Thacher Magazine Spring/Summer 2022

Looking Back to Look Ahead

Taking inspiration from the timeless elements of our past as we grow and adapt for the students of today

CONTENTS

&

Years

CAMPUS

ON THE GROUND

A Message from Acting Head of School Jeff Hooper

As I was preparing my remarks for our all-alumni reunion panel about “Life at Thacher,” I set out with the goals of sharing a glimpse into the day-to-day goings on for our students, highlighting the overarching pedagogical and developmental philosophies of our faculty, and hopefully not disappointing the brave souls who opted to listen to our talk instead of catching up with their classmates or taking a trail ride through campus.

For those who graduated recently, much of what we discussed (I shared the stage with Dr. Tracy Miller, Assistant Head of School and Director of Studies, and AJ Yates, Senior Associate Director of Admission and Co-Director of Multicultural Outreach) wouldn’t be news to you, but for those who have been away from Thacher for a while—and alumni who might be considering Thacher for their own kids—it was an opportunity to bring folks up to speed on learning and life here at Casa de Piedra. We framed our talk through the lens of two categories that I have been reflecting on quite a bit lately: the timeless and the today.

While our day-to-day work remains rooted in and derived from our constantly evolving understanding of what adolescents today need to thrive and reach their full potential, I believe the true art and magic of this approach is understanding aspects of our program that are essential, while also adapting to changing circumstances. For example, when it comes to student life, our community values, the centrality of the relationships we build, the power of the outdoors, and the emphasis on healthy risk taking are all

cornerstones of a Thacher education and have been since the School’s founding. At the same time, how we understand and respond to the realities and priorities of today’s teenagers must adapt with their changing needs. In response, we have dramatically expanded co-curricular programming in the areas of healthy relationships, managing stress, and prioritizing wellbeing, as well as evolved our afternoon program to increase offerings and opportunities for belonging and connection.

This mindset of honoring the timeless elements of our past as we adapt for the future is one that you will also see reflected in the pages of this spring/summer issue of the Thacher Magazine. From Gallia Vickery’s reflections on 30 years of dance at Thacher, to the exciting new offerings of our xBlock electives program, from Maeve Briggs’s trajectory from student to teacher and the expansion of our partnership with the Turtle Conservancy, and from the launching of our newest graduates to the reconnection of our reunion weekend, Thacher continues to learn, grow, and adapt, just as we ask our students to.

I hope you enjoy learning more about these and other events and updates, and that the summer months bring you fulfilling time with family and friends. I look forward to seeing you in the new school year.

In community, Jeff Hooper Acting Head of School

Acting Head of School Jeff Hooper shares dinner and celebrates with his advisees during the All-School Banquet.

THACHER

Carly Rodriguez

NOTES/IN

Aimee Brown-Nelson

Bacio Design

Carin Yates

Jeff Hooper

William P. McMahon

Jeffrey D. Berndt

Family, Friends, and Flying Manes

“It is always amazing to look out over this Gymkhana field to see the flying manes of our equine friends, the smiles of our riders, the Ojai Valley below in all its splendor, to hear the laughter and the thundering hooves, and to realize that 'this' is the prize. I hope our riders never forget the little moments of this year that have collectively made this experience what it is.” These words from Trinity Seely CdeP 1999 capture perfectly the excitement and energy of Big Gymkhana Family Weekend, the culmination of all the hard work the riders, their horses, and our instructors have put in throughout the year, including Elle O Hill ’23 who successfully completed the Silver Dollar Pickup! The weekend also included family dinners by grade, a performing arts sampler, student art displays, Open House, and so much more.

Singing Through Spain

After several false starts and two years of delay due to covid-19, the Thacher Chamber Singers finally made their concert tour to Andalusia, Spain over Spring Break. Twenty-six students, six chaperones, and some very helpful parents joined to bring the music of the Chamber Singers to audiences in Sevilla, Cordoba, and Granada. In Sevilla, they gave a concert of sacred music at the Hospital de Caridad, a

baroque church in the heart of old Sevilla. On to Córdoba and a full-house, hour-long concert at the Fundación Antonio Gala, a beautiful theater in a foundation facility for young artists. In Granada, the Chamber Singers had the pleasure of singing with members of local choirs Ensemble Ganimedes and Magnum. This concert tour gave the Chamber Singers many opportunities to sing in formal concerts and in impromptu performances in cafes, town squares, churches, and gardens.

Ex Marks the Seniors

One of the highlights of every year at Thacher is Senior Exhibition weekend, when our near-graduates deliver formal presentations of the learning they’ve done on a topic of their choice. By the time they begin their 30-minute presentation, they have spent several months choosing a focus area, honing in on an essential question, and conducting extensive research to ensure the delivery in front of students, faculty, family, and friends is as dynamic and polished as possible. This year the topics ranged from the future of virtual reality to U.S.-China Policy in the 21st Century and almost everything in between.

Singing & Flinging in Spring

Another community favorite returned this year; Spring Fling with the Cate School took place on their campus and included a BBQ, dance, and a friendly battle that sent kids home covered in green, orange, or blue powder.

A week later, the student-directed Spring Sing hit the stage of the Milligan Center. Open to all students, including those who have never done anything on a stage before—one of the charms of the show!—the group performed Frozen, the hit musical.

TOADS in Tune

On a Friday evening in early April we celebrated TOADFest, the annual celebration of the musical talents of our community. From original songs to covers of Taylor Swift, Elton John, Bill Withers, and more, the student talent—lyrically, instrumentally, and vocally—made for a fun and festive night in the Milligan Center.

SCOREBOA RD

Girls’ Soccer

The winter sports season was highlighted by the success of our incredible girls’ soccer team. They finished with a record of 14 wins, two losses, and one tie. On the year, the team scored 112 goals and had 88 assists, while only conceding 16 goals. We finished the year ranked 7th in the state in goals scored. The Toads won the Frontier League and were CIF finalists, in addition to recognition for a number of individuals:

Alyssa

Boys’ Basketball

The Thacher boys’ basketball team had another successful campaign this year, finishing with 14 wins and four losses. They were the Ojai Valley Classic Tournament champions, they won their opening round in the Carpinteria tournament against Lompoc, and got to play perennial basketball powerhouse school Dos Pueblos. The team finished second in League play and hosted the first round of the CIF playoffs. James Eklund CdeP 2022 and Conor Kelly CdeP 2022 were named to the first team all league. Ben Kelliher CdeP 2022 and Nnaemeka Okonkwo CdeP 2022 were second all-league and Rob Carney ’23 earned honorable mention honors.

