Westminster Bulletin Spring 2017

Westminster Bulletin

A Physical and Virtual Gateway to Knowledge Bringing History to Life Learning During a Gap Year

SPRING 2017

Students in Kerry Kendall’s Drawing and Painting class.

Westminster Bulletin

SPRING 2017

FEATURES

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Bringing History to Life

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Learning During a Gap Year

A Physical and Virtual Gateway to Knowledge

Building Relationships

DEPARTMENTS Headmaster’s Message 2

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From the Archives

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Martlets on the Move

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Class Notes

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Closing Thoughts

Hill Headlines

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Balancing Grit with Grace

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Supporting Westminster

Cover photo, a nighttime view of the entrance to Cole Library from the Armstrong Atrium of Armour Academic Center.

Back cover, students outside Armour Academic Center.

Spring 2017

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FROM THE HEADMASTER

Dear Members of the Westminster Community, Since my appointment to Westminster School’s faculty in 1983, the History Department has remained my academic home on Williams Hill, so the article in this Bulletin featuring the department resonates with me personally. During three decades, I taught across the department’s offerings, including U.S. History, European History and World History.

My passion for history extends to my earliest memories as a student. I always seemed to enjoy studying history in school and reading books about it. As an undergraduate at Yale, I majored in history and continued that focus into my graduate studies at Wesleyan. History seemed to offer me a context that informed my understanding of current events and helped me better appreciate varying perspectives. While studying history, my teachers also impressed upon me the importance of analytical writing skills. Historical context and perspective complemented by lessons in analytical writing offer an enduring and rewarding academic foundation, whether today or yesterday, no matter the pathway one chooses for a lifetime.

Nevertheless, teaching and learning history at Westminster has evolved in so many ways between the fall of 1983 and spring of 2017. In 1983, our classrooms had a traditional feel. With chalk in hand, teachers were in front of blackboards which stretched across the unpainted, cinderblock walls of Baxter Academic Center, while students sat in rows at individual desks.

Although Baxter Academic Center was not built until the 1960s, teachers from the early days of Westminster School’s history would have found the scene familiar. Students were sectioned heterogeneously, and at the end of each term, we handwrote comments, pressing the pen forcefully, so as to be sure that all the carbon copies were legible. The History Department’s core offerings included Ancient & Medieval History, Modern European History and United States History.

In 2017, our core department offerings include Global History and Society, 20th Century History and United States History. These courses are supplemented by a variety of Advanced Placement and elective history and social science courses. To highlight just one curricular example, the difference between the scope and focus of Ancient & Medieval History and Modern European History in 1983 versus Global History and Society and 20th Century History in 2017 is significant. Ancient & Medieval History included some cultural and global topics but in only the context of the ancient world. Today, not only does Global History study people from around our planet, it also extends intentionally beyond political and diplomatic topics to consider worldwide cultural experiences, whereas 20th Century History narrows the chronology to a more focused consideration of this past century.

Our classrooms today, too, are entirely different, with more generous space for students and teachers, lots of natural light and pervasive technology. For instance, students and teachers utilize a learning management system for posting assignments and many other course materials, and in Armour Academic Center, an interactive whiteboard spans a wall in each classroom.

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Students sit at shared tables, which accommodate flexible room arrangements so as to enhance discussion and group study. Teachers compose and submit comments and grades electronically, and those grades and comments are posted to parents electronically. While faculty from decades before would likely find the logistics that accompany teaching in the 1980s familiar, not so for faculty from the 1980s transplanted into 2017.

Regardless, the fundamental enterprise embraced by our History Department endures: teaching an appreciation for context and perspective along with analytical reading and writing skills. I believe that acquiring those skills is even more urgent today. Social media tend to offer comforting affirmations to those with shared perspectives, and the informal brevity of social media postings do not accommodate nuance. Further, the extraordinary access provided by our connected world assigns a heightened priority to acquiring the skills of inquiry necessary to discern the reliability of various sources. When I taught history classes, I often challenged my students to articulate opposing perspectives before arriving at firm convictions, since only by considering the perspectives of those with whom they might disagree could they appreciate relevant issues.

Another fundamental attribute that endures at Westminster is the multidimensional points of contact students enjoy with their teachers. Currently, as in 1983, our classroom teachers coach, supervise dormitory corridors and serve as student advisors, to offer just a few examples of the breadth of responsibilities typically balanced by my faculty colleagues.

As a result, our teachers enjoy enriched relationships with their students. These relationships define the Westminster experience and underscore why alumni feel so passionately about this wonderful school. So as in so many ways at Westminster School, our History Department continues to move forward but at the same time continues to nourish the qualities which distinguish our school.

William V.N. Philip P’06, ’09 Headmaster

HILL HEADLINES

Mindfulness in the Classroom Close to 100 educators from independent and public schools in the region visited Westminster Feb. 23 to attend the sixth annual Westminster Teaching Symposium titled “Mindfulness in the Classroom.”

The symposium was sponsored by the Westminster Teaching Initiative (WTI), which was formed in 2010 to enhance teaching and learning at Westminster by encouraging collaboration and dialogue among faculty members and departments about curriculum and pedagogy. The purpose of the symposium is to widen the circle of sharing and allow teachers from area schools to come together, converse and learn from one another.

“One of the great challenges for today’s schools is encouraging a culture of consistent and deep engagement with learning by both students and teachers,” said WTI director Charlie Griffith P’11, ’14, ’17 in his introductory remarks. “More than simply ‘grit,’ which has, of course, been a hot topic of late, mindfulness implies a meaningful connection to the material under consideration, to what’s going on in the classroom and beyond, and with one’s self.”

The keynote speaker for the event was Dawa Tarchin Phillips, a teacher, author and research specialist in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at UC Santa Barbara. His research focuses on the cognitive, affective and academic benefits of secular mindfulness training in school children, young adults and educational leaders.

The title of his talk was “The Age of Presence — Mindfulness in Education.”

Phillips began his remarks by speaking about the importance of mindfulness in education and life. “The majority of adults who are exposed to mindfulness say they wish they had learned about it when they were young,” he said. He described it as a fundamental tool set for accomplishment. “People who are able to be more present are more well, more effective and better performers.” He discussed the importance of attention in learning, the effects of mind-wandering on achievement, rising stress levels at all ages, allostasis and mindset. “We need an ability to be present to accomplish anything. All of us can benefit from mindfulness.”

He also talked about how mindfulness is not new, but a shared knowledge about it has not developed. There are increasing numbers of research studies related to mindfulness and its benefits. “The movement is fueled by stress and health concerns,” he said. He closed by sharing some elements of mindfulness training and steps that can be taken to bring mindfulness into communities.

Following the keynote address, participants attended breakout sessions where educators shared creative ways and their own experiences encouraging mindfulness in the classroom

and deep engagement among their students. The presenters included Lawrence Court, head of Westminster’s English Department; Lindsey Dirats, LEADS Department chair at The Gunnery; Jeremy LaCasse, assistant headmaster at Taft School; Mary Ann Haverstock, director of sustainability at South Kent School; Lee Zalinger P’05, ’07, ’09, head of Westminster’s Science Department; and Art Custer, director of curriculum and instruction at Avon Old Farms School.

The symposium concluded with a luncheon in the dining hall where conversations about mindfulness continued.

Top, Dawa Tarchin Phillips gives the keynote address at the Westminster Teaching Symposium. Above, Lindsey Dirats, LEADS Department chair at The Gunnery, gives a presentation about conscious communication.

