Dwight Today Winter 2018

Winter 2018

DWIGHT TODAY A Magazine for the Global Dwight Community

A special

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ANNIVERSARY tribute to Chancellor Stephen Spahn DE SI N

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BREAKING

Volume 13, Number 1

Dwight is dedicated to igniting the spark of genius in every child. Kindling their interests, we develop inquisitive, knowledgeable, self-aware, and ethical citizens who will build a better world.

HEADING | DWIGHT TODAY

For the first time in Dwight’s history, our Girls Varsity Soccer team won the ISAL Championship and went on to play in the NYSAIS State Tournament. Congratulations to all of our fleet-footed Lions!

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DWIGHT TODAY

FEATURE STORIES

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Michael Horvath Challenges Students on and off the Field Dwight Global Students Meet and Greet in New York

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Head of Dwight School Dubai Janecke Aarnæs on Our Newest Campus Getting to Know Entrepreneur Cynthia Schultz-Hornig ’87

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Celebrating Chancellor Spahn’s Milestone 50th Anniversary Spark Tank: Year Three

Plus Foundation, alumni, and more

Laurie Silbersweig Editorial Director

Emily Chase Design Director

Kerry Tkacik Content Manager

Allison Feldman Chief Innovation & Communications Officer

Photography: Stan Schnier, Rachel Schultz, Mike Sheehan, Ian Wilson, Chloe Zachmanoglou, Dwight staff Copyright © 2018: Dwight School Printing: SPC print integrated, North Springfield, VT

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CHANCELLOR’S LETTER | DWIGHT TODAY

Dear Dwight Community, I have the distinct privilege to have served as Dwight’s Chancellor for 50 years and to have witnessed some of the most exciting changes to take place in the world of education. While my excitement for our future spurs me every day, a glimpse into the rearview mirror reveals just how far we have traveled and offers a primer on what has stood the test of time.

When I became headmaster in the 1960s, it was a particularly tumultuous time — a counterculture decade marked by activism and the Vietnam War. Against this backdrop, I dove head first into my work and learned a fundamental lesson that has shaped my educational philosophy and Dwight’s ever since: When you help a young person discover his/her passion and nurture that unique interest, you unlock the door to all other learning. Oftentimes during the 60s, what drove students was a call to move away from societal conformity. As we encouraged students to find their own passions, we saw how they were transformed into great learners and leaders.

During the 1970s and 80s, as the global economy continued to grow and markets became more interdependent, education had to adapt to the new order.

The International Baccalaureate answered the call.

Born in 1968, the IB grew, offering a vigorous academic curriculum designed to cross — and transcend — national boundaries. IB schools like ours envisioned a world in which students were equipped with the requisite skills to bridge cultures and countries to solve problems on a global scale.

With the advent of the Digital Age, our need to prepare students to succeed in the competitive global marketplace accelerated rapidly, reinforcing the benefits of an IB education and the need to equip students with the

ability to gather, assess, and interpret big data across disciplines — skills that we could never have envisioned 50 years ago. Yesterday’s art studios, science labs, and classrooms have since been digitized. Today’s learning spaces have evolved into creative, collaborative problemsolving and information-sharing hubs. Dwight has embraced this imperative with state-of-the-art rooftop pavilions and our Performing Arts Center, and is pushing that concept forward with our new building at 21 West 88th Street designed to spark innovation at every turn. We have also expanded into the cloud with Dwight Global, offering blended and online learning to students around the world.

As Dwight advances as a premier school of the future, we must remind ourselves of the second fundamental lesson that I learned at the beginning of my career: There is simply no substitute for great teachers. Top-notch, caring teachers, like those at Dwight, who put the student first are the foundation of an excellent education.

Everything we do is for our students. My life’s work has always been about our students and always will be.

Fondly,

Stephen H. Spahn Chancellor of Dwight School

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DWIGHT TODAY | COMMUNITY

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SPIRIT DAY | DWIGHT TODAY

#DwightSchoolTradition Dwight’s spirit knows no bounds! We celebrated our annual Spirit Day — where else but at the Dwight School Athletic Center — together with 1199 community members!

We had tons of fun, and in the spirit of service, packed donations for hurricane relief efforts. Speaker of the New York City Council, Melissa Mark-Viverito, stopped by to see our community in action. We thank the Dwight PA for planning this great event!

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DWIGHT TODAY | IN THE CLASSROOM

Parent-Entrepreneurs Inspire Seventh Graders to Build Businesses What would you do with a million dollars?

Every seventh grader was asked this question, awarded the pretend sum, and charged with developing a business plan to launch his or her own enterprise in this year’s Middle School Leadership Program.

Now in its third year, Dwight’s program offers students in grades 6-8 a range of leadership and entrepreneurial-related learning experiences. “Each one is designed to nurture brainstorming, creative problem-solving, and

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collaboration skills — as well as traits such as flexibility, determination, and resourcefulness — required to succeed in today’s rapidly changing workplace either as an employee or as the owner of one’s own business. This was the starting point for seventh graders this year,” reports Head of Middle School Ron Posner.

Middle School Shelby Korman. Together,

Mr. Posner co-taught the seventh-grade leadership class with Associate Head of

such as insurance, salaries, manufacturing,

they introduced students to the proposition of developing a business plan and all that entails. Once students settled on their start-up concepts, they were challenged to research and allocate resources based on estimated expenses for leasing real estate space in New York City and for operational costs marketing … the list goes on.

LEADERSHIP PROGRAM | DWIGHT TODAY

of Their Own Imagining

As students dove into their projects, they were treated to classroom visits by a cadre of Middle School parents and alumni, each of whom had started their own successful business.

The guest speakers were keen to share their behind-the-scenes stories, challenges, and advice to our young entrepreneurs. A few recounted how they had made career changes to launch start-ups; all encouraged students to take the initiative to do what they love and to follow their dreams.

The group included: Peter Farnsworth, Founder and CEO of Foxrock Partners 

Keith Furst, Founder of Data Derivatives 

Jacob Hadjigeorgis ’02, owner of Maison Pickle and Jacob’s Pickles restaurants 

Will Kohane, Co-founder and Senior Partner of Apple Core Holdings 

Blake Spahn ’89, Vice Chancellor of Dwight School, who launched Dwight’s preschool 

Randi Stone, Founder of NYC Pilates 

Ronn Torossian, President and CEO of 5W Public Relations 

Those on this roster represent a wide range of industries, from marketing and investing to financial cyber-security and more, yet they all emphasized the:

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DWIGHT TODAY | IN THE CLASSROOM

importance of following your passions and perfecting you craft, coupled with an equal measure of resilience 

value of building a skilled, collaborative team and culture 

need to be comfortable taking risks and making mistakes, from which to learn 

What is a Business Plan?

As students developed their ideas, they demonstrated great creativity and arrived at concepts for start-ups and products, including a soccer shoe with removable soles to match three different playing surfaces, a dronepowered boat to collect and recycle trash, swimming goggles with built-in sun protection,

Student Ideas Take Flight

Parents Share Entrepreneurial Experiences

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importance of giving back and being socially responsible 

a restaurant shaped like an ice cube, customizable watches, a mosquito-repellent jacket, a palm-size-pie baking business, an umbrella that covers the entire body, a 3D-printing store, and more.

Here’s to seeing some of these original ideas developed in Spark Tank and launched in the market!

Students Develop Business Plans

Research, Research, Research!

Presentations to Parent Panel

Feedback

GLOBAL VISION | DWIGHT TODAY

East Meets West

Reflections on a Trimester Abroad When tenth graders Angel and Eunice from Shanghai Qibao Dwight High School in China spent the spring trimester at our campus in New York last year, the experience was life-changing.

The duo had heard that Dwight offered an exciting opportunity to study abroad — earlier than in college — and couldn’t wait to embark on the journey. Each year, through numerous international trips, exchanges, and cross-campus collaborations, Dwight students meet their peers from other continents, mature in many ways, and broaden their worldview. When students can spend more extensive time in another country such as Angel and Eunice did, the level of personal growth can be striking.

Upon arrival in New York, Angel and Eunice experienced immediately two of the biggest differences between student life on our two campuses; back home, they live in dorms and their days are longer with structured evening schedules. In New York, the twosome experienced home-stay living and a school day that ends at 3 pm.

During their free time, they explored museums, visited many sites, and took a giant bite out of The Big Apple!

now I am less afraid to do so; I want to continue to put myself outside of my comfort zone.

Before Angel and Eunice headed back to Shanghai, we sat down with them to find out what they liked, learned, how the experience impacted them, and what they hoped to take home. Here’s what they had to share:

EUNICE: BECOMING MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT MY OWN INTERESTS My goals in coming to New York were to think for myself in a new environment, be more relaxed in the face of new experiences, and not to compare myself to others. I achieved these … and my English improved!

ANGEL: NEVER BE AFRAID TO TRY NEW THINGS One of the biggest changes I have experienced since coming to New York is a change in mindset. I learned to spend my time differently, to relax, read, and enjoy sports. Before, I forced myself to play sports; now I enjoy them in a less structured way and believe in my choices more and more. The freedom is exciting, but I am also disciplined, so balance is important.

One of the activities I enjoyed most was the after-school portfolio program.

We had an inspiring teacher, Ms. Sanders, and it was really creative. I also enjoyed design class, which was my first experience with coding. When I go back home, I plan to continue what I learned — for myself — not for my parents or teachers. I want to be more passionate about pursuing the things that I really want to do, such as jogging, which I did in Central Park!

The inclusiveness and diversity of Dwight in New York are some of the most enjoyable parts — meeting people from different countries and backgrounds — and participating in advisory discussions about current events and American values. I learned to communicate better in a second language, which is like magic! It’s the key to learning more about a culture.

My spark of genius is not being afraid to change or to find a better way to accomplish a goal. When I return to living in the dorms, I want to continue on this road and be more independent. The distance will make it harder to remain close to the new friends I made here in New York, but with social media, it will be easier to stay in touch. I also want to be more proactive in meeting and connecting with new people in Shanghai.

