The Webb Schools WEBB Magazine Fall/Winter 2020 by The Webb Schools

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FALL/WINTER 2020 Unbounded Academics Unbounded Afternoons Unbounded Days 2020

Magazine

IN DIGITAL ARTS, GLOBAL ETHICS, PALEONTOLOGY, OR SCIENCE & ENGINEERING GRADES 7, 8, & 9

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WEBB JUNIOR SCHOLARS SUMMER PROGRAM

THE BOUNDED ISSUE

CREDITS

VOLUME 23, NUMBER 1

Executive Editor Joe Woodward

ADMINISTRATION

The Centennial THE Years Opening Celebrations 2022October 1–3, 2020 The Webb Schools The Centennial

Vivian Webb School

1981

Next 100

The Centennial Years Opening Celebrations October 1–3, 2020

In 1922 Thompson and Vivian Webb founded The Webb Schools in the rolling foothills of Claremont, California. THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2020 Over the last 100 years, we’ve seen the timeless values

OCTOBER 1, 2020

OCTOBER 2, 2020

FRIDAY 28th Annual Peccary Grand Opening: 2020 Society Dinner OCTOBER 2,Hooper Community Center and Evening first embedded in M. theAlf Webb School of California tested Raymond Museum 1936 28th Annual Peccary Grand Opening of Paleontology Centennial Plaza and reaffirmed, the establishment of the world class

Society Dinner Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology, and the founding Parents Day and flourishing of a singular and extraordinary Vivian Day Webb School. Always more than the sum of its parts, FRIDAY THE WEBB SCHOOLS continue to thrive today, anOCTOBER 2, 2020 OCTOBER 2, 2020

educational powerhouse like no other.

1922

Webb School of California

1922

1936

1981

Webb School of California

Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology

Vivian Webb School

Parents Day

Day & Evening The Centennial Years FRIDAY, SATURDAY Opening Celebration

OCTOBER 2–3, 2020 The Evening of Friday, October 2

The Centennial Years 2022 Opening Celebration The Webb Schools The Centennial

Evening Hooper Community Center and OCTOBER 3, 2020 Centennial Plaza Alumni Weekend

Alumni Weekend

Contributors Dutch Barhydt, Debbie Carini, Andrew Farke, John Ferrari, Don Lofgren, Jessica Rice ’12, Laura Wensley

Taylor B. Stockdale Head of Schools

Hector Martinez Dean of College Guidance

Theresa A. Smith, Ph.D. Assistant Head of Schools

Michael Hoe ’04 Director of Studies

Dutch Barhydt Director of Institutional Advancement

Janet K. Peddy Director of Finance, Planning & Operations

Photography Don Lofgren, Nancy Newman, Scott Nichols

Jamila Everett, Ed.D. Director of Admission & Financial Aid

Joe Woodward Director of Strategic Communications

Printing Dual Graphics

HONORARY TRUSTEES

Nondiscrimination Policy The Webb Schools admit students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the schools. The Webb Schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law in administration of their educational policies, tuition assistance, athletic, and other school-administered programs, or any other basis in law.

Donald L. Lofgren, Ph.D. Director, Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2019-20

Sanjiv P. Dholakia ’87, Chairman David Loo ’79, Vice Chair Christina Mercer McGinley, Ph.D. ’84, Vice Chair, Secretary R. Larry Ashton ’70, Chairman, Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology Board, ex officio Blake H. Brown ’68 Michael M. Chang ’92 Deval R. Dvivedi ’00 Jenna Z. Gambaro ’95 Janel Henriksen Hastings, Ph.D. ’87 John F. Holliday ’84 Wendy Hornbuckle William Hornbuckle Naveen Jeereddi ’92 Sandra Lee Rebish, M.D. ’88 Julia Marciari-Alexander, Ph.D. ’85 Roger J. Millar ’61 Rahmi Mowjood, D.O. ’90 David C. Myles, Ph.D. ’80 Mickey E. Novak ’70 Janet K. Peddy, Director of Finance, Planning and Operations, Chief Financial Officer & Secretary, ex officio R.J. Romero Miles Rosedale ’69 Wendin D. Smith, Ph.D. ’89 Taylor Stockdale, Head of Schools, President & Chief Executive Officer, ex officio Lara Tiedens, Ph.D. Denis Yip

LIFE TRUSTEES

Jim Drasdo ’63 Hugh H. Evans Jr. ’49 Anne Gould Earl (Bud) Hoover II ’52 Murray H. Hutchinson Ann Longley Claire H. McCloud Kimball (Kim) McCloud ’67 Susan A. Nelson Paul M. Reitler ’54 Peter Ziegler ’63

Robert Hefner ’53 Pak Fu King Ming Chung Liu Yafei Yuan

ALF MUSEUM BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2019-20

R. Larry Ashton ’70, Chairman Gretchen J. Augustyn Terry W. Baganz William Baldwin Richard H. Clark Sanjiv P. Dholakia ’87, Chairman, The Webb Schools, ex officio Daniel (Dan) Gluckstein, M.D. Jack (Jay) Greening Ronald (Ron) P. Hagander ’66 James E. Hall, Ph.D. ’59 F. Gard Jameson, Ph.D. ’71 Carl W. R. Lachman ’86 Donald L. Lofgren, Ph.D., Museum Director, President, ex officio David P. Mirkin, M.D. ’66 L.J. Patrick Muffler, Ph.D. ’54 Michelle Plyley Mary W. Rose, Ph.D. Charles Steinmann, MD Taylor Stockdale, Head of Schools, ex officio Page W. Thibodeaux Monica Atiyeh Whitaker ’96 Lance C. Williams ’97 Tammy Zipser

LIFE MEMBERS

Anne G. Earhart Sherwood C. Kingsley ’58 John (Dick) R. Lynas ’55 Douglas F. Myles Michael O. Woodburne, Ph.D.

Design Shari Fournier-O’Leary

The Webb Schools — Memberships The Association of Boarding Schools; National Association of Independent Schools; California Association of Independent Schools; Western Boarding Schools Association; Western Association of Schools and Colleges; National Coalition of Girls’ Schools; Independent Curiculum Group; College Entrance Examination Board; Educational Records Bureau; Association of Independent School Admission Professionals; National Association of College Admission Counselors; Council for the Advancement and Support of Education; and the Cum Laude Society. Alf Museum — Memberships Geological Society of America; Society of Vertebrate Paleontology; American Alliance of Museums; Association of Science Museum Directors; American Association for the Advancement of Science; Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections; and the National Association of Geology Teachers. Publication Information WEBB magazine is the official publication of The Webb Schools. Postmaster: Send address changes to: The Webb Schools 1175 W. Baseline Road Claremont, CA 91711 PH (909) 626-3587 FAX (909) 621-4582 EMAIL: alumni@webb.org webb.org THE MISSION of The Webb Schools is to provide an exemplary learning community that nurtures and inspires boys and girls to become men and women who: Think boldly, mindfully and creatively, Act with honor and moral courage, • Lead with distinction, • Serve with a generous spirit. • •

Meet our writers... Debbie Carini is a writer and development professional. She has been affiliated with The Webb Schools since 1999 as a writer for the magazine as well as various campaign and fundraising materials; she is also a successful grant writer for the Schools and Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology.

John Ferrari has experience as a newspaper journalist and as a writer, editor, communications strategist and public outreach specialist in higher education. He has written feature articles on topics ranging from astrophysics and genetics to theme parks and, of course, the Alf Museum. He also serves as a public affairs officer in the Navy Reserve.

WEBB Magazine FALL/WINTER 2020

Cover photo by Ryan Au â&#x20AC;&#x2122;12 from his Bike the Coast Unbounded Days Course.

FEATURES

WEBB TODAY

NEWSNOTES

2 From the Head of Schools 4 Unbounded Academic 16 Unbounded Afternoons, Afterwards & Everywhere 28 The Arts at Webb 34 Wellness at Webb 38 The Alf Museum 44 Athletics 46 Giving and Volunteering 48 52 62 74 76

Alumni Profiles Events & Highlights Alumni News In Memoriam Final Word

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the moonshot

E C EN T LY, I was reading an interesting article in

Barron’s by Abby Schultz, “The Age of Moonshots” (Dec. 9, 2019). In the piece, Schultz describes the unique partnership forged by Eric Schmidt (former CEO of Google) and Tom Kalil to identify and support the world’s greatest challenges with potential breakthrough ideas, something they’ve branded “ambitious yet achievable goals.” Schultz delves into Schmidt Futures, the philanthropic institute that is working its way through The Moonshot Catalog to fund cures for infectious

diseases, climate change and world hunger. Schmidt and Kalil are not alone in the search to find and fund moonshot ideas. However, for me, their partnership is the perfect lens through which to see a world where young people can forge governmental, corporate and non-profit coalitions to tackle our greatest challenges.

Schultz’s article also caused me to think again about another miraculous feat of science that occurred in the U.S. some 50 years ago. As many of you will remember, this past year we celebrated several significant milestones from the summer of 1969. Because I was just 7 at the time, Woodstock was not the most vivid to me (though I do remember my oldest brother and mom arguing over whether he could attend that epic festival in upstate New York). No, for me, it was the moon landing on July 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong took “one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.”

were well ahead of the U.S. in the space race and in military build-up. He knew we needed a “leapfrog” moment to shift the playing field. This would be it. While the traditional path would have had us stick with the Mercury space program, he decided to shift to Apollo, to take the risk and fight for something that would change everything. Kennedy fashioned the space race into a race for freedom and put the military industrial complex behind it. On that fateful night in the summer of ’69, long after President Kennedy’s tragic and untimely death, we as a nation accomplished just that.

That summer my mom had rented a cottage for us on Long Island Sound, next to my grandparents’ cottage. Unfortunately, that night I made a few bad decisions and was sent to bed early. Yet, in the rarest of circumstances, my mom granted me an early release—allowing me to watch from the stairs, looking down into the living room where 20-plus people were glued to the fuzzy black and white screen. Even to a 7-year-old, this seemed utterly surreal. We, as a human species, were actually standing on the surface of the moon, looking down on Earth. How could this happen?

The point of all of this is to remind us that, in any sustained endeavor, there are moments in time that a moonshot is what’s called for. As I think about Webb, I know that the Schools are no exception. I know that The Centennial is our moonshot, our leapfrog moment in the world of education. We will take what Thompson and Vivian worked so hard to build, and put it on a different trajectory. We will secure our endowment, fortify and forever preserve our beautiful hillsides, build and sustain a boarding school faculty second to none, and impact the lives of our students so that they have the ability, compassion and reserve to tackle the most complex problems and make the world a better place.

Looking back on it now, it is hard to fathom we could attempt such a mission, given the technology available in 1969. In truth, we had no business doing it. So, why did we? It began as a dream, turned into a bold challenge, delivered by President Kennedy to a joint session of Congress on May 25, 1961. “I believe this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth…” Most people in the scientific and military communities thought he was crazy, a madman politician. They believed there were too many scientific and technological obstacles to succeed. What most people didn’t realize was how carefully President Kennedy had crafted his proposal. He knew the Soviets

We are thrilled to launch The Centennial Years Opening Celebration on October 1-3, 2020, just 9 months from now. It will be a momentous occasion in the history of Webb and one I invite you join. You will hear much more from us about all this in the months ahead. In the meantime, let the countdown begin!

Taylor B. Stockdale Head of Schools

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or Head of Schools Taylor Stockdale, unbounded is in the very fabric of The Webb Schools. “When he founded The Webb School, Thompson Webb emphasized honor and moral courage, leadership and service, and those are timeless values we continue to cherish today,” he explains. “But even then, almost 100 years ago, understanding and applying those virtues required an unbounded mindset: innovative thinking and the ability to solve problems, not just to recite facts. Nurturing that unbounded mindset has always been what Webb does best.”

BY JOHN FERRARI

What does unbounded look like at Webb? How is it lived, here? How is learning unbounded inside Webb’s rigorous, college-prep academic program– and why?

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Beyond timeless values, what does unbounded mean today?

nbounded, says Assistant Head of

JEFF CRIPE ’08 Yale University, BA Jeff Cripe ’08 had already made his mark on the sciences when he headed off to Yale in 2008. In 2005, the young paleontologist discovered a site in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah, that has produced dozens of specimens, some more than 75 million years old. Today, he is discovering new ways to bring services— similar to the way the airline industry monetizes flights with entertainment and commerce—to the ride-share economy through his company, Cargo. Cargo provides daily essentials like phone chargers, gum and snacks to passengers in ride-share vehicles. Cargo’s next big idea will be launched in early 2020. The start-up has already teamed with three leading ride-hailing companies—Uber, Grab and Go-Jek. Drivers strap Cargo’s box of snacks to their arm rest, and riders scan a QR code to pull up menus of what’s inside. The company has already raised $30 million from investors. “Half of becoming and succeeding as an entrepreneur is mustering the courage to take the leap in the first place,” says Cripe. “The unbounded thinking philosophy imprinted on me and is absolutely consistent with the entrepreneurial mindset.”

Schools Dr. Theresa Smith, means breaking down artificial boundaries and opening up opportunities for students,

rather than restricting them to a rigid educational program. “We

strive to have students think beyond traditional disciplines,” she says. “They need to understand how to apply knowledge, how to gain new knowledge, and how to ask new questions. As they head out into the world they need to be master learners, because they’re graduating into a world that’s continuing to evolve. “Webb has a history of embracing this expansive educational philosophy,” she adds. “But it’s become necessary for success in the 21st century. You can’t prepare students for success the same way so many schools did in the pre-Internet age. It’s not the same world.” Building on its history, Webb is pioneering new ways to foster unbounded thinking, from innovative curricula to dynamic student projects. Both the humanities and science curricula emphasize critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and encourage students to consider problems from more than one perspective. Webb’s recently redesigned core curricula integrate traditionally separate disciplines into unbounded, interdisciplinary courses. Humanities courses encompass English and history, for example, while science courses combine physics and chemistry with other fields, including biology, geology and paleontology.

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TERENCE TIEN ’13 University of California, San Diego, BS Engineering “The happiest place on earth …” That’s where Terence Tien ’13 gets to go to work each day! As an Associate Project Engineer with Walt Disney Imagineering in the Design + Planning Studio, Tien works with the Imagineers who design the immersive built environments at Disney’s parks and resorts. In his role as a Project Engineer, he provides technical integration between all of Disney’s studio partners including Creative Show, Ride Engineering, R&D, Live Entertainment, and much more. “We use a series of 3D visualization tools and issuesresolution management to bring ideas from a sketch to a reality that guests can see, touch, feel and experience,” explains Tien. “This job has one of the most tangible rewards: one in which you get to directly see how your team's creations have created memorable experiences for the guests and families who come to visit the parks.” In college, Tien participated in the Disney Imaginations Design competition where his team of six was among the top finalists to present and interview for internships with the company. At Webb, it was an encounter during Unbounded Days 2012 that led to a career choice that would combine Tien’s dream job in a creative and technical position. “I was assigned to the Exploring Careers course. We were tasked with identifying what our dream job was, which sounded cheesy at first, but gave us the opportunity to dive deep and explore career options that peaked our interests,” says Tien. “I threw out that becoming an Imagineer sounded like a spectacular job, though it was a pipe dream at that point in time. Laura Wensley and Anne Stewart jumped through hoops to provide us with glimpses into the industries we had listed. As a result, I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the Dreamworks campus as well as speak to a Webb alumnus at USC regarding video game development. The experience lasted less than a week and was seemingly insignificant in the greater timeline throughout high school; however, this week made a significant impact that continues to remind me to this day how every moment can and should be cherished, and it ultimately lead to the career I have today, where I do not feel I work a single day in my life.”

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“ INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE COURSES TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO THINK LIKE SCIENTISTS, HOW TO DO RESEARCH LIKE SCIENTISTS. THAT GIVES STUDENTS THE CONFIDENCE TO ASK QUESTIONS THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER, AND THAT’S HOW REAL SCIENCE WORKS.”

Webb’s interdisciplinary education gives students opportunities to consider and solve real problems, Director of Experiential Learning Dr. Susanna Linsley explains. “We’re always asking students to do real work…. From Day 1, they’re asked to do what scientists do, what scholars do, what engineers do…. You would never see a scholar not bring in other disciplines.” “There’s been a consensus in academic circles that interdisciplinary humanities have a great deal of merit,” says Humanities Department Chair Jess Fisher. But where most schools just dabble with an interdisciplinary approach, she adds, Webb has taken a bolder step, combining the humanities into a single interdisciplinary humanities department. The schools’ humanities courses teach discipline-specific skills such as critical analysis, composition and historical causality, but students weave in different topics, approaches and skill sets. In the 21st century, she notes, “skills are more important than encyclopedic knowledge.” That has led to a shift in educational thinking, away from a focus on canon knowledge and towards an emphasis on skills. Content and knowledge are still important, Fisher says, but emphasizing interdisciplinary skills allows students “to hone in on one or another aspect of the course. In interdisciplinary courses, there are multiple access points to the topic, and the more choices students have, the more they’ll get out of their education.” With this unbounded approach, students benefit from a “360-degree view” of the issues they’re studying, says Linsley. “Interdisciplinary education provides different lenses for students to view the same question. It gives them the perspectives and tools to think about topics deeply and creatively.” The interdisciplinary approach encourages students to engage with and understand material, she adds. “They’re never being given a watered-down version of a discipline. They’re being given the real version.”

