O’NEAL
THE MAGAZINE OF THE O’NEAL SCHOOL
Winter / Spring 2012
On the cover: Kendall Field, the O’Neal varsity swim team sole senior who will be swimming for Lenoir-Rhyne University this fall. Photo by Kathy Taylor
Mission Statement O’Neal is a college preparatory school dedicated to the development of academic excellence, strength of character, and physical well-being of its students in an environment where integrity, self-discipline, and consideration for others are fundamental.
The O’Neal School Leadership Team Headmaster Alan Barr Director of Institutional Advancement John Madden Chief Financial Officer Eddie Phillips Director of Admissions & Financial Aid Alice Droppers Academic Enrichment Center Director Beth Huey
Lower School Director Linda Roberts Middle School Director Rich Tompkins Upper School Director Richard Catania
Headmaster
Excerpt from the State of the School Address: When this year’s Fund-A-Need live auction item was put on the block, who would have expected the item to have totalled $60,000 – almost a $15,000 increase from last year? It’s a true testament to the faith that our O’Neal community has in how the School is moving forward. Last year, the Fund-A-Need auction item raised over $45,000 for professional development – a term for which I have changed to research and development. For we all know what happens to organizations that invest in R&D and those that do not. So far, over two-thirds of our faculty have participated in varied professional development opportunities and we’re still going strong. This year’s $60,000 Fund-A-Need total has been allocated to provide our faculty members with “Tools for the 21st Century Classroom.” This will help to implement what we have learned over the past year. So, what did we learn? There is an old model and a new model of teaching. Old Model: A teacher stands at the front of the class transferring information to students sitting in rows of desks who then copy that information, learn it, and demonstrate a level of knowledge mastery on an assessment. We did this for 45-50 minutes a day for 180 days and called it mastery of the subject and we got a credit for it. Today my son is in 7th grade. He looks like a member of the 82nd airborne when he comes home with his book bag. He uses a pencil and notebook to take notes and study. All of his work is by hand. He uses a computer at home to type and do research. There is a new model rapidly taking shape in Independent Schools all over the country. Take a child in kindergarten today at O’Neal. When that child is in 7th grade (and my son is in college) she will only hear the stories of how it used to be when students studied separate classes like math and history and carried separate books for these classes and used pencils and paper, and studied using their own written notes. This new model is about specialization and each school is developing a program that is unique to their school. We will be no different. No one will visit The O’Neal School and say that it looks like that other school. How this is happening by way of technology and a new method of teaching. New Model: There are no cookie cutter methods. The new model includes implementation of the Harkness method for some classes, flipped classrooms with videos, virtual classes, eBooks and more. The consensus is that learning, like life itself today, will be collaborative. Students will learn to work on a team and be an equal contributor to the solution. Students will also demonstrate critical thinking by producing their own findings, solutions, hypotheses, etc. Old metrics and standards to measure success are fading. I encourage you to read our strategic plan, adopted by our Board of Trustees, and learn about O’Neal’s strategic initiatives for the coming years. Not only will O’Neal’s students learn the three “R’s” – reading, writing and arithmetic – but also they will master the four “C’s” – critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity. The future is bright for O’Neal. Cheers!
3300 Airport Road / P.O. Box 290, Southern Pines, NC 28388-0290 / Telephone: 910.692.6920 / Fax: 910.692.6930 / www.onealschool.org
O’NEAL SUMMER FUN O’Neal offers a variety of summer camps for youth of all ages.
Falcon Day Camp • Falcon Fun & Games (Ages 3 &4) Academics & Exploration • Adventure The Arts • Sports Visit our website for more information and to register online
www.ONealSummer.org 5
It is Not WHAT You Give. It is Important THAT You Give. To be young and fearless again and not afraid to take risks comes to mind when hearing about the eighth grade students experience with indoor sky diving at Paraclete Sky Venture. Watching teams of fourth grade students tap their creativity and unlock their minds to critically thinking through Odyssey of the Mind is always worth the time. Thanks to the commitment by parents, alumni and friends in support of faculty and students, O’Neal continues to offer a phenomenal experience of education. This school year the goal is to raise $150,000 for the O’Neal Fund which will enable these experiences to continue. To date The O’Neal Fund totals $91,071 from 154 parents, alumni and friends. Like most independent schools, committed parents and loyal alumni provide the means so programs can be better enhanced to make O’Neal a great place to learn. What is the O’Neal Fund? • The O’Neal Fund provides income through giving to support the School’s operating budget • For 2011-2012 O’Neal needs to raise $58,929 to reach its goal of $150,000. Why does O’Neal ask for contributions in addition to tuition and fees? • Tuition covers 75% of total cost of educating each child. • The O’Neal School, like other independent schools, relies on charitable gifts to close the gap between tuition and the actual cost of educating each child. • Donations are seen as a vote of confidence in the faculty and administration. • Keeping tuition at an accessible level is a goal of the Administration and Board of Trustees. How is my gift being used by the School? • The fund supports, but is not limited to, technology, professional development, curriculum, athletics and the arts. • The O’Neal Fund provides necessary income to the School’s operating budget that supports programs to fulfill the mission of the School. • Unrestricted gifts enable O’Neal to continue to offer the best educational experience in the Sandhills. If you would like to direct your gift to a specific purpose please contact the Institutional Advancement Team. Why support the O’Neal Fund NOW? The School would like to apply for grants from foundations like E. E. Ford, Mebane, and Belk foundations. Foundations like to see strong participation from parents and alumni to have an application considered. The national average for family participation is 65% for independent schools. Currently 20% of our families are funding the O’Neal Fund. Last year it was 31%. Our GOAL is 65% of our families funding the O’Neal Fund by the end of the school year. How much should one give? • Give what you can; that act of a gift often reflects the gratitude one feels toward one’s personal O’Neal experience. • All gifts enhance each child’s education. THE ONLY GIFT TOO SMALL IS NO GIFT AT ALL Can we make a gift in honor of a teacher? • This is a wonderful way to show your appreciation for a job well done by a favorite teacher, staff member or administrator. At The O’Neal School, everyday risks are taken, along with challenges, to be better learners thanks to parents, alumni and friends. The faculty and staff appreciate the significant impact their commitment to students plays in the daily life of the School.
