Ben Asack ‘18 Provides Humanitarian Aid in Ukraine
Dear Friends,
What a fall it has been! In the classroom, our students approached their studies with enthusiasm.On the athletic fields, our boys’ varsity soccer team took the Lakes Region title and won the Class C New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) trophy. The girls’ varsity soccer team was also successful and achieved second place in the tournament for NEPSAC Class D. And on stage, our fall repertoire included the fabulous performance of the musical Working, which showcased both student and faculty talent. Finally, our skiers and riders at Vermont Academy at Mount Snow began their season with travel to Hintertux, Austria to get their skills development off to an exciting start.
This issue of the Vermont Academy Way is filled with examples of our core values in action and lived by our campus and extended alumni community. The stories profile alumni, students, and faculty who “consider the impact of their actions, on both the immediate and world community, for the benefit of present and future generations.” They respect the land, they respect others, and they desire to make a difference.
We begin with some Wildcats you will want to know. These students prove that you can focus on academics and personal achievement while still caring deeply about each other. We also spotlight recent graduate Ben Asack ‘18. Ben has been working in Ukraine, putting his life at risk in order to support humanitarian efforts and serve near the frontlines as a medic. He notes, “VA encouraged me to be ready for anything, pushing me to learn, grow, and embrace the unknown”. Ben, you make us proud.
We also have a story about long-time faculty member Christine Armiger P ’28, who has been leading efforts to celebrate our strategic pillar “The Land” by working with forestry management experts and our own environmental science students to develop a forest management plan for Vermont Academy’s wild spaces. The VA forest is a special place and thanks to their work, our forest will continue to be a place for learning, growth, and play as it has been for our students for nearly 150 years. I treasure the stories from our alumni of their time spent exploring among the trees and fishing in Bowles Pond!
Finally, we celebrate our donors whose support makes all these wonderful things possible. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We hope that our readers will consider adding their name to this list for the upcoming fiscal year. Without you, Vermont Academy would not be the incredible school that it is.
With gratitude,
Dr. Jennifer L. Zaccara Head of School
Philanthropy Is PowerfulPlease Support VA Today
This popular quote, attributed to statesman Winston Churchill, speaks to the importance of generosity, service, and the impact of giving on the quality of our lives. His words emphasize that while income or material possessions help us sustain ourselves, it’s the act of giving—whether through kindness, time, or resources—that enriches our lives and the lives of others.
“We
make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.”
— Winston Churchill
This sentiment is at the heart of what we’re asking for today. Vermont Academy is a vibrant school, and philanthropy is essential to keeping it strong.
Please consider supporting Vermont Academy. By contributing, you help to shape the future of our students and strengthen our community. Every donation, large or small, makes a significant difference. It is your generosity that enables us to create an environment where learning, growth, and kindness flourish. In closing, consider the following wise words of Desmond Tutu,
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
Thank you and happy holidays.
Sincerely,
Tonia Fleming, MBA, CFRE, P’18, Director of Advancement
Thank You Donors -
We Couldn’t Do It without You
Vermont Academy donors are loyal and generous alumni, families, and friends of the school whose giving and deep commitment to Vermont Academy set an example, inspire others, and make a significant impact on the education that we deliver to our students. You support the transformational experiences—advisories, academics, traditions, athletics, music, and theater—that make Vermont Academy such a special place.
We are especially pleased to recognize those who made gifts totaling $1,000 or more during the period July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024. Nearly three out of every four dollars raised for Vermont Academy comes from supporters who comprise these leadership societies. Long Walk Legends, named for the walkway that is the heart of the campus, have made consecutive gifts for five years or more and are denoted with an asterisk (*) below.
While space does not allow us to name all donors here, you can review the full list at www.vermontacademy.org/donors using the password “Wildcat”. Be assured that we are grateful for every gift, large and small. Thank you.
