Gryphon: Spring/Summer 2017 by The Cambridge School of Weston (CSW)

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spring/summer 2017

the cambridge school of weston magazine

Congratulations to the Class of 2017! CSW Hosts and Honors Visiting Artist Aboudia Arthur Berndt ’68 & Anne Berndt P’88, ’92 and GP’12 cover photo by Molly Moir ’19

2016–17 board of trustees

2016–17 parents’ association leadership

Benjamin Alimansky ’87 Chair, Investment Committee

Deb Azrael P’17 Birthdays for Boarders

Maya Barnes ’17 Boarding Student Representative Christine Chamberlain ’63 Chair, Governance Committee Philip (Phil) DeNormandie ’67 Rachael Dorr P’07 Secretary Ann Gorson P’16 Cynthia Harmon Kaiko Marie Hayes ’81 Snowden Henry P’16, ’18 Jin-Kyung (Kay) Kim P’15, ’16, ’18 Malik Kuziwa ’17 Day Student Representative Tony Loreti P’11, ’13 Faculty Representative Richard McCready P’13 Jane Moulding Head of School Christian Nolen P’10 Rebecca Parkhill ’85, P’17 Deborah Pressman P’10 Alexander (Alex) Rosenthal ’08 Sarita Gandhi Shah ’86 Vice Chair of the Board Simon Taylor ’98 Ingrid Tucker Eduardo Tugendhat ’72, P’07 Dana Tully P’19 Parent Representative; President of Parents’ Association Susan (Sue) Vogt P’14 Chair of the Board John (Jack) Welch P’15 Treasurer; Chair, Finance Committee Po-wei Weng Faculty Representative Daniel (Dan) Wolf ’65

Susan Buta P’17 “PACED” (Parent Association Committee on Equity and Diversity) Lelia Elliston ’80, P’18 Contemporary Art Loan Program Kelley Harwood P’17 Contemporary Art Loan Program Anne Marie Healey P’18 “PACED” (Parent Association Committee on Equity and Diversity) Charlotte Peirce P’18 Birthdays for Boarders Jenn Trevett P’18 Faculty Appreciation Committee Dana Tully P’19 Chair Gillan Wang P’17 Faculty Appreciation Committee To contact the Parents’ Association please email: pa@csw.org

the gryphon, Spring/Summer 2017 Jane Moulding, Head of School Rebecca Schultzberg, Director, Alumni/ae and Development Diane Stansbury, Director of Alumni/ae and Parent Engagement Dino Rowan, Digital Content/Multimedia Specialist, Marketing & Communications

contributors Russ Campbell P’19 Sheer Figman ’17 Shira Kagan-Shafman ’17 Tara Keppler P’15, ’18, ’20 Jody McNamara, Socially Adept Solutions Katie Sauvain, English faculty

design Barlay Studio • www.barlaystudio.com The Cambridge School of Weston is a coeducational college preparatory school for grades 9–12 and postgraduate study. Inquiries for academic year admission should be directed to Trish Saunders, Director of Admissions, at 781.642.8650. The Gryphon welcomes class notes and photographs by alumni/ae, parents and friends. Please email submissions to alum@csw.org; call 781.642.8619; visit www.csw.org; or send to: Alumni/ae Relations The Cambridge School of Weston 45 Georgian Road Weston, MA 02493

contact To contact the editor, email: gryphon@csw.org Website: www.csw.org

Spring/Summer 2017 02 06 14 18 26

Leading Thoughts by Jane Moulding News & Notes Noteworthy Arts & Culture What We’re Reading

Feature Arthur ’68 and Anne Berndt P’88, ’92, GP’12

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Departments

art by Ellena Sakai ’18

Alumni/ae News In Memoriam

Class Notes

From the Archives

Save the Dates

LEADING THOUGHTS

Leading Thoughts: Vision, Ambition, Action A s I have reflected on with so many of you during reunion weekend, graduation and other special year-end events, we have had an incredibly dynamic and generative year at CSW. As you read this issue of Gryphon, you will gain a sense of the depth of student leadership and engagement, the continued work and stewardship of our board of trustees, the great support of our families and the beautiful connections with our graduates. The circle of our community encloses, extends us and is emblematic of the delight, joy and bonds that are at the center of our school. I hope by now you have received a copy of our 2017–2020 strategic plan, emphasizing sustainability of all kinds through solid financial and systems infrastructure, and a deep and concentrated focus on social justice, diversity and inclusion. As was determined by the board of trustees at the March 2 meeting, “vision, ambition and action” are the three words that best encapsulate the intention of the plan: » O ur vision for CSW remains as firm today as it was in 1886: to be a strong and mindful community offering a progressive educational experience and a student-centered approach to learning and teaching. » O ur ambition is clear: to ensure our international reputation as a leading school that provides a learning experience that challenges all students to grow into socially responsible citizens of our world. » O ur action will take numerous forms — in our classrooms, in our community service and in our commitment to making the world a better place — and each of us has a role to play. Part of the wonder of this past year has been seeing some of this vision, ambition and action in play, especially this spring. Here’s one example: during the first week of April, CSW was treated to the brilliance and deep vulnerability of Ivory Coast visual artist Aboudia Diarrassouba. As an artist-in-residence, Aboudia spent two days on campus painting four large canvasses, one of which he donated to CSW (and which some of our students helped create). Aboudia, who declared CSW “his school” during his last evening with us, is a man who has devoted his life to the children of his homeland, children who live on the streets of Abidjan, his hometown, and who struggle to survive after the ravages of war in their city. Aboudia’s depth of passion and love for these children is channeled through his painting, and watching him

work was an enormous privilege. We are forever indebted to New York City gallerist and CSW alumnus Ethan Cohen ’79 for partnering with Aboudia (whose work Ethan represents) and for making this artist-in-residency possible. And then we have the example of our annual Michael Feldman Social Justice Day, held this year on April 20 and brilliantly organized and executed by a large number of CSW students around the theme, “Know Your Rights.” The entire day was devoted to considering all kinds of human rights. The family of Michael Feldman ’67 has generously supported Social Justice Day since 1976. Support this year also came from Arthur ’68 and Anne Berndt P’88, ’92, GP’12 in the form of the newly founded Maverick Lloyd Speaker Fund, sponsoring pioneering speakers with a strong foundation in social activism and civil engagement, and with the potential for an inspirational impact within the community. The fund helped secure not only the Social Justice Day keynote speaker, former U.S. State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Section Chief John Napier Tye, but also the Earth Day assembly speakers: alumna Aneesia DeCarvalho ’11 and Dr. Daniel Faber, director of the Northeastern University Environmental Justice Research Collaborative. The Berndt family established the Maverick Lloyd Speaker Fund so that CSW can further its mission to inform and empower students to become active participants in the areas of sustainability, social activism, civics, civil engagement and leadership (you can read more about Arthur and Anne on page 28 of this issue). Thanks to the support of the Berndts and the Feldmans, CSW can continue to offer challenging, substantive social justice programming for our students and our community. I find it deeply affirming that we, the entire CSW community, live our vision for CSW every day — in dynamic and generative ways, yes, and in contemplative and provocative ways, too. When next we meet on the CSW campus, I look forward to hearing about the ways in which each of you are partners with us in this work and are weaving vision, ambition and action into your lives.

Jane Moulding, Head of School

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Congratulations to the Class of 2017!

Commencement exercises on Friday, June 9, celebrated the class of 2017, a diverse class composed of 86 students from the US., China, Vietnam, Mexico, England, Russia and Germany. In keeping with tradition, the class of 2017 created a meaningful ceremony that engaged the entire community. Faculty and student speakers, faculty and staff name readers, and conferrers of diplomas were selected by the class, as were the musical accompaniment and performances. Head of School Jane Moulding gave a warm welcome to the assembled crowd, then introduced the chair of the CSW board of trustees, Susan Vogt P’14, thanking her for her enduring devotion to CSW, its mission and its institutional success. Vogt began by thanking the board’s two student representatives Maya Barnes ’17 and Malik Kuziwa ’17. She then mentioned two significant accomplishments that were led by the trustees and supported by the entire community: the new strategic plan and the new health and fitness center. She closed by pointing out that while commencement is a celebration of the accomplishments of students, it is also a “celebration and acknowledgement of your parents and the other significant people in your lives who helped you get to where you are now in your journey.” She reminded students that they “did not get here alone.” The two faculty members chosen by the class of 2017 to speak at commencement were English teacher and director of residential life Jane Reynolds, and history teacher and dorm associate Jermaine Thibodeaux.

