 and 2017 Unit Effectiveness Inspections, rare for a unit our size. In addition to our operational success, Lt Col Meleo always focused on the development and progression of those under his leadership. The squadron earned 18 early promotions for our individual members, a significant track record of success and a testament to Lt Col Meleo’s leadership style and the guidance he provides to those around him.” Meleo’s former squadron 1st Sergeant, Senior Master Sergeant Alex Reno, commented, “Though I have worked for seven commanders, I have never worked with a commander who is more in tune with what it means to be a leader, the optics of leadership, and servant leadership. Lt Col Meleo is always doing what is right for the people he commands.”
Before joining the Air Force Reserve in 2005, while on active duty, Colonel Meleo worked various assignments that provided both tactical and strategic perspectives. As an aircraft maintenance officer for B-52H long-range bombers, Meleo oversaw sortie generation for both nuclear deterrent and conventional wartime operations, including combat taskings over Afghanistan for Operation ENDURING FREEDOM after the attacks of September 11th, 2001. Additionally, while serving as a strategic systems program manager, he was responsible for leading a 6-base, 158-million-dollar security upgrade initiative at nuclear weapon storage sites throughout the United States, incorporating technological advancements and working with a diverse team comprising military, government, and industry leaders. For his work with that program, he was recruited to be an executive action officer on a 3-star general’s command staff, overseeing executive tasks across a 12,000-person, 3-billion-dollar enterprise. Through these roles, he has acquired leadership and technical skills that have served him well throughout his life and help him be a better teacher for his students.
A lifelong learner, Meleo has been no stranger to the classroom throughout his career trajectory. After Tabor, Meleo graduated with distinction from the Reserved Officer Training Corps at the Rochester Institute of Technology, receiving his commission and Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics in 1999. He holds a Master’s degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and is a top-third graduate of Staff Officer School and Air Command and Staff College. His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, The Nuclear Deterrence Operations Medal, The Armed Forces Reserve Medal, The Air Force Commendation Medal and The United States Meritorious Service Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters. We wish our colleague, friend, and alumnus all the best as he celebrates his illustrious career with his Air Force Reserve family and friends, as well as numerous Tabor coworkers and former students. It is safe to say we are happy and relieved that he will continue to serve and mentor his Tabor students and colleagues for many more years to come! As Major Nissen reminded us, “Tabor is lucky to have a leader of his caliber, not only caring about the mission but also the people. He knows it is the people that make the mission possible.”
25
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making an impact
Caroline Tocci ’09 Empowers Women & Girls Tabo r T o d a y spo k e with alumna C aroline T occi ’09 who started The Vanessa T. Marcotte Foundation af ter her cousin w as murdered w hile out on a wal k near her family home in Princeton , MA , in A ugust 2016. We admire Caroline ’s dedication to service after experiencing such a tragedy and we wanted to learn more and share her story .
TT: How did you take this tragedy and build it into something positive for others?
After Vanessa died, I, along with Vanessa’s family and friends, knew that we had to do something to honor her memory, but also help other women. So, in January 2017, we established the foundation with the mission to empower women to live boldly and fearlessly. Even though it was difficult to turn our tragedy into something positive, we channeled Vanessa’s kindness and compassion to help others and make an impact, just as she would’ve wanted. TT: What is the mission of the Vanessa T. Marcotte Foundation?
The Vanessa T. Marcotte Foundation (VTMF) envisions a world where women live free from objectification and harassment. We advocate for female safety awareness, empowerment, and gender equality through self-defense and empowerment training as well as financial and hands-on support to impact like-minded youth organizations.
love without being worried about being harassed or attacked. While murder is rare, assault isn’t. 1 in 6 women in the U.S. have been assaulted and it has to stop. We shouldn’t live in fear, and we have to be aware of our surroundings and be prepared by learning self-defense. Running was an important part of Vanessa’s life, so that is why our biggest fundraiser is a 5K Run/Walk. TT: How have running races helped to develop partners for the foundation?
Our annual 5K at Wachusett Mountain in June (this year it is on Saturday, June 20th!) is our biggest fundraiser, and we also have VTMF teams in the Boston Marathon, NYC Half Marathon, New York Marathon, and the Falmouth Road Race. We’ve had over 1000 attendees and raised over $90,000 in the last three years, which is a testament to Vanessa’s character, and also our mission. TT: What lessons in your life have helped you make
TT: Why running? And, how does it intersect with
this a success?
the foundation?
I don’t think this foundation would be successful if it wasn’t for my resilience and determination. I believe that my time at Tabor truly strengthened these values. There are many instances where I learned about resilience and determination, but one was definitely being on the sailing team. Coach Hurd always held us all to a high standard. According to him, if we were on time for practice, we were late. Not only did we have to be early to practice, but we had to be ready to endure any and all elements out on the water. We were sailing in the freezing cold, rain, snow, you name it. Coach Hurd would often make a lot of analogies comparing sailing races to life. He would say,
My love for running began at Tabor when I joined the cross-country team in my junior fall. Mr. Sousa noticed that I was often running on the treadmill in the gym and asked if I’d consider trying out. I decided to give it a try and eventually was voted captain and ran in the top of the pack, both of which increased my confidence. Once I fell in love with running, I shared my passion with Vanessa and we started to run road races together. While her death was unimaginable and it is something I will never understand, I knew that I had to do something to prevent this from happening to other women. Women should be able to do what they 26
“The difference between being good and great is this close,” putting his fingers together to symbolize an inch. Coach Hurd, along with all my other amazing teachers at Tabor, taught me that I could truly accomplish whatever I wanted, as long as I was dedicated and didn’t give up. The other reason I’ve been able to make this foundation a success is because of Vanessa and her ambition. She was incredibly smart and was always strategizing about the ways she could be successful. An account manager at Google, she was well on her way. She lived a short life, but it was a full life. She took advantage of each and every day and practiced gratitude more than anyone I’ve known. When she died, I knew I had no choice but to make VTMF successful in her honor. TT: What kind of education are you providing to women when it comes to safety awareness and equality?
We offer various opportunities to learn self-defense, such as our annual mega self-defense event, STRIKE for Vanessa. Last year, we had over 200 women come together to learn self-defense, and we hope for the same turnout this fall. We also have partnered with the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office for the second year in a row to put on selfdefense classes for women across Worcester County.