Vermont Academy Giving Societies
The Head of School’s Society
$50,000+
Anonymous*
Shawn and Laura Byron
The Charles E. Harwood Trust*
Mike Choukas ‘73, P ‘94*
Chris Croft
Russ Fellows ‘62+
Michael Horowitz P ‘98*
Peter and Ann Lambertus P ‘16*
Bob McHugh
Fred ‘56 and Kris Nichols*
Peter and Ann Lambertus Family Foundation Inc.*
Tom ‘59 and Steve ’57 Richardson
The 1876 Society
$25,000-$49,999
Andy MacKechnie ‘57*
Stevenson Brown Porter Fund*
Will and Deborah Torrey P ‘13
The Hilltop Society
$10,000-$24,999
The Eppinger Family Foundation
Carolyn Boday*
Dan Brown ‘60+
Tom and Jeanne Capasse P ‘16*
John Chane ‘63*
Charleigh Charitable Trust
Taylor Collins ‘96
Daniel E. Ford Fund*
Fred and Patty Eppinger P ‘20
Keenan Fisher ‘13*
Linda Fisher P ‘13
Dwain Ford ‘62*
Jeremy Herbert ‘99*
John Hoder ‘69*
Jeffrey and Jordana Jacobs P ‘24
Steven and Mary Libutti P ‘21*
Charles ‘55 and Sue Long P ‘84*
Margaret A. Cargill Foundation
Charlie and Leigh Merinoff P ‘09
Rich and Joanna Segal
Chris Sinclair ‘67*
The Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation
The Richard and Barbara Whitcomb Foundation*
Torrey Family Foundation
Waterfall Asset Management*
Andy Whitcomb*
Barbara Whitcomb*
The Olin D. Gay Society
$5,000-$9,999
Bank of America Charitable Foundation*
Lisa Birmingham
Maude Walker Brandeberry*
Camp-Younts Foundation*
Charles R. and Nancy L. von Maur Charitable Foundation
George Cheney ‘48*
Ted Chivers ‘68, P ‘03*
Larry Cole ‘51, GP ‘93*
Jayson ‘86 and Marcie Dunbar P ‘07, ‘24
Harry Early ‘21
Herb ‘53 and Annmarie Ellis*
Marty ’56 and Kathy Hall
HLE 2011 Trust
David Holton ‘68*
Bill Hosley ‘73*
Peter and Jan Howe P ‘07, ‘10*
Donn Hutchins ‘67*
Lori Levinson P ‘21, ‘23
Chip Mainelli ‘76
Jim Mennel ‘65
Seth and Kathleen Pajcic P ‘24
Yale Paprin P ‘20, ‘23
Daniel Partel ‘62
Alan and Diane Raines P ‘06*
Thomas and Vicki Rhodes P ‘27
Bill Richardson ‘58
Linda Saarnijoki and Rusty Davis*
Mark Smith ‘87
Kristin Terkelsen ‘91*
The Estate of Ralph O. West ‘42
Treeforms, Inc.