Boys’ Soccer

Thacher Boys’ soccer played some very tough matches this past year, many of which were decided by only one goal. The Toads had a strong defense giving up more than three goals only once in the season. Oakley Browning CdeP 2022 was awarded second team all league for his play this year.

Girls’ Basketball

The girls’ basketball team finished with a conference record of seven and three. Behind the play of All League junior Ali Bennett ’23 , the Toads clinched third place in the league and qualified for the CIF playoffs. Thacher traveled to Santa Maria to face Valley Christian Academy where the Toads gave a strong performance but ultimately could not hold off the Lions.

SCOREBOA RD

Track & Field

The biggest story of the spring athletics season has to be the work of Ellis DelVecchio CdeP 2022 in track and field. Ellis set school records in the 200m dash running 22.91, the 400m dash in 49.47 seconds, and the 800m dash in 1:50.13. He is one of the top runners in the 800m across all divisions in Southern California since Marcus Stokes in 1992. Ellis won the 800m dash at the California State Championships at Clovis. He is now state champion, a Thacher first. The track team also saw the boys 4x100 team of Trevor Carson CdeP 2022, Arinze Okigbo '24, Nnaemeka Okonkwo CdeP 2022, and Cyrus Leung CdeP 2022 record the fastest time in school history of 46.03 seconds.

Diego Escalante’24 qualified for the CIF prelims in the 3200 Lily Clemens ’24 and Taylor Gudebski ‘24 ran the 800m at the CIF prelims, and four girls raced the 4x400 at the CIF prelims: Taylor, Lily, Sera Kwon ’24, and Sarah Sonenshine ’24

Girls’ Lacrosse

After a two-season hiatus, the girls’ varsity lacrosse program retook the field in 2022. Led by captains Milli Getz CdeP 2022, Jade Robinson CdeP 2022, and Maddy Rosenbaum CdeP 2022 and finishing with a respectable 4 7 record, the team played hard each game, and no contest was a blowout. Highlights included impressive wins against Santa Barbara and Nordhoff, a close game with San Marcos, a huge rally against Dos Pueblos, and a senior game showdown against Cate. The Channel League honored our tenacious players with 1st Team All League honors going to Lola Henderson-Thomas CdeP 2022 and Cate Tracy CdeP 2023, and 2nd Team All League honors going to Lexie Goodyear CdeP 2022 and Eva Wendel ’23. Team voted awards included Overall MVP (Cate Tracy, Defensive MVP (Lola Henderson-Thomas), Offensive MVP (Eva Wendel), Unsung Heroes (Milli Getz, Lexie Goodyear) and Most Improved (Anna Kelly CdeP 2022, Margaret Zhang ’24

Boys’ Baseball

If you were to only look at the baseball team’s final record of the season, you might not consider it a success (the team was 0-6 in league play and 1-9 overall), but upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that five of the losses were by three runs or fewer, two games went into extra innings, they averaged five runs per game, six of the nine starters were underclassmen, and they competed each game. An example of their resilience and determination is the fact that they were down four runs or more in five games this season and battled back to tie the game. In the final game of the season, they defeated #1 ranked Ojai Valley School 12-6.

This team has an exciting future and is poised and ready to have successful and winning seasons for years to come. The team was led by first team all-league selection Ben Kelliher CdeP 2022 and second team all-league Peter Robinson ‘24

Boys’ Lacrosse

After a two-year hiatus from full-season competition, the Boys Varsity Lacrosse Team returned this year with a vengeance. Beginning the season with a 15-3 win against league rival Dos Pueblos, the team rolled on to a 7-1 record in the league, which was good enough to earn Thacher’s first playoff berth in officially sanctioned CIF competition (official competition having begun in the 2020 season). The Toads took down a strong Crean Lutheran team, 11-7, in their first round game on Upper Field, but then fell to eventual Division 3 champion Vista Murrieta by a score of 11-4, despite an incredibly strong first half performance, in an away game preceded by an eventful five-hour car ride. In addition to notching Thacher’s first-ever CIF playoff appearance and victory, the season concluded with individual honors for a number of Toads who were recognized as All-Channel League performers. First team: Conor Kelly CdeP 2022 (Channel League Defender of the Year, Javi Zuniga-Gross ’23, Dash Chaiyasen CdeP 2022. Second team: Todd Rosenbaum ’23, Henry Mallory CdeP 2022, Cody Lee ’23. Honorable Mention: Augie Thorne ’24

Boys’ Tennis

The Boys’ tennis team had an outstanding season. Thacher placed second in league competition and went on to play the top seed and eventual CIF champions Cerritos High School. The team put up strong resistance but could not hold on to several key courts down the stretch. Thacher sent six players to the individual league championships. Joe McGonigle ’23 and Justin Park ’24 placed second and qualified for the CIF doubles tournament. They were named first team all league as well. Seniors Matthew James and Hayden Houseman were given honorable mention as was Junior Pierce Bressie ’23. A strong group of players return next year ready to build off their success from the 2022 season.

OUTSIDE OUTLOOKS

AN EYE ON AFRICA

Career foreign correspondent and author Howard French spent a week on campus this spring as part of Thacher’s Anacapa Scholars Program. French’s most recent book, Born in Blackness: Africa, Africans and the Making of the Modern World, 1471 to the Second World War is being used in Thacher’s 9th Grade History and Honors US History courses this year. During his visit, Professor French spent three days with Thacher students and delivered a Head’s Invite lecture.

LITERATURE AND LAUGHS

Humorist, comedian, author, and radio contributor David Sedaris did a reading and book signing this May, sharing stories from his diaries, past writings, and his upcoming book Happy-Go-Lucky.

Advancing Equity

Educator, author, and social theorist

FROM DC TO CDEP

Senior White House Correspondent for TIME Magazine Brian Bennett CdeP 1994 returned to Thacher this spring to share his experiences in journalism and perspectives on media today. Brian presented to all students and employees at a Head’s Invite lecture and joined a number of classes throughout his week on campus with his wife Anne Tsai Bennett, Chief of Staff of the National Endowment for Democracy.

Dr. Jackson Katz and La Shonda Coleman, LCSW, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Title IX at Pepperdine University, spent two days at Thacher working with our senior administration, dorm council, and faculty, and presenting to our school community on issues of gender, race, and violence.

Dr. Katz , Co-founder of Mentors in Violence Prevention, has long been a major figure and thought leader in the growing global movement of men working to promote gender equity and prevent gender violence.

HEALING CULTURES

After a brief fall visit, Anacapa Scholar Amikaeyla Gaston returned for the spring term to continue her work with students and employees and to teach Songs in the Key of Freedom: A Closer Look at How Protest Music Inspires and Invigorates Social Justice Movements.