In China, I play on the Varsity badminton team and here in New York I taught my classmates the rules and how to play in PE, which was the first time I did this in English. It was fun!

The class I enjoyed most was film. I was scared before beginning because I had never made a film before. The first thing I learned was to experiment, which was new because we are usually taught to do things step by step.

Now I want to go further! My spark of genius is to never be afraid to try new things. I pushed myself in film and to speak in English in class and

Angel and Eunice appreciate the support they received from everyone in New York and recommend enthusiastically that other students study abroad, which is just one of the advantages of being part of Dwight’s global network. Both students — now juniors — want to return to the US for college. No matter where they attend university, we have no doubt that Angel and Eunice will continue on their exciting paths of personal growth.

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DWIGHT TODAY | FACULTY Q&A

As Dean of Tenth Grade and the Director of Athletics, Michael Horvath guides students to strive for excellence in the classroom, throughout their work on the immersive MYP Personal Project, and in their athletic endeavors as scholar-athletes. We sat down to learn more about the life-long sports enthusiast and how he plays multiple positions on the Dwight team!

SHARE YOUR JOURNEY FROM SPORTS MARKETING TO BECOMING A DEAN I’ve always wanted to make sure that sports is a part of my life in some capacity. I didn’t exactly know what that would look like, but I had extensive experience in athletics that I hoped would drive my career. I took a sports marketing job first, and traveled all over the country, managing sporting events for clients.

I was on the road traveling more than 75 days a year! Traveling that often became daunting, and I also knew that I wanted to use my sports expertise to coach or teach. I went back to school and earned my master’s in teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University.

I think it’s important for educators to be constant learners.

Not long after graduating, I joined Dwight as a physical and health education teacher.

I taught for three years, while also coaching JV Boys Baseball and Basketball, before becoming a Dean. It was an interesting transition for

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Michael Horvath

Coaches Students to Challenge Themselves

in All Arenas of Life

me to step out of the classroom and off the court to assume additional responsibilities as a dean. As a teacher and coach, you have a finite amount of time with students each day.

As a dean, I get to dive into the experience of affecting a child’s whole day from start to finish, and I find it to be very rewarding. I also enjoy collaborating with other deans, faculty, and administrators, who share important responsibilities in caring for our students.

WHAT SPARKED YOUR INTEREST IN SPORTS? Sports have always been in my life. I played on team sports starting when I was four years old. In high school, I played ice hockey, football, and baseball; and went on to Lehigh University, where I played Division IA football. Even today, I play softball, hockey, and golf in recreational leagues or on my own. I’m thrilled to have my passion for sports driving

my career once again as the Director of Athletics — it’s a perfect fit!

As a high-energy individual, sports have always grounded me and provided a nice escape from other aspects of life. Sports for me, and for many people, is a sanctuary. When you’re practicing or competing, there’s nothing else you can be doing in that moment — there’s nothing else to focus on besides playing to the best of your ability and trying to improve your skills. To work hard with that laser focus toward reaching a goal, whether as an individual or team member, is a beautiful thing!

WHAT IS YOUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY? My philosophy evolves daily, as I do more and more research and continue to educate myself.

I think it’s important for educators to be constant learners. We should always be humble and understand that we don’t know everything.

MICHAEL HORVATH | DWIGHT TODAY

This applies to students as well. The most important qualities students and teachers can have are humility, a willingness to work hard, and patience. And we should always seek to challenge ourselves!

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT BEING AN IB EDUCATOR AT DWIGHT? What I like most is the culture of internationalmindedness. I grew up in Greenwich, CT, where I attended an all-boys private school.

There wasn’t much diversity in terms of culture or experience within our student body. The IB

I was a psychology major as an undergrad student, so I’m really interested in what makes people tick. The Personal Project gets to the heart of that. Students have eight months to do a deep dive into their topic; sometimes they even discover that their passion lies somewhere other than they had originally thought. Motivating students during those eight months is similar to motivating an athlete. I push them to challenge themselves, and question how they can make the project better, take it further, or think about it in a new way.

come together as a team, and support each other on and off the field.

WHAT MAKES DWIGHT’S ATHLETIC PROGRAM SPECIAL? It’s unique that our scholar-athlete tradition is so deeply rooted in the School and in the Spahn family. Chancellor Stephen Spahn became an All-American basketball player at Dartmouth College and achieved several scoring records that stand to this day. He followed his father, Dr. M.C. Spahn, who was also an All-American basketball player before

I don’t know of any other curriculum outside of the IB that allows high school students to so thoroughly investigate something of their own choosing for such an extended period of time.

naturally draws a diverse community, as does Dwight, and it is a privilege to be part of it.

Here, we have the opportunity to meet and talk with people from all over the world and that’s an education in itself!

TELL US ABOUT THE CULMINATING MYP PERSONAL PROJECT Grade 10 is my favorite grade because of the MYP Personal Project! I don’t know of any other curriculum outside of the IB that allows high school students to so thoroughly investigate something of their own choosing for such an extended period of time.

HOCKEY ’92 FOOTBALL ’91

Sometimes projects end up in a very different place from where they started, morphing into something just as amazing, but with a new spin. No matter the outcome, students truly flourish and further develop their spark of genius during this time. In the spring, they present their finished projects to our community at the Personal Project Exhibition, which is the culminating experience in the MYP. It’s always a great success and a wonderful learning experience for each student.

turning pro (see page 38). This past spring at our Varsity athletic banquet, Chancellor Spahn spoke about how close Dwight athletics is to his heart and shared stories about past coaches and scholar-athletes. It’s inspiring for our current scholar-athletes to have such a sincere sports fan in their Chancellor! Our program is also fortunate to have such an exceptional home base at the Dwight School Athletic Center.

WHAT’S IN STORE FOR ATHLETICS THIS YEAR? I’m excited for the growth of the program, especially after our many successes last year!

We have high registration numbers in all sports, and I’m delighted that more and more students are pulling each other onto teams.

Our sophomore and junior classes are very athletic, and I’m looking forward to seeing them step into important leadership roles on their teams this year. At the end of the day, I look forward to seeing students try their hardest,

WHAT’S YOUR PERSONAL SPARK OF GENIUS? The three things that drive me every day and that I consider to be my sparks of genius are sports, my family, and the pursuit of understanding how and why people do what they do.

WHAT IS A LITTLE-KNOWN FACT ABOUT YOU? I visited 42 states in four years when I was working in sports marketing.

Fortunately for Dwight, Michael decided to stay put in New York!

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DWIGHT TODAY | COMMUNITY

Lisa Nacino Shares Her E

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for Dwight Through Volunteerism A familiar face on campus, Lisa Nacino has taken an active role in our community for quite some time. Ever since she discovered Dwight — and found that it was the perfect fit for her son, Braeden ’22 — Lisa has been inspired to give back to the school that the whole Nacino family loves.

Braeden first came to Dwight in kindergarten, after beginning that year at another school. When it became clear to the Nacinos that Braeden would thrive in a different environment, Lisa and her husband, Rommel, began looking early for other schools in anticipation of first grade. When she visited Dwight, first impressions indicated that Dwight would be a great match. Fortuitously, before they could get the ball rolling for first grade, a space in a K class opened up and Braeden transferred.

“Immediately, we saw a difference in how excited Braeden was to go to his new school,” Lisa shares. “His spark was there right away! He loved learning and I wanted to do whatever I could to pay Dwight back for opening the door to us. Braeden still loves going to school and has so many amazing opportunities here. I credit Dwight for doing so much.”

Lisa reports that as Braeden blossomed at school, so did his passions: “In addition to pursuing his soccer spark of genius, he has been developing new creative interests in both music and design, thanks to what he is learning in school. We can’t wait to see what’s next!”

Giving back to Dwight began fairly quickly when Lisa first volunteered at our annual PA Book Fair. She did so again with each

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passing year, co-chaired the event many times, and served as a class rep three times.

As if being a class rep doesn’t keep a parent busy enough, Lisa has also lent a hand to Spirit Day, the Bentley House Halloween party, The Dwight School Foundation’s Annual Fund drive — and most recently, she joined the 2018 Spring Benefit Committee. This is an especially exciting time to be part of the Benefit planning team, as our community is celebrating Chancellor Stephen Spahn’s 50-year anniversary in education!

“Chancellor Spahn is so special,” Lisa explains. “Not many people could have done what he has — and what he continues to do — which is provide the best experiences and education possible to so many students. Dwight offers our children tremendous opportunities to become confident, independent young adults and opens up the world to them. I couldn’t be more delighted to help plan the Benefit in his honor.”

It’s hard to fathom how Lisa, who is a producer/director with her own production company, has enough hours in the day to do everything she does career-wise and as a volunteer. Clearly adept at balancing, she says that she’s grateful that she can do both. “I volunteer because I believe that it’s just as important as any career to be involved with my child’s everyday life, especially at school where he spends the majority of his day. Time goes by so quickly and children grow so fast … I want to be a part of Braeden’s day however I can and Dwight is a great place to be.”

ON CAMPUS | DWIGHT TODAY

Mr. Christgau, Head of Upper School Theater and the Master Theater Program.

That suggestion was prescient because Alex loved the class at the Magnet Theater’s comedy and improvisational school. After only two months, she auditioned for her college improv team when she landed at USC as a freshman.

During the next four years, Alex performed with them and took classes at the Groundlings School, the Upright Citizens Brigade, iO West, and the Pack Theater, where she also became a member of their house team. Many a famous career has been launched from just one of these rich training grounds!

We asked Alex what she loves about improv.

291 Central Park West | New York, NY 10024 | 212.724.6360

Alex DaSilva ’12

Is Back on Campus

This Time as the Teacher!

WH ID: 12345678

“I was not funny in high school,” admits Alex DaSilva ’12.

This is a bit hard to believe because today Alex is an accomplished improvisational performer, who is making people laugh everywhere she goes as a member of the four-woman improv troupe called Jane Don’t.