Bold program, an after-school violence prevention and self-defense program for young girls. We also fund grants for their Media Literacy program, an after-school program that teaches young girls about damaging stereotypes in the media and how to challenge them in their own lives. Part of why there is so much violence against women is because of the objectification of women in our culture, so we also work to promote gender equality. We have put over 150 girls through these two programs in the last three years. TT: Runners World just featured you and the foundation! Has that brought some additional attention to your work?
Yes, absolutely. I think we’ve received hundreds of additional followers since the article was published in the fall. TT: What does the future look like?
I have big goals for VTMF, such as being recognized nationally as an organization that empowers women to live boldly and fearlessly. We also hope to find a boys program to fund in the near future. Although our goal is to promote female safety, we also want to address our society’s limited definitions of masculinity. Research shows that compared to girls, boys in the U.S. are more likely to commit a violent crime, among other detrimental behaviors, so boys’ education on gender equality is a big interest of ours.
In addition, we fund programming at Girls Inc., a national nonprofit that empowers young girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Through our partnership, we help fund grants that fund the Project 27
Learn more at www.vtmf.org and follow VTMF on Instagram @VTMfoundation
making an impact
Moving Beyond our Shores It is always tough to learn the news of old friends moving on toward retirement. This year, two long-serving faculty are departing our shores: David Pierce and Cap Geil.
David Pierce
David Pierce came to Tabor in 1973 to teach advanced mathematics and stayed for 47 years! When asked what kept him tied to the shores of Sippican Harbor for so long, “Tabor has been my home and I have enjoyed the warmth and kindness extended to me over the years. The students I have taught were bright, eager to learn and so much fun to teach.” Mr. Pierce has engaged many students and faculty through the years with his enthusiasm for big questions, his love of classic film and music, and knowledge of physics, astronomy, and technology. Among his many favorite memories, Mr. Pierce points to being Chair of the Science Department from 1981-1992 and holding the David K. Pierce Chair of Math and Physics, given in his honor by Trustee, Jack Smith, Jr. ’76. While at Tabor, Mr. Pierce taught most of the courses offered in the Math Department, as well as all levels of physics, astronomy, meteorology, and geology, and was also a grader for the AP 28
Calculus exam. In 2003, he was recognized with the Outstanding Science Educator Award by the Massachusetts Science Education Leadership Association (MSELA) for which he served as president from 1999-2000, and with the David H. Byron Award for Outstanding Service to Science Education in 2012. In addition to his many professional volunteer roles, he also served as a Selectman for the Town of Marion. Mr. Pierce recounts that “Tabor has changed in many ways over the past 47 years, most notably with the introduction of coeducation and the campus shift away from the shoreline.” Having spent the last year of his career at Tabor in the role of school historian, pulling together much of Tabor’s recent history, Mr. Pierce is looking forward to returning to his home state of Vermont in his retirement. As he departs, Mr. Pierce shared what Tabor has taught him, “To pass on the friendship shown to me, the knowledge gained over the years, the passion for learning, and a better understanding of the world around us.”
Cap Geil
winter voyages south for the Caribbean Studies Program, and most recently, the race from Marion to Bermuda where he and his crew claimed victory over the Spirit of Bermuda. One of Cap’s fondest memories is the 1993 voyage through the Panama Canal where the crew spent a week cruising the Pacific Ocean Over the years, Cap and his crew sailed thousands of miles and and the Perlas Islands. But most lasting is the impact that Cap helped transform the schooner with major refits in 1998, 2004, has had on the hundreds of boys and girls who sailed with him through 32 fall and spring seasons on the schooner. Many of and 2007. Under his leadership, the Tabor Boy was certified as a Coast Guard inspected Sailing School Vessel (SSV) in 1998. them have gone on to careers in the maritime industry, due in great part to their experience on the high seas with Cap Geil. Cap worked closely with trustees, alumni, parents, and friends whose financial support has had an enormous impact on both Jason Bland ’90, former Executive Officer, said, “Cap Geil, the vessel and the programs and curriculum it enables. always the consummate professional underway, upheld the highest standards of seamanship and safety for the crew. Cap recalls that while it was the Tabor Boy that drew him to Cap was not someone to take chances, things were never out our school by the sea, what kept him fulfilled for 35 years was of control, and always under a steady hand. We went through the uniqueness of sail training, the adventures he shared with the students, and the position he was in to guide young adults plenty of rough conditions over the years, and he always in their journey to becoming mature, responsible, and successful delivered us safely to our destination. All we ever wanted to young adults. hear from him, a man of few words, was ‘good job crew.’” Captain James Geil has served Tabor Academy as a faculty member in the Nautical Science Department for 35 years and Captain of the SSV Tabor Boy for 33 years, as well as Captain of the Elizabeth Taber during his first two years at Tabor.
On his extensive resume, Cap claims 22 summers cruising the coast of Maine and nine more on Buzzards Bay as he fine-tuned the Orientation at Sea program he created. Add to that 12
While Cap’s shoes will be hard to fill, we look forward to introducing the next Captain of the SSV Tabor Boy who will take hold of Geil’s steady helm. 29
Yuanhao Hu ’20
making an impact
Connor Macken ’20
Serving Seawolves Tabor Academy is committed to teaching students how to be committed citizens, principally engaged in the world around them. Through this we want them to learn to be empathetic and share their skills to help and empower others. Of course, there are many ways to accomplish these goals, but regular community service is one of the major avenues our students have to learn the power they have to do good and make a difference in the lives of others. While we provide several one-off service opportunities for our students such as our twice-annual Service Mornings, or our annual effort with Holiday Hope, many students are committed to regular weekly service with a particular organization where they get to know the population they are partnering with, as well as have the opportunity to build relationships with specific individuals. This is powerful work for our students. There are several student-run boards that work to provide weekly programming for people: The Special Olympics Club, Juntos, and You & Me. These boards have been effective in providing successive leadership to these efforts over several years: Seniors teaching leadership skills to juniors and sophomores while bringing in freshman recruits each and every year into their important work. 30
The Special Olympics Club
The Special Olympics Club has several projects that engage our students year-round. Students plan our service morning of School Day Games, our annual integrated basketball tournament each winter, and the annual R-Word Campaign. They engage students in the fun and fundraising of the Polar Plunge, and the weekly winter Young Athletes program. Our students have been recognized by Special Olympics for their passion and effectiveness in these activities. Sami Quackenbush ’20 shared her motivation for her leadership role in the Special Olympics Club: “Getting to work with special needs students is always the highlight of my day. I feel as though I learn just as much, if not more, from them as they do from me. Seeing smiles appear on their faces as I interact with them brings me so much joy and I feel lucky to be even a part of their happiness.”
