Westminster Bulletin Winter 2011

995 Hopmeadow Street Simsbury CT 06070

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Hartford, CT Permit No. 1754

THE BULLETIN W INT ER 201 1

WESTMINSTER

www.Westminster-School.org Scenes from the performing arts presentation during Parents’ Weekend.

Welcoming Familiar Faces to New Roles “Keeping the Faith” for Three Generations Reunion and Commencement Celebrating Milestones

For Alumni, Parents & Friends of Westminster School

Today, when I find myself in an environment where my history, beliefs, thoughts and legacy are all rubbing up against and sometimes becoming entangled with uniquely opposite histories, beliefs, thoughts and legacies, I make it my priority not to instinctively judge opposing ways of living as “other.” I remind myself that it is the unity in “community” that matters.

Westminster students form a circle on Commencement Lawn during opening days last September.

3Cover photo: Before the Philip family moved into Pratt House in August of last year, a number of needed renovation projects were completed on the historic home, which was built in 1939. Among the most visible changes is the restoration of the view of the Farmington River Valley. Decades ago, the house offered a sweeping vista of a Simsbury agricultural community that was cleared of most trees. Over the years, as the town developed and vegetation grew, the view was blocked.

The breathtaking overlook from the bluff on which Pratt House was built is now restored and is shown in the background of this photo of Jenny and Bill taken in the backyard of Pratt House.

TRUSTEES 2010–2011 John S. Armour ’76 Chairman of the Board Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.

WESTMINSTER BULLETIN WINTER 2011

David E. Griffith ’72, P’06, ’10 New Hope, Pa.

J. Pierce O’Neil ’76, P’10, ’12 New Canaan, Conn.

David H. Hovey Jr. ’78, P’09, ’11, ’14 Ex officio Simsbury, Conn.

William V. N. Philip P’06, ’09 Headmaster Ex officio Simsbury, Conn.

Daniel Burke III ’87 Winchester, Mass.

Leigh A. Hovey P’09, ’11, ’14 Ex officio Simsbury, Conn.

C. Bradford Raymond ’85 New York, N.Y.

Trinette T. Cheng P’08, ’11, ’13 Kowloon, Hong Kong

Bernhard L. Kohn III ’92 Los Angeles, Calif.

Allan A. Ryan IV ’78, P’06, ’07, ’12 Palm Beach, Fla.

Abram Claude Jr. ’46, P’71, ’80, ’84, GP’02 Emeritus North Salem, N.Y.

George C. Kokulis P’07, ’12 Simsbury, Conn.

Christopher K. Seglem P’06, ’09 Colorado Springs, Colo.

Seonyong Lee P’08, ’09, ’13 Seoul, Korea

John A. Cosentino Jr. P’00 Simsbury, Conn.

Peter B. Leibinger ’86 Schwieberdingen, Germany

John Sherwin Jr. ’57, P’83, ’89 Emeritus Waite Hill, Ohio

John H. Davis P’05 Longmeadow, Mass.

Scott B. McCausland ’87, P’14 Ex officio Burlington, Conn.

C. Evan Stewart ’70, P’11 New York, N.Y.

Charles B. Milliken P’77 Emeritus Bloomfield, Conn.

Samuel Thorne ’46, P’74, ’76 Emeritus Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass.

EDITOR Darlene Skeels, Director of Publications and Communications editor@westminster-school.org

T. Treadway Mink Jr. ’77, P’11 New Canaan, Conn.

Gregory F. Ugalde P’05, ’07, ’10, ’12 Burlington, Conn.

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Ken Mason

Susan Werner Berenson ’82 Bethesda, Md. C. Andrew Brickman ’82 Hinsdale, Ill.

Lori P. Durham P’13 Denver, Colo.

William C. Egan III ’64, P’92, ’95, ’00, ’02 Emeritus Skillman, N.J. Colin S. Flinn ’82 Sanibel, Fla.

Anne K. Moran P’06, ’09, ’12 Unionville, Pa.

Anthony J. Francoline P’96 Salisbury, Conn.

John C. Niles ’81, P’14 Marblehead, Mass.

Joseph L. Gitterman III ’55, P’86, ’90 Emeritus Washington Depot, Conn.

Brien M. O’Brien P’09 Chicago, Ill. Moyahoena N. Ogilvie ’86 West Hartford, Conn.

N. Louis Shipley ’81 Andover, Mass.

Danielle Shaw Virtue P’11 Rye, N.Y. Sara L. Whiteley ’91 West Chatham, Mass.

D. Scott Wise P’11 New York, N.Y.

Published by:

Westminster School 995 Hopmeadow St. Simsbury, CT 06070 (860) 408-3000 This magazine is produced twice a year by the Marketing & Communications Office.

Address Class Notes to:

Beth Soycher Westminster School P.O. Box 337 Simsbury, CT 06070-0377 Or submit via e-mail: alumninotes@westminster-school.org E-mail for address change ONLY: salexander@westminster-school.org Westminster School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin or sexual orientation in administration of its education policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other schooladministered programs.

PHOTOGRAPHY Richard Bergen, Charlie Beck ’13, Newell Grant ’99, Ken Mason, Chip Riegel ’90, Michaeline Daboul Robinson P’10, Ryan Smythe ’11, Scott Stevens and David Werner ’80 CLASS NOTES COORDINATOR Beth Soycher DESIGN John Johnson Art Direction & Design Collinsville, Conn.

CharACTER We are living in confusing times. Apple can predict my thoughts and desires, Google can tell you everything about me and Facebook foolishly controls my life. Now, more than ever, it is important to live with intelligence and character but that is easier said than done. I keep telling myself that the best I can do is to not lead a life that is propelled by an absurd, meaningless sense of carpe diem. The most meaningful life I can lead is one framed by character and purpose.

In college, I self-designed a major titled “social justice.”

Many people upon hearing of my major, express excitement over what they think of as a Mother Teresaesque focus of study. But, as I’m sure Mother Teresa well understood, social justice is not just about doing or searching for the truest meaning of good, but, more importantly, it is about having a serious understanding about the human condition. At its core, it is about understanding that the grand majority of human beings — rich, poor, white, black, Jewish or Muslim — are folks who, for the most part, build their lives struggling to live by the kind of core values that Westminster instills in its students.

Bal(D)ANCE While at Westminster, I was surrounded by peers who knew, even as I did not, that greatness and success are only theoretical concepts unless crafted, cultivated and, ultimately, embodied. It was the first time in my life that I belonged to a community where it seemed that each individual contributed to an ethos of endless possibility.

In an essay in “Of Poetry and Poets,” American poet Richard Eberhart captures how I felt during my year at Westminster: “You have been studying in this beautiful place. You have the world before you. And you are sure that you know reality, that you know what you are doing; that as Hamlet said, you can tell a hawk from a handsaw.”

I entered Westminster as a student, and I left as a struggling scholar, a pretty shabby athlete, a wannabe artist, an in-the-closet poet and a so-so dancer. To me it doesn’t matter that I didn’t become “great” at any of my interests during my one year at Westminster because the experience encouraged me to see limitless possibilities to be prolific. In the end, it is as Eberhart argues in the same essay, “In the modern world, even if any of you should years hence master some facet of one subject, and write a definitive book, you will have been able to master what in fact will be only a small part of reality.”

Every so often I can’t help but ask myself: What if Westminster was not a part of me? Thanks to former Westminster faculty member Sarah Moss, who worked in Admissions, and the Armour Family Scholarship, I will never know the exact answer to that question. It’s been five years since I drove off the Westminster campus, but I’ve never been able to leave Westminster behind.

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inside Hill Headlines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Three Generations

. . . . . . . . . . . 42

Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Science Teacher Publishes Book . . 50

Welcoming Familiar Faces . . . . . 12

Supporting Westminster . . . . . . 52

Reunion 2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Martlets on the Move . . . . . . . . . 65

Commencement 2010

. . . . . . . . 28

Class Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

An Evening to Remember . . . . . . 38

Closing Thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Welcoming Familiar Faces

An Evening to Remember

Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Hill Headlines Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Three Generations

Athletics Page . . . . . . . . . 10

Page . . . . . . . . . 42

Reunion

Supporting Westminster

Page . . . . . . . . . . 18 Page. . . . . . . . . . 52

Martlets on the Move

Commencement Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Page . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Class Notes Page . . . . 68

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Dear Members of the Westminster family,

It is because of our collective passion and commitment that Westminster continues to flourish.

Of course, the featured news on campus this year is my transition as headmaster. I am often asked how this transition is going, and how I am managing my new role and responsibilities. Candidly, this question often leaves me stumped, since this transition feels entirely seamless.

Upon reflection, now in my 28th year at Westminster, I suppose it would be odd if I felt otherwise. Williams Hill is my home, it is my family’s home and it is the setting where I grew up professionally. Perhaps because I have filled so many roles here, I appreciate at a very emotional level how many different people, beyond the headmaster, contribute meaningfully to making this school so special. It is because of our collective passion and commitment that Westminster continues to flourish.

Westminster School’s defining attribute has always been the extraordinary people who comprise our school community — both on and off the Hill. Stories about these people resonate through this and countless Bulletins in years past. It is for this reason that I eagerly anticipate the arrival of each new issue of this publication.

All sorts of memories flood back to me as I read these articles. When I first arrived at Westminster in the fall of 1983, I lived on the second floor of Memorial opposite “the Hov” and Jenks Hovey. They were on sabbatical the first half of that year, but upon their return to school, they reached out to me as if I had always been a part of their family. In a twist of fate, their son Dave married Leigh Armstrong, who roomed with my wife at Miss Porter’s School, and who is now my youngest daughter’s godmother.

Among its many attributes, Westminster is certainly a family school. Fittingly, the story about Jamie Smith’s recent visit to campus highlights a member of another prominent Westminster family. In 1999, Jamie was in my Advanced Placement U.S. History class, which met on the top floor of Baxter Academic Center in a classroom I shared with Dick Adams. Jamie was the first of four brothers who attended Westminster, and their family’s story was featured in an issue of the Bulletin last year.

This moment of transition offers a refreshing opportunity for our school community to reflect on what we are doing well, what we can improve and how we might advance. However, in my view, my most important charge is one of stewardship. I look forward to greeting many of you when you return to campus and at the many events we are hosting far and wide. I hope you enjoy this impressive publication, prepared so professionally by Darlene Skeels, our Director of Publications and Communications.

With Grit & Grace!

William V.N. Philip P’06, ’09

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WALKS Scholars Named The WALKS Foundation has named Westminster students Christopher Sailor ’11, Atesha Gifford ’12 and Ashlee Robinson ’13 as WALKS Scholars for the 2010-2011 academic year.

WALKS is an acronym for five Hartford area schools — Westminster School, Avon Old Farms School, Loomis Chafee School, Kingswood Oxford School and Suffield Academy. In its 54th year, WALKS’ central purpose is to enroll in its five member schools, students from Greater Hartford whose horizons are limited by family income but whose talents, commitment and energies promise community leadership in the coming years.

Christopher Sailor, a returning scholar and a resident of Bloomfield, is an honors student and plays the saxophone, guitar, piano and drums in the concert band and the jazz band, for which he serves as president. He also participates in musical theater, Improv, Model United Nations and First Christopher Sailor ’11, Headmaster Bill Philip, Boys’ Soccer. He serves as captain of Track and Field and president of the Ashlee Robinson ’13 and Atesha Gifford ’12.

Multicultural Student Union. He hopes to study engineering in college.

Atesha Gifford, a resident of Manchester, Conn., is an honors student, a Sorenson Pearson Scholar and a Steppingstone Scholar. She is a member of the Multicultural Student Union, the EcoTeam, the Cook Nook, Seniors as Sisters and Model United Nations. She also participates in field hockey and dance. Off campus, she volunteers at the Community Farm of Simsbury and at her local library. She hopes to become a corporate lawyer.

Ashlee Robinson, a resident of Hartford, is a Steppingstone Scholar and a Gummere Scholar. She participates in the dance ensemble, field hockey and basketball. She also is a member of the Multicultural Student Union, the EcoTeam and the Student Activities Committee.

In addition to the three WALKS Scholars, Kathryn Griffith ’11 was named a recipient of the Barnes Award in recognition of her volunteer service and leadership. She has participated in two Habitat for Humanity trips during spring break, volunteered for the annual Westminster Blood Drive, taken a leadership role in the annual MS Walk, helped organize the annual Christmas Angel Tree, and has given freely of herself to Westminster’s participation in the Walk for the Cure, the Simsbury Food Bank and Foodshare, as well as numerous other efforts.

The students, along with a number of their family members, attended the annual WALKS Scholars luncheon Kathryn Griffith ’11.

Oct. 12 at the Hartford Club, at which Christopher gave remarks about the unpredictability of life.

Motivating Students with a Quiz Bored with the common practice of giving students a reading quiz to test whether they have completed a reading assignment, Westminster English teacher Tim Quinn ’96 and moral philosophy teacher Todd Eckerson P’09, ’11 developed a “collaborative quiz” that students work on together in class and for which they receive a common grade. An article about the new quiz, titled “Motivating Students to Read with Collaborative Reading Quizzes,” appeared in the September 2010 issue of the English Journal, published by the National Council of Teachers of English. The theme for the issue was “motivating students.”

The collaborative quiz ensures that students have carefully read an assignment and provides an opportunity for dynamic classroom discussion. It is adaptable to a variety of formats and “shifts the focus from the teacher to the student while also engaging the class more completely.”

“Todd and I just happened to have a lot of success with the type of quiz described in the essay, and we thought it was an idea we should share,” said Tim. English teacher Tim Quinn ’96 and moral philosophy teacher Todd Eckerson.

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Westminster Begins 123rd Year Westminster School welcomed 394 students to campus for the 2010-2011 academic year, including 263 boarding students and 131 day students. The students represent 49 Connecticut towns and cities, 24 states and 20 countries.

At an assembly on the first day of classes Sept. 14, Headmaster Bill Philip greeted students and introduced Head Prefect Matt Leach ’11 of West Hartford, who welcomed students to the new year, encouraging them to set a goal to “try to do something you have never done before; try something new.”

Matt also explained some Westminster traditions in which the students then

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participated. All Sixth Formers assembled on the Sixth Form Lawn, where they were presented a senior pin or pendant as a symbol of their leadership roles at school in the coming year. A new flag depicting the design of the pin was then lowered from the flagpole, where it had been flying. It will reappear on campus throughout the year to announce Hill Holidays. Lastly, all new students assembled in the chapel where they entered their signatures in a book that holds the signature of every Westminster student, signifying their formal entry to the school and their membership in the campus community.

Headmaster’s Chapel Talk In the first chapel talk of the year on the following day, Headmaster Philip spoke about the promise of a new school year. “The opening of a new school year is always electric with an energy filled with both excitement and anxiety,” he said. “At Westminster School, beginning a year with a new headmaster is especially significant. In our school’s 122-year history, this moment of transition has occurred only seven times.”

He highlighted how students at Westminster enjoy multidimensional relationships with their teachers. “Drawing on the power of an

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Students Named Semi-Finalists in 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program

environment which fosters these sorts of relationships, our community offers you the opportunity to stretch yourself as a student in ways that you may never have imagined before and, in the process, to achieve more than you ever thought possible.”

He encouraged students to share something about themselves with other members of the campus community, and then offered some of his own history and why he has devoted his life to Westminster. “I learned many of my most important lessons here at Westminster, after graduating from college,” he said. “When I look at the photographs of our emeritus faculty in the Armstrong Atrium and the adjacent hallway in the Armour Academic Center, memories flood into my mind, memories of advice and lessons that continue to inform all that I do.”

He challenged students to “seize the opportunity offered by the enriching environment of our school community” and to “make a special effort to reach out and meet each other, share your stories, don’t be passive, and foster and cultivate the relationships with peers and faculty alike which will enhance your experience as a student.”

Two Westminster School Sixth Formers, Hannah Ford and Jacob Lee, have been named Semifinalists in the 56th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented students have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,400 National Merit Scholarships that will be offered next spring.

During her Westminster career, Hannah, a resident of West Granby, has earned Summus or Superus each term and was named an AP Scholar with Honor. She is very active in Dramat, sings in the school’s choirs, and is a member of the Student Music Organization and Improv Club. She also played softball for two years and is active in the youth group of her church.

At Westminster, Jacob, a resident of West Simsbury, has achieved Summus every term, was named an AP Scholar with Distinction and a National Latin Exam Gold Medalist, and received the Award for Excellence in Chemistry and the Award for Excellence in Asian History. He also serves as editor in chief of the Westminster News, and is a member of the John Hay Society, Black and Gold, and the Debate Club. He serves as captain of First Boys’ Cross Country and participates in First Boys’ Squash. Outside of school, he serves as a tutor and squash volunteer for Squash Haven.

About 1.5 million juniors in some 22,000 high schools entered the 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2009 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition.

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Grandparents’ Day Bigger Than Ever Nearly 200 grandparents of Westminster students visited campus Sept. 29 to participate in Grandparents’ Day. They came from both near and far away to spend a school day with their grandchildren and attend classes, tour the campus and watch afternoon athletic contests.

For some, it was their first visit to Westminster, while for others, it was one of a number of Grandparents’ Days they have attended in recent years. Linda Cohen of Boca Raton, Fla., was visiting Westminster for the first time and enjoyed her day with granddaughter Shani Rosenstock ’13. They attended Shani’s U.S. History and Algebra classes and toured the campus. “The school is beautiful and the kids were so well mannered,” commented Linda.

For Lou and Matt Kennedy from Monroe, Conn., it was their third Grandparents’ Day. They attended their granddaughter Rachel Kennedy’s ’12, U.S. History class and her field hockey game. And for Jo D’Orsi of West Hartford, who was visiting grandson Brad Woodruff ’11, it was a reminder of her 38 years teaching in the Hartford school system. Although she got a chance to attend Brad’s Spanish and math classes, her favorite part of the day was more personal. “I love being with my grandson,” she said.

The grandparents were welcomed to campus by Headmaster Bill Philip during a faculty panel presentation in the Sejong Lecture Hall. “Each year, Grandparents’ Day gets bigger and bigger,” he said.

“It is great to have you all on campus with us.” He also introduced faculty members David Chrzanowski, Tony Griffith, Bill Sistare, Nancy Urner-Berry ’81, P’11 and Melinda Wright, who gave an overview of their areas of responsibility. In closing, Headmaster Philip thanked everyone for “taking the time to visit our campus and to be with your grandchildren.”

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Latin Teacher Attends Prestigious Institute Maureen Gassert, who teaches Latin at Westminster, was awarded a full fellowship to attend the prestigious Klingenstein Summer Institute for Early Career Teachers in 2010.

The institute is sponsored by the Klingenstein Center for Independent School Education at Teachers College at Columbia University and gathers 75 teachers in the beginning years of their careers from across the country and the world for an exploration of teaching styles, educational philosophies, educational issues and personal development.

“My goal was to learn more about becoming a better teacher,” said Maureen. “I also enjoyed spending time with other teachers talking about teaching.”

Maureen was appointed to the Westminster faculty in 2009. During her first year on campus, she started the Junior Classical League and led efforts for all of her Latin students to take the National Latin Exam, on which seven students earned awards. She also supervised 36 students in their participation in Classics Day activities at the College of the Holy Cross, where she is an alumna and double majored in classics and musical performance.

Prior to her appointment at Westminster, Maureen taught Latin for two years at Portsmouth Abbey School in Rhode Island. She also spent six weeks at the American School of Classical Studies Summer School in Athens, has taken a Vergilian Society tour of Egypt and attended the American Academy in Rome’s Classical Summer School on a Fulbright Scholarship. Following her participation in the Klingenstein Summer Institute, she toured Turkey with the Vergilian Society and then attended an AP Latin teachers’ conference in Rome.

Maureen says she was “destined to become a classics teacher.” As a child, her parents read her Greek mythology as bedtime stories, and both her grandfather and her great grandfather were students of the classics.

Alumnus Performs Oboe Concert Professional oboist James Smith ’01 brought his musical talents to Westminster Oct. 8 to give a concert for students and faculty in the Werner Centennial Center and to spend time with students in a music class. He is an active chamber musician and new music advocate based in New York City.

James introduced his performance by talking about his life since graduating from Westminster, including his attendance at Northwestern University, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and music, and at Yale, where he earned a master’s degree in music. He also discussed spending a year in Germany as a Fulbright Scholar and serving as a fellow in a postgraduate program run by Carnegie Hall and The Juilliard School, for which he performed and taught periodically at a New York City public school.

James described his typical day as practicing by himself, rehearsing with groups and playing concerts.

“The beauty of being a musician is that it is never a nine-to-five job, and you get to travel around the world,” he said.

Accompanied on the piano by Juilliard doctorial student Conor Hanick, James performed “Awake” from the Sonata for Oboe and Piano by Paul Hindemith (1938), four movements from François Couperin’s Royal Concerto (1722), and Robert Schumann’s Three Romances (1849).

In between the performances, he talked about the composers and how physically exhausting it is to play the oboe. “Being a musician is a lot like being an athlete,” he said. “You need to stay in shape.”

He ended by thanking Headmaster Bill Philip for inviting him to perform at Westminster and the audience for listening. “It has been a lot of fun,” he said.

James also spent time describing his music theory background with David Chrzanowski’s Introduction to Music Theory class. He brought the score for “Awake” by Paul Hindemith and described some of the harmonic, rhythmic and melodic ideas the composer inserted into the music and played several passages of the piano part to demonstrate. He spoke to several students about the process of learning and playing music for an audience. Throughout his visit, he responded to numerous questions about playing the oboe and being a professional musician.

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Westminster Serves the Community Westminster students and faculty volunteered at 16 sites in Connecticut Oct. 4 as a part of Westminster’s annual Community Service Day. They boarded vans early in the morning to travel to local and distant locations to serve children, seniors, the homeless and various community organizations.

Some of their many efforts included preparing and serving lunch for the elderly at a senior center, performing cleanup at some regional youth camps, packing and loading food at a food bank, preparing farmland at a community farm, painting a gym at a Hartford school, gathering trash along the Farmington River, and preparing and serving food at soup kitchens.

“It was a great day,” said faculty member Amy Stevens P’07, ’09, ’12, who helped coordinate Community Service Day. “Many of our students were pretty tired when they returned to school, but I think they all realized the contributions they had made, whether they were raking, weeding, cooking, cleaning, reading or listening. Everyone made a wonderful effort.”

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Math Teacher Makes Presentations at Conferences Tony Griffith, head of the Westminster Mathematics Department has been a featured presenter at national and regional mathematics conferences this past year.

Last April, he gave a presentation titled “Mathematics in the NBA, Electoral College and Olympic City Voting” at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics 2010 meeting in San Diego. His presentation covered how the NBA draft lottery uses combinations and probability to order the teams, how the electoral process uses apportionment to determine presidential elections and how the voting for an Olympic host city uses an application of elimination-method voting. The three examples provide a context for students to see mathematics outside the classroom. “For me it was a chance to bring Westminster’s name to a major national conference and to interact with people from other schools and at the university level,” said Tony.

In November, Tony also was a panelist in a discussion titled “What Do Pre-College Students Need to Succeed in College Mathematics Courses and How do the Various Pre-College Initiatives Address This Need?” at the fall meeting of the Northeastern Section of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) at Providence College. “Speaking with and learning from the university professors at this MAA conference will help Westminster better prepare its students for success in college mathematics,” said Tony.

At Westminster, Tony holds the Walter Edge Jr. ’35 Master Teaching Chair and teaches Advanced Placement Calculus BC and other mathematics courses. He recently completed his sixth year as an AP Calculus reader.

Christopher Lloyd in “Death of a Salesman” at Westminster Emmy and Obie Award-winning actor Christopher Lloyd played Willy Loman in the Weston Playhouse Theatre Company’s (WPTC) production of “Death of a Salesman” that was performed at Westminster School in October as a part of its New England tour. WPTC Resident Producing Director Steve Stettler, a member of the Westminster faculty from 1974 to 1980, directed the production, which also featured Phil Kerr ’59. The performance was a part of the Graham Gund ’59 Visiting Artist Series.

English Teacher Publishes Book of Poetry Westminster English teacher Mollie Pilling knew at an early age that she should be a writer.

“I knew I had to record my feelings and my reactions to the world in order to try to make some sense of it,” she said.

Following the publication two years ago of her first novel, “The Ensign’s Wife,” she has published her first book of poems, titled “Journeys.” The poems reflect her experiences becoming a mother, living abroad, losing love and finding joy in the everyday miracles of life.

Mollie began writing poems and essays years ago from unrecorded and private thoughts in trip logs, jottings scratched in the margins of shopping lists or on the backs of her children’s math homework and in small notebooks that served as diaries and traveled with her around the world. But the heavy-duty writing of a 90-page manuscript of poems took place over six weeks in summer 2009 while she was visiting her son and his family in Spain. She had been commissioned to write the book of poems by publisher Rennie McQuilken of Antrim House, after he had reviewed a sampling of her poems. “Soon I was using the siesta, when my little granddaughters were sleeping, to compose poems,” she recalled.

Her whirlwind writing resulted in a 114-page book of poems.

Mollie, who has been at Westminster since 2008, has been teaching literature for more than 25 years, 17 of them at international schools in New Delhi, Lugano, Athens, London and Rome.