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HILL HEADLINES

Renowned Diversity and Inclusion Speaker Visits on Diversity Day Have you ever been hurt by another’s words? Have you ever been so afraid of saying the wrong thing that you say nothing at all?

Those were two questions posed by Maura Cullen, one of the nation’s foremost authorities on issues of diversity and inclusion, as she spoke to the Westminster community during an all-school Diversity Day Jan. 27.

Throughout the day, students and faculty participated in activities related to the powerful impact of words and actions, the intersectionality of self-identities and social groups, and the compassionate ways to connect with others in order to foster an inclusive community.

The day started with faculty attending a presentation

by Cullen in Werner Centennial Center. After this, she gave an hourlong talk to students and faculty about how people see each other and have a natural tendency to categorize one another. She spoke about how it takes effort to break away from categorization, but when people do, they are better able to be there for each other and gain a wider view of the variety of experiences of others.

Cullen said the current generation is on the right track, with statistics showing young people having a high rate of volunteerism and more concern with doing good than doing well.

She pointed out that it is inevitable that people will say or do the wrong thing sometimes. When this happens, she encouraged students to correct their mistakes, have a conversation and avoid similar missteps. Cullen also emphasized how students should not let their fear of making mistakes silence them. “You gotta speak up,” she said. “Show up for one another.”

Cullen has more than 30 years of experience as a trainer and keynote speaker. She received her doctorate in social justice and diversity education from the University of Massachusetts and is a founding faculty member of the Social Justice Training Institute and author of “35 Dumb Things Well-Intended People Say.”

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Maura Cullen gives the keynote address on Diversity Day.

In addition to Cullen’s presentation, students saw a video, participated in a question-and-answer session, and attended breakout groups. While the Third Formers and Fourth Formers focused on topics like their social identity wheels and the cultural iceberg during their small-group discussions, Fifth Formers and Sixth Formers selected from a list of offerings, such as Let’s Talk About the “F” Word: Feminism; How to Address Someone Whose Statement Stung; Learning Differences: What are They?; Practicing Self-Care: Be Calm in Your Heart Amidst the Chaos; Powerful Dynamics: Understanding and Acknowledging Privilege; Acts of Kindness; and Growing Up in a Divorced Household.

In the afternoon, after viewing the 2015 documentary film “The Mask You Live In,” which explores how the definition of masculinity affects boys, men and society at large, students ended the day within their advisory groups where they discussed the movie and debriefed about Diversity Day.

Director of Multicultural Affairs Lisa McGrath organized the day with the help of faculty presenters and students who are Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) Facilitators.

Office of Multicultural Affairs Facilitators with Maura Cullen, top left, and Lisa McGrath, top right.

HILL HEADLINES

Alumnus Shares Work on Venture Smith Project Chandler Saint ’61, a historic preservationist, visited Westminster Oct. 28 to give a chapel talk about his Documenting Venture Smith Project and to share an exhibit titled “Making Freedom — The Life of Venture Smith: In His Own Voice” that was on display in the history wing of Armour Academic Center until Nov. 16.

Chandler began his talk by discussing his experiences as a student at Westminster. “My life here at Westminster impacted my eventual decision to commit my life’s work to social justice through preserving physical places and stories to tell history,” he said.

He shared how in the early 2000s he was asked to develop a program to save a number of buildings and home sites in Connecticut associated with former slave Venture Smith. “I saw that Venture Smith’s written narrative and the places he lived and worked offered a rare opportunity for us to take up the cause of racial equality,” he said.

Chandler summarized the project by saying: “The exhibit in the history wing of Armour Academic Center, and the story I am here to tell you about is the story of an African born in 1729 — enslaved — but one who died a free man in Connecticut

in 1805. The story of Venture Smith is actually the much bigger and more important story of the continuing quest of equality for all.”

Chandler began work on the project 11 years ago in collaboration with professor David Richardson, the founder and the first director of the Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery and Emancipation at the University of Hull in the U.K. “I save buildings and historical sites to tell our history, and I hope to use Venture’s story and these buildings to make some social change,” said Chandler.

Chandler described how Venture Smith is one of a very few survivors of the Middle Passage who left a written record and more physical places than any other survivor in the Western Hemisphere.

“This narrative is the earliest known work of African-American literature,” he said. “His is the iconic story of Atlantic World slavery. He achieved the American Dream by becoming a selfmade man and respected member of the elite in his community. He was brought to New England as a traded commodity, but he went on to free himself and his entire family and then helped found the country along with John Adams, George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.

Chandler Saint ’61 in Armour Academic Center with an exhibit about the life of Venture Smith.

Except unlike the faces of the men we think of today as the founding fathers, Venture was a black man.”

Chandler concluded his talk by saying: “The experiences I had at Westminster, the teachers I worked with and my relationships with my classmates all helped to create the person I am today and the passion I have for this project. I have dedicated my life both to Venture Smith’s story and working to preserve the past.”

Following his chapel talk, Chandler visited students in their history classes and gave them a tour of the exhibit.

Chandler was involved in the republication of “A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture” and was a co-author of “Venture Smith: Making Freedom.” He has done extensive work researching the Middle Passage and the role Connecticut played in the commodification of Africans in the slave trade. He is trying to get Smith’s farms and tombstones declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

History teacher and Assistant Head of School Kathleen Devaney P’19 arranged Chandler’s visit to campus.

Chandler gives an exhibit tour to students in a Global History and Society class.

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HILL HEADLINES

A Commitment to Helping Others On the second Thursday of every month, eight to 10 members of the Westminster community travel to Hartford to help serve lunch at Loaves and Fishes Ministries, a nonprofit organization that provides human services to the poor including education, food, counseling and economic development programs. It runs a soup kitchen in the basement of Immanuel Tyler Donegan, Emmett de Kanter ’19, Matt Marciano ’19, Mason Horrigan ’18, Ryan Lee ’18, Alex Hu ’19, Riley Wood ’19, Assistant WCLP Director Mary Congregational Church.

Eckerson P’09, ’11, ’17 and faculty member Scott Stevens P’07, ’09, ’12 at

Mary Eckerson P’09, ’11, ’17, assistant director of the Westminster Crossroads Learning Loaves and Fishes Ministries in Hartford.

Program in Hartford (WCLP), arranges the visits and accompanies the volunteers who can include of projects for Loaves and Fishes,” said Mary. students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents of “Our relationship “Our relationship has grown. They know if students and former faculty. they need us, they can call us.” has grown. They

This is the third year of the volunteer effort.

Last fall, Westminster’s director of food The group leaves campus at 10 a.m. and returns services, Jess Krul, and executive chef, Mark know if they need us, at 1:15 p.m. While Westminster students are Robling, volunteered to cook Thanksgiving excused from class, they are responsible for all dinner. “The day before Thanksgiving, they they can call us.” missed work. roasted the turkeys, made the stuffing and

Upon arrival, the volunteers set up tables gravy, and carved the turkeys,” said Mary. and chairs in the dining room, and prep the “They packaged it up, and on Thanksgiving, the meal was meal. Once lunch begins, they act as wait staff, bringing food served to about 100 people.” plates to clients and serving juice and coffee. The food is

Some Westminster students would volunteer every month at donated by a variety of organizations.

Loaves and Fishes if they could. “Those being served lunch often

Usually, between 75 and 125 clients show up for lunch. thank the volunteers for coming in,” said Mary. “It leaves the “The doors open at 11:30 a.m., and the first wave of clients participants knowing they have done something beneficial.” comes in to sit at the tables,” said Mary. “A little prayer is

“Thank goodness for the student volunteers from delivered, and then we put the food on the plates and serve Westminster School, under the extremely capable leadership of the meal. After people finish eating, others come in to take seats Mary Eckerson,” exclaimed Alyce Hild, executive director of that are available.”

