Viewpoint Magazine Summer/Fall 2023

THE VIEWPOINT MAGAZINE

Viewpoint on the web

THE VIEWPOINT MAGAZINE

Editor: Monica Case ’90

Chief Marketing Officer: Christy Salcido

Assistant Head of School for External Affairs: Maureen M. Nash

Creative Director and Principal Photography: Bill Youngblood

Art Direction and Design: Dog Ear Design

Additional Photography: A.J. Hernandez ’04, Tanner Wilson

Head of School: Mark McKee

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2022-23

Jill Schecter, Board Chair

Michelle Bradway, Board Vice  Chair, Co-Chair,Advancement

Kafi Blumenfield, Board Vice Chair

Michael Murphy, Secretary

Lisa Austin, Vice Chair,Committee

on Trustees

Judy Gawlik Brown, Vice Chair,  Finance

Myra Chen

Mary Conlin, Chair, Committee

on Trustees

Carolyn De Fanti,* Co-Chair, Diversity,  Equity, Inclusion Task Force

Tim Fish, Chair, Strategic Futures

Robert Flachs

Dirk Gates

Ron Gillyard, Co-Chair, Diversity,  Equity, Inclusion Task Force

Will Go, M.D., Ph.D., Vice Chair,  Strategic Futures

John Heubusch, Chair, Finance

Tran Ho, M.D.*

Peggy Jones, Chair, Building  and Grounds

Andy Kieffer*

Jon Merriman*

John Nadolenco

Pam Shriver*

Sarah Spano ’05, Co-Chair,  Advancement

Brian Wynn ’85

David ZeBrack, Vice Chair,  Building and Grounds

* New Trustee 2022-23

The Viewpoint Magazine is published by the Viewpoint Educational Foundation. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings, and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our apologies and notify us.

Viewpoint School admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, its admission policies, scholarships, and athletic or other School-administered programs.

Viewpoint School 23620 Mulholland Highway Calabasas, CA 91302-2060 www.viewpoint.org

TheViewpoint Magazine received the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Circle of Excellence Grand Gold CASE Winner in 2019, the CASE District VII Grand Gold Winner in 2019, and the CASE District VII Gold Award in 2017 and 2018.

67 “Voices Now” Swing the Vibrato

68 Art in the Service of Community; Empty Bowls

69 Artwork of the Year

72 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

74 Film Festival Acceptances & Accolades

75 Morgan Washington Shows at MOCA

76 We are the Champions!

77 Spring 2023 Athletic Stats

78 Profile: Madison Nadolenco ’23

79 Profile: Coach Jerry Brown

80 Viewpoint Recognizes 11 CollegeBound Athletes

81 Girls Basketball Team Earns CIFSS All-Academic Team Championship

82 When Passion Meets Profession –Interview with Travis Kikugawa

Viewpoint (Matriculation List)

90 Eighth Grade Promotion

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Honor and Belonging

THE THEMES FOR the 2022-23 school year and for the Spring and Summer 2023 magazines are ”Honor” and “Belonging”. For the past 15 years, I have had the honor of belonging to this extraordinary community as both a parent and a member of the staff. I also had the good fortune to be a Viewpoint student from 1980-87. To say that my life has been shaped by this wonderful school would be a vast understatement and my gratitude cannot be measured. I feel so fortunate to have served as the editor and publisher of The Viewpoint Magazine for all these years and I will miss working with the students, faculty and staff, and families as I give up this very privileged position to better attend to my parents.

In the Spring 2023 issue, the magazine showed the ways in which Viewpoint honors our students’ experiences. In this issue, we take up the theme of “Belonging”, which is fundamental to Viewpoint’s core values of love, honor, excellence, imagination, and optimism. As a way of exploring the many ways Viewpoint strives to create a culture of belonging, we asked Head of School Mark McKee, Director of Human Development Cait Kamins, Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Life Patricia Jackson, Director of Athletics Patrick Moyal, and Assistant Head of School for Enrollment Management

Laurel Baker Tew ’78 for their reflections on the topic of belonging.

Laurel Baker Tew wrote, “We know from interviewing students and families what a profound impact belonging has on individual well-being, social cohesion, and overall community development. It promotes psychological well-being and personal development, encouraging our students to explore their talents, build confidence, and develop skills and abilities. Belonging has a direct impact on a student’s academic success. When our students feel connected to their school and peers, they are more motivated to pursue lofty academic goals, and to support one another during times of challenge, stress, or adversity.”

The students featured in “Pursuing Their Passions,” whose interests could not be more disparate, are an excellent example of what is possible in an environment of belonging. Their passions range from documentary filmmaking on social justice topics to avid birdwatching and mathematically modeling the flight of condors, to designing portable insulin coolers for homeless diabetics and researching the impact of baroque music on mental and physical health and cognition.

Mission, Vision, Values

OUR MISSION

To create exceptional readiness for extraordinary futures by cultivating the critical skill set, courageous mindset, and resilient identity of each individual Viewpoint student.

OUR VISION

A school where tradition connects us and innovation propels us

A community where families value unity in diversity

A world where education changes lives

Each of these students is on their own fascinating journey of discovery, yet all of them feel a sense of belonging here at Viewpoint and have found limitless support for their intellectual inquiries.

Belonging is nurtured in many wonderful ways at Viewpoint – on and off campus. Middle and Upper School English teacher Jeff McConaghy leads Middle School Outdoor Education, and he wrote about taking students on a canyon adventure to the Southwest during spring break, where they found both new friendships and new confidence in themselves. That feeling of team spirit and personal growth also can be found in the Middle School Robotics room under the leadership of Robotics Coaches Michael Lombardi and Nancy Argano-Rush.

Theatre has a magical way of creating a feeling of belonging for the actors and the crew who put on the show and for the audience who has the good fortune to be in attendance. This spring’s production of Grease was a wonderful experience of belonging for the whole community.

For the members of Viewpoint’s Championship Swim Team, who this spring won league championships for a record-breaking 18th year running, training and competing together has created a profound bond that has given them a home within their home at Viewpoint.

In her article “Belonging in Human Development and Advisory,” Cait Kamins wrote, “As we nurture relationships within each group of students, and between students and a caring adult, we witness connection deepen through our community as a whole.”

Tomorrow, July 28, is my last day at Viewpoint, and as I think about what is most defining for me about this school, it is this feeling of connection, which all of us are seeking in our lives and can be so elusive. But here, in this beautiful canyon, there is an ineffable feeling of belonging that is so unique to this place. I am not sure that I can name it, but I know that it is there, and it is what I will miss most of all.

Monica Case ’90 Editor, and Director of Content Strategy

VALUES

What is (Sustainable) Continual Improvement?

Dear Viewpoint Family,

EACH DAY WHEN I WALK DOWN THE CORRIDOR

of Academic

Hall, where my office can be found in the heart of our canyon home, I walk past reproductions of the covers of The Viewpoint Magazine for all of the issues since Spring 2017. Eleven in number and counting, the oversized images unmistakably portray engagement – Seniors on a shoot for Film IV Honors, Middle Schoolers conducting science experiments in our creek, students engaged in arts, robotics, in conversation, and on Ring Family Field celebrating our 60th. Each of them is different, and memorable, and iconic. Together, they are a vibrant representation of the life of Viewpoint School – and in one vista they represent hundreds of pages of stories that illustrate our mission and our impact.

We started this tradition to celebrate the redesign of this magazine six years ago – and it has been redesigned since, an evolution evident in the beauty that transforms itself even as it transforms these walls. But we accomplished something more. We were developing a new Strategic Framework in 2017, and “Inspired Learning” is emblazoned on that first cover to reflect a new focus on our People and Programs, following over a decade focused on building world-class facilities. The Viewpoint Magazine became the best chronicle of our Strategy-in-Action, the way that our commitments were transforming the school. Commitments to investing in professional learning, to research, to developing leadership, to innovation and wellness, to recruiting and retaining the very best educators – and most of all, to our Core Values.

Unplanned, these magazine covers have chronicled the continual improvement of our educational program, telling the story in the very best way of how we create exceptional readiness for extraordinary futures. Continual improvement is a cornerstone of how we fulfill that mission, driven to pursue a North Star of Excellence. In fact, our aspirational core values are themselves a recipe for continual improvement – ensuring our education reflects tradition and innovation, as we seek Honor through Optimism, spreading Love that drives Imagination.

So many on our team embody continual improvement, and no one better than our magazine Editor, Monica Case, who with this issue concludes her journey at the helm of this publication. An alumna and proud Viewpoint parent, she has told our stories of our core values, reflecting

and pursuing the excellence and love of learning that are hallmarks of Viewpoint’s culture. Her vision, collaboration, and attention to detail have meant our magazine has garnered awards along the way, and my office shelf is crowded with Silver, Gold, and a Grand Gold award honoring that excellence. Monica also lives our values, as is evident in the stories she has told in these pages and in the covers students file past in my halls. While she will not be far, her presence in these pages and in our canyon each day will be missed.

As a futurist, I’ve always believed in continual improvement – yet as a humanitarian (and a boss), I’ve always known that commitment, unchecked, can be exhausting. Our brains and bodies need activity and rest, strengthening and recovery – we cannot sprint through a full marathon. Recently my mantra has been “sustainable, continual improvement” – and my image, the flywheel, that gains momentum as each talented person in our school puts energy into the system. As these stories show, Viewpoint has been continually improving for 63 years, and in so many ways we are just getting started.

As we do in these pages, each June we bid farewell to a class of seniors, “world ready” for all their Viewpoint education. And each fall we welcome new and returning students, drawn by our core values and for the promise of our vision, “a world where education changes lives.” While our core values are a recipe for continual improvement, they are also just words, until they come to campus in the hearts and lives of our students. As Viewpoint changes students, so students change Viewpoint. I hope their energy, captured in these pages, will sustain and inspire you, as they do for our teachers and staff each day. Their spirit is why I sign each letter –

Onward!

Mark J. McKee Head of School

By Mark McKee , Head of School

WHAT IS BELONGING AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

UNDAMENTAL AND UNIVERSAL , belonging is a basic human need. Decades of research have shown that belonging –defined as a student’s feelings of being accepted, respected, and valued – has many benefits for students: better school performance and outcomes, positive self-belief and self-esteem, better physical and mental health and wellbeing, higher engagement and even better long-term future education and employment. We all recognize the desire to belong – and our approach at Viewpoint acknowledges its value and its necessity.

“ When we celebrate the joy of coming together in a winning performance, in any arena, I’d submit it’s the deep bonds of connection the team experiences that are the most satisfying, meaningful, and important.”

From the start, Viewpoint has valued teaching students that they are part of a community larger than themselves, and our strategic focus on wellbeing and belonging has its roots in our deeply felt school culture. We start life belonging to a family, and Viewpoint has long prized a “family-oriented culture” that brings families together, united by a shared mission and shared values. But to grow through childhood into adulthood – to be “world ready” – Viewpoint students need so much more. At school, students learn what it means to experience being part of a larger community beyond family, to take one’s place in classrooms and teams where we encounter people and families who are different from us, and yet the same. We learn to connect.

The learning from these experiences is powerful, and it compounds over time. Over the years of a Viewpoint experience, we aim to give students many such experiences, from the youngest children’s sense that they are part of a classroom where they are known, loved by their

teachers and accepted by classmates, to the many experiences and groups to which a student will belong – a grade level, a sports team, an orchestra ensemble, or the cast of a play. These opportunities to connect and contribute are another reason our commitments to the arts, athletics, and endeavors from a garden club to robotics to debate, are so vital to our educational mission.

When we celebrate the joy of coming together in a winning performance, in any arena, I’d submit it’s the deep bonds of connection the team experiences that are the most satisfying, meaningful, and important. They are the prize – and when we all join to celebrate and cheer, we share in and multiply the impact. Perhaps this is why people love Convocation; they love Homecoming; they love our assemblies and holiday programs and ArtsFest, and they want more and more of that Viewpoint spirit at every turn. Just as you see in the stories in these pages, at these events we see and feel and experience the beauty of belonging.

“It is deeply heartening to watch students grow as a result of the caring community that holds them.”

Human Development and Advisory Programs

create spaces for belonging in our Middle and Upper Schools.

By Cait Kamins , Director of Human Development

HE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND ADVISORY programs create spaces for belonging in our Middle and Upper Schools. Both of these programs are rooted in the stated goal of connection. As we nurture relationships within each group of students, and between students and a caring adult, we witness connection deepen through our community as a whole.

The Human Development program consists of a required Ninth Grade course and two elective Tenth-Twelfth Grade courses, called Skills and Mentors. These classes strengthen personal and professional communication skills as they create connected groups. Students who move through the program learn to navigate emotions and lead conversations toward successful ends, and in our classroom setting, they deepen connections powerfully. Our cohorts engage in topics that are significant to them (often chosen by them), exploring individual obstacles and shared experiences. Through communication, they grow together, creating spaces where students are seen and celebrated as they are.

Our Advisory program runs from Sixth through Twelfth Grade. Every student is part of a group that meets weekly and stays together throughout their Middle or Upper School years. The program reflects the perspectives of many offices on campus, from counseling and Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Life to senior administration. Overarchingly, we work toward strengthening relationships: with fun, education, and discussion, we endeavor to ensure that each child feels wholly known and holistically cared for.

Like every impactful Human Development program, the strength of ours relies on the power of our people. We are fortunate to have exceptional faculty advising our students. Each grade level team is composed of faculty members from diverse disciplines, and all share the genuine, defining desire to create community for our students. Every Advisory group has a unique personality; each collection of students is helmed by a devoted adult.

It is deeply heartening to watch students grow as a result of the caring community that holds them. The more skillfully our children are able to inhabit themselves, the more ready they are to navigate their current lives outside of school, and their future lives in the world beyond Viewpoint. Both Human Development and Advisory teach students skills as they move through these moments – it is our privilege to help create spaces where they know they belong.

How do you make families feel like this is where they and their child belong?

By Laurel Baker Tew, Assistant Head of School for Enrollment Management

’VE SPENT MY CAREER in the field of admission and enrollment management at both the college level and in TK-12. There’s the old saying that, working in education, you get to touch the future. What’s even better than that is working in admission, where you get to meet the leading edge of that future and help them on their educational path.

Today, we understand so much more about that educational path than we did a generation ago – about our responsibility as educators to the future world readiness of our students. And it all starts with the concept of belonging.

We know from interviewing these students and families what a profound impact belonging has on individual well-being, social cohesion, and overall community development. It promotes psychological well-being and personal development, encouraging our students to explore their talents, build confidence, and develop skills and abilities.

The Admission Team members and I can see it instantly when an applicant feels a sense of belonging to the school at which they’re currently enrolled. And it’s painfully obvious when they don’t.

Belonging has a direct impact on a student’s academic success. When our students feel connected to their school and peers, they are more motivated to pursue lofty academic goals, and to support one another during times of challenge, stress, or adversity. Belonging ties in directly to supporting Viewpoint’s core values of love, honor, excellence, imagination, and optimism.

For parents, the concept of belonging is just as important and begins with their experience in the Admission Office. When parents feel connected to their child’s school, it helps to create an inclusive and supportive environment where they feel valued, respected, heard, and connected to the school community.

Nowadays, it is incumbent upon Admission Offices to serve as the first ambassadors for their schools – to introduce prospective students and families to not only the tangibles but just as importantly, the intangibles as well. Creating a sense of belonging for families in a school environment is crucial for fostering a positive and inclusive atmosphere.

▪ Welcoming atmosphere: Families need to be greeted warmly when they come to campus; provided with clear directions and information; and a comfortable waiting area. It never hurts when Viewpoint Student Ambassadors drop by to say a “hello” of their own. Their voices and experiences are golden.

▪ Regular communication and invitations to school events. Keeping them apprised at all times about next steps, important policies, information they need to know to move through the admission process. Encouraging them to follow Viewpoint on social media.

▪ Welcome events, orientation, and transition programs, for both students and parents: Orientation programs for new families help them settle in and raise their level of familiarity. Parent and Student Ambassadors connect new students and parents with existing ones to facilitate networking and relationship-building.

▪ Parent involvement opportunities: Our office encourages opportunities for parents to get involved in school activities through the VSSA (Viewpoint School Service Association) and PPDI (Parent Partnership for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion).

▪ Cultural celebrations and diversity appreciation: One of Viewpoint’s greatest strengths is the rich diversity of backgrounds and cultures of the families within our school community. Parent-to-parent welcome activities, events, festivals, and cultural showcases allow students and parents to share their traditions, foods, and customs, encouraging respect for different cultural perspectives.

▪ Parent education and support: Acknowledging to our parents that raising kids today is hard. Offering workshops, seminars, and resources on parenting, child development, and relevant topics that support families in their role as their child’s primary educators. This demonstrates Viewpoint’s commitment to the well-being and success of the entire family.

The Acceptance of Belonging

“Belonging can be defined as a feeling of security, comfort, or happiness being a member of a particular group and also of having good relationships with the other members of the group because they see you, welcome you, and accept you.”

By Patricia Jackson , Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Life

ULTIVATING A SENSE OF BELONGING among all members of the Viewpoint community is the focus and the mission of my work here as Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Life. I am all about belonging.

Many of us live, learn, and operate in spaces that most often were not designed for or encouraging diversity of thought or being. So, it is important for us to create on our campus those opportunities where we can get to know each other – from our joys and fears to our challenges and triumphs – in a sense to explore and enjoy the fullness of who each of us truly are.

All of us arrive at school with a variety of unseen objects in our proverbial backpacks – some heavy, others simply omnipresent realities. Since we all carry such objects on our journeys, it also becomes our responsibility to meet each other where and how we are, and in the process to both lighten and share each other's burdens. The experiences and knowledge we can learn by doing this are important life lessons and key to meeting the world ready. Having been a high school English, speech and drama teacher, I naturally lean into the power of words. Why? Because words matter –they form our thoughts, and our thoughts shape our actions. Through words we create intentional connections. With respectful words we build trusting relationships. Using words we share diverse opinions and

perspectives. And words are the source of purposeful and powerful storytelling.

In partial response to formal and informal data around diversity and belonging at Viewpoint, including some of the results from student “fish bowls” that were held during 2021 and the NAIS Assessment of Inclusivity that was completed in the winter of 2022, I partnered with Director of Theatre, Scott Feldsher, to build a creative platform that would offer students an opportunity to explore, develop, and share their stories – how to use their words. With the help of a visiting artist/teacher, Monica Hannush, students were led through weeks of self-discovery, discussion, writing, and reflection. Along the way, VOSOVOS – Viewpoint: Our Stories. Our Voices. Our Stage. was born. This highly successful student-generated theater production provided an opportunity for audiences of peers, family, and community members to learn first hand how students feel about a variety of topics that are important to them. Candidly, they shared personal stories of being ignored by busy parents and caregivers, forced assimilation, and many more examples of non-acceptance. It was, however, their moment of being seen and heard. And, through the sharing and acting out these stories of exclusion, they in turn experienced a sense of inclusion as a troupe of actors working together and also pointed out to the audience the alternative path, the importance of belonging.

ca·ma·ra·de·rie noun

1. a mutual trust and friendship among a group of people who have usually known each other for a long time or gone through some kind of shared experience together.