Reynolds started by offering some very practical advice: “Buy yourself an inexpensive pair of flip-flops to wear in the shower at college.” She then moved on to advice she described as “hard, but vital to humanity’s existence,” asking the graduates to “see the humanity in each other and in those you are going to meet in the next four years of your lives.” She stressed the need to “build bridges, not barriers, between people,” stating that “this, I am convinced, is the only way that you will be able to change the world, and I have no doubt whatsoever in my mind, that you, the class of 2017, will absolutely do that.” Thibodeaux began by thanking the class of 2017 for “entrusting me for eight long minutes during one of the most important days of your life.” His message, as he described it, was quite simple: “Chart your pathway and, in the revised words of Kendrick Lamar, ‘Be Nice.’” He urged students to “know that you are the author of this great narrative called your life,” reminding them that “with the passage of time, you will compose every paragraph, every page, every chapter by your deeds and actions. Don’t spend precious life moments attempting to live someone else’s dream for you.” He wrapped up his remarks with a tribute to the graduates: “I remain genuinely in awe of this class … you hold a piece of my heart, no matter how tiny. Each of you has made this place more magical over the past four years.” The senior speakers, chosen by their classmates, were Maya Barnes ’17 and Zongpeng (Steven) Yu ’17. Over the course of her four years at CSW, Maya was a dorm leader, representative on the board of trustees, an admission tour guide and a member of the tennis and field hockey teams.

She also helped found Circle of Sisters and was chosen to be a member of InIt, a local area leadership program with an emphasis on social justice. She will attend Spelman College next year. Barnes congratulated her peers as record breakers, the first class ever to reach 100% participation in the senior class gift. She described the class of 2017 as “a class of doers. We don’t wait for someone else to make it happen, we go out and see it through ourselves.” She urged her classmates to “take a piece of this class with you wherever you are next year, and in the words of Jennifer Weeden, ‘Really live like it’s the last day of the mod.’” Zongpeng (Steven) Yu has attended CSW since grade 10. He is fluent in Chinese (his first language), and English, and has studied Spanish. He was a peer mentor, a member of the dorm board and a key member of the varsity basketball team. He will attend Carnegie Mellon University next year. Yu began by greeting his parents in Chinese, saying “I’m not up here because I’m in trouble.” He stated that “we are ready to face the world, because CSW has prepared us with key tools: a willingness to engage with many ways of seeing the world, and the ability to respect others no matter where they come from.” He charged his classmates to “use the power we have to shape our own experience.”

Head of School Moulding gave a farewell to the class of 2017, quoting Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage and tangled Christmas tree lights. I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life. I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as making a ‘life.’ I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one. I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn. I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

NEWS & NOTES

Diversity Day 2017: Exploring Differences to Build Community A s it has done for more than a decade, the entire CSW community took a full day in January to explore diversity within our school and in the larger world. On Diversity Day, students, faculty and staff spend the day participating in workshops, panels and all-school discussions on topics ranging from race, class, sexual orientation, stereotypes, cultural identity, gender, body image and more. Diversity Day offers us a powerful opportunity to come together, learn from one another, and put into practice our commitment to building and sustaining a diverse, inclusive community. The student-run Diversity Committee is just one way CSW provides students with learning experiences that allow them to practice the knowledge and skills that will enable them to become active, engaged global citizens. Working with Jordan Clark ’05, coordinator for student leadership and diversity programming, the Diversity Committee — Satinder Parmer ’17, Elizabeth Clackson ’18,

Fayona Thomas ’17 and Rina Dale ’17 — managed the planning for the day. This year, the committee named the week leading up to Thursday’s all-day event as “Diversity Week,” a dedicated time for alliance and affiliate groups to work with one another to share ideas, collaborate and talk about important issues. In an effort to encourage more students and members of the faculty and staff to present workshops this year, the Diversity Committee helped develop a guide as a supportive template. A wide range of discussion-based and hands-on workshops were offered, including “Dance Styles from Latin America,” “Identity through Poets of Color,” “Dudes, Dads and Dictators,” “Queer Media Representation,” “Eastern and Western Ways of Seeing,” “Invisible Disabilities,” “Exploring Drag Culture,” and several culinary sessions representing food from a variety of cultures. Exiled Syrian refugee Hani Termanini shared his story as part of a workshop aimed at providing a better

understanding of the Syrian war. He spoke of arriving in the U.S. from Aleppo in 2013, and described the plight of refugees and what we can do in this community to support refugees in the Boston area. During an all-school assembly between the morning and afternoon workshops, the Massachusetts Literary

Education and Performance Collective (MassLEAP) hosted a poetry slam. A self-described, “collection of writer-educators who are united in our passion for social justice and youth voice,” MassLEAP presented four artists who performed spoken word pieces centered on diversity, identity and other related issues. With audience input, a panel of CSW student

judges selected a winner — a difficult task given the field of powerful, challenging performances. After the afternoon workshops and presentations, 2017’s Diversity Day concluded with dialogue debriefs and encouragement to keep the conversation going on what diversity is and what it means to our community.

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NEWS & NOTES

CSW Hosts and Honors Visiting Artist Aboudia From A pril 6–7*, A bdoulaye Diarrassouba, known as A boudia, spent two days on campus as a guest artist in residence, working with students in a classroom studio space, speaking at assembly and attending the opening reception of “Aboudia — Light & Dark” in the Thompson Gallery. Many of our students worked alongside Aboudia in the studio, co-creating a piece that he has donated to the school.

During his residency at CSW, Aboudia completed four canvasses, each of which invoked his deep relationship with Abidjan’s street children, whom he clearly channels into his vibrant, fluid pieces. Aboudia describes his work as, “similar to that of a journalist writing an article: I was simply describing a situation in order to create a record of my country’s recent history. I’m an ambassador of the children. They do writings on the walls — their wishes, their fears — I’m doing the same on my canvas. I’m like a megaphone for these children.”

Light & Dark

At the reception for “Aboudia — Light & Dark,” as the school celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Garthwaite Center for Aboudia holding WeAre statue with Thompson family. Science & Art and the Thompson Gallery, CSW honored Aboudia Left to right: Natalie, Andrew ’05, Aboudia, former trustee, with a WeAre statue for his work giving voice to the street children John, and Nina ’07 of his home city Abidjan in the Ivory Coast. Created by Niho Kozuru ’86, the honorary WeAre statue was presented by Andrew Voted on by the CSW student body, the Thompson Gallery’s yearlong “Light & Dark” theme was designed to support the school’s Thompson ’05 on behalf of the Thompson family to recognize pedagogical interest in providing platforms for critical thinking, Aboudia’s dedication to the belief in the power of art as an agent discussion and learning regarding issues of social justice. Art of social change. teacher and Thompson Gallery director Todd Bartel believes, “It was a great privilege for us to partner with our friend and CSW “Bringing Aboudia’s work to CSW and the local community provided graduate Ethan Cohen ’79 in showcasing the work of artistour audience with an opportunity examine our yearlong theme of activist Aboudia,” said head of school Jane Moulding. “Social ‘Light & Dark’ though a lens of transformation. Between dark and justice is a fundamental component of CSW’s mission and light, transformation is possible — a powerful idea when the subject curriculum. Aboudia’s visit to our campus was a wonderful of abandoned children is the artist’s focal point.” opportunity to honor his work in the arts and social justice. He models for our students — in a powerful, interdisciplinary and * Special thanks to Ethan Cohen Fine Arts in New York for making tangible way — how art can create space for all voices, particularly Aboudia’s visit possible. those of the unseen or marginalized in our world.”