At Dwight, Alex was a talented actress and singer, playing lead roles in Pippin, The Way, The Bald Soprano, and most notably in Legally Blonde as Elle. She was an IB Diploma Program theater student, who took her spark of genius seriously. “At that time, I was not a good improviser,” she says. “I wasn’t comfortable in that zone and it was Terry Christgau, who suggested that I take an improv class during the summer after I graduated.”

“I recommended the class to Alex because I knew that if she strengthened that muscle, she would become an even better performer,” explains

Lots of things! “It’s all about exploring the human experience and finding the funny and weird in everyday life.

In improv, you’re the actor, writer, and director of every scene — it’s art in one of its truest forms because you are creating everything in the moment,” she says. Taking risks and trial and error are celebrated in this art form, which ultimately “kicks worrying about yourself out of you. I also love making people laugh.” This last part, Alex reports, is the source of many jokes with her best friend from Dwight because … did we say that she wasn’t funny in high school?!

Over the last five years, Alex stayed in touch with Mr. Christgau and when he wanted to revitalize improv on campus, he knew that Alex was the one for the job. “I was humbled that he asked me to lead the after-school program. It’s great to be back at Dwight and to see that today’s students have a dedicated theater space, which I would have loved!”

Dwight’s improv group has grown under Alex’s direction, as more students joined each week. She teaches them the same early exercises she learned and enjoyed so much. “We’re focusing on fundamentals and seeing students listening to each other and creating a world out of nothing. In just the first four or five weeks, I have already seen such a difference. The students are becoming freer and taking more risks.

Their progress is great!”

“Over the years, I have stayed in touch with theater alumni and watched the growth of their careers,” says Mr. Christgau, now in his 21st year at Dwight. “One of the most rewarding things for a teacher is to have a former student like Alex come back and work with a new generation of students. It completes the circle.”

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DWIGHT TODAY | PERSONALIZED LEARNING

A Meeting of Minds, Teachers, and New Friends!

They came to New York from all over … from across the country and around the world.

Why? To meet their teachers, deans, and each other. We’re talking about Dwight Global Online School students who gathered on Dwight’s Upper West Side campus for four days of orientation last fall. This in-person program designed to connect students who attend classes from wherever they call home, along with other in-residence experiences, sets Dwight Global apart from other online schools.

Boy, were they busy! Orientation was chockfull of activities — academic, cultural, and social — from the first moment they were welcomed with a formal convocation by Chancellor Stephen Spahn, Vice Chancellor

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Blake Spahn, and Board Members Kirk Spahn and Raymond Ravaglia. After a tour of Dwight’s campus, students broke up for an exuberant scavenger hunt related to Dwight traditions and history.

What followed was a bit of the unexpected: Director of Dwight’s Upper School Theater Program, Terry Christgau, led the group in an improv class, together with New York students passionate about performance who are enrolled in the School’s Master Theater Program — talk about an icebreaker!

“I really enjoyed the improv session with Mr. Christgau. I was hesitant to participate, but it was really cool to see everyone come together, especially since a lot of kids (like myself) were

new to Dwight and didn’t know the other students yet,” shares sophomore Sofi, who lives in Virginia. “People forgot about any awkwardness and Mr. Christgau did a really good job of encouraging and helping everyone along when they felt nervous. Plus, when we started doing scenes, I saw that even the people who didn’t want to get up and perform were laughing. It was a really good way of being creative and getting to know other students.”

During orientation, a panel of returning Dwight Global students shared their tips for learning online, time management, and other helpful topics with new students. Jill Ortman, Director of College Counseling, and her team, introduced our college guidance program, which

DWIGHT GLOBAL | DWIGHT TODAY

begins early at Dwight in ninth grade, paving a four-year path to success.

sional careers in ballet, all while receiving a personalized education at Dwight Global.

On the heels of this college guidance session, students headed downtown to NYU for a special visit arranged by the university’s President Emeritus, John Sexton, where they met with recent alums — an All American scholarathlete and a performer-scholar — who pursued their passions while at NYU. A number of Dwight Global students are doing the same in high school, competing in sports such as tennis at the highest levels, acting on TV shows, and preparing for profes-

At an activities fair, students learned about the wide range of Dwight opportunities available beyond the classroom — another facet that distinguishes Dwight Global from other online schools. Extracurriculars include game design, a student newspaper, peer mentoring, WISER (a club that supports the education of girls in Kenya), National Honor Society, book and creative writing clubs, and Spark Tank. In addition, students heard about some of the international trips they could take, including one to the annual Global Issues Network Conference in Luxembourg.

It didn’t take long for students to sign up for activities that sparked their interest and begin planning what comes next.

An orientation in New York City would not be complete without seeing the bright lights of Times Square; taking in a show, Stomp!; visiting one of the world’s greatest educational institutions — the Museum of Natural History — and exploring different neighborhoods.

As they walked, talked, and dined their way through Washington Square, the West Village, Soho, Little Italy, and Chinatown, Dwight Global students connected and kicked off the academic year together!

Forbes and TIME Recognize Dwight Global Alum

Yara Shahidi ’17 for Her Inspiring Voice

We are proud that Yara Shahidi, who graduated last year from our Dwight Global Online School, continues to make headlines with an impact. A powerhouse not only for her acting talent but also for speaking out against social and racial injustice and for girls’ education around the world … for combating stereotypes and promoting greater diversity in Hollywood … Yara speaks up and out for what she believes in. For doing so, she has been recognized with numerous awards over the last few years, including the inaugural NCAAP LA Youth Award and an Essence Black Women in Hollywood Award, just to name a few.

In addition, Yara’s name has appeared on two big lists: the Forbes 2018 30 Under 30 for the Hollywood & Entertainment category; and following her spot on TIME magazine’s 2016 roster of most influential teens, Yara was also on the 2017 list. Here is what it says: “Most network TV stars tend to avoid talking politics, so as to appeal to the widest possible demographic. But as the child of an Iranian father and an African-American mother, Shahidi, who plays Zoe on popular ABC sitcom Black-ish, has felt compelled to

speak out. When President Trump first tried to enact his travel ban against several Muslim majority countries, for example, she took him to task for xenophobia. ‘Immigrants don’t threaten safety — stereotypical narratives that promote hate do,’ Shahidi wrote on Instagram, noting that she herself is the product of ‘Black and Iranian love.’ If Shahidi is no ordinary sitcom star, it’s because Black-ish is no ordinary sitcom. The show examines issues of race and class through the lens of a black, upper-middle-class family; in January, Shahidi will star in her own spinoff, Grown-ish, about college students wrangling with those same issues in the age of Trump. ‘My family taught me to use my voice, my work, to help better society,’ she tells TIME. Next year, after Grown-ish wraps, Shahidi is heading to Harvard to double major in sociology and African-American studies — thanks in part to a recommendation letter from Michelle Obama.”

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DWIGHT TODAY | GLOBAL VISION

Janecke Aarnæs, Head of Dwight School Dubai, watches our

New School Emerge from the Sand

The excitement in Dubai’s educational arena is palpable, as Dwight, which is renowned around the world in educational circles, will be opening a new campus in fall 2018.

“While there are 200 independent schools in Dubai alone, making for a highly competitive market, local parents feel that something has been missing from school choices. They’re looking for a school that’s tailored to individual student development and a forward-thinking community,” reports Janecke Aarnæs, who is heading up our first school in the Middle East.

“With Dwight’s spark of genius philosophy, strength in personalized learning, and the IB curriculum, we will be ready to deliver on that promise and bring something new to Dubai.

I feel privileged to be part of the journey to build our new school from the ground up, literally.”

Last August, Ms. Aarnæs relocated to Dubai from her homeland of Norway, where she was Head of the Oslo International School, because she is passionate about being a hands-on part of the school’s emergence from the sand. “When I arrived, the foundation was just being created. It’s been amazing to watch the structure take shape every day! When complete, our 430,500-square-foot campus will be a beautiful, flexible learning facility designed with

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an innovation hub and Spark Tank space; state-of-the-art athletic, art, and music facilities; and a multi-purpose atrium. It will be a purposedriven facility; nothing will be there without thoughtful intention, thanks to the vision of experienced educator Chancellor Spahn,” explains Ms. Aarnæs.

“The most important thing will not be the buildings, but what we put into them. We are assembling a great team of faculty and staff to create the Dwight ethos beginning day one,” Ms. Aarnæs asserts. “We are seeking teachers who will focus on the individual student, and encourage students to question assumptions and themselves, while also upholding Dwight’s 146-year heritage. We hope to welcome teachers from other Dwight campuses who wish to bring their expertise to Dubai.”

A DESTINATION FOR LEARNING Located in Al Barsha South, Dwight School Dubai will open in September with grades pre-K‒9 and ultimately grow to full capacity with 2,000 students through grade 12. It will stand alongside another new school, Brighton College Dubai, on a super-campus totaling one million square feet. Both schools will share a Center of Excellence for Arabic Language, Culture, and the Arts, which will be open to the public seven days a week, making it a destination for learning for all.

“While Dubai is a relatively young country, which makes it innovative

DWIGHT SCHOOL DUBAI | DWIGHT TODAY

by design, its traditions are rich, its cultural roots are deep, and we want to celebrate them through the new Center,” says Ms. Aarnæs.

York’s Famous Dwight School to Open in Dubai Next Year” and “New School in Dubai to Offer Path to Success in Scientific Age.”

Joining her in this exciting venture is Rebecca Skinner, Associate Head of School, who moved to Dubai in January. Former Head of School and Co-founder of the International School of Brooklyn, Ms. Skinner looks forward to the role that Dwight will play in helping to set the agenda for education in the Middle East. She was on campus in November with Ms. Aarnæs, who visited Dwight to meet more of our community and share a Dubai progress report with faculty, staff, and parents.

As the school continues to take shape, we look forward to sharing more great news from Dubai — stay tuned!