2. a spirit of friendly good-fellowship

What is the overall philosophy of the Athletics department which makes everyone feel a sense of belonging and that they are a part of the Athletic community?

Each of our teams provides students with community and camaraderie. We offer our students as many team opportunities as possible. We also work with every student to expand their understanding that, much like life, everything in the athletic arena, is earned and not given.

What does it mean to be a part of a team, and what sets Viewpoint’s Athletic program apart from those of other schools?

Ultimately, teamwork is about learning what it means to be a part of something bigger than oneself and working together toward a common goal. In the course of sports, there are many, many layers about what it means to be on a team and what one learns while part of a team. The invaluable life lessons learned through participating in athletics can only be experienced and appreciated by those who live out a commitment to a team. While other schools may be trending away from mass sports participation, Viewpoint values the contributions made by all levels of

athletes, whether it be our first-time participants or our seasoned CIF Champions.

At the end of the day, there are very few experiences in life that can replicate the moments, connections, and relationships forged between fellow athletes through teamwork, competition and fair play.

How do you strike a balance between being competitive and building the spirit of camaraderie?

We strike a balance between competition and camaraderie by intentionally creating safe spaces within our teams so our athletes can both share and yet be vulnerable as they learn from and grow through experiences gained on the field of play.

While the goal is to be competitive, we create an experience that remains about our student-athletes growth through their journey in the athletic environment. We incorporate both team-building, as well as social activities throughout the season to create not only a team, but also a community in which our athletes can flourish.

Athletics: Belonging and Community Through

Comraderie

By Patrick Moyal , Athletic Director

OUR Viewpoint Librarians

SUE JEAN WOODMANSEE ’01 is Viewpoint’s Primary and Lower School Librarian. Sue Jean graduated from Viewpoint School in 2001, and holds a Master’s degree in Architecture (M. Arch I) from the University of California, Los Angeles as well as a Master’s degree in Library and Information Sciences (MLIS) from San Jose State University. Sue Jean teaches library classes to students in Grades 3-5, and is actively developing and shaping the library’s book collection to exemplify Viewpoint’s mission, vision, and values. She loves reading fiction, listening to memoirs, and exploring alpine lakes.

BEVERLY RUPE SCHWARZ , Viewpoint’s Primary School librarian, has worked in the Viewpoint libraries since 2005. She started as a parent volunteer in 1995 when her daughter Madeline (Viewpoint class of 2008) started Junior Kindergarten. Beverly earned her Master’s in Library and Information Science from San Jose State University. Beverly enjoys teaching library classes for students in Grades TK-2 and sharing new books with Viewpoint’s youngest students. She often draws from her certifications in yoga and meditation to make learning fun.

LAURA MONJOY has served as the Middle and Upper School Librarian at Viewpoint School since 2017. She earned her Master’s in Library and OUR

Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh, and has been working as a librarian for the past twelve years. In addition to teaching Digital Literacy lessons and research instruction lessons in both divisions, she actively collaborates with the Middle School Literary Honors Society and the Upper School Literary Scholars Society to support book clubs and workshops. An avid reader in a wide variety of genres, Laura is passionate about fostering a love of reading in students, and helping each student find their next favorite book.

SARAH DAVIS has served as Director of Libraries at Viewpoint School since 2009.  She earned her Master's in Library Service from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. She is on the board of the Association of Independent School Libraries (AISL) and SoCaLIS, the southern California independent school library consortium.  Sarah is the volunteer manager of the SoCaLIS Shared Overdrive consortium, which provides e-books and audiobooks to students at 60 independent schools in Southern California. Sarah actively strives to build connections between the Viewpoint community and the campus libraries, and started the Parent Book Chat program in 2020.

Homes on Campus Where Everyone Belongs

By Sarah Davis , Director of Libraries

EACH MORNING as I arrive on campus, I have the opportunity to appreciate the many ways that Viewpoint’s libraries foster belonging and community at our school.

Entering the doors of the Fletcher Family Library, I am greeted by students who are eager to connect, and who are ready to learn. As a Viewpoint parent and an independent school educator, I am proud that our campus libraries and library programs serve to develop and encourage community engagement.

In so many ways, the Benjamin Franklin Library, in the Primary and Lower School, and the Fletcher Family Library, in the Middle and Upper School, serve from the heart of our community. These state-ofthe-art library facilities are not only beautiful but are also functional. Carefully chosen flexible furnishings make it possible to host gatherings large and small, including over 200 parent events, student meetings, and special programs each year.

In her bestselling book, The Library Book, author Susan Orlean writes that libraries are “physical spaces belonging to a community where we gather to share information.” She asserts that while we increasingly access information in a variety of formats, libraries will become “our town squares, a place that is home when you aren’t at home.” This is especially true at Viewpoint.

Over the last decade, our libraries have evolved to become more like Viewpoint’s “town square” by providing a “home” for uniquely trained and dedicated Learning Specialists. Moreover, the Fletcher Family

Library includes our Office for Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Life, which, by it’s mission, seeks for each and every student a sense of belonging.

In addition to managing our print and digital library collections, Viewpoint’s professionally trained librarians create community connections by offering and supporting programs to establish a life-long love of reading and learning. These include collaborating on our campuswide student independent and summer reading initiatives, Literary Honors Societies, the VSSA (Viewpoint School Service Association) book fair, the VSSA Parent Education program, and PPDI (Parent Partnership for Diversity and Inclusion) heritage month displays. The recent years challenged all of us to create an increased sense of belonging in a strange and distanced world. Viewpoint’s librarians rose to meet this need by establishing new and engaging ways to connect both students and families with our campus community. From pajama story times and library classes on Zoom, to virtual author visits, as well as the creation of a successful parent book club, our librarians built bridges of belonging in an effort to connect all with their academic home.

As I leave campus at the end of each day, there are always wonderful moments of teaching and connection on which to reflect. This is my joy.

As I look forward, I am sure that in another ten years our libraries will have evolved again, but, regardless of the changes, I know that they will still be homes away from home, our common town square, and a place where every Patriot belongs.

DISCOVERING BOOKS

Where We Belong

By Sue Jean Woodmansee ’01, Primary and Lower School Librarian

THE LIBRARIANS of the Benjamin Franklin and Fletcher Family Libraries strive to create a sense of belonging by embracing the richness of our community as a source of strength and inspiration. This diversity is reflected back to our students through the wonderful range of literary offerings from which they can read. This is one of many ways that ensures our students feel seen and supported.

School libraries are key learner-centered spaces on our campus that welcome students of different ages, grades, and abilities. The libraries and librarians are a constant at the heart of the students’ educational experience, which underscores the importance of maintaining a space where every student feels an innate sense of belonging.

In 1990, Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, professor emerita at The Ohio State University, wrote an essay about the transformative power of diverse children’s literature. She observed that:

“Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real or imagined, familiar or strange. These windows are also sliding glass doors, and readers have only to walk through in imagination to become part of whatever world has been created or recreated by the author. When lighting conditions are just right, however, a window can also be a mirror…

Reading, then, becomes a means of self-affirmation, and readers often seek their mirrors in books.”

– Perspectives: Choosing and Using Books for the Classroom, Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, 1990

In Viewpoint’s libraries, the books on our shelves are mirrors that reflect the richness and diversity of our students, as well as windows and sliding glass doors that help cultivate understanding, empathy, and love.

Both our librarians and reading faculty actively strive to foster belonging by connecting students to books that feature diverse literary themes and characters. Many readers are aware of the widely appreciated authors who are awarded the prestigious Newbery and Caldecott Medals from the American Library Association. However, there are a wide variety of awards that recognize authors who strive to highlight characters and themes from a diversity of perspectives. These awards, listed in the sidebar, include the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, the Coretta Scott King Award, the Sydney Taylor award, the American Indian Youth Literature Award, and more.

We encourage parents to visit the Libraries page of our website to find our Viewpoint Libraries LibGuide to learn more about these awards, and to find high-quality books for our young readers.

BOOK AWARDS

American Indian Youth Literature Award

The AIYLA identifies and honors the very best writing and illustrations by Native Americans and Indigenous peoples of North America.

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature

The goal of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature is to honor and recognize individual work about Asian/Pacific Americans and their heritage, based on literary and artistic merit.

Carter G. Woodson Book Award

This award is intended to encourage the writing, publishing, and dissemination of outstanding social studies books for young readers that treat topics related to ethnic minorities and race relations sensitively and accurately.

Coretta Scott King Award

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are given annually to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values.

Ezra Jack Keats Award

The Ezra Jack Keats Award was created to nurture illustrators and writers, early in their careers, who create extraordinary books that reflect our diverse population, the universal experience of childhood and the strength of family and community.

Jane Addams Children’s Book Award

The Jane Addams Children’s Book Award annually recognizes children’s books of literary and aesthetic excellence that effectively engage children in thinking about peace, social justice, global community, and equity for all people.

Notable Books for a Global Society

The Notable Books for a Global Society (NBGS) list was developed to help students, teachers, and families identify books that promote understanding of and appreciation for the world's full range of diverse cultures and ethnic and racial groups.

Pura Belpré Award

The Pura Belpré Award is presented annually to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.

Schneider Family Book Award

The Schneider Family Book Awards honor an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences.

Stonewall Book Awards

The first and most enduring award for LGBTQIA+ books honored for exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/ transgender experience.

Sydney Taylor Book Award

The Sydney Taylor Book Award is presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience.

The Walter Awards

The Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Children's Literature recognize diverse authors whose works feature diverse main characters and address diversity in a meaningful way.

Seniors reflect on VAS Seminar in Environmental Science

STUDYING OUR PLANET HOME

By Bill Youngblood , Creative Director

From Left to Right: Lori Gaboudian ’23, Ben Clayman ’23, Peyton Rohr ’23, Faith Spalding ’23, Sam Albrecht ’23

VIEWPOINT ADVANCED STUDIES (VAS) Seminar in Environmental Science is a “post AP” course designed to provide seniors the opportunity to deeply research and investigate some of the topics covered in AP Environmental Science, which is a prerequisite. The class requires students to choose a research topic, read primary scientific literature, interview stakeholders with firsthand expertise, then present their findings both orally and in a fully cited 15-page paper.

This is not a class where material can be memorized to pass a test and then move on. It develops cumulative knowledge. The students set their own goals and a timeline for accomplishment, which they need to manage so they stay on track throughout the school year. Many students describe a feeling that this course was their first experience of a college class.

The course was developed by Jennifer Garrison Ross in large part because a student asked why there wasn’t a class beyond AP Environmental Science so that they could do more work with the subject. It seemed a great question and Viewpoint provided Ms. Garrison Ross the opportunity to create the seminar which is now a UC approved honors level lab science course.

On Thursday, May 25th, just as their year-long seminar was drawing to a close, five students from the course, Sam Albrecht ’23, Benjamin (Ben) Clayman ’23, Lori Gaboudian ’23, Peyton Rohr ’23, and Faith Spalding ’23, sat down by the Love of Learning wall to reflect on and share their experiences in this unique learning program.

“And so, in my research, what I knew was a problem was also a wake-up call for me as I saw just how bad things are getting.”

PEYTON RHOR ’23

What was your reason for taking post-AP Environmental Science?

Faith: I took this class because post-AP Environmental Science provided a very straightforward path to do something that I was very interested in.

Sam: The biggest reason why I took this class was because I wanted to continue my study of environmental science – because that’s what I want to do next year in college.

Peyton: I love Ms. Garrison Ross. She is cool. Environmental science is very relevant. I think environmental scientists are fighting climate change as we speak – to keep the world from falling apart.

Ben: I took this class as a different route of study for what I’m going to be pursuing for the rest of my life – fashion design, which I’ll be studying in college. This provided a different way to look at environmental studies about the fashion industry.

Lori: I heard from previous seniors that it was a student-led class and it sounded really interesting because you could choose your area of study – whatever you want, as long as you followed the guidelines.

Ben: Out of all the sciences I have taken, post-AP Environmental Science seemed the most applicable to the real world – where I wanted to go – what I wanted to study. It was student-led, and I think it’s the best class to learn how to prepare for college. And this is where you learn to get in the habit of not procrastinating! And, learning how to plan out your time and write a whole paper. This also seems like the most educational assignment I’ve had in terms of learning about myself.

Can you tell me a little bit about the course and a quick description of the overall process as you work on your projects?

Ben: AP Environmental Science gave us the chance to dive into things. So, we spent a lot of time reading journal articles and scientific papers, which is hard to do. The students led the conversations, which is also hard to do – and we did labs.

But, it was really the process of getting comfortable with the level of material and starting to think about what to research, because even though everyone had their own interests, narrowing them down to a topic to study and research was actually a pretty big challenge. So, we finished up at the end of the first semester by refining our topic and then the second semester was when we really started to produce the paper.

Tell me about each of your projects and how you identified the research you wanted to devote your year to.

Faith: I’ve always had this really big obsession with natural disasters ever since I was younger. So, I decided to write my paper on the aftermath of the 2011 Japanese earthquake, specifically what happened at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant. And it was mainly about the environmental effects that occurred as a result of radionuclides. It was a long topic to take on and some of the material was hard to understand, but I’m really glad that I chose it.

Sam: I did my project on the Great Barrier Reef and its steady decline since the 1980s. I did a lot of research about the different impacts, and the new restoration efforts that have been started there since 2018. I was motivated to pursue that project because I’ve always been interested in coral research. And, I was in the Virgin Islands last year for a research trip which really motivated me to continue to focus on coral research.

Is this something you are going to pursue in college?

Sam: Yes, I’m studying environmental science next year … hopefully something around coral research.

Peyton: I did my project on deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. I really wanted to do it because I saw all of the fires that happened in the last couple years. It was really disappointing to see where the Amazon rainforest is going. It’s one of the world’s biggest carbon sinks.

In research for my project, I found out that because of the burning in the Amazon, it is now emitting more carbon than it is taking in, and that was really scary to me considering the Amazon rainforest has always been our (carbon) catch-all. And so, in my research, what I knew was a problem was also a wake-up call for me as I saw just how bad things are getting. If we continue to go the way the we are, we’re going to lose one of our biggest natural resources that is essential to the world.

Ben: I did mine on the negative impacts of the fashion industry. This project gave me a new reason to study something that I wouldn’t necessarily study outside of school. I liked this topic because I can inform my friends how to do better whenever they’re shopping for clothes or fashion.

So, are you interested in sustainable design?

Ben: That’s what I’m looking towards now that I’ve completed this project and research. But, before the class I didn’t know anything about this.

That’s fantastic. How about you, Lori?

Lori: I’m studying how Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals, or EDCs, can affect fertility and reproduction amongst both male and females. In the class we took last year, we learned about EDCs very quickly and how they can be found in water bottles, for example. BPA is a very common EDC that we’ve heard of. And humans are exposed to it almost every day. It’s a silent threat that people don’t really know about. Once I started, I thought, “Oh, I am into this topic.” And learning just how we’re exposed to it every day and that it can have lifelong effects such as affecting your ability to have children or even just how your reproductive system works, was terrifying, but also really cool to research. And, I thought, “This is something I want to continue researching.”

Has it changed your behavior in terms of using plastic bottles?

Lori: To be fair, I haven’t implemented it yet, but I do think about it every time I buy one. Kitchin’s Kitchen sells the paper water bottles. I try to get those, but today I have a plastic one (laughter). But, I am more aware of it and I do feel, “Wow, this is really terrifying.”

It is terrifying, absolutely. Please talk about your primary sources. I know each of you had to reach out to people who are experts in your field of study –

Faith: Well, finding stakeholders – this was tricky. I ended up being able to speak with an environmental litigator who’s also been a liaison between the regulatory agencies and a company getting a nuclear power plant approved.

He had an understanding of what regulatory measures need to be in place to avoid possible contamination like we see in Fukushima. Getting that perspective from somebody who’s in the US doesn’t necessarily apply directly to what’s happening in Japan, but the same principles remain in place. So, it was really helpful.

Sam: I spoke with Dr. Peter Edmunds at Cal State Northridge. He’s actually the one who ran the research trip to the Virgin Islands that I went on last year. He’s very successful in coral research – throughout the entire world. He’s worked in the Virgin Islands, French Polynesia, California and the Great Barrier Reef. I talked to him and he was very helpful with finding information about coral research.

Peyton: I talked to a local, California senator, Henry Stern. He helped author the California Deforestation Free Procurement Act which, would place financial disincentives on the unsustainable sourcing of lumber, and curb deforestation from the financial standpoint. It was really interesting to hear from him, and about the kind of logic and reasoning that happens when they write a bill.

The bill actually ended up getting vetoed, but they’re trying to rework it, so hopefully it gets passed. He told me California is the fifth largest economy in the world. So, if California is able to take these measures and steps, it could become a gateway for other states and countries to follow suit and help stop deforestation at the corporate level.

Ben: I reached out to multiple friends that are in the fashion design industry and I ended up going with Viewpoint Alum, Darian Gervitz ’20. His brand is the most sustainable. So, I ended up working with him.

Lori: I was able to speak with my mom who is a doctor at Keck School of Medicine at USC. She’s a gynecologic oncologist. Because it’s a very niche topic, finding someone in the EDC world was very hard. Mom was able to tell me just how little EDCs play a role in diagnosing a patient, or even the awareness of what a patient’s risk was prior to being diagnosed. She told me, basically it’s never brought up in the workplace. She said, “My job as a physician is not to necessarily focus on what caused the cancer, but now that it’s happened, how can we cure it?”

She said the only thing she could think of that was similar, was an instance of a drug called DES (Diethylstilbestrol). It was believed to prevent miscarriages, then 30 years later, people learned that it actually led to miscarriages and cancer.

So, are you interested in a career in medicine?

Lori: I was, before I took chem (laughter). Now, I want to major in political science.

Of course, laws need to be passed to get plastics out of our lives.

Lori: Yes.

What did everybody gain from going through all of the steps of your research projects?

Faith: I was thinking about this last night as I was finishing up my paper. I realized that to be able to understand the journal articles that are the main sources that we’re referring to in our paper, we had to learn how to analyze them. We had to learn how to discuss them and pick apart different facts.

So, understanding the material was really important in creating my paper. A lot of it involved cesium deposits and iodine. So, having the ability to say, “Okay, this applies to my paper in this way, or this applies to my paper in that way” – it was really helpful.

Sam: For me, it was less about my specific research and more about putting together the paper and learning how to take in the many sources and information you hear from your stakeholder, and put that into writing a paper. I feel that’s a really useful skill and that’s something we really haven’t done so far. So, just putting together a big paper like this, citing it, and learning how to do this is something that I found really important.

Peyton: I agree. I think it was definitely good to experience this for the first time. And my paper was similar to Faith’s in that I had to

As I thought about how things intertwine – that helped my personal question start to make sense, “How am I going to relate policy and science?”