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Grandparents & Grandfriends Day One of CSW’s most anticipated events, Grandparents & Grandfriends Day was a blast for students and their visitors on campus.

Top row left to right: Eli Franzen ’18 and Jack Paradise; Hayley Rex ’20 and Nancy and Gene Knott; Sarah Stockdale ’17 and Phil and Susan Schneider

Middle row left to right: Alexa Skrivanek ’19 and Michael and Joan Shyjan; Caroline Trevett ’19 and Kenneth and Bev Goldman; Mia Strelow ’20 and Bernice Strelow

SAVE THE DATE: May 18, 2018 Grandparents & Grandfriends Day

Bottom row left to right: Robin Glass ’20 and Sherry Glass; Noah Rosenthal ’19 and Marilyn and Harvey Goldstein; Paul Taliano ’20 and Edward and Susan Waxman

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NEWS & NOTES

Social Justice Day Michael H. Feldman Social Justice Day Challenges CSW Students to Know Their Rights

Through a variety of interactive, student-led and adult-led workshops, the CSW community examined the rights afforded to them and others as the focus of the 42nd annual Michael H. Feldman Social Justice Day. The day began with an all-school assembly in which students, faculty and staff enjoyed musical performances by the CSW Social Justice Day band. After opening remarks from head of school Jane Moulding and Diversity Committee members Satinder Parmer ’17 and Fayona Thomas ’17, John Napier Tye gave the keynote presentation. Tye is the former section chief for internet freedom in the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. On July 18, 2014, Tye wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post raising questions about the constitutionality of Executive Order 12333, which enables 17 U.S. intelligence agencies, including the

National Security Agency (NSA), to conduct intelligence activities of U.S. citizens overseas. The planning committee — overseen by Jordan Clark ’05, coordinator for student leadership and diversity programming — invited Nye to speak to serve as an example of how an informed citizen, educated about his rights, was able to take real action in the world and effect change. After the keynote, students, faculty and staff participated in workshops structured around three components: history and background information about a specific right afforded by the U.S. Constitution or the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; case studies related to the particular right(s) under discussion; and building blocks and models for translating knowledge of one’s rights into concrete action. Using this framework, the workshops for the day considered six categories

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of rights: global human rights, U.S. constitutional rights in the 14th Amendment, reproductive rights, religious rights, immigration rights and privacy rights. Arming members of the CSW community with the knowledge of historical context and primary sources, the planning committee’s goal was to empower them with the necessary skills to move their knowledge from the theoretical realm to the applied. Community members are now equipped to take action on their own behalf and on behalf of others.

explores important and timely legal and social issues, creating opportunities for student discussion and debate. Students are pivotal in choosing the focus of the day, researching ideas, preparing materials and educating the CSW community about the chosen topic. Recent Social Justice Days have focused on themes such as labor practices and consumerism, and the issue of water privatization. Funding for keynote speaker John Napier Tye was provided through the Maverick Lloyd Speaker Fund. The

fund, endowed by Arthur ’68 and Anne Berndt P’88, Formerly known as Law Day, Michael H. Feldman Social P’92 GP ’12, was created to bring speakers with strong Justice Day was established in 1975 by Shirley and foundations in social activism and civic engagement to Roger Feldman in memory of their son, Michael CSW’s campus. For more information about the Maverick Lloyd Speaker Fund, please see the article on Feldman ’67. Directly supporting CSW’s mission to page 28 in this issue of Gryphon. cultivate culturally aware, global citizens, the day

student/faculty kudos

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student/faculty KUDOS! student

Rena Wu ’17 gave her senior recital at the New England Conservatory on May 29, performing works by Bach, Beethoven, Liszt, Chopin and more. Natalie Good ’19, was published in the Winter 2017 issue of “The Massachusetts High School Magazine of the Arts” — the only statewide print and online magazine of the arts, featuring artwork and creative writing by students in grades 8 to 12.

faculty

Visual arts and photography teacher Anne Rearick was invited to be artist in residence for the town of Sète by the photography festival ImageSingulières. Rearick photographed the French port across five weeks in August and October 2016. As a result of that work, she mounted a solo show, produced a new book of work and participated in a group show with 25 French photographers from “La France Vue D’Ici,” a project that was also published. Music faculty member Gustavo Assis-Brasil was recently featured in Vintage Guitar magazine, a major U.S. music publication, and won first place in the instrumental category for the song “Gee” from his latest album “Chromatic Dialogues.” Marvin Gutierrez, chair of the math department, was named a 2017 Aspiring Latino Leader Fellow by Latinos for Education, the first Latino-founded and led national organization solely dedicated to creating leadership pathways for Latinos in education. Visual art teacher Alison Safford was one of five local educators chosen to present at the 2017 Boston EdTalks, an annual convening of teachers who share short presentations about ideas or innovations that are making a difference in their classrooms or schools.

English teacher Samantha Simpson has a new piece, entitled "Blood Type," in the recently published “Beautiful Flesh: A Body of Essays.”

IN MEMORIAM

Alorie Parkhill: A Life in Education In 1963, A lorie Parkhill arrived at The Cambridge School of Weston at the tender age of 21. She was a young teacher who worked diligently each evening to stay one step ahead of her students. Over the next 44 years, as an English and theater teacher, dorm parent, academic dean and assistant head of school, Alorie worked just as diligently to inspire countless high school students and educators, helping them shape their lives and careers. She managed every aspect of the school’s educational programs, making incalculable contributions in several key areas, including college counseling, curriculum reform and teacher mentoring. Alorie championed and shepherded in the new module system that was incorporated into our programs in the early 1970s, and it was her brilliance (back then with paper and pencil) that scheduled hundreds of students, all as individuals, into our innovative, creative programs. CSW was Alorie and vice versa for close to half a century. Her impact on the community always extended far beyond the CSW campus, as well. In 1972, Alorie co-founded the Temple Beth Shalom Nursery School in Framingham. A lifelong Unitarian Universalist (UU), Alorie was an active member of the First Parish Church of Sudbury where she wrote and directed 13 nationally-recognized plays for UU children, co-directed the religious education program for several years and sang in the choir for many more. A love of music led her to co-found several folk music groups, including Mustardseed and Redwood. Upon retirement, Alorie taught classes at Brandeis Osher Life-Long

Learning Institute and subsequently co-founded Life-Long Learning: An Independent Collaborative, where she served as curriculum committee chair and board member. From those early days as a young educator, Alorie possessed a love of learning, a passion for teaching and a deep dedication to community. In the countless notes and testimonials we have received at CSW since her passing on May 23, we see and read the same themes: Alorie was the first teacher who seemed to understand me as a learner and a person; Alorie saw me when no one else did; Alorie was my first real mentor as a teacher, and co-teaching with Alorie remains one of my best memories of the classroom. Former head of school George Cohan said, “In the 11 years we worked together, Alorie was indispensable to our success. She promulgated high standards for the students, the faculty — and herself. At the same time, she was truly caring and compassionate. Her impact on the well-being of CSW will be remembered and revered for as long as the school continues to exist.” Current head of school Jane Moulding credits Alorie with orienting her fully and completely into the life of the school, and for always being ready to discuss literature and ideas. One of Alorie’s students, speaking for so many others, wrote, “She was a life-changing force.” We last saw Alorie at our recent reunion. She and her husband Craig had been dorm parents for many members of the 50th reunion class (1967), and the students’

stories were her stories: hilarious, irreverent, warm-hearted and beautiful ... stories of family, of young people growing up together and of a school that was Alorie’s life and work. Her contributions will never be forgotten. Her being and energy are woven deeply within our people, our programs ... and our hearts. We tip our hat to you, Alorie and we thank you deeply for the many ways you made CSW the school it is today. Memorial Service for the CSW Community In collaboration with the Parkhill family, on Saturday, September 16, 2017, CSW will hold a celebration of Alorie’s life and work at the school. PLEASE NOTE THIS CHANGED DATE. Please mark your calendars and watch for further details on our website. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Alorie B. Parkhill Fund for Teaching and Mentoring at The Cambridge School of Weston, 45 Georgian Road, Weston, MA 02493.