On the heels of her trip to New York, Ms. Aarnæs welcomed Vice Chancellor Blake Spahn in Dubai for the school’s public launch, which garnered significant local media coverage with headlines such as “New

The most important thing will not be the buildings, but what we put into them.

We are assembling a great team of faculty and staff to create the Dwight ethos beginning day one.

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Students investigate the conservation of mass in tenthgrade chemistry class, where a career in science or the next Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry may be born!

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ALUMNI REUNION DAY 2017 Sharing Great Memories

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It was wonderful to see so many Dwight, Franklin, and Anglo-American alumni back on campus for reunion!

Thank you to all who came to reconnect, catch up, and celebrate landmark years. With old yearbooks on-hand, we laughed about old times and old styles — and raised a glass to old friends!

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Getting to Know Entrepreneur Cynthia Schultz-Hornig ’87 With the boom of an online community dedicated to telling stories about and by women called Women You Should Know, we couldn’t be more delighted to share the story of one of its founders, Cynthia Schultz-Hornig ’87.

Back in the day, Cynthia was called Cindy and Dwight was located in a small townhouse on East 67th Street. In the 30 intervening years since she graduated, Dwight moved across town, expanded significantly, and adopted the International Baccalaureate curriculum.

While much has changed over three decades, the heart and soul of Dwight have remained the same: “There was a strong feeling of being part of a great community — a family,” reports Cindy, who recalls her high school years with fondness, “and the teachers … we had some really great teachers!”

Cindy came to Dwight as a freshman and took to her new school quickly. Following in the footsteps of her brother, Kevin ’84, and their family’s athletic tradition, Cindy played basketball. The sibling hoopsters were known on campus as “Schultzie and Little Schultzie.”

“I was a forward and we had an impressive Girls Varsity team coached by Edith-Marie Parker,” reports Cindy. “At that time, the girls were doing better than the boys and we brought home quite a few wins!”

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Off the court and out of uniform, Cindy had her own stylish flair and worked in retail jobs during high school, establishing herself as a bit of a fashionista.

When it came time to apply to college, Chancellor Stephen Spahn, aware of Cindy’s penchant, suggested a school with a well-known fashion merchandising program: the University of Wisconsin Madison. It turned out to be a perfect fit.

After graduating from Dwight, Cindy moved cross-country and jumped from a tiny high school pond into a vast university ocean with upwards of 25,000 undergrads. “I loved every minute of it!” she shares. At UW, Cindy discovered a new passion — writing — worked on one of the school newspapers covering the arts, and ended up graduating with a BS from what is known today as the School of Human Ecology.

BRINGING WORLDS TOGETHER Back in New York City, Cindy’s first job was at a 57th Street art gallery, where she organized exhibits during the day and attended evening classes at NYU to earn a certificate of appraisal in fine and decorative arts. The inevitable pull of fashion drew her to Macy’s, where she ran the bridal registry, and then to Bergdorf Goodman as a fashion and wedding gown buyer and head of the bridal division.

This came in quite handy, as Cindy walked down the aisle in one of her own selections!

The entrepreneur in Cindy emerged when she embarked on a retail venture working with husband-and-wife bridal designers.

They opened a bridal salon in SoHo, offering customers an alternative to traditional gowns with details such as pockets and pant ensembles.

By the time the atelier no longer needed her daily attention, Wolford, the hosiery brand headquartered in Austria, came calling. Cindy was off to Europe frequently to direct PR

and tells us that “working with famous fashion photographers such as Helmut Newton and designer Phillippe Starke brought all the worlds I loved together — fashion, retail, art, and writing.”

When jewelry designer David Yurman tapped Cindy for its own PR needs in 2000, she made the move and met the person who would become her business partner to this day, Jen Jones. “We shared the same work ethic and enjoyed collaborating, so in time it made sense for us to move from working in-house to starting our own agency called Outhouse PR,” Cindy explains.

A MOMENTOUS DAY; A MEANINGFUL OUTCOME Before the two could open the doors of their exciting new enterprise, they had to tie up some loose ends for the jeweler during New York Fashion Week. This work kept Cindy and Jen from going straight to their new space at 111 Broadway — one block away from the World Trade Center — on the morning of 9/11.

Cindy and Jen became two of countless New Yorkers, who for whatever reason — through whatever twist of fate — were spared the horrors of that morning. The devastating terrorist attack that took the lives of thousands had also brought the downtown area to its knees. So when the time came a few months later to unlock their office space, Cindy and Jen were pleased to join the businesses that helped to bring the neighborhood back to life.

The duo prospered quickly, as many big brands were dropping big agencies at the time in favor of more flexible, talented smaller agencies.

They signed a range of luxury jewelry, watch, and retail accounts and Outhouse PR became an award-winning business. As the ten-year anniversary of their collaboration approached, Cindy and Jen wanted to embrace something new to mark the milestone as well as to grow in a new direction.

“While some were tapping into social media at the time, not everyone was playing in that space.

ALUMNI PROFILE | DWIGHT TODAY

We wanted to do so with greater impact to benefit our clients and build our own brand at the same time,” explains Cindy. “Simultaneously, we realized that we had been meeting more and more interesting women doing amazing things, but their stories weren’t being told in the media; the balance was tilted heavily in favor of celebrities, reality shows, and splashy headlines.”

wanting to syndicate the piece, as well as several additional profiles WYSK had written about other women first responders. More and more stories were to come, along with requests to syndicate WYSK content from major media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Mashable, Jezebel, and MSNBC, among others.

With a robust skill set and a conviction to celebrate everyday women doing extraordinary things, the duo behind Outhouse PR was inspired to create a new platform for storytelling and Women You Should Know (WYSK) was born.

Finding their WYSK work to be so fulfilling, the PR twosome ultimately bid farewell to their Outhouse clients during 2012 and turned their attention full-time to “telling the untold stories of relatable, everyday women and girls across the country and the globe who are making things happen in their world; women who have outperformed, innovated, discovered, defied and soared. By sharing their stories and giving them a voice, we have an incredible opportunity to inspire others.”

Because their own history as business partners is tied to 9/11, Cindy and Jen wanted to honor the day by inaugurating WYSK with stories of women who were first responders.

“But we couldn’t find them,” Cindy reports.

“We were able to identify many surviving wives and women volunteers, but none from EMS or the police and fire departments who played a vital role in search and recovery efforts. Except one. We kept coming up with one name. Brenda Berkman.”

A POWERFUL, DYNAMIC COMMUNITY OF WOMEN WE ALL SHOULD KNOW Brenda Berkman, an attorney who fought — and won the case — for women’s rights to join the New York Fire Department, also became one of the first women to join New York’s Bravest. She was among those who rushed to Ground Zero on 9/11 as a first responder. Brenda shared her compelling story when WYSK went live and within 48 hours, The Huffington Post Women’s Division called

WYSK has grown dramatically over the last six years as a digital hub and community; this year’s stats are expected to exceed five million page views, and as of today, they boast nearly 400,000 Facebook followers. The site’s trailblazing founders were featured in the Ms. Foundation 2015-16 #MyFeminismIs campaign, an annual effort that shines a light on leaders in all fields who support intersectional feminism.

A SISTER SITE EMERGES With the success of WYSK, Cindy and Jen received an increasing number of pitches from women wishing to connect with the site’s audience for crowdfunding purposes — women who had a vision for changing the world, for

launching start-ups, for making things happen.

In a word: entrepreneurs.

As entrepreneurs themselves, Cindy and Jen saw beyond a need; they envisioned a solution. Building on the WYSK brand and robust community, they launched a sister crowdfunding site, Women You Should Fund, to connect burgeoning enterprises with like-minded potential backers. The first WYSF campaign was #BringHarrietHome, designed by the Harriet Tubman Home last March. Its goal was to raise the funds needed to bid on a rare and newly discovered photo of Harriet Tubman coming up for auction. In less than three weeks, the campaign exceeded its $25,000 goal, but the winning bid by the Library of Congress far exceeded the estimated value. While unable to bring Harriet home, the extraordinary effort made national headlines, as did the duo behind Women You Should Fund who were interviewed by Forbes.

“We’re proud that we can offer campaigns something that no other crowdfunding platform can — an established, engaged community plus exposure,” explains Cindy.

“We’re also there for campaign creators with step-by-step guidance and to make sure that they have the right content to position their campaigns for success. Since WYSF debuted earlier this year, the campaigns themselves have evolved to reflect the WYSK mission more closely and more applicants are signing up. It’s very exciting.” And empowering.

We’re pleased to have shared the stories behind Women You Should Fund and Women You Should Know — and to shine a spotlight on the Dwight alumna behind them both.

With a robust skill set and a conviction to celebrate everyday women doing extraordinary things, the duo behind Outhouse PR was inspired to create a new platform for storytelling and Women You Should Know (WYSK) was born.

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Chancellor Stephen Spahn’s Milestone Anniversary

of Igniting the Spark of Genius in Every Child 24

On this very special occasion — 50 years in the making! — we pay tribute to the man who has been at the helm of our school and community for a record-breaking five decades. Chancellor Stephen Spahn is distinguished as the longest-serving head of an independent school in the United States; perhaps the longest-serving head of any school anywhere!

It is impossible to capture here the breadth and depth of Chancellor Spahn’s contributions to the world of education nor to the thousands of students he inspired and whose lives he has impacted. We can share some history and early influences, ground-breaking firsts, and enduring beliefs that characterize Chancellor Spahn’s tenure and compel him forward as he envisions the future of education at Dwight for new generations of students to come.

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EARLY ROLE MODELS AT HOME Spearheading a school runs in the Spahn family. For a quartercentury, Chancellor Spahn’s father, Dr. M.C. Spahn, served as Headmaster of the Franklin School, which later became the Anglo-American International School and ultimately joined forces with Dwight in 1993.