LORI GABOUDIAN ’23

analyze a lot of primary research in all of these studies and models. So, thinking critically and analyzing it was good . . I feel it helped me learn about myself and the ways that I work best. And usually I’m a procrastinator, but I realized, “Okay, I really can’t procrastinate a 15-page paper.” So, it was interesting to learn how to be productive and get things done on time.

Ben: Same thing for me. It was just a big lesson to myself that I actually could get stuff done. The checklist idea was where it was at. In the end, I got everything done pretty much within a day of my timestamps. So, that idea was a big help.

Lori: Last night I realized, “This is the most college prep assignment I’ve ever had.” Then, “Wow, this is really what it’s going to be like in college.” And, “This is a very good culminating activity to have before going to college.”

This makes a lot of sense. We have to get these new skills of reading things that sound like a foreign language and finding a way to translate it in a way that makes sense, but then produce academic language. So, these were the challenges that were very interesting to overcome. And in general, this paper felt very college-geared, which was really cool.

How do you think the classes helped prepare you for college and life beyond Viewpoint?

Faith: This was the second very long paper I’ve had to do. Having to organize myself so I got everything done on time, but also understand the material, was the biggest part of it for me. College is a lot of work, I’m very nervous. The sources that are used for any type of research are not just a fun little article blurb. It’s real research. And I think that was the biggest part – the research aspect.

I am going to a school that is a research institution, so this is definitely what I’m delving into. Understanding how to read data, analyze data, was a really big part of my goals for this paper and it’s going to help me in college.

Sam: This is the second scientific paper I’ve written. But, I would say this one helped me learn much more. This one was longer, and following the steps, like Faith said, were very important. I learned

how to pace myself, because we didn’t have a lot of deadlines. That’s something I needed to learn for college. And I was excited to write about the Great Barrier Reef, and it’s what I will be studying in college.

Peyton: At first the lack of deadlines was a little frustrating because we’ve never experienced that before. But, I do think it’s a really eyeopening class to take before college. I’m going to a liberal arts school and there you are very much on your own.

So, while it was a little bit scary, it was nice to understand that you’re on your own – “Here’s this assignment, figure it out. I’m here to help you if you need it, but I’m not going to hold your hand the whole way.”

Faith: I think the lack of handholding was the biggest thing.

Peyton: Yes. Yes. Because I feel like everybody handholds you. “Here, just do this – and then do this…”

Ben: For me it’s the same. In the second semester, I was just getting stuff done when I had to and that’s a big part of the school I’m going to. I’m going to be designing clothes. I'll have three, four months at a time where I’m doing a whole collection of projects in a certain amount of time. So, I think this second semester just helped show how college will be, and it opened my eyes.

Lori: Besides the lack of hand holding, it was very interesting to just see how intertwined the world is. When I was reading about the policies that allow manufacturing companies to produce things that can put people in harm’s way, I was motivated to study public policy and international relations to see how to combat loose laws that are allowing people to be put in harm’s way by the lifelong effects of plastics. As I thought about how things intertwine – that helped my personal question start to make sense, “How am I going to relate policy and science?”

Faith: I was always asking myself where everyone else was in the process, because it was nice to feel we were all kind of a little bit lost together.

Sam: Yes.

Faith: And then, we all just kind of figured it out together, which was fun.

Do you feel you learned from one another about the various topics?

Together: Yes.

Sam: Yes, for sure. I think there’s so much variety in what everybody did. No two papers in this class were the same. So, we were touching on such a wide range of issues from nuclear radiation all the way to sustainable fashion. So, I think that the versatility really goes to show how many different angles and really interesting topics you can touch on in this class.

Peyton: And I think, the lack of, or the very, very minimal hand holding allowed us to lean on each other more than we would’ve.

Sam: Yes, and to have class accountability.

Faith: Yes!

Peyton: Yes. And have accountability. Because If you’re going to tell someone, “Oh, I’m going to have this done by this date – or I’m going

to do something at this event,” If you spoke to them later, and they asked, “Oh, where were you?” And they said, “Oh, I actually did it.” And you hadn’t – you kind of felt silly.

Lori: Or, you felt a little bad about yourself.

Peyton: It was so nice to have an accountability that was fostered because of a more hands-off, laid back approach.

Lori: Yes. But, most of all, I just loved hearing everybody talk about their topics. I loved hearing people talk about what they’re really passionate about. It was really cool to hear everyone’s topics – and there were so many different topics – so many I had never even thought of.

And, for me this whole experience was really eye-opening. There are so many problems to deal with – because of all the major environmental issues – that we could all do research and then write so many different papers.

PALEONTOLOGIST FOR THE DAY FIRST GRADE

By Monica Case ’90 , Director of Content Strategy

THE CLASS: FIRST GRADE SCIENCE, DINOSAUR UNIT

In First Grade Science, taught by Jackie Sanchez and Lauren McPherson, the students spend 10 weeks on the Dinosaur Unit, because First Graders love dinosaurs. The students want to know all of the names of the dinosaurs and everything about them – are they two- or four-legged? Are they carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore? They are fascinated by every fact and detail.

THE PROJECT: PALEONTOLOGIST DAY

Paleontologist Day is the culmination of the Dinosaur Unit. During the unit, Ms. Sanchez talks to them about the paleontologists at the La Brea Tar Pits and how they dig for fossils and the kinds of things that they find. So, when Paleontologist Day comes, they could not be more excited to have the chance to do it themselves, and the big sandbox on the Primary School playground is the perfect spot for digging.

THE PROCESS

Ms. Sanchez explains, “Everything is carefully prepared for in advance and we mark the ‘dig sites’ with flags, so each student will have a designated spot and will be certain to have a successful excavation. We then begin by giving each of them their vest, badge (which are their credentials as official paleontologists), and tools, which includes paintbrushes and toothbrushes for brushing off the sand, magnifying glasses, sifts, and a tray for their ‘finds.’ They are then given their reference sheet with different objects and dinosaurs, so they know what they are looking for once they start digging.

After they have found their items, they use the magnifying glass to investigate each one. Is it a real fossil? Is it a tooth? Is it amber? We talk about all different types of fossils in class, so they know how to evaluate what they have found and they love to tell me all about it. They could come up to me and say, ‘Ms. Sanchez, this is a piece of amber, or this is fossilized dinosaur poop,’ which are called coprolites and is something that they have seen in class. They also tell me what tool was easier for them to use during their dig, what was their favorite fossil, explaining what they did in their own words. Paleontologist Day is a great time for all of us and the perfect way to pull together all that they have learned.”

OUR INNOVATION SPACE

WHEN YOU STEP INSIDE THE INNOVATION SPACE for Primary and Lower school Students, you can feel the endless possibilities for creativity. Our teachers provide Primary and Lower School students with countless opportunities for collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and innovation. In this playful and empowering environment, students explore their ideas, interests, and passions through the use of various materials, tools, and the latest technology. Our program promotes design thinking, learning by doing, and both Do-It-Yourself and Do-It-Together projects.

The goal is to start with our youngest students and integrate technology so naturally by the time they’re Upper Schoolers, they’re using these powerful skills and the latest tools to pursue passions and tackle problems. Our STEM program at Viewpoint includes dedicated teachers, spaces, and curriculum to provide students ages 4-18 with foundational skills for the future. From our Innovation Space and Robotics Lab, to clubs and Upper School scholar and AI opportunities, our students benefit from hands-on learning that nurtures their passion for all things science.

Middle School ROBOTICS

WALK INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ROBOTICS classroom at almost any hour of the school day and you will find several of the more than 30 members of the Middle School Robotics Team hard at work building their VEX IQ Robot for the next competition. To be a part of the Middle School Robotics program they must attend three of the six different meetings scheduled each week, but many of them can be found there at lunch or after school diligently problem solving with their teammates under the encouraging supervision of Robotics Coaches Michael Lombardi and Nancy Argano-Rush.

Mr. Lombardi could not be more proud of his students or excited about the range of important life skills that they are learning through robotics. He said, “It teaches problem solving, collaboration, and critical thinking, and because each match is only 60-seconds, learning time management is key. It also requires them to build their creative muscles as they decide what the robot is going to look like. Each two-person team approaches things differently, but they come together and learn to function and design as a team.”

Eighth Grader Saige Kumar describes the overall process this way: “We first start with a basic design, and all the modules needed. We test that out and find the pros and cons. Afterward we create a new robot with the pros of the previous robot included and new ideas to fix the cons. We continue that process until we are happy.”

ESCAPE TO ESCALANTE

By Monica Case ’90 , Director of Content Strategy

Over this past spring break, an intrepid group of Middle School students joined Viewpoint’s own Jeff McConaghy and KJ Clarkson for an expedition into some of the Desert Southwest’s most spectacular canyon country. As an extension of the School’s newly rebooted Outdoor Adventure program in the Middle School, this expedition provided the opportunity to stretch the lessons learned on shorter weekend trips and add some additional backcountry knowledge into the students’ bag of tricks.

For 6 days and 5 nights, the group meandered along back roads and on remote trails, exploring the wild terrain of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, considered to be some of the most beautiful canyon wilderness in the world. Students worked on such skills as putting up a tent in winter weather, effectively packing (and carrying) a frame backpack, managing their personal comfort in widely ranging temperatures (from 15°-75°), following rudimentary trails, and navigating complex canyon systems.

PERHAPS MR. MCCONAGHY SUMMED IT UP BEST IN THE EMAIL HE SENT TO THE PARENTS AFTER THE TRIP:

“We withstood a freezing start and learned that we can actually thrive well outside our normal range of comfort. By Day 3, when we donned backpacks and headed into the deep wilderness, the students marched bravely into the unknown. Gorgeous canyons and hard-earned self-confidence were our reward.”

"WILDERNESS. THE WORD ITSELF IS MUSIC."

– EDWARD ABBEY, DESERT SOLITAIRE

Project Interchange: Voices from Israel

Story and Photographs by Mark McKee , Head of Scool

INsummer 2023, I had the honor and privilege of a remarkable week in Israel, immersed in learning about the land, the people, and the context. These reflections were planned before the tragic events of October 7, when war broke out with Hamas’ horrific attacks in Israel – including at Nahal Oz, a kibbutz we visited near the Gaza border. These experiences take on even more significance, as we navigate a landscape that is once again forever changed by historic events.

“For our learning was transformational, as we traveled from the shores of the Mediterranean to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial to a closing Shabbat dinner.”

FOR THE LAST WEEK OF JUNE, I joined AJC Project Interchange for their inaugural educational trip with ten Heads of Independent Schools from across the United States, in a program that American Jewish Committee has offered for decades to leaders from other sectors of education and public service. At the beginning of the week, our hosts promised to introduce us to a wide range of experiences and viewpoints; their one rule was to ask any question, no matter how difficult or basic. My colleagues and I felt the same: as educated adults dedicated to understanding world events, we had little context for understanding the complex intersecting histories of the Middle East. Beyond the beauty of the land and the thousands of years of history and culture in sights like Jerusalem’s Old City, what has stayed with me are the voices and words of the people we met. Our hosts introduced us to a range of leaders from across the country, Israelis and Palestinians reflecting a range of experiences and walks of life. My reflections are framed by their words: “It’s complicated.”

From our first meeting with a professor who provided historical context, we began to hear these words in response to what seemed like otherwise simple questions. The history of modern Israel, the nature of the IsraeliPalestinian conflict, the governance of their democracy, even aspects of daily life are, well, complicated – and we became used to hearing this as an introduction to a longer answer. For example, in June the streets of Tel Aviv and cities across the country were seeing demonstrations of hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens protesting against the current government’s proposed judicial reforms. Even understanding the Prime

Minister’s governing coalition is “complicated” – with the result that we see aspects of the present with layers of connections to the past and to a diverse, multicultural and multi-faith present, a society living out an identity as a Jewish and democratic state. We could but scratch the surface. But our best learning in each new conversation was to journey headlong into complexity – taking “it’s complicated” as an invitation, a beginning rather than an end.

“For me, it’s personal.”

The first time I heard this quote was from our guide, as she said what it meant for her and her family to live in Israel, tracing the choice back to her grandmother’s experience in the Holocaust. We encountered this sentiment everywhere we went. In a nation that is 75 years from its founding, and in a land where people trace their connections to ancestral roots across thousands of years, “it” – the historical, the social, the political – is indeed personal.

Before we arrived, we were invited to meet Israel anew, cautioned not to view the country, land, and people, through a U.S. lens, not to impose our particular U.S. world view. And indeed – the way in which the people we met felt personally connected to questions of the day, seemed genuinely different from back home, a nation with almost 250 years since its founding. Constantly, all we met referred to historical events – 1948, 1967, to the first and second intifadas – as if they were very present, with a much greater awareness of history than I find in everyday conversations here, where we so often talk about current events as if we just showed up. I met a people in touch with their history.

Above: Selfie of Mark McKee and Cathy Shelburne McKee at the Western Wall

“The most difficult time I remember in Israel…”

One of the leaders we met, who led a youth social services center in Tel Aviv, was telling us about her history as an officer in the army, her adult life in Israel and in the U.S., and the work of her agency. Almost done with our visit, we asked, what concerns her the most, and she said with clarity, “democracy.” The answer stopped us in our tracks, as she discussed the challenges facing Israel, both distinct and familiar as we see greater polarization and declining trust in the world around. It was a sober reflection, that given past challenges and even wars, she saw this moment as most difficult.

“Here comes the sun.”

A group of educators looks for hope. In addition to visiting with officials from the Department of Education – where we learned about Israel’s complex public education system, which provides separate state curricula for citizens of different religions – we also visited the Hand-in-Hand School in Tel Aviv, one of a network of integrated Jewish-Arab schools with 50/50 student population and a dual language curriculum. We toured the school and met with its leadership: it’s a bright, happy school where children are learning together. We were engaged by hearing what they achieve across cultures – when our conversation was interrupted by the signal to change classes. Not a bell, but the Beatles song, “Here Comes the Sun.” As the happy melody and words floated in, it took a moment to understand what it was – and as it must for the children, the tune provided an optimistic pause in our conversation.

Project Interchange: Voices from Israel

Even amidst a difficult summer, such signs abounded. In Ramallah, we met with a Palestinian tech CEO and his daughter, who spoke about their hopes for their people and their land. In Abu Ghosh, an ArabIsraeli town outside Jerusalem, the former mayor spoke with warm hospitality about living a “double life,” about his work with his neighbors and about the challenges of educating students (including his own children) in Jewish and Arab schools. And then we met Brother Olivier, a monk at the Benedictine abbey there, who shared his journey and took pleasure in singing to us in the chapel, saying: “Here I am, a French monk singing Latin psalms in the Hebrew language, in a Muslim village in Israel.” A symbol of the land and of our learning.

For our learning was transformational, as we traveled from the shores of the Mediterranean to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial to a closing Shabbat dinner. And our learning, too, was personal – learning we would take back to our school communities, to the students and families we carried with us in our minds and hearts. For Cathy and me, it was even more personal, as we stayed on in Jerusalem to meet the parents of our new son-in-law, seeing the city through yet another perspective, the adopted home of our new family.

A favorite quote of mine speaks of “the simplicity on the other side of complexity.” During these weeks, in finding human connection amidst competing histories and conflicting perspectives, I found that very simplicity, an enduring sense of place and family. In these times, may we all pray that on the other side of complexities, we find the simplicity of human dignity, safety, and peace.

Above: Abbaye Ste. Marie De La Resurrection in Jerusalem

LIFTING UP BELONGING

By Patricia Jackson , Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Life

I BEGIN MY THIRD YEAR directing the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Life at Viewpoint School in Calabasas, California, I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to work directly with a Head of School who gets it, and who champions space for creativity in our ongoing quest to better support a school community where families value and honor unity in diversity. Realizing that this is a two-way street, we all strive to willingly work collaboratively, continuously deepening much needed levels of trust, curiosity, and respect, especially during these challenging times.

During the spring 2023 semester, we honored and continued to build upon existing initiatives such as Viewpoint’s Annual Diversity Leadership Day (DLD) – a conference style event where the majority of the nearly 60 sessions offered are created and led by students covering timely topics that are most important to them; Parent Partners for Diversity and Inclusion (PPDI) host an Annual Multicultural Potluck event, when families from some of the more than 75 countries represented at Viewpoint gather to build community on campus through the sharing of foods that have been passed down from one generation to the next; and, we offer a variety of opportunities for all to learn more about traditionally marginalized folks from guest and in-house speakers, and through specially curated events and celebrations.

As highlighted in the “Belonging” article on pages 6-12, a firstof-its-kind collaboration between the Conservatory of Theatre and the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Life, resulted in a new, original, and student-led theatrical production called VOSOVOS – Viewpoint: Our Stories. Our Voices. Our Stage. Using such innovative workshop techniques as verbatim theater, devised theater, collage, and adaptation, this showcase of student-generated theater was a heartfelt, roaring success and we are already planning our second annual VOSOVOS.

At the end of the day, communication (both verbal and non) is key, as many of the challenges we face as a society are rooted in a need for greater understanding, empathy, and compassion. It is always through these lenses that we fulfill our vision of being a community where families understand, value, and honor Unity in Diversity.

Left to Right: Patricia Jackson, Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Life, Olympian Greg Louganis, and Stephen Chan, Head of Middle School

DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP DAY

VIEWPOINT’S MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL students participated in the School’s Seventh Annual Diversity Leadership Day (DLD). With 54 different workshops initiated and led by students, with the support of faculty advisors, Diversity Leadership Day offers a unique

opportunity for students to explore and discuss the issues that are of greatest concern to them. The Upper School students began the day by watching excerpts from the recent production of VOSOVOS –Viewpoint: Our Stories. Our Voices. Our Stage. which was presented by the Upper School Conservatory of Theatre, the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Life, and guest artist Monica Hannush. To open and close the day’s activities, the Middle School students had the opportunity to hear two legendary Olympic athletes, tennis champion Pam Shriver and diver Greg Louganis, speak about their extraordinary careers and their roles in making their respective sports better for women and members of the LGBTQ community.

DAY OF SILENCE

IN RECOGNITION OF the National Day of Silence, LGBTQIA+ Upper School students and allies engaged together, silently and otherwise, to show their classmates, students, and colleagues that they deserve to be seen and heard. Students also experienced a visit from David Lenga, a 95-year-old Auschwitz survivor, who shared his story in our Carlson Family Theater. Mr. Lenga was born in Lodz, Poland in 1927, and was forced to move into the ghettos of Strykow

and Lodz. He was eventually sent to Auschwitz and a labor camp in Bavaria where he escaped and was rescued by American troops in May 1945. Mr. Lenga’s story serves as a testimony to the devastating effects of unchecked hate and bigotry, but also as a source of inspiration and resilience. That these two events occurred on the same day reinforced both our vision of Unity in Diversity and our values of Love, Honor, and Optimism.

VOSOVOS

VIEWPOINT: OUR STORIES. OUR VOICES. OUR STAGE. offered a unique showcase of scenes, stories, and characters exploring themes of diversity and inclusion in the Ahmanson Foundation Black Box Theater. This new, original, and student-led theatrical production pulled back the curtain on the thoughts and experiences of our students and allowed them to share with the community in an entirely new way.