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NOTEWORTHY

Scholastic Awards CSW Students Receive Regional and National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Ellena Sakai ’18 (digital art; painting); and Thomas T wenty-four CSW students received commendations from the Massachusetts Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, Shenefield ’19 (film and animation; comic art). Amelia Austin ’17 received a Silver Key Award for her entire co-sponsored annually by the School of the Museum of Fine senior portfolio. Arts (SMFA), Boston, and The Boston Globe. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards date back to 1923 and have grown to become the longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in the U.S. Noteworthy past winners include Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Stephen King and many others. A total of 14 Gold Key awards, 11 Silver Key awards and 18 Honorable Mentions were presented to CSW students. All regional Gold Key work from around the country is considered for National Medals. This year, two CSW regional Gold Key recipients went on to win national awards: Julia Bingel ’19 won a National Silver Medal for her photograph “? (Bei),” and Yuxi (Rikkean) Yin ’17 won a National Silver Medal for her entire art portfolio, “Two Dimensional Grids.” From the nearly 320,000 works of art and writing submitted to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, only the top one percent are recognized at the national level. “The art department celebrates our students and their excellence of vision and expressivity,” says Art Department Chair Tony Loreti. “The Scholastic Awards provide our students with a unique opportunity to put their work within the context of what is happening at the high school level both regionally and nationally.”

Jiayi Li

Honorable Mentions for one or more individual works were awarded to Andrius Alvarez-Backus ’18 (photography); Ben Blaustein ’17 (mixed media); Jiamin Chen ’18 (photography); Caroline Coolidge ’17 (painting); Isadora Loftus ’18 (dramatic script); Andrea Mendez Cerame ’18 (drawing and illustration); Julianna Rick ’17 (photography); Thomas Shenefield ’19 (digital art; dramatic script); Julia Siegel ’17 (mixed media); Sarah Stockdale ’17 (fashion); Sophie Williamson ’18 (fashion); Zeyi Xuan ’17 (drawing and illustration); and Yuxi Yin ’17 (film and animation; fashion). Caroline Coolidge ’17, Fia Tharp ’17 and Zeyi Xuan ’17 each received Honorable Mentions for their entire senior portfolios.

Gold Keys for one or more individual works were awarded to Julia Bingel ’19 (photography); Ben Blaustein ’17 (mixed media); Caroline Coolidge ’17 (painting, 2); Ben Feldman ’19 (print making); Julia Griswold ’17 (photography); Alex Kluchman ’17 (sculpture); Jiayi Li ’18 (photography); Yidong (Peter) Lin ’17 (sculpture); and Thomas Shenefield ’19 (film and animation; digital art, 2; photography). Yuxi (Rikean) Yin ’17 received a Gold Key Award for her entire senior portfolio. Silver Keys for one or more individual works were awarded to Andrius Alvarez-Backus ’18 (fashion); Ben Blaustein ’17 (mixed media); Yanchen Dong ’17 (photography); Aiden Kolodziej ’17 (photography); Jiayi Li ’18 (photography);

Yuxi Yin, Fractured Self-portrait

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Alex Kluchman, Rain Diary

Andrius Alvarez-Backus, Reveal Conceal3

Lolita Dong, Baby Rabbits

Tommy Shenefield, Bamboo Grove

Ben Feldman, Systems of Power

Julia Bingel, ? (Bei)

Aiden Kolodziej

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Athletics at CSW: Spring 2017

CSW is proud to announce that the following student-athletes received All-League recognition this spring: IGC Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse Mia Marciano ’17 Brichelle Peña ’18 Sara Pratt ’18

IGC Girls’ Varsity Tennis Maya Barnes ’17

MBIL Boys’ Varsity Tennis Josh Rueter ’18 Sam Rueter ’17

MBIL Varsity Ultimate Aidan FitzGerald ’17 Ryan Joseph ’17 Henry Sieber ’18

MBIL Varsity Baseball Robin Glass ’20 Josh Hyams ’19

Sam Rueter has been voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for tennis and Aidan FitzGerald has been voted Co - MVP for ultimate in the Massachusetts Bay Independent League. Congratulations to Sam and Aidan on receiving these most prestigious awards!

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ARTS & CULTURE

Evening of the Arts

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Dance Concert

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Spring Musical: “City of Angels”

Bravo!

A hearty round of applause to David Mugar ’59 for his gift that greatly enhanced the lighting capabilities of the Mugar Performing Arts Center. The new stage lights were up and running for the stellar spring show “City of Angels.”

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CSW: WHAT WE’RE READING

ON THESE PAGES: Selected works from student publication LitMag, and announcements of new alumni/ae publications. Happy reading!

VENICE by Sophia Gaufberg ’17 I have lost another one, a sister, and I can feel myself falling into nothingness living on but fog and heaviness so I and let the water leak down my spine trickle trickle and I latch onto boats, and go on gondola rides And my eyes go wild and iridescent for, death is not black and blank and lacking perspective it is not heaven dirt or limited seconds

it is Titian’s Resurrection, a Mysterious one that shapeshifted like butter, the

STRANGER by Jiayi Li ’18 Quick, painful knocks She opens the door Her man is back From the sidewalks of gold

virgin mother, the miracle.

Dust underneath his toenails Despair dangling in his eyes Feeling the fatigue in his knees He let the soft bed devour him

her fingers are long, bound to seamless palms etched with infinite lines, alive outsiders sweeping into my beloved city from the outside

The children run to their mom Staring at this stranger With query and anger Whisper and whisper

as my shadows stretch along the ancient cobblestone alleys, the shadows of my sisters, and the lonely silhouettes of pigeons in San Marco dance before me; as the salt wafts through the air and reaches under my unkempt hair suspended sea kelp plucks each tear, like strings being pulled out of a chamber of mystery I can feel my city sinking

One small room For a family of 4 With a baby crying From the rashes On its once pure skin They keep drinking The poisoned water From the rivers of promise

you are all with me.

TALE OF A BROKEN HEART by Rachel Loren ’20 It’s with love but deepest regret I say; The embers of the flame hidden within. Along the stygian depths of the raw quay, Then she left me with tears upon my skin, Where I imagined if I could be blamed. My love gone left me with my solitude. The glosséd blue eyes frigid with life feigned, As I drop the facade so to elude. My dagger deep, in her streaming gore. Out of her struck chest, the pained heart beats swift. Love was met with unsatisfied deplore, But her from my thoughts did not dare to drift. Love can give the illusion of a death, Yet in the cold, I can still see thy breath.

Former communications director Margaret Combs has published “Hazard: A Sister’s Flight from Family and a Broken Boy.”

Aiyanna Sezak-Blatt ’03, has published her debut book, “A Tangled Tree, My Father’s Path to Immortality.”

THE TOLLUND MAN’S LULLABY by Natalie Good ’19 I enter the Silkeborg Museum, walk through an exhibition of the Iron Age, and there you are. Curled into a baby’s sleep, eyes soft as a worn jacket, a door closed behind you The rope still around your neck, braiding bruises into your skin Arms too frail to handle, the flesh melted away into pitch black bone, curved like a bow resting from the arrow’s shot

Emily Murdock

By Emily Murdock ’18

You are a flower pressed between the pages of a book The bones fizzing out of you in the bog, acid and moss transforming you into a shell of organs and muscle and oily flesh You who felt the weather hurtle from rough to smooth to hot to cold You who felt fear suck the oxygen out of your town You of the leather rope You of the tree, of the height, of the fall The bog bloated with peat Not land, not water As mystical as the finely cut stars in the night’s silk cloth You weren’t the first, and you won’t be the last laid into the bog to rest, weary bones transformed into leathery skin held so fresh that those who found you thought that you had died a day, a week earlier

By Andrius Alvarez-Backus ’18

From Dashka Slater ’81 What’s your favorite animal? Is it the dog? The cat? The platypus? The wildebeest? The lemur? The snail? My new book, “Escargot”, is about an extraordinarily handsome French snail who would like, more than anything, to be your favorite animal. The book, with adorable illustrations by Sydney

You who tell us of Denmark and silver bowls cast into bogs You, a man turned reverse augur, whose emptied stomach tells of gruel and grain You with your cap still tucked on your head, speckles of a beard growing on your chin You are always on the downbeat of the rhythm, exhaling forever.