Under Dr. Spahn’s leadership from 1950-75, Franklin flourished in the post-World War II era and moved into the future by welcoming girls and expanding facilities. He had arrived a few years prior in 1946, to teach math and brought his son to school every day to attend kindergarten. As a child and later as a young man, Stephen observed his father at work, ultimately joining him on campus from 1966-68 to work in college guidance and teach philosophy and economics.

Stephen learned many lessons from his father, foremost among them that with will, anything is possible; and to always maximize students’ strengths. Both come as no surprise, as Dr. Spahn was a former pro basketball player and coach, who applied much of the same thinking when instructing players on his teams at West Point and his alma mater, City College. It also comes as no surprise that at Franklin, students affectionately called him “Coach.”

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CHANCELLOR SPAHN | DWIGHT TODAY

While getting his feet wet by teaching at Franklin, Stephen also shadowed his father’s counterpart and colleague at Dwight, Headmaster Winton L. Miller, Jr. Preparing to take the reins from Mr. Miller, Stephen worked in admissions and college guidance, and learned how to design curriculum schedules.

He crisscrossed Central Park to and from Franklin on the West Side and Dwight on the East Side, soaking up knowledge at both schools.

Serving equally as an early role model was Stephen’s mother, Ruth, who stressed the fundamental message to her children that when you fall — literally and figuratively — always get up no matter how difficult it may be. Her strength also showed itself to generations of girls at Tripp Lake Camp in Maine, which the Spahns owned and under whose direction many campers learned how to become leaders.

Combining the fundamentals learned from his parents, a teenage Stephen, whose passion was basketball, focused on his strength — shooting — and never gave up, becoming one of the best all-time shooters in the Ivy League.

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DWIGHT TODAY | 50TH ANNIVERSARY

MENTORS ABROAD Stephen excelled equally in academics as he did in sports, graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College with a BA in history in 1963. He continued his education at Oxford University’s Wadham College, and completed coursework for a PhD at Columbia University, where he was an International Fellow and a Woodrow Wilson Scholar.

While studying at Wadham College, the Warden, Maurice Bowra, introduced Stephen to the Head of Educational Studies, Alec Peterson, who was instrumental in creating the International Baccalaureate and served as its first Director-General. Stephen credits both men as mentors and Alec Peterson especially for expanding his own perspective.

At that time, the world was becoming more globalized and Alec Peterson characterized what constituted being a well-educated person in the new era: “If relocated anywhere in the world, he or she will not only be able to survive, but also thrive and prosper.” This underscores the early — yet enduring — value of the IB in preparing students to be global leaders.

Stephen, who had been shaped by experiences working abroad during his college years, championed the IB and its emphasis on international-mindedness, ultimately serving on the Board of Governors and as a founding member of the Guild of IB Schools of the Northeast. He also saw the need to cross borders decades ahead of other educators at home. In 1972, together with Sir Maurice, he launched Dwight School London, making Dwight the first independent school in the U.S. to establish a campus abroad. (continued on page 30)

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Chancellor Spahn shares that his journeys around the world as a young man and early working experiences with some of the leaders of the day, are among the most defining influences on his life that shaped his global perspective.

The recipient of a public service fellowship while at Dartmouth College, the Chancellor interned for the UN Special Fund — today’s UNDP — to eradicate locust breeding grounds in 20 African countries.

He worked with an early mentor, Paul Hoffman, the first to run the UN Development Program (and first administrator of the Marshall Plan after WW II).

After graduating, the Chancellor volunteered for The Dooley Foundation, which provides medical care to people in the developing world.

His travels took him to Africa, where he met the honorary head of the Foundation, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, at his hospital in Lambaréné.

Chancellor Spahn also ventured to India, where he helped to establish a mobile hospital for Tibetan refugees who had crossed the Himalayan mountains into India; participated in the first-ever health survey in Nepal; and visited a hospital in Ban Houei Sai, Laos. While in India, he had a chance to spend time with the young Dalai Lama, where they shared insights into Eastern and Western philosophies.

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DWIGHT TODAY | 50TH ANNIVERSARY

ASSUMING THE MANTLE AND INGRAINING OUR SPARK OF GENIUS PHILOSOPHY When Stephen first became a young Headmaster in 1967-68, he codified his father’s belief that when you maximize a student’s strength in one arena, you open the door to learning in all others, which is the cornerstone of Dwight’s signature spark of genius educational philosophy.

“I believe that every student — every human being — has a spark of genius.

Every student has something at which he or she excels or can excel, and it is our job as educators to inspire young people to find and pursue that passion. If you believe in someone deeply, so can that person believe in him/herself,” asserts Chancellor Spahn. “I knew that I had the spark of genius in me, and my passion was to help students discover their own sparks. It remains my mission to this day.”

There are so many stories — thousands of success stories of Dwight graduates from the last half-century who have made or are making their marks on the world in every field imaginable, engendering pride in the Chancellor and their alma mater. So many credit him as a mentor and for seeing something unique in them before they could see it themselves — foreseeing a career or path traveled as adults.

Ultimately, my greatest legacy will be all the students who become heroes of their own journey.

My story will be the collection of all of their stories.

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CHANCELLOR SPAHN | DWIGHT TODAY

Over the years, Stephen cultivated generations of teachers and supported their unique sparks of genius as well; only inspired faculty can do the same for students. Indeed, Dwight’s entire community is dedicated to supporting our spark of genius approach, nurturing happy, confident, and successful contributors to society.

In the early days, Dwight was an all-boys school located at 400 East 67th Street in a 5,000-square-foot townhouse. Stephen’s office was located purposefully in the front hall so that he could better get to know each and every student, while also affording them easy access through his open-door policy. Stephen also established a tradition of greeting students at the entrance to school every morning, setting a personal tone that continues to this day with senior leaders doing the same at every entrance to our Main and Riverside Campuses.

In 1967, there were a mere 50 students at Dwight spanning grades 9-12. Almost immediately, two of the first things Stephen did was open the school to girls and add grades 6-8, expanding the student body, faculty, and facilities. In the years to come, grades 1-5 and then preschool and kindergarten were to follow. So, too, was a move across town bringing Dwight to the West 89th Street site where Stephen’s father had served as Franklin’s Headmaster. There is an elegance to this full circle.

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DWIGHT TODAY | 50TH ANNIVERSARY

LEADING THE WAY AROUND THE WORLD AND INTO THE FUTURE From a small boy’s school, a global network of five Dwight campuses would ultimately emerge, along with our campus in the cloud, Dwight Global Online School. In charting the course for Dwight, Stephen, together with outstanding administrators, faculty, and staff, broke new ground in international education — and continue to do so — providing students around the world with unprecedented learning opportunities.

“I am passionate about what I do,” shares Stephen. “The two primary sources of inspiration for me come from our guiding spark of genius philosophy and being on the frontier and innovating. I enjoy pushing the school forward and testing new ground. As those who know me know well that I have a hard time living in the present, as I’m always thinking about what’s next! I thrive in what the future holds and in bringing the best minds together to make possible now what we can envision our students will need to succeed tomorrow.”

Indeed those who know Stephen, including all of us at Dwight, can attest that his lifetime commitment begins and ends with students. They lie at the heart and soul of everything he does. He is tireless in his dedication, takes pride in their accomplishments, and is passionate about their passions.

Truly embodying the word “visionary” in all that entails, Stephen can oft be heard beginning a sentence exuberantly with one word: “Imagine ...”

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Invigorated by what’s to come, Chancellor Spahn and Dwight’s leadership team have embarked on an exciting path to expand our campus and take revolutionary leaps in education with one goal in mind: to prepare Dwight students for the jobs of the future.

As technology continues to transform our world so swiftly, disrupt markets, and reshape the nature of doing business every day, there is an urgent need for education to respond. Dwight is answering the call as a frontier school by taking the IB curriculum, which cultivates entrepreneurship, along with project-based and peer-to-peer learning, to new heights.

Dwight is also bringing the latest thinking to campus, offering faculty workshops, coaching, and a unique program called Frontier Innovation Leader Training, steeping participants in entrepreneurship, advanced research, design thinking, and innovation guided by some of the greatest minds in their fields.

BREAKING NEW GROUND at 21 West 81st Street ― And in Education

These developments are combining with the construction of Dwight’s new building to extend our design lab, makerspace, and incubator experiences for students, nurturing collaboration, problem-solving, creativity, and innovation skills so that they can excel in any and all endeavors. We look forward to sharing more about these initiatives and our new building opening next year in upcoming issues of Dwight Today!

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DWIGHT TODAY | 50TH ANNIVERSARY

The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree

The Spahn Family Legacy in Education

Just as Chancellor Spahn had a front-row seat from which to observe and learn from his father, Dr. M.C. Spahn, as Headmaster of Franklin School, so too, did the Chancellor’s sons, Blake ’89 and Kirk ’95, have the invaluable opportunity to learn from their father. They grew up steeped in the intertwining of Spahn family and Dwight School traditions. Today, they are educational leaders who have embraced the advancement of innovative learning opportunities for students all over the world.

Blake Spahn ’89, Vice Chancellor of Dwight School Following his days at Dwight, Blake received his BA and MBA degrees from Columbia University,

Meet the Top Dog in Charge!

The newest member of the Spahn family is a King Charles spaniel named — what else — Sparky, whose spark of genius Stephen says, “is following my wife, Connie, around the house and not me!”

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CHANCELLOR SPAHN | DWIGHT TODAY

where he was Captain of their undefeated Men’s Tennis Ivy League championship team. He went on to obtain MA and PhD degrees in Comparative International Education from Oxford.

Author of America and the International Baccalaureate, Blake has taught in classrooms in the US, UK, and Japan. In addition to founding Dwight’s preschool and kindergarten, he has had oversight of Dwight School London’s campus for the past 20 years. Blake co-founded BOOST (Building Opportunities on Student Talent), a non-profit designed to advance prospects for university students in Southern Africa, enabling them to contribute to their own countries’ development; and was a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Civic Leadership (ICL) to inspire and educate the next generation of young service leaders and social entrepreneurs to take positive action in their local and global communities. The award-winning, non-profit ICL provides funding, skills, and recognition needed to make the successful connection between passion and service — between ideas and real-world solutions. Kirk is also a founder of Dwight Global Online School, our campus in the cloud.