Chuck ‘48 and Nancy von Maur
Mimi West GP ‘96
The Fuller Society
$2,500-$4,999
Jim Aram ‘69*
Barry Barker ‘46
Ewing Buta ‘80
Bob Campbell ‘65 P ‘90, ‘92*
Mike Choukas ‘46, P ‘73, GP ‘94*
Dr. Walter J. Clark ‘71
Todd and Robin Copeland P ‘20
Kenneth Ellis
Denny Emerson ‘59
Jim ‘66 and Laura Frey P ‘89, ‘92, ‘94, ‘08
Tom Griffiths ‘68
Charlie Gunn ‘73*
Art Kelton ‘57*
David Kohl ‘78
Samuel Lambert and Marie Sheffield P ‘25
Brad Miller ‘67*
Dave Patterson ‘67
Robert Segal
Richard B. Swan ‘78
The Losam Fund
Tidewater Jewish Foundation
William and Deborah Torrey P ‘13
Terry Tuthill ‘65*
Diane Wilder ‘79*
The Horace Mann Willard Society
$1,000-$2,499
Ada Mosher Fund
John Anderson ‘61*
Bob Anderson ‘51*
Richard Aulisi ‘60*
Craig Baab ‘65*
Gig Babson
Bruce Beagley ‘64*
Stuart Bell ‘80*
Andy Bernhard ‘77*
Robert Black ‘79
Bryce and Kathi Blair P ‘06*
Blair Family Foundation
Russ Bone ‘63*
Lon and Deborah Bouknight P ‘04*
Andrew and Erin Boxer P ‘23, ‘26
Bradford P. Miller Real Estate
Tom Bridge ‘69*
Bill and Nootsie Brooks GP ‘24
David Brown ‘69
Scott Buckley ‘02
Jim Bunce ‘66*
Fred Burgess ‘68*
Michael Campbell ‘68*
Mr. Robert P. Carpentier ‘87
Bob Cary ‘56 and Janet Nussmann P ‘86*
Bill ‘61 and Lura Clark P ‘87*
Matt Davis ‘03*
Austin DeLonge ‘06*
Bob Derrenbacker ‘55*
Rob DesLauriers ‘83
John Dick ‘59
Peter Dorman ‘66*
Dan Dougherty ‘83*
Ed English ‘67*
Joseph Feloney and Jennipher Ray P ‘ 20*
Stephen Fisher ‘59
Tonia Fleming P ‘18*
Alan Gould ‘51*
Andrew Griswold ‘82*
William and Leita Hamill P ‘02*
Timothy Henricks ‘90
Mary Hepburn P ‘81, ‘83
Anne Herbert P ‘99*
Dave Hodgson ‘89 and Amanda GilbertHodgson P ‘21, ‘25*
Ken and Judy Holzscheiter P ‘87, ‘89
David Howard P ‘91
Jeff Hubbard ‘80
James E. & Constance L. Bell Foundation*
Ward Jones ‘68*
Steve ‘72 and Michelle Karol
Peter Katzenbach ‘64*
Ann Kelly*
Linda Leary*
Leita & William Hamill Family Foundation, Inc.
Clarence Linder ‘61*
Sabra Mayfield P ‘91
Don McInnes ‘59*
Scott ‘83 and Carole McKeon P ‘16
Glen McLachlan
Stuart Mellen P ‘24
Kathy Michie*
Jonathan Neave ‘88
Jane Ogden ‘79*
Robert O’Hara GP ‘21, ‘24
Rob Outtrim ‘03*
Peter and Jen Palmiotto P ‘21, ‘24*
Rich Patterson ‘70*
Robert A. Derrenbacker, C.L.U., CHFC Agency*
Roger W. White, Sr. Foundation, Inc
Jae Sanchez ‘00
Paul Scoville ‘64*
Seattle Foundation*
Dick Shanaman ‘53*
Rob Sollmann ‘70*
Steven and Michelle Karol Charitable Foundation
Ty Tregellas*
Larry Viola ‘78 and Bridget Storm
Eric Wakin
Joy Walker Lane*
Webster U. Walker, Jr. Foundation Inc.*
George Welles ‘53*
Randy Wood ‘84
Willis Wood ‘66*
Howard Wright ‘72*
Jim Wright ‘75
Glenn and Lindsay Zaccara P ‘25
Jennifer Zaccara*
Wildcats You Want To Know
Suzanna “Suki” Lambert ’25
Suki is a 4-year senior from Bath, Maine, and she has made sure to take full advantage of all of the opportunities here on campus. During her time at Vermont Academy she has performed in many theater productions and music ensembles, and has been an active member of the JV hockey team and the crew team. She also supports the campus community as a student dorm proctor and campus tour guide, and participates in studentled clubs including art club, letter writing club, and gay straight alliance.
This year, Suki is taking a number of art classes which is where her true passion is. “It’s very nice to do the things I love in my senior year,” she said. Suki says she really loves the community at Vermont Academy and although the scenery is beautiful, it is the people here that really make VA a home away from home for her. Suki is really looking forward to the winter trimester and all of the activities and traditions that come with it including the 24-Hour Play Festival and Winter Carnival.