Led by Viewpoint School’s Theatre Department Chair Scott Feldsher, Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Life Patricia Jackson, and guest artist Monica Hannush, this unique event provided an entry point into themes within Diversity and Inclusion that course through the lifeblood of the Viewpoint community. Topics included religion, gender, race, disability, romantic relationships, friendship, body image, the pressure to achieve academically, social anxiety, and more. Through the power of storytelling – using the spoken word, music, dance, and film – this production is one of the many opportunities to encourage and amplify student voices across the School’s divisions and departments.

Far Left Photo L-R : Scott Feldsher, Department Chair, Theatre & Dance; Patricia Jackson, Director of Diversity, Inclusion & Community Life; Monica Hannush, Guest Artist

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

AS PART OF OUR ongoing celebration of Black History Month, Viewpoint parent and Trustee Ron Gillyard spoke to our Middle and Upper School students at assemblies. He answered questions from members of our Student Diversity Councils which created a platform for him to tell his rich story. Some of the best methods of keeping important cultural history alive and for learning and growing together are through conversations, music, and stage. Mr. Gillyard embodies all.

Gillyard started in the music business as an intern at Columbia Records. He has been employed by Clive Davis, Chief Creative Officer of Sony Music Entertainment Worldwide; Jimmy Iovine, chairman of Interscope-Geffen-A&M; Irving Azoff, chairman of Live Nation Entertainment; and Sean “Diddy” Combs, owner of Bad Boy Entertainment Worldwide (which includes the Sean John clothing line). He currently serves as the Chief Growth Officer of Quantasy, an award-winning full-service digital media agency specializing in social media.

Galvanizing our Upper School Community to Commemorate WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

IN KEEPING WITH the Women’s History Month 2023 Theme of “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Upper School students hosted a lunchtime festival with trivia and treats. The timely theme honors women in every community who have devoted their lives and talents to producing art, pursuing truth, and reflecting the human condition decade after decade. Students set up booths to honor Women in Sports, Women in STEM, Women in Politics, and Women in the Arts, with corresponding trivia questions for their peers and teachers. It was a truly educational and celebratory experience for all.

Above Photo from Left to Right : Amir Baylock ’23; Ron Gillyard; Patricia Jackson, Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Life; Mark McKee, Head of School; Manny Garcia, Upper School Teacher and Diversity Coordinator

LUNAR NEW YEAR

OUR COMMUNITY CELEBRATED the Year of the Rabbit with Lunar New Year celebrations across campus with performances and activities for our students in all four divisions. Students in the lower grades enjoyed special Lunar New Year treats provided by Viewpoint’s Chinese parents, and attended performances by The Immortals, the Los Angeles-based lion dance team, whose skilled performers included members as young as Middle School age. In the Upper School, students enjoyed an outdoor performance of Lion Dancers as well as booths offering Lunar New Year snacks. They were given red envelopes like those distributed to young people in Chinese households across the globe, with the chance to earn special prizes. There also were tables set up to showcase traditional Chinese calligraphy, introduce famous places in China, and provide further details about the Year of the Rabbit.

MULTICULTURAL POTLUCK

THE MANY CULTURES that make up our Viewpoint community came together at our school’s 14th Annual Multicultural Potluck. An array of special savory and sweet family recipes from around the world were enjoyed by all, over meaningful conversations. Attendees also enjoyed lively musical performances by our Upper School “Voices Now” group and Jazz Band. Not even a rainstorm could stop us from honoring unity in diversity over delicious dishes.

SPRING MULTICULTURAL DAY

VIEWPOINT’S COMMUNITY is comprised of people representing more than 75 countries. We are brought together by our shared vision of a school where families value Unity in Diversity. In recognition, we observed our spring Multicultural Day in April 2023 with school-wide initiatives. We asked all families in the Primary and Lower Schools to participate by bringing in a beloved artifact that expresses their traditions and cultures to share with their classmates. Our Middle and Upper School hosted a festival, featuring more than 30 student-led booths, including a “Build the Change” LEGO station.

Above Photo from Left to Right : Patricia Jackson, Maxine Hurt, and Cachi Baier

Viewpoint School is a community of extraordinary individuals – educators and students who are dedicated to their work in and out of the classroom, and committed to challenging themselves each day. I am delighted to introduce these four outstanding seniors who are passionately pursuing their personal interests as they launch into the world beyond Viewpoint.

By Monica Case ’90 , Director of Content Strategy

PURSUING THEIR

MERISTA QUETZÁL ’23

Merista Quetzál, a Viewpoint lifer, has always had a love for the performing arts, especially theatre and choir. In Eighth Grade she made her first film, a documentary called Leave a Voicemail, on the subject of the mistreatment of LGBTQ+ students in schools, and she found a new passion for filmmaking. During the pandemic, she continued making films using iMovie, writing scripts and editing them herself, which she found to be incredibly therapeutic during this challenging and lonely time.

Merista is deeply committed to using her camera to explore social justice issues, and she is currently at work on a documentary on the 2022 Los Angeles Women’s March. She also is interested in making narrative films, and in addition to writing and directing, enjoys all other aspects of the filmmaking process. Merista will be studying film at Rutgers University this fall, where she is looking forward to learning more about producing as well as continuing to explore her creativity through directing and screenwriting.

ZACH GOR ’23

Zach Gor has always been interested in design. His mother is an architect and his father studied engineering, exposing him to design-thinking throughout his childhood. He also always wanted to make things that solve problems. Initially, he was focused on industrial design, but in recent years his interests have expanded to include biology and engineering.

One day, Zach read an article mentioning that homeless diabetics often had trouble staying on their insulin because it must be stored at a very cold temperature, which is a serious obstacle for those without regular access to electricity. Zach didn’t see any solution specifically directed towards the homeless population. He decided to pursue this problem, solidifying his interest in biomedical engineering. Working with Viewpoint science teacher Lance Argano-Rush and using a 3D printer, Zach created dozens of prototypes for a portable cooler that could get cold enough to store insulin using a chemical reaction rather than electricity. Because this design could have applications beyond the homeless population, the potential proceeds from selling the coolers could be used to provide them to homeless and other low-income users. Zach is continuing to work on his prototype and will be able to marry his interests in design and entrepreneurship at Duke University, where he will be studying biomedical engineering.

JIALIAN MACKEY ’23

Class of 2023 Valedictorian JiaLian Mackey discovered her passion at age five when a family friend gave her a copy of The Sibley Guide to Birds, and she has been an avid birder ever since. This interest prompted her to spend two summers interning at the Occidental College's Moore Lab of Zoology. She also volunteers at the Raptor Rescue Center in Ojai, and she worked on an independent study with Viewpoint math and physics teacher Asif Azhar on the mathematics of bird flight, using mathematical models to better understand how something as heavy as a condor can soar so effortlessly.

JiaLian is considering studying evolutionary and systems biology in college, but first she is taking a gap year. This fall, she is spending a NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) semester in the Rocky Mountains learning to backpack, rock climb, river kayak, and climb trees, which may prove useful when conducting field research in the future and sounds like a lot of fun. She then hopes to spend the spring interning in a natural history museum or doing field research before she begins college at Harvard in the fall of 2024.

ARNAV DAVE ’23

Viewpoint lifer Arnav Dave is a musician and composer with a passion for neuroscience, linguistics, and cognitive science. He began playing the double bass in the orchestra at Viewpoint in Fifth Grade, later joining a local youth orchestra, where he is now the principal bassist. In addition, Arnav plays guitar, piano, mandolin, and tabla, a North Indian percussion instrument, which allows him to explore his own culture though music. In recent years, he has developed his love for composition, writing pieces for the guitar, orchestra, and synthesizer.

Arnav’s other defining interest is the human brain. In Middle School he began to devote considerable time to computer programming and then expanded his interests to philosophy, psychology, anthropology, and biology. Arnav said, “Even before I knew what cognitive science was, I wondered if there was a way to blend all of these fields into a study about how we perceive the world and how at a fundamental level our cognition affects art.” To explore this, he completed two independent study projects on cognitive science. The first was on cognition and music therapy and its health benefits, and the second led him to co-edit a paper on Bach and hypertension and how Baroque era music calms people down. Arnav is excited to be attending Pomona College this fall to study linguistics, cognitive science, and music with a focus on composition.

DOWN LOAD

JULIA STRULL

By Bill Youngblood, Creative Director

What brought you to Viewpoint? I grew up minutes away in Calabasas. As a teacher for 14 years, I set my sights on Viewpoint long ago. After arriving here, it was no surprise I’d found a home and community where I could plant roots. As I start my third year here, my son begins First Grade in Primary School – I am happy and grateful my journey led me here.

You graduated from UCLA at 20 – Graduating early was not my intention. Through a combination of taking college classes in high school and my involvement in various research projects during college, I accumulated the units and finished in what now feels like a blink of an eye. Directly after, I began my Masters in School Counseling. It all happened quickly!

Who is your teaching role model? Funny enough, my father was a math teacher and Assistant Head of School in Ukraine, where I was born. I never planned to follow in his footsteps, but it turns out the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Today, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

What makes the middle school years special? During middle school many students find their passions. If you ask an adult, who enjoys a fulfilling career, when it was that they discovered their passion, many will say when they were 12 or 13 years old – middle school!

Favorite subject to teach? Hands down, I love teaching math. In school, math was my most difficult subject and the one I found hardest to master. Because of my challenges, I understand why a student might struggle, so I teach lessons in a way that my own school-aged brain would have understood. Please share a special childhood memory – My family is Ukrainian. Each New Year’s Eve, we would get together to celebrate the holidays and exchange gifts. I loved getting together with my family at my grandparents’ house, eating my grandfather’s traditional Ukrainian dishes (he is the best cook!), and then watching concerts as the clock struck twelve.

Describe a fun day with your family – My husband, two boys, and I stop at Lily’s in Malibu for breakfast burritos then head to Zuma beach. No matter the weather, we love to spend the day playing, collecting sea glass, and enjoying our time together.

Who do you admire? I am a die hard Taylor Swift fan, or “Swifty” to the middle schoolers. Aside from her musical talents, she is a role model and proves how hard work, persistence, and drive can result in success. Moreover, she gives back to her community and stands up for what she believes.

Greatest strength? My greatest strength is my ability to stay calm in difficult situations. I am not easily thrown off balance and approach every situation with an open mind and optimism.

Your motto? Be kind. This is something I tell my children and my students. We never know others burdens, so treating people with kindness transcends all other actions and may leave a lasting impression.

Three World-Ready Students Recognized at Annual VSSA Spring Luncheon

EACH SPRING, OUR PARENT VOLUNTEER GROUP, the Viewpoint School Service Association (VSSA) recognizes Upper School students for their community service, social justice, ethics, and leadership accomplishments. Global citizenship is at the core of our annual VSSA spring luncheon, and honoring our students is always a highlight of the day.

The 2023 Community Service Award was presented to Kate Ungar ’23, established by the VSSA to recognize an Upper School student for their contribution to service and the community of Viewpoint School. This year’s Social Justice, Ethics, and leadership award was presented to Hannah Ritz ’23 and Matthew Wynne ’23. Established in 2018, this honor goes to an activist-minded junior or senior student who is committed to using ethics, leadership, and innovation for raising awareness and eliminating systemic and organizational inequities in our school and the larger community.

Here’s what their teachers and counselors had to say:

Kate is compassionate, selfless, and the first to lend a helping hand. She does so out of the goodness of her heart and not for recognition. As a board member of CORE, Viewpoint’s service honor society, Kate facilitates Community Service

Day with over 250 students volunteering for seven different initiatives. Kate is highly attuned to the world around her. Significantly, she seeks close proximity to those she serves, to know them and understand their needs. An example of that is training for 50 hours to become a teen advisor with Teen Talk in order to support peers who are struggling.

Hannah is ready for the world. She is a motivated and curious student whose aim is to learn as much as she can about the environment around her. Outside of school, Hannah is the self-proclaimed most religious member of her family and her bat mitzvah has been her greatest accomplishment, particularly because she had to learn to read and speak in a different language.

Matthew is a lifer at Viewpoint whose impact can be felt all across campus. He is a self-starter who always asks well-thought-out questions and pays it forward by explaining concepts to his peers both inside and outside of the classroom. Matthew makes time for all of his interests, whether it be baseball, music, or photography.

As co-presidents of the Jewish Student Union (JSU), Hannah and Matthew have been exemplary leaders on this campus, who have continued to educate our community about Judaism.

From Left to Right : Kate Ungar ’23, Matthew Wynne ’23, Hannah Ritz ’23

Community Events

VIEWPOINT’S FIRST-EVER Spirit Games a Success

Powered by our dedicated parent volunteers in the VSSA (Viewpoint School Service Association), the first-ever Spirit Games for our Primary and Lower School students was a resounding success. From heart-pumping freeze dancing sessions to exhilarating relays, basketball showdowns, and much more – the energy was off the charts. Seeing the joy on the students’ faces and watching them cheer each other on was priceless. Teachers also joined in on the fun, creating memories to last a lifetime. Special shout-out to Lizzie Harari P ’28, ‘33 and the 2022-23 VSSA Co-President, for championing the entire event. Planning for Spirit Games 2024 is already underway.

Field Day Fun

Middle and Upper School students celebrated the achievements of the spring sports teams and the 2023 Seniors at our annual Field Day event in April. It was a blast watching fellow students and faculty get knocked into the Dunk Tank, and playing corn hole and connect four on Ring Field. Other friendly competition with classmates included pitching contests and Lacrosse challenges. Cool popsicles and a prize wheel capped off the Field Day fun.

Earthchella Celebration

COMBINING MUSIC WITH A MESSAGE

As part of its annual celebration of Earth Month, Upper School students and faculty gathered on the plaza to advocate for the health of our planet. From enjoying student musicians’ performances and participating in Generation Earth trivia, to helping to make sustainable smoothies, it was a lively and lesson-filled festival.

Featuring 32 booths to encourage creativity and expand imaginations through hands-on activities was held in the School’s Innovation Space and Benjamin Franklin Library. Students in Grades TK-5 and their families participated in activities ranging from codable LEGO stations and custom temporary tattoos, to wired quilt art and rocket building and launching.

VIEWPOINT’S FIFTH ANNUAL, THREE-DAY Makerfest Festival

Winter Sportsfest 2023

In celebration of our Upper School basketball and soccer season, Viewpoint hosted an all-community Winter Sportsfest in mid-January. Patriot fans showed their spirit by attending afternoon and evening games on Ring Field and the Paul Family Athletic Center (PFAC). Attendees enjoyed food trucks, halftime contests and raffles, and even a meet-and-greet and autograph-signing session with our girls’ teams. Patriot Pride at its finest.

Introducing Our First-Ever Director of Parent Relations Aria Sencer

By Monica Case ’90 , Director of Content Strategy

IN THE SPRING OF 2023 – and after six years of supporting Head of School Mark McKee –Aria Sencer took on a newly established role as our Director of Parent Relations. Simply put, she is an ambassador for the school and a connector for our parents. At Viewpoint, our families are the fabric of our community and it’s essential they feel a strong connection to the school; they feel heard; and they feel their needs are being met. Liaising closely with the VSSA (our parent volunteer association) to plan and execute all student and faculty initiatives, and supporting our Admission Department to welcome new families to our school, are just a few of Aria’s new responsibilities. She explained that during her time supporting the head of school, she developed a solid understanding of how our institution operates, which prepared her well for this new role. She added, “When I earned a Masters Degree in Public Administration from California State University, Northridge (CSUN) in May of 2022, I started thinking about what’s next for me at Viewpoint, and I’m so excited that this opportunity surfaced.” Aria is a mom of three teenage sons, an avid runner, and an appreciated member of our Viewpoint community. If you haven’t crossed paths with her yet, you most certainly will this school year.

A 2023 Snapshot of Top Trends in College Admissions

By Rhody Davis , Director of College Counseling, Viewpoint School

Just a few short weeks after our Class of 2023 graduated, college admission was in the news, impacted by new policies, legislation, and technology. Here are some of the biggest topics, but please note – things change so fast, some of the information below could be outdated by press time!

Artificial intelligence and College Essays. No one really knows how AI will play out in any arena, but students are using it in many kinds of ways. Viewpoint’s college counselors will continue to encourage students to use their own voice in their college essays and NOT anyone else’s, including ChatGPT!

Admissions officers are looking for how students express their uniqueness, and chatbots are not going to help with that. Plus, much of the value of the college essay comes from the journey –self-reflection, playing with ideas, writing style – not just the outcome.

There are productive ways to use AI. It’s been described as a “thought partner” – a resource for feedback and new ideas about a topic. It can be tempting to co-opt the chatbot language as your own, but short-cutting reflective thinking and diminishing originality is counter-productive to the goals of a college essay.

Viewpoint’s Policy on Generative AI Tools is excerpted here: Presenting or submitting work created by a generation system as one’s own (i.e. entering a prompt into an artificial intelligence tool and using the output in an assignment) will be considered a violation of academic integrity and a serious violation of our code of conduct.

Elimination of Race-Conscious College Admissions.

After many years in the profession, I believe what the research shows –diverse environments value everyone and lead to better learning, decision-making, and profits. Research also suggests that affirmative action counteracts systemic racism and leads to college

campuses with students of varied backgrounds and experiences. Valuing unity in diversity, Viewpoint School’s mission is to prepare students to thrive in these dynamic educational settings.

The June 2023 Supreme Court ruling ended the consideration of race as one of many factors used in college admissions, a ruling that will negatively impact higher education. Angel B. Pérez, the CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, predicts that “We will see a decline in students of color attending college before we see an increase again.” New York Times, January 15, 2023. In addition to diminishing diversity on college campuses, the ruling will hinder students’ preparation for a future that requires interacting with many different individuals. Another concerning outcome is that institutions committed to diversity will have to spend millions of dollars to cope with the inability to use data on race in admitting their classes.

A case in point is in our own backyard, at the University of California. According to the dean of the Berkeley School of Law, after voters banned the use of affirmative action in 1996, the number of Black and Latino students at UCLA and Berkeley immediately fell by 50%. In the years since, even after spending half a billion (with a b), the UCs struggle to meet enrollment goals that reflect the diversity of the state.

Since the Supreme Court ruling allows applicants to share their own experience with race and ethnicity in their lives, Viewpoint’s college counselors will encourage students to ponder the questions –How do race and other aspects of diversity impact your lived

Rhody Davis

experience? How will you help make the college/university you attend a place where diversity can thrive? How do you make your community a more inclusive place where everyone feels a sense of belonging?

ESPN Schools get Tough! Many college counselors around the country are noticing an increase in applications and selectivity at flagship public universities. Sometimes referred to as “ESPN” schools, with high-profile Division I sports, many also offer honors colleges, robust campus life, and generous merit scholarships. It’s no surprise, then, that schools like the University of Georgia, University of Oregon, University of Colorado Boulder, Indiana University, and Arizona State University are hot. Like the University of Michigan and University of Wisconsin-Madison, they are receiving more applications than ever and pushing back early action notification/decision release dates to January.