Go to: www.ONealSchool.org/Giving/OnlineGiving to give online. 6
Admissions
The fall provides the Admissions Office an opportunity to gather together and work on a myriad of projects to improve the processes. But the real year begins immediately after the holidays as families begin to look for outstanding educational opportunities for their children. A well attended Information Session and Tour was held in January for prospective students and their families. As is always the case, this event could not be a success without the participation of volunteer parents and students. The best advertisement for O’Neal is the quality of O’Neal’s student body and the support that parents provide. The Information Session gives an opportunity to highlight both of those differentiating aspects of O’Neal. The feedback received is universally how impressed potential students and their families are with the quality of O’Neal’s faculty, staff and administrators. Thank you all!
The Middle School students in the picture have helped with Admissions by hosting prospective students when they come to visit the school. Bottom Row (L-R): Ally Baldelli, James Taylor, Avi Patel, Ramsey Milligan Top row(L-R): Olivia Butters, Shamiso Kodzai, Ellen Tafoya, Kirby Dent and Hunter Atkinson.
A brief respite leads directly to Admissions Testing Day. There was an excellent turnout for testing with interest particularly strong for 9th and 6th grade. A dedicated group of faculty give of their weekend time to make sure that they know all prospective students well, and that the students can be put into a position where they can succeed. It takes skilled educators to do this and the School is fortunate that they give of their time to help build the O’Neal student body. In between these and other events there is a steady stream of visits by individual students and their families to O’Neal. A typical visit includes a tour of the appropriate Division, conversations about our culture and admission testing. Activity this year has been strong and we are looking towards another good year with continued growth.
The Upper School students have helped with Admissions by hosting prospective students when they come to visit the school. They’ve also helped out with the Enrollment Information Session giving tours and with Admission Testing Day Sign Up. Front row (L-R) : Jarred Jenkinson, Lara Allen, Bronti Viscovich, Philip Casey, Lacia Core, Sierra Hawkins, Emma Moore Back row: Austin Puleo, Caleb Wood, Maeve Bartiss and Meagan Watkins
Often prospective parents and students will comment on the wonderful facilities available at O’Neal that everyone enjoys. When exposed to them every day it is easy to become blasé about the fabulous tools available to support the student body. Next time you walk the campus, look at it with fresh eyes, you will be impressed.
Young People’s Fine Art Festival Winners
O’Neal Upper School students received awards for the 16th Annual Young People’s Fine Arts Festival in Moore County. Dakota Merritt won first place in Painting, Lucas Godbey won first place in Mixed Mediums and Andie Schaible won third place in 3-D. There were many honorable mentions. Pictured (L-R): Dakota Merritt, Mimi Ke, Elyse Sundberg, Aleksandra Majka, Jackie Souza, Zena Ataya, Tatum Riley, Dana Averbook, and Andie Schaible. 7
Alumni
Giving Back
Logan. David is vice president of strategy at Aruba Networks, a Silicon Valley-based networking company. Stuart works out of his home in Southern Pines as business development manager - government solutions for Aruba Networks. In 2009 Stuart started to teach at O’Neal. Currently, he has four students – juniors Maxwell Winter, Josh Stepnoski and Meagan Cooper and sophomore Eugene Zhang. The class time is fun and engaging. What they achieve in class is not necessarily what one would learn in textbooks. Knowledge of the Japanese culture is heavily intertwined with learning the language. “They all have different reasons for learning Japanese,” says Stuart. “Some want to learn the culture for future endeavors, others have a love for Japanese animation or want to understand the language in the Japanese video games they’re playing. It doesn’t matter to me the reasons they want to learn Japanese. I’ll take them all.”
When Stuart Schulte graduated in 1986 from Stuart Schulte ‘86 O’Neal, he probably would have never imagined that he would now be volunteering his time to teach Japanese at his high school alma mater. “It’s a way for me to give back to my high school,” says Stuart. “I can see the results of my work.” Dr. Miller has graciously given Stuart his classroom on Wednesdays at lunch to teach a handful of Upper School students the Japanese language and culture. “Being able to teach allows me to maintain the Japanese language,” says Stuart.
Stuart understands the time constraints and academic work the Upper School students have. He has great admiration for the students he teaches as they sacrifice their lunch break once a week giving him their full attention.He plans to continue to volunteer his time teaching Japanese at O’Neal A quick lunch awaits while junior stating – “I would come out just to teach Megan Cooper reads along. one person.”
With Kanji on the whiteboard Stuart begins his class with a quick review.