Before Suki wraps up her time at VA, she will be directing a play that she wrote as an independent study project.
“It’s very nice to do the things I love in my senior year”
— “Suki” Lambert
Yundi “Eric” Chen ’27
Eric ’27 is a second year student hailing from Jiangsu, China. He is a member of the Jazz Ensemble and joined a student-formed jazz trio, Half Giraaffe, (Yes, it is actually spelled that way!) last year. Eric plays the bass in the group, which played at local shows and competes in an ongoing competition in Boston. In addition to his music, Eric is a member of the crew team, and he also individually participates in Sim Racing, which is a competitive sport that involves driving virtual cars on computergenerated tracks using specialized software and hardware. His favorite class at VA is Honors precalculus because of the many ways you can solve problems.
Eric says that Vermont Academy helped him to know what being part of a community is all about. Eric really appreciates both community meeting and community lunch here on campus because they bring everyone together. The VA community made Eric feel welcome and helped him adjust during his first year.
Elizabeth Thompson ’27
Elizabeth is a day student at Vermont Academy. Although Elizabeth is only in her second year at VA, she has fully embraced the campus activities offered. She loves all of the opportunities VA provides, especially Vermont Academy at Mount Snow (VAMS) where she will board and train during the winter trimester. In addition to snowboarding at VAMS, Elizabeth is a talented member of the mountain bike team and the rock climbing team. You can also find Elizabeth participating in numerous clubs including Environmental Club, Cooking Club, and Bread Club. Elizabeth also writes for the studentproduced newspaper and supports the campus as a tour guide, math tutor, and a participant on the annual Long Trail hike! Even with all of this activity on campus, her studies are very important to her with precalculus and American literature being her favorite classes.
Girls and Boys Varsity Soccer Finish Seasons at the Top
The Girls’ Varsity Soccer team saw consistent success throughout their season, and ended their run as the runners-up in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class D finals. This adds to their record of having now been in eight out of the nine previous NEPSAC Class D finals. As the number one seed in Class D, it was a tough 3-4 loss to number two seed Lexington Christian Academy, but it did not diminish the spirit of the team and months of hard work they put in. Their 9-0 win against Kents Hill School in the quarterfinals and 6-3 win against Hoosac School in the semifinals showed their talent and grit as a team.
Head Coach Sarah Natvig shared that the positive energy on the team was a big factor in their ability to reach the heights they did. “Every player on the team this year was naturally positive, and it was actually the most consistent positivity I have ever experienced during a sports season,” she said. Sarah also noted that her coaching philosophy is all about growth, and hoped her team progressed both in their skills and in their mentality. “A big part of being an athlete is experiencing mental growth,” she stated. “As a coach, you can teach them the skills and teach them the game, but if they have the mental capacity to absorb all of it and excel in that mental space, the skills will follow.” She is proud of the team this year not only for their personal development, but also for the support the players gave one another.
Our Boys’ Varsity Soccer team finished their season by reclaiming their title as NEPSAC Class C Champions. As the number one seed in Class C, they defeated the number two seed Portsmouth Abbey School with a 5-0 victory. Their road to the championship started with a 3-0 win against The Wheeler School in the quarterfinals and continued with a 4-2 win against Greens Farms Academy in the semifinals.
“Having the same core group of players as last year was very important to the team’s success,” said Head Coach Adrian Diaz ’14. “The returning players were able to teach our great new additions what VA is all about, making it easier to get the whole team on the same wavelength.” Adrian agrees with Coach Natvig that the level of mental energy players put into a game is just as, if not more, important than the physical skills they bring to the field. “I hope the players learned that anything is possible if you put 100% effort into each minute of the game and each practice.” Thankfully, looking at their victory this season, the players put in their all on and off the field throughout the entire fall.
Congratulations to the players and coaches for yet another exceptional season of soccer. Go VA!