Loaves and Fishes Ministries. “This group has completed so

Westminster sends volunteers to Loaves and Fishes yearmany projects for us, including Walk Against Hunger mailings; round, even during March break and summer vacation. “As part food drives; sorting, cleaning, and organizing our storeroom; of WCLP’s Spring Break in Hartford, we undertake other types serving monthly in the soup kitchen; and, most recently, they came to us and offered to clean, sand, prime and paint the entire dining room as part of their annual community service project. Under Mary Eckerson’s expert supervision the students and adults provided the materials and labor, and all we had to do was buy the paint. This is typical of the wonderful work the Westminster volunteer group always offers.

We truly love having them at Loaves and Fishes Ministries.”

Mary says the effort is part of a larger goal of WCLP to create broad kinship. “We like to stand where the people we are serving stand,” she said.

“We will have about 90 Westminster community volunteers help out at Loaves and Fishes this year.”

Westminster Director of Nursing Donna Donegan P’20 and Tyler Donegan help prepare a meal.

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HILL HEADLINES

Gund Series Features Two Alumni Westminster has continued its Friday Nights in Gund series this academic year with numerous author readings and musical performances. Two of the musical events have featured Westminster alumni.

Tuey Connell ’86 visited Westminster Nov. 4 to give a concert with several musicians from New York City. The jazz group performed for students, faculty and members of the public in the Gund Reading Room of Armour Academic Center.

Tuey is a musician and recording artist whose professional accomplishments include the CDs “Under the Influence” and “Songs for Joy and Sadness,” on which he presents original songs, sings, and plays the guitar and banjo. He has performed at the Kennedy Center, House of Blues, throughout New York City and in Europe and Mexico.

Backtrack, a five-member a cappella powerhouse group from New York City that includes Andrew Kim ’07, gave a performance Jan. 6 in Werner Centennial Center. Backtrack proclaims New York City as its playground and muse. Since its founding in 2013, the group has amassed more than 6 million views and 65,000 subscribers on YouTube. The group won the 2016 YouTube Next Up competition and was described by Business Insider as one of the “34 up-and-coming YouTube stars you should be watching right now.”

The Friday Nights in Gund series is made possible by generous grants from The EnsignBickford Foundation and the Ford-Goldfarb English Department Enrichment Fund.

Above, Andrew Kim ’07 and, below, Tuey Connell ’86.

ALUMNA NAMED ONE OF TWO CONNECTICUT ADVANCED PLACEMENT SCHOLARS Grace Brentano ’16, a resident of Weston, Conn., was named a Connecticut Advanced Placement Scholar. The award is granted to the one male and one female student in each U.S. state and the District of Columbia with scores of 3 or higher on the greatest number of AP Exams, and then the highest average score (at least 3.5) on all AP Exams taken. She was also named a National AP Scholar.

Grace currently attends the University of Pennsylvania where she was accepted into the Artificial Intelligence Dual-Degree Program, studying computer science and cognitive science.

While at Westminster, she received numerous other academic honors including Grace Brentano ’16 advancing to Finalist standing in the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program, being named an AP Scholar with Distinction and qualifying to take the American Invitational Mathematics Examination.

She also served as editor-in-chief of The Westminster News; participated in Model U.N., the Math Club and Girls of Today, Women of Tomorrow; and was a member of the Bruyette Leadership Academy’s Student Leadership Council, First Girls’ Basketball, First Girls’ Track and First Girls’ Cross Country, for which she served as captain. Her community service activities included participating in Serving Our Neighbors (SON) and traveling to Yanzibian, China, numerous times.

Westminster School students earned 104 AP Scholar Awards: 50 AP Scholars, 15 AP Scholars with Honor, 33 AP Scholars with Distinction, one State AP Scholar, four National AP Scholars and one AP International Diploma.

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HILL HEADLINES

“Peter and the Starcatcher” Westminster Dramat presented a successful three-day run of “Peter and the Starcatcher” Nov. 10-12 in the Werner Centennial Center. Written by Rick Elice, the play is based on the novel by Dave Berry and Ridley Pearson with music by Wayne Baker. It upends the story of how an orphan becomes Peter Pan, a boy who never grows up. When Peter and his mates are shipped off from Victorian England to a distant island, they know nothing of some precious cargo that must never fall into the wrong hands. From marauding pirates and jungle tyrants to unwilling comrades and unlikely heroes, the play explores not only greed and despair but also friendship, duty and love.

“Peter and the Starcatcher” was produced by special arrangement with Music Theatre International.

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HILL HEADLINES

“Urinetown: The Musical” Dramat’s production of “Urinetown: The Musical” played to enthusiastic audiences in the Werner Centennial Center Feb. 17-19. The story takes place in a Gotham-like city where a 20-year drought has led to a government ban on private toilets, so citizens must use public amenities regulated by a malevolent company seeking financial profit. A hero decides that he’s had enough and plans a revolution to lead everyone to freedom. This humorous musical satire is inspired by the works of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill.

“Urinetown: The Musical” was produced by special arrangement with Music Theatre International.

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HILL HEADLINES

Winter Performing Arts Concert At the close of the winter term, student musicians, dancers and singers entertained members of the Westminster community March 7 during the Winter Performing Arts Concert held in Werner Centennial Center. The students are members of the Concert Band, Jazz Band, Tower Room, Student Trio, Dance Ensemble, Chamber Choir and Chorale.

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Fall Season Highlights

First Boys’ Cross Country First Boys’ Cross Country finished 4-1 in its dual meets, fifth in the Founders League and ninth in New England Division II (only one point out of seventh and seven points out of sixth). A number of newcomers brought both enthusiasm and speed to bolster a strong group of returners. The team was cohesive in its mission and uniform in its commitment to improving.

Emmett de Kanter ’19 was named All-New England based on his top-20 finish at the NEPSTA Division II race at Tabor and was named to the All-Founders League Cross Country Team.

Maddy Paro ’17

First Girls’ Field Hockey After losing a number of players to graduation, First Girls’ Field Hockey took some time to find its best field hockey but soon became a more experienced and cohesive unit of players. The play developed so strongly that the team did not lose a game after its tight 2-1 loss to Hotchkiss Oct. 12. Early season losses resulted in just missing out on the New England finals, but the team’s final victory against Greenwich Academy (the first-ranked team in New England) really summed up its positive progress.

The team finished the season 12-5-1. Kendall Brown ’17 and Maddy Paro ’17 were selected to represent Westminster at the WNEPSFHA All-Star Game.

Jordan Gabbidon ’17 (530), Emmett de Kanter ’19 (527), Matt Norris ’19 (537), John Kuzminskas ’18, Elliott Kennard ’19 (533) and Daniel Pinckney ’20 (539)

First Girls’ Cross Country First Girls’ Cross Country fielded a fast and deep squad of veteran and new runners. The team was led by Oumou Kanoute ’17 who has been the fastest runner for many seasons and this year set a new school record of 19:42 at the Shaler Invitational hosted by Williston Northampton School. Kanoute also finished 14th in the New England Championship meet, earning All-New England honors. The rest of the team showed great improvement over the course of the season, with runners two through six swapping finishing spots every week. The team ended the season with a 3-2 record.