When not at Thacher, Ms. Gaston travels the world serving as a Cultural Arts Ambassador for the State Department and is the Founder of the International Cultural Arts and Healing Sciences Institute and co-Executive Director for World Trust Educational Services Organization. With over 25 years of experience in the Behavioral Health arena, She has been bringing together artists and healers of all forms and specialties to promote healing and wellness through the arts and activism.

ART & ABALONE

Oriana Poindexter is a photographer and marine scientist focused on the intersection of art, science, and food from the sea. She earned her degrees at Princeton University and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego and then went on to work for nearly a decade with academic institutions, government agencies, and environmental organizations as an expert in the sustainable seafood and fisheries management arenas. Her current focus is on abalone conservation, and we were fortunate to have Ms. Poindexter here on campus this spring sharing her knowledge and experience.

Lights, Camera, Action!

Screenwriter and producer Jen Crittenden CdeP 1987 joined in on the Walker Bell week festivities with a live reading from her hit animated show Housebroken, performed by students in the Advanced Acting Group. Following the scene reading, Ms. Crittenden sat for questions, first with her daughter PJ ’24, then from the audience.

MAEVE BRIGGS CDEP 2013

An Ojai native who was first exposed to Thacher as a young child by their aunt Eva Balas CdeP 1992, Maeve Briggs CdeP 2013 knew from the moment they stepped on campus that this was the place for them, and spent the ensuing years until high school working towards the goal of becoming a Toad. After a short junior high detour to Brooklyn followed by a summer on their great grandfather’s ranch in Oregon, Maeve arrived at Casa de Piedra in the fall of 2009 with more horse experience than most ninth graders, but also with no idea how the program and people would shape their future and seal their fate as the teacher, mentor, and leader they have become.

READ ON TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MAEVE'S JOURNEY..

As a Thacher student… Thacher was one of the top five experiences of my life for sure. I hated breaks—I always wanted to come back, I always wanted to be with my friends. To be honest, I wasn’t the strongest student in the classroom, but I worked hard and really loved camping and riding. I rode every year, played soccer, and captained as many horse packing trips as I could. Because of the experience I gained on my great grandfather’s ranch, I wasn’t afraid of horses and riding, so I was able to learn quickly and be bold. I earned my advanced rider ranking—mostly so I could ride my horse bareback to turnout on the weekends and not have to deal with my saddle.

I was inspired by Cam Schryver and Mike Swan, writing about them in a junior year critical writing piece I reread recently, “I would give up everything to have the skill and knowledge they have.”

My time at Thacher provided a strong foundation, taught me to be bold and go for it, and is where I learned how to have compassion for my horse and to care well for my horse. That was huge for me.

A lightbulb moment...

I had a really hard time seeing past the end of my time at Thacher. I considered a number of careers, including journalism, even though that wasn’t where my passions were, because I got caught up in the pressures, both external

and internal, that I needed to go to a particular type of college. I hadn’t really considered a career in agriculture or with horses, even though I knew that’s what I loved. So I took a gap year, did some studying abroad, and then enrolled in Santa Barbara City College. I was also working down the road from Thacher, riding horses for people in town. It was during this time that, when I didn’t have all the noise from my peers and my parents, I could think more clearly about what I really wanted to do with my life. And thank goodness for Kara Hooper,myThacher college counselor, who told me about a little community college up north that Mike Swan’s daughter had attended called Feather River College. And that’s where I ended up. It changed my life. I took 18 units of riding classes from dawn till dusk. It was then that I had a lightbulb moment and truly, finally started to understand how things work with horses, and I’ve been hooked ever since.

On finding the way back to Thacher... I graduated from Feather River College in 2018 and was in Ojai for the holidays visiting family. I was pretty certain I was going to join the forest service, maybe be a smokejumper. Then I ran into Dana Schryver, who encouraged me to call Thacher and see what opportunities were available, which quickly led to an interview with the Seelys. I felt an instant connection with them, and Lachlan Nutting CdeP 2014, one of my Thacher prefectees was here, so it all felt serendipitous and within a month I moved back to Ojai and started working at Thacher as a Riding Instructor.

On the transition from student to teacher… It was really nice to come back to Thacher as an adult. I immediately felt a sense of camaraderie with the other adults, which was very different from when I was a student obviously. Overall it was an easy transition—I just felt at home. And now I get to do all the fun stuff, but I don’t have to do any homework.

Since my arrival, I moved into campus and expanded my role and responsibilities. I now coordinate and plan the horse camping EDTs and Winter Camping Weekend trips, and oversee scoring, the website, and race set up and organization for Gymkhana. I also became an advisor to juniors, which although challenging, was one of my favorite roles this year.

On what a Thacher education instilled… I’m sure some people will roll their eyes when they read this—and I would have too—but I really do aspire to and am always working on embodying the pillars of Honor, Fairness, Kindness, and Truth.

Thacher taught me how to have a good moral compass, to keep a positive mindset in the face of hard things, that challenging work can be fun, to always be learning, and to have the confidence that I will figure things out.

On what’s timeless about the Thacher Horse Program…

In many ways, the Horse Program itself is what’s timeless.

Being around horses teaches us that, when things go a little wrong or get a little hairy—and it’s not a matter of if, but when with animals and kids—if we stay calm and keep at it, we will be ok.

The moments of exhilaration when you’re running across the field or loping on one of the trails, or overcoming an unexpected challenge on a horse packing trip (something always seems to get hurt or run away!) are universal moments for Thacher alumni in the Horse Program.

A Thacher education prepares us for life in many ways, especially intellectually, but there are so many things you can’t learn in a classroom, and those are usually the things that make you a better person.

On the ethos of the Horse Program today…

The Seelys lead and inspire us to remember that you don’t have to come to Thacher and take care of a horse, you get to.

And even though there’s plenty of sweat and tears, bruises and bumps, the School’s commitment to teaching students that they can do hard things… and that hard things can also be fun is a key tenet of our work in the Horse Program. You can have

fun picking rocks, you can have fun cleaning saddles—it’s all about your mindset. That’s the general lesson and feeling that we aim to leave with students today. As well as inspiring them to fall in love with riding horses.

We are also committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive space to all students. If you want to come out, do more, get involved, we will make that happen for you. If you want to learn something new or progress your skills, we can’t wait to help you get to the next level. The caliber of riding that the kids are doing today is remarkable, and we have more Upper Riders than we’ve seen in many years. I really believe it is a result of these guiding principles and the vision of the Seelys.

On the Toads of today... Françoise Kasimirowski was my advisor sophomore year and has been a confidante my entire time at Thacher, both as a student and an employee. I have always been able to speak to her openly and candidly, and I hope that my students feel that way about me.