This is just as true of Webb’s science curriculum. Interdisciplinary science courses “teach students how to think like scientists, how to do research like scientists,” says Science Department Chair Lisa Blomberg. Webb science courses emphasize science skills, critical thinking skills and problem-solving skills – not just arriving at the correct answer, she explains. “That gives students the confidence to ask questions they may not be able to answer, and that’s how real science works.”

MARJA DIAZ ’12 Stanford University, BA Human Biology with concentration in Behavioral Neuropsychology; minor in Italian Marja Diaz ’12 truly exemplified unbounded thinking in her first two years at Stanford University. “The unofficial Stanford motto is Die Luft der Freiheit weht, which translates to ‘the wind of freedom blows.’ I took this quite literally to heart when it came to my educational pursuits. This is a nice way of saying I took everything and anything in terms of courses throughout my first two years. While at times it may have seemed haphazard, there was always a common thread of media and science,” she says. Similar to Webb's Unbounded Days, Stanford also offered extended seminars called alternative spring breaks; Diaz went on the Stanford in Hollywood trip, which opened her eyes to the possibility of working in the entertainment industry. Combined with an overseas photojournalism seminar in South Africa that focused on conservation, Diaz was led to the perfect amalgamation that is the field of documentary films. She credits teacher Brett Potash with helping her to understand that learning doesn’t just come from academic pursuits inside a classroom. “His class helped me take to heart this idea of unbounded thinking, one that I brought with me to Stanford and ultimately to where I am now.” Diaz coordinates all stages of the creative progress, from development through production, for National Geographic’s documentary films and scripted series.

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The interdisciplinary approach “prevents students from

AUDREY RANGEL ’00 George Washington University, BA International Relations and Affairs University of Sydney, Master of International Public Health Monash University, Registered Nursing As a medical team leader with Medecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), Audrey Rangel ’00, works at a children’s hospital in Nigeria where her team treat patients with NOMA, an infection of the mouth and face. “As the head of the team, I ensure all clinical care. We also do surgical interventions for patients with facial deformities four times a year when international surgeons come in for two weeks,” says Rangel. Describing her job as “a lot of program planning, improvements on clinical care, supervision of staff, coordinating of medical stock and liaising with government officials,” Rangel has also worked in emergencies including the Ebola epidemic in Liberia and Sierra Leone, famine in South Sudan, Hurricane Matthew in Haiti, and in the largest refugee camp in the world in Bangladesh. “At the end of the day, what I really do is play with kids for about an hour a day, and that is my favorite part!” she says. After completing her BA and Master’s degrees, Rangel realized she wanted to do more hands-on work directly with patients. “My training as a nurse has facilitated my career in emergency response with my masters giving me a more theoretical background,” she explains. At Webb, Rangel credits her advisor, Joanne Kingston, with encouraging compassion and giving in her students. “Ms. Kingston used to make us practice random acts of kindness once a week,” she says. “She really inspired me and fostered my humanitarian side; she even said to me at one point that she knew I would help people in my life. I hope I have made her proud.”

compartmentalizing information,” says science faculty member Dr. Nicole Windmon. “It builds skills to approach problems from multiple angles at once.

“Just anecdotally,” she adds, “I see a lot of schools trying to incorporate project-based, integrated science courses for these reasons, but Webb’s already where they want to be…. It’s not easy to teach interdisciplinary science courses: the teachers have to be comfortable thinking in different disciplines. The quality of the faculty we have here at Webb allows us to do that kind of interdisciplinary work.” “It’s tough to find really great teachers who can cross between disciplines,” agrees Blomberg. “It takes teachers who have a research background, or who are very experienced educators. Webb is fortunate to have such teachers.” Unbounded thinking brings the sciences and humanities together, too. “Many of us begin our science classes with ethical questions,” she notes. “It’s even part of the science department’s mission statement – we’re educating ethical, courageous global citizens.” “We want them to know, for example, that ethics is a consideration in science as much as it is in the humanities,” adds Smith. “That’s part of the importance of breaking down barriers between disciplines and perspectives: the world doesn’t keep topics separate.” All these ideas come together in the semester-long elective “Global Societies and Sustainability.” Led by humanities faculty member Michelle Gerken, the course surveys human-environmental interaction through perspectives including anthropology, history, literature, science and environmental writing, ecology, sustainability, biology and botany. Gerken says the course, with its goal of introducing students to different perspectives and ways of thinking, only works in an interdisciplinary, unbounded context. “It gives students different paths they can explore,” she explains. Combining readings with exploration of the local environment, in partnership with the Claremont Colleges’ Robert J. Bernard Biological Field Station, the elective goes beyond classroom study and crosses disciplines. The most recent course culminated in a class project focusing on Webb Schools land north of Chandler Field. Students surveyed the resident flora, rehabilitated a ½ mile trail and developed proposals for use of the area. Gerken envisions a collaboration between the class, the science department, and Webb’s outdoor activity and community service programs to maintain the area and investigate native and non-native landscapes.

“ YOU CAN’T TEACH A TEXT WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE WORLD THAT CREATED THE TEXT.”

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hat’s unbounded thinking, and a collaboration across disciplines, curricula and perspectives that is “organic and a natural crossover,” says Blomberg. It’s also just one example of unbounded Webb courses. Another

humanities course might focus on very different perspectives. Take “L.A. Literary Culture.” Led by humanities faculty members Drew Calvert and Kevin Riel, the course goes beyond books (and movies) to explore the social, cultural and environmental contexts that produced, and continue to shape, Los Angeles, representations of Los Angeles and writings from Los Angeles. “You can’t teach a text without talking about the world that created the text,” explains Riel. Webb’s entrepreneurship elective is structured as “a creative thinking class as opposed to a traditional business class,” says humanities faculty member Will Allan ’94. Building skills as varied as multimedia presentation and applied science, “the interdisciplinary nature of the course is organic,” says fellow humanities faculty member Ken Rosenfeld. Balancing creativity and accuracy in developing and presenting their ideas, “we’re asking students to tap into aspects of their brain they haven’t had to in other classes.” That, Allan says, is “the core of entrepreneurship: the ability to look at a problem with new eyes.” And Webb’s core Integrated Physics and Chemistry course crosses disciplines and skill sets from the students’ first project, as they use physics, engineering, scientific measurement and design thinking to plan, build and test model roller coasters. A later project, in which students develop and analyze a sports drink, combines knowledge, disciplines and skills including chemical bonding, food science, stoichiometry and titration. Beyond science, the project encourages critical thinking about nutrition and marketing, says Windmon. As well as critical thinking and problem solving, communication is a core skill common to Webb courses. “Writing and communication are at the core of all

disciplines,” explains Linsley. “Not just scientific content, but how to communicate science is so important,” says Windmon. As are other “soft skills,” from time management to teamwork, integral to Webb’s student-centered learning model, which encourages students to be active participants in the creation of their own knowledge and skills. “A Webb education is unbounded in the sense of being interdisciplinary, but also in terms of skills, from scoping projects and developing timelines to communicating and presenting ideas,” says Windmon. “Our students have a very keen sense of how knowledge is created,” says Smith, because that’s what they’re doing. Webb’s student-centered approach to learning affords a degree of flexibility that allows teachers to work with students at each student’s level and impart deep understanding, says Director of Studies Michael Hoe ’04. “Today, schools tend to push distinct pedagogies,” he explains. “Webb’s pedagogy doesn’t fit into one particular style, teachers can use multiple pedagogies and modalities, depending on the goal. It’s an unbounded pedagogy, so there are multiple ways for students to learn. A traditional modality is more about rote learning, but data show that student-based learning engages students more fully and results in deeper knowledge, and the ability to apply knowledge across disciplines or problems. “Webb and Webb faculty believe in student-centered learning,” he adds. “The curriculum wouldn’t be possible without the teachers buying into what it stands for. We tend to get teachers who are very thoughtful and intentional about designing courses. There are still lectures… but we let students take charge of their learning. That’s what’s going to unlock deep learning.” In today’s connected world, where access to information is often instantaneous, “applying learning is different than it was in the past,” Hoe says. “Encyclopedic knowledge is less useful than the ability to manipulate knowledge, and that’s what student-based learning gives students. Webb prepares students to become responsible citizens of the world and engage in responsible, respectful discourse. Those are life skills.”

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ALAN HAU ’04 University of Chicago, BS in Biochemistry/Chemistry, BA in Economics Cornell University, M.Eng. Computer Science Alan Hau ’04 has found a way to combine business and philanthropy that is directly related to his experience with unbounded thinking at Webb. Hau is the founder of Sleep Wooven, a direct-to-consumer luxury bedding company. Hau sources new products from around the world and brings them to the online market while being “ethical and choosing to support people who are the most powerless in my community,” he explains. In his experience at the University of Chicago, Hau says students were told from day one that all the social science classes are not interesting until after they had graduated. “It finally makes sense now. I learned all the tools and worked in the respective fields just to find how certain social systems exacerbate inequality. It is not challenging to find a job with a decent education, but it is hard to not participate in the same game without making any sacrifices to your career. It’s even harder to take a stab at the social issues and try to make it work.” A portion of all Sleep Wooven’s profit is directed to helping LGBTQI organizations in Hong Kong, with a focus on providing mental health services. “Unbounded thinking is more than thinking, it is about feeling and empathizing with your partners and colleagues. It’s also about learning to listen to the woes of others and always being there to catch them in their need,” he says. Hau feels there is a dual benefit to this thinking, “Your kindness will not only liberate others, but your own heart as well.” He is the first to admit that these ideals of unbounded thinking sounded unrealistic and hypothetical when he was at Webb, but he is glad the seed was planted in him. “You must walk this path to actually feel it. It’s an experience that cannot be taught in books. I’m empowered to continue my work in LGBTI advocacy and other marginalized topics in my community and philosophies like those of unbounded thinking are a key ingredient.”

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In one sense, student-centered learning isn’t new: it’s not dissimilar from the constructivist theory of learning developed decades ago by Swiss psychologist and child development expert Jean Piaget. Like constructivism, studentcentered learning proceeds from the idea that students learn best, not when they are passively receiving knowledge, but when they are constructing their own knowledge. That’s why, Jess Fisher says, at Webb teachers are seen as coaches and facilitators of learning. But in another sense, student-centered learning is a new idea for the 21st century. Piaget couldn’t foresee today’s hyper-connected, information-saturated world, and we can’t be sure what the world will look like tomorrow. That, says Head of Schools Stockdale, is why an unbounded education is important – and, at the same time, why tradition matters. “Today’s world, across so many professions and to address so many issues, requires people to rapidly develop new and different skill sets for success. Some schools still rely on very traditional teaching methods and pedagogies. On the other hand, some schools chase educational trends. In contrast, Webb balances tradition and innovation.

“We value honor and moral courage, leadership and service. In a fast-changing world these foundational qualities are like bricks you need to build a meaningful life. But Webb also instills in students the ability to think fluidly, to think about things differently and use knowledge in new ways. Today’s students who combine timeless values with unbounded thinking are the people who are going to change the world tomorrow.” “Unbounded thinkers will be the ones to solve the challenges facing society,” agrees Windmon. And even before they set about shaping the world, says Linsley, Webb’s unbounded education gives students the background and tools to shape their own lives. “Ultimately,” she says, “We’re getting to the big questions: What matters? Why are we here? What will make us better people? “That’s what a liberal arts education does…. That’s unbounded.”

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UNBOUNDED AFTERNOONS, AFTERWARDS & EVERYWHERE

17 BY JOHN FERRARI

Webb’s unbounded education doesn’t stop at the classroom door. It doesn’t stop at the edge of campus. And it doesn’t stop when classes end for the day. An unbounded education takes Webb students outside the classroom, beyond campus and through the afternoons and weekends. An unbounded education takes place everywhere.

“That comes straight from our mission statement,” says Head of Schools Taylor Stockdale. “Our goal is to nurture students to think boldly, mindfully, and creatively, act with honor and moral courage, lead with distinction, and serve with a generous spirit. Academics is the core of the daily schedule, but reaching our goal takes more than that. It takes ethics and morality, understanding the world we share…. It takes experience.”

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ACADEMICS IS A BIG PART OF THE WEBB EXPERIENCE, AND THAT’S WHERE UNBOUNDED STARTS: WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT LEARNING TAKES PLACE BEYOND THE CLASSROOM, AS WELL AS IN IT.

Webb is uniquely positioned for this unbounded learning. “Webb’s location is a huge part of the school,” explains Director of Experiential Learning Dr. Susanna Linsley. “We’re at the intersection of the natural and built environments, in these beautiful foothills but also right next to Los Angeles.” From trails in the San Gabriel mountains, to laboratories at the Claremont Colleges, to start-ups and business suites in Los Angeles, Webb students enrich their academic experience with real-world experiences. “Our location offers unique opportunities,” says Assistant Head of Schools Dr. Theresa Smith. “Los Angeles is an incredible site of scientific and

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artistic creation…. There’s not any industry that’s not wellrepresented in L.A., and we constantly develop connections and partnerships — from field trips to ongoing research projects — that allow students to connect with the kind of work they might do after graduation. “As an example, our organic chemistry course has access to the mass spectrometer at Pomona College. Even today, not many high schools have a mass spectrometer. In the arts, this past fall I took students from my own class to see Mozart’s Magic Flute at the LA Opera in an innovative staging combining opera with elements of silent movies from the 1920s. That’s going beyond the classroom to experience something that’s only in L.A.” “Los Angeles really becomes an extended classroom for our students,” adds Director of Studies Michael Hoe ’04. “Most boarding schools are in really remote areas. Webb is at the edge of Los Angeles, which is incredibly diverse. It’s really all of Southern California: Webb can draw on resources at the Claremont Colleges, and resources in Pasadena, the South Bay and Orange County. “We have an arrangement with a professor at Harvey Mudd College: students interested in advanced computer programming can take college-level courses. That’s right down the street. But then we also take students camping as part of our literature and the wilderness course.” “There are so many resources near us,” says Linsley. “From the Autry Museum and the Huntington Library to the Los Angeles Public Library. Unbounded learning can take place even during a single class period — for example, Michelle Gerken taking her global societies and sustainability students to the Bernard Field Station, or taking a Chinese language class to a dim sum restaurant in Rowland Heights. Last year I took a class to Scripps College and was able to hold a Babylonian cuneiform tablet that was thousands of years old. “The litmus test for field study success is this question: Did you experience something you haven’t before? That’s unbounded education, because it goes beyond just learning something to experiencing it.”

UNBOUNDED DAYS 2020 The purpose is clear. Unbounded Days draws upon The Webb Schools’ enduring purpose of inspiring students to boldly reach for a greater sense of who they are and what they can achieve. Through immersive, collaborative, relevant and deeply engaging journeys that connect the classroom and the broader world, students expand their understanding of what it means to think, create and reflect. They learn that their possibilities and their minds are truly unbounded. When Robert A. Hefner III ’53 made a generous endowment gift to the schools, he made provisions to enable Webb to learn directly from extraordinary individuals. In this spirit, Unbounded Days was created. It has grown not only from Mr. Hefner’s personal thirst for creativity and love of exploration, but also out of his deep admiration for one of his former Webb teachers, Dr. Ray Alf, who first showed him how to think beyond what he could see. Unbounded Days is supported by the Robert A. Hefner III ’53 Endowment for Excellence in Science.

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TODAY THE ALF MUSEUM IS FULLY ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS AND IS THE ONLY NATIONALLY ACCREDITED MUSEUM ON A HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS IN THE UNITED STATES.