Bethany Winters ’20 (344) and Oumou Kanoute ’17 (338)

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First Boys’ Soccer First Boys’ Soccer, which was led by co-captains Jack Griffith ’17 and Alec Costanza ’17, welcomed 18 new faces to its roster. The team battled hard throughout the season, which made for some exciting games. The big win of the season came over Kent School on a thrilling last-minute goal by Griffith. Max Powers ’17 played big in net all season, making some highlight saves.

In a season with few wins, the team’s main goals were to stick together, have some fun and be strong teammates. Griffith was named to the NEPSSA All-Star Team, and represented Westminster in the WNEPSSA All-Star Game.

Jack Griffith ’17

Tim Callahan ’17

First Boys’ Football Led by tri-captains Tim Callahan ’17, Delando Clarke ’17 and Dom Cirillo ’17, First Football got off to a hot 3-1 start with wins over St. Mark’s, St. Luke’s and Berkshire. A combination of injuries and stiffer competition led to losses in the last three games. The season highlight was a hardfought 22-20 victory at home over Berkshire. The team, which was grateful for the contributions of Sixth Formers Conor Brennan, Alex Londal, Joel Groves, Kenny Mazzaro, Manny Meltzer, Isaiah Preyer, Jack Sargent and Ray Rivers, ended the season with a 3-4 record. Callahan was named to the All-New England Football Team for Class B.

Cynnie White ’17

First Girls’ Soccer Katherine Eckerson ’17 and Cynnie White ’17 were selected to represent Westminster in the WWNEPSSA All-Star Game.

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Winter Season Highlights

First Boys’ Basketball First Boys’ Basketball had an overall great season. Even though the record might not reflect the team’s success, the team showed a lot of growth throughout the winter and never gave up. The Martlets went from losing six straight games to beating Avon Old Farms at the buzzer, which was the spark to a playoff berth in the Class B Tournament against Brooks School, the defending champs, which Westminster lost 38-59. Devonte McCall ’17 was named to the second team All-New England for Class B basketball.

First Girls’ Basketball First Girls’ Basketball faced a lot of adversity this year, including the loss of two expected returning players and an injury to a co-captain and returning All-Star. While the game scores speak for themselves, they do not reflect the steady effort and commitment the team showed throughout the year. McKenna Burelle ’17 and Sophie Tawney ’17 provided steady, positive leadership all season, and many of the younger players made measurable improvement. Opposing coaches routinely praised Westminster’s grit and competitiveness. Paige Phillips ’20 was named to the Class B West All-Star Team.

Devonte McCall ’17

Jack Flanagan ’17

First Boys’ Hockey

McKenna Burelle ’17

After losing 15 Sixth Formers last year, First Boys’ Hockey was led by a strong returning core and a few postgraduates, who helped the team earn important victories down the stretch. A talented group of underclassmen stepped in and quickly made themselves invaluable assets to the team. The season was one of close calls, and the team found itself on the losing end of several close games. Westminster did earn a sweep against Avon Old Farms in thrilling fashion, something that has only been accomplished a few times in the rivalry’s history. At 11-11-3, First Boys’ Hockey again finished .500 or better, despite missing a berth in the large school tournament.

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First Girls’ Hockey It was an exciting season for First Girls’ Hockey. After graduating nine Sixth Formers last season, there were many new faces on the team, contributing to the feeling of a new era for the program. Highlights of the season included beating St. Paul’s School in a shoot-out at the Harrington Invitational Tournament and shutting out a powerful Deerfield team 4-0. Sixth Formers Madie Bologa, Lily von Stade, Leah Klassen, Mackenzie Griffith, Cynnie White and Lauren Ferraiuolo elevated their play to lead this group through many close games.

Lily von Stade ’17

First Boys’ Squash

Aly Tolba ’18, Andrew Doucette ’18, Chanler Miller ’18, Connor Seeley ’18 and Sean Ryan ’18

First Boys’ Squash had only two returning players, and the season had all of the markings of a rebuilding year. However, the boys had other ideas. At the start of the Class B Championships, the team was ranked sixth (of 16), but finished third.

Four players placed, including Andrew Doucette ’18 fourth at No. 3, Riley Wood ’19 fourth at No. 7, Chanler Miller ’18 third at No. 4 and Aly Tolba ’18 first at No. 1. Tolba won his draw to complete an undefeated season for the second year in a row. The regular season highlight was defeating Choate 5-2 in a very close match on its senior day.

Abby LeBlanc ’17

First Girls’ Squash First Girls’ Squash began with a 6-1 record in its first seven matches. Later, the team earned a berth in the third division at the High School Nationals, where the girls played three very competitive matches. The season was capped off by a strong showing at New Englands. In a field of 16 teams, the girls finished eighth. The top performance was put in by captain and four-year player Abby LeBlanc ’17, who came within two points of winning the No. 1 draw and closed her season with a 19-4 record.

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First Boys’ Swimming and Diving Although First Boys’ Swimming and Diving finished the season with a single win, there were personal best times and high scores. All team members made tremendous improvements and contributed to a great dynamic of focus and teamwork. The boys had their final test at the Division II New England Prep School Championships, where they came in fifth. In diving, at the 2017 NEPSAC Division II Championships, Joel Groves ’17 placed sixth.

Joel Groves ’17

Leta Giordano ’17

First Girls’ Swimming and Diving First Girls’ Swimming and Diving rallied behind the strength of its Sixth Form leadership and talent to finish the winter with the best dual-meet record since 2006. The girls had their final test at the Division II New England Prep School Championships, where they came in fourth. Four school records were broken at the New Englands: co-captain Leta Giordano ’17 in the 50 free and 100 free; Dorka Nagy ’19 in the 100 breast; and Giordano, Nagy, Liza Lennox ’18 and Alex Lin ’19 in the 200 free relay. In diving, at the 2017 NEPSAC Division II Championships Jane Ogden ’19 came in third and broke the school record.

Visit www.Westminster-School.org/ page/Athletics/Athletics-Schedule for the latest game results and team schedules.

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Learning More About Yourself and Others The idea of taking a gap year or semester off between high school and college is becoming more popular with high school graduates.

While gap years have been commonplace in Britain and other countries for a long time, the concept is becoming more widespread in the U.S.

During a Gap Year

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Director of College Counseling Greg Williams meets with Briana Nowak, a program instructor and recruitment representative with Where There Be Dragons, which offers gap year programs.

A gap experience

can involve participating in a structured program or self-designing activities to match a specific desire. Students often elect to take a gap experience in order to advance a career goal, explore a passion, travel, enhance athletic skills, perform community service or save money for college.

“In a lot of ways, a gap year or semester is really a great opportunity for students to develop,” said Greg Williams, Westminster’s director of college counseling. “I am a big advocate.

It can be anything for anyone, depending on the person’s interest.”

Many colleges permit students to defer their acceptance for a planned gap year or semester. “It depends on the school,” Greg explained. “Most colleges require a student requesting deferral for a gap experience to put down a deposit. It can be a win-win for colleges since many are overenrolled. It gives them a space and a near-guarantee of a student for the next semester or year.

Some colleges even offer their own gap semesters for entering freshmen.”

Greg emphasized that colleges will want to see that the proposed gap year or semester will move the student forward.

“It doesn’t have to be academic, but there has to be some level of growth the student will get out of it,” he said. “Students can’t just be delaying college.” He encourages Westminster students to complete their college application process before committing to a gap experience.

Westminster offers assistance with placements in two gap programs: the English Speaking Union (ESU) and Semester at Sea (SAS). Kimberly Pope P’12, ’15, ’16, director of Westminster’s Davis Scholars Program and an associate director of admissions, promotes the two programs with Westminster students and encourages them to apply.