I hope that all of our students feel safe and seen here, and it’s especially important that they feel that in the Horse Program. The reality is that you fail a lot with horses, and for people who aren’t used to being bad at something, it can be really humbling.

I aim to create an environment where everybody has compassion for one another and shows patience with people’s progress, not only as it relates to their skills, but also to their emotions. And through that I hope that people become less afraid to fail and more focused on trying to get closer to what they want to achieve. It’s not as scary to fail if you’re after something really awesome.

I also hope that my students can learn from my journey and see themselves working in agriculture and with horses—we need more diversity in those spaces.

“My time at Thacher provided a strong foundation, taught me to be bold and go for it, and is where I learned how to have compassion for my horse and to care well for my horse.

30Years of Dance

A Look Back on the Creation and Growth of Thacher’s Dance Program

By Gallia Vickery

hen I arrived at Thacher in the fall of 1991 as a sabbatical replacement for math teacher

Tom Foster, the plan was for me to run an extra-curricular dance activity. That year I had six dancers, three of whom were volleyball players because the audition was held in the gym directly after volleyball practice. While the first Dance Ensemble performances were a success, working on a piece for performance without dance technique classes is a bit like playing soccer games without ever practicing. It took me two years to have Dance approved as a fall afternoon activity and five years to have Dance Ensemble become a spring afternoon activity. Fall dance was open to all and the spring group was by audition only.

My training in ballet involved strict dress codes, classes taught at specific levels, and an atmosphere of competition and intimidation. Developing the program in the early years gave me the opportunity to evaluate my dance experiences and decide how to create a welcoming environment while still maintaining high standards.

Each class, whether beginning with a ballet barre or modern center floor work, included strengthening and stretching exercises in warm-ups and proceeded to jumping and turning techniques. Short across-the-floor combinations built into longer combinations and sometimes these combinations developed into Dance Ensemble pieces. The more experienced dancers led the across-thefloor work and had opportunities to push themselves by adding multiple turns or executing a combination at a faster tempo.

My goal has always been to help students see dance as both an artistic and athletic endeavor.

The first thing many students say when I encourage them to try dance is “but I’m not flexible.” Training one’s body in a particular dance technique or towards a specific aesthetic is one piece of the puzzle, and I try to help each student understand more about the architecture of their body and how to appreciate their strengths. Building musicality, developing an understanding of the nuances of performing qualities and expression, and working as an ensemble are all vital parts of the process.

The Lamb Years

In my first decade, the Lamb Auditorium served as the dance studio. We had rolling mirrors and ballet barres and often walked into the space to find it full of chairs from an event the evening before. Sometimes the stage was full of tables and platforms, so the dancers got accustomed to moving furniture. I began to build a schedule around separating dance classes and Dance Ensemble rehearsals, so twice a week dance class was only an hour and the members of Ensemble stayed longer and were sometimes joined by dancers who ran from the barns or from other sports or activities. We also started rehearsing Sunday afternoons, one of the few sacred times in the schedule. I worked persistently on communicating the importance of commitment to the group. Dance rehearsals had to take priority over club meetings, advisee dinners, and dorm activities or I would never have had the full group present.

For performances, we “warmed-up” in the old infirmary hallway, and the tradition of taking a hallway picture became established.

The small stage determined the nature of my choreography and with no crossover except if you went outside; entrances and exits were usually from the same side of the stage.

From 2003-2005, with no Lamb Auditorium and our new theater in the building process, dancers were driven into town three times a week to Sacred Space Studio and also rehearsed in the Outdoor Theater. I created

“I take a group of young people interested in or passionate about dance and I build an ensemble. They come into the studio and they feel like it’s their home and they work hard at creating art and performing it for you.”

a piece in which dancers wore their camping headlamps and we used light as part of the creative process. That spring we performed at the Zalk Theater at Besant Hill of Happy Valley School. .

A Beautiful New Home

When the Milligan Center for the Performing Arts opened, the dancers and I had a beautiful new home. While this felt like an important validation of the program, not much changed as far as what we worked on in there. Despite the wonderful dressing rooms downstairs, the pre-performance make-up party happened in our studio sitting on the floor and using the mirrors. Crunches may have evolved into planking, but piqué turns and grand jetés across the floor were still a part of most classes.

In 2004 I submitted a piece to Dance Magazine’s video of the month competition and we won. A phone interview for the short blurb that appeared in the magazine was enlightening. Explaining to the writer what The Thacher School Dance Program looked like was surprisingly challenging. We are not a dance studio. We are not a performing arts high school. We don’t do much jazz or any hiphop. We don’t perform The Nutcracker Suite. We don’t have a competitive dance team. We are a student repertory company; we are The Thacher School Dance Ensemble. Our dancers come from a variety of backgrounds and geographic locations. They live here at school. No one takes classes off-campus when school is in session. They have one teacher: me.

I’ve taught the ballerinas who, like me, spent their middle school years completely immersed in their dance studios taking ballet classes, pointe classes, and preparing for the inevitable yearly Nutcracker. I introduced many of them to floor work and off-vertical movement. I’ve

taught students who have competed on dance teams, students who have been cheerleaders, gymnasts, or studied Chinese dance. I talked to the dancers about what I envisioned as true choreography, with contrast and cohesion, rather than routines that showcased their favorite moves. I’ve had students dance for all four of their years at Thacher, some who dance for a term or two and move on to other things, and students who come into the studio for the first time their senior year.

I have choreographed 137 dance pieces and 27 musical theater productions. My favorite

composers over the years have included Karl Jenkins, Ólafur Arnalds, Jami Sieber, Thomas Newman, and James Newton Howard CdeP 1969, who once wrote a piece for me to embellish two shortmusical selections from his score of the movie The Apartment. The highlights of my choreography in musical theater productions includedthechoreographyofSteamHeatfrom The Pajama Game, the girls’ numbers in Legally Blonde, and the rake dance in Oklahoma!.

With no Lamb auditorium and the Milligan Center in the building process dancers are driven into town three times a week to Sacred Space Studio and rehearse in the outdoor theater. Performances are in the Outdoor Theater and at the Zalk Theater at Besant Hill of Happy Valley School.

2004 Dance Ensemble piece Solace is chosen as a finalist in the McCallum Theater Choreography Festival

“My goal has always been to help students see dance as both an artistic and athletic endeavor.”

Dance Companies

Taking the Show on the Road

I really wanted to find performance opportunities for the dancers off-campus and provide them opportunities to take classes elsewhere. In the years when the lacrosse and baseball teams had playoffs and didn’t have spring EDTs, I was given permission to organize dance EDTs. Staying with parents and alumni, we traveled to the Bay area in 2001 and to Los Angeles in 2002. We took classes at local studios in ballet, modern, jazz, and capoeira, and visited and shared dance experiences at Crystal Springs, Lick-Wilmerding, Branson, Marlborough, Viewpoint, and Crossroads Schools.