Juntos
Juntos is a very committed group of students and faculty who travel to New Bedford in shifts, serving two nights a week at Global Learning Charter Public School, in partnership with the Community Economic Development Center, to teach new immigrants English. This is both a labor of love and friendship, as well as a great chance to connect with a more global community and learn from their experiences as newcomers to our country. Georgia Toland ’20 shared, Y ou & M e
You & Me is a mentoring program where our students join weekly with middle-schoolers in New Bedford to provide a fun activity and a chance to make a positive impact through friendship and conversation with youngsters in need of strong peer role models. One of the volunteers, Aidan Jackovicz ’21, said: “It’s a great environment. We hang out with the kids and both the younger kids and Tabor students benefit from the experience. It’s very worthwhile
“Juntos is a very fulfilling experience that I look forward to. We get to make an immediate difference in people’s lives, which in itself is very rewarding to us and to the friends we make through the program.”
By all accounts, our students couldn’t be more pleased to engage in regular service. It is part of their Tabor experience and it is impacting the people they are becoming: committed citizens, leaders, principally engaged in the world around them.
and fulfilling to the point that I honestly look forward to visiting them every Thursday.”
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alumni connections
“I’m honored to lead Tabor’s Alumni Council (TAC), representing over 7,000 extraordinary alumni worldwide! To our many TAC volunteers— thank you for your willingness to connect with classmates, teammates, shipmates and all who share meaningful experiences and enduring memories of the Sippican shoreline—your pride, commitment and generosity to the school is infectious. To my fellow alumni— the Council’s goal is to engage the entire Tabor alumni community by providing ample opportunities to come together in ways that are meaningful to alumni around the globe. If you’d like to be more involved in a leadership role or help grow Tabor’s alumni network, please reach out! Your ideas, energy, and enthusiasm will not only strengthen our mission to more fully engage alumni in the life of the school and each other, but also allow our alma mater to chart a bold course for current and future students. Lastly, I hope our collective work allows for more
I ntroducing the
Tabor Alumni Council Executive Committee Over the last three years, Tabor has expanded its engagement efforts across the board. Participation in the Fund for Tabor has increased year-over-year and our volunteer network has grown as well. While alumni programming has evolved, it has largely centered around events like Reunion Weekend, Tabor Day, and local and regional gatherings. In an attempt to ritualize these offerings and facilitate a more meaningful relationship between Tabor and its alumni, one constant theme has emerged—our efforts need more directed leadership. To this end, we have formed an Executive Committee of the Alumni Council to work directly with the Alumni Relations Office. Guided by a president, the members will lead specific alumni initiatives. We believe these initiatives are ones that will best resonate with our alumni body and activate volunteers. Building engagement among as diverse a group of alumni as possible is the committee’s singular purpose.
G regg N ourjian ’84 has been elected President of the Executive Committee o f
Gregg is responsible for the overall growth, promotion, and success of the Alumni Council and is charged with helping committee members meet their objectives. Gregg is particularly well suited to this role. Not only is he an active member of Dartmouth College’s highly successful Alumni Council, but Gregg has also been instrumental in helping his Tabor class achieve marked and consistent growth in the Fund for Tabor. In 2019, the Class of 1984 peaked at 70 percent.
the A lumni Council.
Serving with Gregg are six Vice Presidents of the Executive Committee. Below is a brief description of each position. A more thorough description, as well as brief bios of each volunteer, can be found on the Tabor website. Officers of the Executive Committee of the Alumni Council
purposeful and timely communicaLex Browning ’10 – VP Young Alumni 2000-2010
tion between Tabor and its alumni.
Lex works to keep graduates of the second decade connected to Tabor by building a sense of engagement and community within those classes. He will work to fashion programs and communications designed to meet this group’s unique needs and perspectives on Tabor and the world at large.
I greatly appreciate the opportunity to serve you all. It’s a great day to be a Seawolf!” R. Gregg Nourjian ’84 President, Tabor Alumni Council
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The Alumni Council is composed of alumni volunteers who serve on Regional Clubs, Class Councils, Reunion Committees, and Affinity Groups. The Executive Committee of the Alumni Council provides leadership to the volunteers in each of these areas. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Andrew McCain ’84, Director of Alumni Relations, or Gregg Nourjian ’84, President, Tabor Alumni Council.
David D eFilippo ’ 8 4 – VP C lass C ouncil
Christian G arris ’05 – VP A ffinity G roups
David assists the Alumni Relations Office in its efforts to build class identity, engagement, and giving opportunities. He is responsible for recruiting Decade Chairs and Class Presidents, who, in turn, promote the social and structural unity of each class by mobilizing the talent, expertise, time, and financial resources of all alumni. David’s goal is to populate classes from 1970-1999 with engaged volunteers.
Christian works with the Alumni Relations Office to provide opportunities that bring like-minded alumni together in support of the school and the group’s mission. He is responsible for creating Tabor’s first official Alumni Affinity Group, which focuses on Equity and Inclusion. As a Tabor faculty member, Christian looks forward to supporting other affinity groups as they arise.
Recruitment
Kelley Newman ’12 – VP Young Alumni 2011M elissa D e L a V ega ’9 7 – VP R egional C lubs
Melissa supports the work of Tabor’s regional alumni clubs and acts as a liaison between the Alumni Relations Office and club leadership. Tabor’s regional clubs foster community through a range of programs and activities that are unique to each region and its members. There are currently seven regional clubs—Boston, Cape Cod, New York City, Washington, DC, Chicago, San Francisco, and Florida. Chris D o w ley ’ 7 6 – VP C ommunications
Chris is responsible for the Executive Committee’s internal communication, meeting scheduling, and minutes. The Committee meets monthly either in person or electronically.
2020 Kelley works to keep graduates of the last decade connected to Tabor by building a sense of engagement and community within those classes. She will work to fashion programs and communications designed to meet this group’s unique needs and perspectives on Tabor and the world at large.
We thank our alumni volunteers for their dedication and willingness to work on behalf of Tabor and its 7,000 plus alumni worldwide. Their charge is to serve the alumni body by building a sense of community and engagement. Please keep in mind that they might reach out to you in the near future for your time, talent or energy. We hope you will be willing to help them in their endeavors, an effort by and for alumni.