ESU offers students an additional year at boarding school in England, Scotland or Wales or a semester in Argentina.

Westminster also hosts ESU students from abroad. The Semester at Sea experience offers a semester of world travel and academic work aboard a ship. The Davis Scholars Program has established a scholarship at Westminster for eligible students to participate in Semester at Sea. “Gap years are a huge benefit to students,” said Kimberly.

“Studies have shown these experiences make a positive impact on academic performance in college and help students narrow the focus of their education. The experiences are both educational and inspirational.”

Many Westminster graduates have participated in gap years or semesters while pursuing a variety of interests. The following three alumni share highlights of their recent gap experiences and the benefits of challenging themselves in new directions.

Opposite page, left to right, Sarah Holmes ’13, Tristan Rai ’14 and Evie Pope ’16 with Kimberly Pope P’12, ’15, ’16.

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Sarah Holmes ’13 Following graduation from Westminster, Sarah Holmes ’13 participated in Semester at Sea. She traveled onboard the MV Explorer to 17 countries in 116 days. She currently is a senior at the University of Vermont where she is majoring in history.

She serves in a leadership role with her sorority, is a university tour guide and is involved in local politics. Last summer, she served as a fellow on a Vermont gubernatorial campaign.

What made you decide to take a gap semester?

I decided to take a gap semester because I was given the opportunity to go on Semester at Sea through a scholarship from the Davis Scholars Program. I was awarded this scholarship based on my academic performance at Westminster along with my interest and passion for travel.

Did you make the decision to do this before or after you were admitted to college?

I decided in the late spring of my Sixth Form year to defer my enrollment at

Sarah Holmes ’13 in Gibraltar with the Mediterranean Sea in the background.

Miami University in Ohio and go on Semester at Sea. Luckily, the university was fine with me deferring and even ensured that my credits would transfer into its system. I subsequently transferred to the University of Vermont midway through my sophomore year.

What pros and cons did you weigh in making the decision?

I thought a lot about how missing the fall semester of my freshman year of college would influence the rest of my college career. Would it affect finding community in college, making friends and getting involved on campus? In the end, I decided I could not pass up the opportunity and knew that the academic and social skills I had gained at Westminster would serve me well when I entered college the following spring.

What did Semester at Sea involve?

Sarah in St. Petersburg, Russia, in front of The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood.

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I left the U.S. in late August 2013 and returned home in mid-December.

We visited England, Russia, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Northern Ireland, France, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Ghana, South Africa, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Cuba and the Bahamas.

There are two different types of days on SAS: on-ship days and inport days. This creates a great balance between independent travel and academic programming. For example, one day I was in the classroom discussing the history of apartheid in South Africa, and the next day, I was attending a rally in Cape Town hearing Desmond Tutu speak.

What was a typical on-ship day like?

On-ship days are class or study days. I took four classes. If we were at sea for extended periods of time, we never went more than six days without a day off to study.

A typical day on the ship for me consisted of taking two classes, researching the next port and exercising.

Running on a treadmill while on a ship is very entertaining! Most nights, I attended some type of presentation or forum, and watched a movie with friends.

While at sea, the resident directors put on numerous programs, including fitness classes, yoga, ping pong tournaments, book clubs, board game tournaments, a knitting club and open mic nights.

What did you do on in-port days?

In-port days were much different. We explored port cities, took day and overnight trips and went on class trips.

When exploring port cities, I made it a goal to always leave the boat by 9 a.m.

My friends and I would find a paper map and trace every street we walked on so as to not walk down the same street twice.

We made lists of museums, churches and historical sights that we wanted to see each day.

Had you previously done any ship travel?

I had never been on a cruise before SAS. I grew up riding on motorboats and sailboats, so I am very comfortable on the water. Having said that, nothing can

prepare you for 14 days at sea without any land in sight. I did not get seasick but was always very tired from the constant rocking of the ship.

What was included in the academic portion of the program?

The University of Virginia (UVA) hosted the academic portion of the program. I took four classes: Introduction to Creative Writing, Women’s Health in Developing Nations, Nonviolence and Activism, and a history class on the British Empire.

I received 12 credits from UVA that transferred to college as pass/fail credits.

What were some of your favorite experiences?

Three years out, I still have a hard time limiting my favorite experiences to a few stories. The best things I got from SAS were the confidence to walk into a new community and make friends, the ability to travel on my own or with my peers, and the opportunity to see and experience cultures and societies different from those found in the U.S. You can learn a lot about someone while spending six hours in a tro tro (1960s VW minibus in Ghana) while driving through the jungle to a cocoa plantation!

Did the program cause you to grow in any new directions?

Would you recommend a gap experience to others?

Semester as Sea changed the way I think about the world and helped me understand the incredible opportunities I have had throughout my life. I am so grateful for the communities I briefly became a part of, such as the nongovernmental organizations (NGO) where I volunteered, and the people I met along the way. SAS gave me a deep appreciation for my education. I hope in coming years to be able give back to local and international communities.

Yes! They should take a gap semester or a full year, but only if they are going to do something meaningful or productive.

It is the perfect time to jump out of your comfort zone and push yourself to do something scary. I walked onto the MV Explorer knowing no one, and I disembarked with an amazing group of friends, a passport full of stamps, more than 2,000 photos and unforgettable memories. I am so thankful that Westminster gave me the opportunity to go on Semester at Sea. I would not have the confidence that I have today without my five months abroad.

How do you think it enhanced your preparation for college?

I think SAS made me more thankful for my education and all the opportunities we have here in the U.S. In terms of preparation for college, I credit Westminster for my academic and social readiness for college.

Did your gap experience have anything to do with the selection of your college major?

I think SAS contributed to my love of history and is one of the reasons I majored in it. In terms of life after graduation, I am looking into jobs on the East Coast and abroad.

Tristan Rai ’14 Tristan Rai graduated from Westminster in 2014 and spent a gap year at home with his family better preparing himself to play lacrosse in college. He coached student-athletes at a school in Edmonton, Canada, and played for the Australian national indoor lacrosse team. Tristan is currently a sophomore at Lehigh University, where he is a starting attackman on the lacrosse team and part of the student-athlete mentorship program.

What made you decide to take a gap year?

When I first committed to Lehigh University for lacrosse, it had no scholarship money left for the class of 2014, so I decided that it was worth the wait to receive a scholarship. I created my own gap program. I got to go home, make some money and train for my freshman year.

Tristan Rai ’14 plays lacrosse with the Lehigh University Mountain Hawks.

What were some of your activities?

I worked at Vimy Ridge Academy with my father who runs a lacrosse program there. I coached and facilitated workouts for student-athletes. It was a great job that allowed me to keep my stick in my hand at all times and spend a year with my Spring 2017

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family after having spent the previous four school years at Westminster. I also played lacrosse in Edmonton as well as Whitby, Ontario, for the Whitby Warriors of the Ontario Junior A Lacrosse League.

What were some of the benefits of the year?

I liked seeing friends from home who I hadn’t seen in a long time, and I reconnected with my family after being away for so long.

Did the experience stretch you in any new directions?

I really found out who I was during my gap year. I struggled a bit while watching all my Westminster classmates enjoy college, but I knew it would be worth it.

How did it affect your lacrosse career?

I improved my lacrosse skills and strength.

During my gap year, I was able to try out and make the Australian national indoor team, which competed in the world tournament in September 2015. I qualified because of family lineage. Being able to dedicate a large amount of time to strength and conditioning put me in a great spot when I first arrived at Lehigh.