Stuart’s love for the Japanese and Chinese language and culture started at St. John’s University in Minnesota. It was there that a study abroad opportunity in China presented itself in 1988; while in China he met his wife, Hong. Also while at St. John’s, he spent a year in Japan studying at Sophia University. After graduating as a history major, he spent another year of independent study in China. He returned to enroll in Thunderbird – The American Graduate School of International Management in Phoenix, Arizona. After he received his MBA, Stuart joined Illinois Tool Works (ITW) in 1996 and worked there for 8 years. He was an international executive account manager for ITW in Guangzhou, China. In 2004 he was hired by Static Control Components, based out of Sanford to work at their China location in Zhuhai where he was responsible for imports, distribution and sales. In 2007, he, his wife and their two cats moved back to Southern Pines where Stuart took on various international consulting jobs and started a small export business for gourmet foods to Japan. In 2011 he reunited with his O’Neal classmate David
Students take turns reading out loud in Japanese. 8
Alumni
Thanks to Ted Hassenfelt ’91, boys’ and girls’ varsity soccer coach, alumni soccer players kicked off their Christmas holiday with a ‘friendly’ scrimmage against members of the girls’ and boys’ varsity soccer teams on Mauser Field on December 17th. A celebration of pizza after the game provided time to catch up with old friends.
Attention Class of ’82, ’87, ’92 and ’02
Bonville Promotes Science at App
If we can help you plan your 30th, 25th, 20th or 10th class reunion, please contact the Director of Institutional Advancement, John Madden at jmadden@ onealschool.org or at (910) 692-6920 ext. 130.
D
Brian Bonville ‘09 is a senior biology major at Appalachian State University and president of MOSS (Mountaineer Organization of Student Scientists). MOSS is a newly founded club at ASU focused on promoting science enthusiasm. Read more by going to the following webpage: http://www. theappalachianonline.com/campus/8660-students-start-project-based-mountaineer-organization-of-student-scientists.
THE O D COUPLE
(FEMALE VERSION)
A Neil Simon Production
April 27, 28 & 29 The Hannah Center Theater
Mark Your Calendars: 4th Annual Varsity Softball Challenge May 11, 2012
Following the success of last year’s production of The Murder Room, The O’Neal Players are currently hard at work rehearsing this Spring’s production of Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple (Female Version). This play, produced through special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. in NY, follows the ups and downs of Olive Madison and Florence Unger as they attempt to share a New York City apartment. From their weekly Trivial Pursuit games to a failed dinner party with two charming Spanish brothers--Manolo and Jesus--the play is described by the New York Post as “very funny indeed” and is sure to become a favorite at O’Neal for years to come. This production, made possible by the generous support of the Harness Track Restaurant and The O’Neal Fund, stars senior Maeve Bartiss as Olive Madison and sophomore Kathleen Mills as her roommate Florence Unger. Seniors Bernadine Dembosky, Katie Dyer, and Tory Fedder along with sophomore Danielle Cormier play the parts of their friends and senior Addison Horner and junior Logan Butler round out the cast as the two ‘charming’ Costazuela brothers. Junior Megan Cooper stage manages this production and sophomores Aubrey Thompson and Mary Winston Dozier are serving as co-producers. Be sure to mark your calenders and come out to see this hilarious production. Performances are April 27th and 28th at 7pm and April 29th at 6pm. 9
Homecoming Week Fifth Annual Alumni Day The 5th Annual Alumni Day was held on Wednesday, January 4th and was a great success as many O’Neal alums returned to campus. After being served lunch, alumni answered questions from O’Neal juniors and seniors about college life and preparing for college.
3rd Annual Boys’ Varsity Basketball Challenge Sixteen alumni challenged the varsity boys’ basketball team at the 3rd Annual Boys’ Varsity Basketball Challenge. With a foul at the buzzer, a free throw toppled the tied game to the varsity team’s favor. Other alumni who didn’t play, as well as current parents and past parents joined current students and came out to cheer on the players. Dr. David Graves coached the varsity boys’ squad while Athletic Director Steve Dahl and Coach Sam Amato officiated the game!
Pictured Below First Row (L-R) Coaches Matt McDougald ‘11, Brandt Davis ‘11 , and Charlie Thompson ‘11, the alumni players were: Brandon Thompson ‘04, Second Row: Charlie Johnson ‘11, John Schoemmell ‘10, Stephen Chamberlain ‘11, Bryan Thompson ‘05, Armmand Alston ‘07 Third Row: Corbin Alumni Day Attendees: Bottom Row (L-R): Jide Lawal ‘10, Molly Craig Cordell ‘11, O’Donnell ‘10, Christian Bolduc ‘10, Stephen Chamberlain ‘11, Brian Bonville ‘09, Quinn Griffin ‘11 , former student - Chris Maynor Middle Row (L-R): Nicole Moser ‘10, Amelia Schirmer ‘11, Katie Agresta ‘11, Jide Lawal ‘10, Andrew Dembosky Alex Zhang ‘10, Bryce Baldelli ‘11, Matthew Friesen ‘11, Dylan Gehle ‘11 Top Row (L-R): ‘10 Fourth Row: Owen Garner ‘11, Danielle Bradshaw ‘10, Amanda Morcom ‘10, Emma Craven ‘10, Brandt Davis ‘11, David Evan Davis‘09, Will Cutler ‘08. Letteney ‘11, Thomas Griffin ‘11, Matt McDougald ‘11, Jake Lange ‘11, Seth Edmonds ‘11, Summer Barmore ‘11
Inaugural Girls’ Varsity Basketball Challenge Thanks to Sidney McIlwain ‘09 and her perseverance Bottom Row (L-R) Katie Jenkins ‘10, Ellen in wanting to have Cowherd ‘10, Andie Schaible -9th grade a girls’ varsity bas- Top Row (L-R) Bronti Viskovich -9th grade, ketball challenge, Sydney McIlwain ‘09, Christina MorcomO’Neal was able to former student. host the inaugural event in the Hannah Center in the afternoon on Wednesday, January 4th. The alumni team was small in numbers, but it dominated on the court. O’Neal coach, Don Woodfield, who will be retiring this year, enjoyed watching his former players as much as he did coaching his present players.