Hanson, came out on April 11. It’s an Indie Next Top Ten pick for Spring 2017 and received a *starred review* from the “Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books,” which said: “Escargot’s voice is parfait, an airy blend of ego and need masterfully balanced in witty and wellturned sentences that leave plenty of room for audiences to get the joke.” If you’re a teacher or a librarian (or know someone who is), note that I’m currently booking school visits for Fall 2017 and Spring 2018. With two more new books out in the fall, I have created three engaging, inspiring and interactive presentations for schools, conferences and libraries, including one that focuses on truth, justice and reconciliation for middle and high schools based on my YA non-fiction narrative, The 57 Bus. Email me at dashkaslater@comcast.net for more information.

CALLING ALUMNI/AE AUTHORS Let us know of your latest novel, memoir, poetry collection, nonfiction or other published work! Send news to: alum@csw.org

Gryphon Spring/Summer 2017

The Maverick Lloyd Speaker Fund: Informing and Empowering the CSW Community More than 100 years ago, progressive political activist and pioneer muckraking journalist Henry Demarest Lloyd expanded on Thomas Jefferson’s famous missive and suggested that vigilance alone will not perpetuate our democracy. Foreseeing the great strides of the 20th century, Lloyd suggested that each generation is responsible for expanding our freedoms and for leaving the next generation in an even better place than those who came before. Bequeathing freedoms to our children: It’s a tall order as we move deeper into the challenges of the 21st century. But here at The Cambridge School of Weston, we know that the surest way to perpetuate our liberty is to leave our children with the knowledge and the tools of effective citizenry. It should come as no surprise, then, to find a Cambridge School of Weston family — and descendants of Henry Demarest Lloyd — instituting a fund to prepare our students for the vigilance and advancement that the world will require of them. Thanks to Arthur Berndt ’68 and Anne Berndt P’88, ’92, GP’12, the Maverick Lloyd Speaker Fund has been established.

“

Designed to inform and empower the entire community, the Maverick Lloyd Speaker Fund will provide the necessary resources to bring noted and pioneering speakers to campus, specifically in the areas of sustainability and social activism, civics, civil engagement and leadership.

a leading figure in the turn-of-the-20thcentury’s progressive reform movement, a strong supporter of women’s suffrage and a leading proponent of the trade union movement. He was consistently pro-labor, a defender of child labor laws and an advocate of the eight-hour workday.

“It’s vitally important for young people to become active participants in their own lives,” says Arthur Berndt, the fund’s co-founder. “We’re all a product of our times and, quite often, actualizing your personal dreams and goals correlates with the direction of the society you live within. Standing up and speaking out is critical not only to the public discourse, but also to your own well-being and ability to prosper. Anne and I want to see that example set for CSW students.”

Lola Maverick Lloyd, Henry’s daughter-inlaw, was an American pacifist, suffragist and feminist. She was one of the delegates that founded the Women’s Peace Party in Washington, D.C., in 1915, which later became the American branch of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). She was an early supporter of the National Women’s Party, and was deeply involved in the international peace and world government movements during the first half of the 20th century.

The fund honors the lives of Henry Demarest Lloyd (1847–1903) and Lola Maverick Lloyd (1875–1944), both social activists whose vision, ambition and action helped to advance the course of history for their generations. An attorney and a writer, Henry Demarest Lloyd is best remembered for his exposés on abuses of industrial monopolies, particularly those of Standard Oil. He was

It’s no coincidence that Arthur and Anne Berndt chose to honor these two American activists. Arthur is a direct descendant of both Demarest Lloyd and Maverick Lloyd, and both he and Anne are the current cotrustees of the Maverick Lloyd Foundation, which focuses its funding efforts on Social Justice and Environmental Stewardship. Anne herself is no stranger to active —Jody McNamara

The price of liberty is something more than eternal vigilance. There

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feature

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must also be eternal advance. We can save the rights we have inherited from our fathers only by winning new ones to bequeath our children.

—Henry Demarest Lloyd

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participation. She hails from Maplewood, New Jersey, where her father served as mayor for 30 years and stressed direct involvement in politics and committed community engagement. “Anne’s family always looked outside of themselves,” Arthur states. “They were, and are, very engaged. These are values that we both share.” Nor is it a coincidence that the Berndts chose The Cambridge School of Weston as a most worthy recipient for this fund. Arthur, a 1968 graduate of CSW, recalls his time on campus as particularly formative. “You never know how things are going to work out,” muses Arthur. “Dolph Cheek was headmaster when I was at The Cambridge School of Weston from 1963 to 1968. He really believed in being part of a community and conveyed to his students that being part of that community isn’t a passive state. Community requires active participation and, indeed, a certain amount of responsibility. He was definitely a mentor for me.”

whistleblower seeking to publicize certain electronic surveillance practices of the U.S. government. Equally impressive, the Maverick Lloyd Speaker Fund brought Daniel Faber to campus for this year’s Earth Day activities. Faber is professor of sociology at Northeastern University and director of the Northeastern Environmental Justice Research Collaborative (NEJRC). His research is focused in the areas of political economy and crisis theory, environmental sociology and policy, social movements, classical and contemporary social theory, environmental justice, philanthropy, Central America and underdevelopment, climate change and globalization. Bequeathing freedoms to our children requires vigilance and advancement, it’s true. Perhaps equally important are vision, ambition and action. Thanks to Arthur and Anne Berndt, The Cambridge School of Weston will inspire its entire community with these concepts for some time to come.

“Mentoring in a boarding environment can be successful or not,” Arthur continues, “and my experience was very successful. I learned the importance of taking responsibility for my actions. I learned from Dolph that it’s not enough to simply form a silent opinion. You can’t just come on strong about a particular wrong without taking action to make things right.” Anne has very strong ties to The Cambridge School of Weston in her own right. She is the parent of two alumni and the proud grandparent of a 2012 graduate. “Independent schools are a wonderful laboratory or incubator of thought, if you will,” Arthur tells us. “Our family foundation is directed at social justice and the environment, and we didn’t want to leave The Cambridge School of Weston out of that mix. These concepts will resonate in the ears of CSW students. There is far too much identity politics here in the United States and, honestly, all over the world right now. Ideas of ‘society’ and ‘the other’ seem to get lost in the rhetoric. Anne and I tend to operate as ‘behindthe-scenes’ activists, and we want to do what we can to bring those concepts of an active community to the forefront.” “Take the environment as an example,” Arthur continues. “There are simply too many people in the world for the resources that we have on the planet. We must find better ways of utilizing and sharing those resources. Providing our youth with the information and resources to find those better ways of sharing is not only vital, it just seems like the logical thing to do.” The establishment of the Maverick Lloyd Fund dovetails perfectly with our own CSW 2017–2020 strategic plan. Vision, ambition and action are the keywords that define our school’s path moving forward. Those words are integral to the personal success of our students, our school’s ambitions and to greater societal achievement. We can’t imagine better examples for our students and our school than Lloyd, Maverick and the Berndt Family. The Maverick Lloyd Speaker Fund has already started working. The fund was responsible for bringing John Napier Tye to campus on Michael Feldman Social Justice Day. Tye, a former U.S. State Department official and Rhodes Scholar, came forward in 2014 as a

As this piece was in review, Anne Berndt, co-founder of the Maverick-Lloyd Fund and Arthur Berndt’s indefatigable partner of 36 years, passed away at their home in Vermont. Her care for, and stewardship of, those she loved and of the environment we all inhabit will live on after her in many, many ways — including here at The Cambridge School of Weston in the Maverick Lloyd Speaker Fund.