Kirk Spahn ’95, Founder and Chairman of ICL After graduating from Dwight, Kirk, a top junior tennis player, followed his father’s example by attending Dartmouth College, where he also played tennis and graduated with a BA. Kirk went on to earn an MA from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. In 2000, he launched The Institute for

Alden, 11 months ― the littlest Dwight cub ― lives with parents Kirk and Jen on the West Coast, yet they are on campus 6often for Dwight Global events and community celebrations.

The Fourth Generation: Little Lions Kyra ’23 and Ronin ’26 have the truly unparalleled opportunity to see their grandfather ― and both of their parents ― on the job across campus with Blake as Vice Chancellor and Maryll as the Associate Director of Admissions.

Could we see Kyra, Ronin, or Alden in leadership roles at Dwight in the future?

We’ll have to wait and see!

CONNIE SPAHN THE WOMAN ALONGSIDE THE MAN The outdated nature of the idiom that dates back to the 1940s, “Behind every great man is a great woman,” is apparent. The woman who has stood alongside Stephen Spahn, Connie, for 50 years is a great example of how that notion was misguided from the very beginning!

Born in Denver, Connie studied at the University of California at Berkeley, Columbia University, and Institut des Sciences Politiques in Paris.

She and Stephen married young and set out together on a path of partnership in all things. They traveled the world while creating a home base for their family in New York City, with the growth and well-being of Dwight as central to their lives. For 20 of the last 50 years, Connie worked as Director of Admissions for our school.

Beyond campus, she has long been a leader and philanthropist supporting a range of non-profits, including Population Action International (PAI) a think tank in Washington devoted to helping women around the world. Connie served as Chairman of PAI and is a lifetime Honorary Trustee of the American Museum of Natural History.

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DWIGHT TODAY | 50TH ANNIVERSARY

TRAILBLAZING FIRSTS

Dwight is the first school in the U.S. to establish an international campus abroad in London

Dwight is the first school in NYC to offer the IB PYP — and the first in the US to offer all three IB programs

in Global Education

Dwight becomes the first school in the Americas to offer the comprehensive IB curriculum from preschool–grade 12

Dwight opens the Shanghai Qibao Dwight High School, the first non-profit, independent, Chinese-foreign collaborative high school

THREE SMALL WORDS with Giant Potential

“Igniting the spark of genius in every child,” is more than a motto — it is a philosophy and guiding light. It is synonymous with teaching at Dwight and it can conjure up an inestimable number of possibilities.

A person’s “spark of genius” is an interest, pursuit, talent, or passion — whatever captures the mind, spirit, body, or imagination. It drives our personalized approach to learning, permeates the culture of our school, and differentiates Dwight from all others.

The premise is straightforward: When a child expresses a particular interest in, or talent for, something — whether in the arts, technology, advocacy, science, sports, etc. — that endeavor should be fostered.

A nurturing teacher who taps into what excites a student opens the door to greater learning.

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GLOBAL CAMPUSES

CHANCELLOR SPAHN | DWIGHT TODAY

Dwight is one of the first schools to create a joint diploma program in China (with Beijing’s Capital Normal High School)

Dwight launches Spark Tank, an incubator to teach K-12 students entrepreneurial, innovation, and leadership skills beyond the classroom

Dwight is selected by the Seoul Municipal Government from over 120 candidates to open the first IB model school in South Korea

Dwight becomes the first school in the US to be accredited by the World Federation of Sport

Dwight in New York and London are selected from over 3,700 worldwide to pilot online education for the IB; Dwight NY later creates Dwight Global Online School

Dwight will open the first Americanbased pre-K-12 school in Dubai

Working one-on-one with students, Dwight faculty members empower them to pursue their passions, believe in their talents, and seek their own unique path of learning. This personalized attention translates into greater mastery and success. At the same time, they gain greater self-confidence, self-esteem, and a sense of accomplishment that carries over into other areas both inside and outside the classroom.

As students grow, graduate, and move on to higher education and careers, their passions may change, evolve, or translate into life-long meaningful purpose. No matter the direction, when a spark is ignited, the potential is limitless. Dwight educators inspire children to believe that anything is possible and our alumni illustrate that this is true.

YEARS IN EDUCATION

OF STUDENTS

INFINITE SPARKS AND POSSIBILITIES!

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basketball diaries Father and Son on the Hardcourt

Trivia question: What do Jeremy Lin of the Brooklyn Nets, former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley, and Chancellor Stephen Spahn have in common?

Answer at the end of this story.

Dwight’s long-standing scholar-athlete tradition is also deeply rooted in the Spahn family. Their legacy at the intersection of education and sports dates back to the 1930s, when Dr. M.C. (Moe) Spahn first became a basketball star at City College of New York — in those days, a national powerhouse — and later in the pros in the early, rough and tumble, pre-NBA days.

After retiring from the game, Dr. Spahn who had earned his PhD in Education from NYU, became Headmaster of Franklin School in 1950, and remained at the helm for 25 years. At Franklin, which evolved into Anglo-American International School and later joined forces with Dwight, students affectionately called him “Coach,” reflecting his role as mentor on and off the court.

Like his father before him, Chancellor Stephen Spahn was an All-American basketball player in college at Dartmouth. While his path did not lead to the pros, it converged with his father’s again in 1967, when he began his own career in education at Dwight. Today, as we mark Chancellor Spahn’s 50th anniversary, we take a look back at the quite notable hardcourt achievements of father and son.

DR. M.C. (MOE) SPAHN: GUARD After learning to play primarily in schoolyards and as an All-City player for Bryant High School in Queens, Moe joined the starting lineup at CCNY in 1931. The team won the Eastern championships in ’32 and ’33, with six-footer Moe as captain in ’33. He was named All-American and led CCNY in scoring.

His coach was the legendary Nat Holman, an early innovator of the game and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. Coach Holman

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considered Moe to be one of his ten greatest players.

This is saying something since he coached CCNY for 36 seasons and his 1949-50 squad completed the singular feat of winning the NCAA and the NIT tournaments in the same season. Upon graduating in 1934, Moe joined Holman as Assistant Coach and began his graduate studies.

Moe also turned pro that year and played for teams in Newark, NJ, and New Britain, CT, finishing second in scoring in the fledgling American Basketball League (ABL) during his rookie year. He led the league in scoring in his second season with just under nine points per game. Contrast that with James Harden’s 32.2 points per game average this season and one can see that it was quite a different game back in Moe’s time. Pro basketball was in its start-up phase, with leagues and teams launching, failing, and restarting.

During this time, and by necessity born of the pro game’s instability, Moe played with various teams that are now of a bygone era, including

BASKETBALL DIARIES | DWIGHT TODAY

the Brooklyn Visitations, the Jersey Reds, the New York Jewels, and the Philadelphia SPHAs. The record shows that Moe enjoyed the most successful years of his career with the Jersey Reds, He led the team to the ABL championship series three years running, helping to clinch the title during 1937-38. That wasn’t the only hardware Moe took home that season; he earned the league’s MVP trophy after finishing second the two seasons prior. From 1934-38, he led the league in free throws and won an ABL title with the Wilmington Bombers in 1941-42.

Retiring in 1943, he finished his career as the fifth alltime leading scorer in ABL history. Moe, a member of the CCNY Athletic Hall of Fame, was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.

STEPHEN SPAHN: GUARD Moe’s basketball career was a tough act to follow but his son was up to the challenge. Both were guards and both were top scoring threats. Stephen, at 6’1” and like his father, wasn’t especially tall. Nor was he fast enough to rely on speed, so he focused on his strength: shooting. He practiced, practiced, and practiced to become a great shooter —and more than succeeded.

At Great Neck High School, Stephen set a career scoring record of 900 points and was selected for the All-North Shore League and All-Nassau

County teams prior to attending Dartmouth. He followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming an All-American in college, where he established several scoring records from 1961-63. And, like his dad, Stephen also played under the tutelage of a Basketball Hall of Fame coach. Dartmouth’s Coach was Alvin “Doggie” Julian, who said that Stephen was the best long shooter he had ever had in the 11 years of coaching “Big Green.” Unlike the success Moe and his stellar CCNY squads enjoyed, the teams Stephen played on at Dartmouth did not win often, but that didn’t stop the future Chancellor from excelling.

As a junior, Stephen led the Ivy League, averaging 23.2 points per game, which still stands as the second-highest, single-season scoring average in Ivy League competition, trailing only Princeton’s (and future New York Knick and Senator) Bill Bradley, who averaged 27.5 points per game in the 1962-63 season. Stephen earned third team All-American honors for his stellar junior campaign. His record follows him today; Stephen currently ranks seventh in career-scoring average with 16.5 points per game and 13th on the Dartmouth all-time total points scored list with 1,206.

During his junior year playing for “Big Green,” the team was readying themselves to take on Manhattan in a holiday basketball festival at Madison Square Garden, when the noted New York sports writer Phil Pepe wrote this article about father and son:

Trivia Question Answer: All three were All Ivy League basketball performers whose records still stand today!

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DWIGHT TODAY | GLOBAL VISION

Sparking

Global Musical

Conversations in London

“A trip can be something that will change your view about so many things. For me, London was an amazing opportunity. I fell in love with everything, and it’s currently taking all my energy to have to leave. I would love to stay!” wrote junior Regina Castellanos in her reflection the night before heading back to New York from a weeklong choral “extravaganza” program at Dwight School London.

the Royal Albert Hall, and an evening show of “Thriller Live” in the West End.

This trip is one of several that Dwight students take each year, exposing them to other cultures, broadening their worldview, and providing a variety of enriching experiences that can transform them, as it did Regina. She and 17 other students from New York in grades 8-11 traveled across the pond for a new choral program spearheaded by Dwight School London’s Music Department.