O’Neal Alumni Mark Your Calendars:
Alumni Day 2013 Wednesday, January 9, 2013 10
Homecoming Week
Homecoming week was full of activities and spirit. Students returned from winter break dressed according to the “theme of the day” for each day of Spirit Week. After Wednesday’s alumni events, the student body gathered in the Hannah Center Gym on Friday afternoon for a special pep rally. The gym floor was lined with a spirit chain made by the Lower School students. This was great time to recognize the winter sports teams and build excitement for the evening’s basketball games. Homecoming night was highly attended - as usual. After the games, the presentation of the homecoming court and announcement of the Homecoming Queen Maeve Bartiss was made. The evening continued with an alumni social at Pine Needles Country Club.
Special Thanks to Dr. and Mrs. John Moore for donating a new “arch” for O’Neal’s famous “balloon arch” used for homecoming.
11
February Fiesta, O’Neal’s 41st Annual Auction was held on Saturday, February 4, 2012 at the Fair Barn in Pinehurst. The Fair Barn was beautifully decorated and filled with over 300 wonderful silent auction items including some truly spectacular student creations made by O’Neal students in Pre-Kindergarten 3 through eighth grade. This year’s Auction was a great success thanks to the incredible generosity of auction donors (local businesses and parents) who provided a wonderful assortment of silent and live auction items and to auction attendees whose generous bids did so much to help support O’Neal. The Auction netted over $184,000 with a record-setting $61,800 specifically devoted to supporting this year’s Fund a Need program, “Tools for the 21st Century Classroom.” The care and generosity displayed by the O’Neal community is a true testament to how much an O’Neal education is valued. Contributions to our Fund a Need reach out to every child at O’Neal through its faculty. Auction Executive Committee members Tish Edrington, Sue Gibbons, Roberta King, and Beverly O’Donnell were instrumental in organizing the Auction and the numerous volunteers required to put on such a large event. The Auction Committee, comprised of over 50 dedicated parents, parents of alumni and friends of O’Neal transformed the Fair Barn into a festive hall filled with candles, lights, brightly decorated tables and fabulous items up for auction to the highest bidder. The 3rd annual Auction Preview was held on Friday, February 3rd from 9:00 am – 12:00 p.m. This wonderful event, sponsored by J.T.. Davenport & Sons and Sweet Feed Fine Food & Catering gave guests the opportunity to enjoy a delicious breakfast and musical performances by O’Neal Lower School students and to preview the auction items before the main event on Saturday night. Adding to the excitement were 12
three auction items that were raffled off throughout the course of the morning: a lovely floral arrangement donated by Aldena Frye Floral Design, a delicious fresh fruit arrangement donated by Edible Arrangements and a stylish pair of silver cable diamond hoop earrings donated by Honeycutt Jewelers. On Saturday, February 4th, auction guests came in from the cold to celebrate in true February Fiesta style with a fun evening of bidding, a gourmet tapas dinner created by Mark Elliott of Elliotts on Linden and a host bar featuring festive Sangria. When the Silent Auction portion of the evening came to a close, guests happily moved to their tables and prepared to raise their bid paddles to support O’Neal during the Live Auction. Auctioneer Greg Quiroga, from the San Francisco fundraising auction firm Reynolds and Buckley, took the stage and employed his wonderful talents to auction off this year’s incredible assortment of Live Auction items including: A Lobster Extravaganza, a Week at the Grandfather Golf and Country Club Mountain House, a Ski Trip to Lake Tahoe, a San Francisco Trip for Two and more! All proceeds from February Fiesta support the faculty and students of The O’Neal School. Thank you to all of the volunteers, donors, businesses, event underwriters, Preview Sponsors, Business Alliance members, important contributors and guests who joined together to make this an incredibly successful O’Neal School event. Your support is truly and deeply appreciated by everyone at O’Neal. The 42nd Annual Auction, A Night in New Orleans, will take place on Saturday, February 2, 2013. Please save the date in your calendars for another fantastic evening!
View The Pilot’s February Fiesta Photo Gallery
Prefects Strive to Perfect Student Leadership
A close-up of the Prefect Student Leadership Program written in collaboration with the Communications Prefect Committee.
Over the past few years the O’Neal Upper School has seen many changes. One idea that implemented in the Upper School was the Prefect Student Leadership Program. Playing on students’ strengths in certain areas, leaders were chosen so that they could teach and lead their fellow students in their respective talents. In the second year of this program, the Prefect System has proven to be an efficient form of leadership in the Upper School and is making an impact for the whole school community as well. This year’s leaders are a key part in the success of this program. With the likes of Jackie Chamberlain as Student Life Prefect, Austin Puleo as Admissions Prefect, William Youngclaus as Communications Prefect, Addison Horner as Outreach Prefect, Maeve Bartiss as Community Prefect, and Megan Watkins as Academic Prefect, a foundation for even greater improvement was formed. As the year is quickly winding to a close, we asked each of the prefects to reflect on their duties and their time at O’Neal.