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PERHAPS THE MOST UNIQUE RESOURCE FOR WEBB STUDENTS IS ON CAMPUS: THE RAYMOND M. ALF MUSEUM OF PALEONTOLOGY. ESTABLISHED BY WEBB TEACHER RAY ALF IN 1939— many years before it was named after him — today the Alf Museum is fully accredited by the American Association of Museums and is the only nationally accredited museum on a high school campus in the United States. The Alf Museum maintains close ties to The Webb Schools and provides oneof-a-kind opportunities for students, from fossil-collecting “peccary trips” across the United States and internationally, to research projects. Student projects at the museum are “professional-level activities,” says Museum Director Dr. Don Lofgren. “That kind of work is not available for students even at most undergrad institutions.” There are about two dozen Webb students involved in research projects, Lofgren says, but every Webb student can engage with the Alf Museum through the peccary trips — a treasured Webb tradition — and paleontology and museum research classes. And the experiences encompass more than paleontology, he adds. “The projects teach skills from the specifics of data analysis to broad questions like how to figure out the knowledge needed to solve a problem or answer a question.” “The idea of teaching skills like this is to empower students to be scientists,” explains Augustyn Family Curator, and Director of Research and Collections Dr. Andrew Farke. “Mastering content doesn’t make you a scientist; science is a method of interacting with the world. “Traditional science teaching can be disassociated from actual science,” he continues. “That can be frankly boring.” Webb’s emphasis on unbounded experiences lets students look at the world from new perspectives. On peccary trips, student discoveries extend beyond fossilized dinosaurs (although those do turn up), Farke says. “Peccary trips give students experience with different social and cultural milieus. Being out there, in Idaho or Montana, emphasizes the diversity of the U.S., and gives kids the experience of really being outside. There are moments when the students realize how different the environment is. It brings a different level of self-awareness. For the students, the whole experience embodies the idea that they can make a discovery.”

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Research with Drones: The Role of Technology in BIOLOGY and CONSERVATION Conservation technology is an ever-evolving field as we learn to apply our knowledge of statistics, engineering and biology to complex socio-political problems. In this course, we will look at ways that technology is being incorporated into conservation science on both a local and global scale. We will interweave foundational field techniques with cutting-edge technology used in conservation science today. We get down and dirty with insects, fly high with drones, use spatial statistics too and maps created using ArchGIS and cap off the experience by imagining how futuristic technology can help reconnect humanity with nature at the San Diego Zoo. After an exciting day learning about conservation technology at the San Diego Zoo, we will enjoy some delicious Mexican food and reflect on our day at a beach bonfire (with banana boats). The culmination of our time together will be a presentation of the data we’ve collected and analyzed in the context of local ecology and its connections to policy.

Faculty: Carissa DeRanek & Nika Haleftiras

Canyoneering in Zion Ready for adventure? On this exciting five-day trip, we’ll explore the “red rock country” of the Southwest and spend our final days in Zion National Park. Using a variety of techniques—rock scrambling, climbing, rappelling on rope and even swimming (dry suits will keep us warm)—we will traverse the selfie-worthy topography of red rocks through slot canyoneering. Cutting through Navajo Sandstone, our technical canyoneering skills will help us explore terrain firsthand. You’ll learn the skills you need from experts, who will guide us through rock formations and underground pools that were formed millions of years ago. Our final canyon—The Narrows—is home to one of the world’s best slot canyon hikes, following the Virgin River. Short dry hikes and wall climbs will round out our time as we enjoy some of the most breathtaking views in the Southwest! Spend four nights under the starry skies on this once in a Webb lifetime experience!

Faculty: Melanie Bauman & Lisa Blomberg

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UNBOUNDED DAYS 2020

Kayaking the Colorado River

Join us for Webb’s first ever Unbounded Days kayaking expedition of the Colorado River. This is no glamping trip. You will paddle about 8 miles each day, stopping for lunch along the way. The section of the river we will navigate is moving flatwater with no rapids—just beautiful green water. Each night we will prepare our meals and camp near the river. Along the way you will develop or strengthen your outdoor leaderships skills including communication, navigation, collaboration and mental toughness. In addition, you will learn to identify and appreciate the different eco-systems of the Colorado River Basin, star gaze and consider the economic impact the 1,450-mile river has on the region, most notably the way it fuels agriculture in the Southwest. View the land and water from a completely different vantage point and challenge your body and mind along the way.

Faculty: Brian Caldwell & Rick Duque

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e Alf Museum and peccary trips may be Webb’s most h iconic extracurricular activities, but unbounded experiential opportunities hardly end there: students can explore everything from robotics to technical theater, community service and travel. Students who like to work with skeletons that are more metal than fossil can join Webb’s robotics team, which participates in the international FIRST Robotics Competition each year. Being part of the team, which designs, builds and deploys robots in competition (and cooperation) at meets, gives students an unbounded STEM experience, allowing them to tie knowledge and skills together, in areas that normally would be kept separate in the classroom. “There’s computer science and engineering,” says computer

science teacher and robotics afternoon activity advisor Carissa DeRanek. “You have to integrate the software with the hardware, and that’s something most students don’t see, even in college classes…. Beyond that, there are a lot of skills. Game design and logic is important to figure out your strategy and what you want your robot to do.” As team members, students also work through organization, goal setting, project management and communication. “In the short term, it builds really good

A Time to Play: The Art of Dramatic Writing In a word, it starts with words. Join us on a three-day investigation into what makes a successful script for the stage or screen. We will connect with theater experts for conversations on craft and what really makes Star Wars tick. And you will do some creating yourself! We will journey into Los Angeles for inspiration and writing exercises (and some good food); and over the course of the three days you will create a short play that will be performed on our last night together. Whether you are a budding play or screenwriter or just someone who wants to try their hand at something new, be prepared to immerse yourself into the world of dramatic writing. You never know, a Tony Award or Oscar just might be out there in your future!

Faculty: Stef Plumley & Brian Rogers

camaraderie among the students. In the longer term, it’s a good introduction to engineering. There are a lot of different niches you can fill on the team… and see what calls to you.” If there’s a unifying thread in Webb’s unbounded activities, it’s that they give students experiences, and teach skills, beyond what’s found in their descriptions. Like robotics team members, students in Webb’s technical theater program build communications skills, learn teamwork and have life experiences – in this case, the responsibility for ensuring the success of live performances. “They learn a lot of life skills,” says Technical Theater Program Director Alex Valdez. “The

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DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE USUALLY MEANS WORKING TOGETHER.

biggest is being proactive – to step up and do what needs to be done.” That’s important, he explains, when you’re designing the lighting for a play, managing the props for a musical, or even just ensuring the audiovisual equipment is properly set for a class taking place in the school’s Susan A. Nelson Performing Arts Center. On one of the technical theater program’s crews, doing what needs to be done usually means working together, and that’s another skill Valdez encourages: the ability to collaborate.

UNBOUNDED DAYS 2020

Giving and receiving constructive criticism is important, too. “All aspects of our program are in students’ hands,” he explains. “They need to work together to come up with the best plan, and not just a plan they came up with individually…. That’s

It’s Alive! A Journey into Contemporary Horror

the biggest lesson I want them to learn: commit to everything you do, but don’t get attached to it. And be passionate about everything you do…. That’s important for later in life.” Students involved in the technical theater program benefit the Webb community; those involved in the community service program help connect the school community and the broader community. Science faculty member and community service advisor John Choi understands what that can mean, and describes the program as community engagement or community partnership. “There shouldn’t be a hierarchy between Webb and the groups we’re working with,” he explains. “They’re helping us as much as we’re helping them.” Community engagement, he adds, exemplifies an unbounded education at Webb, because it gives students opportunities to experience other cultures and understand other perspectives. “Being part of it is really a window for many of them.” To bring these strands together, Choi is planning a trip to Hawaii this summer, during which students will work to rebuild fishponds. It’s an opportunity, he says, to combine cultural immersion, environmental science and sustainability. “Taking the students out of their usual environment, this is a way for them to understand history, culture, and environmental sustainability from another perspective. They’ll be engaging in a culture that so values their environment and so values their cultural capital.”

This four-day Unbounded course will lead students on an odyssey of the weird, the spooky, the unsettling and the downright terrifying. While we aim to make you cringe, we will do so with a clear goal in mind—to give you a better understanding of how and why contemporary writers, filmmakers and artists are twisting and deconstructing the tried-and-true tropes of the horror genre. We aim to participate in the current horror renaissance by helping students understand the deeply thoughtful underpinnings of an often misunderstood field. Students in this course should expect one overnight trip to a horrifying location and day trips to museums, art galleries, studios and other sites where artists are working to manifest universal fears into something tangible we will navigate together. As a culminating project, students will create their own piece of contemporary horror. CONTENT WARNING: Students may find some imagery and content explicit and disturbing. Faculty: Elizabeth Cantwell & Wendy Maxon

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“

think students have transformational experiences

when they are making an authentic difference,” says Science Department Chair Lisa Blomberg. “This trip is about ethics and responsibility and science as well as culture and service.”

These and the other unbounded opportunities Webb offers are very intentional, says Assistant Head Dr. Smith — they are intended to allow students to explore their interests, discover new interests, and build experiences. “We don’t just have opportunities here; we also entice students to experience things,” she explains. “There’s a culture of trying things you haven’t experienced before, because this is part of the school’s culture and ethos.” The idea that an unbounded education goes beyond the classroom and beyond academics extends to the playing field. Webb requires students to participate in a team sport each year, but the goal of the athletics program is much more than sports, says Director of Athletics Steve Wishek. “Sports is an integral part of the education of our students,” he explains. “It builds character and leadership, and for teammates, serving with a kind spirit…. Teamwork can happen in a classroom, but there’s something about the crucible of competition that makes those lessons stick.” Those lessons include how to deal with failure, and be stronger for it. Some Webb students may never have faced adversity or failure, Wishek notes. “Winning is not the ultimate goal. We’re trying to develop the character and well-being of our students through sports. This is an academic institution first, and our values in the classroom and on the sports field are the same. That’s a powerful unifying experience.”

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Because every Webb student participates in athletics, the program is notable for the “sheer breadth of offerings that we have…. It’s just an amazing number of opportunities,” Wishek says. “I want there to be sports for every student. The bottom line is what we want is a great experience for the students, and we meet our students where they are in their experience level and interest,” whether that’s continuing in a sport at which they excel, or trying a sport for the first time. Head of Schools Stockdale sums up the philosophy of an unbounded education: “It’s about the experiences you have,” he says. “Kids learn through experience. Beyond the knowledge they get in the classroom, they need to understand how to use that knowledge, and that’s all about experiences. Learning is really the knowledge and the experiences together.” “Learning is something that takes place anywhere,” Farke adds. “We start by saying, ‘let’s go make some discoveries.’”

THE IDEA THAT AN UNBOUNDED EDUCATION GOES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM AND BEYOND ACADEMICS EXTENDS TO THE PLAYING FIELD.

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todayarts

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the maker’s space —THE ARTS AT WEBB How do students learn about art? Or, perhaps as important, what it takes to be an artist? Webb’s multi-disciplinary arts experience offers students the opportunity to appreciate the arts through study and experiential encounters at museums, theaters, and concert halls. And it prepares students to be versatile creators themselves, delivering a possibility-rich environment where young learners of all abilities and talents can develop an original voice and vision. Through it all, students are led in creative endeavors by a staff f talented and professional practicing artists who understand, through personal experience, the craft of creating. Stefanie Plumley, chair of fine arts, says the arts are a fundamental part of being human. And she describes the department as evolving like “nobody’s business!”

Plumley points out that Claremont, and The Webb Schools, have a strong tradition of the arts, and artists. For example, Millard Sheets, who served on the Webb board and was a parent, designed the circular Alf Museum. Other artists of California regionalism fame also taught at the school including potter and Webb parent William Manker. Today’s arts faculty are actively pursuing their own craft and offer students insight into the rewards and demands of the professional art world. Meg Horejsi (see sidebar) is a professional freelance illustrator with a thriving business creating digital art. Jackie Leishman (see sidebar), a photographer and collage artist, recently had a well-received exhibition, “Heaving Mountains,” at the Granary Art Center in Ephraim, Utah. They also arrange for Webb student artists to show their work in student exhibitions, so the students understand the importance of creating and exhibiting. Over in the Susan A. Nelson Performing Arts Center, featuring the Copeland Donahue Black Box Theater and the world-class Liu Cheung Theater, students are expressing themselves under the expert tutelage of working performers who bring myriad experiences and talents to their teaching styles.

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The Peace of Wild Things

Jackie Leishman Jackie Leishman joined Webb’s fine arts department in 2017. She holds a BA from the University of Georgia and an MFA in photography from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California. As a visual artist, Leishman expresses herself through works of collage, using both traditional and non-traditional materials, including fragments of old projects. Her work Heaving Into Mountains, a series of studies delving into the paradox of holding two opposites — ideas embodied in the wilderness and inspired by a trip to Yosemite National Park — was most recently exhibited at Granary Arts in Ephraim, Utah. The work will also be featured in the following publications: Cold Mountain Review, Whitefish Review and Blue Mesa Review. Another recent piece of work is an offshoot of her Yosemite series (a project that explored the beauty found in the tension and vastness of the unyielding stone landscape) and is made with a poem from Wendell Berry in mind. She has since begun a collaboration with the evolutionary biologist, blogger, poet and novelist Steven Peck. “He is writing poems, and I’m doing art,” says Leishman. “It’s a project that relates to global warming and the fact that animals and species cannot evolve fast enough – it’s a heartbreaking project but rewarding intellectually.”

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irector of Instrumental Music Linda Silva leads 54 eager musicians in the full Webb orchestra; she also directs groups in smaller ensembles. “Many of our students start with piano, long before they take up their band instrument, so they have a more mature musical view and high skill level,” says Silva. “Since we do have different levels within our full orchestra, we carefully choose repertoire that features our stronger players as well as offering solo and concerto opportunities to those who are especially hard-working.” Silva is a professional clarinet player who performs with the Riverside Philharmonic she has private clarinet students and also worked with performers at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. “As a professional clarinet player, I have had to work very, very hard,” she explained. “Most people think that professional musicians have natural talent and what we do is effortless. Not so! I am constantly studying theory, history and technical aspects of playing, listening to great players, finding my own ‘sound,’ and working with lots and lots of different types of musicians in formal and informal settings.” Silva imparts the wisdom she’s learned from her own career: “sometimes the students (practically!) roll their eyes at me when I suggest something they think they are already doing, such as a crescendo (starting soft and getting loud). When I make them exaggerate it, they can hear the difference, and better understand how it makes the music come alive.” Often times, performing in a high school group is the impetus for a career in the arts. Sean Burns, who directs Webb’s choir program, and also runs the Burns Music School which has offered voice, piano, and guitar lessons, plus music theory and songwriting, for the last 15 years, says that participation in high school choir led him to degrees in piano and choral conducting. “My teaching philosophy is based on healthy technique and musical expression

as fundamental to performance,” he explains.

“ WE WANT TO PROVIDE AS MUCH EXPOSURE TO THE ARTS AS WE CAN”

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he vocal department at Webb consists of approximately 40 students who participate in either the vocal training and techniques class or honors Chamber Singers. There is a wide range of skill levels between the groups. “Many students are experienced musicians who read music and play other instruments, other singers have less experience and are learning the fundamentals of music technique as we go,” he says. This winter, the Chamber Singers are preparing for their first ever pops concert in Copeland Theater. The theme of the concert is roots music, and draws on styles such as bluegrass, rock, country, folk and more. Many of the students are making their own arrangements and the concert will feature solos, small groups, the choir and a professional band.” Collaboration between artists also sparks creativity. Michael Szanyi is a doctoral student in education and applied research methods at Claremont Graduate University. He teaches modern dance at Pomona College and is the dance program director at Webb. He has danced professionally with the Pennington Dance Group, the Inland Pacific Ballet and Laurie Cameron and Company in Southern California, Chicago, New York, London, Beijing and Taipei. For the winter dance show, Szanyi worked with artist Leishman and student Malika Neogi ’20 to create large-scale painted scenery that “evoked ideals of hope and loss, reaching and falling, of changing perspectives.” He has also worked with the theater tech department to fashion projections for the winter dance show and with Scott Nichols, director of digital communication, on videos and video editing of dancers to be able to show during the performance. “I’m doing more cross collaborations with folks to add in other elements to the dance show so really, it becomes more of a community of people and artists participating in the creative process,” he says.

Behind the scenes, Alex Valdez, technical director of the Susan A. Nelson Performing Arts Center, is demonstrating the importance of creativity through technical elements.

Ape Canyon

“Each season, I have students who are new to the program with varying degrees of experience. I end up finding that each student brings a different talent to the program, or we end up discovering a hidden talent from that student,” he says. “I love being able to work with students to allow their talents to contribute to the program every season.” Valdez explains that there is also a “huge” student leadership component to the program with “crew chiefs” for each aspect of a show’s production and an overall crew chief who in turn, reports to a technical stage manager. “I follow this structure so our students can experience how a creative team would function in a professional theater environment,” he says. Valdez has worked in technical theater for 15 years, in schools, universities, summer camps, theater festivals, houses of worship and with touring groups. He is involved with the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) to keep himself apprised of ever-changing technologies and equipment, and he participates in the group’s Education Commission which focuses on outreach to high schools and higher education institutes. “Webb’s theaters operate under the standards established by USITT because I want to make sure that our students leave with the knowledge and capability to walk into any theater in the United States and immediately be able to be a productive member of the creative team,” he says. Valdez also pointed out that a recent Webb production of The Pirates of Penzance was a milestone for the program. “It was the first production in my time that had an all-female booth crew (the operators and state managers that operate and execute all the technical cues for the show),” he says. The “makers” at Webb lead students in all directions of creativity. And these “teaching artists” encourage Webb students through creative processes that may be unfamiliar to the average classroom teacher who has not experienced a career in the arts themselves. They play an important role in helping students learn to critique and make aesthetic judgements that are primary to artistic appreciation. “We want to provide as much exposure to the arts as we can,” says Plumley. “A lot of students come into the program and think they’re not artistic and then they find filmmaking or singing or some kind of performance art. We have students who think they can’t draw, or some who just want to dabble. Our goal is to reach them where they are and facilitate where they want to be.”