FAFSA Simplification. Starting with the 2024-25 FAFSA that the Class of 2024 will complete for the first year of college, there are changes to the way the federal government delivers financial aid. Usually available in October, this year’s FAFSA will be released some time in December.

Among other changes, Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) will now be called Student Aid Index (SAI), students can now list 20 schools up from 10, and the need analysis formula will not consider the number of college students in the family. Financial aid officers are predicting that the timing of the new FAFSA will likely impact the availability of aid awards for early action/decision programs. Students should carefully read financial aid information at the schools on their list and meet all deadlines.

New Digital PSAT and SAT. In the 2023-24 school year, the debut of the new, shorter, digital PSAT and SAT is throwing one more wrench into the gears of standardized testing. In midOctober 2023, Viewpoint’s sophomores and juniors will take the digital PSAT that will give them a preview of the digital SAT with its first U.S. test date in March 2024. A defining feature of the digital SAT is that students take it on a computer or tablet at a testing center. Another feature is that it is “adaptive,” i.e. how initial questions are answered determines what questions are presented later. Scoring will stay on a 1600 scale and the College Board claims that the scores can be superscored with scores from previous tests. The ACT remains pen-and-paper and “linear,” i.e. all students have the same questions in the same order.

Test Optional Grows. Post-pandemic, many colleges permanently adopted testing optional policies, and now more than 1,800 colleges (>80%) are test optional. Some schools brought back testing –state schools in Georgia, Florida, Tennessee; Georgetown, Purdue, MIT, and the U.S. Military Academies. I support the test optional movement and here’s why. Students benefit for a variety of reasons – it reduces stress, they regain time from not doing test prep, and it’s one less aspect of the application process to manage. Most importantly, test optional centers the student, who can choose

whether or not to submit a test score that they feel may not reflect their intellect. At Viewpoint, over half of the Class of 2023 is enrolling at a school where they did not submit standardized testing (SAT/ACT) for admission.

One problematic outcome is that test optional policies have boosted application numbers at many colleges. Common Application data shows that there is a 30% increase in applications over the last three years, causing admit rates to plummet and leading to a prevalence of deferring and waitlisting. It’s also called for a recalibration of what "backup" schools are, which has caused confusion and disappointment for students and their families.

Humanities, anyone? Recent college applicants have found that majors in STEM, business, psychology, nursing, international relations, and audition-based performing arts programs are enormously popular right now, making them more selective. But, many schools are admitting humanities majors at a higher rate. English, history, art history, classics, and even some social science majors such as sociology and anthropology, are under-enrolled at many schools. Before dismissing these majors for not preparing students for “the real world,” consider the skills they yield – critical thinking, historical precedence, interdisciplinarity. In short, it’s important for applicants to be strategic and to consider wider options if they are applying to highly selective majors.

What Remains the Same. For all the changes, some aspects of the college process remain consistent. Application “creep” continues, as the number of applications per student filed inches upward, with an average of 13 per student this past cycle. As always, college counselors encourage students to be thoughtful and realistic as they apply to college and file a reasonable number of applications. Good research, self-reflection, and goal setting are critical to having a manageable college list.

As always, we strive for an individualized approach in college counseling, recognizing that each student has unique goals and circumstances. We want students to land at a school that is a fit academically, personally, and financially. We are proud of the range of colleges our graduates are attending. For example, the 129 members of the Class of 2023 are attending 70 different colleges!

To engender optimism and early success in senior year, we continue to advise students to file Early Action, Early Decision, and Rolling applications in the fall that will yield admission by winter break. In fact, ED still seems to offer an edge at many schools.

How does the Viewpoint College Counseling Office respond to the dynamic nature of college admission? We attend conferences and network with colleagues in admissions and at other high schools across the world. We attend webinars, listen to podcasts, and read the work of experts in the field. As news breaks and policies change, we are there to help our community understand the impact. We never stop doing our homework!

ARTS IN THE COMMUNITY

We Love the Arts at Viewpoint

Arts Fest 2023 celebrated the signature strength of our TK -12 arts programs, which promote all of our core values, and especially imagination. All ages of our community enjoyed an afternoon of Music, Visual Art, Musical and Theatre Productions, Student Film screenings, and Dance in our canyon. Attendees also added their artistic design to a large mural and children enjoyed face painting.

Senior Show

In a celebratory send-off to our graduating artists, the Senior Show opened in the Malcolm Family Gallery on May 30 with a late afternoon reception for students, faculty, family, and friends. On display was the artwork of 31 seniors while approximately 75 attended. The show ran through June 9.

ARTS IN THE COMMUNITY

Faculty Art Show

Viewpoint’s students are fortunate to have a strong art faculty including Wendy Mar, Josh Langley, Donna Hicks, Kris Kaliakin, Sarah LK, Nell Yates, Sydney Snyder, Amy Rippee, and Alyssa Betz. Saluting the group, and to give the entire community the opportunity to enjoy their work, a faculty art exhibition was held April 17-28.

Annual Spring Dance Concert Moves Audiences

Two nights of unique, creative, and thought-provoking performances left our audiences moved and entertained. The 2023 Viewpoint Spring Dance Concert showcased the progress and accomplishments of our dance students and included performers from Middle and Upper School. Whether it was Ballet, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Ballroom or Tap, the performances excited and inspired everyone regardless of their background in dance.

Our Primary School Performers Shine on Stage

It was all aboard the train for Kindergarteners at their Little Engine performance in the Carlson Family Theater (CFT). From colorful costumes to catchy tunes, the cast put on an energetic show. For the second year, our youngest TK students confidently took their turns at the microphone on the Blaney Patio stage to tell the classic story of The Little Red Hen. Each child had a chance to speak and they did a fantastic job singing in unison. Second graders proved “there’s no place like Viewpoint” when they performed The Wizard of Oz, a cherished tradition at our school. The show celebrated the power of friendship when faced with adversity and the joy of a shared journey.

WELCOME Hannah Lande

By Monica Case ’90 , Director of Content Strategy

MUSIC EDUCATION FOR OUR YOUNGEST STUDENTS

has been an integral part of a Viewpoint education since the School’s founding in 1961. Musical performance begins in TK with The Little Red Hen, and the Primary School productions of Little Engine, Peter Rabbit, and Wizard of Oz are beloved traditions and indelible memories of childhood. Ask any member of the senior class who was a student at Viewpoint in First Grade and they will be able to tell you with absolute certainty what part they played in Peter Rabbit. Music in Primary School is BIG, and we are delighted to introduce Hannah Lande, our new Primary School Music Teacher, who just completed her first year at Viewpoint with great success. Step into her classroom and you will hear the joyful sounds of children singing and eagerly participating in musical games. Really, it's the best.

Hannah graduated from UCLA with a degree in Music Education and Music Performance in June 2022. Her passion for music started as a performer in choir and musical theater, and her interest in teaching began in high school when she taught choir with the Santa Monica Youth Orchestra. When talking about her decision to pursue a career as a music teacher Hannah said, “While taking my classes at UCLA in Music Education, I became more and more passionate about it, and

then I did my student teaching and I loved it. One thing about music education is that you have to learn all the instruments. I play guitar and proficient piano, but I didn’t play violin or any of the woodwinds, and I had to learn to play all of them. It was challenging, but learning to teach those instruments helped give me confidence as a teacher.”

When asked about her favorite thing to teach her young students, Hannah said, “I really like teaching solfège – Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So –because they really get a strong understanding of pitch. It's actually really high level music learning, but they just learn it as a song with the hand motions. We did a project earlier in the year where they composed their own melodies using solfège, and they didn't even realize how high a level of music they were making. They were writing out Do-Mi-Re-Fa, etc. And then we would actually sing each student's melody as a group. So they were basically learning how to sight sing, which was really great for me because that's a skill I wish I learned when I was their age. It’s just so exciting to watch them learn and to see them understand it completely. It makes everyday I spend in the classroom so meaningful.”

TELL ME MORE, TELL ME MORE… Upper School Conservatory of Theatre

Presented a Live Production of Grease to Three Sold-Out Audiences

Last spring. The stage of Viewpoint’s Carlson Family Theater was a time machine transporting a very enthusiastic audience of family and friends back to Rydell High School circa 1959. More than 40 cast and crew members in the Upper School devoted months to creating an unforgettable production of one of the world’s most popular musicals, Grease. Lisa Roskowinski, teacher of Middle and Upper School Theatre and the director, explained the enduring appeal of the musical. She said, “Grease pays affectionate homage to the bittersweet coming-of-age of a group of high school kids in the late 1950s told entirely by teenagers. At the heart of the show is a human story about love, pride, and community: those themes are timeless. Our exuberant cast took to the characters and music of this era and became a tight-knit ensemble through the process.”

SOME JOURNEYS TAKE US FAR FROM HOME. SOME ADVENTURES LEAD US TO OUR DESTINY.”

–C.S. LEWIS

Middle School performers led their audience on a great adventure in The Lion, theWitch and the Wardrobe.

ON MAY 19-20, Viewpoint’s Seventh and Eighth Grade performers invited their audience to join them on a great adventure from the stage of the Carlson Family Theater. Adapted from the timeless novel by C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe tells the story of Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie. To escape the WWII air raids in London, the children are sent to Marbleton Manor in the English countryside to live with their uncle, Professor Digory Kirke. While exploring the mansion, they discover a magical wardrobe that transports them to the land of Narnia, sending them on an incredible adventure. The show featured 30 enthusiastic Middle School students both onstage and behind the scenes.

“Voices Now” swing the Vibrato Grill

By Bill Youngblood , Creative Director

LOVE WAS THE THEME AND HEARTFELT THE APPLAUSE which greeted “Voices Now” as they took center stage at Herb Albert’s Vibrato Grill for two dinner shows on February 16. Accompanied by a professional jazz quartet, students were featured in solos, duets, as well as in full ensemble. The evening’s setlist energetically mixed standard, jazz, and pop songs.

“They were creative and fun-loving, supported each other, and acted like true professionals” said Bill Brendle, Upper School Music Teacher and Head of ‘Voices Now,’” complimenting the students’ camaraderie.

art in the service of community

By Bill Youngblood , Creative Director

EMPTY BOWLS, WHICH BEGAN over three decades ago, is a global grassroots movement of artists focused on overcoming hunger. Introduced at Viewpoint in 2017 by ceramics teacher Nell Yates, it is a collaboration between the visual art department and CORE. For a contribution, supporters receive a handmade bowl filled with an ice cream sundae and toppings. Proceeds raised by the spring lunchtime event go to CORE designated local charities.

During the four months of preparation, all Upper School ceramic students crafted bowls, while faculty, staff, and non-ceramic students were welcomed to join the effort through an open studio day. Traditionally filled with soup or chili, last year the student committee guiding the process voted to switch to the dessert treat which proved a great success. This year a record 250 bowls were made, filled, and enjoyed for a good cause.

Artwork of the Year

The faculty votes on Picture of the Year for each of the School’s divisions, and Ceramic Piece of the Year, Sculpture of the Year, and Photograph of the Year in the Middle and Upper Schools.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

SCHOOL

UPPER

Sculpture of the Year

Mia Rappaport ’25

Ceramic Piece of the Year

Genevieve Watson ’27

PRIMARY SCHOOL

SCHOOL

LOWER SCHOOL

UPPER SCHOOL

Picture of the Year

Natalia Toberoff ’31

Ceramic Piece of the Year

Sophia Eagan ’23

MIDDLE

Photograph of the Year

Sydney Evans ’27

Picture of the Year

Ashaan Sahota ’33

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Picture of the Year

UPPER SCHOOL

Photograph of the Year

K a sey Lee ’24

Eden Katz ’27

UPPER SCHOOL

Picture of the Year

Rose Moshkovich ’23

Congratulations to the outstanding fine artists and writers who won a National Silver Key, and 6 Gold, 9 Silver, and 13 Honorable Mention Regional awards in The 2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards from the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers.

Established in 1923, The Scholastic Art & Writing competition is the most prestigious recognition program in writing and the visual arts for students in Seventh through Twelfth Grades in the United States. Young artists and writers are granted over $1,000,000 in scholarships and prizes. Nationally, more than 300,000 works of art and writing in 29 categories were submitted for review in 2023. Past winners include artists Andy Warhol, Cy Twombly, and John Baldessari; writers Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, and Joyce Carol Oates; photographer Richard Avedon; actors Robert Redford, Alan Arkin, Lena Dunham, and John Lithgow; fashion designer Zac Posen; and filmmakers Ken Burns and Richard Linklater.

Photograph by Ian Boudai ’23, Gold Key Winner

VIEWPOINT IS PROUD OF OUR 2023 SCHOLASTIC AWARD WINNERS:

NATIONAL AWARD

Ian Boudai ’23 – Silver Key, Photography

REGIONAL AWARDS

PHOTOGRAPHY

Ashlee Ardalan ’23 – Gold Key

Ian Boudai ’23 – Gold Key

Grant Humphrey ’23 – Honorable Mention

Lucy Landsbaum ’23 – Silver Key

Kasey Lee ’24 – Silver Key, and  Honorable Mention

Elliot Marsh ’23 – Silver Key

Carter Ross ’24 – Honorable Mention

Randy Rubin ’23 – Two Gold Keys

Morgan Washington ’24 – Gold Key, and  Honorable Mention

CERAMICS

Cedar Cummins ’25 – Two Honorable  Mentions

Jadyn Danese ’23 – Silver Key, and  Honorable Mention

Kendall De Rivel ’23 – Honorable Mention

Sophia Eagan ’23 – Silver Key, and  Honorable Mention

Emma Lindgren ’23 – Gold Key, and  Two Silver Keys

Sophia Tapia ’23 – Honorable Mention

PAINTING, DRAWING, & ILLUSTRATION

Henry Hirschmann ’23 – Two Silver Keys,  and Two Honorable Mentions

Siyuan Liu ’24 – Honorable Mention

WRITING

Sophia Barnes ’25, Gold Key for Poetry

Rain Herbert ’25, Honorable Mention  for Poetry

Marissa Shurgot ’26, Gold Key and  Honorable Mention for Poetry

Ceramic Piece by Emma Lindgren ’23, Gold Key Winner

Photograph by Morgan Washington ’24, Gold Key Winner

Film Festival Acceptances & Accolades

Hardcore by Film IV

YoungArts, Miami, FL Finalist for script

U.S. Presidential Scholar Recipient, Madeleine Case

Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, Providence, RI

Calabasas Film Festival Best Student Film

Naples International Film Festival, Naples, FL

Topanga Film Festival, Topanga Canyon

Outstanding Achievement for Writing and Filmmaking: Film Director Madeleine Case (The Flying Pig Award) and Outstanding Acting Drake Rodger (The Flying Pig Award)

The Hollywood First-Time Filmmaker Showcase, Hollywood, CA

VCTV Vassar College Television Film Festival

Opificer Media Student Film Festival, LA Best Actress and Best Cinematography nominees

PoppyJasper International Film Festival in the Youth & Student Showcase

Los Angeles International Children’s Film Festival, LA DC Independent Film Festival, Washington, DC

Lindsey Film Festival, Florence, Alabama Best Youth Film

Providence Children’s Film Festival

Wolverine Con and the San Bernardino Valley College International Student Film Festival

San Luis Obispo International Film Festival’s Youth Showcase

Maryland International Film Festival Best Student Film

Sun Valley Film Festival

Hang Onto Your Shorts Film Festival

Austin Lift-Off Film Festival

Screen Test Student Film Festival

Lighthouse International Film Festival, New Jersey

Dances With Kidz, LA

Breckenridge Film Festival

Sole Searching by Film IV

Student World Impact Film Festival, NJ Honorable Mention

Opificer Media Student Film Festival, LA Best High School Film, Best Actress

Children’s Film Festival Seattle, WA

Los Angeles International Children’s Film Festival, LA

Philadelphia Youth Festival – Best Screenplay

12th CMS International Children’s Film Festival

Austin Lift-Off Film Festival

Screen Test Student Film Festival

Dances With Kidz, LA

Morning by Film III

Student World Impact Film Festival, NJ

Tallgrass Film Festival, Wichita, KS

Sun Valley Film Festival – Honorable Mention

Leave A Voicemail by Film III

Student World Impact Film Festival, NJ

Calabasas Film Festival

Lovesick by Film III

Student World Impact Film Festival, NJ

Calabasas Film Festival

CMS, International Children's Film Festival

Where Do We Go? by Documentary

Student World Impact Film Festival, NJ

Hollywood Gold Awards, CA

Roxy by Documentary

Student World Impact Film Festival, NJ

Girls, Girls, Girls by Documentary

Calabasas Film Festival

Student World Impact Film Festival, NJ

No Place Like NoHo by Documentary

Calabasas Film Festival, CA

Hannah by Documentary

Calabasas Film Festival, CA

Hair Discrimination PSA by Film II

Student World Impact Film Festival, NJ

Jackie by Film II

Calabasas Film Festival, CA

YoungArts, Miami, FL Finalist for Film

The Zombocalypse by Music Video Production

Calabasas Film Festival, CA

Morgan Washington Shows at MOCA

By Bill Youngblood , Creative Director

When a friend suggested that Morgan Washington ’24 submit her photos to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Teen Night there was also a caveat, “Hundreds of applicants will submit work, so don’t get your hopes up.”

Undaunted, this senior, who joined Charlie Sitzer’s Honors photography class this fall, selected four retro 1960’s style images from her “Little Things Series” and sent them off. Much to her surprise, not just one, but all four made the one-day exhibition which was held April 29, at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. Morgan noted one highlight was meeting with gallery visitors who offered observations or asked questions. “It was great to get so much feedback,” she said.

Morgan holds a passion for storytelling. “I want to be a journalist – I love writing,” she says, “but, also want to make films.” Her goal: to double major in journalism and film, while keeping photography as an active pursuit.

We are the Champions!

VIEWPOINT SWIM TEAM HOLDS ITS LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD FOR 18 YEARS RUNNING

CONGRATULATIONS TO VIEWPOINT BOYS AND GIRLS SWIM TEAMS –this marks the 18th straight year for the boys and the 16th straight year for the girls – a historic achievement for our school’s legendary swim program.

“2023 was just an incredible season for our program,” said Head Coach Greg Bisheff. “We shared so many amazing memories – from our Hawaii Spring Break training trip and the Girls team winning the Royal Invitational, to hosting League Finals for the first time and the Boys team finishing 2nd at CIF. What makes this group so special is that they bought into the team first mentality and celebrate each other’s successes.”

Congratulations once again to our incredible swim team and their coaches. Go Patriots!