Jackie Chamberlain Student Life Prefect
An all-year athlete, Jackie plays volleyball and soccer and is a cheerleader during the winter sports season. Her current plans are to attend the Poole College of Management at NC State University. “I applied for a prefect position because I wanted to make a difference in our school community and be able to take charge of events at O’Neal,” says Jackie. “I hoped to accomplish planning some great dances such as the 80’s Neon Rave and Fall Ball, which we did.” The student life prefect committee also coordinated much of Homecoming week as well as the Powderpuff Football game. Jackie’s assistants are Greyson Keel, Emily Summers, Jacob Talbert, and Kendall Field.
Austin Puleo Admissions Prefect
“I really enjoy sports of all kinds. I find them very relaxing and they take my mind off of things,” exclaims Austin. “ I’ve done crosscountry, swimming, and track. I’ve recently been doing indoor track and hope to qualify for the national championship.” Sports for Austin goes farther than a high school attraction. Austin will be attending Yale University as a member of its rowing team and varsity track team. “I would also like to get involved in drama and performance a little bit in addition to certain academic courses,” says Austin. With a desire to help improve the O’Neal community and get O’Neal more involved in the community at large, Austin applied for a prefect position. Now, halfway through the year, his goals remain the same -- to make the incoming students feel welcome and to assist the other prefects in their perspective areas. The admissions prefect assistants are Caleb Wood, Josh Stepnoski, Joseph Thompson, Ethan Morris, Kyle Flechsig, Lara Allen, Bronti Viskovich, and Emma Moore. “My committee has done a great job so far and have been a tremendous help,” comments Austin. “ I think just having enough people on the committee to assist in events outside of school such as the Business After Hours event that took place in September is all that should be done.” Austin would like to see more integration with the formation of a school-wide mentor-mentee system.
Jackie hopes to see the student life area grow next year with more representatives. “ The O’Neal School has great potential to be a grand example of school pride and student involvement that just needs to be reached,” says Jackie. Jackie Chamberlain recognizes Maeve Bartiss as the winner of the plastic wrap race during the Homecoming Pep Rally. 13
William Youngclaus Communications Prefect
Maeve Bartiss Community Prefect
When Will Youngclaus was asked why he wanted to be a prefect, he responds, “I looked up to the prefects last year and respected their responsibilities. I simply wanted to have the responsibilities they had, plus the ability to have a positive impact on the school as a whole.”
“I haven’t picked a school yet,” says Maeve Bartiss, “but I know that I would like to major in biology.” Maeve also plans to either double major in French or at the very least have it as a minor. She’s considering joining a sorority or perhaps even student government. “I just want to be involved!” exclaims Maeve. “No matter where I end up, I plan to get very involved in campus life and make the best of the next four years.”
The Communications Prefect Committee consists of Chynna Baldwin, Alessandra Tozzi, Mary Winston Dozier, Alexander Waddell and Ian Baldwin. Throughout the year, members of the committee collected photos from each division for slide shows that were shown on the flat screen tvs in each school.
Maeve’s passion lies with pursuing a career in medicine. She interned last year and this past summer at Sandhills Pediatrics, which gave her wonderful exposure into the world of pediatric medicine. She’s excited to take this passion to the next level in college and further pursue the path towards becoming a pediatrician.
“At the beginning of the year I hoped to complete projects promoting the school and communicating to others about some of the wonderful things Maeve has played going on at O’Neal,” volleyball, basketball exclaims Will. “I feel and soccer for O’Neal very successful as of throughout the years. now, after creating a When she’s not playvideo that was shown ing a sport at school, at the O’Neal auction she relieves stress by that helped raise over playing piano. This Will and Maeve “emcee” the Middle School / Upper School Falcon Showcase $60,000 to go towards year Maeve will be providing tools for the 21st Century classroom. I am very participating in the school play. proud of the impact my efforts had.” Why a prefect position? Maeve explains: “This year is my Will’s passion is music and film. In fact, Will plans to atthirteenth year at O’Neal, and I saw the prefect program as tend Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee this fall to a perfect opportunity to give back to the O’Neal commumajor in music business with a production emphasis. He is nity. Especially as the Community Prefect, I have been able also considering going to the Savannah College of Art and to get more involved Design for a year after he graduates from Belmont to study in the other two difilm. visions of the school and work to give the He plays drums in a local band, “Strobel” which has younger students tried out for “America’s Got Talent” and is awaiting a opportunities I wish response. The band is on iTunes and many other music I had at their age.” websites. Aside from music, Will’s next prized passion is filmmaking, for which he has been doing for the past three Maeve wanted to years. create multiple programs to unite “I would love to see videos continuing to be made promotthe entire school so ing O’Neal in various ways,” says Will. “I believe that kids of all ages felt Maeve gets her “buddy” settled in for the first day of school with the Adopt a videos are extremely useful in this field. I would like to see more connected. “I Senior Program coordinated by the Comthis area grow for next year and future years to come.” still intend to do so,” munity Prefect Committee.
14
“I play piano, guitar, sing and compose music,” he says. “I am in glee club, and perform at local festivals. I also enjoy acting.” Elon is Addison’s number one choice for college. International studies and music studies will be his focus.
she says, “ but now I know that this endeavor has proved more difficult than I had imagined. Between the different schedules each division has, it has not always been easy to coordinate events connecting the three sections.” The community prefect assistants are Julia Rickard, Ally Hoehn-Saric, Parker Fisher, and Blake Martin. At the beginning of the year, the Adopt a Senior program was run by community prefect committee. They also coordinated a school-wide Glee Club concert so all three divisions could enjoy the tremendous talent in the high school. When thinking about next year for the community prefect committee, Maeve states, “I think it would be wonderful for a mentee-mentor program to be established between the Upper School and the Middle School, as well as potentially a similar program between Middle School and Lower School. I would love to see the next prefect utilize their assistants more than I did, as it was often very difficult for me to handle all my assigned tasks by myself.”