Evie Pope ’16, second from left, with Mica Di Bona, Agostina Speranza (Evie’s first host sister), Martina Lanzillotta and Caro Pedro on Evie’s first visit to Buenos Aires.

Evie Pope ’16 Evie Pope has had a two-part gap year.

Following graduation from Westminster last year, she spent the fall participating in the English Speaking Union Secondary Exchange in Argentina and the winter at Semester at Sea. This fall, she will be attending Occidental College in California where she hopes to major in diplomacy and world affairs.

Did your gap year enhance your preparation for college?

Having spent a year in the real world, my gap year made me appreciate college a lot more.

Would you recommend a gap year to others?

Why did you take a gap year?

While at Westminster, I really enjoyed the year I spent with School Year Abroad in Spain. I decided a gap year would be a perfect time between Westminster and college.

What issues did you consider in making the decision?

I put a lot of thought into it. I was worried about not finding two programs to fill up the entire year but, fortunately, I was able to take part in ESU Argentina until November, and then for the winter semester, do Semester at Sea. With an interest in being an international relations major in college, this travel experience will be useful in preparing for my major as well as looking for a job later in life.

Did you make the decision to take a gap year before or after you were admitted to college?

I would recommend a gap year to students. It gives them a chance to mature, find themselves and better appreciate everything they have. My gap year was atypical, but there is nothing wrong with spending a year with your family and making some disposable income for the college years ahead.

I made the decision before starting the college process, so while I filled out applications for different colleges, I was also applying for the English Speaking Union Secondary Exchange and Semester at Sea.

How did you hear about the ESU program?

Evie with her eighth host sister, Juana Guerendiain, visiting the courts where Juana’s mother is a criminal judge.

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I was always friendly with the ESU students who came to Westminster, and after my year in Spain, I was looking for

opportunities to keep up my Spanish.

When my mother, Kimberly Pope, who helps coordinate Westminster’s ESU applications, casually mentioned a student she wanted to participate in the ESU Argentina program but who did not have the language base needed for the program, I realized I could apply, and it would be the ideal opportunity.

How long did the ESU program last, and when and where did it take place?

I spent a little over three months in three different private high schools in Argentina. I was able to see and be a part of three distinct communities. For the first six weeks, I lived about 30 minutes outside of Buenos Aires in the town of Pilar. Next, I lived in the small, traditional town of San Antonio de Areco. I spent the final month in the heart of Buenos Aires with a school located in the zone of Recoleta.

What were your major activities in the program?

I mainly attended classes with nine different Argentine host sisters and followed them to their afternoon activities. At the first school, St. Matthew’s College, I lived with three different host sisters, each for 15 days. In San Antonio de Areco, I lived with only one host family. In Buenos Aires, I lived with four different host families while attending Escuela Argentina Modelo.

I tried to participate as much as I could in the classes. I also completed a couple of exams in English at the bilingual school related to literature, language, English and history. While the students did practice exams for either the International Baccalaureate (IB) or the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), I gave more than 20 presentations in English classes about living in the U.S., Westminster and the 2016 election. I did not earn academic credit.

sister. Her mom, who was a chef, helped us make a delicious asado, or barbecue, and we invited a few friends over. We spent the afternoon making food together.

Her mom taught me how to make the traditional chimichurri sauce and later, when guests arrived, we sat down for a long meal followed by a few very intense rounds of cards.

Another one of my best memories was when a group of my host sister’s friends and I hopped on a bus to visit one of their farmhouses. We, of course, had an asado and then sat around outside listening to my host sister sing and play the guitar. Later, we ate pastelitos, and the girls convinced me to try riding a horse for the second time in my life.

Were you able to do any extra travel while there?

I spent a week in Paraguay once the program ended.

What did you learn from participating in ESU? The experience helped me gain more independence and improved my Spanish skills. I lived with many different host families, so I really learned how to be flexible and adapt to different living situations. I also observed a lot about the differences in families. I was able to learn about the rest of America and see

the United States from a different point of view at a very important time in our history: the 2016 election.

What did your Semester at Sea experience involve?

The voyage lasted 105 days, and we visited four continents, 11 countries and 12 cities: Hawaii, Japan, China, Vietnam, Myanmar, India, Mauritius, South Africa, Ghana, Morocco and Germany. We left from San Diego Jan. 5 and disembarked April 19 in Hamburg, Germany. I took a few classes focused on international relations. For each of my classes, there was a field class in one of the ports. I also did some exciting independent travel. I went hot air ballooning over the temples in Myanmar, hiking in Hawaii on private land and snorkeled in Mauritius. I gained a broader knowledge of different cultures that will help me in college and my personal life. I am most appreciative of the Davis Scholars Program scholarship that made this experience possible for me.

Would you recommend a gap year to others?

I believe a gap year is the best time to travel. There is no need to worry about missing out or being late going to college because you will be making your own memories and taking advantage of oncein-a-lifetime opportunities.

What were some of your favorite experiences?

One of my favorite experiences in Argentina was with my very first host

The ship on which Evie spent her Semester at Sea.

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Betsy Heckman

Kathleen Devaney

Charlie Griffith

Ryan Curtis

Colleen Joncas

Peter Briggs ’71

Bringing History >> to Life

Ugo Nwachuku

Jessica Keough

Todd Eckerson

Mary Pat Gritzmacher

Sara Mogck

Shawn Desjardins

Nancy Spencer

Rebeccah Tuscano-Moss

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Westminster Bulletin

WESTMINSTER’S HISTORY DEPARTMENT CURRICULUM IS DESIGNED TO GUIDE STUDENTS TO BECOME ANALYTICAL READERS, THINKERS AND WRITERS. IT INCLUDES CORE COURSES IN WORLD AND AMERICAN HISTORY AS WELL AS A WIDE RANGE OF ELECTIVES. “It is really a history and social sciences Betsy Heckman teaching department,” said Betsy Heckman, who serves as Global History and Society. head of the History Department and has taught at Westminster for 14 years. “Our course offerings are much broader than just traditional history.”

When asked what distinguishes teaching history from other subjects, Betsy says it is getting students to understand the consequences of events in the past, so they can better understand the present. “Making those connections is important,” she said. “Even though people often think of history as happening a long time ago, for us it is a very alive subject. It is about getting students to understand the world in which they live now.”

Most history classes have moved away from traditional memorization work toward looking at history from different perspectives. “We don’t overwhelm students with facts anymore,” said Betsy. “For our regular courses, we go into more depth about fewer subjects. This allows students to think more deeply and go beyond superficial “We study every major region in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin learning. This has been a big change in teaching history in America, trying to look at them from the perspectives of the general, not just at Westminster. For AP courses, however, people living there. The idea is that if students are engaged about teachers must still follow the prescribed curriculum.” what is happening now, they are going to want to go back and Five years ago, Westminster created a new Third Form get a deeper understanding of the related history in their Fourth history course titled Global History and Society that emphasizes Form and Fifth Form courses. We also study the basics of various connections between the past and present. “We look at the religions since that is not found elsewhere in our curriculum.” history of the last 20 to 50 years in major geographic regions While students are only required to take two years of and then we jump to cultural and social issues,” said Betsy. history to graduate from Westminster, the department strongly encourages them to take a course all four years.