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Highlights From Fall Athletics Westminster athletic teams had a very successful fall.

Eleven teams achieved winning seasons with an overall record for all teams of 99-55-20.

Two teams qualified for the New England Class A Tournament. First Field Hockey earned the number two seed, and First Girls’ Soccer earned the number five seed. While field hockey fell in the quarterfinals to Loomis Chaffee, the soccer team made it to the finals, ultimately losing to Nobles and Greenough.

Lower team success included an undefeated Second Field Hockey team and two unofficial lower team Founders League champions: Second Field Hockey and Second Boys’ Soccer.

Second Football and Third Girls’ Soccer stood out as well for the great deal of progress the teams made over the course of the season, which was proven when they defeated teams at the end of the season that they had lost to earlier in the fall. In addition, a number of cross-country runners dropped two to three minutes from September to November.

Exciting night game wins under the lights at Simsbury High School for First Boys’ Soccer, First Girls’ Soccer and First Field Hockey were other fall highlights for the entire school.

Double Championships Celebrated Westminster celebrated a double championship day when both the girls’ and boys’ hockey teams won their respective holiday tournaments during the Dec. 17-19 weekend.

For the first time in a decade, First Boys’ Hockey secured the prestigious Flood Marr Championship. The road to victory began with a 5-2 defeat of Hotchkiss and continued with big wins over Andover (3-1) and Milton (5-0). In the final game, the Martlets encountered an impressive Kimball Union Academy (KUA) team, ranked third in New England. KUA started out strong, and impressive goaltending by Patrick Spano ’12 kept the Martlets to within a goal at the end of the first period. In the second period, Westminster benefited from two power plays, and Luke Laszkiewicz ’11 scored on both to put the Black and Gold ahead to start the third period.

KUA scored early in the third period, and the two teams remained knotted First Boys’ Hockey through two overtime periods when, finally, Emilio Audi ’12 found Laszkiewicz, who completed his hat trick and earned the tremendous win for the Martlets. Tim Acker ’11 and Laszkiewicz were named to the all-tournament team, and Spano earned the most valuable player award.

First Girls’ Hockey again hosted the Westminster Invitational Tournament, which, this year, expanded to eight teams. In the first three rounds of play, the Martlets had little trouble defeating Canterbury, Milton and Northfield Mount Hermon, outscoring their opponents 14-1. In the championship game, the Martlets faced Governor’s Academy, which had an equally impressive run to the finals and touted some exceptional players. After a scoreless first period, Westminster came out in the second flying and put three goals on the board.

Sydney Daniels ’13 scored twice and Nina Gozzi ’12 scored the third. While the game seemed in hand at the beginning of the third period, Governor’s was not ready to quit and responded with two big goals and had chances to tie the game. It was an exciting finish to the tournament for the Black and Gold, who were able to hold on to the 3-2 win, thanks to some strong defense and tremendous goaltending by Carmen MacDonald ’11.

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Softball Wins Third Western New England Championship For the third consecutive year, the Westminster softball team earned the title of Western New England Champions, defeating Taft School and Northfield Mount Hermon during the Class A tournament last spring. The team also won the Founders League Championship for the fourth season in a row. The Martlets have recently become a New England powerhouse, posting an overall record of 64-3 over the past four years.

The 2010 squad was a particularly talented group, achieving an undefeated 14-0 record. Led by the dominant pitching of Brittany Sutton ’11, the team posted shutouts in every game except a close 3-2 extra-inning win against Taft in April. Impressively, the Martlets continued their title run, while facing extremely strong competition in Class A. During the championship tournament, Westminster faced a formidable Taft team and a previously undefeated Northfield Mount Hermon squad, and prevailed by a score of 1-0 in each game. The semifinals and finals featured superb pitching duels and fantastic defensive play. The Martlets were able to manufacture runs in both games through timely hitting and alert base running.

Sixth Formers Corinne Werner, Tori Pizzuto, Sara Ugalde, Kingsley Schroeder, and Fifth Formers Amanda Boulier, Rachel Farrel, Carmen MacDonald, and Brittany Sutton had key roles in leading this talented championship team. Werner led the outfield, Boulier was outstanding at

First Boys’ Lacrosse Earns Honors The Western New England Secondary School Lacrosse Association (WNESSLA) awarded Westminster’s First Boys’ Lacrosse team a number of honors following the 2010 season. At the year-end WNESSLA coaches’ meeting, the Martlets received the association’s 2010 Team Sportsmanship Award, Head Coach Peter Newman ’80 was named 2010 Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach Todd Eckerson was named 2010 Assistant Coach of the Year.

The team finished second in the Founders League, losing only to Avon Old Farms School, and fourth in WNESSLA, behind perennial powers Salisbury School, Deerfield Academy and Avon Old Farms School.

“I think the league felt that we came together well against very tough competition, including big wins over Brunswick and Hotchkiss,” said Coach Newman.

During the last 14 years, Westminster Boys’ Lacrosse has won three Founders League Championships and two Western New England Division I Championships.

shortstop, Farrel played a strong third base, and MacDonald was flawless at first base. Pizzuto and Schroeder caught excellent games behind the plate. Pitcher Brittany Sutton had another fabulous season, averaging 14 strikeouts per game and refusing to allow any earned runs all spring.

“The entire season was a total team effort,” said Coach Mitch Overbye P’05, ’09. “We had a combination of terrific pitching and catching, superb fielding and timely hitting. It has been a remarkable group.”

Longtime Tennis Coach Honored One of Westminster’s hardsurfaced tennis courts has been named for longtime Westminster faculty member and tennis coach Peter Briggs ’71, P’01, ’05, ’07.

Peter served as First Boys’ Tennis coach from 1981 to 2009.

Headmaster Graham Cole During his 29-year tenure, he with Peter Briggs ’71. coached his teams to 18 winning seasons, two co-Founders League Championships and four Southern New England Tennis League Championships. He also coached two New England individual champions.

“I was fortunate to have great kids and fondly remember all the fun we had and how well they represented themselves and Westminster,” said Peter.

At the 2010 spring awards ceremony during commencement weekend, Headmaster Graham Cole invited Peter to the podium and recognized his devotion to the tennis program, saying the court was named for him “so that generations of players, coaches, parents and spectators will have his name before them as a reminder of what the best in secondary school tennis is all about.” Peter was presented with an engraved plate as a symbol of the school’s gratitude and respect.

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Welcoming Familiar Faces to New Roles When Bill Philip became Westminster’s eighth headmaster on July 1, 2010, he brought with him 27 years of experience working in various positions at the school, including history teacher, coach, corridor supervisor, director of college counseling, director of studies, assistant headmaster, associate headmaster and senior development director. He and his wife, Jenny, also raised their two daughters, Kate ’06 and Alie ’09, on the Hill, and their family is familiar to decades of students, faculty and alumni.

As Bill and Jenny were getting settled into Pratt House and meeting the hectic demands of the school year, they took time to sit down and talk about their lives and their new roles on campus.

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Did your involvement in independent schools begin early in life?

Bill: Absolutely. I grew up in New York City and Bedford, N.Y. My father went to Brooks, and my mother went to Wheeler School and Nightingale-Bamford School. My dad has been very active in schools, independent of where he attended. My two brothers and I attended Buckley School and then Hotchkiss School. Today, all three of us are heads of schools. Tom is at Brunswick School in Greenwich, Conn., and Peter is at Tower School in Marblehead, Mass. We are all one year apart and have all taught history. There are a lot of similarities in our lives.

Jenny: My family also has a long history with independent schools. I grew up in Hartford on Asylum Avenue, and my parents still live in the same house. My mother attended Chatham Hall, and my dad went to Kent School. My two sisters, my brother and I all attended Renbrook School. I then attended Miss Porter’s School as a boarder; my sister Alison went to Dana Hall, my brother Tod went to St. Paul’s and my sister Sasha went to St. George’s.

How did you meet?

J: We met at Yale on the opening day of our freshman year. We lived in the same dormitory. My parents say that Bill carried my refrigerator up the stairs. We have been married 25 years.

What brought you to Westminster?

B: Luck. My senior year at Yale, I knew I wanted to teach and thought I would do it for a couple of years before I would do what everybody else from Yale was doing and that was go to law or business school. I sent out 30 to 40 letters applying for a teaching position, including to Westminster. I had coached swimming as a summer job and worked at a camp, so I knew I enjoyed teaching kids. Richard Miller, who was assistant head of Westminster at that time, called and asked me to come for an interview. I guess it went pretty well since Richard soon offered me a job. It was good luck that it happened when it did, since I was scheduled to fly out of state for another interview a couple of days later.

What were your earliest responsibilities as a faculty member?

B: I lived on the second floor of Memorial and also taught three sections of U.S. history and one section of English. I had taken English classes at Yale, but I was a long way from being an English major, and faculty colleagues like Janet Edmonds, Peg Burdett and Gordon McKinley were very helpful. I also coached swimming and baseball. After that first year, I was teaching entirely history and coaching swimming and thirds lacrosse. At the end of my second year, Don Werner asked me to assist in college counseling. That summer, Jenny and I

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married and moved to the third floor of Andrews. We spent a decade in Andrews before moving to Stretch House for five years and then to Gitterman House.

Was Westminster a good place to raise your children?

J: In many ways, raising the kids here reminded us of the old-fashioned neighborhoods we had growing up. Our children would run in and out of everybody else’s house and had this great landscape on which to play. They always loved seeing their friends around the campus.

What are your daughters currently doing?

B: Kate graduated from Yale in 2010 as a history of art major.

She is living in New York City with a Renbrook and Westminster graduate and two of her friends from Yale. While she was at Yale, she was president of her sorority and worked in the Yale major gifts office. This work experience led her to her current position in the alumni office at Buckley School.

J: Alie is a sophomore at Bates College and plays defense on Bates’ field hockey team. She too is a history of art major and a history minor. I think both girls may have selected history of art because every time we took a family trip somewhere, we would always go to art galleries.

What does your family like to do for recreation?

B: We have a home in Dorset, Vt., outside of Manchester, which we bought when Kate was one. It has been a good escape hatch ever since. We also get out to dinner in Simsbury and Hartford. Jenny is a fabulous cook, but we like to get out.

J: I do love cooking, trying new recipes and entertaining. We also play golf, as do the girls.

B: When Kate and Alie were growing up, every summer we would take a trip with them. One of the more memorable trips was a baseball trip by car about 10 years ago. The first stop was Cleveland, where we saw the Indians and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Next, we went to Chicago to see the White Sox and the Cubs, then to Cincinnati to watch the Reds in the Great American Ball Park, and finally to Baltimore for an Orioles game. It was a great trip, and we had a lot of fun.

What has kept you at Westminster over the years?

B: I have had the opportunity to do many different things. I taught full time for two years, then assisted in college counseling for a couple of years, then became director of college counseling for a long time and then became director of studies. For 25 years, though, I managed to keep teaching at least one section of history.

There were people like Don Werner, Geoffrey Wilbraham, Richard Miller, Fritz Zeller and Ann Gilman who were hugely supportive of me and made my transition to this school so successful and who taught me lots of lessons, which remain with me today.

J: It has been a great community, and the people truly do

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Alie ’09 and Kate Philip ’06 with their dog, Teddy.

make this place. Our best friends are on the faculty here, and we enjoy doing things with them outside of school.

Jenny, you also have worked at schools for many years. What are your current responsibilities?

J: I have been at Renbrook School since 1994 where I serve as the alumni coordinator. Previously, I worked at Ethel Walker School and at Yale. I do a lot of the social networking for Renbrook and am “friends” with 1,200 alumni on Facebook. We have a small office, so everybody helps with events and the annual fund. I also coached junior varsity and varsity field hockey for many years.

At Westminster, I am currently serving as a volunteer assistant coach for Third Girls’ Field Hockey. Actually, my first coaching experience was at Westminster with Third Girls’ Lacrosse in 1985. I think getting involved with the Westminster field hockey team is important. Now that Kate and Alie have graduated, I don’t have the same connections with the students I had for so many years when they were here. I enjoy coaching and getting to meet some of the newest kids at school since there are many third and fourth formers on the team.

We also do feeds for Bill’s advisees. I love feeding boarders because I remember when I was a boarder how important it was to be invited into a faculty home.

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B: The feeds she puts together for my advisees and teams are unbelievable!

What benefits do you think having worn so many hats at Westminster over the years brings to your role as headmaster?

B: Unlike many other schools, faculty responsibilities at Westminster are shared, such as weekend duty, coaching or community service. For that reason, there is a shared appreciation of the different parts of the school, and I think that is the glue that holds the community together. Having taught, coached, served on duty teams and worked in a number of administrative capacities, one gains an appreciation for the breadth of the school community in a very meaningful way. If you were to ask me what part of the school haven’t you experienced personally, I would be hard pressed to come up with what that was.

The challenge to this is I often start conversations about Westminster from a different place from others who do not have this breadth of experience. I have to remember to have the patience to go back and review some of the groundwork. A lot of issues at schools are ongoing. They don’t lend themselves to easy solutions, and I think that having that perspective is important.

You often talk about the role of the community in the academic experience at Westminster.

Can you please explain the importance of that relationship?

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B: The community piece is central in so many ways.

Westminster is a nurturing and supportive environment.

Connecting the community piece with the academic experience is what makes our school stand out. At Westminster, students have a network of teachers and peers who appreciate things about them that they may not have realized about themselves. This is only possible in a community where people know each other well.

The transformative power of that network allows students to realize a potential beyond what they may have defined for themselves. The idea of potential at Westminster is stretched by the peers and faculty with whom students interact.

Why did you want to become headmaster?

B: I have devoted half of my life to Westminster, and I care deeply about it and the people who make it so special. The fact that I was able to grow professionally at Westminster provided me an opportunity to help advance the school. I wanted to take advantage of this leadership opportunity. For Jenny and me, there has always been this powerful call at Westminster.

What do you view as your most important responsibilities as headmaster?

B: First, I want to continue to nurture the defining culture and ethos of the school, which is so precious. We are more than a school, as highlighted by our core values and grit and grace.

Second, I want to move the school forward and share the story that is Westminster by strengthening Westminster’s leadership role in the independent boarding school world.

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with a board member, talking with a student about a roommate issue or talking with a faculty member about job responsibilities — I would say I feel equally comfortable with all of them.

How would you describe your management style?

B: Much about who I am and how I approach things is from lessons I learned from senior faculty over the years. My style is to be out and about in the community. Jenny says that I forecast too much, but previewing has its advantages. I also like to be candid and clear. The test I often use for myself is I wouldn’t ask somebody else to do something I wouldn’t do myself, and most likely, have done myself. I appreciate the nuances that are involved in various responsibilities, and I have a long-term perspective.

What would you like people to say about you as headmaster?

B: Most importantly is that I care about them, and I am approachable. Recently, I had an advisee who was heading off on a college recruiting trip, and he felt comfortable enough to ask me some delicate questions about what might happen on such a trip.

I hope students always feel comfortable enough to ask me those sorts of questions.

I would also like students to say they were proud of the way I represented the school and were proud of the school during my tenure.

About 98 percent of the time, new heads of school are hired from the outside, so the occurrence of an internal appointment for a head of school is a pretty rare event. There is often talk about heads of school who are heads for faculty or heads for students or heads for trustees. They are more comfortable with one or another group. I feel at home with all members of our community.

If you were to ask me which aspect of my responsibilities I feel the most comfortable with — whether it is talking strategic issues

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What opportunities and challenges do you see on the horizon for Westminster?

B: Westminster has the opportunity to be recognized as a leader in the independent school world even more widely than it is today. It offers the ideal setting for an independent boarding school in so many ways because of the school’s community and the relationships it fosters, the values it celebrates, its location in the Farmington Valley, its access to New York and Boston, and the types of students it graduates.

Of course the economy presents significant challenges for all schools today. We made a huge investment over the last 15 years in infrastructure, which has significantly enhanced the presentation of the school’s campus. But I get animated and passionate when talking about the people who make up the school community. Moving forward, we can’t forget that people are our home base. How do you attract and retain the best faculty? How do you attract students who are best equipped to take advantage of the opportunities the school offers? If Westminster is going to continue to improve, and again we can’t be standing still, it is going to continue to improve because of those sorts of foundational issues. This school really does stretch people. There is a more selfless commitment here.

How do you plan to stay connected with alumni and parents?

B: Wherever I go, I see a great deal of enthusiasm for Westminster from alumni and parents. Just as important as it is for me to have a presence on campus, I envision doing quite a bit of travel to keep the larger Westminster community connected.

Westminster is not just an island by itself on Williams Hill. The enthusiasm for the school needs to be nurtured off the Hill as well

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as on the Hill. The school’s soul is here on Williams Hill, but the school community extends well beyond. This past summer, we had a number of 1888 events, many of which I attended. Jenny and I also plan to visit Korea in June to spend time with parents and alumni. We have had students coming to Westminster from Korea for decades. We also have a number of receptions and events planned this year around the country.

At the beginning of the school year, you established four renewal committees. What do you hope to achieve with those committees?

B: At this moment of transition in the school’s history, the renewal committees are an opportunity to take stock of what are we doing well and what can we do better in terms of major areas of school life: students and faculty, teaching and learning. They are vehicles for ideas and observations to come from the grass roots.

The committees include an Academic Study Committee, a Student Life Committee, a Compensation Assessment Committee and the Westminster Teaching Initiative. These seemed to be a good place to start: a focus on people and the academic sphere.

Members of the committees include both trustees and faculty. In appointing faculty to the committees, I tried to reach beyond the normal people who already have avenues for input.

Each of the committees will be looking at what other schools are doing in addition to what we are doing, and I expect they will have various recommendations. One recommendation related to the opening of the school year is already moving forward. We always have to look for ways to continue to get better at what we are doing.

Can you tell us about some of the new “traditions” you have established at Westminster?

B: For announcing Hill Holidays, we now have a Class of 2011 gold flag that features the same design as the Sixth Form Pin, which the students designed. The appearance of the flag on campus signals Hill Holidays, and the flag will be displayed at commencement and reunions. Future classes will have their own flags. We have also started Culture Draws that extend our longstanding involvement in Hartford. Interested students and faculty put their name into a lottery from which four student names and two faculty names are drawn to travel to Hartford for a nice dinner and a show.

In what other ways do you hope to strengthen Westminster’s ties to the larger community?

B: Almost every school I know, talks about community, but I think we achieve community in ways that most other schools don’t. If I am going to talk about the case for Hartford, I think getting out into the community is important. In addition to the Culture Draws, in October our Sixth Form attended a play at the Hartford Stage, and we held a Community Service Day where students and faculty volunteered throughout the region. In early

January, we held our faculty day at the Connecticut Science Center. We also have a long-standing involvement at Hartford Public High School with the Crossroads Cooperative Learning Program that is directed by Todd Eckerson. I took a day early in the school year to visit a number of schools in Hartford with Todd.

What are some of the special challenges currently facing independent schools?

B: While independent schools represent a small percentage of the school experience nationally, their influence extends well beyond. Our aspiration is far beyond just teaching subjects such as English or physics. Our students not only go to class, they participate in athletics and the arts, and they gather for assemblies and go to chapel, and the boarding students have family style meals. Why are these required parts of our program?

Because we think they are meaningful, and they enhance the learning process.

The totality of the experience at a boarding school at such an impressionable moment in someone’s life is formative and can’t be replicated anywhere else. There are opportunities for personal development, strengthening of values and interaction with people of different backgrounds, not just in a setting in an English classroom but in a setting in a dormitory corridor, around the table at a meal, at a community service endeavor or sitting in the audience for the performing arts.

What legacy would you like to leave at Westminster?

B: The legacy for me is the people. Westminster does not need a revolution. In that spirit, I think stewardship is an important part of a legacy. My hope is that during my tenure, the school continues to enjoy success and continues to celebrate the values that define it.

J: We hope to move the school forward and continue to make this a great place to be.

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MAY 7-9, 2010

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50th Reunion Dinner

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Members of the Class of 1960 gathered for their 50th reunion dinner in Hinman Reading Room, where Larry and Ann Gilman and Geoffrey and Betsy Wilbraham joined them. Members of the class reminisced about their time on the Hill and reflected on the past 50 years. They also reviewed a class memory book.

Members of the 50th Reunion Committee included John M. Capito Jr., Leigh Johnstone, CDR William C. Johnston Jr., Sherman T. Kent, John A. DePasquale and John R. Gow III. A successful challenge from Bill Carey resulted in the class making an all-time high gift of $111,795.

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25th Reunion Dinner

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The Class of 1985 celebrated their 25th reunion dinner at Gitterman House, the home of Bill and Jenny Philip, where Don and Mimi Werner, Tally and Peter Briggs ’71, Scott Berry and Nancy UrnerBerry ’81, and Scott and Amy Stevens joined them.

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At the Black and Gold Reunion Dinner Saturday evening under the reunion tent, the Class of 1960 was recognized for its record-setting 50th reunion gift of $111,795 and the Class of 1975 for its 35th reunion gift of $239,027. Reunion committee members for the Class of 1975 included Mike Jackson, Rossana Leeper, Amy Myzie, Wendy McKinley Uvino, Susan Gossling Walters, Dave Winship and Dave Wood.

The Class of 2005 also celebrated reaching 60 percent participation in the Young Alumni Challenge (YAC) and selected the Wilde Fund, which helps to finance additional costs incurred during the school year by students who need assistance, as the program to support. Committee members included Will Ames, Peter Christman, Brooke Davis, Graham Fadden, Bailey Harris, Carolyn Murphy, Kelly Overbye, Kevan Quinn, Maggie Warner, C.C. Webster and David Yanofsky.

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Saturday’s events included tours of the Armour Academic Center, a “Meet the Martlets” panel with six students, the grand march of alumni, the Sixth Form induction into the Alumni Association and a memorial service for 18 alumni who died during the past year. A number of classrooms in the Armour Academic Center were also dedicated.

Caldwell Classroom

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Family members of the late William W. Caldwell III ’80 and members of the Class of 1980 celebrated Will’s life at the dedication of a history classroom in Will’s memory. Will was a very loyal alumnus and had served on the Alumni Association Executive Committee.

Faculty member David Werner ’80, P’10, ’11 spoke about his friendship with Will and the class’s desire to honor his memory through the naming.

Headmaster Graham Cole expressed appreciation to the Class of 1980 for making the space possible, and Priscilla Caldwell P’14 thanked everyone and said how special it was for her to be a part of the project honoring her husband.

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McKinley Classroom

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Family members of the late Gordon J. McKinley P’75 and members of the Class of 1975 met in the classroom of Michael Cervas, head of the English Department, for the dedication of that classroom in honor of Gordon, who headed the English Department from 1958 to 1986. The classroom was a gift from Gordon’s family and his students.

Wendy McKinley Uvino ’75, P’05, ’14 talked about her father’s love of cats and chopping wood, and read two poems. She also thanked the school for the “inspiring classroom” and wished future students “good reading.”

Michael Cervas concluded the dedication by reading a poem and saying he touches the plaque honoring Gordon every time he enters the classroom. “I touch it not for good luck but for the man who dedicated his life to teaching language and literature,” said Michael.

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Olmsted Classroom

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Members of the Class of 1970, who had rallied to support construction of the academic center as a way of honoring their former teacher Ashley W. Olmsted, a member of the Westminster faculty from 1945-1951 and 19541975, gathered for the dedication of the Olmsted Classroom in Room 316.

The class, which also calls itself the “Confessors Society” in honor of English monarch Edward the Confessor, selected the classroom of longtime history teacher Todd Eckerson for the naming, and Larry Wasiele ’75 contributed a portrait of Ash he created to hang there.

Following the portrait unveiling, Larry shared some remembrances of Ash and declared, “Ash, this is for you.”

Headmaster Cole told members of the class he had the privilege of knowing Ash and that, “Ashley Olmsted was a very special man and did things his own way and that is why I think students were so fond of him. I think he would be very proud of this.”

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Front row, Barton Lewis, Dick Adams and Steve Walker. Back row, Harrick Jackson, John Stratton and Ted Reboul.

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Class of 1957 Planetarium

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An idea by Bob Wing ’57 to support a planetarium in the new academic center took fire in June 2008 through a Class of 1957 challenge. Peter Palin ’57 used e-mails, letters and photos to encourage support of the effort from 17 members of the class. At reunion, members of the class met in the Class of 1957 Planetarium to celebrate their achievement and see a demonstration of its capabilities by astronomy teacher Jamie Waters.

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Front row, Peter Palin, Ned Gow and Joel Palmer.

Back row, Rob Adams, Bob Wing and Bill Burlingham.

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1945 Jim and Julie Slimmon.

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1955 David Allen, David Houk, Sally Turner-Allen, Joe Gitterman, Hal Anthony, Karen Anthony, Carol Bradley and Trump Bradley.

1965 Robert Barnes, Charles Fineman, Art Turton and John Devereux.

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1960 Bill Pite, John DePasquale, Bill Carey, Toby Kent, Jack Gow, Bill Johnston and Leigh Johnstone.

1970 Front row, William Mckay, Evan Stewart, Douglas Yorke, Gary Mah, O.P. Jackson, Peter Hitt, Chris Rice and David Grant.