“I loved getting to know people from different cultures and reuniting with my buddy from when I was ten years old,” shared eighth grader Maya Singh. She and others on this trip had visited London a few years prior, when they took their first steps as global citizens through our annual fifth grade exchange with Dwight School London.

So, too, did older students reconnect with friends they met when visiting our campus in Shanghai over the last two years.

Upon landing at Heathrow, our students hit the ground running!

The group embarked on two days of sightseeing to absorb the history, majesty, and culture of London, prior to turning their attention to singing. Some of the stops were selected to tie into the musical theme — a backstage tour of the Royal Opera House, a concert at

40

Joining New York and London students for the choral program were singers from Shanghai Qibao Dwight High School and guest students from Berlin, deepening this global collaboration.

Many new friendships were also born — “relationships formed through a mutual love of music,” explained

CHORAL TRIP | DWIGHT TODAY

eighth grader Bernardo Sequeira. “During the rehearsals, it was fun to listen to each other and to how all the parts work together to produce amazing sounds.”

Students came with a range of singing experience, from novice to veteran. Ninth grader Jorge Luis Alonso, who never sang before, discovered that he is a bass. He said that he learned so much about himself in addition to singing, including how to be independent and how to make tea!

“This choral program enabled students of mixed ages and a varying degree of comfort singing to rehearse intensively, perform together, socialize, and enjoy the vibrant musical culture that London has to offer,” said Alistair Hamilton, Head of Performing Arts. “These global musical conversations are important and create life-long memories for our students.”

relocated last summer, greeted everyone at the door of Dwight School London, where he is now a student in year 11. Brother and sister Solal and Anouk, who also moved, met their friends at the hotel and attended the culminating concert aptly entitled “SING!” Who else was in the audience on show night? Chancellor Stephen Spahn; and Qiu Zhonghai, Chairman of Shanghai Qibao Dwight High School.

On the last night of the trip, Jorge Luis Alonso concluded his reflection with, “I’m going to miss all the friends I have gained ... see you in February, Dwight London!”

That’s when students from all of our global campuses — New York, London, Shanghai, Seoul, and Dwight Global Online School convened in the Big Apple for our annual global concert at Carnegie Hall — for the first time in the iconic Stern Auditorium.

Adding to the special experience was seeing former Dwight New York students now living in London. Tarkan Dermis, whose family

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DWIGHT TODAY | INNOVATION

Spark Tank

We can hardly remember a time when Spark Tank didn’t exist! It has become an integral part of life on campus and synonymous with Dwight among independent schools in New York City. Word of our incubator offering K-12 students the unique opportunity to start their own business is even spreading as far away as Dubai, where Dwight’s new campus is being built.

— Dwight’s Calling Card — Charges Ahead in Year Three 1 2 3 4 5

The reason is simple. Spark Tank propels students and their passion projects forward, nurturing young innovators and entrepreneurs who would otherwise have to wait until the college or post-grad level to develop their novel ideas into viable enterprises.

According to a Millennial Branding Study, 72% of high school students seek to start their own business and to be their own boss.

At Dwight, students are already on their way!

IDEA

SPARK TANK: A REVIEW OF THE BASICS Spanning the gamut from innovative products to non-profits designed to make a difference in the world, Spark Tank projects are as unique as the students who develop them.

PLAN PROTOTYPE OPERATIONS LAUNCH

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Some are born from passions such as programming, robotics, fashion, science, and literature. Others are driven by issues that impact them personally, a desire to help the environment, or a vision for improving a product that is already available on the market.

Students bring their novel concepts — and real-world problems they want to solve — to Spark Tank to develop their projects, from the germ of an idea to acceleration, and from prototyping to market launch. They work after school with faculty mentors who guide them, and along the way, periodically present their ideas to a panel of judges for feedback, mentorship, and funding to translate their vision into reality.

Judges are members of The Dwight School Foundation’s Spark Tank Committee — top-level industry experts in Dwight’s parent and alumni community — who provide feedback, insights, and innovation grants, including a $2,500 college scholarship from the Foundation to students who reach the launch stage.

EXCITING RECOGNITION AND PROGRESS This fall, the first Spark Tank presentations of the year coincided with some exciting project developments. Earlier in the day, Stephane Hatgis-Kessell ’20 appeared on the FOX Business “Varney & Co.” television show to share his low-cost, 3D-printed prosthetic hand, garnering kudos from Mr. Varney on his desire to improve the quality of life and affordability of prosthetics for so many people who have lost their lower arms to war or injury. The Dwight School Foundation judges approved Stephane for additional funding to further develop his prototype and conduct testing with potential users.

SPARK TANK | DWIGHT TODAY

The timing of the Spark Tank Event was also propitious, as juniors Madalena Teles and Michelle Rhee had just launched their TimeBreak app in the App Store! TimeBreak is designed to help people improve their time management skills, including busy teenagers like themselves. Following their presentation, the duo passed levels four and five. Not that long after, they were featured in their own Channel One News segment about teenagers and technology! Channel One News broadcasts daily into classrooms across the country, reaching six million students — the perfect audience for TimeBreak!

JOINING STEPHANE, MADALENA, AND MICHELLE AS RETURN SPARK TANK PRESENTERS WERE: • Audrey, a fifth grader, who is writing a children’s book entitled Ocean Explorers to educate young readers about sea creatures endangered by ocean pollution. She wants to share 50% of the profits from book sales with a like-minded charity. The judges were especially impressed with her project timeline and she passed level two.

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DWIGHT TODAY | INNOVATION

• Seniors Marcus Kapoor, Jacob Lindahl,

throughout New York City. We look forward

by and match them with potential hitting

Alexander McKillop, and Holden Bril, mem-

to sharing news about this conference in the

partners when they want to play, also passed

bers of the Business & Investment Club, who

next issue of Dwight Today.

level one.

Students who dove into Spark Tank anew

Each and every one of our Spark Tank par-

are seeking funds to invest. They passed level three and received $10,000 to manage. Half

this year with their first presentations were:

ticipants has a great idea in the making and

• Seniors Talya Lubit, Maya Tiwari, George

all will emerge from the experience with con-

Cho, and sophomore Malachy O’Hare,

fidence and a range of useful business skills,

members of the Green Team, who want to

ranging from budgeting and product devel-

source a reusable water bottle for Dwight

opment to pitching and public speaking,

students to reduce the use and waste of plas-

providing invaluable experience and prepara-

They passed level two for their first effort

tics on campus. They passed level one.

tion for the working world.

to coordinate a student-run conference at

• Jared Foster, a senior, whose idea for an app

To catch up on Spark Tank Events that you may

Dwight on March 3 designed to share re-

called InstantTennis is designed to let users

have missed, visit Dwight on YouTube for the

sources and ideas with young innovators

know where they can find open courts near-

latest webisodes!

of any profits will go back to the Foundation; the rest will remain in the account.

• Seniors Ilan Pesselev and Marcus Kapoor, leaders of Dwight’s Student Tech Committee, ultimately aim to franchise the Spark Tank experience through Spark Labs by Dwight.

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Stephane Hatgis-Kessell ’20 Shares His Spark of Innovation on FOX Business TV Congratulations to tenth grader Stephane Hatgis-Kessel, who appeared with Chancellor Stephen Spahn on FOX Business Network’s “Varney & Co.” — the highest-rated daytime financial program in the country! Stephane was invited to share his customizable, 3-D printed prosthetic hand designed to help people with lower-arm amputations — hundreds of thousands and many in war-torn and developing countries — who can’t afford them. Called The Hephaestus Hand, it is intended to restore everyday basic motor skill functions, such as opening a door, picking up a glass, etc.

Unlike most other 3-D prosthetic hands, which require the wrist to be intact, The Hephaestus Hand is intended for people with amputations below the elbow and above the wrist. Most of its parts are made from the same plastic as Legos, and the hand is operated through a motor and a sensor that picks up muscle signals.

The 3-D technology makes Stephane’s invention significantly less costly than prosthetics that restore fine motor skills and carry a price tag upwards of $65,000. At only $300, The Hephaestus Hand will

be much more accessible and improve the quality of life after amputation for many more people, including veterans.

Stephane began working on his project in sixth grade and continued in our incubator.

“In Spark Tank, I learned to better manage a budget and improved my robotics and programming knowledge beyond what I thought was possible,” Stephane says. “I definitely would not have been pushed to get my project to where it is today without Spark Tank.

There is a community of innovation here.”

What’s next for Stephane? He looks forward to beginning user testing, refining the hand, and making it smaller. Presently, he is working on adding a functional rotating wrist, which no other current 3-D prosthetic hand has.

We have no doubt that Stephane will have a significant impact on the world with his Hephaestus Hand. In fact, he already has, by inspiring his peers on campus and other young innovators well beyond Dwight who have seen his accomplishment on TV and online!

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DWIGHT TODAY | INNOVATION

ION

EVOLUT of a Spark Tank Success Story

THE

It was an idea more than ten years in the making.

The Portable Particle Accelerator, developed most recently by Daniil Frants ’17 in Spark Tank, was born in 2006 when Barry Gragg, Head of Upper School Science, was inspired to create a device to measure beta particle deflection. Beta particles are high-speed electrons or positrons emitted from a radioactive material in some types of nuclear-decay reactions.

We turn to Mr. Gragg for a first-hand account of how his idea evolved into a patented product used by science teachers and students today: Back in 2006 or so, while studying a schematic diagram of a beta particle accelerator on the CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research) website, I wondered whether I could use the new, strong rare earth magnets to produce a measurable deflection in the beta particles emitted by one of our samples of cesium-137 during its decay into barium. Using hot glue, a straw, basswood sticks, and a paper clip, I built a device on a foam-core base to hold the magnets and the cesium source.