“Even though students are not required to take history their Fourth Form year, more and more are,” said Betsy. “It is not so much about the material as it is about strengthening their analytical writing skills for college. When they take their Fourth Form year off, they find themselves at a big disadvantage as Fifth Formers in their required U.S. history course. By far, the hardest part of our courses is the writing we require of students. We push them to think in ways they haven’t thought before and to do work they haven’t done before.”

Active Learning

Susie Renehan ’19, Kai Edmonds ’19 and Walker Stevens ’19 in 20th Century World History.

Opposite page, faculty members in the History Department.

Most Fourth Formers take 20th Century World History. Sara Mogck, who teaches three sections of the course, says it aims to teach students organizational skills, how to read well and how to understand primary source materials. “Students come from different places academically and emotionally, so I work to get them on the same page,” she said. “We do a lot of writing, Spring 2017

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including document-based questions. I supply students with documents, and they have to create a thesis and argue something in a paper.”

Students enrolled in the course complete one research paper per term. They visit the library with their class to learn about conducting research and using source materials. “I am convinced that using actual books enriches their research and writing, so I require a certain number of books they can hold in their hands for every paper,” said Sara.

Previously a social studies teacher at two public high schools, Sara has taught history at Westminster for three years. She is a strong advocate of active learning. She often has students take part in mock trials and debates, where they prepare research and practice public speaking.

She also gets them talking during roundtable discussions where they role-play historical figures.

“History is a good story,” emphasized Sara.

“I am a big believer in making it less fact-based.

I like the challenge of getting students excited about something they might not be enthusiastic about. They think they are learning history, but they are also learning lots of skills.”

One of the biggest changes to the department’s curriculum over the past decade is the increased number of Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which now include AP European History, AP U.S. History, AP Economics, AP Comparative Government, AP Art History and AP Psychology. “We added more options because students were signing up for whatever AP courses were available,” said Betsy.

For Fourth Formers who want to take an

Sara Mogck discusses a paper with Scott Wilson ’19 in 20th Century World History.

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Westminster Bulletin

Charlie Griffith teaching AP European History.

AP course in the department, Charlie Griffith P’11, ’14, ’17 teaches two sections of AP “By far, the hardest European History. He has taught at Westminster for 23 years, during which time part of our courses he served as head of the History Department for nine years. is the writing we One of the big challenges for Fourth require of students. Formers taking AP European History is handling the college-level work. “It is the We push them to first AP class for many of our students,” he “It is challenging in terms of the think in ways they explained. critical reading and analytical thinking we are asking them to do. For most of our students, the haven’t thought big jump in their academic career is from their before and to do Third Form year to their Fourth Form year. are taking more honors and AP classes, work they haven’t They and the demands are significantly greater.”

While course content is important, done before.”

Charlie believes one of the most important skills students learn in any AP history course is to work their way through a challenge they thought was beyond them. “When Fourth Formers take a college-level course, it is a growing experience for them,” he said. “It can accelerate their development as students. They build their confidence and their skill set.”

Charlie, who also teaches one section of AP U.S. History and has taught nearly every course in the department over the years, says one of the challenges of teaching history is that some students have difficulty with its ambiguity. “It takes a certain intellectual maturity to understand that there is not necessarily a definitive answer to why things happened,” he said. “There are multiple understandings, explanations and ways at looking at things that can all be equally valid.”

Technology has dramatically changed and enhanced teaching methods in history. “The internet allows us to bring primary and secondary sources, such as videos from around the world, into the classroom to amplify and expand upon a reading students have done in preparation for a class,” said Charlie.

All Fifth Formers are required to take U.S. History or AP U.S. History. In U.S. History, the core issues of American

about coursework are commonplace, so this helps students prepare for that.”

Another popular elective is AP Comparative Government, which exposes students to the current political systems of different countries and examines those systems using analytical and comparative themes. Betsy teaches the course in addition to serving on the College Board’s seven-member Advanced Placement Program Comparative Government and Politics Development Committee that is responsible for developing the course and its examination. She also teaches workshops and Taking Electives institutes about AP Comparative Government for the College Board and grades exams. “It is a tremendous professional Providing they meet the prerequisites, Sixth Formers may development opportunity for learning more about the course and take one or more electives in the department that include how to teach it,” she said. “I work with other Great Civilizations of Asia, Outsiders in high school teachers and college professors in American History, Issues in Economics, Big my discipline. It keeps me in tune with the latest History, AP Economics, AP Comparative scholarship.”

Government, AP Art History or AP Psychology.

AP Comparative Government is Anissa “We have many Sixth Formers who double Joseph’s ’17 favorite history course. Her other up and take two courses,” said Betsy. Most coursework in the department has included electives are also open to Fifth Formers in 20th Century World History, AP U.S. History addition to their U.S. history course. and AP Psychology. “I love that history evokes

One of the most popular electives is conversation about so many different parts of AP Psychology, which is taught by Shawn culture like music, art and language,” she said.

Desjardins, who is in his 10th year at “I also think it aids my understanding of the Westminster and teaches four sections of current politics in the world. Despite its name, the course. “We cover everything from Shawn Desjardins teaching history is extremely relevant.” social psychology to child and adolescent AP Psychology.

Anissa plans to study history and political development, to cognition and how the brain science in college, so she can become a history works structurally,” he explained. “For just teacher. “I think I have mentioned my love of history in nearly about all of the students, this is their first exposure to the every college essay I have written,” she said. material. I get students who are taking their first AP course

Elizabeth Brewer ’17 has been interested in the study of sitting in the classroom with students who mostly take AP different cultures and world history since she was in elementary courses. The challenge of the course is appropriate for a lot school. “I love the thrill of learning new information and how it of students, as long as they have a clear sense of purpose in can be connected to current events,” she said. “Learning history taking it. Regardless of their background, it is a good is fundamentally important to understanding different people and experience for them.” cultures. As a civilization, it is essential that we understand the

Shawn says one of the main goals of the course is to get evolution of societies from different major events in the past.” students beyond learning terms and definitions and to think

In AP Comparative Government, Elizabeth likes learning about the material in ways that are meaningful to them. “I about the changes in different political systems over time and tell them that even if they don’t remember the definition of a how different governments are facing present-day problems. particular term, if it is relevant in some way, they can work Her other coursework in the department has included Global backward from there. They need to engage the material, take History and Society, AP European History, AP U.S. History, good notes and be able to read the textbook well.”

AP Psychology and AP Art History.

Group discussions are a key part of the course. “I want this

Elizabeth serves as president of Model U.N. and vice to be a discussion-based course, where students are engaged with president of Global Forum, two student organizations that the material and have something to say about it,” said Shawn. allow students to take their interest in history and current events He often has a small group of students sit around the table and beyond the classroom. “I participate because I love debate and discuss material they have prepared. He sits away from them current events, which are essential to both clubs,” she said. In and observes. “I look for students to initiate discussion, ask college, she hopes to major in political science, East Asian studies questions and reply to comments made by others,” he explained. or Middle Eastern studies. “Analytical thinking is essential to any “It shows they are thinking seriously about what others students and all career paths,” she added. “My Westminster education has are saying. They also learn how to engage in civil discussions. propelled my thinking and writing, therefore preparing me for While their opinion may differ from someone else’s, they learn to the next step in my educational career: college.” respect others, give them the floor and figure out how to fit into the conversation. In college, group discussions with professors history from the American Revolution to the present are covered with an emphasis on the 20th century. A major project of the course is writing an analytical research paper during the winter term. In AP U.S. History, students complete an accelerated college-level survey of major political, diplomatic, economic, social and cultural issues from colonial beginnings to the present. They are required to write a number of analytical essays throughout the year.