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alumni connections
Circle of Excellence O n O ctober 5, 2019 , T abor A cademy proudly celebrated inductees of the school’ s inaugural C ircle o f E x cellence, an honor established in the tradition o f our past Distinguished S ervice and L i f etime A chievement A w ards.
The 2019 inductees surrounded by past recipients of Tabor’s Lifetime Achievement and Distinguished Service Awards, all members of the Circle of Excellence.
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The event, which will recur on a biennial basis opposite Tabor’s Athletic Hall of Fame, recognizes members of our community who have distinguished themselves through professional, academic, artistic, and personal achievements, as well as leadership, service, and philanthropic impact. The inaugural class included Tabor’s founder, Elizabeth Taber, our fifth Headmaster, Walter Lillard, and four outstanding alumni who have made a profound impact on the world: Bill Phelps ’74, Jacqueline Shire ’84, Jon Callaghan ’87, and Amy Richards ’88. The induction ceremony took place at Tabor with over 90 guests in attendance, including 12 past recipients of Tabor’s Distinguished Service and Lifetime Achievement Awards, students, faculty, and invited guests. Bridging important elements of Tabor’s past and present, Head of School John Quirk shared some context for the importance of the ceremony saying, “What would a school be, if not a place that imagines excellences.” Faculty Emeritus Richard Roller presented the first award to Bill Phelps ’74, a successful entrepreneur and former trustee of Tabor who has counted Roller as an important mentor. Both Roller’s presentation and Phelps’ acceptance remarks were heartfelt as they each described the gratitude they shared for their lasting relationship. The evening’s program also offered an opportunity to include Tabor students. Three seniors were selected to bestow the school’s highest honor to the remaining recipients. Drew Kirk, who has enjoyed entrepreneurial projects at Tabor, introduced venture capitalist Jon Callaghan ’87; Riley Suh, having completed a video project on feminism last spring, introduced acclaimed feminist and activist Amy Richards ’88; and Tommy Hu, the captain and founder of Tabor’s Debate Team, introduced United Nations Security Council member, Jacqueline Shire ’84. The seniors shared
that the chance to meet with their inductee in order to craft their public introduction, and to then sit by their side during dinner, was an amazing honor and experience. As each honoree approached the stage to accept their award, they shared important moments at Tabor that shaped who they are today. Callaghan spoke about being given the gift of belongingness and the confidence to try, even in the face of failure. Phelps admired how Tabor has transformed students over the years, sharing that he learned his work ethic from following his mentor’s lead. “Richard Roller worked harder than anyone I’d ever seen.” As one of the newly enrolled girls during Tabor’s reintroduction of co-education, Amy Richards commented on the ability to fight for equality at Tabor. “It wasn’t easy, but I was encouraged by teachers like David Pierce and Tinker Saltonstall who helped me to feel I belonged.” Jackie Shire shared her thanks and focused on the opportunity the students are being given today, empowered to make their voices and perspectives heard and to powerfully connect in meaningful ways within this diverse community. She called these skills of communication and 35
impactful work for our country and our world, as well as to hear our current students recount how Tabor is guiding them in similar ways today toward transformational growth and leadership. All in all, the inaugural Circle of Excellence was a wonderful celebration of Tabor’s talented alumni, students and traditions. Mr. Quirk summed it up nicely, speaking about the full complement of inductees, “These are political and social leaders, philanthropists, patriots and public servants, connection our nation’s true superpowers, skills entrepreneurs, educators, visionaries, workers and that can be used to bridge divides worldwide. doers, accomplishers and makers of more than The final two awards were presented posthumously was there before they showed up. They are of this school and exemplars to it and to all of us. These to Tabor’s fifth Headmaster, Walter Lillard, by Tabor’s historian and former physics teacher, David are people who have demonstrated in one way or another the habit, the gift, of improving and Pierce, and to Elizabeth Taber by former faculty making more relevant the quality of the things and trustee, Tinker Saltonstall. In accepting, Mr. they have to offer. What a collection of talent; what Quirk remarked, “Mrs. Taber’s foresight for the school and for this town is remarkable to consider, a remarkable portrayal of our school—the history, the sense of excellence, the remarks about the and more remarkable still when we see what it has grown into.” Quirk credited Lillard’s revolutionary meaning of this school, and the fun and camaraderie of friends reunited.” vision and service, noting that Lillard built the school from a small town academy into a nationally recognized preparatory school, with the vision to move Tabor to the shores of Sippican Harbor. Quirk said, “If Mrs. Taber allowed us to be, it is Captain Lillard who allowed us to be the way we are.” It was inspiring indeed to hear the imprint Tabor has had on so many who have gone on to do such 36
I n M emoriam :
Peter Webster f ormer
H eadmaster
Peter Webster passed away in March, and we remember him for his dedicated leadership from 1976-1988 which established a firm foundation for the school we know today.
Peter was in the Class of ’54 at Yale University and earned his bachelor’s degree in Russian History at the University of Texas (Austin). After serving in the Marine Corps in Korea, he returned to Yale to earn a master’s degree in Education. On graduating, he joined the National Security Agency in Washington, DC, and from there went into the Foreign Service where he served for two years in Ankara, Turkey, as liaison to the Turkish Ministry of Education. His first teaching appointment was at the Hill School in Pottstown, PA, where he was chairman of the History Department and coached hockey and soccer. He was Headmaster at Staten Island Academy in New York for eight years before coming to Tabor in 1976. Peter and his wife Natalie retired to Portsmouth, NH, in 1988. She and their two children, Pamela and Peter Jr, survive him, along with four grandchildren and Peter’s brother, John. Peter oversaw a period of great change and accomplishment for Tabor. The successful implementation of the daunting task of reintroducing coeducation—which included bringing girls and women into the student body and faculty, significant changes in programs and facilities from dorms and locker rooms to new social programming and athletic teams—is arguably the most significant of Peter’s tenure. Peter described his more personal vision for Tabor simply as “an Athenian balance of Arts, Academics and Athletics.” In an effort to improve the school’s reputation, he introduced modern Admissions, College Counseling, and Advancement operations. Drill and PG programs were discontinued. Also, significant changes to disciplinary expectations and academic standards were made. He expanded faculty and student voices and responsibilities
in the school, including a strengthened student government and the start of student tour guides and the faculty/student advisory system, while overseeing the growth of enrollment to over 500 students for the first time in the school’s history. Believing a quality campus would better attract students with varied interests, Peter oversaw the improvement of countless facilities across campus, from dorms to the dining hall to athletics, including the covered Howard Johnson Arena and the expanded Braitmayer Art Center. With the goal of unifying boarding students into the campus community, he launched the upper campus expansion with the opening of Williams and Hitchcock Houses, which allowed the closing of the dormitories in town. Natalie Webster helped as well, using her talents to make the dormitory common areas more inviting. Elevated academic standards under Peter’s direction were accompanied by expanded arts offerings including a broader art and music curriculum combined with robust support for drama and the Tabor radio station all centered in Hoyt Hall, for which he secured funding for a planned performing arts center there. Ceramics and glass courses were introduced in the newly renovated Braitmayer facility. Waterfront programs initially were streamlined to focus on Tabor Boy and a new girls’ vessel, Elizabeth Taber. Later, Tabor Boy was refitted and her trips were expanded, made co-educational, and integrated with a marine science curriculum, the precursor to our Caribbean Studies and Orientation at Sea programs. We are grateful for the dedication that Peter devoted to our school and for all our past and present faculty and staff have done and continue to do to make Tabor the best school it can be in service to our students and the school’s mission. 37
class notes
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ceutical Research and Development of Merck KGaA (Merck Global).