With the paper clip bent to fit into the center hole of a protractor and the Geiger counter in place, I tested the device and found that it deflected much of the signal by a large angle. It occurred to me that I should be able to use the angle of deflection to calculate the speed of the particles, but the first calculation gave an impossible answer; the particles seemed to be moving at more than twice the speed of light. The problem was clear enough. The beta particles were moving at such a high speed that I needed to factor in the relativistic effects of Einstein’s special relativity. Doing so made the calculations much longer and more tedious, but yielded a result that matched published values very closely. This last detail was exciting, as I realized that this little device could provide students with a practical investigation into centripetal force, magnetism, nuclear physics, and relativity — all topics on the IB Higher Level Physics syllabus.

I used the device to review these concepts with seniors. I let them make the same calculation error — and find the same relativistic solution — that I did the first time I used it. After a few years, my hot-glued device was looking the worse for wear and one of my physics students, Sam

46

Russell ’13, who was also studying IB Design Technology and working with new 3-D plastic printers, suggested that he could redesign and print a plastic version. Sam wrote a paper about his investigation and development of the improved device, entered the paper and device in the New York Science and Engineering Fair, and advanced to the semi-finals!

At that time, Sam and I met with Chancellor Spahn about pursuing a patent, and a few years after Sam graduated — with Spark Tank in place — Daniil took on the challenge to improve, patent, and market the device in Dwight’s incubator. His design represents a true finished product, which I shared with Vernier, a major scientific hardware development company.

After Vernier dedicated a year of research and design to motorize and automate their own version of the device, they acquired it officially last May. A provisional patent in all three of our names is pending.

Last summer, Vernier featured the device, newly named the Beta Radiation Spectrometer, in the company’s newsletter as one way to use Vernier’s Radiation Detector — and it may be included in their sales catalog in future!

SPARK TANK SUCCESS | DWIGHT TODAY

Mention of the Spectrometer caught the attention of the Chairman of Chemistry at Georgetown College in Kentucky, Dr. Todd Hamilton, who contacted Mr. Gragg to learn more. After shipping Dr. Hamilton a device to try, Mr. Gragg received the following message of appreciation: “I wanted to thank you for sharing the idea for the ‘Inexpensive Beta Radiation Spectrometer’ through Vernier Software and Technology. I have had loads of fun with this idea, measuring beta particles from Sr-90 and Tl-204 and re-acquainting myself with relativistic kinematics. I teach a Nuclear/Electrochem Lab this coming fall and I will definitely be using the setup for an experiment.

Thank you again!”

After more than a decade in development — and only a few months in the public eye — Mr. Gragg reports, “I’m delighted to see that we’re already making a difference in the world!”

Indeed you are. Congratulations Mr. Gragg, Sam, and Daniil!

Postscript: Students in Mr. Gragg’s physics class used the device this fall, as seen here.

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DWIGHT TODAY | HEADING

48

HEADING | DWIGHT TODAY

At our annual PA-hosted Fall Festival and Book Fair on Riverside Campus, good friends and great reading go hand-in-hand!

49

DWIGHT TODAY | COMMUNITY

GIRLS MIDDLE SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL: THEY CLOSED THEIR SEASON WITH A TWO-STRAIGHT-SET VICTORY AGAINST COLUMBIA PREP GIRLS JV VOLLEYBALL: WON THE ISAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP, DEFEATING LREI IN TWO STRAIGHT SETS GIRLS VARSITY VOLLEYBALL: PLACED SECOND IN THE ISAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP MIDDLE SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL: EIGHTH GRADERS SONYA PESSELEV AND LESLIE BRIL WERE ELECTED TEAM CAPTAINS, AND SEVENTH GRADERS ADRIANA AND NINA WERE THE SEASON’S TOP SERVERS

H LI GH TS

Dwight School athletics 2017-18

G HI L FAL

VARSITY CROSS COUNTRY: GABRIEL GENDZIER-IMPERIALI ’18, FYNN HAAGEN ’21, AND ALEX RICH ’21 PLACED IN THE TOP 30 IN THE ACIS LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP

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ATHLETICS | DWIGHT TODAY

GIRLS VARSITY SOCCER: TOOK HOME THE ISAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DWIGHT’S HISTORY AND MADE THEIR FIRST APPEARANCE IN THE NYSAIS STATE TOURNAMENT

BOYS JV SOCCER: TEDDY KOUTSOS ’20 MADE ALL THREE GOALS IN A VICTORY OVER GRACE CHURCH

BOYS VARSITY SOCCER: GOALKEEPER BRUNO MANFREDI ’20 MADE A SEASON RECORD OF NINE TOTAL SAVES AGAINST FRENCH-AMERICAN SCHOOL

GIRLS MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCCER: MATHEA FROEYSA LYNGROTH ’22, GINE GRYDELAND ’22, AND OLIVIA TAJER ’22 HAD STANDOUT PERFORMANCES IN A VICTORY AGAINST BROOKLYN FRIENDS

BOYS MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCCER: THE TEAM CELEBRATED A 12-0 BLOWOUT VICTORY AGAINST BIRCH WATHEN LENOX

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DWIGHT TODAY | COMMUNITY

Fall Art Exhibition

52

Fall Scene Night

ARTS | DWIGHT TODAY

THE ABUNDANCE OF STUDENT TALENT NEVER CEASES TO IMPRESS US!

Mainstage Theater Production of The Children’s Hour

Fall Conservatory Concert

Symphony Space Concert

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Small Wonder Summer Program and Riverside Summer Camp June 18-July 26 Creative and performing arts, sports and outdoor activities, science, and more!

Contact: Clara Mendez summeronriverside@dwight.edu entering pre-K and K in 2018

Dwight Summer Camp June 18-August 11 | Day passes available Riverside Campus Discovery Camp: Creative and performing arts, sports, technology, and so much more!

Contact: Chiarna Morton, Camp Director cmorton@dwight.edu

Dwight Summer Camp June 18-August 11 | Day passes available Dwight School Athletic Center Mix and match weeks — and make summer your own: - Explorers Camp: Grades 1-3 - Adventure Camp: Grades 4-6 - Sports Camp: Grades 1-6 - Spark Camps: Grades 1-6 Minecraft, Camp H2O Contact: Chiarna Morton, Camp Director cmorton@dwight.edu

ducing the o r t In

Alumni

Garden

Leave your legacy and commemorate your years at Dwight, Franklin, or Anglo-American with a plaque in our new Alumni Garden, located on the rooftop of 22 West 89th Street

To order your legacy plaque for $500 for the Alumni Garden Wall, please contact Amy Hahn ‘05, Associate Director of Development 646.400.0314 or ahahn@dwight.edu

Class of 2003 John Smith 2003

Your Name Here!

THE SMITH FAMILY

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DWIGHT TODAY | HEADING

2018 Alumni Basketball Game growing Anglophone community is eager to have the help of American writers.” Djelloul’s eighth book of poems, Nothing True Has a Name, was recently published.

Bruce Warshaw ’74 helped to organize our annual Alumni Basketball Game on January 20. We had a great turnout and a competitive game with Dwight and Franklin alums, ranging from the Class of 1972 to 2017. Chancellor Spahn was there and was given a commemorative basketball signed by all of the players in honor of his 50th year in education.

Karl Wallach Franklin ’41 On a trip back to his hometown and the Upper West Side neighborhood of his childhood, Karl would not miss a visit to his beloved school. He met with Chancellor Stephen Spahn and shared memories of life as a Franklinite and his journey beyond, from Columbia College and service in World War II to his successful career Patrick Murney ’05 shares, “I had so much fun at the top of the sporting goods business. at the alumni game, as always! My upcoming Thank you, Karl, for a truly memorable visit! show, “Seven Seconds,” will be available FebruDjelloul Marbrook ’51 shares that he was ary 23rd on Netflix (I am in all ten episodes). interviewed by Annasr, the Algerian news or- Later this year, an independent film entitled ganization, about his project to help Algerian Brooklyn 4 AM will be submitted into all writers publish their works in English. “Since film festivals, mostly pushed toward South I graduated, Dwight has become a famous by Southwest in Austin, TX, because of the international school, and this project is essen- music element in the movie. I look forward tially a cultural bridge-building operation. to sharing more information.”

The title of my first book of poems, Far from Brandon Wilson Wong ’14 stopped by camAlgiers, caught Algeria’s attention, and now its pus to visit his favorite teacher, Ms. B., and

56

share what he’s been up to since graduating.

A junior at University of Scranton majoring in Economics and minoring in Education, he is teaching GED classes to inmates of Lackawana County Jail, helping them access a high school equivalent diploma through the non-profit EOTC (Employment Opportunity Training Center) based in Scranton. During winter break, he went to South Africa, where he tutored children in English and Math in townships through the SAVE Foundation based in Cape Town. Brandon wants to be a venture capitalist and continue surfing in his spare time.

Andre Cervantes ’17 Since graduating from Dwight, Andre has continued his CAS commitment at the Pediatric Cancer Hospital in Lima, Peru, where he made sure that children received their monthly medicine, supplies, and clothes. He is a pre-med student at Fordham University and continues to work as an EMT. In Memoriam Lynn Kaplan ’86 shared the sad news of the passing of her brother, Jonathan Kaplan ’90, last July in New York.

Share your latest news with your classmates for the next issue of Dwight Today. Send news and a photo to Amy Hahn ’05, Associate Director of Development, 291 Central Park West, New York, NY, 10024; or via email to ahahn@dwight.edu.

Reserve Your Tickets Today!

6:30 pm Cocktails & Silent Auction 7:45 pm Sit-down Dinner, Live Auction & Entertainment Please Join Us for The Dwight School Foundation Spring Benefit toasting

9:30 pm DJ & Dancing Cocktail Attire

Friday, April 13 Ziegfeld Ballroom 141 West 54TH Street Half Past Six in the Evening To purchase tickets, email ahahn@dwight.edu or visit dwight.edu/celebrating50years

Don’t miss it!

Dwight is an IB World School

212.724.6360 dwight.edu

Becoming a global citizen starts early at Dwight! The Class of ‘31 practices Mandarin language skills and learns about Chinese traditions.