Spring 2023

BOYS & GIRLS SWIMMING

California Interscholastic Federation (CIF)

Gold Coast League Champions

CIF-Southern Section Champion in the Divison

200 Free: 1st place, Pierce Downs ’23

CIF-Southern Section Division 3 Champions

Boys 400 Free Relay: 1st Place, Pierce Downs ’23,  Chase Cohen ’24, Carter Ross ’24, Allen Xia ’23

Girls 200 Medley Relay: Sam Albrecht’ 23, Sophia Younger’ 23, Eileen Portillo ’24, Chloee Goldstein ’26

Girls 200 Free: Sophia Younger ’23

Boys 200 Free: Ry Didden ’25

Girls 200 IM: Sarah Nasrollahy ’25

Boys 200 IM: Pierce Downs ’23

Girls 50 Free: Chloee Goldstein ’26

Girls 100 Fly: Eileen Portillo ’24

Girls 100 Free: Chloee Goldstein ’26

Boys 100 Free: Allen Xia ’23

Girls 500 Free: Eileen Portillo ’24

Boys 500 Free: Pierce Downs ’23

Girls 200 Free Relay: Ella Katz ’25, Sarah Nasrollahy ’25,  Lauren Younger ’23, Sophia Younger ’23

Boys 200 Free Relay: James Burrows ’23, Jake Roth ’26,  Carter Ross ’23, August Yin ’24

Girls 100 Back: Sam Albrecht ’23

Boys 100 Breast: August Yin ’24

Girls 400 Free Relay: Chloee Goldstein ’26, Sarah  Nasrollahy ’25, Sam Albrecht ’23, Eileen Portillo ’24

Boys 400 Free Relay: Pierce Downs ’23, Chase  Cohen ’24, Carter Ross ’24, Allen Xia ’23

BOYS & GIRLS TRACK & FIELD

Gold Coast League Champions

Boys 110m Hurdles: Jude Holling ’24

Boys 300 Hurdles: Jude Holling ’24

Girls 800m: JiaLian Mackey ’23

Girls 1600m: JiaLian Mackey ’23

Girls 3200m: JiaLian Mackey ’23

Boys Triple Jump:

Maximo Rusmeepongskul ’23

Boys 4X400 Meter Relay:

Noah Oduwole ’26,  Maximo Rusmeepongskul ’23,  Jude Holling ’23, Eric He ’25

BOYS TENNIS

Gold Coast League Individual Champion:

Philip Hu ’23

SOFTBALL

Gold Coast League Champions

Gold Coast League MVP:

Peyton Rohr ’23

MIDDLE SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL

San Fernando Private School League (SFVPSL) Championship

8th Girls Varsity Volleyball

7th Boys Grey Volleyball

7th Boys Blue Volleyball

7th Girls Red Volleyball

ALL GOLD COAST LEAGUE BASEBALL

1st Team: Brandon Warner ’24

2nd Team: Izzy Parsky ’25,  Matthew Wynne ’23

LACROSSE

1st Tea: Zach Marella ’23 2nd Team: Peyton Liu ’25,  Micah Van Pelt ’24

SOFTBALL

1st Team: Edith Mendez ’24,  Carly Nelson ’25, Emjay Peck ’26

2nd Team: Anniston Aragon ’26,  Autumn Kreshek ’25

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

1st Team: Kevin Silverstein ’23

2nd Team: Anniston Aragon ’26,  Autumn Kreshek ’25

PROFILE: Madison Nadolenco ’23

By Travis Kikugawa , Director of Soccer and Tennis Operations and Athletes in College

Madison “Nado” Nadolenco, A Viewpoint “Lifer,” graduated in June as a California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Champion in Girls’ Basketball and a Gold Coast League Champion in Girls’ Soccer, and neither are her primary sport of choice. Madison began riding horses at the age of three, started competing locally at the age of seven, and started traveling nationally throughout her Middle School years.

Trying to balance her love of riding and joy of club soccer/ basketball throughout those years was not ideal on many levels, so she eventually dropped both to focus on her number one passion. At Viewpoint, Madison chose to play for the Girls’ Basketball program throughout her first three years of Upper School, eventually capturing the School’s first-ever CIF Southern Section Championship in her junior year. Madison then transitioned to the Girls’ Soccer program in her senior year, as the opportunity to bring things full circle and finish playing with a lot of her best friends was too much to pass up. Madison started every game in goal and helped lead the team to a Gold Coast League Championship, going a perfect 8-0 in league play.

Throughout Madison’s journey inside of the athletic arena at Viewpoint, she also was taking part in an entirely different journey outside of Viewpoint when it came to her riding. Early morning workouts before school, missing a ton of class for her competitions, trying to be there as much as possible for her teams throughout their respective seasons, hoping to have any type of social life, and taking care of her academics at a school like Viewpoint was something that Madison not only accepted, but embraced. Madison will be attending the University of Georgia in the fall, where she will have the opportunity to ride and compete for their Equestrian Team, which is tabbed #5 in preseason polls.

As an athlete, there isn’t much that Madison hasn’t done inside of the arena. And yet, for as much as Madison has accomplished and as good as she has been on the court and on the field for her teams, it’s imperative to note she is an even better person and teammate off them. Considering all the pressure and expectation that Madison has endured throughout her athletic journey, her ability to still operate from this pace of purity and joy every day remains special on so many levels for so many reasons. The entire Viewpoint community wishes her nothing but continued success and happiness as she prepares to embark upon the next chapter of her story.

It’s no surprise that Jerry Brown, Viewpoint’s Director of Strength and Conditioning, is still involved in sports. He grew up in a large athletic family with eight brothers and two sisters. Most of his brothers played college football and one, Charles White, even won a Heisman Trophy while at USC. Not to be outdone by his siblings, Jerry was an exceptional athlete as well. A local product of Taft Upper School, Jerry was both a star football player and track athlete. While at Taft, Jerry set the all-time LA City rushing record and was voted all-city three times. His senior season, he was city player of the year. His accomplishments led him to the University of Oregon where he played football and got to work with one of the best athletic programs in the country.

The lessons he learned while in college inspired Jerry to become an athletic trainer after his time at Oregon. He built a strong network of athletes and clients with whom he worked, which eventually led him to Viewpoint as an assistant football coach in 2017. Since then, he has worn many hats. While at Viewpoint, Jerry has coached multiple sports including track, basketball, and football at the middle and Upper School levels. His Middle School teams have won and competed for championships. On the Upper School side, he’s helped build the Viewpoint Track Team into a team that sends multiple athletes to CIF championships each year.

In his newest role, Jerry, or Coach JB as he’s known to his athletes, was recently named Viewpoint’s Director of Strength and Conditioning. The role allows Jerry to support and work with all of Viewpoint’s athletic teams. The creation of the position coincides with Viewpoint’s expansion of its training facilities. Combined, they will make Viewpoint athletics even stronger.

More than anything, Jerry’s ability to connect and relate with athletes is what makes him a success. Athletes seek him out for advice and counsel even when they’re not in season. If you walk the Viewpoint hallways for even a short time, you’ll hear, “Have you talked to Coach JB?,” “Coach JB said ...,” or “I’m working out with Coach JB this afternoon.” The tone of the comments is always positive and made with an enthusiasm saved for a coach in which the athletes believe. In a small way, Jerry has created a second large family of athletes here at Viewpoint.

PROFILE: Coach Jerry Brown

By Patrick Neville , Cross Country Coach and Middle School Math Teacher

Viewpoint Recognizes 11 College-Bound Athletes For Their Peak Performance and Path to College Sports

By Monica Case ’90 , Director of Content Strategy

ELEVEN SENIORS WERE RECOGNIZED on Monday, May 22, for their extraordinary athletic achievements while at Viewpoint, and their commitment to continue playing sports in college. Our college-bound athletes were joined by students, faculty, coaches, and their families at the Love of Learning wall, as they received awards and ceremoniously “signed” to their respective schools. Mark McKee, Head of School and Rhody Davis, Director of College Counseling, each delivered congratulatory remarks and words of wisdom for these seniors. Travis Kikugawa, Director of Counseling for College-Bound Athletes, announced each senior, facilitated their signing, and presented them with a plaque to commemorate the moment.

“This day represents the culmination of perseverance and hard work on a journey that can only happen with the tremendous support of parents, coaches, and college counselors,” said Mark McKee, Head of School. “Our Athletic and College Counseling departments are a true team, guiding our student

athletes through their decision making process as they consider committing to play sports in college.”

We applaud these students for their passion and perseverance and wish them luck in their college athlete journey.

Leo Amari ’23 – Northern Illinois University, Basketball

Kendall De Rivel ’23 – Trinity University, Volleyball

Pierce Downs ’23 – NYU, Swim

Madison Foxhoven ’23 – Duke, Soccer

Ava Gronemeyer ’23 – University of California, Irvine, Volleyball

Sasha Hale ’23 – University of La Verne, Cross-Country/Track & Field

Jose Hernandez-Carver ’23 – Lewis and Clark College, Football

Madison Nadolenco ’23 – University of Georgia, Equestrian

Madilyn Palosi ’23 – Lewis and Clark College, Basketball

Peyton Rohr ’23 – DePauw University, Softball

Wyatt Thompson ’23 – Chapman, Baseball

Girls Basketball Team Earns CIFSS All-Academic Team Championship

By Christy Salcido , Chief Marketing Officer

WITH ONLY TWO VARSITY RETURNERS and seven total players on the roster when the season began, the Upper School Girls Basketball team had a heavy load to carry and a significant role to play. They competed at a varsity level while also balancing their academic workload, which consisted of seven AP courses and three Honors courses. They completed the semester and their season with the highest team GPA for Girls Basketball in the CIF Southern Section at 3.926, earning CIF All-Academic Team. The ceremony was held at Angels Stadium, where the team was recognized and presented with a banner.

On June 2, the Mayor of Calabasas, David Shapiro visited campus to congratulate and celebrate the team. He presented each player with a certificate of extraordinary achievement on behalf of the City of Calabasas. Mayor Shapiro’s visit is just one example of his belief and support in the student-athletes of Calabasas. He delivered an inspiring message to the team,

and all students in attendance, encouraging them to continue to pursue their athletic endeavors and academic excellence.

TEAM MEMBERS:

Jocelyn Alonzo ’26

Doreen Choroomi ’24

Yeni Denloye ’24

Maria Gorokhavskaya ’24

Vivian Jones ’26

Summer Morgan ’26

Madilyn Palosi ’23

WHEN PASSION MEETS PROFESSION

By Christy Salcido , Chief Marketing Officer

At the end of our spring sports season, I had an inspiring conversation with Travis Kikugawa, Associate Athletic Director, Director of Soccer and Tennis Operations, and Director of College-Bound Athletes. But, we didn’t talk about stats, CIF results, or college-bound athletes. What Travis shared with me is his philosophy and vision of Life over Sport that has guided his decades-long work with student athletes inside and outside of Viewpoint. And, when passion meets profession, the impact is greater than any sports results.

CHRISTY SALCIDO : Let’s start with the overall Life over Sport philosophy. Can you describe it?

TRAVIS KIKUGAWA: Life over Sport, at its philosophical core, has very little to do with what you are doing, and everything to do with the person you are becoming while doing it. In essence, it can really be applied to any and every arena; for at the end of the day it’s all about learning how to chase the process of how to become the best version of yourself both individually as well as collectively. Moments, connections, and relationships are three of the main pillars that serve as a driving force throughout.

CHRISTY: Tell me about the origins of this philosophy and how you first started implementing it at Viewpoint.

TRAVIS: Looking back, I’d have to say that it started back in 1997/98 as a vision and coaching philosophy that I formed with my first ever club soccer team outside of school. It was important for me to be intentional when it came to emphasizing the journey more so than the destination and so I tried to create as many moments of connection for the boys, whether it was skateboarding at local high schools in the Valley or surfing in Malibu on the weekends. We were intentional about spending time together off the soccer field and as a result, the players – who are now in their mid-30s – developed an unparalleled love and trust for one another and found a way to be competitive with the

best of the best. Since then, I coach, teach, lead, and mentor through a Life over Sport lens with any and every individual and team that I have the privilege of working with. This philosophy, if you will, has grown organically throughout the last couple of decades through many shared journeys with some incredible individuals and teams and has really become a lifestyle that I try to embody everywhere, every day. It’s a very process oriented philosophy that will always place more emphasis on the person before the player.

Since coming on board to Viewpoint in 1999/2000, implementing this vision/philosophy with all of my soccer and tennis teams was my main priority and has continued to serve as the driving force behind anything and everything that I am a part of. This past fall was the first time we introduced it to other programs, including Football, Girls Volleyball, Boys and Girls Cross Country, Boys and Girls Basketball, Boys and Girls Soccer, and Boys and Girls Swimming.

CHRISTY: So how do you put Life over Sport into action at Viewpoint?

TRAVIS: I take a tailored approach for each sports team and it starts by consulting the head coach about specific areas or themes they want me to address. Topics can range from what it means to be a good teammate to the whole mental preparation of competition. The magic of these interactive sessions lies in the ability to create a safe space for the kids to start reflecting, then sharing some takeaways. It can be as simple as starting with asking: “What’s a good teammate look like and feel like and what does a bad teammate look like and feel like?” All it takes is one brave soul to share something personal and the rest will follow. The walls start to get lowered and barriers start breaking down, and by the end everyone realizes they are a lot more alike than not, and that feeling helps establish a sense of trust and connection that can be very powerful inside of the arena. A team can have all the talent in the world but without trust and connection they will fall short every single time. With trust and connection, everything remains possible. The Life over Sport sessions are specifically designed to help establish both of those intangible traits necessary for any team to take the next step.

CHRISTY: What was it like working with the Cross Country and Swim teams this year?

TRAVIS: Cross Country: Awesome experience on so many levels. Have a ton of respect for what Coach Hackitt and his staff do with their program each and every season. Arguably one of the most successful programs on campus and kind of a shame at the same time that more people don’t get to really watch them in their element. I ran a few different themed sessions tailored for where they were at in their season and then did a short mental rehearsal and visualization exercise to a special song to help both the boys and girls teams get in the proper headspace a few days before their CIF Championship meet.

Swim Program: Was honored when Coach Bisheff reached out prior to the beginning of their season. Another program, like Cross Country, that leads by their example in terms of the type of well balanced studentathletes they turn out each and every season. I led one session early on in their season that was based on being a good teammate, and also had the opportunity to chaperone their trip to Hawaii over spring break, where I met with the team on two of the evenings to do some outside of the box team galvanizing/self reflective exercises.

Getting to work with those two programs and connect with so many new faces and personalities throughout their respective seasons was definitely one of the year’s highlights for me on so many levels and is something I will forever be grateful for. The opportunity to help serve and add value to their journey was special.

CHRISTY: When talking to Greg Bisheff, Head Swim Coach, he had this to say:

“It is impossible to quantify the impact Travis and this program had on our swim season this year because so much of what the expression sessions are about is what happens out of the water. Our kids were able to connect with each other by exploring topics that help them become the best versions of themselves and better teammates. The ease in which Travis uses life lessons through sports is truly incredible and inspiring.”

With mental health and depression more prevalent than ever in sports, how do you see your work intersecting with the greater wellness initiatives on campus?

TRAVIS: In partnership with Rebecca Heller, Director of Student Wellness Grades TK-12, we were already able to bring on a couple of phenomenal people/guest speakers late in the spring and plan to expand the guest speaker series and continue collaborating to prioritize the health and wellness of all of our students moving forward. We are looking to provide more website content such as articles and videos for anyone and everyone interested in reading and learning more about the whole mental health arena. Obviously, the better headspace we can get our individuals and teams to be in and operate from, the better their overall wellness will be. Rebecca and I are pretty close, and have been talking about this topic for quite some time now. I’m very excited to help her reach as many students/people in the community as possible moving forward.

CHRISTY: How do you see the program evolving?

TRAVIS: The Life over Sport program was introduced this past year to a handful of the upper, middle, and lower school athletic teams; but we are hoping that it becomes a staple that all of the coaches will adopt throughout their season on more of a full time basis this coming up fall. Of course, this philosophy is not meant to be limited to the athletic arena, but can also be implemented in the academia/arts space. Catherine Dunn, who runs the highly successful Film Department on campus, has already reached out and asked me to share some of the vision and methods with her students this school year. The mission and vision has always been and will always be about trying to add as much value as possible to everyone’s journey and I’d love to see this program continue to evolve and affect more of the masses inside of the Viewpoint Community,

Outside of Viewpoint, I’m excited about the opportunity to consult with even more schools, teams, businesses, and clubs to pay the vision forward.

Travis Kikugawa’s journey at Viewpoint School began 23 years ago when he was hired as a Physical Education teacher and Head Coach for the Girls Varsity Soccer team. He is grateful for all of the opportunities afforded to him over the years, including serving as the Director of Soccer and Tennis Operations, and serving as a Director of Counseling for College-Bound Athletes. In his current role as one of the Associate Athletic Directors, Travis is focusing more on the overall development of our coaches and players.

As a lifelong athlete, Travis feels there is no greater arena to teach the invaluable life lessons necessary to become the best version of yourself than the athletic arena. He credits his three summers as a child attending a sports camp on the east coast called Camp Dudley as a major influence in his athletic path. The camp motto was “The Other Fellow First” which really helped lay the foundation for the many things that eventually followed.

From Left to Right, Top Left: The Class of 2023; Top Right : Alan Howie and Addison Klein ’23

Bottom: The presentation of the diplomas

GRADUATES 2023

On, Saturday, June 10, Viewpoint celebrated the graduation of the 129 members of the Class of 2023.

Family, friends, faculty, and students gathered on Ring Family Field for a joyful commencement ceremony, which included performances by the Upper School Concert Choir, Upper School Wind Ensemble, and the Upper School String Quartet, with remarks by Salutatorian Jesse Hutchinson ’23, and the presentation of the Arthur B. O’Leary Award to Jadyn Fournier.

Head of School Mark McKee welcomed the graduates and their families and friends to this very special culmination of their Viewpoint journey. He thanked the faculty and staff, but he also thanked the Class of 2023, who “brought their whole selves to class. Who led, achieved, created, and succeeded in every manner of school endeavor and who made indelible memories along the way.”

This year’s Commencement Speaker, Viewpoint alumna Mehrnoush Yazdanyar ’98 , who graduated UCLA in three years, earned her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at USC, and founded her own law firm in Los Angeles and Kauai, shared her own heartfelt story of learning to trust herself on her journey to realizing her dreams and aspirations. She concluded by telling the graduates, “You don’t always have to know where the next step is going to take you. You just have to be brave enough to take that step.” Even after all of her accomplishments, she wanted to be clear that she is still on this journey. She added, “I am still struggling with that inner dialogue. I am still afraid of failing, but I am still moving forward because I would rather look back and know that I tried than wonder what could have been.”

Valedictorian JiaLian Mackey ’23 addressed the unique challenges faced by the Class of 2023, whose four-year high school experience was entirely shaped by the pandemic. JiaLian is an aspiring ecologist and conservationist, who will be studying at Harvard College following a gap year devoted to outdoor education and bird research. She concluded her remarks by saying:

“I feel so incredibly lucky to have spent the last four years with you. As our high school days end, we look forward to the new beginnings to come. Certainly, we are graduating into a time when our communities and our country, and the world are facing so many challenges. But sitting here today are our classmates who will be working to combat climate change, bring about gun safety reforms, expand voting rights, women’s rights, and LGBTQ rights, and fight growing racial and economic inequality because we are uniquely well prepared to do this. We have lived and even thrived through challenges and change. Our high school experience, both the adversity that we have overcome and the tools and lessons that our Viewpoint education has given us, makes us ready to take the next step in beginning to address these larger issues. I am proud to be a member of the Viewpoint Class of 2023 and I am excited to see what we all do.”