Back row, Tim Goodman, Kevin Wittman, Ben Parsons, Charles Gifford, Matthew Pook, Mark Patlovich, William Caldwell, Werk Cook, Piper Stevens, Will Luckey, Bill Stetson and Greg Wolff.

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1975 Front row, Cesar Trujillo, Scott Reed, Wendy McKinley Uvino, Joe Uvino and Spike Lobdell.

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Back row, Thomas Walker, Laurie Wasiele, Larry Wasiele, Cynthia McKee, Phil McKee, Peter Mott, Jane Jackson, Mike Jackson, Tracy Huntington, Dave Winship, Lisa Howe and Rick Rickman.

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Back row, David Werner, Katherine Ford Albers, John Hamblett, Whitney Blodgett, Fred Fischer, Charles Santry, Lars Noble, Pat Holloway, Becky Armour Stevens, Marie-Noelle Serafini, Ted Probert, Jeff Grover and John McConkey.

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Back row, Peter Olney, Tim Robinson, Brad Raymond, Brad Thomas, John Worcester, Stuart Walker, David Briss, Doug Wendell, Todd Taplin, Doug Gilbert, Merill McAlpin van den Broek, Mark Bluestein, James Shaw and Tom Wilde.

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1985 Front row, Jennifer Goodrich, Susan Hamill Simmers, Abby Jacobson Kopf, Abby Coe Flanagan, Jennifer Powers, Tyler Ingham Weld, Stephanie Houghton Sinclair, Kathleen Gorman Gilbert and Kathy Urner Schott.

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1990 Front row, Mike Tauber, Chris Barrett, Tim Frahm, Betsy Cameron and Ellen Brockelman Bailey.

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Back row, Aileen Daversa and Marile Haylon Borden.

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1995 Tyler Gamble, Julie Zlotnick Belcher, Jill Olich, Nate de Kanter, Lydia Heenan Marshall, Rebecca Thornton, Seton Clark Spagnuolo, Whitney Scarlett Saunders, Madeleine Bartow and Ali Dwyer Edwards.

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2000 Front row, Christy Garcia, Meredith Miller, Jessica Starr Habibyar and Ashley Beckwith.

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Middle row, Laura Bridge, Liz Kelly, Erinn Sullivan Davis, Emily Rotando, Amy Brais, Michele Wiernasz, Katharine Hastings, Blair Gallagher, Meredith Carso and Crissy Miller Droessler.

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Back row, Eddie Scott, Brian Howard, Todd McDonald, Jack Cole, Chad Mountain, Ben Roberts, Tim Joncas, Mike Kennedy, Chris Lee, Ben Srour, Derek Swan, Hanna Foster Robinson and Kirsten Ford.

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2005 Front row, Courtney Heywood, Katie Morton, Carolyn Murphy, Michele Hatchette, David Yanofsky, Kevan Quinn, Chris Santoro, Yann Coquoz and Will Cooper.

Middle row, Se Hee Kim, Maggie Warner, Annie Belfiore, Bailey Harris, Meriwether Hardie, C.C. Webster, Amanda Uvino, Katie Baker, Sarah Pompea, Cammie Kurtz, Liz Phillips, Francesca Giacco, David Martinez, Graham Fadden and Lindsay O’Brien.

Back row, Carla Thompkins, Tina Augustine, Erin Clark, Paul Fanelli, Brooke Davis, Steve Simmons, Ben Tyler, Chris Wafula, Peter Hunter, Peter Christman, Pieter Melief, Lee Snodgrass, Ariana Artis, Katie Ugalde, Nina Minella, Becky Julian, Brody Ingles, John Leathers, Jordan Gray, Megan Neureither, Andrea Seymour and Willie West.

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Recognizing the Class of 2010’s Accomplishments at 122nd Commencement

With impressive colleges and universities awaiting their arrival in the fall, 111 students in the Class of 2010 celebrated their graduation from Westminster on May 30. Members of the class gathered with family, friends and faculty under the commencement tent to recognize individual and collective accomplishments and to reflect about the future ahead.

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Salutatory Address In his salutatory address, Head Prefect Cris Gomez ’10, a four-year student from Bogota, Columbia, talked about the magic of the Westminster community. “Not only do you get to build a family with your peers, but also with teachers and members of the staff,” he said. “Westminster has the power to bond kids from all over the world, from different continents, countries and states to create a family.”

He credited his classmates’ leadership with making the year a success. “We are surely a class that will always be remembered,” he said. “I know that we are parting ways after today, but our family will always stay intact. Our common bond, our common love for this school and for each other will never be forgotten. Class of 2010, we are a family, and we must not forget. I only hope for you that wherever you go next year, or wherever you end up later on, that you will find a place like Westminster and another family like the one we have here on Williams Hill.”

Outstanding Scholar Address Vladimir Bok ’10, a Davis Scholar from the Czech Republic who graduated first in his class, was selected by the faculty as the 2010 Outstanding Scholar. During his two years at Westminster, he took nine AP classes, was named an AP Scholar with Distinction, received the Excellence in Economics prize and the Trinity Book Award, and was named an Outstanding Delegate with the Yale Model United Nations. He also served as a corridor proctor, president of the Debate Club and president of the Model United Nations. He is now a freshman at Harvard University.

In his Outstanding Scholar Address, Vlad talked about his dream of studying in the United States becoming a reality two years ago and what he learned from his Westminster experience.

“With such a success, it was a simple matter to fall into the belief that during my pursuit of knowledge, I was achieving all that could be attained,” he explained. “Only here at Westminster, have I realized how narrow was my sense of accomplishment.

Thanks to Westminster, it became clear to me that learning all there is to know, but doing so in a vacuum, separate from the lessons that only an engaged life could yield, left me empty and irrelevant.

“Westminster opened my eyes to the world of knowledge that is all around us and that is more valuable than what we can learn from a book or in any classroom alone,” he continued. “Thanks to Westminster, I have realized that we are all capable of purpose-driven learning and that our time to help others is not far off in the distant future: it is now.”

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Keynote Address Chairman of the Westminster Board of Trustees John Armour ’76 introduced Headmaster Graham Cole H’09, who was presiding over the final commencement ceremony of his 17-years at Westminster, as the keynote speaker. “Given the rapid change that has washed over education over the years, Westminster has indeed been fortunate to be guided by the foresight, experience, care, love and wisdom of Graham Cole,” said John. “So as he prepares to ‘graduate’ to the next chapter of his and Mrs. Cole’s life together, we are fortunate to have him here today to share some of that passion, warmth and wisdom with all of us.”

Graham spoke about the role of surprise in shaping people’s hopes and plans. “I will talk today about surprise, about the unexpected, about how all the plans we make for the future are regularly upset, sometimes by disaster and sometimes by delight,” he said.

“Commencement is, after all, a time when people think about the future, about what lies ahead, about where we want to go and what you want to do, so it seems appropriate to offer some thoughts about our hopes and plans.”

He talked about returning home and how difficult it will be for the graduates to predict what they will do with their lives. “I know that when I was graduating from boarding school, I had no idea that I would become a teacher, let alone a headmaster, and in that respect, as I think on it, it is something of a surprise that I am standing in front of you today in this role,” he said.

He pointed out that people are not really in charge of their lives in many respects. “Life will throw things at you that you will not be able to predict or control,” he explained. “But what you can control is who you are along the way.

What you can control is the degree of commitment, compassion, energy and character that you bring to your journey.

You can shape what kind of person you want to be, and in the end, that persona, that character is the surest home that you will ever have. That is the place you must put in order, the home to which you should continually return.”

In his closing comments to the graduates, he advised, “And so it is with the rhythms of our lives. We need the pulling, the striving and the letting go. We must shape, and we must let go. We will be unformed and then returned to form. We will be pulled off center; we will deal with both disaster and delight. We will wobble. We will be surprised. We will return home. We will come back to our best selves.”

Presentation of Diplomas Following the announcements of faculty and student awards, Headmaster Cole and John Armour presented diplomas to the graduates. As is tradition at Westminster, members of the Class of 2010 then participated in the passing of their diplomas. They formed a circle on the Sixth Form Lawn and passed the diplomas they received randomly during the commencement ceremony until they received their own diplomas. They then stepped out of the circle signifying their graduation.

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— Class Agents for the Class of 2010 — Back row, Adam Susaneck, Benjamin Mandell, Clare Ulrich, Margaret Miller, Cris Gomez, William Smith and Sean Kelley.

Front row, Madelin McPhee, Charlotte O’Herron, Tiffany Liu, Isabelle Hill and Maddie Garnett.

SIXTH FORM PREPARES TIME CAPSULES At the Sixth Form Dinner on May 25, members of the Sixth Form gathered for a final meal together and to meet local alumni and trustees from New York City, Boston and Hartford. Alumni who serve on the faculty also attended, and Matt Zimmerman ’99 was the keynote speaker (See related story on page 66).

This year, members of the Sixth Form were involved in preparing two time capsules. They brought items to the dinner for the Class of 2010 time capsule, which they will open at their fifth reunion, and they reviewed items they had collected previously for a second time capsule that will be kept in a secure location in the lower level of the Armour Academic Center and they will open at their 50th reunion.

Among the contents in the 50year capsule are remarks from the opening day of the Armour Academic Center, a letter from Headmaster Graham Cole, a letter from Head Prefect Cris Gomez, a 2010 yearbook, copies of recent Westminster Bulletins, a W Book, a community directory, a senior Tshirt, admissions brochures, a list of trustees, a school calendar, a schedule card, a cell phone, a Building Grit and Grace hat and a Members of the Sixth Form and Headmaster Graham Cole in the Westminster tie. mechanical room of the Armour Academic Center with the 50-year time capsule.

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The contents of the 50-year time capsule.

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ceremony, faculty member Todd Eckerson P’09, ’11 also was invited onto the lawn as an honorary member of the Class of 2010. Other members of the Prefect Board for 2010-2011 include Junior Prefect Kevin Hope, Katie Polio, Vanessa Larracuente, Tommy Kirsch, Whitney Powel, Harry Richards, Olivia Frank and Michael Hom.

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20-YEAR PIN This award honors faculty members who have given 20 years of service to Westminster School.

Dan Aber Dennis Daly P’01, ’04 Peter Newman ’80

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EXCELLENCE IN MATHEMATICS Tanakrit Rungrojchaiporn ’10

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SIXTH FORM PRIZES FOR GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP Third in the Sixth Form:

DRAMATIC AWARD FOR SERVICE AND ACHIEVEMENT IN ACTING

Tanakrit Rungrojchaiporn ’10

Second in the Sixth Form: Anne Cervas ’10

Andrew Lunenburg ’10

LIFETIME OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD This award honors faculty members for their lifetime of service to Westminster School.

THE O’BRIEN AWARD This award is presented annually in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Junie O’Brien P’81, who devoted their lives in service to young people and to schools. It recognizes a member of the faculty who has, over the course of the year, been especially selfless and generous with time and care in the nurture and support of students and whose extraordinary, ongoing personal commitment to young people sets an example to the Westminster community.

Scott Berry P’11

Dick Adams P’93 – 40 years Alan Brooks ’55, P’89, ’91, ’96 – 50 years

STUDENT PRIZES

First in the Sixth Form:

DESIGN AWARD FOR SERVICE AND ACHIEVEMENT IN TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Vladimir Bok ’10

Jeanne Kim ’10

J. LAWRENCE GILMAN AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC AND PARTICIPATION IN MUSICAL ACTIVITIES Tiffany Liu ’10

GRETCHEN HUPFEL ’82 ART PURCHASE PRIZE Clare Ulrich ’10

GORDON MCKINLEY AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ENGLISH

COWING ART AWARD

Charlotte O’Herron ’10

Erika Olson ’10

LEWIS J. POWERS PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD

BURDETT PRIZE FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN THE STUDY OF FRENCH

Tiffany Liu ’10

Kip Denoyer ’10

EXCELLENCE IN DANCE

LUIS MONCADA PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN SPANISH

Francheska Munoz ’10

BUTLER BOWL This award is presented by the faculty to a member of the Third Form for character and leadership.

Ronald Yeung ’13

Suchi Mandavilli ’10

EDWARD SCULL JR. ’71 AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ARCHITECTURE Sumner Miller ’10 Adam Susaneck ’10

THE SWAYZE AWARD

EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE

Presented annually in honor of distinguished alumnus, trustee and former Chairman of the Board of Trustees Townsend Swayze ’55, P’86, this award is given to a member of the faculty for outstanding contributions to the life of the school.

Anne Cervas ’10

Todd Eckerson P’09, ’11

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THE RICHARD HOPLEY LATIN PRIZE Kathryn Brady ’10

ECONOMICS Tanakrit Rungrojchaiporn ’10

EXCELLENCE IN BIOLOGY

CLASS OF 1941 PETER MARS MEMORIAL HISTORY PRIZE

Charlotte O’Herron ’10

Vladimir Bok ’10

FOURTH FORM BOWL

EXCELLENCE IN CHEMISTRY

This award is presented annually by the faculty to a Fourth Former who shows outstanding personal qualities and concern for the community.

Tanakrit Rungrojchaiporn ’10

Patrick Spano ’12

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WILBRAHAM BOWL

OUTSTANDING SCHOLAR AWARD

This award is presented annually to a member of the Fifth Form who best embodies the qualities of Geoffrey Wilbraham, who gave distinguished and loyal service to Westminster from 1958 to 1994: high personal standards, consistent respect for others, unswerving commitment to the common good, steady insistence on fair play and abiding human decency.

This award is presented to the Sixth Former who, in the opinion of the faculty, is the outstanding scholar of the class. The award is not necessarily determined by rank in class but is based, rather, on the attributes of the true scholar: curiosity, imagination, power to associate new observations with prior experience, thoroughness, appetite for ideas rather than for grades as an end in themselves and the ability to move easily in the realm of concepts.

Whitney Powel ’11

Vladimir Bok ’10

KEYES BOWL Established by the Class of 1966 and recognized as the school’s most prestigious commencement award, the Keyes Bowl is presented annually to a member of the Sixth Form and recognizes the qualities of loyalty, courage, leadership and humility that were exemplified by Headmaster Francis P. Keyes (1956 to 1970).

Cris Gomez ’10

BRIAN T. BRUYETTE ’77 SENIOR ATHLETIC AWARD This award is given annually to the Sixth Form boy and girl who best exemplify excellence in athletics and who contributed to the character of the team. It is given in memory of Brian T. Bruyette ’77, who in his enthusiasm, sportsmanship, effort and skills, represented all that is best in his school.

Will Smith ’10 Corinne Werner ’10

PAUL WINSHIP ’35 ALUMNI BOOK PRIZE This book prize is awarded to a Sixth Former who has made an unusual commitment in both breadth and depth to the school’s programs and activities. It is awarded in honor of Paul Winship ’35, former director of the alumni program, whose vision resulted in many of the buildings on the Hill.

Tiffany Liu ’10

RICHARD K. LEBLOND II HONOR AWARD This award is given annually to a member of the Sixth Form who exemplifies dedication to academics and loyalty to the school.

Suchi Mandavilli ’10

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MATRICULATION

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Katherine H. Adams Trinity College

Paige E. Decker Yale University

Alex J. Gioia Hamilton College

Joseph R. Kos Fairfield University

Kwaku O. Akoi Wesleyan University

Noel deCordova IV University of Puget Sound

Cristobal Gomez Wake Forest University

Christopher J. T. Laeri University of Redlands

Ashley C. Andrien University of Connecticut

Gerard P. Denoyer Tufts University

Jacqueline D. Grant Guilford College

Nicholas V. Lanza Colby College

Patricia Y. Argueta Barnard College

Ludovic Dubeau Concordia University

Ian T. Griffith Lewis & Clark College

Mackenzie J. Lauzon Miami University

Margaret F. Barnes Franklin and Marshall College

Anthony J. Depatie McGill University

Ryan T. Hallisey College of the Holy Cross

Tiffany S. Liu New York University

Liam M. Flaherty Miami University

Ahmad N. Hassanzoy College of the Holy Cross

Malcolm C. Lloyd Trinity College

Vladimir Bok Harvard University

Xavier A. Fowler Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Isabelle P. Hill Wake Forest University

Andrew D. Lunenburg University of Richmond

Kevin L. Boyle Colgate University

Colin D. Fritz St. Lawrence University

Daniel J. Hnatko Year Off

Riana M. MacKenzie University of Michigan

Kathryn C. Brady Bowdoin College

Madeline J. Garnett St. Lawrence University

Winchester F. Hotchkiss III St. Lawrence University

Matthew B. Mahany College of the Holy Cross

Thomas S. Cavazuti Providence College

Jennie A. Gavrich University of Vermont

Robert A. Hunter Siena College

Suchita Mandavilli Princeton University

Anne E. Cervas Harvard University

Eddie A. Gentle Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Sean P. Kelley Boston College

Benjamin L. Mandell Colgate University

Donald R. Keough University of Notre Dame

James A. Mangum Southern Methodist University

Brook Geremew University of Cambridge (United Kingdom)

Jeanne Suhn Ju Kim Northwestern University

Alexander D. Martin II Springfield College

Laura P. Gineo Northeastern University

Madeleine H. A. King University of St. Andrews (Scotland)

Michael B. Maurer Colorado College

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John C. Bashaw Fairfield University

James P. Clarke Rollins College Jeffrey H. Coffin Year Off Zachary E. Curcio Northeastern University

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T H E C L A S S O F 2 0 1 0

Patrick M. Niedermeyer Pitzer College

Samuel T. Reynolds Wake Forest University

Emily M. P. Snoddon Middlebury College

Connor J. McBride University of Wisconsin, Madison

Sara M. Nolan Year Off

Miller Slingluff Robinson Wake Forest University

Connor E. O’Brien Gettysburg College

Rafael Augusto Rojas University of Richmond

Adam P. Susaneck University of California, Berkeley

Charlotte L. O’Herron Middlebury College

Benjamin W. A. Ross Trinity College

Colby C. O’Neil University of Virginia

Tanakrit Rungrojchaiporn Princeton University

Erika K. Olson Saint Michaels College

Robert R. Santangelo Jr. Union College

J. Tyler Papa Colby College

William M. Sargent Union College

Andrew H. Pappas Providence College

Kingsley M. Schroeder Washington and Lee University

Jae Bum Park New York University

Nikolaus E. Schultz Trinity College

Victoria C. Parmenter College of Charleston

Stephen F. Seymour Middlebury College

Alexander J. Pascal Saint Anselm College

Benjamin M. Sharaf Bates College

Tammie V. Moopenn New York University

Graham A. Pastor Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Bronwyn S. Shortly Queen’s University (Canada)

Tyler N. Moseley Denison University

Victoria R. Pizzuto Manhattanville College

Francheska Munoz Syracuse University

Megan W. Pooley Bucknell University

Edward J. McCormick III Boston College Colin H. McLaughlin Colby College Madelin L. McPhee University of Delaware

Matthew J. Mercede Johns Hopkins University Panayiotis Michailidis Year Off Gregory T. Miller Santa Clara University Margaret W. Miller Franklin and Marshall College Sumner M. Miller Tulane University

Lily C. Simek University of Richmond William H. Smith College of William and Mary

Mark W. Swank University of Vermont Ryan C. Tyson Year Off Sara F. Ugalde Middlebury College Clare E. Ulrich Middlebury College

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Brian Raymond McQuillan Skidmore College

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Kristen M. Maxwell Trinity College

Javier R. Vargas Wheaton College Andrew L. Vermeer University of Nebraska at Lincoln Ryan M. Viola Skidmore College Erin H. Wallace Queen’s University (Canada) Corinne N. Werner St. Lawrence University Margaret B. Wyatt University of Virginia Karin Yoshida Oberlin College Martha A. Zamora Barnard College

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Everyone sensed that a major page was turning in the history of Westminster.

The evening of June 12 was a time to celebrate two major milestones in the life of the school: the conclusion of the very successful Building Grit and Grace campaign and the end of the 17-year tenure of Headmaster Graham and Carol Cole. Chairman of the Board of Trustees John Armour ’76 welcomed guests to a June 12 dinner honoring both occasions, calling it “one of the school’s most special evenings.”

An Evening to Remember Campaign Success

Trustee Spike Lobdell ’75, P’07 announces the overwhelming success of the Building Grit and Grace campaign.

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Spike Lobdell ’75, P’07, vice chairman of the Board of Trustees and chairman of the campaign, began the evening’s remarks by announcing the campaign’s overwhelming success in exceeding its $50 million goal and raising $52.7 million. “To all of you, congratulations on a job well done,” he said. “I thank you for your impressive support of our school. Together we have capped Graham’s amazing tenure at Westminster with one huge exclamation point!”

But he emphasized that there is much more to the story than exceeding the goal. “It’s the impressive

showing of support as well as the transformational impact of dollars raised that truly exemplify the grit and grace of the Westminster faithful.”

The campaign was the largest in the school’s history and supported its most important priorities including construction of the Armour Academic Center, the centerpiece of the campaign, and advancement of faculty and students through growth in endowment and annual fund support.

“Your generosity is not marked by the goal exceeded or measured by the dollars raised,” said Spike. “Your generosity is measured by the significant impact it has on our faculty and students.”

Tributes to the Coles The remainder of the evening focused on tributes to the Coles.

“They have given tirelessly and selflessly of themselves from the moment they walked onto our campus in the summer of 1993,” said John Armour. “Both have held the view that the value of private education is in helping students understand the difference between true wisdom and mere knowledge.”

After presenting Graham and Carol with copies of bookplates that will go into books in the Cole Library and a

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matching set for their home library, and a travel grant, John talked about the legacy of the Coles. “When I think about the changes between 1993 and today, it is astounding,” he said. “We have accomplished things we never would have imagined, all while maintaining our core values — that is what great leadership does. Graham’s personal warmth, passion and genuine emotion have been hallmarks of his effective leadership.”

He concluded by telling Graham and Carol that as they reflect on this chapter of their lives, “I know I speak for everyone here tonight when I say we hope you look back on your time at Westminster as fulfilling your dreams and having been everything you had imagined. Certainly from our perspective, your time here was more than we could have ever imagined.”

The Coles then stepped to the podium to join distinguished artist Daniel Greene P’09 for the unveiling of a portrait of Graham, which now hangs with portraits of Westminster’s six previous headmasters in the dining hall.

Former junior prefect Bethany Tracey Rodrigues ’96 also shared some of her memories of Graham when she was a student, including those of him cheering in the stands. “I can still hear your shouts of ‘Yes!’ and ‘Way to go!’” she said. “You were in the stands, no matter the team or the sport as a number one fan.” She also talked about how the Coles’ 17 years on the Hill were “years of sincere dedication to Westminster as a people, not just a place,” adding, “Your Headmaster Graham Cole H’09.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees John Armour ’76.

“We have accomplished things we never would have imagined, all while maintaining our core values — that is what great leadership does.”

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Artist Daniel Greene P’09 and Carol Cole with Graham’s portrait.

Former junior prefect Bethany Tracey Rodrigues ’96 presents Graham with a book of tributes and remembrances from the Westminster community.

leadership and example have strengthened this community and that is what makes Westminster the special place that it is.” She ended by presenting the Coles with a book of tributes and remembrances from the Westminster community.

“We all know that Graham and Carol were the very best thing that could have happened to Westminster in 1993,” said longtime faculty member Alan Brooks ’55, P’89, ’91, ’96 in his remarks. He talked about Graham’s legacy and how Westminster’s core values and mission were defined and sharpened under Graham’s watch. “He, more than anyone else, delineated, articulated, communicated and, yes, embodied the very essence of those values and of grit and grace.”

Dean of Faculty Dick Adams P’93 presented the Coles with a painting depicting the view of the Westminster campus from Pratt House. “It is a view of the campus that Carol has said that she will particularly miss,” he explained.

The painting was a gift from the faculty and staff.

have been so important to Carol and me and have done so much to advance this great school.”

He said it had been humbling and moving to receive so many good wishes and congratulations from so many people.

“We have been touched by the large numbers of people telling us how much Westminster changed their lives — what they are doing, who they are, what they believe and what they have become,” he said. “To me, this should be the true measure of a great school, the extent to which the school touches souls, changes the very being of its people for the better, the extent to which its stories tell of the impact of classes, teachers, teams, events, conversations and roommates, tell of community, character and values.” He emphasized his “unshakable confidence in this school’s future,” and added, “If we stand for community, character, balance, involvement; if we promote service, self-discipline and responsibility; if we provide measures of order and structure with freedom and choice, Westminster will ever be vital and strong.”

After sharing some of the lessons he learned as headmaster, he concluded, “Although I will leave it to others to determine the success or failure of the Cole years, I can speak for my own view that I have found both dignity and meaning at Westminster, and that I have so thoroughly enjoyed my time here.”

“We all know that Graham and Carol were the very best thing that could have happened to Westminster in 1993.”

Humbled by Good Wishes Carol responded by thanking everyone, encouraging the faculty to never change and praising the staff. To parents, she said, “Thank you for all that you have given us, especially your children.” In closing, she expressed appreciation to Graham for bringing her to Westminster and added, “You all are special friends. I wouldn’t have missed this for the world!”