I’ve choreographed some classical ballet pieces and had a few groups on pointe, and I’ve even done a few jazz pieces in my time, but my favorite type of dance to choreograph is my own modern dance style. My personal dance biography says: “Music is the driving force behind her work as both the inspiration and the basis of choreographic plan. She brings dance and mathematics together in the creation of abstract, yet expressive works that use patterns and canons to follow the textures she finds in the music.”

The decade from 2005-2015 was an especially full one. Afternoon dance grew, more dancers took fall-term dance classes who were also in Dance Ensemble, and more students came to Thacher with lots of previous dance experience. My choreography became more complex as their talent and dedication inspired me. We traveled twice to the Pasadena Dance Festival, before it was scheduled the same weekend as Senior Exhibitions. Beginning in 2016, Dance Ensemble was invited to perform in both the fall and spring at the Collective Collaborative, a dance concert organized by Tracy Kofford,

director of the Dance Program at Santa Barbara City College. Here I proudly watched Thacher dancers perform alongside college dance companies and a few small professional groups from Santa Barbara and Los Angeles.

Before performances I often fill time and talk to the audience. At my last performance at the Big Gymkhana Cabaret I said: “This will be the last time I stand up here on the stage to talk to you and, as I say goodbye, part of me wishes this was the best dance I ever choreographed with the best dancers Thacher has ever seen, but that‘s not the case. But actually that isn’t important, because that’s not what I do. I take a group of young people interested in or passionate about dance, and I build an ensemble. They come into the studio and they feel like it’s their home, and they work hard at creating art and performing it for you.”

DIAVOLO DANCE THEATER

LINEAGE DANCE

LA. CONTEMPORARY DANCE

BACKHAUSDANCE

KIZUNA DANCE

ACHINTA MCDANIEL

JANICE ROSARIO

30Years of Dance

Seven years ago, as part of Thacher’s ongoing commitment to expanding the curriculum and pedagogy while also meeting the evolving needs of adolescent learners in today’s world, the School launched its xBlock elective program, serving as both a faculty incubator for innovative topics and methods as well as vehicle for students to sample subjects they might otherwise miss, learn a new skill, or deepen knowledge of an existing passion.

Prototype of a "turtle trap" designed by students in the Conservation Engineering xBlock class. The traps are currently being used in Ojai and at a state water conservation location in Fillmore, California.

These single-term electives, which revolve around inquiry-driven learning, are the most flexible aspect of the Thacher curriculum. Ideas for offerings routinely spring from current events, strong student interest, or from the expertise of a faculty member or visiting scholar. Some students enroll in xBlock classes to support their academic interests (for example, conservation engineering pairs well with field biology). The learning is not just for students; faculty use these classes to test and develop new ideas for courses and teaching methods. Together, students and teachers explore topics and projects outside our core curriculum in a spirit of collaboration and discovery. Over 100 students added xBlock classes to their schedules this year.

“The combination of our students’ deep curiosities and our supportive, engaged teachers make our xBlock electives offerings more robust and dynamic every year,” said Dr. Kamala Qalandar, Director of Programs for Technology and Innovation and Math and Science Teacher.

The xBlock roster continuously changes year-to-year and term-to-term based on faculty and student interest. In this case, faculty can also include visiting artists and scholars. This year, we welcomed photography-based remix artist Cassandra C. Jones and her husband Mikael Jorgensen, pianist and keyboardist for the band Wilco, to teach a technology-based art and music class. Cinematographer Carissa Ridgeway Tudor CdeP 2000 teamed up with the Turtle Conservancy to teach a class about documentary film and conservation.

As we look ahead to 2022-2023, xBlock offerings are still being finalized but so far include a new conservation engineering class focused on the campus ecosystem taught by Dr. Qalandar. No doubt there will be many more exciting opportunities ahead.

In 2021-2022, electives included:

Art, Design, & Technology Conservation Engineering

Contemporary Journalism and Global Citizenship

Design and Fabrication Workshop

Documentary Film and Conservation (collaboration with the Turtle Conservancy and Carissa Tudor Ridgeway CdeP 2000)

Intro to Ethical Investing (collaboration with Nathan Wallace CdeP 2002)

Intro to German

Social Entrepreneurship

Technology-Based Art & Music (taught by visiting artists

Cassandra C. Jones & Mikael Jorgensen)

The combination of our students’ deep curiosities and our supportive, engaged teachers make our xBlock electives offerings more robust and dynamic every year.

- DR. KAMALA QALANDAR Director of Programs for Technology Innovation and Math and Science Teacher

GOLD Month

This past March we celebrated GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) alums with our inaugural GOLD Month. With 11 events across seven states, we shared good food, important conversation, and lots of laughter over the course of the month.

Alumni Small Gatherings

Small alumni gatherings kicked off in the spring across California. Alums of all ages opened up their homes and welcomed fellow Thacher alums to meet and reconnect. Events included a beach day, hike at a winery, and backyard get-togethers. Alums also helped to organize affinity-based gatherings. We are looking forward to creating additional alum-hosted spaces for you to meet Toads in your own backyard!

All-Alumni Reunion

June 17-19 marked the first Reunion at Thacher in over three years. Alumni across seven decades returned to connect with classmates, prefects/prefectees, and beloved prior and current faculty members. There was dancing, music, laughter, athletic games, hiking, tai chi, topic-based seminars, and of course horseback riding and trap shooting. We were also excited to introduce affinity spaces to Reunion for the first time and held spaces for alums of color and those who identify as LGBTQ+ to connect with one another and share experiences. We also welcomed Learning Courage to campus who spoke with alums throughout the weekend about how the school can move forward to create a stronger and safer community for all its members. These were challenging and important conversations, and we are grateful for the honesty and openness that was shared within these spaces.

Alumni families had the ability to flex their amateur acting skills or learn about different facets of the horse department through the Horse Immersion program. Topic-based seminars included health and wellness, ethical investments, social justice, and life at Thacher. Attendees were invited to not only learn about the experience of the panelists but also engage in thoughtful conversation around each topic. Special thanks to our ethical investment panel for giving a glimpse into the Student Ethical Investment xBlock class which took place during the school year.

Over 450 members of the community returned to campus for this amazing weekend. Thank you to everyone who joined us and for those who couldn’t, we will be ready to celebrate with you next time.

Reunion Classes

Class of 2022

Senior Banquet

The night before graduation, the Class of 2022 gathered with their families and friends to eat, dance, and celebrate the end of their time as Thacher students.