Megan Horejsi Megan Horejsi is a digital illustrator; she utilizes technology such as video editing, animation and 3D printing to bring her creations to life. She holds a BA from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an MA from Loyola Marymount University. “Digital art can look like it’s traditionally crafted,” explains Horejsi, “but with it, I can easily mimic the effects of texture and shading.” A recent series featured “travel posters” centered around locations where legendary animals are thought to live. She also works on commissions and gets out word of her work on Twitter and Instagram. She has an online store at www.meganhillustrations.com. Much of her work is in a field that has not been traditionally welcoming to women: comics and cartooning. But Horejsi, who grew up playing video games, says she’s seen a change in the pop art market in recent years. Her work has been shown at pop-up shows in nontraditional spaces such as the Fab Factory Recording Studio in North Hollywood and Artists Alley, a space within a ComicCon comic convention where approved artists and writers can sell their prints and meet fans. With her familiarity of the art market, Horejsi can “take what I’ve learned about online selling, marketing, and developing a portfolio, and share that knowledge with my students.”

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todaywellness

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The Art and Science of Wellness at Webb Science reaffirms that high school students’

dedicated staff members of the health

intellectual lives are deeply impacted by

center employ a comprehensive plan

their emotional and physical health, and

to engage students in an integrated

so Webb—as a learning community of

and thoughtful manner on all issues of

some 400 teenagers—has a responsibility

personal and mental health.

to equip its young adults with the skills they’ll need to navigate and meet the challenges and accompanying stress of their developing minds and bodies. “ The main goal of our health and

Led by Stephanie Baron ’96 PA-C, who returned last year to the campus she once called home as a day student in the mid1990s, the health center offers a robust suite of services. Baron left Webb to attend

wellness program is to teach students

Colby College, followed by the Physician

to think around, and learn about, how

Assistant (PA) school at Western University

they can contribute to their health

of Health Sciences. She worked for a time

and well-being,” explains Assistant

in general surgery and urgent care and then

Head of Schools Theresa Smith,

returned to Western where she worked and

Ph.D. “We provide guidance and give

taught in the PA department for 10 years.

students the tools that will help them live healthy lives. Anxiety and stress are on the rise in general, students need to know we can support them with these issues.”

In addition to Baron, the center is staffed with 10 RNs, two counselors, and an MD by consultation. The center offers primary medical care which encompasses treatment of common ailments, medication

Webb’s robust health center and its

administration, counseling services, first

programs are the core of the schools’

aid, health education and more.

efforts to direct care to all students. The

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“I

was a day student when I was at Webb, and I don’t recall needing to access the health center,” says Baron. “I’m not sure if we had counselors then, and the physical space wasn’t conducive to integrating mental and physical health. Today, our bed capacity has increased, and the counselors’ offices are also located here.” The health staff akes care of sick students, but they also energetically promote preventative care. There is a flu vaccine clinic in October, and in general, the staff ncourages vaccination of preventable diseases, especially those that are common in dormitory settings (that are recommended but not required). “The adults on campus communicate frequently about students and gauge the stress level, as it is an ongoing process and conversation,” explains Baron. “There are ‘hot spots’ throughout the year when we are more alert, such as during periods of major projects, summative assessments, standardized exams and college applications. Validating students’ feelings while also trying to reassure them about their futures can help them cope during the especially stressful times.” Baron was a student-athlete in high school and college, so she also feels comfortable helping students balance their safety with meeting their athletic goals.

“One personal goal I had when I was hired was to create parity with respect to access to care between boarding and day students,” says Baron. “The observation is that day students tend to obtain care and clearance to return to athletics more quickly than their boarding counterparts. With parents who are local and available to phone insurance companies and facilities to expedite care, day students seem to have the upper hand in this regard. My clinical background is in urgent care as well as assisting in general and orthopedic cases. I am also a member of the American College of Sports Medicine and have attended their training course for team physicians. I work closely with our medical director, Dr. Baez, to facilitate timely follow up appointments for those students who are serious about returning to sport as soon as is safely possible. In some instances, I am able to provide final clearance in consultation with him, so that the student does not have to wait for the next appointment in his office.” Webb’s approach to student’s overall health also takes into consideration each adolescent’s mental and social well-being. To that end, the school leans on Director of Counseling and Health Education Melanie Bauman, who works in partnership with Baron.

“We are always asking the question, ‘what are the social, physical and emotional needs students are facing?’” says Bauman. To find answers, Bauman stays active in the community of her peers. She is a member of the American Counseling Association; she networks with community mental health providers and through independent school connections; and she sits on the board of the Independent School Gender Project. Staff t Webb are constantly in dialog with their peers through such events as the Association of Boarding Schools Conference and by networking with health care center directors at other boarding schools. The process of learning to practice a healthy lifestyle at Webb begins during freshman orientation when students are introduced to Webb’s protocols on social media interactions,

“Oftentimes, especially with freshman, these students are thousands of miles from home, there are a lot of new rules, homework, a homesickness for the old support network of family and friends,” says Rios.

Health Center Staff

alcohol and drug prevention and healthy relationships. Throughout the next couple of years, education on these topics is constantly reinforced as new topics such as mindfulness, personality traits and college transition are introduced. The team also employs surveys connected to a wellness wheel, which illustrates a wellness model with seven dimensions: emotional, intellectual, physical, social, environmental, financial and spiritual. All of the dimensions are interconnected and important to a well-rounded and balanced lifestyle. There is also a worksheet called The Gender Unicorn, created by Trans Student Educational Resources, which provides an easy-to-understand primer on gender identity and sexual orientation. Daniel Rios is the school counselor and works with Bauman on these issues. He is in his fourth year at Webb, where he also serves as an advisor to the sophomore class. Most commonly, a student will start the process of seeking help by stopping at his office and asking, “Do you have time to talk?” He also receives referrals from faculty members “Sometimes a teacher can just sense something is off nd he or she will ask me to check in with the teenager,” says Rios, who adds that with the student’s permission, the counseling team can also communicate with teachers and advisors to get a better picture of the problem. Rios can also help a student seek assistance from an outside therapist.

That’s where peer support can also be critical, and the Peer Advisor program becomes essential. Peer Advisors are student leaders in the community who are responsible for introducing new members into the Webb community and leading freshmen through their first year during Freshman Seminar as student teachers. Most important though, is communication—between students and adults and between health and mental health professionals. “Sometimes a student will see the nurse about a physical ailment and the nurse will realize that there’s nothing physically wrong and will tell me, ‘I think you should talk to this student,’” adds Rios. According the World Health Organization: “Adolescence (10-19 years) is a unique and formative time. Promoting psychological well-being and protecting adolescents from adverse experiences and risk factors that may impact their potential to thrive are critical for their well-being during adolescence and for their physical and mental health in adulthood.” “I would say that Melanie, Daniel and I employ a holistic approach to treating students and we recognize that mental health often infl ences physical health and vice versa,” says Baron. “In that vein, we communicate frequently about student concerns and the close proximity of our offices in the health center is very conducive to these conversations.” Webb’s unique balance of empowering students to advocate for themselves while providing structured guidance helps students navigate the bumpy path that is adolescence.

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ALF

News from the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology at The Webb Schools

museum at webb

Searching the Past, Planning for the Future by Andy Farke, Ph.D.

Augustyn Family Curator and Director of Research & Collections, Alf Museum

“How do you know where to look for fossils?” That’s probably one of the most common questions I get as a paleontologist, and it was at the front of my thoughts during the spring of 2017. I needed to locate some new fossil fields, as destinations for summer peccary trips, projects for Webb students, and for my own scientific interests. But, it was a bit scary to step off the beaten path and press into the unknown. Peccary campsite outside Rock Springs, Wyoming

he Alf Museum’s summer peccary trips are a tradition going back over 80 years. They have been a transformational experience for generations of Webb students, in multiple ways. There is the challenge of being part of a team, pulling together towards a common goal. There is also the quest for self-discovery, learning what you are capable of under sometimes harsh conditions. There is the beauty of the outdoors. And, perhaps most central of all, there is the thrill of discovery. For nearly 20 years, a major centerpiece of summer peccary trips was a stop in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Southern Utah. Webb students, museum staff, and volunteers have made countless amazing discoveries there, including nearly complete 75 million year old skeletons, new species of dinosaurs, and so much more. Yet this is also a difficult place to take students. As the field program progressed, we had to push farther and farther from the road to find new fossil sites—sometimes up to a two-hour hike each way. And if we found something major, helicopter support was required. Helicopter time is expensive! As we closed out our project in Utah, I began thinking about where we could take the next steps. First and foremost, I wanted to find a place that would have high potential for scientifically significant discoveries of relevance to our research program. This meant finding a place that hadn’t been picked over again and again by paleontologists. I also needed to find an area with rocks that fit my research interests—rocks from the Age of Dinosaurs. On top of this, it should be a place where we could take students. Although I strongly believe that rigorous hiking can be an important part of fieldwork, I needed a place that would be accessible to students with a range of abilities and experience outdoors. A good hiking area was a must, but I didn’t want to have to hike hours just to get to the fossil beds. Also, the farther the hike, the harder it is to safely escort groups of students back and forth (especially when you throw uncertain weather into the mix—when a thunderstorm rolls in, you may not get much time to retreat!). Logistics also become much more challenging the farther you are from the road, and I was trying to avoid having to use helicopters again! Finally, I wanted a fun and productive experience for everyone involved.

Logan Causley WSC’22 cleans off a fossil turtle shell.

So, I started poring over the published scientific literature, to see which areas had the best potential. I downloaded geological maps, looking for the right ages of rocks from the right kinds of environments that would be likely to preserve dinosaurs. I pulled up Google Earth, using satellite photos to spot good exposures of rock close to roads or major trails. Finally, I did land ownership searches—for a variety of reasons we do most of our field work on public lands, and I wanted to find areas where we would be able to get collecting permits. I sorted through all of the information, and identified a couple of areas in western Wyoming that looked promising. Now it was time to explore! Thanks to a Perry Award, along with a one semester sabbatical during the fall of 2018, I could get started. I applied for surface prospecting permits through the US Forest Service, downloaded a geology mapping app onto my phone, and booked my road trip through Wyoming. For nearly 10 days, I explored the byways and back roads of western Wyoming. I took copious notes, planning out future areas for exploration. Unfortunately, my “sure bet” of an area that had yielded a fair number of fossils in the 1960s was a total bust. It was heavily grassed over, with not a bone scrap to be seen. This was a shame, because it was just outside Yellowstone National Park, with a gorgeous view of the Grand Tetons. Swallowing my disappointment, I continued my search. By the end of the trip, I had identified two promising areas on lands managed by the US Bureau of Land Management. Unfortunately, I didn’t yet have permits to collect fossils in those particular areas, so I had to be satisfied with just viewing them from the road.

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The 2019 Summer Peccary Trip Group

Back at the museum, I drafted my fossil collecting permit applications and planned out logistics for the summer 2019 peccary trip. I was just a little nervous now. I knew I had rocks of the right ages, with good exposures, and close proximity to roads. But, there was no certainty that we would find scientifically significant fossils. In July of 2019, we set out for Wyoming with 16 Webb students and four adults. Although I was uncertain about our chances of success, I knew we would have fun along the way. With a new peccary trip destination, there were lots of new sites to see! A highlight was Dinosaur National Monument in northeastern Utah. Despite the dense mosquito clouds in our campground, it was jaw-dropping to see the famous quarry wall where thousands of dinosaur bones are still visible in place. We met the monument paleontologist, and got special insights into this amazing area. Having viewed these “captive” dinosaur bones, we wanted to find some in the wild! Our group set up camp outside Rock Springs, Wyoming, for the first round of real fieldwork. The campsite was amazing, with gorgeous views of surrounding rock formations (and the opportunity to catch and cook crawdads from the adjacent waters). We hopped in our vehicles, checked in with the

local land managers for some signatures, and started exploring in the Lance Formation, dating back to about 67 million years ago. The first hour was slow, with just some coal beds and fragments of oyster shell. And then...dinosaur bone! We found a little pocket with fossils, including some osteoderms (skin bones) from an armored dinosaur. Over the next day, we found several other sites, including a really nice turtle shell. Hitting the road again, we meandered through Wyoming, stopping in Thermopolis to enjoy the hot springs and visit the Wyoming Dinosaur Center. Thanks to a Webb alum who was interning there (Julian Diepenbrock WSC’17), we got an extensive behind the scenes tour of their dig sites, exhibits and research lab. Finally, we headed for our final destination in Wyoming. A series of rock exposures near the town of Cody had, to the best of my knowledge, never been explored in detail by paleontologists. Back in the 1920s, a geologist had mentioned some bone fragments, but the rest of the scientific literature (and my inquiries to area paleontologists) yielded nothing. I knew the rocks were of the right age, around 75 million years old—but would we find fossils?

News from the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology at The Webb Schools

The first morning was spent scouring rock exposures. We found plenty of petrified wood, some modern rabbit bones and a rattlesnake, but no dinosaurs. After a mid-morning snack, we hit a new set of rocks. Again, nothing...until I found a tiny bone fragment. Calling our group over to that area, we searched the ground, and within a few minutes the students had found identifiable bones! We had the first diagnostic vertebrate fossils ever found in the Mesaverde Formation near Cody, Wyoming. Not only was it a major scientific find, but it boosted our spirits, too. With doubt and uncertainty behind us, we spent the next two days exploring several miles of outcrop. We discovered multiple fossil localities, including one that might be the first associated dinosaur skeleton from Late Cretaceous rocks in this area of Wyoming. It was with great reluctance that we left the area, for the final leg of the Peccary Trip and the return to California.

Back at the museum, we started sorting through our fossil finds. We had numerous dinosaur bones and teeth, turtle shell pieces, mammal teeth, shark teeth, and much more. This bounty is already providing projects for students in our after-school museum program and our advanced research class. The students have even identified some species never before known from this time period in Wyoming! The journey to this point has been a long oneâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;years of planning, months of preparation, and weeks of searching in the field. Our success last summer points the way to some exciting discoveries in the years ahead! Next step...the Summer 2020 Peccary Trip, coming up in June.

Hiking out to explore rocks for dinosaur bones.

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End of An Era

ourteen years after initial discovery, the Alf Museum wrapped up its fieldwork at the Cripe Site in September. This locality is one of

the most important dinosaur-age sites ever worked by the museum, and has been a destination for dozens of Webb students on summer peccary trips.

Artist (Rob Soto) reconstruction of the Cripe Site.

The story began 75 million years ago, in what is now Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, in southern Utah. The area was almost tropical, and lay barely a hundred miles from the edge of a warm sea that covered central North America. Animals and plants died and were buried in the backwaters of a river floodplain, amidst a jam of downed trees and leaf debris. Fast forward to 2005. The Webb summer peccary trip is in full swing, under the leadership of Alf Museum director Dr. Don “Doc” Lofgren. A crew of students, faculty, and other volunteers are searching for fossils in the rough backcountry of Utah, working under permit from the US Bureau of Land Management. Jeff ripe WSC‘08, who had just finished his freshman year at Webb, and frequent museum volunteer Duncan Everhart spotted a toe bone near the bottom of a

Jeff Cripe WSC’08 as a high school student, with a dinosaur bone that he found.

Jeff Cripe WSC’08 in 2019, with the final bone that he discovered at the Cripe Site.

steep hillside. Following it up the side of the hill, they found numerous other bones, including some still protruding from the rock. The toe bones were immediately recognizable as those from a giant meat-eating tyrannosaur—a rare find indeed! The locality was nicknamed the “Cripe Site,” in honor of its discoverer. After getting permission to open up a quarry to chase the fossils into the hillside, the museum began work in earnest at the Cripe Site during the summer of 2006. These efforts continued nearly annually. As the true magnitude of the discovery became apparent, and as the required work ramped up, helicopters were brought in for field support. Nets of food, water, and supplies were airlifted in at the beginning of the summer, and the heavy blocks of fossils were flown out at the end. It was a massive operation, finally completed in September 2019. Fittingly, Jeff ripe was there to pull out the very last fossil bone! Even with the fieldwork completed, the lab work and research will continue for many years. Multiple blocks with fossil bones remain to be prepared (by museum staff, students, and community volunteers), and scientific study of these Cripe Site fossils is only just beginning. It’s an incredible legacy, not just for Webb and the Alf Museum, but for science as a whole. A few highlights: • Partial skeletons of two plant-eating hadrosaur dinosaurs • The hind leg of a tyrannosaur • The best skull yet found for the extinct turtle Denazinemys • Skeleton of a new species of flying reptile, yet to be named • Hundreds of hours of real-world paleontology experience for Webb students

News from the Raymond M. Alf

Museum of Paleontology at The Webb Schools

many other settings to reach new audiences and expand our educational efforts. In particular, our pop-up museums allow us to bring science and education to traditionally non-educational settings. In fact, our most successful pop-up museum outings have been at comic book conventions.