CLASS NOTES

Emily Cobb ’40 writes: For some reason I seem to have been selected to outlive all of my Cambridge School of Weston friends — and so, I push on and on and on ... . Then suddenly, another year has passed. At least I still have my memories — if not my friends. Margaret Colt Domini ’44 writes: I have very fond memories of CSW. Now my daughter’s daughter-in-law, Barrett Grizzard, teaches art there in the summer. Small world! Lindsay P. Ellms ’44 writes: I currently visit the Arnold Arboretum and the veterans hospital in West Roxbury for checkups: better than expected. To keep me optimistic, I sing in a glee club, I’m building a stock portfolio, I study military events and politics, I plant a tomato garden and I buy my grandkids “used” cars.

Ruth Okamoto Nagano ’45 writes: After retiring from the health department where I worked as a microbiologist, I’ve been traveling a lot. Not sightseeing, but attending concerts conducted by my son, Kent. He’s the music director of the Montreal Symphony, the Hamburg Symphony in Germany and the Goteborg Symphony in Sweden.

Richard Colten ’50 writes: As I approach 86 years of age, I look back with great pleasure to my four years at CSW. Nice to see how our school has become one of the best in the U.S. Mary Swope ’51 writes: Still happily ensconced in my little house with my big cat, enjoying life in San Francisco: my friends, coffee houses, writing, photography. And I have self published “My Summer Vacation.” Life is good! Joanne Heit Bertrand ’54 writes: Hi, to the Class of 1954. This Christmas seemed empty without Connie’s letter. Would love to hear from all — maybe a round-robin letter?

World-renowned music director, Kent Nagano, and his proud mother, Ruth Okamoto (Nagano) ’45. Kent Nagano is currently the music director of the Montreal Symphony and the Hamburg Philharmonic.

Robert L. Frigoletto ’54 writes: We 54s miss Connie White, the backbone of our class strength. So, gang, what are we to do? I don’t do texting, but would love to talk. We are all getting older (and that’s good most of the days). Just wanted you to know that I’m in Florida for the winter playing bocce, pickle ball and golf (gave up tennis mostly) and received a birthday present last year — a pacemaker. Mind you, I’m still competitive at 81, and every new day is a gift. I am glad to read that the school is doing well; that Jane Moulding sure is a good one.

Sarah Preston Carleton ’56 writes: At age 77, 60 years out of high school, I think back on a life of surprises, discoveries, adventures, challenges, heartbreaks, mostly good health and countless blessings. Making art (drawing, painting, mixed media), teaching, friendships, community involvements, political activism, raising a daughter and two sons, grandparenting five grandsons and two granddaughters (and all their significant others), keeping “fit” and traveling around the world have kept me very busy. Maria Gerschenkron Dawidoff ’56 writes: I was very active during the 2016 political season. The result of the election was hugely disappointing and its aftermath is too horrible to contemplate, but that won’t stop me from keeping active and involved. I’m making calls to senators in Washington and writing letters to editors. At least we in New Hampshire sent four wonderful candidates down to Washington. Otherwise, I keep busy in various ways and enjoy my children and grandchildren. Beatrice Bolt Scribner ’57 writes: Continuing to enjoy retirement in Wellfleet on Cape Cod, a mecca of culture and wonderful people. Always grateful to Hall Sproul for giving me so much music, leading me towards a second career as a singer and songwriter. Bill Kargman ’57 writes: My wife Lynn and I have been living in Cambridge for the past 50 years. We have two daughters, Kathryn and Kimberly. Both of them attended the BB&N middle school during that time Jane Moulding was head of school. When I learned of Jane’s appointment to head of CSW I was thrilled. I have stayed in contact with her over the years and observed that she has

On this wet day in the early spring I dream of desire and the promise Snow now gone along the track to Trapelo open though muddy I make my way been a great asset to the school. I am currently working part time in my real estate business, and have the honor of my daughter Kathryn Kargman Holden joining the company after completing her MBA at Cornell. My daughter Kim has spent the last five years in politics organizing and directing field campaigns. She worked for Hillary the last two years, starting with the primary campaign in New Hampshire and moving to the Midwest for the general campaign. Lynn and I celebrated our 50th Wedding Anniversary in July, 2017. Thomas L. Hinkle ’58 writes: I was greatly saddened to learn of the death of my classmate and longtime friend Ward Woolverton ’58. My two-fold career continues: I restore historic houses and I’m a professional artist, specializing in paintings of the Maine coast. I divide my time as well, between the west end of Portland and the Small Point of Phippsburg. My partner Gary and I have been together for thirty years. Donald C. McKay, Jr. ’58 writes: I am deeply saddened by news of the death of my longtime friend Tom Adams ’58. He died December 14, 2016, from complications of pneumonia at Portsmouth Abbey in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where he served as a priest. Helena S. Halperin ’59 writes: I am still teaching and loving my work. Still married with two children and one grandchild in college at Sarah Lawrence.

Harry C. Meserve ’60 writes: I am a retired librarian (San Jose State University, Watsonville Public Library) and history instructor. I am a cancer survivor (diagnosed in 1988 and again in 2008, still on chemotherapy). Living in Capitola, CA (near Santa Cruz, about 1.5 hours south of San Francisco on the Monterey Bay). I have three “kids,” all nearing 50 years of age, and many nieces and nephews. I have been politically “involved” for many years, some in more or less useful organizations. I am presently active in Veterans for Peace, a national group of veterans, mostly of the Vietnam “conflict.” Apparently (as I write this), the country hasn’t learned a thing about keeping peace. Be happy to hear from friends. I was at CSW from spring of 1957 to June of 1960. Thomas C. Kennedy ’61 writes: One of my favorite CSW memories is looking out the window from the room in the main building where Mrs. Cheek taught U.S. history and seeing her planting crocuses on

From girls to the smell of spring to Jeanette and her “....railroads, people.....” I did not learn so much as survive in hour segments one day at a time Each day a new day filled with talk and challenges and inner turmoil But they were my own challenges, my own turmoil in a place that felt like my own home For over three years for nine months each year, it was my real home on the brink of wasted summers So here I salute you all oldsters like me who have lived our three score and ten So many memories not always bright and shining but certainly, for me, an interlude in a life not always well spent For us, salutations, toasts, wonderful words (even old grudges, now grown soft): have a drink for me - still moving along on the 1/2 of one kidney I still have FOR WHITNEY AND MRS. COLEMAN FOR PETER AND FRED AND JUDY FOR TIM, WHO NAMED ME “TRISTESSA” FOR ALL THE FRIENDS (AND OF COURSE, FOR PRIL) —harry meserve (1957–1960)

the little hill on the other side of the parking lot. I thought what a wonderful gift, something to raise all of our spirits come spring. I myself have enjoyed planting crocuses ever since. John V. Martin ’61 writes: Those with memories of the late 1950s and early 1960s may recall a folk singing group called The Travelers. I recently learned from a classmate (Emily Hancock) that the lead singer and guitarist Dean French passed away. Emily asked if I still had a copy of the album made by The Travelers back in 1960. I located the album and had a digitized copy of the original LP made. Please contact me for a copy: john.martinp35@gmail.com Esther Chase Heitler ’61 writes: My grandsons Ari and Jason Heitler-Klevans are graduating from Oberlin this year. John Bowditch ’63 writes: I completed a large interactive exhibit for the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan. The exhibit helps pediatric cancer patients and their families to forget some of the pain they are suffering. Deborah Kay Goldman ’65 writes: It’s official. I’m honored and delighted to be the 2016 recipient from Monroe/Martin counties of the South Florida Cultural Consortium Fellowship. My muse this time is Uncle Wiggily, an elderly gentleman rabbit suffering from melancholia. Fresh sassafras is the prescribed tonic and also the model in my (award-winning) current work. Heather Reed ’66 writes: Thank you again to all of my classmates and Diane Stansbury in the CSW alumni office for an amazing 50th reunion. I love you all! I hope to see many of you in 2017. Robert Bowie ’68 writes: After 25 years, I sold the controlling interest in the law firm that I founded and have started my new career as a professional playwright. Visit my website, robertbowiejr.com, and Facebook page: facebook.com/ robertbowiejrplaywright. Thomas W. Graham ’69 writes: I was proud to vote for Josh Stein, son of CSW alumnae/i Jane Stein ’56 and Adam Stein ’56. His election as North Carolina Attorney General was one of the very few bright spots on the North Carolina political landscape.