Class of 2022 Award Recipients

Alyssa Ruiz

The Charles L. Tutt Silver Bowl for Integrity and Responsibility

Daisy Galgon The Elizabeth Helms Award for Athletic Excellence

Dylan Jin-Ngo School Chair Award

Henry Mallory The Elizabeth Helms Awardfor Athletic Excellence

Kuma McCraw The Thacher Cup

Commencement

Class of 2022 Matriculation

Babson

Elon University

Harvard

Lewis

Johns

Middlebury

Pitzer

Colby

Trinity University

Tufts University

Tulane University

University of California - Irvine

University of California - Los Angeles

University of Chicago

University of Colorado - Boulder

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

University of Pennsylvania

University of Southern California

University of Virginia

Wake Forest University

Wellesley College

Whittier College

Yale University

The

CLASS NOTES

1972* BILL DAWSON, TOM BARD, GRANT HARMON, ALAN SILBERGH, and BOB KELLOGG enjoyed a game of golf together to celebrate their 50th reunion. Fore!

ABHI MANERIKAR says “I am continuing my Slow Way Home journey after a pandemic pause from Budapest to Calgary, by mostly human power. I started in Budapest in 2018, bicycled through Hungary, Croatia and Slovenia, hiked 83 days following the Via Alpina, and am now back on a bike across France Tracey, my long suffering partner of 30 plus years has tagged along once again, and we are soon to be joined by Shay, my eldest daughter.”

1981 CAROL MCCONNELL shares, ““Just home from Thacher’s All Alumni Reunion. What a delight to see CdeP friends from so many graduation years. I especially enjoyed catching up with classmates LIZ ARNOLD MURRAY, TOM KONG JR., and PETER DUNNE IV. Peter’s wife, Deb Dunne, was also in attendance; it was a joy to have her as part of our gathering.”

finish their first year at Thacher!! Boy what an amazing experience it has been. They absolutely love Thacher!!! Arinze is friends with JJ EKLUND’s son while Ama is friends with the daughters of MONICA GARG CdeP 1994 and DERMOND THOMAS CdeP 1994. How awesome is that?! It’s been so wonderful being an alumni Thacher parent.”

1978 GRANT FLETCHER shares “All’s well with us...My kids are enjoying marketing careers, still working in RE and emergency services at the coast, moved to an awesome new coastal home and traveling...Stay safe!”

1982* BRIAN KOPPERL enjoyed visiting the campus for his 40th Reunion and shared “I was captivated by the timelessness of those original parts of the school… How many times did I walk by that library window and not slow down before? I am reminded of how the natural beauty of Ojai interplays with the architecture and design of the school.”

1995 SEUMAS SARGENT shares “Despite a pandemic and the distress of a world war looming, I’ve been quite fortunate in the entertainment department Wrapped a lead supporting role speaking German and English in the Netflix series, THE BILLION DOLLAR CODE, a true story of two Berlin friends who wrote an algorithm in the 90’s, only to find themselves battling Google in court for stealing it Also, I just wrapped a comedy with Ricky Gervais called ‘Greenlight’ and an international suspense thriller due in September called MUNICH MATCH. Currently shooting two more shows in Prague and Berlin. Stay tuned, stay healthy everyone.”

1993 AWELE OKOBI shares “My husband, Patrick, and I have 4 incredible kids (Arinze 16, Ama 15, Mezu 13 & Olisa 11). We live in Abuja, Nigeria. Arinze ‘24 and Ama ‘25 are about to

1997* JUSTIN GRANT says “After completing a Master of Arts degree in Transformational Psychology (the science of the soul and mind), I have been hard at work adapting my best-selling book into an abridged version. The newly released Spirituality for Busy People is now available as a book, audio book, and comprehensive online course! If you or a loved one wish to lose weight, feel great, and be inspired about life, then please have a look! Be well, Thacher-mates”

JAIME BURNS-FRANCE shares “ELIZABETH WALLACE CdeP 1996 and I are excited to see our eldest, Coraline, joining the future CdeP 2026! Their sister Linnea (9) is crushed to see them go but will stay plenty busy getting into her own trouble in Los Gatos, CA.

2000 SARAH MORROW shares a recent encounter with ELIZABETH SANSEAU CdeP 2001, “Italian rendezvous with one of my high school soccer team soul sisters. There truly is nothing better than reconnecting a strong and sacred teammate bond. This right here is why I like to travel, our coffee and meet up was impromptu and unexpected. It was the best! This is an important reminder that this is what life is all about.”

2010 LAUREN ROSENFELD graduated from medical school on May 11, 2022, and is excited for her next adventure as an Emergency Medicine Resident at George Washington University. Lo and her fiancé, Gideon Levy, are moving from Miami to DC in June and would love to connect with any Thacher community in the area.

2015 KENNEDY GREEN shares, “Stefan Smith and I were married on March 12, 2022 in Durham, NC after a 15-month engagement! We currently live in South Durham, as Stefan is pursuing an MBA at The Duke Fuqua School of Business, and we will be moving to Washington D.C., next year where Stefan will begin his career as a consultant at Boston Consulting Group (BCG). We are expecting our first child (a boy!) in September, 2022!”

IN MEMORIAM

ALUMNI

Alfa “Walter” Beam CdeP 1935

Alfa “Walter” Beam passed away in October 2020. Walter attended Williams College after Thacher and received a degree in Economics.

Richard “Bart” Robbins CdeP 1938

Richard Barton Robbins was born in St. Paul and raised in Seattle. “Bart” Robbins spent the majority of his long, productive life on the Hood Canal. He served in the Navy during WWII and married his lifelong companion, Penelope Fuller, in August of 1945. After the Navy he worked for Simpson Timber Company, and they lived in Shelton and then McCleary until 1953. During those years they had four children and made lasting friends. In 1955 he and Penny moved their family to Hama Hama, where they spent the following six decades turning the family property into a sustainable business. In the early years, while building the oyster business, Bart sold shrimp, wild Christmas trees, shake bolts, and scrap metal. Oysters were his main concern until the second growth timber matured in the early 1970s.

Up until the age of 50, he led long family backpacking trips through the Olympics, and after that, equally wonderful boating trips into the fjords of British Columbia.

Bart was active in many civic and business organizations, helping to found, among other entities, an early oyster farmer’s co-op and the Hood Canal State Bank. He and Penny were part of a bridge group on the Canal, a dance club, and were members of the Brinnon Community Church. Well into his 90s, he was part of a group which cut firewood as a fundraiser for the local Kiwanis Club. Bart is predeceased by his brothers, Daniel M. Rob bins CdeP 1934 and Arthur D. Robbins CdeP 1937. He is survived by his four children, Mattie, Elizabeth, and Helena, and David W. Robbins CdeP 1969.