The Galactic Archive Pop-up Museum

Pop-Up Museums: Science Outreach on the Go

by Gabriel Santos

he Alf Museum, like most museums, is a place with a long tradition of learning and expanding perspectives.

Guests come to us with the expectation of discovering new information or inspiring deep thought about the natural world. In the last few years, the education and outreach team of the Alf Museum have tried to push innovation in our educational programming to better benefit our surrounding communities. We have worked hard to develop content that connects the natural world to the human world, helping others understand and appreciate the science in their everyday lives and interests. But, as most museums experience, there is only so much we can do to reach audiences from within the walls of the museum. So, what better way to serve our communities as an educational resource than by taking our museum outside of our walls and directly to them? This was the thinking that led to the development of our pop-up museums, traveling exhibits developed and designed around a specific theme and narrative. With these pop-up museums, we can bring the Alf Museum to schools, community events, and

At these celebrations of pop culture, we are able to really connect two seemingly different worlds by taking science concepts and weaving them into existing pop culture narratives. Take for example our Star Wars inspired popup, “The Galactic Archive,” where we discuss evolution and adaption to different environments from the perspective of the Star Wars galaxy, but then make connections to Earth by showing the real-world inspirations for creatures in a galaxy far, far away. With our pop-up museums, the Alf Museum has also been able to strengthen our partnerships with other institutions, such as the Western Science Center, and build even new connections. For our most recent pop-up museum, it was developed through a collaboration with the Jim Henson Company to provide educational content for and promote their new science-inspired book series, “Franken-Sci High”. So, from Jurassic Park dinosaurs to 3D printing technology to the natural history of Pokemon, our pop-up museums have given the Alf Museum many wonderful opportunities to teach science and broaden the perspective of audiences that might have never even considered visiting a museum. We hope to be able to continue to develop these programs and continue to establish the Alf Museum as a world-class educational resource for southern California.

The Flux Laboratory for Jim Henson’s Franken–Sci–High

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todayathletics

Fall Athletics This fall Webb sent six of seven teams to CIF play and won three league titles. WSC cross country won its 6th league title in a row, and VWS cross country won its 5th straight; VWS volleyball made it two in a row with a season record of 27 wins—advancing to CIF semifinals for the first time in program history as well as qualifying for the state CIF tournament, again for the first time in program history. High individual honors went to Angie Zhang ’23, who became the first VWS golfer to qualify for CIF competition. Savanna Cespedes ’22 was named Academy League Player of the Year in volleyball and Ashley Munguia ’21 Libero of the Year in volleyball. Lily Miller ’21 was named San Joaquin League Runner of the Year for the third straight year and Dean Woelfle ’21 Runner of the Year.

FALL 2019 LEAGUE TITLES VWS VOLLEYBALL VWS CROSS COUNTRY WSC CROSS COUNTRY

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todaygiving

Together We Can. In the early days of Webb, when Thompson Webb served as headmaster, his version of financial aid was “pay what you can.” Stories are often told by alumni like Jim Hall ’59, whose father preached at the Vivian Webb Chapel and was not charged for Jim’s tuition. Jim’s father did try to make some contribution to Jim’s Webb tuition under the “pay what you can” plan, but Thompson Webb returned his checks uncashed. In 1958, the school formalized its non-profit status and began receiving charitable donations in a meaningful way. These gifts would become the beginning of an endowed financial aid program.

Many years after he graduated from Webb, Jim reflected on the generosity that he was shown by Dr. Webb. As a dedicated volunteer, he has served Webb and the Alf Museum as a proud member of the Alumni Council and a Museum Trustee, as well as a Sophomore Career Evening speaker and loyal member of The Hastings Society for consistent annual donors. In 2012, Jim and his wife Jean established the Hall Family Scholarship Fund to help the next generation of scholars enjoy the benefits of a Webb education. Jim says,“Jean and I established the Hall Family Scholarship and are working on a bequest plan to support the Alf Museum and The Webb Schools in the hope of helping Webb to enroll students from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds while ensuring that all students have access to programs such as paleontology.” To date, The Webb Schools is proud to have 80 endowed scholarship funds that provide much needed support to the financial aid program.

Give Now and Give Later Webb is fortunate to have alumni who understand and demonstrate their commitment to helping the school achieve excellence now and in the future. Through annual giving as well as support for buildings and grounds and the establishment of endowed funds, Webb and the Alf Museum are able to: meet annual operating goals; maintain and enhance the campus community including residential, academic, arts and athletic facilities; and provide resources for financial aid, faculty development, academic programs and more. These goals are achieved collectively through the support of people like Jim Hall ’59 and his wife Jean, Michael Chang ’92 and his wife Alicia, and Jan Mitchell Johnson ’86 alongside each and every member of our alumni community who give year after year. What makes people like Jim, Michael, and Jan unique is that they have also given generously through their estate plans. Gifts from a will or living trust as well as an IRA or life insurance policy are ways to make future gifts that provide immense benefit to Webb for generations to come. Visit webblegacy.org to become a member of The Thompson and Vivian Webb Society and create your Webb legacy for those who will follow.

impact that financial aid has at Webb. According to Michael and Alicia, “There is nothing more important than helping Webb to provide access to students who will thrive at Webb and then go on to become leaders in their communities.” In addition to establishing their scholarship fund, Michael and Alicia support The Webb Fund, which provides current opportunities to each Webb student and each member of the Webb faculty. They have also created a deferred gift (or planned gift) that will benefit Webb far into the future. This thoughtful mix of giving for both current and long-term needs, provides Webb with both immediate and long-term support, significantly strengthening Webb’s foundation. For the past several years, Michael and Alicia have also hosted the annual San Francisco Holiday Party. They have provided memorable and gracious evenings of hospitality for Webb alumni and family members of all ages. As we approach Webb’s Centennial, we are grateful to Michael and Alicia Chang. Jan Mitchell Johnson ’86 Jan Mitchell Johnson ’86 has been a steadfast supporter of The Webb Schools with a decades long history of giving, and never misses a Class of 1986 reunion. She is a proud member of the Hastings Society for continuous donors, named for Al Hastings ’42, one of our most loyal alumni leaders.

Support for Webb comes in many forms: Trustee Michael Chang ’92, P’23 and Alicia Chang P’23 Webb Trustee Michael Chang ’92, P’23 and his wife Alicia P’23 have found many ways to support Webb over the years, sharing their time, their resources, their skills and even opening up their home to the Webb community. As a trustee, Michael serves on the Community of the Schools Committee. That assignment, along with his role as a governing trustee of the Webb Schools, has given Michael an opportunity to not only understand Webb’s mission on a deep level, but to understand how that mission is supported. With Alicia, he established the Michael ’92 and Alicia Chang Scholarship Fund in 2012, in honor of his 20th reunion at Webb. This permanent, endowed fund provides financial aid to boarding students. Now that Michael and Alicia are Webb parents (their son Ian is a member of the WSC class of 2023,) they see firsthand the

In 2019, Jan also became a member of the Thompson and Vivian Webb Society by documenting her intentions to include Webb in her estate plans. She wrote, “Every time Webb’s mailers come with information about how to include the Schools in my planned giving, I think about it and know that I will make firm plans. And finally, I am doing that!” Jan has dedicated her working life to growing funding for all educational institutions. As the President and CEO of Grantsformation, Inc., Jan says her “superpower is turning words into money” and has won over half a billion dollars in education funding grants since the founding of the company 17 years ago. She has served schools for nearly 30 years as a teacher, technology coordinator, grant writer, and school leader, and currently resides in Panama City, Florida with her husband Paul Colaceci.

For more information on the Thompson and Vivian Webb Society visit webblegacy.org.

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THE WEBB SCHOOLS

a half minutes with Eugene Whitlock ’88 According to the Business Roundtable, a group of nearly 200 CEOs from the world’s biggest brands including Apple, Pepsi and CVS, shareholders are “no longer the chief concern of today’s companies.” The new mission statement of the group states that “employees are the focus of the modern corporation.”

Assistant vice chancellor-hr/chief people & culture officer, UC Berkeley

The same can be said of the world of higher education, where Eugene Whitlock ’88 has worked tirelessly to encourage institutions to focus as much on the people carrying out the mission as the mission itself by creating welcoming, equitable workplaces where people feel like they belong. Whitlock’s work in human resources, first as the vice chancellor and general counsel at the San Mateo County Community College District and now at UC Berkeley where he is assistant vice chancellor-HR/chief people & culture officer, has included a special focus on infusing equity and diversity into the hiring process to make sure the workforce reflects the community it serves. Whitlock attended Stanford University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences, and then received his Juris Doctorate cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School. Following graduation, he clerked on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for Judge Alfred T. Goodwin and on the U.S. District Court in Miami for Chief Judge Edward B. Davis. He was admitted to the bar in California and New York. He has many years of experience living and working abroad. Along the way he studied a few languages and now speaks Spanish, French, and German fluently and a little bit of Dutch. His wife is from Argentina and their children are 5, 3, and 1. With a commitment to global society in mind Whitlock speaks to them in German and his wife speaks to them in Spanish.

q&a You’ve had an interesting career path, from lawyer working on agreements, regulatory filings, mergers, etc. to your current job at UC Berkeley. What led you down this path? I’ve always been pursuing opportunities. At Stanford, I earned a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences, but I realized I didn’t want to go to medical school. I decided to give law a try. After law school, I thought, it’s more exciting to be a banker so I did that. A friend of mine was working in Berlin, organizing a NATO conference, and invited me to work with him. I worked at Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, the German Institute for International and Security Affairs for three years. I’ve been at Berkeley for five months now, it’s quite a step-up in the size of the job — on any given day there are 75,000 people on campus, there is a $3 billion budget, I have meetings all day long. Some people would look at all these changes and say, “Well, you weren’t afraid to take risks!” Maybe I didn’t know enough to be afraid? Fortunately, it has all worked out pretty well for me. How successful have your efforts been to improve diversity and equity in the workforce? What are some of the methods you’ve employed? I oversee compensation, learning and development, employee and labor relations, and talent acquisition. We are now creating a new department entitled: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. At San Mateo, I introduced a 2-hour training session about diversity and unconscious bias that we expanded to include every new employee who was hired. The goal is to have a diverse work force where people feel included. I’ve taken that training to 20 colleges throughout the state, and to conferences and private companies.

What is the importance of continuing education for employees? One of the main focuses now is teaching managers to create a “coaching culture.” Sometimes managers have no idea how to lead people or how to develop them. I explain to them that one of their primary jobs is to help the people you oversee to develop their careers, so they are more valuable to the institution. What we do with the coaching philosophy is tell managers to have one-on-one frequent conversations, to think about, for example, “how is the person doing, how can you support them in their job?” It’s changed the dynamic for managers from thinking about what their employees do for the organization. We want them to think about what the organization can do for their employees. We also conduct a lot of surveys that enable us to improve employee engagement. We just completed a survey at Berkeley where we learned that people wanted more access to leaders, so we increased those opportunities. At the end of the day, when employees are happy and have a purpose and feel committed, they are going to stay with the organization. What are important qualities to look for in a new employee? When I’m talking to a potential employee, I want to make sure that that person has read the website and learns about the organization, I ask myself: does this person understand our organization’s values, do the person’s values align with ours? If you don’t have that common understanding about the work and the kind of attitudes we value, you’re not going to be happy.

How does your Webb experience inform your decision-making practices in your work and in your everyday life? I attribute my ability to write to Webb — writing and re-writing essays for Larry McMillan and Janet Macaulay — that’s where I learned to appreciate writing and how important it was. In terms of my skill set, that ability set me off n the right direction. The honor code and the values of the school continue to be important to me, especially working in the public sector. They are priorities I share with my kids. You have been a steady supporter of Webb and your classmate Lionel Yang ’88 was a groomsman at your wedding. Can you describe your experience at Webb, why you chose Webb, and why it is still important to you today? My mom chose Webb! My mom was a teacher and school principal and she knew that Webb as the best school in the area. I’ve always been extremely competitive, so when she said it was the best, I knew that’s where I wanted to go. I have extremely good memories of being at Webb. I played sports, hung out on campus all the time, and the academics set me up to go to Stanford. I was recently home and my mom pulled out some of my old report cards—a slip of paper with grades and comments—one was from my senior year and I remember I was kind of ‘checked-out.’ The teacher’s remarks were “I expect much more from you. This is not what I’m used to…” For me, this demonstrates how well teachers got to know and care about you. They weren’t going to let me stop caring. That level of compassionate motivation is why I would happily send my kids to Webb! Read the full version of Whitlock’s interview on the alumni news website at webb.org/alumni

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Priya Verma ’02 by Jessica Rice ’12

After just eight years in the entertainment industry, Verma was named one of “Hollywood’s 35 rising executives 35 and under” by The Hollywood Reporter last fall.

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Priya Verma ‘02 thought she would pursue a career in sports law before she set her sights on the entertainment industry. “I wanted to be the general counsel of an NFL or NBA team until I realized their jobs are quite boring,” she told The Hollywood Reporter in November 2019. “My desire to do sports just fell away because I fell in love with television,” she told Webb months later. After just eight years in the entertainment industry, Verma was named one of “Hollywood’s 35 rising executives 35 and under” by The Hollywood Reporter last fall. Verma is “the youngest partner at one of Hollywood’s top talent boutiques,” law firm Morris Yorn, the publication notes in the feature. She practices transactional talent law — primarily working in TV and film — representing writers, producers, actors and directors, including Nisha Ganatra, who recently directed the movie Late Night. Her firm’s clients include the likes of Jordan Peele, Scarlett Johannson and Matthew McConaughey. She serves as a jack-of-all-trades for her clients, she says, handling everything from negotiating the financial terms of clients’ deals with studios and production

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companies to forecasting clients’ careers and guiding their trajectories.

“It’s a great feeling to see one of your clients get a TV show on the air or see their movie in theaters,” she says. When Verma graduated from Southwestern University School of Law, she had no connections in the entertainment industry. She started out as an assistant at Morris Yorn and advanced ahead of the typical pace for her career track. Verma learned about the business by working for the firm’s partner and was promoted to associate a year later. That’s when she began to build her own client base, focusing on writers, producers, directors and some comedians. She was promoted to partner four years later. “I absolutely love what I do,” she says. “I mean, you have to for the amount of hours you spend doing this.” Verma’s success did not come easily. When asked what advice she would have for those interested in pursuing a career in the industry, she revealed, “there’s really no substitute for hard work in entertainment.”

“It’s a job and yes, there are great perks to it when you’re meeting extremely creative people and going to premieres, but at the end of the day, you need to come in with no ego and really need to be willing to start from the bottom and work your way up,” she says. “This industry is extremely competitive.” Verma has witnessed the shift in the entertainment industry, as viewers increasingly turn to streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu. “The new frontier is the digital streaming world,” she added. “It is definitely changing the way we do business.”

Discussions about the representation of women and people of color in Hollywood have prompted calls for other changes within the industry. Verma says she feels a “much larger responsibility being female and being diverse.” “I’ve been told that I’m the only South Asian talent attorney and partner in the business,” she says. “I do carry that

with me and, in general, I know there are things that are moving, but it needs to move a lot further.”

Verma — who mentors a young woman from Guatemala who is now a freshman at UCLA — believes mentoring young women can make a difference. “We all need to get to a point where we’re helping the women around us, and not seeing them as competition or a threat, because that is still very prominent,” she says. “I think change can start with high-powered women mentoring young women and bringing them up with them. We all have to find a way to give back to

the younger generation and help guide them in that way.” She recalls a mentor she had at The Webb Schools, English teacher Edwina Foster, who helped her whenever challenges arose. “Ms. Foster was there by my side, really guiding me through things,” she says. “She always believed in me.” Verma credits Foster and other teachers for helping her build habits and values while she studied at Webb. “It gives you a foundation that you might not see in the moment, but you realize it later on,” she says. “The principles and the values that are instilled in you as students — you’ve definitely learned something that is not related to the curriculum.”