Maxwell MacKenzie ’70 writes: Any CSW friends are most welcome to come visit — I’m 50 miles west of D.C. Email me: maxmackenzie@verizon.net. Jacqueline T. Reizes ’70 writes: Enjoying retirement. Now volunteering by cooking with preschoolers and reading one-on-one in the Danbury Public Schools. I run a weekly group called Getting to Know Modern Artists where kids work in the styles of various artists. After a 45-year hiatus, I am singing. Robert Friesen ’71 writes: Our sons graduated from college. It’s great to have the boys done, but I’ve discovered that I’m not rich; I’m just less poor. Andrew Strominger ’72: Harvard University Department of Physics faculty members Andrew Strominger, the Gwill E. York Professor of Physics, and Cumrun Vafa, the Donner Professor of Science, have been named winners of the 2017 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics in recognition of their groundbreaking work in a number of areas, including black hole theory, quantum gravity and string theory.

Andrew Strominger ’72 Photo by Anna N. Zytkow Caroline Ryan Chase ’74 writes: My life on the North Carolina coast (Wilmington, NC) is full and happy. All three of our grown children live within driving distance to our home — we are very lucky for so many reasons. I still own my own hair salon, and my husband Jeff loves his art and selling real estate. The market here is booming! We have it all! Check out his website (www. jeffcasestudio.com) to view his art and/ or check out moving here! We love it, and welcome anyone connected to CSW.

Franklin A. Davis ’75 writes: My youngest will graduate college in June 2017. I hit the big 6-0. Feeling ready for a new phase of life. Marcy Waldron ’76 writes: I graduated and went into the fiber arts department at the University of Michigan School of Art. I later transferred and earned my BFA from Massachusetts College of Art, and, years later, a master’s in teaching from Seattle University. I mention all this because I still feel that Randy Darwall made a crucial impact on choices I made in my education and confidence in myself as an artist. I now am a costume designer for a pre-professional ballet company in Michigan. Just recently (before Randy’s death), I found myself thinking of Randy and how much the notion of art — craft, everyday interactions with beautiful handmade objects, textiles — has always been an essential and elemental drive in my art and activities. And realized it was his influence. At 59 years old, Randy Darwall’s influence and my experience at the Cambridge School of Weston clearly remain central to who I am today. Laurel C. Loomis ’76 writes: On the photograph on the appeal mailing, the first person I recognized was Randy Darwall: art teacher at CSW when I was there, mentor to me, employer and source of great inspiration. He has recently passed away, but was such an important part of my artistic development.

Edward Schultz ’81 writes: Hello fellow CSWers! I think of what a special place CSW was and is — a place where young people are encouraged to find and be themselves. I marvel at how far it’s come and that it still has such heart. As far as me, I’m living in Sausalito, CA, and married a wonderful man in 2008. I have degrees in special education and social work. I have been a licensed social worker in CA since 1997. I worked in an AIDS dementia unit and spent many years in psychiatric social work. I am now working with chronically homeless vets in San Francisco to help them acquire and keep housing. I still love being “in the trenches” and find people endlessly fascinating.

Niho Kozuru ’86 and Ethan Cohen ’79

My tallest sculpture — The Rising Column — is on view at the DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum. I am excited and honored to be chosen from their collection. The collection is up through September 10, 2017. —Niho Kozuro ’86

Willett, is among the CSW ’17 graduates and will be attending Grinnell College in the fall. My father, brother and I would like to thank everyone for their support and thoughtfulness this spring around my mother’s sudden death. We look forward to celebrating Alorie this fall at the CSW service on September 16th. All are invited. Niho Kozuro ’86 writes: Jeff Hayes ’86 and I enjoyed the recent event at CSW featuring artist Aboudia and coordinated by Ethan Cohen ’79. It was wonderful learning about Aboudia’s work and sounded like his visit was heartwarming and successful! While doing some research on Aboudia, I learned that it was Ethan’s parents and family who visited my family home and studio in the late 70s in Fukuoka, Japan. Ethan’s father encouraged my father to come to the Harvard ceramics studio. I had met Ethan briefly at the CSW auction, but am just now after 37 years connecting the dots!

Sara (Wiley) Kominsky ’90 and her husband Dan are still living in southwest Virginia with their two daughters, Cecelia and Solana. Dan is currently working for Luna Innovations as a Senior Research Scientist. Sara is in a holding pattern waiting for a double-lung transplant from Duke. They recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary. Kristin Lang Baron ’81 writes: I am not able to attend reunion, but think the class gift in honor of Steve Cohen is terrific! Steve was one of my favorite teachers and his influence was tremendous! Thanks for pulling this together. Christopher Huggins ’81 recently participated in the Winter Wonder Dance Festival at the Dance Complex in Cambridge. The festival took place in December 2016, and featured a variety of classes. Christopher also visited the CSW campus in January 2017, and spent the day talking with students and teaching classes. Stefano Piva ’82 writes: I’m writing a little book about my year from September 1980 to June 1981. I lived in Trapelo with Benjamin Bolles, Seth Kramer, Eric

Sakellaropoulo and Robin Drinkwater, my roommate. I was one of the authors of the 1981 yearbook, along with Fabio Gaudino, who passed away in 2009. I still have the originals of all the photos. Fabio and I also wrote the Gryphon magazine. I played soccer and was a great pool player. Hello to Betsy Reed ’81, Sang Hon Lee ’84 and Kathleen Williams. I have good memories about the teachers and my advisor Madame Irene Fedier. Stephin Merritt ’83 recently produced an autobiographical album that includes 50 songs, one from each year of his life. He has an upcoming fall tour in England and Ireland. Rebecca Parkhill ’85 writes: Congratulations to the CSW class of 2017! We’re thrilled that our son, Oliver

Abigail C. Fenton ’92 writes: I continue to support youth leadership on climate change solutions as the youth programs director for Climate Generation in Minneapolis, MN. Our girls, Ruby (6) and Sula (4) are growing up fast! Keithley Miller, Christopher Miller’s ’96 mom, writes: Gibby loved CSW. Google him, and you will find he is considered one of the founders of the social network circa 1999–2000. He founded Makeout Club, a site for music and subculture social networking. We owe his creativity to CSW and his graduation to Joanie Rivera. Kurt Tyler Johnston ’97 writes: I am curating an Art Studio exhibition in Brooklyn with Jake Adams ’97 and Jeremy Wagner ’97. For more, please visit: brooklynlime.weebly.com

Rebecca Levy ’97 recently presented a TED talk on her experience founding a new dance company in Jacksonville, FL, a place that needed a dance company, but had none. The company soon discovered that while people’s desire for art was strong, the willingness to pay for it was not. To survive, the company had to provide a two-fold education: one for the dancers, training to be professionals, and another for the community, which had to learn this essential truth — art is not free. Simon Taylor ’98 was named as one of Boston Business Journal’s 40 under 40. Simon is the president of Comtrade Software.

A one-legged Boston marathoner with a Citgo sign tattoo. October 2010. Photo credit Samuel Brooks Walker ’05

Simon Taylor ’98

Conor Thompson ’01 was featured as part of an exhibit at the The Middler in New York City. His show The Mouse was up January 28–March 26, 2017. Jeffrey Brodsky ’02 writes: I’ve been in LA for five years working as a freelance composer and music producer. I recently scored a feature film executive produced by Miranda July, do all the music for the award-winning podcast 2 Dope Queens, scored the latest iPhone 7 ad campaign for Apple and produced and mixed the recent album by acclaimed indie act, STRFKR. Also, I’m playing drums in the Grammy nominated dance-pop act, RAC. Additionally, I’m doing all the music for and co-producing Daniel Denvir’s ’01 new podcast, The Dig.