Nolan Butler ’18
Nolan Butler is a current 3/C at Massachusetts Maritime Academy majoring in Marine Transportation. This will be his second term traveling the world as part of the Experiential Learning Program. He happily took advantage of all that Tabor offered with Tabor Boy and nautical science classes. Bryce Finley ’17 (1)
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On October 19, 2019, SMU Men’s Club Rowing competed in the Championship doubles event at the Head of The Charles Regatta. It was exciting to not only row against some highly experienced rowers, but to also see friends, family, and the TA community! It was a great day! (Bryce is pictured on the right.) Anaelle Ndoye ’17 (2)
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For the past five years I have been working on what started as a community service project and has turned into a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. It is called The Diamono Project and it just launched officially! The main goal of my organization is to help create an environment that is more conducive to learning for students in small villages in Senegal. So far we’ve helped collect school supply and clothing donations, built a classroom, and created a physical boundary around the school. I’m really excited to continue helping these communities and to expand these opportunities to other schools. You can read more about it at www.thediamonoproject.org.
Class of 2015: 5th Reunion! Frank Fan ’15 (3)
Learning that many Tabor Chinese alumni were in NYC over Columbus Day Weekend, Frank Fan ’15 organized a reunion! Jack Shi ’17 shared, “We had lots of Chinese food, discussed our Tabor memories and what we are doing now, and then enjoyed a little bit of karaoke.” Here they are from left to right: Joe Zhou ’18 NYU; Kitty Wang ’18 UPenn; Vienna Zhu ’16 Columbia; Sunny Luo ’13 Boston College/Carnegie Mellon; Jackie Shi ’15 Columbia, now at Strategy; Stephanie Chen ’16 Pratt Institute; Renee Chen ’14 Carnegie Mellon, now at Citigroup; Helen Huang ’13 Cornell, now at Citigroup; Frank Fan ’15 (in blue shirt) UPenn, now at Citadel; Jack Shi ’17 (in black) ’17 Columbia; John Zhou ’16 (in grey) ’16 Colby; Michael Qi ’15 (in red) Brandeis/ Columbia. Thanks so much for organizing Frank! We hope you all will make your way back to Tabor for your reunions! Matt Genereux ’15
I will be entering my final year of physical therapy school at Northeastern University in May, 2020. I will have my first clinical affiliation at Gallup Indian Medical Center in Gallup, NM in May through June and my second at Cary Medical Center in Caribou, ME, in September through December. I will have one more clinical affiliation, which hasn’t been assigned yet, before graduating in May, 2021.
Molly Little ’16
Class of 2014 (4)
Molly Little of Tiverton, RI, #18 University of Denver Women’s Lacrosse was named in Inside Lacrosse Magazine to the Preseason Women’s D1 Media AllAmericans list. Read the full story at https://bit.ly/2P81GaZ.
Members from the class of 2014 reunited at Tabor’s City Vineyard event in NYC in November 2019. Left to right: Katie Mooney, Kendolyn Roe, India Johnstone, Helena Castro, Renee Chen, and Katie Sudduth.
Karan Tandan’16
AJ Maestas ’14 (5)
I graduated from Skidmore College one semester early, and I have started working as a full-time Research Associate at EMD Serono, the US-based biopharma-
Recent alumni returned to campus on Saturday, February 22 to see the basketball double header. It was a 2-0 day for the Seawolf basketball teams: the boys
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defeated BB&N while the girls defeated Loomis Chaffee. The group discussed launching a boys basketball alumni group with a golf tournament at the Bay Club to kick things off. If you’d like to be updated on the groups events, please contact AJ Maestas ’14. (l to r) Jimmy Brunone ’14, AJ Maestas ’14, Tevin Montgomery ’13, Miles Wright ’14, Jesse Bunting ’15, Matt Genereux ’15, Coach Chris Millette, Bryce Boggs ’14, Dick Duffy ’56, and Rodney Morton ’14. Class of 2010: 10th Reunion! Cam Brien ’10
Bob Glover ’78 recently took over as Director of Marine Operations of “Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode Island,” the owner of the square-rigged sail training vessel SSV Oliver Hazard Perry. He was kind enough to offer me the opportunity to fill in as the second mate for a week sailing with the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps for a trip with 28 cadets from Newport to Boston and back again. It was an honor to sail in a professional capacity on my merchant mariner’s license alongside a fellow Tabor alum of such renown and distinction within the U.S. maritime industry. We had a marvelous trip with some great sailing and I sincerely hope to have the opportunity to do it again. Bob and I both strive to pass on the excellent experiences that we had in our youth as the crew of SSV Tabor Boy in the hope that future generations will benefit from such adventures even more so than we did.
00s
Michael Hennessy ’09 (6)
Bo Johns and I got married on September 28, 2019, in Washington, DC, after dating for four years. Enjoy the photo of my Tabor classmates who attended: (l to r) Win Sargent, Lukas Stockhausen, Michael Hennessy, Matt Jackson, and Carson Drake.