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ALUMNI WEEKEND, OCTOBER 18-19

More than 250 alumni, faculty and friends returned to campus, flying in from Austria, Canada, China, England, Germany, Hong Kong and 29 different states. Highlights included hard hat tours of the Hooper Community Center renovation, chapel talks by Tara Lazar ’94 and Jordan Ryan ’69, and an all-alumni mixer at Last Name Brewing. Class of 2004 set a new 15th reunion record for most attendance and most donors. Thanks to all our reunion volunteers.

EVENTS & HIGHLIGHTS Reunions, regional events, and more! Alumni, parents, and friends reconnect. Find more event photos at webb.org

27TH ANNUAL PECCARY DINNER

This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Peccary Dinner raised over $140,000 in sponsorships in support of the Museum. The crowd was inspired by Dr. Tsiory Andrianavalona, recipient of the Alf Award for Excellence in Paleontological Research and Education. Collections Manager and Outreach Coordinator Gabe Santos gave an update on the museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s educational outreach at home and abroad, and a presentation on the research done by Webb students.

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EVENTS & HIGHLIGHTS ALUMNI PECCARY TRIP TO BARSTOW

More than 75 alumni and friends gathered in Barstow for the annual Alumni Peccary Trip May 3-5. Thanks to Dick Lynas ’55, Liz Smith ’92 and her husband Patrick for the peccary pan breakfasts.

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HONG KONG On April 16, parents and alumni attended a reception at The Hong Kong Bankers Club hosted by Leslie and Eva Fong P ’20, Samuel Lee and Stella Leung P ’15, ’19, and Tony Chiu and Cheri Yim P ’20.

WEBB IN ASIA

Last April, Head of Schools Taylor Stockdale, Mrs. Anne Stockdale, Dean of College Guidance Hector Martinez and Director of Institutional Advancement Dutch Barhydt headed to Asia for five major receptions and numerous individual meetings and appointments. HONG KONG Alumni had dinner on April 17 at One Harbour Road hosted by Alumni Council Regional Representative Timothy Sun ’89. This was our largest alumni gathering in Hong Kong to date, with 20 attendees representing four decades of Webb (classes of 1983 to 2013).

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SHENZHEN The first-ever Shenzhen reception was held on April 19 at the Four Seasons Hotel. Thank you to our hosts: Hanlin Feng and Yiduan Zheng P ’21 and Lixin Li and Shihong Peng P ’20.

SHANGHAI On April 22, parents and friends attended a reception at the historic Miele House hosted by Shi An Liu & Ping Xu P ’13, and Xueping & Elina Xu P ’20.

EVENTS & HIGHLIGHTS

BEIJING On April 25, a reception was held at the Tian Yuan Club, hosted by Ning Du and Tracy Sun P ’21.

SEOUL On October 29, Hector Martinez, Dr. Jamila Everett and Bob Fass enjoyed dinner with parents in Korea and joined Alumni Council Regional Representative Chan Woo Sung ’86 who hosted an alumni mixer in Seoul, Korea on October 29.

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TECHSTARS IN LOS ANGELES

On May 21, Webb hosted the inaugural Innovator’s Edge at the Techstars office in Los Angeles. Students and alumni heard from a panel of tech experts that included Samantha Ainsley ’07, Sr. Software Engineer at Google; Colin Carrier, Co-founder & CEO of Stealth; Jeff Cripe ’08, CEO/Founder of CARGO; Sameer Dholakia ’91, CEO of Sendgrid; and Elie Seidman, CEO of Tinder.

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EVENTS & HIGHLIGHTS

PASADENA Over 60 alumni and friends attended the summer mixer on August 23 at True Food Kitchen organized by Alumni Council Regional Representative Kathy Fredrich ’02.

PORTLAND

DENVER

Close to 30 alumni and friends joined Don Lofgren and Bob Fass for a reception at the Multnomah Athletic Club on May 7. Many thanks to our event hosts: Chip ’62 & Toni Greening, Larry Price ’61 & Martha Lussenhop, and David ’72 & Gigi Ditz.

Alumni and friends enjoyed our Webb mixer at Lola Coastal Mexican on September 25.

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SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA

SAN FRANCISCO

On November 14, we enjoyed seeing alumni at The Living Room. Alumni from every decade from the 1960s to the 2010s were represented. Many thanks to Rajan Bhatt ’90 for organizing the event.

On December 4, 40 alumni and friends celebrated the holidays at China Live. Many thanks to our event hosts Michael ’92 and Alicia Chang.

LOS ANGELES On December 3, close to 100 parents, alumni and friends celebrated the holidays at the Jonathan Club. Taylor Stockdale recognized the 2019 Perry Award recipients: Andrew Hamilton, Morgan Kapp, Scott Nichols and Michel Szanyi. Many thanks to our event hosts RJ and Laura Romero P ’12, ’15, ’20

EVENTS & HIGHLIGHTS

FALL/WINTER 2019

BOSTON

WASHINGTON, DC

Young alumni dinner on December 6 at Summer Shack Back Bay with Assistant Head of Schools Dr. Theresa Smith and faculty members Melanie Bauman and Dr. Mark Dzula.

On December 11, alumni and friends celebrated the holidays at Lincoln in Dupont Circle. Classes of 1960 through 2015 were represented.

NEW YORK On December 12, alumni and friends celebrated the holidays at the National Arts Club. Many thanks to our host David Loo â&#x20AC;&#x2122;79.

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1944 Ray Sanders recently visited with the Alumni Office and reminisced about his Webb days in honor of his 75th reunion. 1 1

1949 In October, Guil Babcock hosted a 70th reunion celebration at his home in Pasadena with members of the Class of ’49: Pete Akin, Tom Lockie and Hugh Evans. During Alumni Weekend, Guil was recognized as a recipient of the Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award. 2 1951 It was great to see Gary Malouf at Alumni Weekend and the Jonathan Club. 3

1954 Malcolm Roberts, Brooks Firestone, Patrick Muffler, Paul Reitler and honorary classmate Bill Bailey ’55 enjoyed their 65th reunion during Alumni Weekend. Highlights included the peccary dinner, a golf cart tour of campus and dinner on Saturday at Spaggi’s. 4 5 1955 It was nice to see Murray “Buz” Koerner on campus in September. He toured the Alf Museum with his neighbors. 6

1957 Rogelio Miro and his wife Celia visited Webb in September. They have been married for 55 years. The last time they were on campus was for their son Rogelio’s graduation in 1985. Rogelio Sr. has fond memories of his Webb days, especially his friends Ted Harwood ’56 and Joe Fidanque ’58. 7 1959 The Class of ’59 celebrated their 60th reunion during Alumni Weekend. Highlights of the weekend included the peccary dinner and John Rogers receiving the Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award. Go to the alumni awards website to listen to John’s acceptance remarks. L-R: John Tuteur, John Rogers, Jim Hall, Tom Kersten, Ralph Coomber, Tim Moore, and Charles McCulloch. 8 1962 John Bayne visited campus during a recent trip to California to see his sister. The Class of 1962 is thinking ahead to the 60th reunion during the Centennial. Contact John for details. 9 1963 It is always fun to visit Arizona for a check-in with father and son Webb duo Rick and Preston Clarke ’98. Thank you for hanging out with the Alumni Office! 10 1964 We enjoyed seeing Tommy Thompson at Alumni Weekend. 11

After graduating from UC Berkeley, Carter Bagg returned to Phoenix to launch his architecture practice which focused on land use planning. In 1988, he moved to Seattle and began a 30-year career in K-12 school facilities. He was also a regional coordinator in charge of all state school construction funding from Seattle to the Canadian border. “During this time I accomplished what I believe to be the highest achievement of my career: managing the creation and implementation of the Washington Sustainable Schools Protocol, a green building program used by most new and remodeled K-12 schools in the state for the last 15 years. On the personal side, I palled around with Crane McClennen in the 70’s, but we went our separate ways when we each got married.” 1967 Peter and Henrietta Huisking attended a Rotary International Convention in Hamburg, Germany, and spent some time with Mike Ashton ’67 and partner Billy Saere. Mike and Billy have lived there for 27 years and were gracious hosts. Looking forward to their trip to the US next year! 12 1969 Nineteen members of the Class of 1969 celebrated their 50th reunion during Alumni Weekend. Miles Rosedale hosted the class at the beach followed by a campus gathering during which Miles received the Colborn Distinguished Service Award for his dedication as a Webb trustee and volunteer. 13 14

John Dey enjoyed a visit with Taylor Stockdale in November. John, his wife Nancy and their daughter Georgia Dey O’Brien ’97 live in Klamath Falls, Ore. where they grew garlic and hemp this year on their farm. John was disappointed to miss the reunion but was happy to receive his 50th reunion pin. 15 1971 Charlie Callander and his wife Melanie traveled to Israel this summer and sent us this photo taken by the Dead Sea. Charlie lives in Indian Wells and he enjoyed a recent visit with Parker Bryan. 16 Rob Jordan and his wife Louise have retired and purchased a second/ retirement home near Lake Tahoe. “We anticipate a new dog/hiking companion soon, and some golf lessons to iron out the kinks in our swings. It’s been a while since Rob won the Singles and Doubles trophies at Webb in 1971, but a rejuvenated tennis career for him looms as well! Daughters Taylor and Mackenzie are both through college, and gainfully employed in Calif. Son Devon and his wife Shana have just delivered the first grandchild, too! I’ll be back for my 50th reunion if not before. My Webb years were three of the best of my life, and I have indelible memories of the campus, classmates and faculty. Laudate Deo and Go Gauls!”

1974 The Class of ’74 enjoyed not one, but two reunion celebrations in October! The reunion fun kicked off ith dinner at the Rosewood Inn in Menlo Park on October 16. Walter Ogier had dinner in Palm Springs with Michael Fletcher before heading to Claremont for dinner at the Sycamore Inn and Saturday at Webb. Those who came to one or both of the reunion parties included: John Baer, Donald Bayly, David Brady, Jack Crummey, Robert Donin, Jose Govea, Robert Heintz, Daniel Madrid, William Magier, Dan Wood and Walter, who was also a guest speaker in the biotechnology class. A big thanks to Jack and Walter for co-chairing the reunion. 17 18 1976 Olarn Issara and Bob Fass visited in Bangkok in the office building built by his father. Olarn is still a tennis champion and recently opened a winery and residential development called Issara Estates in the foothills of Kao Yai. 19 1978 Richard Dukes has recently retired after a long career in the international food ingredients industry. He visited Claremont in November and enjoyed lunch with his favorite Webb teacher, Bill Ripley ’60. 20

1979 Thirty members of the Class of ’79 returned to Claremont for a 3-day 40th reunion celebration. On Friday, Eric Pauwels hosted a dinner at his parents’ home in Clairboya; on Saturday, the class enjoyed the day at Webb; and on Sunday, Larry Recht and Craig Scheu hosted brunch at the Scheu home in Upland. Class photo L-R: David Loo, Jeff Gilette, Paul McDonald, Len Unkeless, Bob Gilmer, Artson Hardison, Kaz Hori, Mark Waldrop, Everett McKay, Jeff Courts, Hal Abrams, Eric Pauwels, Gayle and Dave Ellett, Craig Scheu, Ed Nachtrieb, Chris Mason, Sean Berne, Howard Lockie, Nigel Baker, Ted Price, Paul Goodfellow, Jacques Pauwels, Blair Brown, Larry Recht, Gary Harbor, Grant Cramer and Bill Ansell. Not pictured: Jeff Brown, Scott Santmyer and Robert Stratton. 21 1981 It was great to see Sushil Da Silva and his family on campus in August. They were visiting the west coast to tour colleges for his oldest daughter. 22

1982 Bill Bauman, Carl Curtis and Tony Lyons enjoyed a birthday weekend together in Nashville. 23

VWS ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

Former faculty, alumnae and Head of Schools Taylor Stockdale took part in a roundtable discussion focused on the early days of the Vivian Webb School. Webb trustee Julia Marciari-Alexander ’85 moderated the lively discussion. Additional participants included: Ann Longley, Janet Macaulay, Joan Presecan, Kathy Simon, Christina Mercer McGinley ’84, Coleen Martinez ’86, Janel Henriksen Hastings ’87 and Sandra Lee Rebish ’88. Also present were Rahmi Mowjood ’90, Bob Connolly ’89 and Stephanie Buxbaum ’93 who recorded the discussion. Many thanks to Bob and his wife Nancy for hosting the event at their home.

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1984 Seventeen members of the Class of ’84 returned to Claremont for the 35th reunion. Weekend highlights included Friday night at Last Name Brewing and Saturday at Webb. Patty Kullnigg flew in from Austria and Nic Corwin from Germany. On Saturday, Christina Mercer McGinley was recognized during the Alumni Awards Ceremony with the Colborn Distinguished Service Award. Class photo back row: Tom Stellar, Eric Ratinoff, John Clements, Christina Mercer McGinley, John Hamilton, Kris Ebbert; front row: Nic Corwin and Anett Enzmann, Harry Oei, AJ Chamberlin, Julie Vaughn Grabowski, Patty Kullnigg and Hoddy Fritz. Not pictured: Kevin Berne, Roland Dilley, Fred Heald, John Holliday and Annalee Osborn. 24 25 1985 Art Laffer’s company, Laffer Investments, was acquired by ButcherJoseph in November. “I am now part of a larger group. We are changing the name to Laffer Tengler Investments, and we will have offices in Scottsdale, Ariz; Nashville, TN and Charlotte NC.”

Alex Novack is the proud owner of Syndicate Bakery and Coffee in Sierra Madre. A group of Webb friends gathered at the soft opening in October. L-R: Abe Salen ’87, Hope Demetriades ’87, Sarah Tong Sangmeister ’87, Janel Henriksen Hastings ’87, Coleen Martinez ’86, Katy Carr White ’87, Mark Shpall ’86, John Hutt ’86 Van Fisher Grossman ’85, Christy Armstrong ’85 and Faye Karnavy Sahai ’86. Check out justsyndicate.com for more. 26 Chaiyut Srivikorn and his family came to campus recently while his daughter toured the Claremont Colleges in anticipation of her college applications. The family reunited with staff ember Bob Fass in Bangkok in November. 27 1986 Mark Prince, Lydia Charles (Lowry) — Class of 1986! Las Vegas. Janet Jackson concert. We had a blast! August 2019. 28 Coleen Martinez is the proud parent of a WSC graduate. Her youngest son Ben ’19 is now a freshman at Pitzer College, which is also the alma mater of Coleen and her husband Hector. 29 Chan Sung, a Senior Foreign Attorney of the D’LIGHT Law Group in Seoul, was a panelist for the Finance Committee’s Session on the Rise and Fall of Cryptocurrencies at the 2019 International Association of Korean Lawyers Annual Conference held September 2019 at Seoul National University School of Law. Chan spoke on the current state and future outlook of Korean regulations on various types of coin offerings.

1987 Congratulations to Melissa Barnes Dholakia for winning a seat on the Bend-La Pine School Board. In this role, Melissa continues her ongoing commitment to education. Previously she’s been a teacher, principal, administrator, board member and advisor to principals and superintendents. 30 Last June James Sun and his family vacationed in Thailand where they visited with Eddy Harinasuta, Paul Lai and his wife Madeline, and Darren Liang. Paul and Madeline flew in from Hong Kong and Darren from Taiwan. In July James saw Eric Hutchison, Megan Heinze and Chris Hutchison ’80 in Paso Robles at his 50th birthday party. 31 32 1988 Alumni in Hong Kong gathered at the Kowloon Cricket Club in September. L-R: Mason Ma, Joseph Poon, Chapman Lam ’89 and Keith Chiu. 33 Ezra Hendren has published a new book. Writing under the pseudonym E. Reid Ross his book “Bizarre World: A Collection of the World’s Creepiest, Strangest, and Sometimes Most Hilarious Traditions” was released in August. Ezra resides in Maryland and is a columnist/editor at Cracked.

65 FOUNDING HEAD OF VWS RETURNS TO WEBB

Dr. Ann Longley, founding head of the Vivian Webb School, was the commencement speaker at the VWS graduation ceremony on June 1, 2019. Dr. Longley, who resides in England, has been appointed a Life Trustee on the Webb Board. Following commencement, alumni and friends enjoyed lunch at the home of Head of Schools Taylor Stockdale.