Mary Bickerton writes to report Lucy Bickerton ’04 is finishing up her first year at SUNY Downstate Medical School. She and her twin sister Annie Bickerton ’04 recently traveled to Oaxaca, Mexico. Annie is a project manager at MDRC, a nonprofit social policy research center. Samuel Brooks Walker ’05 has published a book featuring photos he has taken over a series of years to show the changing landscape of Walden Pond, a place Sam feels very connected with. His photos were displayed at Janet Borden Gallery in DUMBO Brooklyn through June 23, 2017. Christine E. Aviles ’07 writes: I have worked in homelessness prevention and housing stabilization for four years now! My senior capstone was a seven-week photography and volunteering adventure called “Home Sweet Homeless,” where my goal was to tell the story of real people struggling with homelessness in Boston through images.

Victor Sylva ’12 will graduate from Cooper Union in December. He has started a small handbag business called Victory Project USA (victoryprojectusa. com). The bags are unique and sourced from recycled “upcycled” materials. Raekwon Walker ’13 writes: I’m proud to say that I’ve been accepted to Teach for America. I have accepted an offer to teach English at the secondary level in Baltimore, MD. Madeleine Barress ’16 recently joined the Mother’s Milk Bank Northeast as staff assistant, and has quickly made herself indispensable labeling bottles and organizing data for a new donormanagement system. As her senior capstone project, she spent months assisting the well-known midwife Nancy Wainer in her homebirth practice, and continued to do so after graduation. Deanna Cirielli ’16 is a recipient of a finalist award from National Young Arts Foundation.

Past faculty: William S. Wasserman writes: Today, March 28, 2017, I attended the Celebration of Thanksgiving for the Life of Bronia Sielewicz Wheeler who taught at The Cambridge School. Bronia taught English and assisted Whitney Haley in the theater department at CSW. In her mid-20s when she was at CSW, she was a pillar of the English faculty and the boarding school staff; she was a housemother in the White Farm. Bronia also coached field hockey, as I recall. I had met Bronia when I worked on her hometown newspaper, and she suggested that I give teaching a try at CSW, and I did. Bronia was 91 when she died. She had grown up in rural Newport, NH, and then attended Boston University. After she left CSW, she devoted the rest of her career to theater, both acting herself and teaching acting. She later married David Wheeler, who became a well-known theater director, especially in the Boston area where he frequently directed at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge. Their son, Lewis David Wheeler, has followed them with a career in the theater. It was Mr. Wheeler who eulogized his mother at the well-attended service, which was held in Wellesley at St. John the Evangelist Church. He was joined by former acting students who testified to Bronia’s skill as a teacher and listed her wealth of acting credits. Scores of pictures ranging from art photos to a picture of the beautiful Bronia in her ski outfit decorated the reception room. The Boston Sunday Globe published an extensive obituary of Bronia on March 26, 2017. Laura Docter Thornburg writes: I had the special privilege today of teaming with a former student, Amie Tara Neff ’88. I invited Amie to be my guest, and guest speaker, at Castilleja School in Palo Alto, CA, where I teach history. I wanted Amie to share stories from her recent visit to Standing Rock, ND, to raise my student’s awareness of the Dakota Access Pipeline and the water protectors. She was wonderful. Thirty years later, CSW faculty and students are still engaged in environmental and social justice issues and still having fun together!

IN MEMORIAM Fay Mowery Donoghue ’37 Helen W. Marden ’39 Thomas Hall ’49 Ann Morse Cohen ’51 Tom Adams ’58 Ward Woolverton ’58 Gerald D. French ’60 Ruth Ingersoll Clough ’61 John M.S. Franchot ’63 David E. Sheehan ’64 Barry I. Harkaway ’69 David W. Owen ’69 Fenwick Smith ’67 Jeremy Simon ’14 Elizabeth H. Swain ’69 Lina Pomeroy Tans ’88 FACULTY: Randall Lee Darwall Althea Karr Alorie Parkhill Bronia Sielewicz Wheeler

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! This issue includes notes submitted from November 2016 to May 2017. Everyone is invited to submit news to the alumni/ae office. Please email news and photos to alum@csw.org

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Reunion 2017 1

1. Susan Trask ’67, Kate Taylor ’68 and Anki Wolf ’67

12-13. Class of 1967

2. Julia Goodman ’82 and Rima Jolivet ’83

14. Phil Denormandie ’67 and Alorie Parkhill

3. Dave Varon ’87, Deborah Grohe ’87, Jeff Hayes ’86, David Gordon ’87, Adam Meiselman ’87 and Sue Rivera ’87

15. A llan Jayne ’69 and Todd Bartel at the Thompson Gallery Talk

4. Gerry O’Sullivan ’67 taking in the End of Mod Art Show

16. Sarah Auchincloss ’67, Phil Denormandie ’67, Jim Ingersol ’67 and Neil Strock ’67 at the CSW Student Panel

5. Chelsea Maxwell ’87 and Rinku Singh

17. Earl Darlington ’72 and Rob Moir ’72

6. Jill Robbins ’87 with her family

18. Sheila Austin ’72

7. Class of 1987

19. Former CSW Faculty Members Joanie Bernhardt, Alorie Parkhill and Finlay McQuade

8. Class of 2007 9. Stephanie Nolin Selden ’67 and Catherine Musinsky ’82 10. Augusta Talbot ’67, Mia Goldman Chase ’67 and Fred Gemmell 11. Melanie Friesen ’67 and Phil Denormandie ’67

20. Reunion 2017 Dinner 21. Class of 2007 22. Henry Keyes ’56 and Susan Fliegel ’57 23. Class of 1972 and family 24. Craig Parkhill and Finlay McQuade

5 7

18 20

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From the archives

Were you at CSW when this car ended up in the dining hall? Share your story with us! email us: alum@csw.org

CSW COMMUNITY EVENTS 2017–2018 HAMPTON ALUMNI/AE EVENT

Saturday, August 26, 2017

ALORIE PARKHILL MEMORIAL SERVICE

Saturday, September 16, 2017

Save the Dates

NEW YORK CITY ALUMNI/AE GATHERING

Wednesday, November 15, 2017 ACCESS CSW

Friday, November 24, 2017 GIVING TUESDAY

Tuesday, November 28, 2017 ALUMNI/AE BASKETBALL GAME

Saturday, January 13, 2018

CALIFORNIA ALUMNI/AE GATHERINGS

Sunday, February 11, 2018 (LA) & Tuesday, February 13, 2018 (SF) DC ALUMNI/AE GATHERING

Tuesday, April 3, 2018 REUNION

Friday, May 4–Sunday, May 6, 2018 GRANDPARENTS AND GRANDFRIENDS DAY

Friday, May 18, 2018

ALUMNI/AE ULTIMATE FRISBEE GAME

Friday, June 1, 2018

40 • The

Gryphon Spring 2016

College and University Matriculation for the Class of 2017 American University (4)

Oberlin College

Bard College

Pratt Institute

Barnard College

Purdue University

Bennington College (3)

Reed College

Boston College

Rice University

Boston University

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Brandeis University

Scripps College

Bryn Mawr College

Skidmore College (2)

Carnegie Mellon University

Smith College (4)

Champlain College

Spelman College

Clark University

Suffolk University

Colby College

Swarthmore College

College of Charleston

Syracuse University

Colorado College

Tufts University (2)

Cooper Union

Tulane University

Cornell University (2)

University of the Arts

CUNY John Jay

University of California - Berkeley

Eastman School of Music

University of Colorado - Boulder

George Washington University

University of Connecticut

Grinnell College (2)

University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign

Hampshire College (2)

University of Maine

Harvard University

University of Massachusetts - Amherst

Johns Hopkins University (2)

University of Miami

Johnson & Wales University

University of New Haven

LeMoyne College

University of Puget Sound (2)

Macalester College

University of Rochester

Massachusetts Maritime Academy

University of San Francisco

Mount Holyoke College (2)

University of Vermont (3)

Muhlenberg College

Ursinus College

New School (3)

Vassar College

New York University (2)

Wellesley College

Northeastern University

Whitman College

As of August 1, 2017

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