Despite the overcast weather, the crowd was jubilant. Everyone was thrilled to celebrate this wonderful group of young people. We congratulate the Class of 2023 and wish them every success in the exciting years to come!

Top: Mehrnoush Yazdanyar ’98, Guest Speaker Center: Mark McKee and JiaLian Mackey ’23, Valedictorian Bottom: Jesse Hutchinson ’23, Salutatorian

2023 All School Awards

Arthur B. O’Leary Award

Jadyn Fournier ’23

The School’s most significant award recognizes a senior who demonstrates high academic achievement, character, and a positive spirit, qualities Viewpoint strives to develop. The faculty selects the recipient. Mr. O’Leary was the School’s first Headmaster, appointed in 1979.

Thelma B. Sitton Award

Cici Liu ’24

The faculty selects the recipient of this award recognizing outstanding qualities of character and service to others. Mrs. Thelma Sitton was Viewpoint’s first Director, appointed in 1963.

Cooper Scholar-Athlete Awards

Samantha Albrecht ’23

The faculty selects the recipients of this award based on the students’ achievements in academics, athletics, and service to others. The award was established in 1970 by Viewpoint’s teacher Rayna Cooper in honor of her sons, who excelled in athletics and academics.

Community Service Award

Lucy Landsbaum ’23

The faculty recognizes the student who best demonstrates the spirit of generosity to others. Typically, the recipient volunteered time and effort on a significant, long-term basis, working to better the lives of those in need.

Upper School Student of the Year

Jessica Cao ’24

Chosen by the Student Council, the winner of this award is a senior who exhibits concern for others, school spirit, and interest in improving student life.

Valedictorian

JiaLian Mackey ’23

Chosen by the faculty, the Valedictorian is the outstanding scholar of the graduating class.

Salutatorian

Jesse Hutchinson ’23

The Senior Class selects the Salutatorian who introduces the graduating class to the audience at Commencement.

VSSA Service Award

Kate Ungar ’23

The Viewpoint School Service Association (VSSA) annually recognizes a student remarkable for service to the School, often as an ambassador

to the community. The faculty recommends the recipients, and the VSSA makes the final choice.

VSSA Social Justice and Leadership Award

Matthew Wynne ’23 and Hannah Ritz ’23

This honor goes to an activist-minded junior or senior student who is committed to using ethics, leadership, and innovation for raising awareness and eliminating systemic and organizational inequities in our school and larger community.

Calabasas Chamber of Commerce Award

Ryan Zeetser ’23

This award is presented to a senior who performed outstanding community service and is likely to study business in college.

NATIONAL MERIT

Of the top 50,000 high scorers of the 1.5 million juniors who entered the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2017 PSAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, about 15,000 became Finalists and about 34,000 students became Commended Students.

National Merit Finalists

Zach Gor ’23

Mansi Jain ’23

JiaLian Mackey ’23

Alec Williams ’23

National Merit Commended Students

Mia Allison ’23

Erin Beazley ’23

James Burrows ’23

Jamie Greenberg ’23

Grant Humphrey ’23

Sam Tabandeh ’23

Matthew Wynne ’23

National African American Recognition Award (NAARA)

Lena Schulze ’23

National Hispanic Recognition Award (NHRA)

Alivia Alva ’24

Izabella Fowler ’23

2023 Upper School Departmental Awards

FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS

Barbara Exum Art Award

Randy Rubin ’23

Mary Carpenter Award for the Arts

Emily Lawson ’23

The faculty selects a student who upheld the standards of the School and achieved unusual

growth in the arts. Established in 1986, the award is named in honor of Mary Carpenter, one of the School’s founders and its first Director of Admission.

Meryl Staley ’06 Award for the Performing Arts

Clayton Collins ’24

This award in memory of Meryl Staley ’06 is presented to a sophomore or junior who, through his or her generous spirit, quiet determination, and positive attitude, exemplifies the character critical to success in the performing arts. The winner of this honor receives a grant for off-campus programs in the performing arts.

Dance

Lola Cavalier ’24 and Zoey Goldsmith ’24

Theater

Violet Kaltman ’24

Zaki Gordon ’94 Film Award

Eden Spalding ’24

Film Department Award

Izabella Fowler ’23

ART AWARDS

Photograph of the Year

Kasey Lee ’24

Ceramic Piece of the Year

Sophia Eagan ’23

Picture of the Year

Rose Moshkovich ’23

Sculpture of the Year

Mia Rappaport ’25

ENGLISH AWARDS

Naomi Engle ’24

Maria Gorohovsky ’24

Maya Smith ’24

MATHEMATICS AWARDS

AP Calculus

Matthew Wynne ’23

AP Statistics

Clement Xiang ’23

Advanced Math

Julianna Hughes ’24 and Zach Gor ’23

MUSIC AWARDS

Vocal

Emily Lawson ’23

Orchestra

Rose Moshkovich ’23

Band

Matthew Wynne ’23

SCIENCE AWARDS

Biology

Audrey Kim ’23

CLASS OF 2023

Chemistry

Erin Beazley ’23

Physics

AJ Williams ’23

Environmental

Brandon Warner ’24

Computer Science

Avrick Altmann ’24 and AJ Williams ’23

Design

Jessica Cao ’24

Social Studies

Darya Podeh ’24

Handley Award for American Studies

Ava Ozair ’23

WORLD LANGUAGES AWARDS

Chinese

Avrick Altmann ’23

French

Sundiata Enuke ’24

Latin

Julianna Hughes ’24

Spanish

George Alcantar Jr. ’24

ATHLETICS

Madison Foxhoven ’23

STUDENT COUNCIL MEMBERS

President

Max Wiseman ’23

Vice President

Jessica Cao ’24

Secretary

Rachel Huang ’26

Treasurer

Lena Shulze ’23

Induction of the Cum Laude Society 2023

Viewpoint School's chapter of the prestigious Cum Laude Society welcomed 24 new members. The faculty members of the Society select students for membership who have demonstrated scholastic excellence (Arete), justice (Dike), and honor (Time).

The Cum Laude Society, modeled after Phi Beta Kappa, the academic honor society for college graduates, recognizes superior scholarship in selected high schools in the United States and abroad. A member since 1992, Viewpoint is one of only 31 schools in California to have earned the distinction of having a Cum Laude chapter.

Inducted in Junior Year Inducted in Senior Year

Daniyar Ali

Avrick Altmann

Alivia Alva

Sophia Alva

Austin Basch

Jessica Cao

Naomi Engle

Jack Fasching

Julianna Hughes

Kaylyn Robertson

Jarett Walker

Mia Allison

James Burrows

Samuel Droge

Jadyn Fournier

Lori Gaboudian

Annabelle Grandy

Calvin Jacobs

Edith Mendez

Ashwin Nanda

Peyton Rohr

Samantha Sagerman

Faith Spalding

Adam Zuckerman

Left to Right: Nastaran Tabandeh, Sam Tabandeh ’23, Zach Gor ’23 and Ronak (Ronnie) Gor Right: Madison Nadolenco ’23 and friend

Left to Right: Jayden Karapetian ’23, Izabella (Izzy) Fowler ’23, Mia Lazaroff ’23, and Kyle Sardo ’23

Mark McKee and Olaitan Egberongbe ’23

BEYOND VIEWPOINT

A List of Colleges & Universities Admitting

Viewpoint’s Graduates from 2019-2023

Institutions in blue type indicate one or more matriculates from the Class of 2023.

American University

Amherst College

Arizona State University

Austin College

Barnard College

Baylor University

Belmont Abbey College

Bentley University

Berklee College of Music

Boston College

Boston University

Bowdoin College

Brandeis University

Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University, Idaho

Brown University

Bryn Mawr College

Bucknell University

Butler University

California Institute of Technology

California Lutheran University

Cal Poly, Pomona

Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

California State University, East Bay

California State University, Northridge

California State University, Sacramento

Carnegie Mellon University

Case Western Reserve University

Chapman University

Claremont McKenna College

Clark University

Colby College

Colgate University

College of the Canyons

Colorado College

Columbia College

Columbia University

Cornell University

Dartmouth College

DePauw University

Denison University

Dickinson College

Drake University

Drexel University

Duke University

Durham University

Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Emerson College

Emory University

Endicott College

Fordham University

Fullerton College

George Washington University

Georgetown University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Gettysburg College

Grinnell College

Hamilton College

Harvard University

Harvey Mudd College

High Point University

Hofstra University

Howard University

Indiana University

Ithaca College

John Cabot University

Johns Hopkins University

Lewis & Clark College

Los Angeles Pierce College

Loyola Marymount University

Loyola University Chicago

Marymount Manhattan College

Moorpark College

Mount Saint Mary’s University

New York University

Nicholls State University

Northeastern University

Northern Illinois University

Northwestern University

Occidental College

Pace University

Parsons School of Design at The New School

Penn State University

Pepperdine University

Pitzer College

Pomona College

Pratt Institute

Princeton University

Purdue University

Randolph-Macon College

Reed College

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rhode Island School of Design

Rice University

Ringling College of Art and Design

San Diego State University

San Francisco State University

Santa Barbara City College

Santa Clara University

Santa Monica College

Sarah Lawrence College

Savannah College of Art and Design

School of Visual Arts

Scripps College

Shepherd University

Smith College

Southern Methodist University

Spelman College

Stanford University

Swarthmore College

Syracuse University

Tennessee State University

Texas Christian University

The American University of Paris

The College of William and Mary

The New School

The University of Edinburgh

The University of Tampa

The University of Texas at Austin

Trinity University

Tufts University

Tulane University

University College Cork

University College London

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Davis

University of California, Irvine

University of California, Los Angeles

University of California, Merced

University of California, Riverside

University of California, San Diego

University of California, Santa Barbara

University of California, Santa Cruz

University of Chicago

University of Colorado Boulder

University of Delaware

University of Georgia

University of Hawaii at Manoa

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of La Verne

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

University of Miami

University of Michigan

University of Notre Dame

University of Oregon

University of Pennsylvania

University of Portland

University of San Diego

University of San Francisco

University of Southern California

University of St Andrews

University of Sydney

University of Victoria

University of Virginia

CLASS OF 2023

University of Washington

University of Wisconsin, Madison

University of the Pacific

Vanderbilt University

Vassar College

Villanova University

Wake Forest University

Washington University in St. Louis

Wesleyan University

Whitman College

Willamette University

Williams College

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Yale University

Class of 2023

From Left to Right, Top: Teacher Donna Hicks; Adam Marquez ’27, Ryder Kabakoff ’27, Audrina Johnson ’27, Ella Haim ’27, August Frank ’27; Demitri Baker ’27

Bottom: Teacher Steve Amrol announcing the promotions

8TH GRADE

PROMOTIO N

On Friday, June 9, 2023 Viewpoint’s 106 Eighth Grade students gathered with their families, friends, and faculty on the Ring Family Field for a Promotion Ceremony to celebrate their many accomplishments and the completion of Middle School.

The ceremony included inspiring remarks from Head of School Mark McKee who praised the students for demonstrating excellence academically, athletically, and artistically. He reminded the students that we live in a time of educational abundance and that they can look forward to long lives of continual learning. He also offered students three secrets of success. The first is to work hard and persist, which will serve them well in Upper School and beyond. The second is to make connections with one another and adults and to continually strive to lift each other up. And third, is to find a passion or even more than one – and if it doesn’t exist yet, create it.

The ceremony also featured fine performances by the Eighth Grade Band, Strings, and Choir, as well as charming and heartfelt remembrances from the Class Historians. In her Eighth Grade Address, Kayla Paschall encouraged her classmates to remember the strength they demonstrated over the last few years, and “to know that if we can survive and thrive through a global pandemic, we can survive and thrive through high school.”

Congratulations to the Eighth Grade Class and best of luck in Upper School!

2023 Middle School Awards

Student of the Year

Fiona Pan ’27

The Middle School faculty selects an Eighth Grader who best exemplifies academic diligence, unquestionable character, a positive attitude, and respect for the School’s community.

Academic Achievement Award

Saige Kumar ’27

The faculty selects the Eighth Grade’s outstanding scholar to receive this award.

Classperson of the Year

Achilleas Sweeney ’27

Selected by fellow Eighth Graders, the Classperson of the Year exhibits unusual qualities of leadership, dependability, a positive spirit, and respect for the School and classmates.

Service Learning Award

Fiona Pan ’27

This award recognizes the Eighth Graders who best exemplify the spirit of giving.

Eighth Grade Speaker

Kayla Paschall ’27

The faculty of the Middle School chooses the Speaker based upon a student’s demonstrated academic excellence, outstanding character as represented through his or her actions, and the extent to which he or she represents the learning expectations of the School.

Class Historians*

Milo Bamsey ’27, Ashley Chesed ’27, Racheal Chun ’27, Gracie Halcovich ’27, Samson Harrington ’27, Mark Torpoco ’27, Charlotte Young ’27

* The faculty of the Middle School chooses the Class Historians.

From the top down: Kayla Paschall ’27

Middle: Eighth Grade Choir; Eighth Grade Band

Bottom: Milo Bamsey ’27, Claire Tang ’27

The Cathy Adelman Endowment Fund Breaks All Benefit Fundraising Records!

By Maureen M. Nash , Assistant Head of School for External Affairs

ON SATURDAY, MAY 13, the Viewpoint community came together for our 40th Annual Benefit at the Skirball Cultural Center with hundreds of guests gathering to celebrate the creation of the Cathy Adelman Endowment Fund for Financial Aid , the first-ever endowment to provide tuition assistance specifically to students in our Primary and Lower Schools. Guests were treated to a live acoustic performance by Gavin DeGraw, as well as hours of incredible music provided by de Bois Entertainment.

The event netted a record-breaking $1.2 million, surpassing last year’s Diamond Jubilee by $200,000. This stunning success is a testament to the philanthropic heart of our community and to our shared commitment to Viewpoint’s World Ready Promise. We are so grateful to our Benefit leadership, donors, and volunteers for making the creation of this new endowment possible.

In Cathy’s words, “… I really believe we’re going to change lives with the generosity of our community. That just means everything to me. What more could you want in your life but to feel like you’ve made a difference. And we will, and we are making a difference in every child that’s here. I really truly believe that with all my heart, but now children that would not have been able to come are going to be here.”

Benefactor Co-Chairs

Anonymous

Jackie Schaffer ’91 and Jeff Schaffer

Chaney Sheffield ’98 and Marisa Sheffield

Patron Co-Chairs

Kristen Carlson ’01

Leslie and Steve Carlson

Dr. Tran Ho and Ken Jeong

Lindsey Lucibella

Christine and David ZeBrack

Co-Chairs

Anonymous (2)

Michelle and Robert Bradway

Kristin Hodge and Jon Chu

Mary and John Conlin

Alice Bamford and Ann Eysenring

Sophiah and Michael Hakim

Lyn and Alan Kabakoff

Karno Glaser Family

Peggy Jones and Parise Livanos

Jody and Brent Polacheck

Rasmussen Foundation

Jason Rouse ’96 and Michal Rouse

Pam Shriver

Dr. Niniek Purnomo and Klaus Woizik

Vice Chairs

Cathy and Neil Adelman

Kelly Adelman ’07

Cathy and Pete Blumel

Kafi and Bob Blumenfield

Judy Gawlik Brown and Steve Brown

Maria and Jay DiMaggio

Audrey and Jeff Dunham

Fishing Pole and Love Foundation

Deena and David Gussman

Jerriann and Quentin Fleming

January Jones

Margaret Keyes

Nickie and Marc Kubasak

Erica and Jay McGraw

Jennifer and Mark Measures

Swetha and Arvind Movva

Christina and Tim Noonan

Ed O’Neill

Papariella Family

Lloyd Saitman

Jill and Dan Schecter

Yuna Megre and Dmitry Sergeev

Gia and Paul Shurgot

Sharon and John Tesoriero

VSSA

Patty Zeng

Auction Co-Chairs

Krystal Dry-Murphy ’03

Jerriann Fleming

Loren Francis

Kari Watson Garman

Lindsey Lucibella

Shaneka McDonald

Mark Measures

Rhonda Richards-Smith

Michal Rouse

Steve Wiseman

Left to Right : Jill Schecter; David Shapiro, Mayor of Calabasas; Cathy Adelman; Neil Adelman; Mark McKee; Cathy Shelburne McKee

Left to Right : 1. Angel Tanksley, Shaneka McDonald, Kiyomi Kowalski, David Harris, Rhonda Richards-Smith, Marcus Tanksley 2. Shandi Vyas, Patty Zeng, Ken Jeong, Tran Ho, Mina Hong, Lu Lu 3. Peggy Jones, Cathy Adelman, Mark McKee 4. Brenda and Ryan King 5. Michal Rouse and Lindsey Lucibella 6. Jeff Schaffer, Claudia Antoine, Jacqueline Marcus Schaffer ’91 7. Gil Harari, Lizzie Harari, Els Mitchum 8. Alexis Shakelian, Emma Smbatyan, Alisa Grigoryan 9. Top Row : Angela Dassa-Adelman, Erica Ginsberg, Mark McKee, Melissa Meyers, Nancy Gurvey, Ida Kim Bottom Row: David Ginsberg, Klaus Woizik, Patrick Malone, Jessica Malone 10. Pramod and Josephine Atluri 11. Steve Carlson, Leslie Carlson, Kristen Carlson ’01, Max Nissman 12. Ken Jeong and Gavin DeGraw 13. Marisa and Chaney Sheffield ’98

$1.2 Million Net Proceeds (140% over goal)

289

Total Donors

+5%

Viewpoint’s Total Endowment

V

IEWPOINT’S

ENDOWMENT

will play an increasingly important role in our School’s financial security, continued excellence, and future. To ensure its growth and sensible compounding, the board has established a financially experienced investment task force, led ably by trustee Judy Gawlik Brown in partnership with CFO Steve Cole, to be conscientious and active stewards of our growing endowment.”

–JILL SCHECTER, Board Chair

GIFTS TO AN ENDOWMENT FUND

are a powerful way for donors to have an enduring impact in an area of particular significance to them and importance to an organization. And when that fund is named for an individual who is a pillar in the community, such gifts also carry meaningful symbolism and serve as a perpetual testament to that individual’s contributions. Endowment gifts are managed, invested, and subsequently utilized in a manner that preserves the original value of those gifts and puts earnings to work in ways that are aligned with the fund’s focus and purpose. Through this dedicated stream of income, an endowment gift can ensure the stability of essential programs, like financial aid. When you make an endowment gift at Viewpoint, you are seeding the future!