In his reflections, Graham began by extending his thanks to Carol, “who has been such a stalwart, counselor, advocate and best friend,” and to trustees, faculty, staff, alumni and parents, “the members of this school family who

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A Surprise Ending In closing the evening’s remarks, John asked Trustee Emeritus Jack Sherwin ’57, P’83, ’89 to step forward for a final announcement. “We all should be eternally grateful to Jack and his family for what they have done for this school,”

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Alan Brooks ’55, P’89, ’91, ’96 talks about Graham’s legacy.

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Carol Cole expresses her appreciation.

said John. “And I am pleased to announce they have done it again. They have graciously offered to endow a chair in Graham’s name. The citation will read: The John Sherwin, Jr. ’57 and W. Graham Cole, Jr. Chair: Established in 2010 by Jack Sherwin, Chairman of the Board of Trustees 1997–2004, to honor his close friend Graham Cole, the school’s seventh headmaster and to recognize Westminster leadership. This chair will be awarded every three years to recognize a senior faculty member who sets the standard for leadership and embodies the true meaning of Grit and Grace.”

The unexpected announcement and elated response from Graham and Carol were the perfect ending to the evening’s program.

Graham Cole offers his reflections.

Trustee Emeritus Jack Sherwin ’57, P’83, ’89 steps forward for a surprise announcement about endowing a chair in Graham’s name.

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“KEEPING THE FAITH” FOR THREE GENERATIONS Above: Members of the Hovey family last summer.

Front row, Grayson, Tommy ’11, Leigh P’09, ’11, ’14, Katie ’14, Landon, and Hov and Jenks P’78, ’80, ’83, GP’09, ’11, ’14.

Back row, Dave ’78, Romi, Kim ’80, Davey ’09 and Sam ’83.

When she arrived on campus last September, students came up to her and said, “Are you Tommy Hovey’s sister?” The answer was, yes, but that was just part of the story. Third Former Katie Hovey is not only the sister of Sixth Former Tommy Hovey, she is the sister of Davey Hovey ’09, the daughter of Dave Hovey ’78, the niece of Kim Hovey ’80 and Sam Hovey ’83, and the granddaughter of former veteran faculty member David Hovey. Katie is part of the third generation of Hoveys at Westminster and a rich family legacy on the Hill.

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First Generation The Hovey family’s presence at Westminster began in 1955 when David Hovey, a graduate of Solebury School and the University of Pennsylvania, arrived at Westminster as a new faculty member to teach mathematics and English. His uncle David Kennedy, who was the assistant headmaster, had invited him to consider teaching at Westminster following a two-year tour of duty as an officer in the Navy.

The Hov, as he is affectionately known, would go on to serve as dean of students, corridor supervisor, head of the work program and coach of numerous sports including head football coach and head boys’ lacrosse coach during his 37-year Westminster career. He and his wife, Jenks, lived many of those years in the original Sanger House, which was attached to Memorial Hall. Their home was a revolving door of activity for students, parents, alumni and their three children: Dave, Kim and Sam. Students often visited their home to play bumper pool or ping pong, alumni would make their home an essential stop during reunions and parents often dropped by when they were on campus.

“We liked and enjoyed them all,” said Jenks. “We met so many wonderful friends. The whole family’s involvement with the town and friends was important to us.”

But their magnetism was something that often took a while for new students to grasp. “I came to Westminster as a Third Former, and the sight and sound of the Hov put the fear of God into me,” said Westminster Trustee Pierce O’Neil ’76, P’10, ’12. “But like most others, I soon realized that behind the gruff voice and scary facade was a wonderful man who cared deeply about all students and had all of our best interests at heart. Hov had an uncanny way of developing deep and lasting bonds with so many of us, even kids who never had him as a teacher or coach. He helped me through my four years at Westminster and taught me life lessons that come into play virtually every day.”

“It was my voice that was gruff, but it was mixed with love,” explained Hov. “Plus, I whistled when I was walking from my office in Main Building to Sanger House, so if people were misbehaving, they knew I was coming. I enjoyed whistling.”

“I think his whistling was another example of how much he cared about the students,” added Pierce. “He certainly wasn’t out to get anyone. To the contrary, it was his way of letting us know he was in the area.”

As the dean of students, Hov says that he always tried to get to the bottom of things. “I wanted to know exactly what happened and what the

Hov with students in the basement of Sanger House.

students wanted me to do about it,” he said. “Sometimes they thanked me for changing their life around. There weren’t a lot of serious incidents, but there were some.”

Hov, who had been a three-sport varsity athlete at the University of Pennsylvania and had played football before crowds of 70,000 or more people, was well known as a coach on and off the Hill. Among his many athletic accomplishments, was coaching an undefeated football team in 1965, the first in 51 years, and starting the Westminster lacrosse program along with faculty member Charlie Dietrich. As lacrosse coach, Hov won 230 varsity lacrosse games.

But he claims he never had any favorite teams. “Whatever I was coaching was my favorite,” he said. “So in the fall, it was football, in the winter, it was mostly hockey, and in the spring, lacrosse.” He says the most important ingredient for success on one of his teams “was to learn the idea of friendship and love.”

“He was a legend in coaching circles and students were devoted to him,” said faculty member Todd Eckerson, who served as assistant lacrosse coach with Hov. “He above all others was beloved. A gruff exterior belied a compassionate guy.”

And it was this friendship and love that he signaled to many both on and off his teams with one of his favorite expressions, “Keep the faith.” “I use it all of the time,” said Hov. “That is the way I end it. It means friendship and love.” And that signal was received loud and clear by many and became the basis of countless enduring friendships with alumni, parents and faculty members that continue to thrive today.

Currently, Hov and Jenks spend eight months of the year in Savannah, Ga., where Hov started a lacrosse program at Hunter Air Force Base, and they have been active boosters at school sporting events and with the Special Olympics. They also spend four months at their home in Chatham, Mass., a place they call their “real home,” since Hov’s father originally built it, and they have been spending summers there throughout their lives.

Hov and Jenks at dinner with students.

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Hov raising spirits to play Pomfret.

But they are never far from Westminster friends who call and visit regularly. Often the calls begin with an imitation of Hov’s signature voice.

“The first thing I say is that it isn’t even close,” said Hov. And it is not uncommon for someone to see the Hovey’s mailbox in Chatham and stop by to chat. Others have even arrived by boat, since the Hoveys live within walking distance to the Stage Harbor Yacht Club, where Hov served as sailing master for 34 “The door was always summers and had as many as 200 students and open, and they were 80 sailboats in the sailing school. always there to talk. They And why do those connections remain so strong? “It is just the bond that exists between had a way of letting you Hov and Jenks and so many alumni,” added know that they were there Pierce. “They loved to be with all of the kids. to support you without The door was always open, and they were forcing it on you, which always there to talk. They had a way of letting you know that they were there to support you resulted in all of us seeking without forcing it on you, which resulted in all them out and wanting to be of us seeking them out and wanting to be in in their company.” their company.”

For some, Hov and Jenks seemed like parents. “They were different, distinctive, fun, accessible and direct with you,” said Chris Burr ’69, who knew the Hoveys both as a student and as a faculty colleague. “They never took themselves too seriously. I was an angry, lost kid from a fractured home, and they were wonderful surrogate parents.”

Over the years, Chris has stayed in frequent contact with them. “I’ll never lose touch with Hov and Jenks,” he added. “I am a teacher and coach, and one of the pictures on my desk is of both of them.” He recalls an amusing incident two years ago, when he visited Hov and Jenks in

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Chatham. “We had lunch at their club, and while we were catching up, a friend of the Hoveys stopped by our table to say hello. Hov introduced us, and their friend said to Hov, good-naturedly, ’What in the world could you have taught this guy (gesturing to me)?’ Hov never missed a beat in replying, ’I just loved ’em. Loved all of them.’”

Second Generation As faculty children growing up in the vortex of activity of the Hovey home, Dave, Kim and Sam Hovey took advantage of the abundant opportunities Westminster had to offer them.

“As a kid, I could look out my window onto the quad and see every game known to man going on,” said Dave Hovey ’78, P’09, ’11, ’14. “It was like you were living with 200 brothers and then, eventually, brothers and sisters. We had kids flowing in and out of our basement.

Occasionally, students even spent their final night before commencement in our basement to ensure that they would be receiving their diploma the following day. To my parents, it was all about interacting with the kids.”

Even though having his father as the dean of students presented some challenges, Dave thrived as a student at Westminster. He played football, hockey and lacrosse, performed community service and wrote for the student newspaper. “It was just a good mix between academics and athletics,” he said. “I did win the music history award my senior year, which shocked everyone, including faculty member Larry Gilman, who gave me that award.”

Following his Westminster graduation, Dave attended the University of Pennsylvania, his father’s alma mater, where he played lacrosse. He graduated with a degree in political science and soon took a position with The Hartford in Philadelphia. During one of his summer visits to Chatham, he ran into an old family friend, Leigh Armstrong, who was about to start a teaching position at Baldwin School in Philadelphia, and they began dating. Today, they have been married nearly 25 years; have three children: Davey, Tommy and Katie; and live within walking distance to Westminster. They chose to relocate to Simsbury 12 years ago from Chicago to be close to Westminster for their children. Dave is in his 27th year with The Hartford, working in sales relationship management for its largest distribution partners.

Over the years, Dave has served on the executive committee of the Westminster Alumni Association, and he and Leigh have attended

Co-chairs of the Parents Committee, Dave Hovey and Leigh Hovey, make a presentation at Parents’ Weekend.

Sam, Kim and Dave Hovey.

Westminster Today. Last September, they were appointed co-chairs of the Parents Committee and ex officio members of the Westminster Board of Trustees. “It just lets us take our relationship with the school to the next level,” said Dave. “We have a lot of long-term friends from campus.”

“Basically, it was an offer we couldn’t refuse,” added Leigh. “We have been around Westminster for quite a while, and it is a very important part of our life. It is a good cause, and we believe in it.”

Life-Shaping Experiences Like her brother Dave, Kim Hovey ’80 says she loved growing up on the Hill. “From my perspective, we all had wonderful experiences that shaped us for life,” she said. “We had a blast as faculty kids. There were so many great kids around, and you could walk out your front door and have a playmate.”

Even though life in the Hovey household was somewhat frenzied, she never felt left out. “We did a lot together as a family and tried to support each other as much as we could at all of the various sporting activities,” said Kim. “I remember my mom putting me in the car and going to all of my dad’s football games. It was a fun way to grow up.”

She said she didn’t feel any special pressures as a faculty child. “I think a lot of us had our own pressures on ourselves, just wanting to be good students and working hard both on and off the field,” she said. “I never felt intimidated.”

She too remembers all of the visitors to their home. “Students felt they could come in all of the time,” she recalled. “It was a very open home, and on alumni weekend, there would be lots of people at our house, which I loved. It was always fun when people came back after they graduated to keep in touch with my dad and mom.”

As a Westminster student, Kim volunteered as a tutor in Hartford, played field hockey and lacrosse, and was on the swim team. Following graduation, she launched another family tradition by attending St. Lawrence University, where she played varsity lacrosse and majored in Spanish.

She currently lives in New York City and is an associate publisher at Random House, where she has worked almost 22 years. She oversees publicity and marketing, decides what types of books should be bought and deals with authors. She recently attended a mystery conference in San Francisco with number one New York Times best-selling author Lee

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Child. She describes herself as a “big outdoor People were often scared of him at first, but person” and says it is ironic that she lives in they grew to respect him. That is all I ever the city. She likes running in Central Park and hear from people now. He was an educator, competed in the 2009 New York City a coach and a complete people’s person. He Marathon. She also travels a lot to visit her talked with the kids, that is for sure.” family. “My niece and nephews have been a As a Martlet, Sam earned All-New huge part of my life,” she said.

England honors in soccer, was an AllMembers of the Hovey family are very American in lacrosse and held the all-time close and get together three or four times a leading scoring record in lacrosse for year, including in Vail, Colo., for a lacrosse many years. He also played hockey and tournament, and in Chatham to play tennis volunteered as a tutor in Hartford. and golf, fish, sail and catch up with longtime “Because I grew up doing so many things friends. at Westminster, my life past college is Kim says one of the best things about immersed in six or seven sports that I growing up at Westminster was forming so still play.”

Kim Hovey in her office at Random many close friendships that continue to thrive Following Westminster, Sam joined his House. today. “I think having the Westminster sister at St. Lawrence University, where he connections is something that you always became a two-time All-American in lacrosse have, and I look at having that the rest of my life.” and still holds all of the scoring records. After earning his undergraduate degree, his passion for lacrosse took him to Australia to play for a year and then to Denver to participate in the inaugural season of the first No Better Life professional outdoor lacrosse league.

Sam Hovey ’83 claims that there is no better life than growing up Sam ended up staying in Denver, where he met his wife, Romi. They at a boarding school. “I had the best of both worlds,” he said. “I was a have been married 13 years and have two children, Grayson, 12, and day student, but I was a part of the dorms and hung out with kids on the Landon, 10. Sam is currently a financial representative with Northwestern corridor before I even went to Westminster. We pretty much did Mutual Financial Network, specializing in insurance, investment and everything that the students did. We went to sit-down dinners, and we estate planning, and Romi teaches kindergarten in the Denver public went to chapel. schools.

“Probably my fondest memories are of athletics and the athletic Sam keeps up with many of his closest friends from Westminster, facilities — from skating on the rink during vacations, to swimming, to and many of them participate in an annual lacrosse tournament in Vail. playing in the gym, to everything that we did as faculty kids,” he added.

“Our team alone has four or five Westminster graduates on it,” he said.

“We were at every game and every practice. It was an awesome “My sister and brother have come for years. It is a way for us to get experience. Also when other people go through Westminster, they usually together and have a great time.” only know the kids from that four-year period. For me, the span lasted at least 20 years of my life.”

Sam was the only one of the Hovey children to have their father, Hov, as a math teacher. “I sat in the front row my freshman year, and it was an interesting start to my Westminster career,” said Sam. “I had no problem having him in class, as a coach or as the dean of students.

Sam and Romi Hovey.

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Grayson and Landon Hovey in Chatham.

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At the annual Hovey Alumni Lacrosse Game in 2009 are, back row, left to right, Anni Santry, Dave Hovey ’78, Bob Santry ’86, Gordon Santry ’12, Charles Santry ’80, Sam Hovey ’83, Davey Hovey ’09 and Kim Hovey ’80. Front row, Grayson Hovey and Katie Hovey ’14.

Sam also tries to get back to Westminster when he can to play in the annual Hovey Alumni Lacrosse Game. “I played when my nephew Davey was a senior, and my brother and I made a pact that I would come back again when my other nephew, Tommy, was a senior and that is this year,” he said. “It is great to see everybody.”

And every summer, he and his family spend time with his parents and siblings in Chatham. “We all grew up there and that is why it is such a special place to get back together. It is our meeting spot.”

Third Generation When Dave and Leigh moved back to Simsbury to raise their three children, the stage was set for possibly another generation of Hoveys at Westminster.

“Living so close to the Westminster environment has been so great for our kids,” said Dave. “They have been able to walk over to campus to take advantage of all of the things I had available to me growing up.”

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“It just became part of our children’s lives,” added Leigh. “Our kids just fell in love with it and thought it was the coolest place in the world.”

Davey Hovey ’09 led the third generation of Hoveys at Westminster. At an early age, he was aware of his family’s history on the Hill and was determined to become a Martlet.

“I was on campus quite a bit as a little kid,” said Davey. “Watching the athletic games was my favorite part. Even though I didn’t know the players’ names, watching these high school athletes was an awesome experience. Throughout middle school, I had one major goal and that was to work hard and get good grades so that I could be admitted to Westminster. Receiving my acceptance letter in the spring of my eighth grade year is one of my best memories.”

As a Martlet, Davey followed his keen interest in sports. “Being able to play three sports — soccer, hockey and lacrosse — was something special,” he said. “I developed many friendships, which have made me a better person. The other thing I really enjoyed about Westminster was the strong sense of community. Living so close to campus, I was able to experience evening activities and develop relationships with boarding students.”

How did it feel to be following in so many footsteps ahead of him?

“It felt great, and I am honored to have been among the third generation of Hoveys at Westminster,” he said. “I am very glad that my brother, my sister and I have decided to keep the Hovey tradition going. It is something very rare and special.”

When it came time to select a college, Davey says he was attracted to St. Lawrence University because he wanted a small liberal arts school and to play Division III lacrosse. He is currently a sophomore there, and like his aunt and uncle before him, spends a great deal of time playing St. Lawrence lacrosse.

“It is great to be going to the same school as my uncle and my aunt,” he said. “They are both major role models in my life. For parents’ weekend last fall, not only did my mom and dad come up, but also my uncle, aunt and their friends came to visit for the dedication of a field in honor of their former lacrosse coaches. It was very exciting to have them on campus for a weekend that I will never forget.”

Didn’t Think Twice Sixth Former Tommy Hovey’s earliest memories of Westminster are of Sunday morning skates on the rink and watching athletic events. He never thought twice about attending Westminster. “As soon as my brother made the decision to attend, and I spent more time watching his games and meeting his friends, I just knew Westminster was the place for me,” said Tommy.

At Westminster, Tommy has played soccer, hockey and lacrosse, and is a member of Black and Gold. “I would say my proudest accomplishment so far as a Martlet is probably how I have been able to establish myself as an athlete,” he said.

Davey Hovey is a sophomore at St. Lawrence University.

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Katie Hovey meets with her advisor, David Werner ’80, P’10, ’11.

Tommy Hovey at a lacrosse game.

Tommy likes having Westminster as a shared experience with his family. Scott Berry, his science teacher for two years and his advisor, has been a biology teacher, coach, advisor and mentor to five members of the Hovey family over the years.

“Although the school has changed a lot, the people and the atmosphere have stayed pretty much the same,” added Tommy. “My grandfather, dad, uncle and aunt developed strong relationships with people at Westminster. To this day, they all have friends with whom they keep in touch. Having this connection to the school is one of the things that makes me so thankful for having the opportunity to go to such a special place.”

Tommy says that he often talks with his family members about their experiences on the Hill. “For example, we often laugh about the time my dad and his buddies thought it would be funny if they stepped on the senior lawn,” he explained. “They did and they got caught. As a consequence, they had to wear dresses for the whole week.”

Tommy also has a sense of history about this long-term involvement with the school. “Being the third generation of Hoveys to be associated with Westminster is what makes this experience so meaningful,” he said.

“I hope that someday there will be a fourth generation as well.

Westminster is so close to my heart that I can’t imagine not being involved some way with the school.”

“Just the other day, I was talking to my grandfather Hov, telling him about my classes and field hockey,” said Katie. “I feel like I am carrying on a tradition.”

After she graduates, Katie hopes to come back for reunions and alumni games. “It is always going to be like my home,” she said. “It is where I grew up.”

A Proud Tradition Hov and Jenks say they are very proud that their grandchildren chose to attend Westminster, and they have followed their many Westminster activities. “As soon as one of the kids comes in, bang, we are talking about it,” said Hov. And Kim says that she is happy her niece and nephews have been able to experience much of what she and her brothers did. “I think it is still about a great education. I love the fact that they are experiencing a lot of things we did, and I think it connects us as a family.”

So after 56 years of history with Westminster School, what is the legacy of Hov and Jenks?

“I think the legacy is just the bond that exists between them and so many alumni and faculty members with whom they worked,” said Pierce.

“We always talk about the people at Westminster being what makes it so special, and Hov and Jenks are two of the greatest examples of that ever. The Hov and Jenks fan club is number one in terms of its number of members!”

Getting Settled In As Tommy is finishing his Sixth Form year, Katie Hovey ’14 has been getting settled into her first year on the Hill.

“The biggest challenge is transferring from middle school to high school,” said Katie. “The classes are good, and I have met a lot of nice people. I still can’t believe I am finally at Westminster! Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of this. Many of my family members have gone to Westminster, and they have all loved it.”

Like her brothers before her, she too grew up visiting friends on campus and playing pick-up hockey. This past fall, she played field hockey for the first time and, ironically, had veteran faculty member Joan Howard P’00, ’03 as a coach. In years past, Joan had coached her aunt Kim as a Martlet. “I knew Katie would make a difference since her aunt was such a special player,” said Joan. “Katie showed true grit and grace taking on a new sport.”

Hov and Jenks in the Armour Academic Center last June.

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Tony Hoagland Visits as Tenth Westminster Poet Acclaimed poet Tony Hoagland visited Westminster School April 20-21 as the 10th Westminster Poet. He is known for writing poems that zip along with wit, humor and irony, until all of a sudden, they either explode or implode, and the reader is left breathless in the face of some profound human truth.

Tony has published three award-winning volumes of poetry, a book of essays, “Real Sofistikashun,” a chapbook of poems, “Hard Rain,” and his latest book, “Unincorporated Persons of the Late Honda Dynasty.”

A frequent contributor to journals and magazines, he has received The Poetry Foundation’s Mark Twain Award and the Folger Shakespeare Library’s O. B. Hardison Jr. Poetry Prize. He currently teaches in the creative writing program at the University of Houston.

In Sixth Form English, he talked about how a poem tries to stop a moment. “That is why people like poems,” he emphasized. “They like to slow down. When you are in a good poem, you are fully in that moment. I like that as a writer.

Attention is a hard thing to get.”

Poetry About Real Life In an evening reading in the Werner Centennial Center, Tony talked about his own troubles as an adolescent and read poems he has written about youth, family, race, love and rap music. “I want people to know poetry is about real life,” he explained. “Poetry is a way of using language to get a hold of things.”

He also discussed the process of writing poetry. “When you write, you want to get lucky,” he explained. “You put something together that hasn’t been put together before. Making something is a satisfaction most people don’t get anymore.”

The following morning Tony visited English classes, where he read more poems and answered questions about poetry. “Poetry is dedicated to realism or the imagination,” he pointed out. “Some poetry brings you closer to the real world, while other poetry takes you away from it for relief.”

He emphasized that poetry is always trying to break through to a person’s imagination. “I don’t want people to think poetry is harmless literature,” he said. “I want it to penetrate your life. Think about how a poem tries to reach you.”

In some classes, he asked students to write couplets, encouraging them to use a lot of detail. “It is always going to be in the strength of the detail that the imagination stretches itself,” he explained.

Challenging Students to Think for Themselves “The English Department knew going into the year that Tony Hoagland would be a particularly challenging poet, not because his poems are inaccessible (in fact, they tend to be direct and engaging), but because there is a political edginess to his work,” said English Department head Michael Cervas P’06, ’01, ’10, who coordinates the Westminster Poetry Series. “He didn’t disappoint us in any respect either. He gave a high-energy reading in Werner Centennial Theater, drawing from all four of the books the students had studied prior to his visit, and the next day, he dove head-first into his teaching of poetry, often challenging the students to think for themselves and to respond to his questions and prompts, even to write a little poetry of their own. For me, his most memorable remark came at the reading when he said that ‘language is [humankind’s] most amazing technology,’ an idea that is central to the life of English teachers everywhere.”

Tony’s Westminster visit was made possible through support from the Ford-Goldfarb Fund, which was established in 2005 by former trustee Maureen FordGoldfarb and her daughter Kirsten Ford ’00 to support English Department enrichment activities.

“I don’t want people to think poetry is harmless literature,” he said. “I want it to penetrate your life.

Think about how a poem tries to reach you.”

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Science Teacher Opens Window Into the Jurassic World Westminster geology and biology teacher Nick McDonald P’96, ’04 was drawn to the outdoors from an early age. Much of his boyhood was spent exploring the woods, streams and coastline near his family’s home in southeastern Connecticut. He enjoyed building tree forts, digging for “treasures” in the ground, and collecting bottle caps, polliwogs in the springtime and old TV tubes. A chance Sunday excursion at age 12 with a friend and his friend’s father to a Jurassic fossil site in Connecticut ignited a lifelong fascination with paleontology.

An Early Interest in Science In high school, Nick was always interested in science and initially thought he wanted to be a chemist. Uninspired Geology and biology teacher Nick McDonald at the Dinosaur State Park, in Rocky Hill, Conn. by a 200-member freshman college chemistry class, however, he decided to investigate geology.

“Going to my first geology class was very much like Columbia University, it “provides the most detailed account Dorothy in ‘The Wizard of Oz,’” he said. “When she opens to date of the discovery and preservation of the trackways at the door after her house has fallen on the wicked witch, the Dinosaur State Park, and describes their geological and movie turns from black and white into color. In chemistry, ecological context during the Mesozoic Era.” the subject matter was black and white and fuzzy for me, but Dinosaur State Park, just a few miles south of Hartford, when I went to geology class, everything was in color and contains one of the largest concentrations of dinosaur crystal clear. My outdoor experiences allowed me to relate trackways in the world. During the Jurassic to the material. It was all about the Earth.