David Huang, his wife Danielle and son Alex, visited Webb and the Alf Museum. The family recently moved to New Jersey where David is a Radiation Oncologist at St. Barnabas Medical Center. 34 We enjoyed seeing Lesley Robertson on campus in July. She lives in Georgia with her two children and they were in town visiting family. Lesley is a real estate attorney. She hasn’t been back to Webb since the 90s and was sad to miss the 30th reunion. “It was wonderful to revisit the campus. Reminded me of what an extraordinary experience the school has to offer.” 35

1989 The Class of ’89 had a strong showing for their 30th reunion with over 33 classmates in attendance. Highlights of the weekend included a special gathering at Casa 425, and hearing Sari Gruber’s operatic voice both as a guest in a Vocal Training class and during Saturday’s alumni chapel service. Also during alumni weekend, Bob Connolly showcased his ongoing efforts to organize and display Webb’s vast trove of archival material. During the hard hat tours of Hooper, members of the class saw the improvements to this historic campus building. A big thanks to Bob Connolly, Lisa Miller, Dan Murray, Tommy Oei, Gabe O’Hare and Michele Raphael for volunteering as reunion chairs. 36 Geoff Hersch is the proud parent of a WSC graduate. Drew ’19 is now a freshman at the University of Colorado, Boulder. 37

1991 Alumni from the 1990s were well represented at the Techstars event in Los Angeles in May. L-R: Will Allan ’94, Ken Toshima ’90, Sameer Dholakia, Ed Lin ’93 and Jennifer Ishiguro. A big thanks to Sameer for flying down for the event and being a guest speaker on the panel. 38 1993 Jonathan Kelber and his family are living in Manchester, UK while Jonathan forges a new collaboration with a leading expert on a pancreatic cancer project that he has been pursuing in his lab at Cal State University Northridge. The project is being funded by the prestigious FulbrightCancer Research UK Scholar award. He recently caught up with classmates Raphael Protti and Marc Schneider. 39

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Kate Wharmby Seldman is the creator of “For Those About to Rock: A Kid’s Guide to 50 Legendary Musical Artists.” Kate is a writer, mom, and rock n’ roll fan. Originally from London, England, she is an experienced marketing writer who’s decided it’s finally time to promote her own work, as well as other people’s. Kate lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two sons, and three cats. Here’s to the mighty Wray family representing three decades of Webb: Sam ’93, Thomas ’10 and Michael ’69. 40

1994 The Class of ’94 celebrated their 25th reunion in October. Highlights included a chapel talk by Tara Lazar, a rockin’ Friday night party at Last Name Brewing, and a reading by Joyce Song during Saturday’s alumni chapel service. Many thanks to the reunion committee for their efforts toward a wonderful weekend: Will Allan, Renee Polanco Lucero, Brad Sargent, and Amy Sharrow. 41 42 1997 John Choi married Angela Choe on November 16, 2019 in Los Angeles. Webbies in attendance included Charles Hung, Jimmy Wu, Asha (Balakrishnan) Lee and Nick Lee ’98. Charles and Nick also served as groomsmen. 43

Taylor Stockdale enjoyed seeing Georgia O’Brien and her family in Klamath Falls, Ore. this fall. Georgia is an English teacher at Lost River High School, works on the ranch and, with husband, Kevin, is very active in coaching and other community activities. They have two children, Emmett, 13, and Sophia 11. 44 Kunal Shah’s company, PBS Engineers, has been named a Top Design Firm in California by ENR Magazine and a Top Minority-Owned Business by the Los Angeles Business Journal. “I am honored and humbled to work alongside such amazing people. This recognition just validates what we already know; it’s all about service.” 1998 Jon King and Laura Anderson King toured the museum prep lab with Don Lofgren in December. 45 1999 Class of ’99 celebrated their 20th reunion with members from the class. On Friday night, Anthony Shin presented in the college admission session nd classmates enjoyed catching up at Last Name Brewing. Classmate Arthur Chang flew in from Taiwan to join the festivities. Saturday concluded with an all alumni dinner and a class photo. A huge thank you to all our reunion chairs. 46 47 Arthur Chang met up with John Sang ’00 and Christina Kon ’03 at the original Din Tai Fung location in Taipei. 48 Sandeep Madhavan joined the Alumni Council as a Member-at-Large on July 1, 2019 for a 3-year term. He was also recently named to the Forbes Best-in-State Next-Generation Wealth Advisors list for 2019.

Rose Shattuck is the founder and CEO of The Foggy Dog, which designs high quality pet products such as beds, toys, collars, leashes, and more. You’ll find her products in more than 300 retail stores. Learn more at thefoggydog.com. 49 2000 Natasha Behl is an assistant professor in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Arizona State University. She completed her PhD in Political Science at the University of California, Los Angeles, where her training focused on Race, Ethnicity, Politics and Comparative Politics. During her Tedx talk at TedxASU, Natasha posed the question: “Are you a feminist?” Her book, Gendered Citizenship: Understanding Gendered Violence in Democratic India, was recently published with Oxford University Press. Find the link to her youtube video on the Webb alumni website. 50

Neil Goldman’s company, Hotels for Hope, has been acquired by QuintEvents, a North Carolina-based ticket and hospitality company. Founded in 2010, Hotels for Hope is a for-profit social enterprise that directs $2 from every booked room night to nonprofits created to help children. The company has been a booking provider for Formula 1, Lollapalooza and other prominent events.

FIVE ALUMNI RECOGNIZED DURING ALUMNI WEEKEND THE 2019 ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS WERE RECOGNIZED IN A CEREMONY IN THE LIU/CHEUNG THEATER ON OCTOBER 19. A VIDEO OF THE LIVE CEREMONY IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT bit.ly/webbalumawards2019

Alumni Outstanding Achievement Guilford C. Babcock ‘49 Colonel John S. Rogers, USAF (Ret.) ‘59 Young Alumni Rising Star Award Pilar Mitchell-Campbell ‘04 Colborn Distinguished Service Award Miles Rosedale ‘69 Dr. Christina Mercer McGinley ‘84

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2001 It was great to see brothers Robbie ’98 and Bobby Bedi in Arizona. The Bedi brothers often work together in the operating room: Robbie is a spinal surgeon and Bobby is an anesthesiologist. 51 2002 Usman Ali, Kathy Fredrich and Julian Rachlin attended the alumni summer mixer in Pasadena. Not pictured: Jordan Taylor 52

2003 Charles Pensig met up with former faculty members John Ball and Katie Ammirati in Orange County, Calif. Charles recently co-founded Stratus Data, which is “comprised of engineers and economists from Stanford, Caltech, and the Wharton School. They specialize in data systems and Machine Intelligence; consulting for clients in private equity, biotech, wearables, internet of things, and software.” 53 On August 18, Aminah Teachout organized TEDxSkyforest featuring the theme “Smaller Towns, Bigger Thinking” with members of the Webb community as guest speakers: Jehan Izhar ’04, Michelle Markel ’90, Zohra Wolters ’99 and the Alf Museum’s Gabe Santos. Visit tedxskyforest.tumblr. com to watch videos or read more. 54

2004 Will Habos and Meghan McCabe got married on August 18, 2019 in beautiful Lake Tahoe. Many Webbies were in attendance. 55 The Class of 2004 celebrated their 15th reunion by setting new records for largest attendance and highest number of donors for a 15th reunion this October. Many thanks to the reunion committee for their wonderful efforts: Lily Chen, Kit Clark, Will Habos, Whitney Hanlon, Stephanie Ho, Nihar Shah, and Lorraine Sun. The fun officially kicked off ith a summer party in Los Angeles at Everson Royce Bar in July, and 2004 also plans to celebrate together again in 2020. Stay tuned! 56 Michael Hoe has returned to Webb as the new Director of Studies. “Being back is surreal. So much has changed, but so much is still the same. My role is to oversee our academic program and ensure that what we’re doing aligns with our mission. (Spoiler alert: our teachers are all really good at this). I’m also teaching one section of VWS Evo Bio which will make this my 12th consecutive year teaching 9th grade bio!” Michael spent the last 11 years of his career at Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, MA, where he served most recently as the director of academic support. 57

James Withey, MD was recognized through the Johns Hopkins Medicine Clinical Awards for Physicians and Care Teams for Excellence in Service and Professionalism. The awards program, established by the Office of Johns Hopkins Physicians, honors the physicians and care teams who embody the best in clinical excellence. James was recognized for his ability to remain calm and efficient while attending to high volumes of patients in the Emergency Department. 58 2006 Cooper Johnson curated an exhibit at the Lancaster Museum of Art & History from August 10 through October 20, 2019. Five Year Survey, part of the LA Painting exhibition, was “a cross-section of Los Angeles painting of the last five years, as exemplified by 15 artists who are moving the medium in new directions.” Thomas Yu stopped by Webb and the Alf Museum for a visit with Don Lofgren and Jenn Liu ’05. He was in town for Mark Torres’ wedding. 59 2007 Elisa Gores won first place at Loyola University for a paper she submitted for the Clinical Practice Writing Award and the School of Social Work. Her topic was “Gender Dysphoria in the DSM: A Feminist Reading of the Diagnosis.” 60 Congratulations to Jenny Hong, who received her PhD from NYU Stern in May. She’s joined the faculty at Seattle University as an Assistant Professor of Marketing in the Albers School of Business and Economics. 61

69 WSC WATER POLO

Members of the WSC water polo team, Chris Sazo ’10, Ben Davis ’11, Wilson Parnell ’13 and Coach Tom McKinley, returned to campus during Alumni Weekend to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Webb’s CIF Division 6 championship win. On November 21, 2009, the final game took place against Rio Mesa High School at William Woollett, Jr. Aquatics Center in Irvine, Calif. Webb won by a score of 10-7! In our 98-year history, Webb has won three CIF team championships. In 1986 we won the WSC tennis championship, and in 1992, we won the WSC soccer championship. Go Gauls!

Summer Swee-Singh was on The Ellen Show accompanying Bebe Rexha. “I had an absolute blast working with Bebe and her team to help bring her song of female empowerment to national television. The song is featured in the credits of the new ‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ movie!” Summer is a pianist, composer, arranger, music director based in Orange County and has collaborated with artists like KSHMR, CHON, Circa Survive and Alexandra Shipp. 2008 It’s been an exciting year for Christina Duron. She received her PhD in mathematics from Claremont Graduate University in May and now she’s a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Arizona. In November, she married Jeffrey Bell in Temecula. 62

After several years in New York, Becker Jung is happy to be back in Korea. He’s the General Manager of an e-sports business called Sandbox Gaming. In this role, he builds teams of professional e-sports players focused on League of Legends and Clash Royale. He was in Las Vegas for a convention in September and stopped by campus to say hello. We also enjoyed seeing Becker and Gabe Romero at our alumni event in Seoul last October. 63 2009 Over 30 members from the Class of 2009 came to campus to celebrate their 15th reunion. The class started the weekend strong by joining classmates at Last Name Brewing. Saturday included a day of campus events. The class decided to take on their peers with a friendly game of volleyball and basketball. The weekend culminated with an all-alumni dinner and class photo. Thank you to the reunion chairs who helped make the weekend a huge success. 64 65

Rob Alberstein is back in California completing his PhD in Theoretical & Computational Chemistry at UC San Diego. He works in a protein engineering lab using molecular simulation and experimental characterization to study the assembly of proteins into new types of materials with unusual properties. Rob completed his BS at Carnegie Mellon University and spent time as a researcher at the Mellon Institute, followed by a research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health, before starting his doctorate. 2010 Gabe Bouz received his MD from USC in May 2019. He’s now in his first year of orthopedic surgery residency at LA County Hospital. 66 2011 Emily Noble is in Oklahoma City working at Anglin PR as a digital marketing specialist. Her husband, Josh, is in the Air Force at Vance in Enid, OK. They first met in California and got married on December 21.

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2012 Abby Hess has been a reporter at CNBC since December 2016. She recently appeared live on MSNBC to discuss student loan debt. She also interviewed US Women’s National Team co-captain Megan Rapinoe. Visit the alumni website for a link to her article. 67

Lisa Pangilinan and Benjamin Kamerin got married on June 15, 2019. Lots of Webbies were there: bridesmaids Kayla Clark, Brianna Gaytan and Kelly Dualan ’11, Ari Chalian and Jacqueline Lee. Lisa is working on her PhD in Chemistry at UCLA. 68

It was great to see Tommy Tan back on campus. He is living in Beijing where he works as an analyst for China International Capital Corporation. Tommy recently completed his MS in Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management at Imperial College London.

2013 Nadine Bouz has begun her doctorate in clinical psychology at Azusa Pacific University. She completed her master’s in psychology there in May. 69

2014 Fourteen members from the Class of 2014 returned to Webb for their 5th reunion. A weekend highlight was Kristen Wang’s big win with the raffle! Her donation to The Webb Fund scored her the coveted Webb swag basket. A huge thank you to the reunion chairs who helped make the weekend a huge success. 70 71 Shannon Fei married Matthew Lee in Colorado on June 16, 2019. Webbies at her wedding included Lucas Fei ’16, Susan Xu, Jane Lee, Kylene Huang ’15, Kathy Wang, Alvin Chu ’15 and Danielle Myung ’15. Photo by Christine Choi Photography. 72 Micheal Paik joined the Webb faculty this academic year as a Teaching Assistant in the Science Department. 2015 Kenny Dennie has joined the Webb faculty to cover for Will Walker who is on sabbatical during the spring semester. Kenny, who earned his BA in Mathematics from Pomona College in May, is teaching IM2, AP Calculus AB and helping out in our residential program, with Wednesday evening duty, weekend duty, and advisory support. Ziyad Duron has developed a mobile game app. Family Style is a cooperative multiplayer cooking game, where players race against the clock to assemble dishes, trade ingredients, and keep their kitchen afloat. It’s fastpaced and fun—and it marks Ziyad’s first entry into the competitive field of video game development. He’s now working on his MFA at New York University. Learn more about Family Style at familystyle.info.

Elisa Kong graduated with honors from Columbia University, where she was named Senior Marshal, an award bestowed upon select graduating seniors for their academic and extracurricular achievement. She was also honored by the Multicultural Affairs office for her commitment to inclusion, global diversity, and social justice. During her senior year, Elisa competed in the finals of the Columbia Venture Competition with her mobile app for female mentorship. She also launched the New York base of a nonprofit organization that develops media literacy of young women in underserved communities through digital journalism. Elisa is currently advocating on behalf of user access to data privacy policies on Facebook and Instagram. 73 Jacqueline Withey received her baccalaureate degree of nursing at Gonzaga University and is now working in the Emergency Department. 74 It was great to see Shannon Torrance, Megan Fuelling, Eddie Bachoura and James Romero at the Los Angeles holiday event at the Jonathan Club. 75

RECORD BREAKING SUMMER FOR ALUMNI AT WEBB A DOZEN SECOND AND THIRD GENERATION WEBBIES PARTICIPATED IN THE 2019 SUMMER PROGRAMS, THE LARGEST ALUMNI TURNOUT SINCE THE PROGRAM BEGAN IN 2015. ALUMNI WHOSE FAMILY MEMBERS ATTENDED INCLUDE: Tom Butterworth ’63, Orange County • Jim McCloud ’80, Chile • Evangeline Fisher Grossman ’85, Upland • Kevin O’Hearn ’86, Hong Kong • Casey McCloud Sage ’95, Nevada • Chris Bailey ’87, Ojai • Alex Hsu ’89, Taiwan • Lawrence Rhee ’89, Santa Monica • Leonard Rhee ’90, Texas • Jennifer Ishiguro ’91, Hermosa Beach • Bikram Ahluwalia ’94, Apple Valley • Raquel Diaz Cloyed ’95, Idaho

2019 SUMMER FELLOWS Thank you to our young alumni who helped with our summer program. Clockwise: Elyse Morris ’17 (St. John’s University), Nic Dodds ’17 (Kenyon College), Apollo Thomas ’17 (Pitzer College), Maddy Stoddard ’18 (Trinity University), Ryan Whithorn ’16 (Chaffey College), Leilani Aguila ’17 (Wellesley), Jonas Gerken ’17 (Tufts University), Dylan Wensley ’17 (Occidental College)

For information about the 2020 Summer Program, visit webb.org/summer.

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news

notes

THE WEBB SCHOOLS

2016 Matthew Paik is a member of the PomonaPitzer men’s basketball team that won the 2019 SCIAC championship. He also received SCIAC AllAcademic honors last year.