(9) Jenny Brown Lang ’08 (7)
Henry Anton Lang was born September 19, 2019, at 8 lbs. 4 oz. and 21.75”. We are doing great and love him so much! A big thanks to the Alumni Office for sending Henry his first piece of Tabor gear!
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Kathryn Metscher Lally ’06 (8)
We’re excited to share that Meredith Elizabeth has made her debut! She was born January 9, 2020 (a week late), and we are very happy she made it safe and sound. Everyone is back home doing well and getting used to our new “normal.” She is quickly becoming the center of our universe and challenging her mom and dad’s type A/planner personalities. Looking forward to her first visit to Tabor in the near future. (7)
Zhandra Cesar Levesque ’06 (9)
bib notes
My family and I built our dream home and moved to Pembroke, MA. I am now at Education Development Center working to improve Maternal and Child Health Systems for the most vulnerable members of our communities. Our little one is growing up and turned five in December, 2019. Time flies!
Jenny Brown Lang ’08 boy, Henry Anton, September 2019 Tripp Cashel ’07 girl, Sorel Elizabeth, October 2019
Class of 2005: 15th Reunion! Orlando Patterson ’05
Classmates Christian Garris and Orlando Patterson recently attended The People of Color Conference in Seattle, WA. While attending the conference, Christian and Orlando went to a workshop on “The Boarding School Reality for Black and Brown Faculty” where former faculty member, Anika Walker-Johnson, was a presenter. All were very excited to see one another! Sarah Palestine ’03 (10)
I took part in the 40th annual Pan Mass Challenge in August, 2019, and raised $10,000 for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I rode 192 miles over PMC weekend from Sturbridge to Provincetown and passed very close to Tabor! It was a beautiful weekend and my mom met me at the end in P-town.
Kathryn Metscher Lally ’06 girl, Meredith Elizabeth, January 2020
(11) Galen Brew ’04 (11)
Mathew Holmes ’97 girl, Magnolia, Fall 2019
2019 was a big year! I moved back to Martha’s Vineyard and started a new teaching job in September (high school English). On November 9th, I got married to William Brown, and we honeymooned in France.
Neil Feeley ’91 girl, Pippa Rose, December 2019
Meghan Grant ’04
Meghan Grant recently moved to Austin, TX, to start work as a Video Game Designer at Arkane Studios, creator of award-winning immersive sims Dishonored and Prey. She spends her days making cut-scenes, writing conversations, and trying to figure out why she can’t get dialogue to play properly in the games. Keep an eye out for the next game from Arkane Austin!
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class notes
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Alums came out to enjoy playing hockey and basketball once again together at TA! Fun to see them all.
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Class of 2000: 20th Reunion! Keiko Takayama’00 (1)
The Takayama sisters enjoyed a visit with Tinker Saltonstall in Marion in October. Here (l to r) is Keiko, her baby boy, Jun, and her sister Tomoko ’95. Keiko and Tomoko will be returning to Marion in June for their Reunion!
90s (2)
Bill Rice and family are spending the year living in Verbier, Switzerland, where his kids (10 & 12) are attending the Verbier International School. Neil Feeley ’91 (4)
My wife and I welcomed our second child, Pippa Rose Feeley, on December 4, 2019. Our 4 year old, Landry, is excited to be a big sister. Class of 1990: 30th Reunion!
Matthew Holmes ’97 (2)
Carolyn and I welcomed a daughter to our family this past fall. Magnolia has filled our lives with joy and amazement over the past months, we are excited to add another Seawolf to the family. Class of 1995: 25th Reunion! Alex Kohn ’95
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Bill Rice ’94
Alex Kohn was announced as a Forbes magazine Best-in-State Wealth Advisor for New York City (High Net Worth) for 2019 for his work at UBS Wealth Management. Read more about this accomplishment https://bit.ly/2SJSHzg. Tomoko Takayama ’95 (3)
Tomoko and her sister, Keiko ’00 enjoyed a visit with Tinker Saltonstall in Marion in October. The Takayama sisters hope to return to Marion in June for their Reunion!
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80s Josh Kernan ’87
My Tabor classmate, Ian Del Balso, and I were on a podcast recently discussing Bitcoin, Blockchain, and Digital Assets. Interviewer, Divya, was on the founding team of Facebook at Harvard with the Winklevoss—is actually depicted in the Social Network movie. Lots of fun! Would love to see students podcasting, too. Episode stream on Anchor (http://bit. ly/35BOqBW)
Matt Coffin ’90
Matt and his wife Shelly are enjoying their life and family in Colorado. Matt reports, “We are proud of our 3.5 year old son Avery, and trying to make our small business thrive, Colorado Home Remodeling. I originally moved out to Colorado back in 2011 to work with Ty Rominjn ’90 and I stayed. I skied for the first time in years and my legs got sore! I played soccer up until just a couple of years ago, and the varsity soccer team of 1989 was one of the best of the of the last three decades I believe, though I could be wrong. I know the soccer guru, Mr. Muther, moved onto St. Paul’s a number of years ago.”
Class of 1985: 35th Reunion! Peter Eastman ’84 (5)
Peter shared a press release with us announcing that he has purchased Alerion Yachts from his friend and former St. George’s School sailing rival, Peter Johnstone. The two Peters sailed against each other in high school and then became teammates in college sailing. They have both been in the boat business for their entire careers. Alerion Yachts has been in business for 30 years and is an established brand; Randy Borges will continue as the official builder of Alerion Yachts. Toby Baker, former faculty and esteemed sailing coach sails an Alerion Express 28 nearly every day in season! We wish Peter, also the owner of Howard Boats in Barnstable, MA, all the best as he manages this new venture.
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Bruce and Sarah Forbush Lee ’83
Stan Godwin ’72
Bruce and Sarah’s son Andrew Lee died in April, 2019, from kidney cancer. Upon his diagnosis, Andrew founded a powerful movement that highlighted the need for more funding for kidney cancer research in children and young adults. Through his not-for-profit Driven to Cure, Inc., Andrew traveled the country in his orange Nissan GTR, educating car-enthusiasts and anyone he encountered about his disease and, in doing so, raised more than $400,000, which he donated to the FNIH to fund kidney cancer studies at the NIH Clinical Center. Read more about his inspiring story https://bit.ly/32acOtc.