Period, 200 million years ago, dinosaurs I knew the study of geology would be an were abundant in eastern North America, exciting adventure.” including Connecticut. They were drawn to Nick began digging seriously for fossils huge lakes that supported large populations in 1970, and one of the first things he of fishes and invertebrates. The park was found was a tooth of a dinosaur. He credits created after construction workers his time spent playing in woods and streams discovered the trackways in 1966. In with developing his curiosity and a keen addition to the trackways, the park features sense of observation. “I’ve learned to see exhibits of fossils unearthed from local things in nature that other people have rocks, as well as murals, models, dioramas, trouble seeing,” he said. “Some of it is nature trails and an arboretum that persistence and some it is just lots of recreates Jurassic environments. practice.” His discoveries of exquisitely “Window Into the Jurassic World” preserved fossil fishes became part of his includes more than 130 color photographs, senior thesis at Franklin and Marshall many illustrating Connecticut Valley fossils College and then a master’s degree thesis from Nick’s personal collection. Over the at Wesleyan University. years, he has discovered thousands of wellA fossil fish and a carnivorous preserved fossil fishes, plants, mollusks, Collecting Fossils for Decades dinosaur tooth from Nick’s insects, crustaceans and trace fossils, which collection.

During the past 40 years, Nick has have broadened the understanding of discovered and excavated more than 50 Jurassic ecosystems in the region. fossil localities in Connecticut and nearby Massachusetts. He has kept some of his specimens and A Research Legacy donated others to Yale, Wesleyan and Cornell universities.

“I view the book as a legacy of my geological research Today, he is considered the foremost authority on the work,” said Nick. “Dinosaur State Park provides an paleontology of the Connecticut Valley and has recently excellent window into what Connecticut looked like 200 authored the book “Window Into the Jurassic World.” million years ago — in the early days of the dinosaurs. I had The book took Nick four years to write and was the specimens, and I wanted to write a book appropriate not published last spring by the Friends of Dinosaur State Park only for scientists but also for the lay reader.” and Arboretum, a support group for Dinosaur State Park in Nick’s earliest commitment to the park was to donate Rocky Hill, Conn. According to Professor Paul E. Olsen of

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some of his very best specimens for exhibition. “I wanted people to share my excitement about the spectacular fossils under their feet,” he said. Subsequently, park representatives said they wanted to develop a descriptive guidebook of the park’s history, trackways and the fossils they now had in their display cases. The end product was not only a book about the park exhibits, but also about what life was like during the days of the dinosaurs.

“One of the nicest things about this book is that it illustrates some of the very best local fossils for the first time,” said Nick. Many of the specimens have not been pictured or described in any previous publications.

Nick worked with professional photographer Richard Bergen on the illustrations. It took them three years to compile the images. “We photographed some of the finest fossils at universities in the region to add detail and context to what can be seen at the park,” explained Nick. “Richard was masterful at lighting and composition.”

The publication is an ideal supplement for park visitors, a guide to local fossils and their Mesozoic environments, and a comprehensive and accessible overview of Jurassic paleontology and geology. It is available for purchase at Dinosaur State Park, the Westminster School bookstore or from the author.

Numerous Publications Among Nick’s other publications are numerous scholarly papers, as well as a bibliographic volume: “The Connecticut Valley in the Age of Dinosaurs,” published by the state of Connecticut in 1996. In addition to his 33-year teaching career at Westminster, where he is emeritus chairman of the Science Department, he has served more than 20 years as a visiting scholar in the Department of Earth and Environmental

Over the years, he has discovered thousands of well-preserved fossil fishes, plants, mollusks, insects, crustaceans and trace fossils, which have broadened the understanding of Jurassic ecosystems in the region.

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Nick, right, with a colleague in a quarry pit in the Shuttle Meadow Formation near North Guilford, Conn., in August 1976.

Sciences at Wesleyan University and is a curatorial affiliate at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History.

Nick still looks back fondly on his childhood opportunities to roam the woods and streams near his home, describing them as a “wonderful ‘Leave it to Beaver’ experience.” He often recalls that first trip to a fossil site with his friend. “Imagine yourself being a young, irrepressible collector traveling to a new treasure site and splitting a rock and finding a fossil fish — the first one I had ever seen,” said Nick.

“That left a lasting impression on this budding naturalist.”

Nick with members of his geology class on a field trip last fall to a Jurassic fossil site he partly uncovered last summer near Middletown, Conn.

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Parents of the Class of 2010 Create New Financial Aid Resource Parents of the Class of 2010 raised more than $60,000 for a Class of 2010 Fund which establishes a new resource for the financial aid office to draw upon in order to equalize the Westminster experience for students, regardless of socioeconomic background.

In an economic climate where more and more families are requesting financial assistance from Westminster, one area that remains critical to providing a “true Westminster experience” is funding for the many miscellaneous expenses that accompany day-today life on the Hill. The fund will help cover expenses beyond those covered by the traditional financial aid package, such as a navy blue blazer for compliance with classroom dress; soccer cleats or a baseball glove

New Annual Giving Director Appointed Shannon O’Shaughnessy was appointed director of annual giving in Westminster’s Development Office in January. Previously, she served as associate director of annual giving at Yale, where she engaged and educated alumni regarding Yale College’s philanthropic priorities.

Prior to that, she worked as a literary agent with the Park Literary Group LLC and assistant to the literary agent at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, both in New York City. While she was earning her B.A. in English and her M.F.A. in writing at the University of Notre Dame, she served in various capacities in the Development Department, including associate director of the annual fund, director of the phone center and assistant director of the annual fund.

so a student can play a team sport; tutoring in an area where a student needs academic support; participation in a Habitat for Humanity Program during spring break; making an athletic spring training trip possible; and travel and lodging arrangements for the Model U.N. at Yale.

While some of these expenses are critical to the Westminster experience and some are enhancements, all of them contribute to making every student a fully participating member of the school community. The director of financial aid will award the grants from a restricted operating fund, after communicating with the recipient family, the headmaster and appropriate faculty.

Lacrosse Alumni Challenge First Boys’ Team in Annual Game Lacrosse alumni gave the First Boys’ Lacrosse team a competitive and enjoyable contest on Wilbraham Field for the annual David H. Hovey Alumni Game on May 15.

Coaches Scott Duddy and Dennis Daly, both game-time additions to the roster, and on the attack with Davey Hovey ’09, led the way in the alumni scoring with three goals each, while Peter Christman ’05 added the other. Jason Gilmartin ’07 helped control possessions at the face-off while Andrew Sullivan ’02, Brad Neuberth ’99, Graham Bergsma ’06, Graham Fadden ’05, and Peter Christman ’05 bolstered the alumni effort between the restraining lines.

Jake Pappas ’11 was tough for the alumni in the cage, making eight saves, while Win Hotchkiss ’10 and Gordon Santry ’12 combined for 11 saves at the other end. As always, the alumni brought a very strong group of close defense: Charles Santry ’80, Jeff Cady ’96, Joe Rodrigues ’96 and Andy Polio ’08, against whom the Martlets struggled to score consistently, especially in the second half, where the alumni outscored the First team 5-2. Stephen Seymour ’10 led the scoring for the First Team with three goals, and in the end, the First Team’s 8-7 win was a productive and enjoyable way to prepare for its last game of the season against Hotchkiss.

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New Trustees Elected to Board Five trustees and three ex officio trustees were elected to the Westminster Board of Trustees at its fall meeting in September.

John A. Cosentino Jr. P’00 is a co-founder of Ironwood Management Partners, LLC. He has an A.B. in economics from Harvard University and an M.B.A. in finance from The Wharton School. He and his wife, Deborah, live in Simsbury and are the parents of three children: Jessica ’00, Joshua and Matthew. John previously served on the board from 1998 until 2005.

John A. Cosentino Jr. P’00

Lori Payne Durham P’13 and her husband, Grady, live in Denver, Colo., and are the parents of Gavin ’13 and Olivia. Lori earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from St. Lawrence University.

Sean Lee P’08, ’09, ’13 lives in Seoul, Korea, with his wife, Eunjoo, and they have four children: Amy ’08, Jeannie ’09, Jane ’13 and Sam. A graduate of Texas Tech University, Sean is chief executive officer and president of Asianstar, Inc. T. Treadway Mink Jr. ’77, P’11 and his wife, Elise, are residents of New Canaan, Conn., and have two children: Tyler ’11 and Graham. Tread is a graduate of Ithaca College and is with RP Partners. He previously served on the board from 1996 until 2008.

Lori Payne Durham P’13

Sara L. Whiteley ’91 is from West Chatham, Mass., where she lives with her husband, Peter, and their daughter, Chloe. Sara is the vice president and owner of W. Vernon Whiteley, Inc. Sara graduated from Tufts University with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering.

Three Ex Officio Members As co-chairs of the Parents Committee, Leigh A. Hovey and David H. Hovey Jr. ’78, P’09, ’11, ’14 joined the board as ex officio members for a two-year term. They live in Simsbury and are the parents of Davey ’09, Tommy ’11 and Katie ’14. Leigh is a graduate of Denison University, where she majored in sociology and anthropology. She previously taught at The Baldwin School in Bryn Mawr, Pa. Dave is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in political science. He serves as assistant vice president of national client practices at The Hartford.

Sean Lee P’08, ’09, ’13

As president of the Westminster Alumni Association, Scott B. McCausland ’87, P’14 also joins the board as an ex officio member. He and his wife, Kristen, live in Burlington, Conn., and have three children: Jake ’14, Kaitlyn and Caroline. Scott is president and chief executive officer of MVP Systems Software, Inc. He is a graduate of Lafayette College, where he studied government and law.

T. Treadway Mink Jr. ’77, P’11

Leigh A. Hovey and David H. Hovey Jr. ’78, P’09, ’11, ’14

Scott B. McCausland ’87, P’14

Sara L. Whiteley ’91

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1888: Marblehead, Mass.

Area alumni got together to meet one another and reconnect with others at a reception hosted by Jay ’81 and Cara Niles P’14 in Marblehead, Mass.

Penny Neal Whitlock ’83, Bob Knowles ’81 and Cara and Jay ’81 Niles P’14.

Kate Parker ’01 and Lindsay Leal ’01.

Amy and Jock ’78 Danforth P’09, and Ashley Grenier ’94.

1888: Minneapolis For the second time in recent years, the Minneapolis Marlets gathered for a Twins game, this time at Target Field, the new stadium.

In front, Andrew Mackenzie ’81, P’12, ’14, Adam Gordon ’82, Hal Janney, Newell Grant ’99, Jenny Moore ’80, Bill Sweatt ’80 and Peter Caley ’76.

In back, Julie Mackenzie P’12, ’14, and Margie and David Dines ’79, P’12.

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1888: Boston, Fenway Park Boston area Martlets met for a Red Sox game in August. This is the fourth year in a row they have gathered for a game at Fenway Park.

Mike and Wendy Hesketh P’07, ’08, Jason Hesketh ’08 and Pat Hesketh ’07.

Dave Puopolo and Michele Wiernasz ’00.

1888: New York City Bowling Westminster played host to the first Annual Multi-Prep School Bowling Extravaganza in October at the Bowlmor Lanes in New York City. Westminster asked other Founders League schools to invite their young alumni out for an evening of competition, and Choate, Deerfield, Kent and Taft accepted the invitation.

As part of the Young Alumni Challenge, Martlets were deployed onto “warm up” teams for the first game, and then halfway through the evening, the formal competition began, as each school grouped their alumni and the scores started to get posted on the screens. At the end of the night, once the scores were tallied and the playing fields were leveled (since there were different numbers of bowlers), Westminster came out on top with an average score of 101.5.

Breed Randall ’01, Jackie Paquet, Julia DeCiantis ’01 and Dan Crowley ’01.

Andrew Sullivan ’02, Dan Farrelly ’99 and Ryan Balavender ’99.

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1888: New York, Yankee Stadium On Aug. 3, 40 alumni and friends of Westminster joined Headmaster Bill Philip for the Yankees versus Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. Fans of the Yankees were hoping to see A-Rod hit his 600th home run, but the Jays proved too much for New York that day.

Alex Muller ’05, right, and her guest, Tyler Fraites.

Newell Grant ’99, Brock Bosacker ’06 and Kyle Brewer ’06.

Doug Kerridge ’85 and Dan Burke ’87.

Nat Mundy ’00 and Annie Stickney ’99.

Caroline Reigeluth ’07, Bill Philip P’06, ’09 and Doug Reigeluth P’99, ’02, ’07.

Erick Steen ’79 and his son, Nathaniel.

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1888: Manhasset, N.Y. Alumni and parents gathered for a round of golf at Deepdale Golf Club, hosted by Jeff Kelter P’12, ’14.

Mike Innes ’98, Tim Gerges ’98 and Jack Kennedy ’98.

Rob Toher ’80, Mark Morell P’06, ’08, Tom di Galoma P’11, ’14 and Dave Simek P’10.

Bill Philip P’06, ’09, Jeff Kelter P’12, ’14 and Scott Stevens P’07, ’09, ’12.

John Hamblett ’80, P’11, Stan Keating ’81 and Chris Byrne ’82.

1888: Manchester, Vt. For the third year in a row, a group gathered last August for a round of golf at the Ekwanok Country Club in Manchester, Vt.

Tad Ebling ’66, Bill Philip P’06, ’09, Hilly Ebling ’69 and Chris Burr ’69.

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1888: Stonington, Conn.

Stonington, Conn., area alumni met to enjoy a summer evening at the Dog Watch Café in July.

Brittany Beebe ’95, Julie Terrell ’95 and Mary Elizabeth Cagliuso ’95.

Russ Burgess ’81, Charles Buffum ’78, Tyger Nicholas ’78, Doug Crawford ’76, Carol Daukas ’83 and Newell Grant ’99.

Dave ’50 and Nancy Tapley, and Bill Philip P’06, ’09.

Spike Lobdell ’75, P’07, Julie Slimmon and Jim Slimmon ’45.

Korea Members of Westminster’s Korean Alumni Association gather in Korea. Back row, Hyo Jae Lee’ 05, Il Shin Kwak ’06, Chul Jeong ’95, Alex Song ’98, Jin Pyung Kim ’94 (host) and Woo Cho ’96. Sitting, Young Hae Bahn ’07, Min Jae Yoon ’08 and Joo Kyung Rhee ’08.

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“One-Year-Out” Commencement Cookout Westminster hosted the fourth annual cookout at the Class of 2005 Overlook for Westminster alumni who graduated the year before and returned for commencement.

Josh Zalinger ’09, Eliza Mandzik ’09 and Annie Ulrich ’09.

Andrew Polio ’08, Scott Stevens P’07, ’09, ’12 and Jordan Dewey ’08.

Eliza Mandzik, ’09, Joe Ascioti ’09, Peter Briggs ’71, P’01, ’05, ’07, Andrew Overbye ’09, Josh Zalinger ’09, Taylor Gould ’09, Krissy Schultz ’09, Annie Ulrich ’09, Whitney Fitzpatrick ’09, Andrew Polio ’08, Graham Cole H’09, Chris Eckerson ’09, Scott Stevens P’07, ’09, ’12 and Mike Curran ’09.

Andrew Overbye ’09, Taylor Gould ’09, Joe Ascioti ’09, Krissy Schultz ’09, Whitney Fitzpatrick ’09, Zach Reitano’09 and Kyle Zinn ’09.

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Holiday Gatherings Members of the Westminster community gathered in New York City, Boston and Hartford for annual holiday receptions in November and December.

New York

Andrew Sanford ’83, Dick Sanford P’83 and Scott Stevens P’07, ’09, ’12.

Georgie Wolffer ’03, Blair Gallagher ’00, Erinn Sullivan Davis ’00 and Jen Crocker ’00.

Andrew Douglass ’87, Stephanie Lynch Douglass ’88 and Kelso Davis ’94.

Barry Deonarine ’06, and Tanya and David Morocho ’86.

Doug Baker ’80, Lars Noble ’80 and David Moross P’14.

Kate Philip ’06, and Jeff and Maude Welles P’11.

Right, Jamie Furlaud ’05, Caroline Grymes ’06 and John Grymes ’06.

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Boston

Hartford

Jill Neary ’04 and guest, Michel Bamani, and Scott Ellison ’98.

Brenda and Martin Geitz P’07, ’11 and faculty member Joyce Wilson.

Carolyn Murphy ’05, Kelly Overbye ’05 and Maggie Brown ’06.

Heather Wright Vickery ’02, Brian Vickery and Mary Porter Wright P’02, ’04.

Buz Kohn ’66, P’92 and John Cosentino P’00.

Miles Bailey ’94, Tyler Hill ’93, Michael Wiernasz ’94 and Bill Philip P’06, ’09.

Greg Devlin ’04, Alison Zultowski ’98, Maggie Pierson ’01 and Sean Devlin ’01.

Corky Lavieri and John Lavieri ’63.

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Dedications Library Room Named for Linda Miller The workroom in the Cole Library has been named the Linda Miller Workroom, after former Head Librarian Linda Miller P’86, ’89. Faculty members, trustees and former colleagues of Linda’s gathered for the dedication, which was a surprise to Linda, in the library on June 11.

“To me there was always something missing, and we really needed a Linda Miller Room,” said Cole Library Director Edna Madden. “It is fitting that we have a Linda Miller Workroom where we do nitty-gritty work. Linda was one of the most productive and efficient people with whom I have ever worked.”

“This was a wonderful part of my life,” said Linda. “I loved the library, and thank you for all the support.”

Linda Miller, far right, with faculty members, trustees and former colleagues at the dedication of the Cole Library workroom in her honor.

New Artwork Graces Library A work of art by artist Bryan Nash Gill ’80 now adorns the Gund Reading Room in the Cole Library thanks to Pat and Peter Carey. The Careys, who in 1994 had commissioned the mixed media on canvas titled “Treescape” for their home, donated it to Westminster to hang in the reading room.

“Bryan visited our home several times before we bought it, and he helped us decide where to place it,” explained Pat. “This was a true process with an artist who wanted to relate a story. I think it is so appropriate for it to be here at Westminster.”

“Peter and Pat were so open to me in their home,” said Bryan. “I am very happy they decided to donate it to Westminster.”

Bryan is known for taking objects from the natural landscape and restructuring them in a different environment. Following his graduation from Westminster, he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Tulane University and a Master of Fine Arts from the California College of the Arts. He has a studio in New Hartford, Conn., and creates sculptures, prints, mixed media and major installations.

Peter Carey, Bryan Nash Gill ’80 and Pat Carey in the Gund Reading Room of the Cole Library.

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McOrmond House Dedicated The descendants of Raymond Richards McOrmond, who served as headmaster of Westminster School from 1923 to 1936, visited the Hill May 1, 2010, for the dedication of a faculty home as the McOrmond House.

Joined by several members of the Class of 1966 and Dr. Roger Moore ’35, family members gathered in Keyes Study, which had served as Headmaster McOrmond’s office nearly a century ago, then attended the dedication and a luncheon in their honor. The event took place 74 years to the day after Headmaster McOrmond and his wife, Alice, left Westminster.

McOrmond House, which is adjacent to Observatory Field, is the home of faculty members Kathleen Devaney and Mark de Kanter ’91 and their two children.

Above, Raymond Richards McOrmond III standing by the portrait of his grandfather Raymond Richards McOrmond, which hangs in the Westminster dining hall.

Standing in front of McOrmond House are, front row, left to right, Roger Moore ’35, Penny (McOrmond) DesBisschop (granddaughter), Katie McOrmond (granddaughterin-law), Susan Vaill Bonner (granddaughter), John Greenwood (grandson), Jody Vaill ’66 (grandson) and Benjamin Vaill (grandson). Back row, left to right, Robert McOrmond (great grandnephew), Peter McOrmond (grandson), Raymond Richards McOrmond III (grandson) and Timothy Vaill (grandson).

Perry Room The Perry Room in the Cole Library of the Armour Academic Center, which is named for Stephen T. Perry ’64, who was killed in action with the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) of the U.S. Army in Vietnam on May 14, 1969, was rededicated on May 28, 2010. Forty-one years after Steve’s death, his friends, family members and teachers gathered in the Perry Room to honor his service and to remember him fondly.

The Perry Room is in frequent use by students and faculty and is appointed with a collage representing Steve’s career as a Westminster student, a photograph of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, an image of the front page of the New York Times from the date of Steve’s death and a photograph of Steve in uniform. The original Perry Room was located in the Darling Library of the Baxter Academic Center.

Members of Steve’s family traveled from as far away as Colorado for the ceremony, and class agent Doug Unfried ’64, P’97 brought together several classmates to participate

Jeff Sarnoff ’64; Doug Unfried ’64; Stephen Perry’s ’64 sister and brother, Ginger and Denny Perry; and Brian O’Donnell ’66. in the rededication and a luncheon in Keyes Garden. Veteran faculty members Larry Gilman P’78, ’80 and Alan Brooks ’55, P’89, ’91, ’96 were on hand to share their memories as well.

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THE THRING SOCIETY

Always Loyal to His Schools When former faculty member G. Frederick (“Fritz”) and Sue Zeller came to Westminster in 1978, Fritz was already an experienced school person. Former Headmaster Don Werner described him as “a true gentleman,” who understood Westminster’s core values implicitly and inspired his students to live up to them. As is often the case with “good school people,” Fritz wore many hats and connected with students and families throughout his time at the school: as an admissions officer, a coach of soccer, squash and baseball, and a college counselor.

Sue recalled recently that “Fritz was always loyal to his schools.” Fritz and Sue supported Westminster’s annual fund for many years, both when he was on the faculty at Westminster and after they moved to Burr and Burton Academy in Vermont. In addition, when Fritz passed away in May 2009, he had included Westminster in his estate plans, making a gift to Westminster’s endowment. Fritz’s generous bequest has “endowed” his annual fund gift, and his gift has become a permanent source of financial strength which will benefit Westminster for many years to come.

Westminster is fortunate to count many current and former faculty members among the members of the Thring Society, and their support is a testament to the school’s values, culture and community. The Thring Society takes its name from the Reverend Edward Thring, headmaster of the Uppingham School in England from 1853-1887. The society recognizes any member of the Westminster community who has made planned gifts or bequests with Westminster as a beneficiary.

For information on bequests or other giftplanning opportunities, please contact: Douglas Allen Director of Planned Giving Westminster School (860) 408-3027 fax: (860) 408-3044 dallen@westminster-school.org

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Fritz wore many hats and connected with students and families throughout his time at the school: as an admissions officer, a coach of soccer, squash and baseball, and a college counselor.

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On Horseback Through the Wilds of Patagonia

by Meriwether Hardie ’05 Photography by Justine Jackson Following graduation from Colorado College in 2009, I spent 95 days on horseback riding along the spine of Argentina. My horse and I rode from the small city of Bariloche in northern Patagonia, more than 600 miles south to El Calafate. I then crossed the border and traveled by bus, car, boat and horse through the narrow, volcano- and lake-filled Chilean side of Patagonia.

Bill McKibben, scholar-in-residence at Middlebury College, and the Middlebury College Environmental Journalism Fellowship supported my trip. The primary purpose of the $10,000 fellowship was to report on the swiftly changing landscape of Patagonia. I was specifically interested in the consequences of the competition between traditional Meriwether interviews a local landowner. agricultural practices and modern land conservation techniques on the local indigenous people.

Like many other indigenous societies in the world, the culture of the Mapuche people is dying. Their communities face many outside pressures such as land grabs by industry and government, many cultural and religious threats, as well as the loss of younger generations to urban centers in search of jobs and Western ideals. Now these communities are faced with a whole new force that threatens to separate them from their land — the well-intended conservation movement.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has identified eight large ecoregions in Argentina as “globally important and in need of immediate conservation.” Indigenous groups live in sections of all eight ecoregions. WWF and a couple of Meriwether Hardie ’05, other multinational conservation groups have recently joined forces with local non-government organizations and on her Criollo horse, government officials to work on pushing forward policies that will protect “Argentina’s biologically diverse and named Colorado. important remaining wild areas.” However, under this definition of land protection, the people are considered separate from the land. This means that the local people have to relocate to areas outside of conserved land boundaries, or protected areas are fenced off, leaving people in their homes, but with no land to farm or graze, and, therefore, no way to sustain themselves.

I undertook this journey, because I wanted to help people on both sides of this story, and, looking back, I now realize that I could not have done this without my horse.

As I traveled, I saw that people trusted me because of my horse. The presence of my horse, with his soft brown nose, a white star marking his forehead and a deep bay coat, comforted and reassured people who did not know me. My horse became an invaluable aspect of my research because he allowed me to engage viewpoints that have been traditionally closed to outsiders.

I am still working on articles from this experience, and it will take a while to set everything down on paper. Currently, I am also working as a part-time National Outdoor Leadership Instructor (NOLS), and a part-time freelance journalist. My goal is to continue traveling and using my sense of adventure to ask questions, and then share those questions and answers with a wider audience. I want to use my pen to tell the stories of others.

I learned to write at Westminster, and I will forever be indebted to the English program, especially former faculty Meriwether and Justine Jackson on a plain in Northern Patagonia. member Brian Ford, for teaching me how to organize my energy Justine joined Meriwether for a month of the horsepack trip and and my thoughts on a piece of paper. acted as her travel companion and photographer.

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Behind the Scenes with Newsmakers

Matt Zimmerman ’99 with former President George W. Bush and “Today” host Matt Lauer.

Behind the scenes at the NBC “Today” show, Matt Zimmerman ’99 is making sure that the most up-to-theminute newsmakers appear on “Today” first. As senior booking producer, he works to secure interviews for “Today” host Matt Lauer and is part of a team that develops show content.