Gordon Frazier CdeP 1939

Gordon Frazier, age 99, of Waipahu, Hawaii passed away on Tuesday, December 7, 20221. Gordon was born July 22, 1922.

George W. Kittle CdeP 1944

George Woolsey Kittle, Thacher graduate of 1944 and Yale Class of ‘49, at the age of 89, passed away on March 21, 2017, in Connecticut. He worked at several elementary schools before receiving a degree in English as a second language from Columbia University, after which he taught foreign students. He was also a frequent contributor to the Cornwall Chronicle, writing witty, humorous articles A lover of travel, he spent many winters at a small house in Sayulita, Mexico, for which he had a particular affection. George is predeceased by his brothers, Andrew C. Kittle CdeP 1948 and Jonathan G. Kittle CdeP 1943.

Bunford S. Pelton CdeP 1944

Bunford, known to everyone as “Bumpy,” was born Jan. 26, 1927, in Baltimore, Maryland. He was nicknamed Bumpy in grade school, but no one remembers how the name came about. However, Bumpy’s memory will forever be celebrated through his scholarships.

Bumpy was seldom in one place for very long. He had a hard life and was often misunderstood because he was shy and guarded but he was always considerate of others. Bumpy served in the army during WWII and was honorably discharged. He was a master of many trades and worked hard his entire life, rarely enjoying his earnings When Bumpy retired, however, he experienced two great adventures while following his dream to trek through Nepal. In 1996, Bumpy moved to Las Cruces to join his brother, Clifford Pelton CdeP 1946, finally finding a place to call home.

After careful research and consideration by Clifford, Bumpy’s estate gifted New Mexico State University with $200,000, which served as a reflection of his life and adventures The hope is that it will ease the financial burden for NMSU students, and that one day, each recipient will “pay it forward” in honor of Bumpy.

Clifford L. Pelton Jr. CdeP 1946

Clifford’s wife Elisa writes, “My husband and love of my life, Clifford Pelton, age 92, died peacefully at my side with his son, Jesse, holding his hand. He is survived by his sons, Bill and Jesse, and grandson. He was preceded in death by his two sons, Seth and Aaron.”

Cliff was a man with a big heart, smile, and a loud voice. He loved his family and delighted in all of our accomplishments. He also loved Las Cruces and New Mexico. He was involved with the nascent recycle movement, a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church, and a member of the Democratic Party, Progressive Voters Alliance, and the League of Women Voters.

Cliff was born in Pennsylvania but grew up in the San Fernando Valley in California and graduated from the Thacher School in 1946. He joined the Army Air Corps and the next day the Corps became the U.S. Air Force.

A graduate of Pomona College with a degree in English Literature, Cliff enjoyed jobs surveying and civil engineering. During his time with the US Department of Transportation, he saw an opportunity to work in Puerto Rico to improve his language skills Though he lived and worked in Puerto Rico for nine years, he never did improve because when he talked to the employees in Spanish they answered in English – they wanted to improve their English!

At the tender age of 85 he and Elisa Sanchez met. Elisa says, “We were often told by young people who saw us holding hands and kissing how ‘cute’ we were. Consequently, we talked about ourselves as ‘cute old geezers in love.’ Love at this age was a blessing and gift.”

Josh E. Jensen CdeP 1961

Josh Jensen passed away in his home on June 11, 2022 at the age of 78. Born in Seattle but raised in Orinda, CA, Josh attended Thacher School and went on to Yale, earning a degree in liberal arts. Josh later traveled to England to attend Oxford, earning a master’s degree in social anthropology. While there, Josh began traveling throughout Europe’s winegrowing regions.

Josh spent much of his twenties in Europe, sleeping in ramshackle hotels or on friends’ couches. While his accommodations left much to be desired, the food and wine did not. Josh often ate at some of France’s finest restaurants and became enamored with Burgundy.

He landed a gig picking grapes at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Domaine Dujac, and Château-Grillet

in the Rhône. He returned to California, determined to find a vineyard site that would be on par with the limestone-laden soils of Burgundy’s Côte d’Or. With no winemaking or business experience, Josh's dream was lofty, but he showed dedication.

Josh lived out of a trailer with his wife and then 7-year-old daughter and dubbed the property Calera, after the Spanish word for “limekiln.” The first of his three vineyards were named in honor of his father; Dr. Selleck, who introduced him to wine; and Bill Reed, an investor in the business. The vineyards are planted on steep inclines reaching as high as 2,500 feet. In 1978, Josh debuted his first wines.

The limestone hills of Mount Harlan in California’s Central Coast are forever intertwined with vintner Josh Jensen. A trailblazer for California wine, Josh chased an impossible dream to make Burgundystyle Pinot Noir in California, and succeeded, becoming one of the state’s top Pinot Noir producers.

Josh will be remembered for his great wit and charm, unique fashion sense, generosity of spirit, and his generosity toward his beloved team at Calera. He is survived by his three children—Silvie Jensen, Duggan Jensen, and Chloe Jensen—and five grandchildren. “I’m not sure my words are adequate to express my love for my dad and how much I will miss him,” said Silvie, “but I’ll add that Josh was a true original. He was larger than life, a dreamer, an idealist, a generous spirit, a man dedicated to his friends, community and family and, above all, to the ideals of friendship, truth, fairness, good food and wine, and stewardship of the land. We will all miss him tremendously.”

Carter C. Beise CdeP 1965

El Archivero explains Carter’s Thacher experience, “But success, accomplished only through hard work, has been the story that Carter has written while at Thacher.

The sideburns present this quite clearly. Cut so clean, these last remaining hairs shine with the look of an avid camper. And Carter is exactly that. You name the camp and he has been there…Cart is also a star Gymkhana supporter. When he’s not breaking school records he is to be found head first sprawled among the dirt clods following another successful pick-up in the rescue race.”

W. Stanley Rowe CdeP 1968

William Rowe passed at the age of 70 on February 25, 2022 While at Thacher he enjoyed playing baseball and soccer, was a member of the Winston Churchill debating society, horse club, masquers, and student government outdoor committee, and was on the Archivero board.

Thomas C. LeGros CdeP 1970

Tom LeGros, loving husband of Karen for 39 years, father of son Ryan (deceased), and Papa of granddaughter Nevaeh, died Saturday, September 22, 2018 at the age of 66.