The Arts Take Center Stage
On and Off Campus
Students at Vermont Academy have plentiful opportunities to participate in and experience the arts during their time at VA. This school year has already been rich in opportunities.
The showcase at the annual Cabaret performance was spectacular with acts from the Jazz, Chamber, and Vocal Ensembles as well as individual acts and pieces performed by groups. The year’s first musical production, Working: A Musical showcased the hard work of our students and faculty as they joined the stage together to celebrate the unsung heroes of everyday life: the schoolteacher, the phone operator, the waitress, the millworker, the mason and the housewife, just to name a few.
Equally as important as the on-campus arts, groups of students have had the opportunity to travel off campus and experience other art forms. The Class of 2028 attended The Woman in Black play at the Weston Playhouse in Weston, VT. The Advanced/ Honors Art classes visited one of the nation’s top modern art museums, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (Mass MoCA.) The students were able to learn from a guided tour and then enjoyed free time checking out the exhibits.
Most recently, the Class of 2027 traveled to the Bushnell Performing Arts Center in Hartford, CT to see the North American tour of Disney’s The Lion King thanks to the generosity of the Bob ‘37 and Beth Campbell Endowment Fund for the Visual Arts and Lecture Series.
Whether it is a performance by students in the Nita Choukas Theater in Horowitz Performing Arts Hall, or a trip to see exhibits and performances far from Saxtons River, these experiences allow our students to express themselves in new and imaginative ways.
Case Study: Integrating a Strategic Pillar into Curriculum
Several years ago, Vermont Academy introduced a new strategic plan. The plan, developed through a design thinking process, resulted in four key pillars (Independence, Ingenuity, Community and The Land) that would be used to guide the direction of the school. Pillar #4 is “The Land” and states, “Embrace our Vermont home to cultivate students’ knowledge and appreciation for the land through environmental education, winter sports, and outdoor programming.” While VA’s faculty and staff are invested in the pillars, much of the work to support this particular pillar has been led by Science Faculty/ Director of Place-Based Learning and Environmental Studies Christine Armiger P ’28.
In the course of the strategic plan development, Christine identified that one of Vermont Academy’s greatest resources was its approximately 300+ acres of woodland, and she recognized that work was needed to keep this resource healthy. Forest management is crucial for maintaining the health and resilience of forest ecosystems, protecting biodiversity, combating climate change, and providing vital ecosystem services like clean air and recreation opportunities for present and future generations.
With these goals in mind, Christine worked closely with Longview Forest Management and VA faculty and students to apply for a grant to develop a Forest Management Plan (FMP). The $5,000 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant was awarded to VA in 2024.
With this plan in place over the next ten years, Vermont Academy’s primary management objectives include the following:
• Managing invasive plant species to restore native plant diversity.
• Increasing native biodiversity through purposeful interventions.
• Improving forest health by managing decrepit and aging conifer plantations and monitoring forest health threats.
• Promoting recreational and aesthetic value of their forests by mapping, stewarding, and building trails for running, skiing, biking, and hiking.
• Learning more about the natural history and ecology of the property to better utilize it as an outdoor classroom and lab.
With ongoing efforts to integrate this pillar closely into the curriculum, Christine continues to lead the way on the FMP. Recently, Longview Management Forester Hale Morrell, along with Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Conservationist Emma Kuester, and Invertebrate Conservation Specialist Julie Michaelson participated in two of Christine’s classes. The students worked with these professionals on a plan for removing invasive plant species in and around the VA Arboretum and planted keystone plant species that support native pollinator populations as well as invertebrate species critical to healthy food webs.
When asked about why she feels it is important to have students do work such as this, she shared, “When students actively participate in their learning by gathering their own data with their own hands in their own forest and engaging in social and environmental activism on their own campus and in their own communities, the learning process becomes so much more engaging and empowering for everybody. There are a lot of messages out there that might lead a young person to believe that they are too small to make any positive difference in this world and when you spend all of your time studying global scale problems, it really can make you feel miniscule. It’s so important to balance this by showing students how much of an impact they can have in their own communities.”