After 30 years in Texas, I retired as Head of Art and moved back to my childhood home on Cape Cod in 2006. (Still had my same phone number!) After 11 years, which included reopening the oldest antique store on the Cape, my wife Sandra and I moved just north of Asheville, NC, for our real retirement. We’ve enjoyed travel, music, and great meals since arriving. I think of my Tabor classmates often and did have a chance to catch up with David Edgar as he lives about an hour from here. I will be at the 50th…it’s not too early to start planning!
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Frank Stewart ’71
Class of 1980: 40th Reunion!
70s
I just retired from a career as a DC/state forestry lobbyist and non-profit director. I’ve moved back to my home state of Alabama and am living on Mobile Bay in the city of Fairhope, near the Gulf Coast.
Hector Jones ’77 (6)
Hector Jones, and wife, Kathy, visited Geoffrey Ryder in Austin, TX. Ever the gracious host, Geoff showed us around Austin’s awesome sites, a sampling of the blues courtesy of Jimmie Vaughn, and nine holes of par 3 golf (Geoff even let me win). While together, Geoff and I used FaceTime to chat with John Merian up in Brockton, MA. All is swell. Chris Dowley ’76
I have been continuing my work as a financial advisor with my new firm and stepped up my efforts to further the work of the Tabor Alumni Council. Check out further communications on Facebook and on the TA website. Class of 1975: 45th Reunion!
Class of 1970: 50th Reunion!
60s Rick Archer ’68 (8)
Not much new with me, but what I do never grows old. I’ve been doing my interview show for over 10 years now. 528 episodes and counting, with no end in sight or desired. I’m up to 55K+ subscribers on YouTube and 10 million views. In recent years, I transitioned from being a search engine optimization specialist to doing my interview show full-time, although it leaves time for recreation. For over two years I’ve been a pickleball enthusiast. It’s the fastest growing sport in America. Anyone at Tabor playing it?
Jim Henry ’75 (7)
Betsy Sherman Walker (left) and I ran the Fred LeBow Half Marathon in Central Park on January 19. Classmate from 1975 and Tabor wrestling teammate Jimmy Walker (center) met us at the finish. Coach Tim Walsh used to call him “Bulldog” because once he grabbed on, he never let go! The Walkers were visiting Manhattan from Newport, RI.
I had hoped that a book on the origins of the County of Fife and the town of Kirkcaldy (in Scotland) would have been in print by now—but as is usual for me at least, the deeper one gets into the subject the more side roads need to be travelled down in order to do a thorough enough job. It will be VERY radical and I expect feathers to be ruffled—particularly as I expose so much fake history—much of which remains current.
Adrian Grant ’66
I have joined the website academia.edu, where faculty and students alike can read synopses of my books and other papers I have written which pertain tangentially to my main foci of interest. My papers have gained a lot of traction—from world leaders in their fields to middle school students throughout the U.S.
Bert Rappaport ’66 (9)
Here’s the old guy with hockey pro and fellow alumni, Matthew Salhany ’12. Matt is a high-scoring and lightning fast forward on the Adirondack Thunder, the ECHL affiliate of the NJ Devils. Terri and I are season ticket holders, and it’s great to cheer on a fellow alum. It’s hard to imagine that we graduated 46 years apart. GO THUNDER! Class of 1965: 55th Reunion!
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For more ne w s , please see our WebSite
Jack Taber ’65
Greetings from sunny Arizona! I have a lot of Taber news to share: Rei TaberAndo was born in LA on July 25, 2019. It has been fun stepping up to grandparenthood! We were able to rally the family in Portland, OR, for an early Thanksgiving as the retail world dominates your free time. It had been 20 years since we were all together.
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w w w .t aboracademy. or g/ c la ssnotes
class notes
Follo w Tabor A cademy on Facebook and join our Friends of T abor A cademy Group. send us a classnote for our ne xt issue at w w w . taboracademy.org/classnotes .
I n M emoriam The Alumni Office has recently received news that the alumni listed below have died. The Tabor community extends condolences to the family and friends of those listed.
Mr. Reinald Werrenrath Jr. ’32 Dr. Edward F. Woods ’39 Mr. David W. Fisher ’44 Mr. Donald R. Macdonald ’46 Mr. Willard T. Wight ’47 Mr. Leonard S. Chace III ’48 Mr. Robert K. Edwards ’50 Mr. Frederick J. Tower ’50 Mr. John M. Lane ’51 Mr. Deane K. Fox Jr. ’54 Lt. Col. Philip C. Simmons ’54 Mr. Thomas B. Albertson ’55 Mr. Richard E. Nelson ’55 Dr. Lincoln E. Ford ’56
Fostered a 68-pound blue heeler mix... of course the only out was adoption. Blue has since turned in to a major couch potato when not walking our buns off! Both of us are engaged in various volunteer activities. We do ground support work with the Army Aviation Heritage Association which has led us to a variety of air and classic car shows where we do static displays with restored Vietnam vintage helicopters and sell rides in our AH-1F Cobra. It’s been a great way to connect with fellow Vets. Headed to Miami/Key West in late January and have plans to be in Marion in June. David Johannesen ’64
David Johannesen’s latest publication “When a Moment Arrives” premiered April 1, 2020. It includes a novella plus a collection of short stories centered on love, loss, and renewed love. Find it on Amazon. Wife Linda forges new horizons in the entertainment industry as Strategist of the Location Managers Guild International (LMGI).
Mr. Vincent C. Zavorskas ’56
Jerry Stringer ’63
Mr. Robert S. Hurd ’57
One of my three children was nice enough to produce a grandson for me to spoil. All three are married and on their own. I moved to Texas in 1994 and am presently doing volunteer work for Comal County Habitat for Humanity and have helped build over 28 houses for those in need. I think of Tabor often and tell friends what a unique school it is, being on the water, and especially, the TABOR BOY cruises.
Mr. Frank N. Mann ’57 Mr. Robert R. Coykendall ’63 Mr. Jonathan G. Dubiel ’65 Mr. William Evans ’65 Mr. Robert F. Jewett ’65 Mr. Andrew E. Ford ’66 Dr. Richard L. Lindsey Jr. ’66 Mr. Mark B. Lyon ’67 Mr. Donald L. Nahigyan Jr. ’68
Class of 1960: 60th Reunion!