Tom was born June 12, 1952 in Berkley, CA; and was the second of four children born to John and Beth (Johnson) LeGros. Due to his father’s business career and his mother’s sense of adventure, Tom led an exciting childhood as he and his family moved to communities in New York, California, Connecticut, New Jersey, Georgia, and Virginia. Tom attended The Thacher School from 1966-1967 and later graduated from Marina High School of Huntington Beach, California. He received his bachelor’s degree in 1975. After college, Tom settled in Los Angeles, CA, where he met the love of his life and future wife, Karen Leabeater. In 1987, Tom, Karen and young son Ryan moved to their forever home in Visalia. Tom had a 28-year career with Motorola, Inc; and later was the founder and president of Spectrum Research and Solutions, Inc., specializing in the acquisition of emergency radio frequencies for governmental agencies and private industry. In life, Tom was fun-loving, a world traveler, adventurous and loyal to family and friends. He will be missed and remembered lovingly. Tom is predeceased by his brother John Le Gros Jr. CdeP 1967. Tom is survived by his mother, wife Karen, a granddaughter, a sister, and a brother.

Jeffrey P. Stivers CdeP 1973

Shared by the Class of 1973, “We sadly report that Jeff Stivers, class of 1973, died during the second week of January 2022 in Richmond CA. Jeff stayed in touch with many of our classmates in part by organizing popular annual reunions in San Francisco. Because of his love of the sea, his memorial took place in San Francisco Bay; it was attended by Trey Elkins, John Rubenstein and Jamie Edwards. We encourage donations in Jeff’s memory be given to Thacher to foster academic programs.”

Hans Henrik Ottsen CdeP 1994

We lost Hans, our dear son, brother, uncle, and friend, on Saturday, April 30th, 2022. He was 45 and his death was unexpected. We miss him terribly.

Hans, being the first-born, was the joy of our lives and, as they say, above average in all respects. In the Ottsen household, piano lessons were part of the deal, at least until the end of 8th grade. Both Hans and his sister, Mollie, persisted until the second they graduated to high school when they dropped music They both picked it up later, Hans sooner than Mollie, when he picked up the guitar and started performing the blues with a superbly talented singer friend. The blues grew broadly into other genres of jazz and he developed a love and passion for the art form.

He was accepted to the Studio Jazz program at USC before attending the Manhattan School of Music in New York City While he took enough credit hours to earn several degrees there, he was solely motivated to take courses which would improve his playing and ignored what he needed for a diploma. He loved the skill levels of his fellow students at both schools and adored his guitar teachers.

Hans was a kind soul. He volunteered at SloanKettering Cancer Center in NYC where he quickly was assigned to provide music therapy to the most seriously ill patients as they emerged from surgery Hans' kindness was reflected time and time again in his love and support for his family, friends and any neighbors who needed assistance.

Over the last decade, Hans established himself as one of the driving forces in the renaissance of jazz in Ventura. He did that with the excellence of his playing, his passion for his students and his dedication to the budding jazz club in town, the Squashed Grapes The delight was shared by the players and local audiences alike.

Besides his parents, Hans is survived by his sister Mollie Benton CdeP 1996, and their four children. Hans also leaves behind a large community of friends among jazz lovers across the globe.

WE CAN

The BEST DO

JUST UP THE ROAD FROM THACHER, over 30 different threatened or endangered species of turtles and tortoises make their home at the Turtle Conservancy, a global conservation organization whose mission is to preserve and protect natural ecosystems, focusing on turtles and tortoises, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the Earth’s biological diversity.

Founded by Eric Goode, whose father Frederick worked at Thacher in the late 1960s, the Turtle Conservancy is the only AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) accredited captive-breeding facility dedicated solely to turtles and tortoises in the world.

Since 2018, Thacher and the Turtle Conservancy have collaborated to provide experiential learning opportunities for Thacher students, including year-long courses in field biology and advanced field biology and a recent xBlock elective (a single-term elective revolving around inquiry-driven learning) on conservation engineering, in which students designed and built turtle traps and basking platforms that were installed at Sespe Cienega, a restoration site along the Santa Clara River corridor in Fillmore, CA.

This summer, Thacher and the Turtle Conservancy expanded their collaboration further, this time in the creation of a week-long, residential summer program for rising 7th and 8th graders, a third of whom have been intentionally selected from the Ojai Valley. The program is designed to provide an immersive educational experience to curious, motivated, and community-minded students. It has been fully funded by a grant from a mutual friend of the Turtle Conservancy and The Thacher School with the goal of prioritizing students from underserved communities and/or low socioeconomic backgrounds who have a passion for science.

Turtle Camp gives students the opportunity to explore the world of turtles and tortoises, immerse in real conservation programs, and form a deeper understanding of how they as humans affect their environment and the creatures with whom they share a habitat.

“The summer camp represents an exciting next step in Thacher's collaboration with the Turtle Conservancy,” said Dr. Tracy Miller, Thacher’s Director of Studies. “It will allow middle school students to experience the possibilities of experiential learning, digging into important topics

SUMMER 2022 SCHEDULE

Saturday, June 25

Students arrive, learn about campus and global conservation

Sunday, June 26

Tour of the Turtle Conservancy, hike on Horn Canyon, introduction to Southwestern Pond Turtle Conservation Program

Monday, June 27

Learn about tortoise anatomy and evolution, work with Giant Galapagos and Aldabra Tortoises, introduce field techniques (GPS, navigation, measuring and weighing turtles)

Tuesday, June 28

around conservation and ecology alongside a community of peers, TC experts, and Thacher teachers and alums. It will bring some of the magic of Thacher's residential life program to the summer and allow for a week filled with community, laughter, and joyful learning.”

The camp is based at Thacher, where students and program staff stay in the dorms and utilize the school’s dining hall, classrooms, and pool. This summer, students spent most of their time outdoors exploring the endangered turtle and tortoise species at the Turtle Conservancy and participating in real field work in local wild spaces. Part way through the program they were separated into three teams: water testing, biodiversity inventory, and turtle surveys. Each team received in-depth training in their subject to prepare them for participating in a real conservation research project.

The experience culminates with an overnight backpacking trip to Patton’s Cabin in the Sespe Wilderness, where students conduct research on the Sespe river designed to learn more about and protect the Southwestern Pond Turtle.

Friday, July 1

Conduct water testing at Turtle Conservancy, learn about egg incubation and development, stream assessment in Horn Canyon

Wednesday, June 29

Formation of three teams (water testing, species inventory, and turtle survey) and prepare for camping trip

Thursday, June 30

Travel to Patton’s Cabin, conduct field research projects, explore Piedra Blanca

Return to Thacher, analyze data from field, and presentation of findings

Saturday, July 2

Students return home

Each day and evening also included free time at the pool, mountain biking, beach trips, and other activities led by program staff. To learn more about the Turtle Conservancy, visit turtleconservancy.org.

The summer camp represents an exciting next step in Thacher's collaboration with the Turtle Conservancy.”

with

Students in the Technology-Based Art & Music xBlock elective