To identify potential guests, Matt reads multiple newspapers, Web sites and blogs each day to pick up on trends, and he continually looks ahead to anniversary dates of notable or historic events. “When something happens, I think about booking,” says Matt. He works on network proposals to attract top guests and is able to offer cross-network appearances on NBC affiliate stations.

Among his most notable bookings in the past year was the first one-on-one television interview with former President George W. Bush since leaving the Oval Office. Matt began negotiations with the Bush transition team in January 2009, finally reaching an agreement for the interview more than a year-and-a-half later. The extensive interview with Lauer took place in a primetime special Nov. 8 and coincided with the release of the former president’s memoir, “Decision Points.” Bush also appeared live on “Today” two days later for another interview with Lauer. Both interviews captured national headlines.

Last summer for the fifth anniversary of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, Matt also brought together former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and former Federal Emergency Management Agency head Mike Brown for a live joint interview from New Orleans, as well as Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal for a live segment with Lauer on the streets of the French Quarter.

While much of Matt’s work involves serious newsmakers and months of preparation, he is always on the lookout for human interest stories or celebrity news — good, bad or unusual. Celebrity guests are contacted through their agents, and the less famous are located through the use of a professional search engine and personal outreach. “If it’s a positive story, we will reach out directly to the subject,” says Matt. “For other stories, we call a spokesperson or family member first.”

Matt got his start in broadcast journalism as a summer intern on the television news program “Inside Edition,” while he was still at Westminster. Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly, who is a Zimmerman family friend, opened the door to an internship opportunity for Matt at Fox. Matt made his mark there, staying late and working weekends, eventually serving as a production assistant for Paula Zahn. After he graduated from Westminster, he took a year off from his studies, and was offered a paying job with Fox. Matt continued to work in the news business while attending Wake Forest University, where he graduated with a B.A. in communication. By his senior year, he was working as a field producer for NBC and then landed a job at NBC as a Matt during a recent researcher for “Weekend Today.”

Westminster visit.

Westminster friends are never far from Matt. He recently attended the Bermuda wedding of Andrew Watson ’99, and in New York, he shares a home with Brad Bayer ’99. Oliver Tuckerman ’99 also used to live with Brad and Matt, but he recently moved to Dallas to pursue an M.B.A. at the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University. “I’m the only guy in my circle not in finance,” says Matt.

Matt came to Westminster his Fourth Form year from The Buckley School in New York City.

While at Westminster, he was a corridor prefect; participated in Black and Gold, the Westminster News and the Outing Club; and played squash, soccer and tennis. Headmaster Bill Philip, also a Buckley graduate, was Matt’s advisor.

“Mr. Philip was great to me,” said Matt. “I will never forget the dreaded college-letter acceptance days, standing by the mail room and checking to see if envelopes were small or large. I was beaming when I received an acceptance letter from Colgate and went across the hall to share the news with Mr. Philip, who looked at my letter and gently broke the news to me that I wasn’t accepted and had been put on a waiting list. At Westminster, I learned persistence, and to be honest and to admit mistakes.”

“At Westminster, I learned persistence, and to be honest and to admit mistakes.”

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The Foundation of a True Education Dr. Julie Zlotnick Belcher ’95 has welcomed nearly 200 babies into the world in just two years. She is one of seven obstetricians in a private practice in Norwich, Conn., who deliver every newborn at the William W. Backus Hospital.

As an obstetrician and gynecologist, Julie provides care to a diverse small-city population. Many of her patients face poverty and language barriers. “I work with hospital social workers to help patients get access to care and services,” Julie explained.

Julie was drawn to the field of obstetrics and gynecology by the opportunity to provide primary and preventive care services, perform surgery, and, of course, to deliver babies, all in one specialty.

Following Westminster, Julie attended Williams College, where she majored in economics and also met her future husband, Justin Belcher. After graduating from Williams, she and Justin attended medical school in Philadelphia — she at Jefferson Medical College and he at Drexel University College of Medicine. At Jefferson, Julie received the Sarah G. Miller Obstetrics and Gynecology Prize.

The couple married after medical school and completed residencies at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C., where Julie served as administrative chief resident from 2007 to 2008 and was named resident physician of the year in 2008.

Not included in the number of babies Julie has delivered is her Dr. Julie Zlotnick Belcher ’95. own daughter, Avery Grace, born in 2008, right after the completion of Julie’s residency. In just three months, Julie completed her residency, had her first child, moved to Connecticut, took her medical board examination and began a new job.

Returning to Connecticut was a natural fit for both Julie and Justin. They are Connecticut natives and wanted to live near their families. They selected Madison, Conn., which is not far from New Haven, where Justin is completing a fellowship at Yale University in clinical research nephrology, and Julie’s medical practice in Norwich.

“I wasn’t just looking for a job when I completed residency, I was looking for a long-term career,” said Julie. “The chair of my department at George Washington knew a doctor who was retiring in Connecticut and asked me if I was interested in working there. Norwich was my first interview and my favorite. I have so much respect for the doctors with whom I work.” Julie chose her practice based on the physicians’ high standards for medical care and unwavering commitment to the community. “I also appreciate that every one of my partners understands the value of family time away from work,” she added.

Although Julie spends every sixth night on-call at Backus Hospital, she takes a half-day off each week to spend time with her daughter. “It’s our quiet time together,” said Julie. “We throw shells in the ocean, collect acorns in the yard or just read books on the porch. Justin and I have always had a mutual understanding of each other’s time commitments. In residency, we sometimes went two weeks without seeing each other.”

Even with her busy schedule, Julie is involved with community service projects through the Newcomers Club in Madison and is working to develop community outreach education programs through her medical practice.

While at Westminster, Julie was named the Outstanding Scholar of her class and received the Harvard-Radcliffe Book Prize. She was an officer of the John Hay Society, a member of Black and Gold, played piano in the jazz ensemble, was associate editor in chief of Westminster News, and participated in field hockey, volleyball, lacrosse and track. She also volunteered at a nursing home.

Julie and her family remain involved with Westminster. Her parents, Richard and Mary Zlotnick of Granby, Conn., frequently return to campus for performing arts events, and Julie recently attended her 15th reunion.

“I always knew while I was at Westminster that it was a great experience,” said Julie. “I was overwhelmingly happy with my choice in secondary schools. Westminster was the foundation of my education and where I learned how to learn.”

“Westminster was the foundation of my education and where I learned how to learn.”

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CLASS NOTES

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Send alumni news and class notes for the next Bulletin, to: Beth Soycher Westminster School P.O. Box 337 Simsbury, CT 06070-0377

CLASS

N OTES

Or submit via e-mail: alumninotes@westminster-school.org E-mail for address change ONLY: salexander@westminster-school.org

Births 1986

James “Jake” Curtis, born to

Nathaniel Christopher, born to Erika and Topher Neumann

Kimberly Sturz Gaynor and

1988 Thomas Barnes, born to Edie Josephson Owen and David Owen, Feb. 25, 2010

1990 Addison, born to Suzanne Jarrett Melan and Mitch Melan, July 18, 2010 Paige Quinn, born to Amanda and Chip Riegel, May 3, 2010

1991 Chloe Isabella Donovan, born to Sara Whiteley and Peter Donovan, May 27, 2010

1992 Charles (Charlie) Watkins, born to Elizabeth Eaton and Matthew Watkins, Feb. 9, 2009

Greg Gaynor, June 2, 2010

Brooks MacDougall, born to Ali and Will Egan, May 25, 2010

Isla, born to Carin Scott Shepherd and Matthew Shepherd, July 3, 2010

Grace Katherine, born to Christine and Christopher van der Kieft, Aug. 25, 2009

Amelia Clay, born to Elizabeth Kenan Morton and Isaac Morton, Dec. 1, 2009

William Thomas, born to

Harper Metcalf, born to

Tom Vincent, May 1, 2010

1993 Isabella “Elle” Logan, born to Caroline and Doug Prezzano, Feb.19, 2010 Carter Buckley, born to Kira and John Ryan, Dec. 28, 2009

1994 Egan and Ainsley, born to Sam

Powers and Kelly Smith Powers, Sept. 29, 2010 James Graydon “Gray” born to Kristen and Beecher Scarlett, July 7, 2010

1998 Emily Hoffman Vincent and

Julianna Bontecou Pecchia and David Pecchia, March 12, 2010

1999

1996

Parker Dylan, born to Lauren and Philip Sambazis, April 5, 2010

Delaney Cate, born to Alice Fitzgerald Morgan and Brennan Morgan, May 30, 2010

Spencer, born to Amanda and Matt Innes, April 3, 2010

Connor James, born to former faculty member Sarah Dalton Quinn and faculty member Tim Quinn, May 21, 2010

2001

Faculty Adelaide LaDonna, born to Mary Pat and Grant Gritzmacher, May 25, 2010

1997 1995

Hutton Christian, born to

Elliott Allen Churchill, born to Jennifer Keeney-Bleeg and James Bleeg, June 7, 2010

Courtney Bright de Kanter and Seth de Kanter, May 17, 2010

Marriages 1957 Peter Palin to Linda Bolitho, July 13, 2010

1968 Hunter Smith to Sally Roumanis, Feb. 13, 2010, Hamden, Conn.

1982 Sarah Christel to Jeff Scully, June 5, 2010, Middlebury, Conn.

1996 Allison Bailey to Doug Blais,

Brian Gerges to Jessica Tiani, June 12, 2010, New Canaan, Conn.

Christopher Ix to Amanda Weicker, July 17, 2010, Greenwich, Conn.

Eleanor Stack to Alexander Bingham, Aug. 15, 2009, Duntreath Castle, Scotland Stephanie Zegras to David Schneider ’98, May 21, 2010,

Sarah Nathan to Sean

Hanna Foster to Taylor

Sullivan, Aug. 1, 2009, in Bristol, R.I.

Robinson, April 24, 2010, New York, N.Y.

1998 David Schneider to Stephanie Zegras ’96, May

Melvin, Aug. 28, 2010, Greenwich, Conn.

21, 2010, New Rochelle, N.Y.

2002

Jack Kennedy to Philippa

Margaret Obermeier to

Renwick, Oct. 2, 2010, in Bedford, N.Y.

Albert Lardizabal, Nov. 6, 2010, Simsbury, Conn.

New Rochelle, N.Y.

1999

Jennifer Walkwitz to Bern

Charlotte Rubicam to

Hoffmann, July 25, 2010.

Matthew Byrne, June 27, 2009, East Boothbay, Maine

April 17, 2010, New York, N.Y.

1997

Jackson Eno to Lynsey

Carolyn Cordner to Alex

2000

Propeck, July 10, 2010, Edgartown, Mass.

LePage, Oct. 10, 2009, Greenwich, Conn.

Jessica Cosentino to Rob

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Sean Peden to Katherine

Orthman, Oct. 23, 2010, Boston, Mass.

Heather Wright to Brian Vickery, Aug. 21, 2010, Brandon, Vt.

2006 Jack Armstrong to Serra Milham, Aug. 6, 2010, Santa Barbara, Calif.

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1932

1947

Mr. William S. Beinecke* wbeinecke@antaeus-ent.com

Mr. John M. Tapley* tapleyjohn@aol.com

1935

1948

Dr. Roger W. Moore* 39 Boland Road Sharon, CT 06069-2210 (860) 364-5326

Mr. E. Washburn Hawley* 9910 Mitchells Mill Road Mentor, OH 44060 (440) 256-8439

1941

Mr. Johnson Winship* johnsonwinship@comcast.com

Mr. David H. Kingsbury* 33 Langdon Court, #DL4 Berlin, CT 06037 (860) 828-3166

1943 Mr. Joseph T. Lee* jlee@rochester.rr.com

1944 Mr. Richard K. Jewett* Yale47Kirk@webtv.net

1945 Mr. Robert M. Thomson* 414 Sharon Drive Wayne, PA 19087-2222 (610) 688-1981

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CLASS NOTES

At John’s Island, Maine, in August 2010 are Tad Harvey ’52, John Tunney ’52, John Barlow ’52, Bob Hill ’52 and Dave Childs ’52.

1949 Mr. Willard A. S. Denham* willden@comcast.net

Connecticut, southeast New York, New York metro and New Jersey.

Mr. Sheldon Clark II* scii@bellsouth.net Mr. Richard R. Cuyler* rcuyler@sondryfolk.net

Mr. Mansfield A. Lyon* pro.lyon@verizon.net

1950 Richard Hutchinson moved

from Savannah to Duxbury, Mass. He enjoyed the south but missed the changing of the seasons and being closer to his two daughters and old friends. He says, “Cheers to all the Class of ’49.”

Timothy Smith is a sales

representative for Berkshire Veneer Co. in Great Barrington, Mass. His territory includes

Mr. C. Hiram Upson* hupson@Charter.net

1952 Mr. David L. Childs* dechilds@charter.net

David Hubby writes, “This year we traveled to South Africa in February and Russia in August. Both countries have rich cultures.

Our trips were a truly educational experience.”

1954 Mr. Thomas O. Calhoun* tiba2@truvista.net

1946 Mr. Winchester F. Hotchkiss* 154 S. Beach Road Hobe Sound, FL 33455 (772) 546-4104

Director of Studies Greg Marco P’08, ’11, Karen Anthony and Hal Anthony ’55, receiving his Westminster diploma.

Abe Claude decided to retire

on July 31, 2010, after a great run on Wall Street and in the executive search business. He would like to devote himself to his various interests in the not-for-profit world and develop some new things to do where he can make a contribution.

And maybe, just maybe, he can work his handicap down to a respectable level.

1955 Mr. E. Tremain Bradley Jr.* Bradley_ET@compuserve.com

1956 Left to right, Bill Thomson ’49, Jack Ritchie ’49 and Chuck Kellogg ’49.

Mr. Charles E. Griffith Jr.* cegjr2@comcast.net

*class agent 69

CLASS NOTES

WESTMINSTER

1957

1963

Mr. Peter M. Palin* peterpalin@bellsouth.net

Mr. John N. Lavieri* johnl@sterlingeng.com

1958

Mr. Tobin V. Levy* to.be@verizon.net

Mr. Barton T. Lewis* lewis5652@comcast.net

1964

1959

Mr. Douglas E. Unfried* mdunfried@comcast.net

Mr. Charles D. Dilks* charles@dilksconsulting.com

1965

Charles F. Zimmer* cfzimmer@comcast.net

Mr. John C. Devereux* jcdevereux@gmail.com

1960

1966

Mr. Leigh Johnstone* jstone246@aol.com

Mr. Jonathan D. Halsey* jdhalsey1@gmail.com

John Gow writes about his

Mr. Brian R. O’Donnell* midascanton@comcast.net

reunion, “My wife and I enjoyed returning to my home and school and a delightful weekend with other returning classmates.”

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1967 Mr. Edward W. Bickford* ewbickford@comcast.net

1961 Mr. Samuel M. Gawthrop Jr.* samgawthrop@bellsouth.net

Mr. Thomas C. McNichols* mcnichols1313@yahoo.com

Walter Earle continues at

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a 32-year distinguished career as a geologist with the United States Geological Survey in Menlo Park, Calif.

During her career, she published numerous scientific papers, edited many books and attended numerous international geological conventions.

After retiring in 1999, she continued with the USGS as an emeritus, working on various projects. Gretchen was a pioneer in her field.

She entered the geology profession when few women pursued careers in geology.

1970

1975 Mr. Thomas V. Keenan Jr.* tvkjr@yahoo.com Mr. Scott F. Reed* sreed@Cannondesign.com

Larry Wasiele and his wife,

Laurie, recently adopted a 13-year-old daughter, Shelby Elizabeth, a journey that took five years. Shelby attends Mansfield Middle School, and enjoys camping, riding her horse, playing the clarinet and all kinds of music. She hopes to learn to sail this summer. Larry and Laurie are thrilled to have Shelby in their lives.

Mr. C. Evan Stewart* estewart@zuckerman.com

Gary Mah writes, “This year

I have celebrated the birth of two grandchildren. The family is expanding almost as fast as the waistline.”

1971 Mr. John C. Blakney* jblakney@cox.net Mr. Abram Claude III* aclaude2@msn.com

Larry Wasiele ’75 and Laurie Wasiele with their daughter, Shelby, aboard the Argea, a schooner that calls Mystic its home.

Mr. Robert R. Carson Jr.* rcarson@nj.rr.com

the Pentagon as principal director for Western Hemisphere Affairs. Walter and his wife, Stella, celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in 2010. They have three children and five grandchildren. They are impressed by the evolution and improvements at Westminster in recent years.

Mr. William D. Farnam* lick6@aol.com

1969

1974

Mr. Robert F. Bynum* rfbynum@aol.com

Mr. Stephen S. James* sjames.dtm@verizon.net

Mrs. M. Elizabeth McGrath Durkin* lmcgrath16@comcast.net

Bob Bynum shared the sad news that his wife, Gretchen Luepke Bynum, died on July 3, 2010, of CreutzfeldtJakob disease. Gretchen had

Mr. Peter A. LaCour* palacour@yahoo.com

Mr. John W. Fowler Jr.* fowlers8@comcast.net

Keith Keogh writes, “Two

mission trips to Haiti, after the January earthquakes to rebuild a school and a friend’s home. Very little progress being made there!”

1962

Rob Carson is making the

transition to retirement after 43 years teaching at Dwight-Englewood School.

He now has more time to spend with his grandchildren.

His seventh was born 10/10/10.

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1972 Mr. David W. Baldwin* eniknar@aol.com

1973 Mr. Richard R. Stout Jr.* rrstout@verizon.net

Mrs. Susan Wilcox White* swhitewellesley@comcast.net

Amy Dana Myzie writes, “I

retired in February after 30 years as a police officer with the rank of detective lieutenant. Now enjoying a lot of golf and flying.”

1976

WESTMINSTER

Vanessa Sollitto Bruder

recently opened a jewelry store, R. Simantov, in Greenwich, Conn.

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1979 Mr. Charles M. Baxter III* cbaxter@cfl.rr.com Mr. Arthur D. Dague Jr.* kalugakids@comcast.net Mr. Robert W. Jacob* rjacob@maine.rr.com

1980 Mr. Douglas B. Baker* dbbaker002@yahoo.com Ms. Leslie A. Flinn* leslie_flinn@yahoo.com

Vanessa Sollitto Bruder ’76 at her jewelry store, R. Simantov, in Greenwich, Conn.

1977 Mrs. Patricia Daly Frank* pdfrank@comcast.net Mr. Thomas F. X. Hodson* tfxhodson@hotmail.com Nancy Watkins Shott* nancy@shott.com

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Mrs. Natalie Kirschner Tallis* natalieatallis@gmail.com

Tim Farley’s sixth grade son, John Farley, was on “Jeopardy” July 5, 2010.

1982 Mr. Christopher S. Byrne* byrnie12@msn.com Mr. William O. LaMotte IV* blamotte@universalsports.com Sarah Christel Scully* baygo2@mac.com

Dr. Melinda J. Henderson* m.j.henderson@wayne.edu

Mrs. Rennie Wilson Randrup Washburn* rwashburn@nmhschool.org

Mrs. Lee Darling Kauper* weezer33@bellsouth.net

1983

Mr. Lawrence R. Noble* lnoble@dhrinternational.com Mr. Richard M. Vandervoorn* rickvand@gmail.com

1981 Mr. Frank (Pancho) C. Winter* telluridepancho@gmail.com

CLASS NOTES

Mr. Woods A. Fairbanks* woodzumi@att.net Mrs. Patricia Haskel Freund* tiski51@hotmail.com Mrs. Lydia Kelley Nelson* lk220nelson@hotmail.com Mrs. Heidi Eysenbach Rayden* heysenbach@yahoo.com

Sarah Christel ’82 and Jeff Scully were married on June 5, 2010.

Carey Hoffman Pippert

writes, “Still living in Fairfield with 13-year-old Emma, 12-year-old Charlie, husband, Greg, and 8-yearold dog, Eden.”

1984 Mrs. Whitney Robinson Dimmitt* wrdimmitt@comcast.net Mrs. Lisa Dulaney Dobbs * lisaddobbs@yahoo.com

1978 Mr. Michael T. Hanley* michaelthanley@yahoo.com

Mr. James F. Dwinell IV* james.Dwinell@pyramis.com

Mr. Carl R. Nasto* cnasto@ hartford.gov

Mr. William Powning* bill.powning@yahoo.com

Mr. Jeffrey A. Wright* jwright@angleboard.com

Mr. Michael L. Starr * mlstarr@hotmail.com

After 20 years in property management, Mark Wallace is off on another adventure.

Mark and Kristen sold Wallace Properties two years ago and have decided to open “First Trax,” a ski and sports shop in Mount Snow, Vt. He says, “If you are in the area, please stop in.”

1985 Mr. Mark R. Bluestein* markbluestein@aegislimited.com

Some Westminster alumni returned to their alma mater, St. Lawrence University, last fall for the dedication of the HallLeet Stadium in honor of their former lacrosse coach, Don Leet. Left to right, are Alex Gray ’86, John Fowler ’76, Sam Hovey ’83, Tim Robinson ’85, Charles Santry ’80, Jay Niles ’81, Tim French ’80 and Elliot Gray ’89. Jed Stevens ’81 is not in the photo, but he attended the dedication.

Mr. Douglas H. Gilbert* dgilbert@mcgcapital.com Stewart S. Walker* stewartwalker@cox.net

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CLASS NOTES

1986 Mrs. Heather Frahm Cronin* heather.frahm.cronin@gmail.com Mr. Paul D. Gitterman* pgitterman@adelphis.net Mr. Alexander L. Gray* agray@cardigan.org

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Mr. Christopher Hannigan* chrishannigan@mac.com Mr. Andrew W. H. Logan* alogan22@msn.com Mrs. Edith Josephson Owen* edie.owen@gmail.com Mr. David R. Wilkins* dwilkins@westernrivers.org

Mrs. Wendy McConnel Sirchio* krisandwendy@me.com

1989 Mr. Merrill L. Stout* merrellstout@earthlink.net Mrs. Jennifer Agnew Terry* jenterry@comcast.net

Mrs. Caroline Burnham Herdeg* cherdeg@hotmail.com Ms. Lindsey C. Heard* lindseycheard@gmail.com

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accorded USTFCCCA Track & Field Coach of the Year honors in men’s track and field (indoors and outdoors) while at Williams. He has also received the NESCAC Coach of the Year twice, and he has been honored five additional times in women’s track and field by both NESCAC and the USTFCCCA. In 2009, Fletcher fashioned the region’s top team despite a roster that had three toplevel performers who were unable to complete the season. Fletcher led the Ephs to Little Three, NESCAC, New England Division III Regional and the ECAC Division III titles.

Abby Wilson Hoven writes,

“Life is good! George is now 7 and way into Legos!

The twins are 2 and a ton of fun. I am one class away from completing my certification in college counseling through UCLA, and I have started working as an independent college counselor (Right for U. is my business).”

Adam Smith ’86, Mark McKay ’86 and Grant Slater ’86 at the Slater Brothers’ International Film Festival in Hamilton, N.Y. The Mark McKay Band played at the closing night of the festival and just released a new CD, “Dakota Dust.”

1987 Mr. Craig L. Buttner* craigbuttner@comcast.net Mr. Edward F. Lambrecht III* tlambrecht@LambrechtAssociates.com Mr. Jonathan T. Symonds* jsymonds@2wire.com Mr. Jeffrey E. Tindall* tindall_2001@yahoo.com

1988 Mr. John R. Bryan* JRB1165@gmail.com

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Mrs. Abby Wilson Hoven* mahoven@mac.com Mr. Sean L. McCarthy* thecomicscomic@gmail.com

1990 Mr. Harvey C. De Movick III* hdemovick@hotmail.com Ms. Cooley K. Fales* cooleykeep@hotmail.com

Paige Quinn with 2-yearold sister, Peyton, children of Amanda and Chip Riegel ’90. The children share the same birthday.

Mrs. C. Eve Poole Percival* eve.poole@ashridge.org.uk Mr. Mark J. Prendergast* mprender@hotmail.com Mr. Michael J. Tauber* miketauber@mindspring.com

Mark Prendergast left

Christie’s in January of 2009 and joined Heritage Auction Galleries as director of trusts and estates. Heritage is based in Dallas and is the world’s largest collectibles auctioneer (rare coins are the backbone to the business).

Mark opened up a Houston office for the company in summer 2009. Though recently divorced, Mark is enjoying the changes in his life with a new house and great times with his boys, James and Henry.

Mrs. Sarah Davis Johnson* sarahedjohnson@gmail.com

1991

C. Matthew Vendetti* mvendetti@dumontagency.com

Mr. Jason L. Clark* jasonclarkmobile@gmail.com

Second-year Williams men’s track and field coach, Fletcher Brooks, has been named the Men’s Division III New England Coach of the Year by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

This marks the third time that Fletcher has been

Ms. Alison Duxbury* alison.duxbury@mac.com Mrs. Courtney Dann McAdams* courto73@yahoo.com Mr. John P. Reilly* jpreilly11@gmail.com

Payton and Addison, children of Suzanne Jarrett Melan ’90 and Mitch Melan.

Mr. Robert C. Webster III* bocwebster@aol.com

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CLASS NOTES

S T A Y I N G C O N N E C T E D

Jake, son of Kim Sturz Gaynor ’92 and Greg Gaynor.