Most of the prefects along with some mentors and Upper School Director Richard Catania, pose for a photo before leaving on their week long retreat.
Meagan Watkins Academic Prefect
Meagan enjoys playing her violin and being outdoors training her Alpacas or even skiing. He passion is music as she loves the challenge of learning a difficult piece on her violin.
Addison Horner Outreach Prefect
Addison Horner applied for a prefect position because he wanted to be more involved as a leader at O’Neal. He was interested in outreach and community service. “I wanted to help key club and O’Neal Volunteers programs,” says Addison. “I also wanted to get students more involved in community service and things that will help the school/local area.” The outreach prefect assistants are Mark Bonville, Aubrey Thompson, Dana Averbook and Katherine McMurray. In addition to other activities, the outreach prefect committee was instrumental in completing a project for the “Friend to Friend Crisis Center” by doing some artwork and volunteer work. Addison’s advice for next year: “Be more persistent to get on projects and get the word out to people more, because chances are they will continue to forget what donations are going on, etc… The next prefect should work closer with Key Club and O’Neal Volunteers.” Music is Addison’s passion.
She plans to take the pre-med track in college by double majoring in biology and chemistry as well as a minor in music. Even though she has not made a choice, Meagan has been accepted by many colleges and universities across the nation, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “I decided to apply for the academic prefect, because I was already tutoring students from previous years and thought the academic prefect could use a tutoring system,” says Meagan. “At the beginning of the year I hoped to accomplish the peer tutoring system, which I did. Now I hope to expand the peer tutoring system to the middle school.” The academic prefect assistants are Tory Fedder, Chrissy Verdream, Kathleen Mills, and Madison McGuirt. In the coming years Meagan hopes to see her prefect area grow by becoming more than just a peer tutoring system through getting more creative with academics.
O’Neal students and staff who participated in the MIRA Walk - a benefit to help provide seeing eye dogs for the blind. O’Neal’s participation was arranged by the outreach prefect committee.
15
The O’Neal Trail
16
Lower School Happenings
Second grade makes simple machines.
Pre-K4 students make Valentines in Spanish Right: Fourth grade students teach first grade students about rocks and minerals. Below: Holiday musical
Lower School Falcon Showcase
Lower School celebrates Dr. Seus’ Birthday Kindergarten students celebrate 100 days of school by collecting 100 cans of food for the local food pantry.
Special Persons’ Day
Second Grade visits Outback Steakhouse 17
MATHILDE in the Middle School
trying grapes with peanut butter. AT: What are you going to miss? MC: Oh gosh you’re going to make me cry. (Reaching for Devon’s hand) I will miss Devon, my new friends, school, my uncle, aunt, and cousin, cheerleading, and everything.
An excerpt of an interview with exchange student Mathilde Catania by Communications Prefect Assistant Alessandra Tozzi.
In an interview with Mathilde’s “host sister” Devon Rosenberger, she explained what some of her experiences were like with Mathilde.
As one of many foreign exchange students present at O’Neal, Mathilde Catania came to America to develop better English skills and learn more about our culture. Having only known three people at the start of her journey, her uncle Richard Catania head of the Upper School, her aunt Andrea Catania, and her cousin Rick, a freshman at O’Neal, Mathilde embarked on many adventures making lasting relationships and memories.
AT: Did you learn much about the French culture by having Mathilde around? Devon Rosenberger (DR): Yes I learned a lot! She taught us how to make pasta and other food, and we learned about her life in France. Mathilde’s host parents, Debbie and Bruce Rosenberger, feel that more families need to experience such a wonderful opportunity like they have had these past two months. During an interview, they express their thought on Mathilde and why others should consider taking in a foreign exchange student.
Alessandra Tozzi (AT): What town or region are you from in France? Mathilde Catania (MC): I am from Nice. AT: How long was your stay at O’Neal? MC: I was here for 2 months. AT: Who was your host family? MC: The Rosenbergers, Debbie, Bruce, Austin and Devon. They were so helpful with everything. I’m thankful for everything they did for me. AT: How is school different here than in France? MC: It is very different. Around my school building in France there are bars, so we rarely get a chance to go outside. AT: What were the highlights of your stay? MC: Staying with Devon (Mathilde’s host sister). She was the best. We had so much fun together. AT: What were your three favorite experiences from your time here? MC: I loved going indoor sky diving, going to school, and
AT: Did you and your husband learn from this experience? Examples? Debbie Rosenberger(DR) Bruce Rosenberger(BR): This is our second time hosting and we do this for our children to learn and expand their culture. AT: How can taking in a foreign exchange student benefit other families? DR/BR: Not only is it a great experience overall, but it also is a wonderful learning experience! You need to go into this with an open mind as well. Our first time hosting was with a sixteen year old and a twenty year old and we are still in contact with them. One really does learn about different cultures and people.
18
Middle School Happenings
Above and Below: Middle School Holiday Concert Above : Junior Beta Inductions
Above: Science Olympiad Team Left: Eighth grade student, John Anderson wins the school- level geography bee.
Above: Poet / Author Alan Wolfe enterAbove: Eighth grade students presented their research papers as tains Middle School Above: Fifth grade students dissect crayfish a collaborative project with history and English class. students. 19
Study Abroad: The Experience of a Lifetime O’Neal junior, Maggie Jackson, participated in study abroad as she spent a semester in Vigo, Spain. From September 5th through December 19th, Maggie lived with a family who had children ages 9, 15 and 18. “The family was the best part,” says Maggie. “On weekends, we would travel to their beach apartment and ride bikes. My family was a traditional Spanish family and being around them really taught me a lot about the Spanish culture.”