2017 Leilani Aguila and Jordan Street ’16 traveled to Iceland for a field anthropology course at Wellesley College. They are studying Icelandic culture and how it is shaped by the country’s landscape. 76 Sarah Renfrew works at Price.com, a startup that uses AI technologies to catalog and match prices for enterprises and consumers. She was recently recognized as “star employee of the quarter” for onboarding over 300 retailer partners. “I started back in May as a marketing intern sending cold call emails through Salesforce to get potential partnerships and help raise capital for the company. I learned how to test the API’s for products and improve matching for our software. At the end of July, the company’s founder asked me to stay and work for Price.com taking the role of Business Development. I’m taking a semester off nd returning to the University of San Francisco in the spring. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to work at an amazing startup and gain first-hand experience.” 77

Lengyi Zhang was a panelist at the International Forum on Inclusion and Equity in Education held by UNESCO. “I shared the work done by GLCAC, which aims to create a safe campus for every LGBTQ student in China. It was very empowering to see other young LGBT advocates around the world together here to fight for their visibility at the forum.” 78 2019 Gracie Reda was a Discussion Group Leader for the International Programs at Pitzer College last summer. She learned about the job opportunity through the Webb@Work Jobs Board. She worked with the Japanese students from Kobe Women’s University. 79

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In Memoriam Barbara Dev passed away on October 8, 2019 after a prolonged battle with ovarian cancer. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Vasu; children, Nisha Abdul-Cader and Rajan Dev; and her grandchildren, Isa, Jibreel, Hana and Aasha. Barbara taught chemistry at Webb from 1992 through 1993. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Holy Names College in Oakland, Calif. then attended the nuclear chemistry program at UC Davis where she earned her master’s degree. She earned her PhD in biochemistry at Loma Linda University. Kenneth Walter passed away on September 26, 2019 in Ogden, Utah, at the age of 80. He taught mathematics at Webb from 1971 to 1981. He is survived by his wife Zora who writes, “Teaching at Webb was a great experience.” Dr. Walter graduated from BYU with a PhD in nuclear physics.

1943 John Reynolds died on March 27, 2019. He is survived by his wife Susan, his children, Hewitt, Julianne and Marcy and many grandchildren. While at Webb, John was a member of Block W, editor of El Espejo and an Honor Committeeman. He went on to earn his BA from the University of Texas and then attended Harvard Medical School. After completing his residency at Boston City Hospital, John returned home to California to conduct Hematology Research at UCLA before deciding to open his own practice in Los Angeles. He was an assistant professor of medicine at UCLA, former chief of medicine and chief of staff t St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, a member of the American Society of Hematology and past president of the Los Angeles Academy of Medicine.

1944 David Armstrong passed away on July 4, 2019. He is survived by his children Meredith, Adelaide and Paul, WSC class of 1976 and many grandchildren. David spent only his senior year at Webb yet achieved a great deal during this time. He joined the Glee Club and was inducted into the C.S.F. for his outstanding academic achievement and graduated as valedictorian at the age of 16. David particularly enjoyed his biology course taught by Ray Alf and recalled how he taught while hanging from a ceiling pipe by one arm. After Webb, David enrolled at Caltech, but halted his studies to serve in the Navy during WWII, where he trained as an electronic technicians’ mate. After serving, he completed his undergraduate studies at UC Berkeley and

graduated in 1949 with a bachelor’s degree in genetics. He then earned a PhD at UC Davis and married longtime family friend Mary Scott Meredith at the Vivian Webb Chapel. Following their marriage, David joined the family business, the internationally known Armstrong Nurseries, to become head of research where he developed new varieties of roses and peaches. He left the business in 1968 to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a medical doctor. After graduating from Creighton Medical School and ultimately pursuing a concentration in psychiatry, David worked at Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk until his retirement at the age of 78. We recently learned the sad news that James G. Craig passed away. He spent only two years at Webb before finishing High School at Poly High, but he always stayed connected to Webb over the years. After serving in the Navy’s V-12 Program, he attended USC and began work with M.S. Walker and Company as a salesman. He went on to work with the Port of Long Beach where he served as commissioner from 1965 to 1977. James continued work with the Port of Long Beach until his retirement and in 1997, hosted an urban field trip for Webb students and invited them for a tour of the port facilities.

1947 Philip Vedder passed away on April 19, 2019 in San Clemente, Calif. Phil is survived by his two daughters, Vicki and Terri, his brother John and many grandchildren. While at Webb, Phil earned a varsity letter in basketball and football and was fascinated by biology and history. A lover of the outdoors, he could be found diving, fishing or relaxing at the beach during the summer months. After Webb, Phil attended Pomona College and went on to become a beloved teacher in the Capistrano Unified School District. He lived a very full life and always had a positive attitude, even when facing adversity.

1953 S. David Webb, PhD, the great nephew of The Webb Schools’ founder Thompson Webb, passed away on September 12, 2019. David was a Distinguished Research Curator Emeritus of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Florida Museum of Natural History and a Distinguished Research Professor of Zoology and Geology at the University of Florida in Gainesville. His honors include a Guggenheim Fellowship to study in European museums and visiting professorships at Yale University and the Field Museum in Chicago. He was also a

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A celebration of life past president of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. In 2010 David was the keynote speaker at the Alf Museum’s annual Peccary Society Dinner. He was known as a working scholar, fieldwork enthusiast, mentor and speaker. In fact, his enthusiasm for paleontology led him to develop and teach a vertebrate paleontology course at University of Florida, Gainsville for 40 years. James Willis passed away on September 2, 2019. At Webb, James was the captain of the football and track teams in his senior year and a prominent member of the Lincoln Debating Society. Jim studied international relations at Pomona College. In 1972, he opened the first tribal gallery worldwide to hold thematic exhibitions. Jim was also proud to serve on the Cultural Property Advisory Committee for the White House for 15 years.

1954 Bill Shannon passed away in December 2019. At Webb, Bill reached great heights in all phases of school life. He excelled in the classroom, earning scholarship stars for all five years that he attended Webb and on the football field, where he earned a varsity letter his senior year. After Webb, Bill attended Pomona College and University of Southern California School of Law. He worked for many years as a defense attorney in Orange County before transitioning to work in estate planning and wills.

1964 We recently learned that John Nunez passed away on May 14, 2018. He is survived by his wife, Bela Berghuys and her sons, Jarad and Skyler; Karen Bloomquist and her daughters, Danica and Marta; Jane Nunez; and many See and Nunez family members. While at Webb, John was a threeseason athlete and honor committeeman. He earned three varsity letters in football, rugby and track and received the Hustle Award his senior year for his work ethic on the football field. According to the 1964 yearbook, “John added life and spirit to the seniors.” After Webb, John attended the University of Southern California, where he majored in English, joined Beta Theta Pi fraternity, and roared around on a black Triumph motorcycle. He went on to serve in the National Guard and trained as a medic.

1970 Tony Korody passed away on May 29, 2019. He is survived by his wife Jaimie, daughter Elisabeth and son Nick. Tony was an avid photographer and while at Webb devoted much of his time and energy to El Espejo. From the time that he was a freshman, Tony was constantly taking photos for the yearbook. He is rarely pictured, as most of his time was spent behind the lens, but his photography is essential to every edition of El Espejo that he worked on during his time as a student. After Webb, Tony attended the University of Southern California from 1971 to 1973 before launching a career as a photojournalist. His features include covers for Newsweek and People Magazine, with more than 100 covers to his credit over the years. He was also the founder and president of Fourth Estate Press Inc., which was originally a photographic and video services firm that evolved into an independent meeting management company. Concurrent with the founding of First Estate Press Inc., Tony co-founded and served as executive vice president of Image Stream Inc., a multi-image presentation company which ranked as an Inc. 500 company for three consecutive years.

1972 Derek Wilkins passed away on September 28, 2018. He is survived by his four children, his wife Cindy, her four children and his mother and two siblings. At Webb, Derek was described as one of the most pleasant boys on campus. He was head waiter in the dining hall and head of the social committee, where he organized many events for his classmates. In athletics, he earned varsity letters in soccer and baseball. He attended the University of Oregon where he established a women’s soccer team and skied regularly at Mt. Bachelor. After graduating, he started a business moving trailers and moved to an 8-acre property near Yosemite. In 2018, the entire family was able to take an Alaskan cruise, one of Derek’s bucket list items.

1975 Neil Copland passed away on June 6, 2019. He is survived by his wife, Carol. At Webb, Neil was a day student who played tennis and loved to hike, swim and ski in his free time. He studied psychology at UC Davis before going into business for himself. His great passion was cooking, which led him to found Copland Catering, an enterprise that brought him joy for many years.

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The Final Word

By Theresa Smith, Ph.D.

Unbounded Thinking

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Guggenheim Museum in New York. There were two parts of the experience that amazed me. The first was the building itself. Slowly walking up the circular ramp that is at the heart of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural masterpiece was unexpectedly breathtaking. The other was an exhibit of works not normally on display, playfully entitled “Artistic License.” Museum administrators had commissioned six visual artists – great artists like Paul Chan and Jenny Holzer— to comb through the museum’s warehouses. The artists were charged with selecting works from the collection and arranging them in mini-expositions. This exhibit intrigued me, at first glance, perhaps because the idea of diving into the stored collection of a world-class museum like the Guggenheim sounds fantastic. And that sense of discovery and wonder was captured in all six resulting exhibits. The shows that these artists curated were surprising, unconventional, new. Each artist approached the task from a fresh perspective, intentionally striving to break free of conventions and to create displays that challenged old art historical narratives and imagined new ones.

This is what our academic program at Webb hopes to accomplish for our students. We strive to expand the way students think about the world around them and challenges them to think deeply about their place in it. We want them to question old ways of thinking and propose new frameworks for inquiry and living. We want them to have confidence in their perspective, their ideas, their potential. All this and more is what we mean by cultivating unbounded thinkers. It is an amorphous concept, difficult to define, and yet at the heart of all we do. I know there are at least three ways Webb cultivates unbounded thinkers. The first is in the classroom. Our educational philosophy embraces rigor, depth of knowledge, real subject mastery, and our classes are designed to move students toward that goal. Webb teachers know that students do not gain real mastery of a topic through rote learning, by memorizing facts or regurgitating the ideas of others. Students learn through their experiences. Why memorize mathematical formulas

when you can learn to derive them? Why study force as a theoretical concept when you can ride a roller coaster, measure and calculate the forces at work, and design and build your own? Why study ancient law codes as part of history when you can analyze and debate their relevance in contemporary communities, including ours at Webb? I know the power of experience firsthand from my own teaching. Touring the archive of the Wende Museum of The Cold War, which houses the largest collection of East Berlin memorabilia in North America, illustrated for students in my Advanced Studies class on The Cold War Era the complexity of historical writing and what is at stake in the way we tell the story of the past. As we walked through aisles of Lenin busts and communist-era clothing, my students witnessed the array of historical artifacts scholars study and were reminded that history is lived experience. Sitting at dawn under James Turrell’s architectural installation

Skyspace at Pomona College helped my Advanced Studies Reading & Writing Art History class feel the way a skilled artist can evoke the sacred with some metal beams, light and the natural sky. Strolling up to my house to eat tamales and drink champurrado with my Spanish 1 class in a miniLas Posadas, a Latin American tradition dramatizing the journey of Mary and Joseph in Jerusalem, taught my students that language and culture are intertwined in the human experience. Learning at Webb includes reading, writing, and problem solving, and it also includes hiking, coding, snorkeling, prototyping, inventing, breathing, titrating, pitching, eating, laughing and more. Unbounded Days is a special program we dedicate to this pillar of a Webb education, and my experiences there have been equally rich. For Unbounded Days, we take a week and dive into a mini-term where students chose their own adventure from among roughly thirty courses. As our mission for the program states, “Unbounded Days draws upon The Webb Schools’ enduring purpose of inspiring students to boldly reach for a greater sense of who they are and what they can achieve. Through immersive, collaborative, relevant and deeply engaging journeys that connect the classroom and the broader world, students expand their understanding of what it means to think, create and reflect. They learn that their possibilities and their minds are truly unbounded.” Classes range from business-oriented journeys to outdoor excursions, from cultural immersions to scientific inquiries. For this February’s program, I am co-teaching a course called “Build Your Own Brand.” Guided by Kilter, an L.A.-based design agency, students will identify their personal objectives in building their own brand and move all the way from conception to execution. Among the most popular are our extended outdoor experiences, including a canyoneering trip to Zion, a collaboration with the Catalina Marine Institute, and a geology and astronomy exploration in Death Valley. Unbounded Days started the year I arrived at Webb, and one of my first jobs was to help faculty realize their courses. A moment that stands out for me in thinking about this program is one of my first conversations, when one of the faculty was pitching a biking trip up the coast of California. Biking the coast sounded exciting, but it also sounded dangerous. And I worried about the educational component — was this just biking? As I sat with this teacher, and heard his vision for the class, I realized this was about much more

than biking. It was about history and place. It was about nature and preservation. It was about self-knowledge and observation. And the students who did that trip came back and they didn’t just talk about biking. They talked about so much more. A final element of unbounded thinking to consider is the ethical dimension. Honor. Moral courage. These are critical components of a Webb education. This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. How do we maintain Webb’s foundational commitment to honor, while also making sure we are preparing students to be ethical citizens in today’s world? I recently spoke with Professor Jonathan Healey at Georgetown University’s Ethics Lab about this challenge. Ethics Lab is a relatively new project at Georgetown — about six years old. It forms part of the University’s Kennedy Institute of Ethics and represents a kind of combination of a design thinking methodology with cutting-edge ethical issues. In our discussion, Healey emphasized that in their programs they strive to venture into areas of conflict, not the areas of consensus. They want to build dialogue around controversial topics, such as digital technology and data sharing or DNA research and genetic editing. We care about these at Webb too. Our freshman evolutionary biology class, for example, learns how to replace DNA in bacteria using a plasmid, and they also debate the broader implications of this technology. So yes, an honor education needs to be relevant to today’s world. And yet those foundational questions are still critical, especially in high school. What does it mean to be a good friend, how do you stand up for yourself and others, what is the value of honesty — unbounded thinkers also need to be grounded. That’s something we emphasize. This summer I will be taking a group of students, along with my colleague Dr. Linsley, to walk a section of the Camino de Santiago in Spain. The Camino is a medieval pilgrimage trail. Students will take language and history class at the University of Santiago de Compostela and then we will dive into the journey, walking about 20 km per day for roughly one week. The trip offers the opportunity for language immersion, historical inquiry, cultural study, natural beauty and a real physical challenge. By offering an experience in which our students bring many parts of themselves, in which there are multiple challenges and opportunities for engagement, and by sharing it alongside them, I hope to create another moment in which the unbounded is realized.

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CREDITS

VOLUME 23, NUMBER 1

Executive Editor Joe Woodward

ADMINISTRATION

The Centennial THE Years Opening Celebrations 2022October 1–3, 2020 The Webb Schools The Centennial

Vivian Webb School

1981

Next 100

The Centennial Years Opening Celebrations October 1–3, 2020

In 1922 Thompson and Vivian Webb founded The Webb Schools in the rolling foothills of Claremont, California. THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2020 Over the last 100 years, we’ve seen the timeless values

OCTOBER 1, 2020

OCTOBER 2, 2020

educational powerhouse like no other.

1922

Webb School of California

1922

1936

1981

Webb School of California

Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology

Vivian Webb School

Parents Day

Day & Evening The Centennial Years FRIDAY, SATURDAY Opening Celebration

OCTOBER 2–3, 2020 The Evening of Friday, October 2

The Centennial Years 2022 Opening Celebration The Webb Schools The Centennial

Evening Hooper Community Center and OCTOBER 3, 2020 Centennial Plaza Alumni Weekend

Alumni Weekend

Contributors Dutch Barhydt, Debbie Carini, Andrew Farke, John Ferrari, Don Lofgren, Jessica Rice ’12, Laura Wensley

Taylor B. Stockdale Head of Schools

Hector Martinez Dean of College Guidance

Theresa A. Smith, Ph.D. Assistant Head of Schools

Michael Hoe ’04 Director of Studies

Dutch Barhydt Director of Institutional Advancement

Janet K. Peddy Director of Finance, Planning & Operations

Photography Don Lofgren, Nancy Newman, Scott Nichols

Jamila Everett, Ed.D. Director of Admission & Financial Aid

Joe Woodward Director of Strategic Communications

Printing Dual Graphics

HONORARY TRUSTEES

Donald L. Lofgren, Ph.D. Director, Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2019-20

LIFE TRUSTEES

Robert Hefner ’53 Pak Fu King Ming Chung Liu Yafei Yuan

ALF MUSEUM BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2019-20

LIFE MEMBERS

Anne G. Earhart Sherwood C. Kingsley ’58 John (Dick) R. Lynas ’55 Douglas F. Myles Michael O. Woodburne, Ph.D.

Design Shari Fournier-O’Leary

WEBB

NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 224 CLAREMONT, CA

1175 West Baseline Road Claremont, CA 91711

FALL/WINTER 2020 Unbounded Academics Unbounded Afternoons Unbounded Days 2020

Magazine

IN DIGITAL ARTS, GLOBAL ETHICS, PALEONTOLOGY, OR SCIENCE & ENGINEERING GRADES 7, 8, & 9

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WEBB JUNIOR SCHOLARS SUMMER PROGRAM

THE BOUNDED ISSUE

The Webb Schools WEBB Magazine Fall/Winter 2020

Articles inside

Alumni News

Events Highlights

Final Word

In Memoriam

Alumni Profiles

Unbounded Afternoons

Wellness at Webb

The Arts at Webb

Giving and Volunteering

Unbounded Academic

The Alf Museum

From the Head of Schools

Athletics