Isabella “Elle” Logan, daughter of Caroline and Doug Prezzano ’93.

1992

Ms. Ellen M. Gutierrez*

Ms. Christophany M. Creed* creedchiro@hotmail.com Ms. Elizabeth M. Eaton* elizabeth_eaton@post.harvard.edu Mr. Randy A. Fernandez* randyfern@123.cl Mr. Charles Page* pagech@gmail.com Mrs. Robin Herrick Tesoro* robinhtesoro@yahoo.com Mrs. Sarah Wallace Townes* sarahtownes@hotmail.com

ellen.gutierrez@alliancebernstein.com

Mr. Tyler V. V. Hill* tyler.hill@wedbush.com Mrs. Abigail Keeler Hord* abigail.hord@gmail.com Mrs. Whitney Smith Jiranek* wsjiranek@gmail.com Mr. R. Spencer Van Pelt* svanpelt74@gmail.com Mrs. Elizabeth Doenges Winkler* elizabeth@elizabethwinkler.com Mrs. Julie Madsen Zarou* juliezarou@mac.com

1993 1994 Mrs. Michele Cochran Downey* Hughsmom06@yahoo.com

Mrs. Suzanne Daglio Armstrong* sdaglio@hotmail.com

Mrs. Lee Carstensen Genung* leegenung@me.com

Now it’s even easier to stay connected with Westminster School and its extended community around the world! Alumni, parents and friends can keep in touch through newly established social media outlets. You can find the direct link to each site all on one page.

Visit www.westminster-school.org/connect For additional information, contact David Werner ’80, who is directing Westminster’s social media: dwerner@westminsterschool.org

T H R O U G H S O C I A L M E D I A Mr. Miles E. Bailey* miles_bailey@milton.edu Mrs. Alexis M. Donney* adb@aquamaestro.com Mrs. Kristin Wildman Shirahama* kristinshirahama@yahoo.com Mrs. Elizabeth Hibbard Sianturi* liz.sianturi@yahoo.com Mr. Michael A. Wiernasz* mawiernasz@yahoo.com

Rob Horsford ’89, David Werner ’80, P’10, ’11, Bam Simmons ’93 and Derrick Logan ’93 got together in Harlem last summer to catch up.

Paul A. Trachtenberg, a native of Sea Cliff, N.Y., and a special agent with the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), was one of four DSS agents to receive the Investigative Excellence award by the U.S. Marshals Service. The award honors those members of the international law enforcement community who have performed in an

exemplary manner and have made significant contributions to the efficient and effective administration of justice around the globe.

Paul, the assistant regional security officer at the U.S. Embassy in Belize, was honored for his productive collaboration with international law enforcement in returning to U.S. soil a fugitive murder suspect featured on the television show “America’s Most Wanted.” Paul’s investigation and partnership with law enforcement in Belize was critical to capturing the suspect. During his five years in the Diplomatic Security Service, Paul has served in the New York field office and the U.S. Embassies in Yemen and now in Belize.

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CLASS NOTES

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Christa’s community contributions include extensive volunteerism for Susan G. Komen for the Cure Connecticut. In addition, she lends her marketing talent to a board of directors position for the American Marketing Association’s Connecticut Chapter, West Hartford Chamber’s Marketing Committee and Bristol Hospital’s Marketing Committee.

1995 Mr. David H. Bruce* dhbruce@yahoo.com Mrs. Alexandra Dwyer Edwards* adwyeredwards@gmail.com Dr. Jeffrey Kaye* jeffkaye99@gmail.com Ms. Courtney C. Matthews* courtneymatthews@mac.com

Brooks MacDougall, son of Ali and Will Egan ’95.

Mr. Clark A. Smyth* clark.smyth@gmail.com

Christa Rozantes Allen ’96.

Mrs. Seton Clark Spagnuolo* setonspag@yahoo.com

1996 Mrs. Joanna Berger Frantz* inmotionjo@gmail.com Mrs. Jennifer Glassman Jacobs* jenniferglassman@gmail.com Mrs. Katherine Caruso Hanrahan* katiech13@verizon.net Mrs. Sarah Pytka Percival* sarahpercival@comcast.net

Elliott Allen Churchill, son of Jennifer Keeney-Bleeg ’95 and James Bleeg.

Mrs. Bethany Tracey Rodrigues* jo_rod1@comcast.net Mrs. Katharine Stickney Sawyer* kksawyer@hotmail.com

Paisley and Harper, children of Julianna Bontecou Pecchia ’95 and David Pecchia.

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Connor James, son of Sarah Dalton Quinn and Tim Quinn ’96.

Christa Rozantes Allen, marketing and sponsorship director for Westfarms, a premier shopping center in Connecticut, was named a “40 Under Forty” award winner by the Hartford Business Journal (HBJ). In its 15th year, the annual award honors 40 professionals under 40 years of age for their business accomplishments and community contributions.

She was honored along with 39 other young business leaders at an awards ceremony on Sept. 30 at the Connecticut Convention Center.

For Westfarms, Christa is charged with developing unique programs and events, and implementing a strategic marketing and sponsorship plan. Former professional successes include managing multiple super-regional shopping centers, marketing multi-million dollar redevelopments and leading task forces assigned to open new acquisitions. “I attribute my professional successes to the fact that I have always followed my heart and stayed true to myself in terms of my career choices,” says Christa. “I am passionate about the Westfarms brand and am proud to represent it each day.”

Allison Bailey ’96 and Doug Blais were married on April 17, 2010.

Allison Bailey Blais is

currently the chief of staff of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center (set to open September 2011). She met her husband, Doug, while working on the redevelopment of Lower Manhattan in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. Doug is a program manager for WTC Construction at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

WESTMINSTER

Eleanor Stack ’96 and Alexander Bingham were married Aug. 15, 2009, at Duntreath Castle, Scotland.

After completing her degree in social anthropology at Edinburgh University, Eleanor Stack joined the Royal Navy as a warfare officer. She recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of walking through the gates of Britannia Royal Naval College. Eleanor is now a principal warfare officer on board the Royal Navy’s newest ship, the Type 45 destroyer, HMS Daring, which will be working with the U.S. Navy for two months.

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Christopher Ix ’96 and Amanda Weicker were married on July 17, 2010.

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At the wedding of Sarah Nathan ’97 to Sean Sullivan are, left to right, Colette Arredondo ’97, Eliza Scott ’97, Stephanie Timberman Richard ’97, Sarah Nathan Sullivan ’97, Lindsay Knapp ’97, Carolyn Cordner LePage ’97 and Jane Simmons Bullock ’97.

1997 Mr. Sean R. Broderick* seanieB21@hotmail.com Mr. Robert G. Moran III* moranr@cintas.com Mr. John S. Payne* pepsicola1898@gmail.com Mrs. Lauren Bontecou Reichart* klreichart@gmail.com

Stephanie Zegras ’96 was married to David Schneider ’98 on May 21, 2010.

CLASS NOTES

Mrs. Carin Scott Shepherd* kiki11@optonline.net

Mr. Alexander S. Bryant* sandma6155@aol.com Mr. Joshua D. Gladding* gladding@gmail.com Mr. Michael A. Innes* michael.innes@gmail.com Mr. C. J. MacDonald Jr.* cj@cjmacdonald.com Mr. Ryan O’Donnell* raodonne@gmail.com Mrs. Leila Mountain Shaw* leilashaw@gmail.com Ms. Kirsten A. Sichler* kirsten.a.sichler@jpmorgan.com Mr. Douglas C. Stadnyck Jr.* chipstadnyck@gmail.com Mrs. Emily Hoffman Vincent* emilyhoffman80@hotmail.com

Emmaline, Amelie and Isla Shepherd, children of Carin Scott Shepherd ’97 and Matthew Shepherd.

Elliot Dickson is a science

teacher and class dean at the Spence School in New York City. He is getting married in June 2011 in Vermont.

Jenny Tuttle, as part of

1998 Jackson Eno ’96 wed Lynsey Propeck, July 10, 2010, Edgartown, Mass.

Ms. Elisabeth Gailun Baird* egbaird@gmail.com

Poison Tree Collective, has garnered her first motion picture soundtrack credit for “The Collector.” She and her cohorts, CR Rollyson

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CLASS NOTES

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Charlotte, N.C. She also heads her own management company, Aftermarket Hearts, which supports Indie music acts and record labels.

1999 Mr. Michael L. Ball* MLBall81@aol.com Ms. Lauren N. Polo* laurenpolo99@gmail.com Ms. Torrey B. Trzcienski* torrey.trzcienski@gmail.com

At the wedding of Jack Kennedy ’98 to Philippa Renwick, back row, left to right, Jamie Renwick ’08, faculty member Colleen Joncas, Tim Joncas ’00, David Schneider ’98, Stephanie Zegras Schneider ’96, Alexis van der Mije ’98, Josh Gladding ’98, Kimball Sargent ’98, Brandt Hastings ’98 and Phil Bartow ’98. Kneeling, Newell Grant ’99, Luke Earl ’99, Mike Innes ’98 and Tim Gerges ’98. Sitting, Jack Kennedy ’98 and Philippa Renwick Kennedy.

and Matt Sells, appear with the likes of Korn, Depeche Mode and Nico Vega on the soundtrack of the July 2009-released film. Jenny has been in the graphic design field for the past

seven years and directs the art department for Gita Sporting Goods, Ltd. (an importer of racing bicycle frames and designer/ manufacturer of technical bicycle clothing), of

Mrs. Abbie Wold Long* abbiewold@gmail.com

2000 Mr. David H. Bradley* dhbradley28@gmail.com Ms. Jessica R. Cosentino* jessica.cosentino@gmail.com Ms. Kirsten E. Ford* kir1000@aol.com Mr. Timothy A. Joncas* tjoncas@westminster-school.org Mr. Todd D. McDonald* Tmcdonald11@gsb.columbia.edu Mrs. Erinn Sullivan Davis* erinn.b.davis@gmail.com Ms. Michele J. Wiernasz* Michele.wiernasz@gmail.com

Chad Mountain is living in

Santa Monica, Calif., where he is acting and running an entainment company called j.k.livin.

2001 Mr. Sean Fitzmichael Devlin* sfitzmichaeld@msn.com

Newell Grant ’99 and Ben Srour ’00 met up in Seattle, Wash.

Ms. Lauren Bailey Dolian* lauren.dolian@yahoo.com Ms. Lindsay A. Leal* lindsayleal@gmail.com Mr. Timothy D. McCormick* tdmccormick@gmail.com Ms. Jennifer A. Moyer* mahokey88@yahoo.com Ms. Katherine S. Parker* katherine.s.parker@gmail.com Mr. Rory J. Regan* Rors21@yahoo.com Ms. Laura G. Toscano* laura.g.toscano@gmail.com

Julia DeCiantis moved back

At the wedding of Hanna Foster ’00 to Taylor Robinson are, left to right, Bobby Barrett ’95, Ali Cohen ’99, Taylor Robinson, Hanna Foster Robinson ’00, Clifton Teagle ’00, Jen Barrett Crocker ’00, Liz Holland ’99, Leigh Foster ’03 and Jeff Natale ’01.

76

to Brooklyn and started a new job with a restaurant company, all within a month. “Hectic, but good,” she writes.

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CLASS NOTES

Spencer, son of Amanda and Matt Innes ’01.

Matt Innes and his wife,

Amanda, recently moved to Fairfield, Conn., where they have run into Charlie Miner and Rich Perkin ’99. Their son, Spencer, was born on April 3, 2010.

2002 Ms. Elizabeth C. Dickson* elizdickson@gmail.com Ms. Kristyn E. Keene* Kristyn.Keene@gmail.com Ms. Margaret J. Obermeier* Margaret.obermeier@gmail.com Ms. Hallie E. Preston* hallie.preston@gmail.com Ms. Courtenay S. Veenis* cveenis@gmail.com

Jack Reigeluth ’02 in rural Rajasthan, India, with a sarpanch (democratically elected village headman) from a nearby village. Jack serves as assistant director of the New York State Independent College Consortium for Study in India and met with the sarpanch on a field trip in which students were learning about the farming and handicraft industry, as well as local politics in India.

Jack Reigeluth writes, “I

am currently the assistant director of the New York State Independent College Consortium for Study in India. It is a study abroad program for students from Hobart, St. Lawrence,

At the wedding of Sean Peden ’00 to Katherine Melvin are, left to right, Jakub Mleczko ’00, Katherine Melvin, Sean Peden ’00 and Brendan Lynch ’01.

Colgate and Hamilton.

While traveling in Northern India, students in the program take a class in Hindi, Indian history and contemporary India, and also conduct their own independent fieldwork projects. I organize and lead field trips, serve as translator for Hindi and Urdu, teach a unit on the diversity of Islam in India, oversee student social and health concerns, promote positive group dynamics and serve as a sounding board for the director. I also have the opportunity to continue my studies in Hindi and Urdu literature. After the program, I will head back to Columbia Teachers College in the spring to complete my M.A. in the teaching of middle school and high school English.”

2003 Ms. Meredith C. Beck* mbeck2585@gmail.com Mr. Brian Dow* Post Office Box 7261 Jackson, WY 83002-7261 (860) 490-4805 – cell phone

At the wedding of Heather Wright ’02 to Brian Vickery are, left to right, Justin Wright ’04, Becky Schaffer ’02, Brian Vickery, Heather Wright Vickery, Tara Borawski ’02, Matt Neidlinger ’02 and Billy Mauke ’02.

Mr. Joseph Brady Greco* jbg1020@gmail.com

Mr. Sean P. Navin* snavin4@gmail.com Mr. Christopher L. Smith* clsmit@gmail.com Ms. Kimberly A. Sullivan* kimberly.sullivan@rosetta.com Ms. Georgina C. Wolffer* gwolffer@gmail.com

2004 Ms. Lee S. Anderson* lee_sanderson@hotmail.com Ms. Lindsey E. Armstrong* lindsey.elisabeth.armstrong@gmail.com

Ms. Madeline L. Brooks* madeline.Brooks@gmail.com Mr. Stephen M. Frechette* stephen.m.frechette@gmail.com Ms. Sarah H. Griffin* sarah.griffin08@gmail.com Mr. Stephen P. A. Healy* stephenpahealy@gmail.com Laurie A. Keene* laurie.keene@gmail.com Ms. Margaret B. Pitney* margaret.pitney@gmail.com Mr. Matthew P. Salzberg* mpsalzberg@med.miami.edu

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Mr. Duncan Smith* t.duncansmith@gmail.com Mr. Shane B. Spinell* shane.spinell@gs.com

Laura Keene continues to work at RFD Architects and is enrolled in a Master of Architecture program at the Boston Architectural Center.

Scott Carleton recently

moved to New York to pursue several technology start-ups. The first, called Artsicle (artsicle.com), is a Web e-commerce site to sell original fine art. Artsicle also plans to offer microfinancing so that customers can “sponsor” emerging artists. The second, called Breakout Developments (breakout developments.com) and founded with classmate Tyler Young, is a music company that hopes to partner with record labels to make sharing music easier on digital devices.

2005 Mr. James G. Fadden* fadden.graham@gmail.com Ms. Meriwether L. M. Hardie* meriwether.hardie@gmail.com Ms. Michele B. Hatchette* mhatchette87@hotmail.com

At the Aug. 6 wedding of Serra Milham to Jack Armstrong ’06 in Santa Barbara, Calif., are, left to right, Lindsey Armstrong ’04, Leigh Armstrong ’07, Serra Armstrong, Jack Armstrong ’06, and Liz and Bill Armstrong P’04, ’06, ’07.

Mr. David M. Martinez* martinezd513@gmail.com Ms. Katherine D. Morton* katherine.d.morton@gmail.com Ms. Carolyn H. Murphy* carolynhmurphy@gmail.com Ms. Lindsay C. O’Brien * obrien.lindsay@gmail.com Ms. Kelly A. Overbye* koverbye@gmail.com Mr. Christopher Q. Santoro* chris.q.santoro@gmail.com

Academy, where he was a resident master in Warner House and coached soccer and basketball.

Mr. Alexander J. Lavoie* alavoie10@gmail.com

2006 Mr. John M. Armstrong* jarmstrong@westmont.edu Ms. Danielle E. Beaudoin* DanielleEBeaudoin@yahoo.com Mr. Lane A. Bodian* Lane.bodian@gmail.com Courtney M. Edwards*

Katie Morton recently began a fellowship with Kiva.org in Mombasa, Kenya. As a Kiva Fellow, she will be working with a local microfinance institution and learning about microlending firsthand.

Mr. Gerald R. Holland* gholland.student@mountsaintvi ncent.edu

courtneymatsonedwards@gmail.com

Ms. Frances N. McGrath* mcgrath.frano@gmail.com Mr. Brett H. Morell * morell.brett@gmail.com Ms. Katherine F. Philip* katherine.philip@gmail.com Mr. Morgan C. Roach* Morgan.Roach@morganstanley smithbarney.com Ms. Cameron S. Scott* cameron.scott10@gmail.com Mr. Benjamin A. Smith* smith.benjamin12@gmail.com

Dan D’Addario is living in

White Plains, N.Y., and teaching English at Windward School.

Kevan Quinn has begun

Kevan Quinn ’05 has begun Ph.D. studies in chemistry at Virginia Tech.

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Ph.D. studies in chemistry at Virginia Tech. He is working with Dr. Karen Brewer’s research group, which focuses on design, development and study of mixed-metal supramolecular complexes that are capable of a multitude of lightactivated functions. In 2009-2010, Kevan taught chemistry at Lake Forest

Chi Okwu-Lawrence

Andy Gomez ’06 was honored with the top award granted to a member of the graduating senior class in the Dairy Science Department at Cal Poly.

graduated from Clark Atlanta University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass media arts/radio/ television/film cum laude last May.

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CLASS NOTES

Mr. Nicholas W. Stevens* nstevens@middlebury.edu

michael.curran@coloradocollege.edu

Ms. Elsie D. Swank* eswank@hamilton.edu

Mr. Oliver F. DeClue* oswoosh@yahoo.com

Ms. Kelsea B. Wigmore* wigmore@bc.edu

Ms. Hannah M. Dimmitt* hannah.m.dimmitt@vanderbilt.edu

Mr. Peter Williams* Peter.r.williams@dartmouth.edu

Ms. Whitney G. FitzPatrick* whitneyfitz@gmail.com

2008

Mr. Taylor B. Gould* TGould@conncoll.edu

Ms. Emma N. Beck* enbeck@colby.edu

Ms. Ashley T. Jeffress* atjeff09@stlawu.edu

Ms. Lisa A. Cavazuti* lcavazuti@gmail.com

Mr. Kieran M. McDonald* kmcdonal@unc.edu

Ms. Emily A. Cranshaw* ecransha@hamilton.edu

Mr. Errol L. Nisbeth* enisbeth13@amherst.edu

Mr. Tommy R. Cross* thomas.cross.1@bc.edu

Ms. Alie D. Philip* rphilip@bates.edu

Mr. Robert P. Fitzgerald III* robert.fitzgerald@trincoll.edu

Ms. Abigail M. Stevens* asteven6@uvm.edu

Mr. Cameron G. Keady* ckeady@skidmore.edu

Mr. Kirby F. Zdrill* kirby.zdrill@yale.edu

Mr. Luke Lamothe* Luke.Lamothe@tufts.edu

Mr. Jeremy A. Zelinger* jeremy.zelinger@tufts.edu

Ms. Amy H. Lee* amyhaimi@gmail.com

Liz Cole played for

2007 Ms. Leigh T. Armstrong* larmstrong@mail.smu.edu

Ms. Sarah A. Marco* sarahamarco@gmail.com

Ms. Erica S. Briggs* ebriggs@hamilton.edu

Mr. Joseph H. Putko* jputko@middlebury.edu

Ms. Mallory J. Coquoz* mal.coquoz@richmond.edu

Ms. Sarah M. Shanfield* sshanfield@gmail.com

Mr. Timothy R. Gavrich* Gavricht11@mail.wlu.edu

Ms. Kathleen A. Sullivan* sulliv_k@denison.edu

Mr. Alexander R. Gerson* Alexander.gerson@gmail.com

Mr. Zachary B. Wigmore* zwigmore@umich.edu

Mr. Joseph D. Liberator* jliberat@middlebury.edu

Lindsay Zavisza was elected

Ben Smith, an assistant captain on Boston College’s men’s hockey team and the NCAA Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player, earned the Eagle of the Year Award at Boston College’s AllSports Banquet last May. The Nathaniel J. Hasenfus ’22 Eagle of the Year Award is given annually to one male and one female senior student athlete who are outstanding citizens, leaders, scholars and athletes. It is the most prestigious honor that the athletics department bestows upon a student athlete. Ben also earned the conference’s Len Ceglarski Sportsmanship Award, the program’s William J. Flynn Coaches Award and shared the Academic Excellence Award as one of the seniors with the highest grade point average during the season.

In addition, Ben was among those students from Boston College, Boston University and Harvard University honored in May by the Allston Board of Trade for their exemplary service to the community.

Ben was an active community volunteer during his time at BC. He headed the Student Athlete Advisory Committee’s HEAR (Help Educate through Athletic Responsibility) program that brings BC student athletes into the classrooms of Boston public schools to speak about educational and personal goals and motivate children to achieve success.

He also was involved in community outreach activities at the Oak Square YMCA, the Franciscan Hospital for Children, the Massachusetts Hospital School and the Food for Families program at the Commonwealth Tenants’ Association in Brighton.

with a major in biomolecular science and a minor in chemistry. He graduated summa cum laude, received departmental honors and received the Connecticut State University System’s Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award, which is given to 12 seniors in the Connecticut State University system. In August, he entered Stanford University to pursue a Ph.D. in genetics.

Damek Spacek graduated in May 2010 from Central Connecticut State University

The Cleveland Browns have promoted defensive lineman Brian Sanford to the active roster from the practice squad. He will wear number 70. Brian was originally signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent on May 17, 2010, after attending the team’s rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. He appeared in 43 games at Temple University from 2006 to 2009, where he posted 86 tackles, eight sacks, three forced fumbles and blocked one field goal.

Ms. Sarah C. Lobdell* Slobdel1@jhu.edu

captain of the field hockey team at Eastern Connecticut State College.

Ms. Caitlin L. Romaniello* cromanie@fandm.edu

2009

Mr. Andrew K. Skipp* askipp@uvm.edu

Ms. Elizabeth A. Cole* colee@lafayette.edu

Mr. Michael J. Curran*

Lafayette in all 18 women’s varsity soccer games at the defensive midfield position.

She scored her first collegiate goal against American to force a 1-1 tie.

2010 Ms. Maddie J. Garnett* mjgarn10@stlawu.edu Mr. Cris Gomez* cgomez10@westminsterschool.org Ms. Isabelle P. Hill* izz203@aol.com Mr. Sean P. Kelley* skelley10@westminster-school.org Ms. Tiffany S. Liu* tsl268@nyu.edu Mr. Benjamin L. Mandell* bmandell10@westminster-school.org

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CLASS NOTES

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Ms. Madelin L. McPhee* mmcphee10@westminsterschool.org

Classes ending in the ones and sixes save the date!

Ms. Margaret W. Miller* mmiller10@westminsterschool.org

May 6-8, 2011

Ms. Charlotte L. O’Herron* cloh92@aol.com

Invitations will be mailed in February.

Mr. William H. Smith* wsmith10@westminsterschool.org

2011

Mr. Adam P. Susaneck* Adam.Susaneck@Berkeley.edu

life at Northeastern and in Boston, despite being a rabid New York Yankees fan! He is currently working on his first album of original songs, which he hopes to release early in the new year.

COMMITTEES AND CHAIRS FOR EACH OF THE CELEBRATING CLASSES: 1946

1976

1996

Abe Claude Win Hotchkiss 1951

Liz McGrath Durkin Jane Hanna Repp Pierce O’Neil Rick Worcester

Bill McClendon Andy Deeds

1981

Jenn Glassman Jacobs, chair Joanna Berger Frantz Brian Gerges Katie Caruso Hanrahan Tim Quinn Bethany Tracey Rodrigues Joe Rodrigeus Hil Sawyer Katharine Stickney Sawyer

1956

Chuck Griffith, chair Tyler Moseley is playing

football at Denison. He really enjoys the school but still misses the Hill.

Former Faculty Tom Williams writes, “After

13 very good years of teaching sixth grade math at the Pingry School in New Jersey, I took a year off, and now I am teaching middle school math at the Willow School in Gladstone, N.J. Besides enjoying my teaching, I am also having a lot of fun biking, hiking and playing hockey. Hello to all my Westminster friends.”

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For the complete schedule and to register online, please visit: www.westminster-school.org/reunion

For more information, contact Thea Leach, director of reunions and special programs: tleach@westminster-school.org, (860) 408-6514.