While in Vigo, Maggie took several foreign language courses such as Latin, Greek and Galician. “Greek was my favorite class,” says Maggie. “I felt like I learned the Greek language and by taking a foreign language, I was able to learn Spanish the best.”
When asked what prompted her to want to study in Vigo, Maggie expressed her desire to become fluent in the Spanish language and she was curious to learn more about the country. “I became friends with Teresa and Pedro (foreign exchange students at O’Neal) last year,” says Maggie. “They liked their experience studying abroad so watching them encouraged me to want to try it.”
Another opportunity to learn Spanish was playing on a soccer team. The host father worked hard to find a team for Maggie to belong to. “Believe it or not, soccer for girls in Spain is not very popular,” says Maggie. “The team I belonged to had girls ages 12 to 30 and it was great fun!”
The school schedule in Vigo was different than at O’Neal. On Mondays, Maggie would attend school from 8:45 a.m. to 2:00 While in Spain, Maggie had the opportunity p.m. and return back to school for an early to travel to other cities as well as Portugal. evening session from 4:00 p.m. to 6:45 She toured castles and many other p.m.. Tuesdays through Fridays she would interesting places. It was a bittersweet be at school from 8:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.. Vigo, Spain moment when it was time to leave her host There would normally be a twenty minute break family and return to the U.S. Maggie continues to during the day, but lunch was always eaten at home after email with them and even surprised them with a phone call school. “Lunch was the biggest meal of the day,” explains on Christmas. Maggie was able to make great memories Maggie. “My host mother would prepare a large meal. The and new found friends while in Vigo, both of which food was always fresh and delicious.” continue to be nurtured and cherished.
Maggie’s class in Vigo. Maggie’s soccer team. 20
Upper School Happenings
Above: Junior Stephen Stewart, decorates the Upper School tree with hats, scarves and mittens. All items were donated to the Moore Coalition for Human Care.
Above. AP Environmental Science students take a field trip.
Left: Junior Savannah Merritt distributes fruit orders before the winter break.
Above: Maria Morcom donates blood during O’Neal’s February blood drive, hosted by the O’Neal Volunteers. Right: Sophomore Danielle Cormier performs at the MS/US Falcon Showcase. Proceeds from the talent show went to the local Relay for Life efforts. Below: Junior Katherine McMurray, signs the membership roster for O’Neal’s National Honor Society.
Above: The Glee Club performs a concert for the Lower School. Below: The theme is “camo” for fans at an evening of basketball.
21
Athletics
Varsity Boys’ Swim Team was Undefeated in Conference and the Conference Champs for the 4th Consecutive Year
Varsity Girls’ Swim Team Finished 2nd at the Conference Swim Meet
Kevin Duffy, Carlos Field, Patrick Wurzel, and Eugene Zhang received All-Conference honors for their first place finishes in the 200 medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay. Jared Jenkinson, Kyle McClelland, Nick Manning, and Landon Teschendorf received All-Conference honors for their first place finish in the 400 freestyle relay. Individual All-Conference Honors were received by: Eugene Zhang - 200 IM and 100 breast stroke, Kevin Duffy - 500 freestyle, and, Patrick Wurzel – 100 butterfly. Eugene Zhang received the honor of CFIC Conference Male Swimmer of the year for his four first place finishes. The boys team finished in 5th place at states. Duffy, Field, Jenkinson, and Zhang placed 5th in the 200 freestyle relay. Duffy, Field, Wurzel, and Zhang finished 5th in the 200 freestyle relay. McClelland, Jenkinson, Teschendorf, and Wurzel finished 11th in the 400 Freestyle relay.
Hunter Atkinson, Mac Cooper, Kendall Field, and Emma Moore received All-Conference honors for their 1st place finish in the 400 freestyle relay. Individual All-Conference honors were received by: Mac Cooper – 100 breast stroke, and, Kendall Field – 200 IM and 100 backstroke. The girls’ swim team, made up of five swimmers, placed 5th at states. This was very impressive due to the small size of the team. Atkinson, Cooper, Field, and Moore teamed up again for a 4th place finish in the 200 Medley Relay and 6th in the 400 Free Relay. Top 16 finishes at states were Kendall Field – 2nd 100 backstroke, 3rd 200 IM, Mac Cooper - 4th 200 IM and 5th 100 backstroke, and, Hunter Atkinson – 14th 100 freestyle.
Top 16 finishers at states: Eugene Zhang – 4th 200 IM and 5th 100 breast stroke, Kevin Duffy – 6th 200 freestyle and 6th 500 freestyle, Patrick Wurzel, 9th 100 butterfly and 12th 100 backstroke, Carlos Field – 9th 100 backstroke, and, Landon Teschendorf – 11th 100 breast and 14th.