The Cathy Adelman Endowment Fund for Financial Aid is a glowing example of an endowment’s ability to resonate in myriad ways – from securing the legacy of a person of great significance to safeguarding the core values of an institution through dedicated funds that last in perpetuity. Seeded with $1.2 million from our 41st Annual Benefit – the most successful Benefit in Viewpoint’s history – the Adelman Fund is on a strong trajectory for the future. Depicted in the illustration above is the potential growth of this new endowment over the course of 50 years. Donors who continue making contributions to the Adelman Endowment will strengthen the compound effect of its growth over time.

The Adelman Endowment has increased Viewpoint’s total endowment by 5%, sparking the Board’s creation of a new Investment Task Force that will focus on the performance of our endowment and advise on its strategic growth.

INVESTING IN early childhood and elementary education has a powerful multiplier effect for the future. Viewpoint is so proud to launch the Cathy Adelman Endowment to honor a beloved leader and to support a life-changing education for generations to come.” –MARK

MCKEE, Head of School

Cathy Adelman

ON POINT: The Adelman Effect

IN ADVANCE OF THE 40TH ANNUAL BENEFIT, Viewpoint debuted

“On Point: The Adelman Effect” – a special-edition, five-episode podcast series. From students and alumni to parents and friends, podcast guests honored our Head of Primary School Cathy Adelman’s remarkable contributions in her 47 years and counting at Viewpoint. And, the podcast series served as an opportunity to celebrate the first ever endowment at Viewpoint to focus exclusively on providing tuition assistance to our youngest learners.

In a special bonus episode, Mark McKee and Cathy Adelman talked one-on-one about the evolution of early childhood education. Mark and Cathy shared their insights on everything from teaching

methods through the decades, to what they look for when recruiting the best faculty members at Viewpoint, and how important it is to provide tuition assistance for our youngest learners. They even offered words of wisdom for all those first-year teachers out there.

TUNE INTO THE ENTIRE PODCAST SERIES HERE. You also can find the series on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the Viewpoint School channel on YouTube, and at viewpoint.org/onpoint.

Cathy Adelman with Mark McKee

Mehrnoush Yazdanyar ’98

By Christy Salcido, Chief Marketing Officer

She’s an accomplished global attorney and humanitarian, graduated from UCLA in three years, earned her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at USC, and founded her own law firm with multiple offices in California and an upcoming expansion of her practice to the island of Kauai. Twenty-five years after graduating from Viewpoint, she makes a triumphant return as the commencement speaker for the Class of 2023.

SAY ALOHA TO MEHRNOUSH YAZDANYAR ‘98 who shared with our recent graduates – who are now the newest group of alumni – her own heartfelt story of learning to trust herself on her journey – to realizing her dreams and aspirations.

“You don’t always have to know where the next step is going to take you. You just have to be brave enough to take that step,” said Mehrnoush. She was deeply honored when Mark McKee reached out to invite her to speak at our commencement ceremony this year and felt an immense sense of gratitude to be given the opportunity to return to the community that played such an integral role in her life both academically and socially.

When we met, Mehrnoush shared the road that led her to Viewpoint, which began in Gorgan, Iran where she was born. When she was three she moved to the United States with her family and grew up in Southern California. She began attending Viewpoint in Ninth Grade and excelled academically and as an athlete on the very first Girls Soccer team at our school. Next, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a B.A. in Political Science and a Minor in Near Eastern Languages. She obtained her J.D. from the University of Southern California's (USC) Law School in 2004. After spending an unfulfilling few years working at a corporate law firm, Mehrnoush had a “passion meets profession” moment that changed the trajectory of her life. In 2009, she founded the Yazdanyar Law firm, focusing on immigration law and subsequently expanded its area of expertise to include programs administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Mehrnoush founded her firm based on the principle that an attorney is an advocate with the fiduciary duty to protect the rights and well-being of his or her clients. It is that philosophy, coupled with the dedication to understanding the complex and ever-changing world of U.S. immigration laws, that has led to the growth of her firm from one office in Beverly Hills to multiple offices throughout California, including Irvine, San Francisco, and Westlake Village. Most recently, Mehrnoush

was licensed to practice law in the state of Hawaii and is looking forward to expanding her practice to the island of Kauai.

During her 13 plus years of experience, Mehrnoush has established herself as an expert in her niche areas of practice, appearing on television and radio programs and speaking at conferences and seminars. Additionally, she has gained notoriety for her pro-bono and non-profit work as well as her dedication to assisting non-government organizations with their legal needs. Mehrnoush has served as president for her Rotary Club, on the boards of Farhang Foundation’s Patrons Council and the International Society for Children with Cancer, as well as serving as an advisor for Moms Against Poverty and the Iranian American Bar Association.

Even after all of her accomplishments, she wanted to be clear with our recent graduates that she is still on this journey.

“I am still struggling with that inner dialogue. I am still afraid of failing, but I am still moving forward because I would rather look back and know that I tried than wonder what could have been.”

During the week leading up to the Graduation ceremony, Mehrnoush visited Viewpoint to reacquaint herself with the campus and community at a special meet-and-greet with seniors and as a guest on our Podcast.

“It was truly an incredible experience reconnecting with the Viewpoint family, to seeing old friends, teachers, and mentors, and most of all, meeting the graduates of the Class of 2023.”

Merhnoush, the feeling was mutual and we can’t wait to watch what you accomplish in the next 25 years.

In the continuing “On Point” Podcast series and first episode of “Alumni Stories,” Mark McKee welcomed alumna Mehrnoush Yazdanyar ’98 as his special guest. TUNE IN HERE.

New York/Boston Alumni Cocktail Parties

We reconnected with our alums who currently live across the country in New York and Boston. A great group of alumni joined us at New York’s Castell Rooftop Lounge where we celebrated new jobs, personal milestones, and had a great time catching up. We then headed over to Boston for the first time in more than 10 years to host alums in the Boston area. Some who attended haven’t joined an event in 20 years! It was awesome to spend time with alums who have made Boston their home.

Patriots Reconnect at Alumni Day

More than 100 Patriots returned to west campus on June 3 for Alumni Day. The celebration kicked off with the alumni basketball game, while a bounce house and face painting entertained children attending with their parents. The heart of the party was the breezeway where a taco cart and refreshments proved the perfect conversation catalyst as classmates and faculty sat down to reconnect and renew friendships.

Celebrating Michele Shumow and Lynne Knebel Alumni Salute Retiring Librarians

By Bill Youngblood, Creative Director

ALUMNI SALUTED RETIRING LIBRARIANS

Michele Shumow and Lynne Knebel at a ceremony in The Benjamin Franklin Library. With three-quarters of a century combined experience, they have worked with virtually every Patriot over the last thee decades. Mark McKee, Head of School, remarked that, “Ms. Shumow and Ms. Knebel are teachers who teach everyone. Our libraries spaces exist because of their decades of dedicated hard work …we celebrate you, we wish you the best, and we will miss you very much.”

As a special thank you, each received a hand-crafted card catalogue drawer from the Harringtons (Samson ’27, Finn ’29, and PS Assistant Head Vanessa Harrington). Inside each drawer were hand-written notes of appreciation from employees and alumni. A Western Redbud tree was planted at Blaney Patio in their honor and a corner of the Franklin Library was named the Mrs. Shumow Book Nook.

Viewpoint School Bids a Fond Farewell to Nurse Sue Gellerman

By Monica Case ’90 , Director of Content Strategy

IN THE FALL 2015 ISSUE of The Viewpoint Magazine, we included a story called, “Why do the Primary & Lower School Children want to lose their teeth at School?” The answer was because of Nurse Sue Gellerman, and the pride they felt having their names added to her Lost Tooth Board along with the sticker that she gave them which said, “I lost my tooth at school today.”

Between 1997 and her retirement in June of 2023, Sue Gellerman did much more than provide reassurance and stickers to children who had just lost their teeth. She also distributed about 50,000 bandaids and countless icepacks, as well as a providing a quiet spot to rest, all with her gentle voice and kind demeanor that made sick or injured children just feel better. In his remarks upon her retirement, Head of School Mark McKee said, “In addition to her regular responsibilities, Sue also helped the School to manage and navigate during the first global pandemic with her knowledge, stewardship, wisdom, guidance, and love. Sue was the perfect person for the job of caring for our youngest students and she will be missed.”

Photo taken in 2015 of then Second Grader Samantha Margolis with Sue Gellerman

From Left to Right: Alison Steelberg Corneau ’97, Michele Shumow, Sue Jean Woodmansee ’01, Sarah Davis, Mark McKee

These notes were received between May 23-July 14. If you would like to share any news, please email Christy Salcido, Chief Marketing Officer, at Christy.Salcido @ viewpoint.org

1973

Gregg Trueman writes, “My happiest years in school until college were the two I spent at Viewpoint in Sixth and Seventh Grades, 1967-1969. I went out east to college at Princeton, and met my future wife Sarah Bell there. We raised our two kids in New York and lived there until 2020 when we moved to the glorious Bay Area. Thrilled to be back in California after all the years. My long career at the intersection of creativity and technology continues – I am chief product officer at Humanize.com, a startup launching a science-inspired, partner-based daily mental practice that builds empathy and compassion. I would love to be in touch with my classmates who I remember so vividly and so fondly.”

2002

Nina Harada Mascia (Weiss) gave birth to another daughter, Juna, on March 8, 2023. She writes, “I am loving raising two girls in Los Angeles, while continuing my work as a writer, editor and podcast host for LA Parent magazine and artist at ninaharada.com.”

2005

David Sheftell is excited to be performing at the Diamond Head Theatre in Honolulu, Hawaii as Lumiere in their production of Beauty & The Beast. David’s film 7,000 Miles, in which he stars opposite Wendie Malick, premiered in the summer and will be released later this year!

2010

Samantha Spielfogel recently became Dr. Spielfogel, PsyD after graduating from her clinical psychology doctorate program. She is starting her career at a private practice in La Crescenta. She got married in October to her longtime partner Angelo!

2012

Heather Hardenberg writes, “The last several years have been exciting as I transitioned from engineer to entrepreneur, having worked as Energy Manager for the DoD on Naval Base Coronado and then moving into project management within the utility-scale solar industry. This past June 2023 marked the completion of my graduate program at UCSD Rady School of Management. I graduated with my MBA and founded my company, Renew Solar, at the intersection of passion and purpose. At Renew Solar our aim is to close the loop on the sustainability of solar power. Through interception of used solar panels headed to landfill prematurely, we refurbish and redistribute modules at a fraction of the cost, reducing the financial barrier to entry of this clean energy. Our mission is to expand access to clean energy through the redistribution of sustainably manufactured solar panels. Reduce, Reuse, Renew. Reminded of the power of community daily along this journey and always eager to connect with my Viewpoint alumni.”

2013

Liam Gunn writes, “In May of 2022, I graduated Yale School of the Environment (formerly known as Yale School of Forestry). In September of 2022, began Juris Doctor (J.D.) program at University of California Berkeley, School of Law. In May of this year, began a judicial internship with the Supreme Court of Georgia.”

Center row, 4th from the left : Gregg Trueman, Grade 7, 1968-69

THE MONICA CASE EFFECT

By Christy Salcido, Chief Marketing Officer

WORKING WITH MONICA CASE ’90 for the past three years is an opportunity for which I am so grateful. After 15 years of dedicated service, she recently departed Viewpoint for family reasons, but has left an indelible mark on our community. Her connection to our school began when she was a child in our Lower School and came full circle when she joined the communications team, and simultaneously enrolled her own daughter, Madeleine ’22, as a Kindergartener at Viewpoint. Year after year, Monica has been the editor and publisher of The Viewpoint Magazine – evolving this biannual journal into the national, award-winning publication it is today. She’s meticulously curated each issue – conducting hundreds of interviews, writing countless articles, and bringing her artful eye to the layout and design in collaboration with long-time partners Creative Director, Bill Youngblood and Designer, Ken Camner.

Each magazine and annual report was Monica’s labor of love in honor of Viewpoint School. Along the way she provided communications support for every division and department, not to mention staffing many galas with our advancement team.

Monica has always been a colleague you can count on – and is one of the most gracious and kindest people I’ve ever met. I thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with her, really miss our early morning conversations over coffee, as well as her spot-on, witty sense of humor.

During Monica’s final few weeks, many stories about her exceptional professionalism and collegiality kept pouring in and confirming that we all hold similar sentiments in common. And perhaps this is the Monica Case effect – kindness, generosity, friendship, dedication, honor, creativity, mixed together with a dash of humor can bring lasting positive impact and make the world a little bit brighter.

Monica with her daughter Madeleine ’22 at the 2022 Commencement Ceremony

Winner of Highest Recognition for Excellence

Under Monica Case’s leadership The Viewpoint Magazine achieved recognition for excellence both regionally and nationally from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). For decades, the magazine had received periodic bronze and silver recognitions, but Monica guided the magazine to the highest levels, winning consecutively the Circle of Excellence Grand Gold CASE Award in 2019, also the CASE District VII Grand Gold Award in 2019, and the CASE District VII Gold Award in 2017 and 2018. Garnering these honors, from this global association dedicated to educational advancement, is no small feat. Most recently, there were 4,021 global entries from 583 member institutions across 22 countries. Of these entries, only 31 achieved the Grand Gold award level which the council says, “Recognizes extremely exceptional game-changing entries.”

The Result of Intentionality in Action

Monica Case’s intentional, thoughtful, and imaginative planning, linked each cover to the issue’s theme, and the feature’s focus. Her collaborative creativity invited unique designs and impactful images. In so doing, Case brought to readers an in-depth understanding of Viewpoint’s values, philosophy, and innovative curricular strengths. Every edition also covered all aspects of campus life. In recognizing the magazine with its highest award, CASE judges noted that the publication is not only a strong voice for Viewpoint, but also speaks for the best values that an independent school education has to offer.

SENIOR SPEECH

By Jadyn Fournier ’23

KALEIDOSCOPE. THIS IS THE WORD USED to describe a group of butterflies. When I was younger, I fell in love with butterflies. Their wings are filled with a variety of vibrant colors. They’re beautiful and filled with energy. They are small and extremely delicate. They’re elegant, but they’re vulnerable. They’re quiet. Looking back, I wonder why I used to love them so much but then I realize that I may have seen something in these small insects that reminded me of myself. Something in these tiny, quiet, and dainty, little things resonated with me in some odd way. As a little girl, I used to have a very big personality. I loved to sing, dance, and make up different shows to perform with my younger brother. I loved playing with the other kids in the apartment complex I used to live in. I loved playing dress up with my princess dresses. I hula-hooped a lot, I played basketball, and I wanted to be a cheerleader when I grew up.

As I grew up a little bit more and it was time to start going to school, this is when things started to change for me. I became more shy and more reserved. Even though I enjoyed spending time with friends, there was still a big part of me growing up, that was always quiet, and would much rather stick to myself rather than have to go play with the other kids, or even just talk. I felt different than the others in my class. Whether it was because of my appearance: having to choose between crayons in Kindergarten because none of them would resemble my own skin color, or having to make up reasons why I had to come to school with Band-Aids all over my body because, at the young age of seven, I didn’t think that anyone would understand the severity of my eczema. Or I felt different because I didn’t understand the concepts we were learning in class as fast as the others, and was on the verge of tears when put on the spot to answer a question in a game that was supposed to be fun. Or I felt different because I didn’t live like the other kids in my class; my life outside of school seemed completely different than theirs. I didn’t know what it was, but I do know that it didn’t just stop there.

Getting to be older in those tween and early teen years, I started to become more self-conscious. The things I liked, the way I looked, the way I acted, the way I talked. All of it. Even though it felt like I started losing myself during elementary school, this was different. At this point, I felt like I lost myself completely. All of the confidence that I had when I was younger: gone. My ability to act however I wanted to act without the fear of someone judging me: gone. The more I kept

letting these intrusive and negative thoughts take over my brain, the less I could see the little Jadyn who I used to be. The one who loved to sing at the top of her lungs, dance like no one was watching, and play pretend as if the possibilities of my next adventures were endless. At that moment in time, there left was a single butterfly. One that still had its vibrance shining from within, but felt like it was flying solo, ashamed and too scared to even embrace it.

I would be a hypocrite if I said that I wasn’t still self-conscious or shy because I still am, today. But then I also remember all of the things that I have accomplished in my 18 years of living so far. I’ve gone through those sleepless nights doing work, I’ve gone through the tears shed over friends, I’ve gone through the frustrations of feeling like I was not enough or I couldn’t fit in. But I’ve also done well in school, and created friendships that will be forever lasting. I have an amazing family with my parents and younger brothers who I can’t live without … I’m Jadyn Alyssa Fournier. I still love to do art, and sing, and dance. I’m proud of my culture. I love blasting old-school hip-hop with my family in the car. I love taking pictures of everything, everywhere I go. I love being a camp counselor. I’m a picky eater, sometimes … maybe a lot of the times. I love sunsets and flowers. I love meeting new people, seeing the silver lining, and being kind to others. Yes, I still get stressed doing school work but that just shows me how much I care. I love seeing people happy. I’m a perfectionist, but I’m not perfect. I love learning new things about others and the world. I love, love. And I love every bit of me. It’s just taken me a little time to realize that and embrace who I am rather than hiding behind someone who I wasn’t.

Remember the word that I said earlier that meant a group of butterflies? Yeah, kaleidoscope. THAT is what my life has become today. From feeling as though I was alone and a singular butterfly, my life has turned into a kaleidoscope, a group of butterflies. With each butterfly being a unique aspect of who I am, and what has made up who I am today. And this I believe. I believe in the power and strength that everyone holds inside of them. As much as it may be difficult, I believe in seeing the beauty in everything, but especially yourself. I believe in HOPE and the JOURNEY toward self-worth. I believe in not forgetting how far we’ve come, and making that little kid in all of us proud of who they have become today. And I believe in letting our inner selves flourish … allowing that metamorphosis from that singular butterfly to a beautiful kaleidoscope.

The Senior Speech Program is a culminating project for all Viewpoint seniors. Using the NPR series, “This I believe,” as the basis for their speeches, each senior writes and then delivers a speech to a cohort of fellow students, and in some cases to the entire Upper School community.

HELP US REACH OUR $3.0 MILLION GOAL

Contributions to the Viewpoint Fund bolster the arts, athletics, financial aid, faculty development and recognition, and STEM programs. Patron Circle gifts range from $1,500-$10,000 while the Head of School Circle begins with gifts of $25,000.

Head of School Circle $25,000+

All of the Leaders’ Circle Benefits plus Invitation for two to the Annual Trustee Visiting Day Thursday, February 8, 2024

PATRON CIRCLES

Leaders’ Circle $10,000+

All of the Patriots’ Circle Benefits plus Invitation for two to the Annual Leaders’ Circle Dinner Hosted at a private home February 2024

Patriots’ Circle $5,000+

All of the Friends’ Circle Benefits plus Invitation for two to the Annual Holiday Cheer Cocktail Party

Hosted by Michelle and Bob Bradway at The Sherwood Country Club Friday, December 1, 2023

Friends’ Circle $1,500+

Invitation for two to the Annual Leadership Celebration September 2024