Ms. Clare E. Ulrich* culrich10@westminsterschool.org

Zack Curcio is loving college

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1961

Sam Gawthrop, chair Malcolm Douglas Lex Federbush Robert Friedman Dick Hoyt Keith Keogh Tom Turton Peter Wendell

Nathalie Kirschner Tallis Dede Ford Cadieux Alicia Grinold Hamblett Andrew Mackenzie Jay Niles Kim Wilkes Tirrell Nancy Urner-Berry Pancho Winter 1986

Jeff Cook Jack Eno Tony Halsey John Knox Brian O’Donnell George Vaill

Curt Brockelman, co-chair Malcolm Miller, co-chair Heather Frahm Cronin Emily Forester Tappan Kim Smith Guerster Paul Gitterman Alex Gray John Mangel Bryan Martin Bob Santry Wendy McConnel Sirchio

1971

1991

Bill Bartholomay John Blakney Abram Claude Arch Montgomery

Jeff Bush Jason Clark Mark de Kanter Sam Gaudet Mark Frahm Laura Guthrie Lear Kelly Miller Lilly Lucia Quartararo Mulder Sara Whiteley

1966

2001

Adelaide Sisk Ness, chair Mark Capeless Ashley Clark Sean Devlin Quincy Francis Matt Innes Lindsay Leal Cole Pinney Breed Randall Hadiya Staine 2006

Lane Bodian, co-chair Kate Philip, co-chair Danielle Beaudoin Brock Bosacker Kyle Brewer Henry Dillon Lauren Eder Courtney Edwards Andy Gomez Alex Lavoie Frances McGrath Brett Morell Morgan Roach Cam Scott

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CLASS NOTES

In Memoriam 1942 Robert D. Slimmon of

Westerly, R.I., and Jacksonville, Fla., died on June 13, 2010, at Westerly Hospital. Bob was a general agent for the Aetna Life Insurance Company in Fairfield, Conn., from 1927 to 1974 and an independent agent until his retirement in 1990. He was a member of the Dunn’s Corners Community Church Presbyterian in Westerly.

Robert served in the Army during World War II in Italy, receiving the Purple Heart. He was a 1945W graduate of Yale University and loved sports and playing bridge. Besides his wife of 62 years, Eleanor Terry Slimmon, he will be missed by his children, Robert F. Slimmon of Jacksonville, Fla., and Betsey Dunham of Las Vegas, Nev.; and a sister, Eleanor Gadd, and a brother, James B. Slimmon Jr. ’45, both of Bloomfield, Conn. He also leaves six grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

1944 Edwin A. Rogers of Bristol,

R.I., a former Darienite and U.S. Marine veteran, died May 3, 2010. He was the husband of Margaret H. Hawes Rogers for 55 years.

Ted spent his youth in Fall River, Mass., lived in Darien for 30 years, Barrington, R.I., for eight years, and moved to Bristol in 1995.

He and his wife summered in Westport Harbor, Mass., all of their lives.

Ted was a graduate of Harvard University, Class of 1950, where he studied government and economics and was a member of the Fox Club and Hasty Pudding. During his early

business career, he attended the Amos Tuck Business School at Dartmouth College. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he served with the 1st Marine Air Wing with the 32nd Marine Air Group-MAG during World War II in the South Pacific and the Philippines.

For his achievement while participating in aerial flight in the Philippine Islands area, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

He was also the recipient of the Air Medal with several stars.

Ted worked in the business development and public relations office for the former Fidelity Trust in Stamford for 14 years, retiring in 1986. Before that, he worked in sales for Hammermill Paper Company in Erie, Pa., and New York, after beginning his career at the Rourke–Eno Paper Company in Hartford.

Throughout his career and during his retirement, he served in a number of governmental, civic and professional organizations.

He was past president of the Fairfield County Public Relations Association in Stamford; a member of the Harvard Club of Rhode Island, serving on its graduate schools committee; a member of the Acoaxet Club and Elephant Rock Beach Club in Westport; and was a loan executive for the National Alliance of Businessmen. He also was a member of the First Congregational Church in Bristol and a member and formerly on the board of trustees of the Noroton Presbyterian Church in Darien. Ted was an avid sailor and woodworker, and loved gardening and furniture finishing.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his son, Timothy E. Rogers ’79; daughters, Elizabeth R. Armstrong, Cynthia P. Rogers and Deborah R. Truesdale; 10 grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his siblings, Dr. William P. Rogers Jr., Sydney H. Rogers and Rosalind Lawrence.

1945 Robert Blake Russell Jr., of

Norwich, Vt., a former resident of Somers, died on Oct. 21, 2010. Bob was born in New Haven, the first son of Robert Blake Russell and Helen (Ferguson) Russell. He graduated from Yale in 1950. After serving in the U.S. Army from 1945 to 1946, Bob had a 35-year career with Connecticut Light and Power as an industrial sales engineer. The Russells retired to Castine, Maine, where they lived from 1994 to 2004. Bob is survived by his wife, Lois; son, Raymond Russell of Cheshire; and daughter, Robin Russell of Vermont; three grandchildren; a brother, Win Russell of Maine; and five nieces. He is predeceased by a brother, Warren Russell.

1947 Henry L. “Hank” Smith

died April 25, 2010. He was born in New Bedford, Mass., the youngest of four children. On July 12, 1952, he married Barbara Ann Wilson, with whom he shared many adventures, especially backpacking, canoeing and bicycling.

Following his retirement, he and Barbara became serious bicycle tourists, traveling

self-contained with camping equipment to a number of European countries and to New Zealand. In 1988, they completed a cross-country trip and followed that with extensive cycling in the United States. From 1952 to 1967, he was circulation manager of the Brattleboro Daily Reformer and assistant to publishers Howard C. Rice and, later, John S. Hooper. Until his 1987 retirement, he was a senior safety supervisor for Ebasco Constructors, Inc. of Lindhurst, N.J., assigned to nuclear construction projects including Vermont Yankee, Florida Power and Light’s plant on Hutchinson Island, Fla.; WPPS units in Elma, Wash.; and Houston Power & Light’s two units in Matagorda, Texas.

Hank’s military service from 1944 to 1946 was as a gunner’s mate in the Navy aboard the U.S.S. Claiborne and an LCS6393, which plied the waters of the South Pacific.

Hank was a member of the Brattleboro Ski Patrol as well as the Mad River Glen and Mt. Washington patrols. For 20 years, he was a first aid instructor and a past board member of the Windham County Red Cross, in charge of their building projects. He was a founding member of Rescue before its incorporation.

Besides his wife of 58 years, he is survived by his oldest brother, Abbott M. Smith Jr. of Huntington, W.Va., and seven nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by brothers Benjamin Anthony and Samuel Appleton Smith.

Joseph Robinson Walker Wicks of Salt Lake City,

Utah, died on July 11, 2009.

Rob always loved the

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CLASS NOTES

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In Memoriam outdoors, hunting, fly fishing and golfing. He worked as an architect and city planner in Alaska, California and Vietnam. He was a graduate of Yale University. He is survived by his nieces and nephew. He was predeceased by his brother, Edward B. Wicks ’46.

1951 Landon Evarts of Garrison,

N.Y., died on June 2, 2010.

He was a graduate of Harvard College and Columbia Business School.

He served in the U.S. Army in Washington, D.C., in the 1950s. Landon is survived by his wife, Nancy SaylesEvarts; his daughter Caroline Evarts; and his brother, William M. Evarts.

He is also survived by four stepchildren and many grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

J. Rush Marshall of Cazenovia, N.Y., died March 11, 2010, at St. Joseph’s Hospital. He was born in Washington, D.C., and was a graduate of Cornell University, where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon and the Sphinx Head Society. He took course work at the Graduate School of Business at Syracuse University. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in Panama during the Cold War. Rush was a manager of industrial relations with the SCM Corporation, and he retired from OnBank and Trust Company in Syracuse as assistant vice president.

He was a member and past president of Cazenovia Preservation Foundation and the Friends of Lorenzo, and a member and past commodore of Willow Bank Yacht Club, where he was

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an active Finn and Laser sailor. He was a former member of the Cazenovia Club and served on its board of governors. He also worked on his own family genealogy, as well as that of many others when he was formerly the town of Cazenovia’s deputy historian. Rush was predeceased by his sister, Linda Dows Marshall, and he is survived by his wife, Ann Manierre Marshall; a son, Alfred L. Marshall; a daughter, Linda Dain; and four grandchildren.

1952 Philip Barton Stull Jr. died

August 12, 2010. He is survived by his wife, Elaine Callahan Stull. Phil was born in Wilmington, Del., and was educated at Tower Hill in Wilmington and Yale University. In his business career, he worked for Standard Oil, Oronite Chemical Division, American Enka, Allied Chemical and BASF. Phil is survived by his children from his previous marriage: Catherine Stull Kniffen, husband, James Kniffen, and grandson, James of Raleigh, N.C.; and Philip B. Stull III of Rock Hill, S.C., wife, Sandy Stull, and grandchildren, Kenneth Smith and Ashley Smith of Rock Hill, S.C. Phil retired to Vero Beach in 1993 and, during that time, volunteered at Samaritan Center and Habitat for Humanity. He was a resident and member of Orchid Island Golf and Beach Club.

Bob Hill writes about the recent death of his friend and classmate Phil. “Just about half of those who may bother to read these words will inevitably face what I’ve been struggling

with for several weeks: how does or can one possibly write, say anything meaningful, so personally important to unknown others about the now absence of one’s oldest friend? Phil and I were pals long before we knew we were. Our mothers, close friends, were also avid bridge players. That brought us together at our two homes in Wilmington, Del., as toddlers. Those Thursday bridge gatherings were simply unalterable.

“To what readers I now have left, after that opening: How many of your oldest friends will have been born in the same city? How many may have gone to Westminster? The odds increase. How many Westminster classmates, faced with my obligation, could have roomed with their oldest friend for three consecutive years? Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Forms – Cushing Third Middle, Memorial Hall, West Cottage. The odds have now moved into some version of chaos theory.

“Phil and I played a serious amount of tennis, together or against, over many years: before Westminster, during and well after. Only a longtime tennis player perhaps knows what I am up to here. I never recall Phil calling a shot ‘out’ that was not clearly out. In doubt: ‘Can we play that point over?’

About life, I’ve learned the hard way (is there any alternative). What lurks in the details can later loom darkly in life. Integrity. All clear, Phil. “‘Yes, Phil shared you as his oldest friend.’ A welcome note from Phil’s wife, Elaine, who adds, ‘What he felt deeply about

were his years at Westminster.’ A diminishing half of our ’52 class can all attest to that.

“There’s much to be known why coach Pete Keyes put Phil into the last two minutes of a first team basketball contest against Pomfret (1950). Phil scored a layup in the final seconds to win the game. Either Phil’s early-on athletic abilities or Mr. Keyes’ pure genius as a coach? Who knows? Phil’s 15 minutes of fame within the boundaries of Williams Hill is yet alive after more than 55 years. My credentials: I played the game.

“In our ’51 and ’52 years on the track team, Phil (for impulses I’ll never fathom) elected to run the then-called 880 (yards), a race he was not physically meant to try by any standards I know. As roommate, friend and captain of the sport, I cared a lot about that event. I don’t remember him ever getting first place. Second and also-rans, yes. At the finish line, gray with oxygen debt and efforts past his limits, he ran the distance.

About Westminster’s motto, I doubt that there exists a more profound instance of grit. I don’t know of one. Of grace, Phil always said even after half a century, ‘We won the game.’”

1955 Filmmaker Pare Lorentz died June 4, 2010, in Frankfort, K.Y. Pare grew up in a community called Snedens Landing, overlooking the Hudson River. Snedens Landings is known as a small hamlet where many actors and television personalities reside. A graduate of Harvard University, Pare

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CLASS NOTES

In Memoriam was well known for his industrial and documentary films. He was a member of the International Documentary Association and chairman of its Pare Lorentz Award Committee.

The award honored Pare’s late father, also named Pare, who was considered to be the “father of documentary films.”

Pare is survived by his wife, Jane Choate Lorentz; a sister, Tilly Grey of The Villages, Fla.; a half sister, Sarah Barber, of Guilford, Conn.; a stepsister, Helen Tomkins, of Santa Barbara, Calif.; and a stepbrother, Richard Tomkins, of Croton, N.Y. Fellow classmate, T Swayze remembers and writes, “Pare: hockey, choir, Dance Committee, Sixth Form Prefect, voted best actor and best voice. His outstanding contribution to Westminster recognized by the award of the Headmaster’s Prize.

“Many of us will remember his frantic flurry of phone calls as he scrambled to finalize a date for dance weekend. We were opposites in so many ways.

I was intimidated by his glamorous social life and ski vacations in Switzerland, and could not believe he suggested we room together at Harvard. The Westminster years and four years together at Harvard cemented a lifelong friendship. We made a movie on the island of Grenada — long before Reagan invaded. He made a marvelous film for the Peace Corps about its volunteers while we were in India.

Over 30 years ago, in our living room, Pare married Jane Choate, our son’s second grade teacher. Jane has been his loving support

throughout their marriage, giving him extraordinary care these last few years.

“Pare has been forever a loyal, generous and dear friend to my wife and me, and a godfather to our son, Peter. A man of a large heart, great spirit and full of love for others. To be always remembered by all of us.”

1964 Carl John Smith of

Springdale, Ark., passed away on July 20, 2010.

While at Westminster, Carl played football and was a manager for the hockey team. He also was on the yearbook staff and a member of the Chess Club.

1974 Lee Alan Servadio of

Scarborough, Maine, died on April 16, 2010. Lee was born in Minneapolis, Minn., and spent the majority of his childhood in Ridgefield and Simsbury. He attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute and earned a bachelor’s degree in food science from the University of Massachusetts. During his college years in Worcester, he met Audrey Tuchay, and they married in Connecticut on Sept. 18, 1982.

Lee and Audrey lived in Prospect for 15 years, where Lee was self employed and then worked as the orchard manager for Lyman Orchards. In 2000, he accepted a job as a food scientist for Product Development at Barber Foods, so the family moved to Scarborough, Maine.

Lee enjoyed being outdoors with his family.

His most prominent hobbies included gardening, hiking, camping with family and

friends, clam digging, and, his most recent pastime, kayaking. He frequently kayaked on the Scarborough River and Lower Range Pond, where he enjoyed seeing the eaglets in their nests. He was a very accomplished cook, as gourmet cooking was a passion and talent that he shared with his wife. He was known by all of his family and friends as “The Grill-Master.” He especially enjoyed all gatherings and events with family and friends, who all appreciated his lively aura and sense of humor.

Lee is survived by his mother, Norma Servadio, of Simsbury; his wife, Audrey Servadio, of Scarborough, Maine; his sons, Alex P. Servadio and Joseph L. Servadio, both of Scarborough; and two sisters.

2003 Steven Thomas Naraine

was killed in a car crash on April 25, 2010, in Georgia.

He was born in Hartford, Conn., on February 9, 1984, to Steven and Jill (Green) Naraine. He attended Windsor High School and was a graduate of Westminster School, where he played basketball, baseball and football. He pursued higher education at the University of Connecticut and transferred to Florida International University, where he continued his studies in business finance. He excelled in mathematics, computer science and Web site design. Steven was also a very ambitious entrepreneur, who began his own telemarketing business last year. Stylish, handsome and gifted, “Stevie” was a

talented golfer, and a member, volunteer and past employee of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford, Inc. Most recently, he was a highly valued marketing manager at Grace Homes in Atlanta, Ga. Steven was a loving son, brother, grandson and friend, who will not be forgotten by those left to cherish his memory.

Many of his Westminster friends gathered in New York City to remember him, thanks to the efforts of Courtney Heywood ’05 and former faculty member Randy Slaughter. Steven is survived by his mother and father, Jill and Steven Sr. of Windsor; two brothers, Kashden Thomas Naraine and Branden Thomas Naraine, of Windsor; one great grandfather, Arthur Jackson, of Bloomfield, Conn.; three grandmothers, Esther Naraine, of East Hartford, Joyce Brock, of Austell, Ga., and Geraldine Green, of Hartford; and grandfather, Eugene Green of Hartford.

Former Staff Yvonne Fellows Brown

passed away on October 8, 2010, in Melbourne, Fla. Yvonne was employed at Westminster School for more than 35 years as a secretary to the headmaster and later to the director of admissions. She was born in Hartford and lived in Simsbury for many years, before moving to Florida.

She was predeceased by her husband, Thomas E. Brown.

Yvonne is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth F. Sullivan, and her husband, Patrick; her sister, Jean Rotondo; and several nieces and nephews.

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Closing Thoughts Reflections on Core Values Through Space and Time

By Welbith Mota ’06

84

As a one-year postgraduate student at Westminster, I was keenly aware of the school’s core values of community, character, balance and involvement, but I never thought I had internalized them. Now, through the prism of five years since my Westminster graduation and an undergraduate degree completed at Connecticut College, the meaning of these values has taken new form.

INvolvement While most of us do not long to live complicated lives, unexamined living can keep us from making wholesome contributions to the twisted narrative we call life. However, by traveling to the core of even the most seemingly mundane experience, we can discover possibilities for self-transformation. When we release certainty, step outside of our comfort zones and cultivate an inquisitive sensibility, we can find ourselves deconstructing preconceived notions and becoming more deeply involved in living.

I believe that this is what Westminster faculty members taught my peers and me while we were at Westminster. By requiring that we be deeply involved in life on the Hill, the faculty fostered the kind of educational and living environment that enabled us to develop critical thinking skills.

Moreover, while faculty members abetted my achievements, not one ever permitted me to deliver less than my best.

Two teachers in particular demanded from me a certain excellence. Mr. Todd Eckerson pushed me to see “beyond the ordinary,” and Mrs. Barbara Adams encouraged me to become comfortable with the idea of exploration.

CommUNITY I whispered to my father that I couldn’t wait to drive away from campus. It was graduation day, and the truth is that during much of my time at Westminster, I felt like an outsider, as if I could never reflect the particular aspects of Westminster that secretly consumed me: wealth, privilege and race. Here I was, the son of an absent biological father and a woman who struggles to be legitimately called “madre.”

I was a poor, black, immigrant Latino, and a mostly public-school educated postgraduate student who consistently carried with me images of an estranged family under the duress of a “Third World” way of life.

Yet, out of this complex and often emotionally conflicting experience came one of the most important lessons I’ve ever learned in life, one that I was not able to make sense of until I was distant enough to look back at it through space and time.

The lesson is that belonging to a diverse community necessitates that you be committed to staying true to yourself, even as you set out to respectfully make sense of — perhaps even learn from — everyone’s differences.

...belonging to a diverse community necessitates that you be committed to staying true to yourself, even as you set out to respectfully make sense of — perhaps even learn from — everyone’s differences.

Today, when I find myself in an environment where my history, beliefs, thoughts and legacy are all rubbing up against and sometimes becoming entangled with uniquely opposite histories, beliefs, thoughts and legacies, I make it my priority not to instinctively judge opposing ways of living as “other.” I remind myself that it is the unity in “community” that matters.

Westminster students form a circle on Commencement Lawn during opening days last September.

3Cover photo: Before the Philip family moved into Pratt House in August of last year, a number of needed renovation projects were completed on the historic home, which was built in 1939. Among the most visible changes is the restoration of the view of the Farmington River Valley. Decades ago, the house offered a sweeping vista of a Simsbury agricultural community that was cleared of most trees. Over the years, as the town developed and vegetation grew, the view was blocked.

The breathtaking overlook from the bluff on which Pratt House was built is now restored and is shown in the background of this photo of Jenny and Bill taken in the backyard of Pratt House.

TRUSTEES 2010–2011 John S. Armour ’76 Chairman of the Board Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.

WESTMINSTER BULLETIN WINTER 2011

David E. Griffith ’72, P’06, ’10 New Hope, Pa.

J. Pierce O’Neil ’76, P’10, ’12 New Canaan, Conn.

David H. Hovey Jr. ’78, P’09, ’11, ’14 Ex officio Simsbury, Conn.

William V. N. Philip P’06, ’09 Headmaster Ex officio Simsbury, Conn.

Daniel Burke III ’87 Winchester, Mass.

Leigh A. Hovey P’09, ’11, ’14 Ex officio Simsbury, Conn.

C. Bradford Raymond ’85 New York, N.Y.

Trinette T. Cheng P’08, ’11, ’13 Kowloon, Hong Kong

Bernhard L. Kohn III ’92 Los Angeles, Calif.

Allan A. Ryan IV ’78, P’06, ’07, ’12 Palm Beach, Fla.

Abram Claude Jr. ’46, P’71, ’80, ’84, GP’02 Emeritus North Salem, N.Y.

George C. Kokulis P’07, ’12 Simsbury, Conn.

Christopher K. Seglem P’06, ’09 Colorado Springs, Colo.

Seonyong Lee P’08, ’09, ’13 Seoul, Korea

John A. Cosentino Jr. P’00 Simsbury, Conn.

Peter B. Leibinger ’86 Schwieberdingen, Germany

John Sherwin Jr. ’57, P’83, ’89 Emeritus Waite Hill, Ohio

John H. Davis P’05 Longmeadow, Mass.

Scott B. McCausland ’87, P’14 Ex officio Burlington, Conn.

C. Evan Stewart ’70, P’11 New York, N.Y.

Charles B. Milliken P’77 Emeritus Bloomfield, Conn.

Samuel Thorne ’46, P’74, ’76 Emeritus Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass.

EDITOR Darlene Skeels, Director of Publications and Communications editor@westminster-school.org

T. Treadway Mink Jr. ’77, P’11 New Canaan, Conn.

Gregory F. Ugalde P’05, ’07, ’10, ’12 Burlington, Conn.

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Ken Mason

Susan Werner Berenson ’82 Bethesda, Md. C. Andrew Brickman ’82 Hinsdale, Ill.

Lori P. Durham P’13 Denver, Colo.

William C. Egan III ’64, P’92, ’95, ’00, ’02 Emeritus Skillman, N.J. Colin S. Flinn ’82 Sanibel, Fla.

Anne K. Moran P’06, ’09, ’12 Unionville, Pa.

Anthony J. Francoline P’96 Salisbury, Conn.

John C. Niles ’81, P’14 Marblehead, Mass.

Joseph L. Gitterman III ’55, P’86, ’90 Emeritus Washington Depot, Conn.

Brien M. O’Brien P’09 Chicago, Ill. Moyahoena N. Ogilvie ’86 West Hartford, Conn.

N. Louis Shipley ’81 Andover, Mass.

Danielle Shaw Virtue P’11 Rye, N.Y. Sara L. Whiteley ’91 West Chatham, Mass.

D. Scott Wise P’11 New York, N.Y.

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Westminster School 995 Hopmeadow St. Simsbury, CT 06070 (860) 408-3000 This magazine is produced twice a year by the Marketing & Communications Office.

Address Class Notes to:

Beth Soycher Westminster School P.O. Box 337 Simsbury, CT 06070-0377 Or submit via e-mail: alumninotes@westminster-school.org E-mail for address change ONLY: salexander@westminster-school.org Westminster School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin or sexual orientation in administration of its education policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other schooladministered programs.

PHOTOGRAPHY Richard Bergen, Charlie Beck ’13, Newell Grant ’99, Ken Mason, Chip Riegel ’90, Michaeline Daboul Robinson P’10, Ryan Smythe ’11, Scott Stevens and David Werner ’80 CLASS NOTES COORDINATOR Beth Soycher DESIGN John Johnson Art Direction & Design Collinsville, Conn.

CharACTER We are living in confusing times. Apple can predict my thoughts and desires, Google can tell you everything about me and Facebook foolishly controls my life. Now, more than ever, it is important to live with intelligence and character but that is easier said than done. I keep telling myself that the best I can do is to not lead a life that is propelled by an absurd, meaningless sense of carpe diem. The most meaningful life I can lead is one framed by character and purpose.

In college, I self-designed a major titled “social justice.”

Many people upon hearing of my major, express excitement over what they think of as a Mother Teresaesque focus of study. But, as I’m sure Mother Teresa well understood, social justice is not just about doing or searching for the truest meaning of good, but, more importantly, it is about having a serious understanding about the human condition. At its core, it is about understanding that the grand majority of human beings — rich, poor, white, black, Jewish or Muslim — are folks who, for the most part, build their lives struggling to live by the kind of core values that Westminster instills in its students.

Bal(D)ANCE While at Westminster, I was surrounded by peers who knew, even as I did not, that greatness and success are only theoretical concepts unless crafted, cultivated and, ultimately, embodied. It was the first time in my life that I belonged to a community where it seemed that each individual contributed to an ethos of endless possibility.

In an essay in “Of Poetry and Poets,” American poet Richard Eberhart captures how I felt during my year at Westminster: “You have been studying in this beautiful place. You have the world before you. And you are sure that you know reality, that you know what you are doing; that as Hamlet said, you can tell a hawk from a handsaw.”

I entered Westminster as a student, and I left as a struggling scholar, a pretty shabby athlete, a wannabe artist, an in-the-closet poet and a so-so dancer. To me it doesn’t matter that I didn’t become “great” at any of my interests during my one year at Westminster because the experience encouraged me to see limitless possibilities to be prolific. In the end, it is as Eberhart argues in the same essay, “In the modern world, even if any of you should years hence master some facet of one subject, and write a definitive book, you will have been able to master what in fact will be only a small part of reality.”

Every so often I can’t help but ask myself: What if Westminster was not a part of me? Thanks to former Westminster faculty member Sarah Moss, who worked in Admissions, and the Armour Family Scholarship, I will never know the exact answer to that question. It’s been five years since I drove off the Westminster campus, but I’ve never been able to leave Westminster behind.

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