Above: CFIC Conference Male Swimmer of the Year, Eugene Zhang and lone senior, Kendall Field
Field Signs with Lenoir-Rhyne University
The lone swimming senior, Kendall Field, finished her 6th year as a varsity swimmer. Kendall was All-Conference 14 times, 9 individual events and 5 relays. She holds 4 conference records. She was the CFIC Female Swimmer of the Year 2 times. She’s been a top five finisher at states 7 times. She’s received Coaches Award 4 times and she was one of this years captains. This past fall, Kendall signed a National Letter of Intent to swim at Lenoir-Rhyne. She has been awarded scholarship money for swimming as well as academics. 22
Athletics
Middle School Boys’ Basketball are SEMSAC Champions
JV Boys’ Basketball
The O’Neal middle school boys’ basketball team earned and thoroughly enjoyed an absolutely undefeated 2011/2012 season. Led by an experienced group of 8th graders and a tight-knit unit of 7th graders the Falcons pressed, ran, shot, and hustled their way through all opponents to finish 15-0. It’s been said that,” When no one cares who gets the credit, it’s amazing what you can accomplish”, and this group proved it. The season was capped by a hard fought SEMSAC tournament finals victory over Northwood Temple in the Hannah Center in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
Middle School Girls Have Winning Season The Middle School girls basketball team consisted of 15 players with only 5 returning from the previous year. The captains, Hannah Sullivan, Cydney Baldwin, and Avery Schaefer did a nice job stepping into leadership roles. Hannah and Rebecca Frye were strong guards in the front court. Both were aggressive defenders and capable of making three point shots. Giving solid minutes as back-up point and second guards were Kate Liner, Emma Furstein, Erin O’Connell, and Laura Greenwood. After Cydney injured her wrist, there was excellent play from Alyssa Pearson as a forward along with Avery. Also doing a great job as forwards were Alex Parrish, Lena Ataya, and Taylor Ellis. There were three talented centers – Elle Dembosky, Lindsay Waters, and Lindsay Vest. Although the team finished the season with a winning record, they were beaten in the first round of the tournament in a heartbreaking overtime loss. All of the girls improved immensely, and Coach Liner is looking forward to a strong team next year with seven returning players.
23
This year’s team had only 3 of the 12 players returning from 2010. It took a while to get the system in place and little by little, with a lot of work, things started to get better. Unfortunately, the conference was very difficult. The most impressive thing with this group of boys, led by Captains Joseph Taylor and Dylan Andrews, was they never quit no matter what the score and worked to get better at every practice. Other members of the team were, Carson Bolduc, Rick Catania, Ian Conklin, Parker Fisher, Joseph Garner, Austin Gibbons, Joshua Hager, Crawford Liner, Kross Ratliff, and Matthew Strunk.
Athletics
Varsity Girls’ Basketball
Varsity Boys’ Basketball
The O’Neal School Varsity Girls’ Basketball team completed the year with a record of 1-23. However, the team was much stronger than that in many ways. Playing in a very tough conference, Lady Falcons averaged 24 points per game for the first 17 games. After that, they averaged 34 points per game. Their toughness and character showed every game. One of the reasons for their success was the tireless work of co-captains Maeve Bartiss and Claire Russell. During practice and games, they kept the team positive, which helped them set little goals through out the year. One may not consider a 1-23 season a success, but this team stayed true to themselves and their coaches by never letting the scores of games affect their desire to play and learn the game of basketball.
The O’Neal varsity boy’s finished the season with a 7 -17 overall record and were 1 -10 in conference play. The season was highlighted by a homecoming win over non-conference foe Faith Christian in front of a raucous Hannah Center crowd. Junior captain Jacob Talbert led the team in points, rebounds, assists, and blocks and was supported by sophomore Jack Johnston who was second in scoring. Talbert was selected as a CFIC All Conference player for the second time. John Roger Moore’s play was limited by injury but his leadership was vital to team chemistry. The team was disciplined, played hard, and improved throughout the season due to the hard work put in by team captain Logan Butler, Luke Elliott, John Ronalter, Stephen Stewart, Grant Whitmire, and Ryan Williams. Fans packed the Hannah Center on Senior Night to recognize the contributions of Joe Thompson and Zeb Viskovich in their final home game. Talbert and Whitmire received Coaches’ Awards to honor their outstanding effort and commitment to O’Neal basketball.
After losing by a big margin early in the year, the team fought back and played one of their best games against the top team in the conference. Several parents from opposing teams and a few players as well, commented how they never quit and played hard right to the end. “As a coach for thirty years, I have never seen a team fight so hard against such great odds,” says Coach Don Woodfield. “They stayed strong and it showed every game. They obviously made their “MARK” on their coaches and opponents. Thank you for such a great season.” Julie Cencer was assistant coach.
24
Athletics
Varsity Cheerleading
The 2011-2012 varsity cheerleading squad had an outstanding season. The squad was led by Captains Jackie Chamberlain, Briana Wilkinson and Maria Morcom. All of the girls worked tirelessly to put new routines together. Although there was a very young squad this season and it endured some illnesses and injuries, the girls exceeded all expectations by excelling in higher level dances, cheers and stunts. They competed in the CFIC conference competition as well as in the NCISAA state competition. They had a great time and performed very well at both competitions. Jackie Chamberlain and Maria Morcom were All-Conference champions. Everyone is very excited as the squad prepares for next year’s season by offering ‘open mat’ sessions for all girls that are interested in trying out for cheerleading next year every Tuesday and Thursday after school. The squad is also looking forward to hosting the conference competition here at O’Neal in February 2013!
Middle School Cheerleading
Varsity Cheerleading Varsity & Middle School Cheerleaders
25
Great appreciation is given to Hunter Rudd ‘01 who has contributed much of the sports photography as well as shots of the Auction that were used in this edition of The O’Neal Magazine. Look for more of Hunter Rudd Photography in the future. www.HunterRuddPhotography.com
This magazine is a product of The O’Neal School Department of Institutional Advancement If you would like to receive a printed copy, please email the Director of Communications, Kathy Taylor ktaylor@onealschool.org