Mr. Robert R. Stechschulte ’71 Mr. William B. Moore ’72 Mr. John F. Lawson, Esq. ’74 Cmdr. John Lester Lovering, Jr. ’79 Mr. Douglas A. Costello ’97 Mr. Peter Webster, former Headmaster
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50s Bob Sherin ’58
Bob Sherin wrote in to remember his history teacher, Tom Buffinton, who still lives locally. “Mr Buffinton was an inspiration to so many of us and made such a strong contribution to my life. He went beyond the events to capture the total picture, imparting a lifelong impression of the events and figures discussed.” Bob recounted the stress he felt before his big final exam and how Mr. Buffinton eased the stress by helping the boys to understand the types of test questions he would eventually give on the final. Boys who studied that hypothetical study guide were awarded by seeing the very same questions on the test, emphasizing the value of preparation versus memorization. Today, Bob is a paralegal and writer and shared a paper he researched and wrote several years ago about the Civil War period in Florida using original historic records and published on the front page of Viewpoint (https://bit. ly/2HEflmk) in the Miami Herald. He credited Tom Buffinton with the historical motivation. “My Dad sent me to Tabor when he observed that I had no interest in education. At Tabor, we had to study each night, our doors open. In 3 years, I was amazed when I got into Johns Hopkins, another great school.” Class of 1955: 65th Reunion! Sid Boorstein ’55
Happy 2020! I got married for the 2nd time on August 4, 2019 to Caryn Mofenson, a delightful woman. My first wife, Hon Beverly and Caryn’s husband, Hon David Mofenson were all good friends for 40 years. Beverly died almost 4 years ago and Caryn’s husband passed away 4 1/2 years ago.
We are living in Chestnut Hill, MA, and Caryn works with/for her son in Natick (Lookout Farm). I play the piano and swim every day. Busy with two book clubs and taking classes. I’m a Trustee in our condo association and active with charities: West End House and Children’s Trust in Boston. One of my daughters is COO of Children’s Trust and my second daughter is a religion reporter for the Washington Post and a Nieman Fellow at Harvard. I would love to hear from and see classmates! Bill Williams ’55
After years of indecision, we finally took the plunge and moved from New York City and Huntington, Long Island, to Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. After being here for five months all I can say is: why did we wait so long? Class of 1950: 70th Reunion!
40s Jack Braitmayer ’48
Trustees celebrated the 90th birthday of our friend and trustee emeritus, Jack Braitmayer with cake and heartfelt singing. Happy Birthday, Jack! Chuck Trefrey ’46
I recently celebrated my 92nd birthday, and I’m not just alive but a dedicated “Life Long Learner” now in my 26th year of study in St. John’s College’s “Year with the Classics” Seminar Program here in Annapolis, MD. We have 17 enrolled in our monthly classes, September through May. Our faculty member is a Shakespeare lover and actor now also teaching Labs in Quantum Mechanics! I have to confess having as much trouble with Shakespeare’s language as I have with that of Quantum Physics. For the fun of it, I gave him the play, Copenhagen, as homework.
30s Dr. Edward Woods ’39
Ed Woods’ daughter, Susan Spofford, wrote in to share the sad news that Ed passed away in December, 2019 at the age of 99. Ed loved Tabor and was an active alumnus and regular attendee at Reunions. He was part of the 1939 Tabor Henley Crew that won the Thames Cup that year and remained active in rowing throughout his life. In 2015, a shell at the Hingham High School Rowing Program was christened in his honor for his lifelong commitment to the sport he loved. He was a member of the Union Boat Club in Boston as well as the Leander Club, the oldest rowing club in the world. Ed will be sorely missed by his friends in Cohasset and at Tabor.
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www.taboracademy.org/ alumni-directory 43
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Trustees 2 0 1 9 - 2 0 2 0
Chair
Mr. Carmine A. Martignetti ’71 Officers
Mr. Paul J. Murphy ’75 Vice-Chair Mr. David A. Barrett ’70 Treasurer Mrs. Elizabeth Welsh Eyler ’87, P’15 ’17 Secretary Trustees
Mr. Clement C. Benenson ’00 Mr. C. Jason Lloyd Bland ’90 Mr. Stephen Daniel P ’18 Mr. G. Eric Davis ’89 Mr. Anthony G. Featherston, IV ’80 Mr. Angus H. Leary ’95 Mrs. Jennifer Noering McIntire ’84, P ’16 ’22 Mr. D. Marvin Pierre ’02 Mr. Travis Roy ’95 Mrs. Julie Salit (ex-officio) P ’23 Ms. Regina Shakin P ’15 ’17 ’19 Mr. Jack B. Smith Jr. ’76 Mr. Stephen Sprague ’68 Ms. Ngai Suet ’03 Mr. Sumner J. Waring III ’87, P ’13 Mr. Geoffrey H. Worrell P ’01 ’03 ’10 Trustees Emeriti
Mr. R. William Blasdale ’61, P ’85 ’90 Chair 1991-2006 Mr. John W. Braitmayer ’48 Chair 1978-1986 Mr. Keith N. Browning ’79, P ’06 ’10 ’11 Chair 2006-2014 Mrs. Deborah C. Clark P ’95 ’97 Mr. John F. Fish ’78, P ’15 Mr. Peter T. Francis P ’14 ’16 Mr. Albert Fried, Jr. ’48 Mr. Lee Pokoik ’63 Mr. Phillips G. Smith ’65 Mr. John F. Swope ’56, P ’88 Mr. Louis S. Wolfe ’68
Leaving a Legacy I am currently in the midst of raising four children ages 16, 14, 3.5, and 1.5, so I try not to think too hard about what my legacy might be. I hope to have many more years to figure that out. At the same time, as I see my kids grow and think about the kind of people they will become, I can’t help but contemplate the formidable experiences that have helped shape them to date and will continue to influence them into the future. When I reflect on the events that affected my life, Tabor comes to mind over and over again. From playing ice hockey in Russia, to the support of amazing dorm parents who saw more in me than I saw in myself, to friendships that have stood the test of time, my Tabor experience is never far from my mind. So, for me, it is an easy decision to make sure that I leave a legacy that includes Tabor as one of my priorities. By naming Tabor as a beneficiary in my will, I am honoring the vital role that Tabor played in my life, and at the same time, helping to provide the next generation of students with an extraordinary Tabor experience that will shape them into the leaders of tomorrow. Nicole DeBlois Greene ’95 For more information on Planned Giving, visit www.taboracademy.org/plannedgiving or contact Amy Duffell, Director of Planned Giving, at 508.291.8583 or aduffell@taboracademy.org.
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Our students and faculty into distance learning on March 26! We are proud of the resilience of our community of learners!