Over the next few years, Christine will continue her efforts to engage students in this exciting process. Not only does it provide “real world” exposure to careers in the sciences, but it also makes full use of our campus as an extension of our classrooms and educational programs. We feel grateful to Christine for her work and her leadership in using Vermont Academy’s wild places as a way to introduce to students the beauty and value found there.
Alumni Profile: Ben Asack ’18
We asked Ben Asack ’18, some questions about what he has been up to since his time at Vermont Academy and the lessons he has carried with him since graduating. Ben is currently in Ukraine supporting humanitarian efforts and working near the frontlines as a medic. We thank Ben for sharing with us the important work he is doing.
What are you up to these days?
I’m in Ukraine right now, where my work has been pretty multifaceted — paramedic, instructor, and security analyst. I’ve had a wide array of experiences here, from taking cover in a trench during Russian airstrikes to providing security briefings during United Nations (UN) coordination meetings.
I’m currently wrapping up a year-long contract with an international nongovernmental organization (NGO) focused on keeping humanitarian personnel safe in conflict zones. This role has allowed me to work with an exceptional team of Ukrainian and foreign colleagues, analyzing the security environment in some of Ukraine’s most conflict-affected areas to help our partners safely deliver aid. It’s also been incredibly rewarding to work across the country and engage with professionals from international organizations and embassies.
Before my current job, I deployed three times to Ukraine as a volunteer with Global Disaster Response Team (GDRT), an American crisis response NGO formed at the start of the full-scale invasion. I worked side-by-side with the Ukrainian military in field hospitals and medevac teams close to the frontline to provide trauma care, in addition to training combat medic students and soldiers. We also took part in civilian evacuation missions.
After VA and before coming to Ukraine, I attended paramedic school in Boston. Following that, I worked full-time on an ambulance service while completing my degree in Russian and Eastern European Studies at the University of Vermont, where I also began studying Ukrainian—a language that I am still working to master.
By the time this article is published, I hope to be back near the frontlines as a medic with a Ukrainian volunteer medical battalion.
Ben Asack ’18
What important lessons did you learn at Vermont Academy that you’re still using today?
At Vermont Academy, I learned the importance of adaptability and resilience - lessons I rely on every day. Balancing classes, athletics, and my responsibility as a volunteer EMT for the local rescue squad prepared me to stay flexible and approach challenges with an open mind. Studying with international students only fueled my curiosity about the world and allowed me to start thinking like a global citizen. VA encouraged me to be ready for anything, pushing me to learn, grow, and embrace the unknown. Overall, the biggest lesson I drew from VA was to stay curious and grow into a lifelong learner.
How did Vermont Academy help you become the person you are today?
VA always balanced academics with adventure. The Academy encouraged me to be self-reliant and confident, giving me the freedom to explore my interests while providing the support needed to succeed. Whether it was a tough mountain run for cross-country skiing, a demanding research project, or getting paged out of algebra class to respond to a car crash as a volunteer EMT, my time at VA gave me every opportunity to go “all in.” VA gave me confidence, independence, and a lasting curiosity about the world—qualities that have truly shaped who I am today.
What is a favorite Vermont Academy memory?
Dorm antics - of every possible type. Growing up as an only child, I finally felt like I had brothers.
If you plan to attend future alumni events, who do you most hope to see at the festivities?
I would most want to see Mr. Sokskov, Mr. Echanis ’79 and Mr. Marks. All were important mentors during my time at VA, and I owe them a debt of gratitude.
To learn more about the work Ben is doing, you can visit the Global Disaster Relief Team website at www.gdrt.org/. Ben’s profile can be found here...
Alumni Hockey Game Sunday, January 12, 2025 VA at Mount Snow Dinner Date TBA NYC Keynote & Reception with Northern New England Independent Schools Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Boston Keynote & Reception with Northern New England Independent Schools Thursday, April 3, 2025
Boston Red Sox vs. Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park Friday, May 16, 2025