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Beyond the Classroom

Students in Grand Central Terminal during a Model U.N. trip to New York City.

Westminster’s Model U.N. delegation visits the Mexican Mission to the United Nations.

“Global Forum is really a branch of Model U.N.,” said Betsy.

“Global Forum is a way to have an on-campus venue for students to talk about what is going on in the world. With Model U.N., we are very limited in the number of conferences we can attend.

It is not seen as an afternoon program, so students participate in other activities. The idea with Global Forum is that students can practice speaking in front of their peers and arguing in support of what they believe with backup research. It is supposed to be regular practice for Model U.N., but anyone can come to Global Forum, which meets about every two weeks. With Model U.N., students are selected to attend conferences.”

During the current academic year, Westminster has sent delegations of students to three Model U.N. conferences.

This was the first year students attended one at the University of Hartford in December. In preparation for it, students traveled to New York City in October to visit the Mexican Mission to the United Nations. “It was incredibly informative,” said Betsy, who serves as advisor to Westminster’s Model U.N. “The students gleaned some insight about what it is like to work in the foreign service and at the United Nations.

A clear highlight was having the opportunity to meet a diplomat in his office at the U.N.”

Westminster also sent delegates to the Yale Model U.N. conference in January, where they joined more than 1,500 students from around the world to debate and engage in international issues. The Westminster delegates worked hard preparing for their committees and researching the two countries they represented: Iran and the Republic of Congo. A number of students applied for and were accepted in specialized committees, which are smaller, more intense experiences for the students.

“With a number of newcomers in the group, this was the most invested group I have ever escorted to Yale,” said Betsy. “It ranks as the best conference experience to date.”

Lastly, in April a delegation of Westminster students attended a Model U.N. conference at Choate Rosemary Hall.

Model U.N. Visits United Nations Thirteen members of Westminster’s Model U.N. ventured to New York City in October to visit the Mexican Mission to the United Nations. The trip was organized by the World Affairs Council, which hosted a Model U.N. conference at the University of Hartford in December in which Westminster participated. Part of the package was for students to meet with U.N. diplomats from the country they would be representing at the conference.

The Westminster delegation stopped off at the U.N. before heading to the Mexican Mission where they met with Fernando de la Mora, a member of the Mexican foreign service and expert on human rights. De la Mora briefed the students on Mexico’s goals and priorities at the U.N. and answered questions. Topics discussed included migration, the rights of women, climate change, the drug trade and challenges facing Mexico.

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Westminster Bulletin

Leaders of Global Forum and Model U.N. including John Kuzminskas ’18, Cléa Guerrand-Hermès ’19, Emmett de Kanter ’19, Hyeonjo Jeong ’17, Elizabeth Brewer ’17 and Artur Szopa ’17.

History faculty and their family members visit the U.S. Capitol where they met Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The visit to Washington, D.C., was funded in part by the Jenifer B. Stewart Fund, which provides professional growth opportunities for members of the History Department.

Above, students in Westminster’s Yale Model U.N. delegation participate in committee work and, below, display awards.

Students in Nancy Spencer’s Outsiders in American History class visit Ellis Island, above, and, below, the recently completed Hartford Connecticut Temple in Farmington.

Yale Model U.N. Westminster’s Model U.N. delegation traveled to New Haven in January to participate in Yale’s annual Model U.N. conference.

While the entire Model U.N. team put forth a great effort in and outside of committee to complete research, write working papers and pass resolutions, six delegates were singled out for their accomplishments. Newcomers Morgan Peirce ’17 in the U.N Environmental Program, Amelia Knochel ’19 in the U.N. Women committee and Olivia Zhang ’20 in UNESCO all were commended at the closing ceremonies for their contributions in committee.

Elizabeth Brewer ’17 worked with Third Former Daniel Pinckney on a new committee that simulated the International Court of Justice.

Out of many applicants, they were chosen to be the advocates in a case representing Japan. The duo had to complete hours and hours of preparation leading up to the conference and were subjected to relentless examination over the course of the weekend. In acknowledgement of their efforts, Daniel and Elizabeth received honorable advocate awards for excellence in representing Japan. In addition, Nick Wee ’18, who represented Iran in the Legal Committee, earned honorable mention for his outstanding performance.

Students in Model U.N. attend a conference at the University of Hartford.

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Duncan Kellogg ’15 during a lecture session in a class on wargaming that he teaches to some freshmen at George Washington University.

Furthering a Passion for History

Jake Cahill ’12 says his U.S. History and AP Comparative Government courses at Westminster prompted him to major in political science with a concentration in comparative politics at Trinity College. “After taking AP Comparative Government, I really wanted to take more classes like that,” he said. “I have always been so intrigued by government systems: how they work, why they work and how they continue to exist. I saw studying political science as a way to become a more enlightened global citizen, and when I got to Trinity, I took every opportunity I could to work toward that goal.”

Looking back, he says his U.S. History class was his “eureka moment.” “I wrote a term paper on the Vietnam War, and I only picked that topic because I didn’t know that much about the war and wanted to know more about it,” he said. “I really was invested in that project and think it came out so well purely because of the desire to learn. I enjoyed the research part and saw that studying history was a way to learn about all these things I was really interested in. Once I took AP Comparative Government, that passion turned to political science.”

Jake currently serves as a teacher at Covenant Preparatory School, a tuition-free, private middle school for boys located in Hartford. Awarded an AmeriCorps Fellowship, he teaches prealgebra to seventh-graders and U.S. history to eighth-graders.

He also helps with physical education classes.

“What I like about my job is that there is a lot of variety,” he said. “Teaching history is something I enjoy. My background and love of the subject help me to be the best teacher I can be.

Our students are really interested in these things and are a lot of fun to work with.”

Jake credits his history courses at Westminster for teaching him not to take things at face value. “I developed a critical thinking mindset and an intellectual curiosity that stayed with me for my academic career and into my professional one,” he said.

“They prepared me for the rigor of a college course and gave me the skills I needed to properly do research and think critically about history. Mostly importantly, my history classes enabled me to take ownership of my education.”

Many Westminster students have gone on to study history, political science or a related subject in college.

Duncan Kellogg ’15 is a sophomore studying national security policy at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. His studies are split between the South Pacific and the Baltic region, with a focus on maritime security and NATO and Russian affairs. Last summer, he worked at the National Security Affairs Department at the Naval War College.

Duncan says his Westminster AP Comparative Government course influenced his current studies. “What I learned in that class drove me to combine my lifelong passion for history with an interest in the activities of foreign governments,” he said. “Being a military kid, my whole life has revolved around things that take place way beyond my immediate day-to-day life. I’ve always been interested in understanding things that are out of my purview, and history has long been a way for me to understand where our world is going by seeing where we’ve been. Government service was always a goal of mine.”

While at Westminster, Duncan participated in Model U.N. “Engaging in debate with others who are as passionate as I am is immensely rewarding,” he said.

He was also the first president of Global Forum. “Ms. Heckman brought the idea up to me after a Model U.N. meeting, and I ran with it,” he explained. “Austin Pope ’15 and Drew Brazer ’15 were equally influential. I think the three of us would count Global Forum as one our greatest achievements at Westminster.”

Duncan hopes to work in the maritime and national security field, ideally, in one of the many government agencies in Washington, D.C. “Westminster history classes taught me how to effectively write and articulate my ideas, something I have found extremely vital in my line of study,” he continued. “Westminster also gave me the confidence I needed to succeed in an environment as competitive and Jake Cahill ’12 with his advisees on the first day of school last fall at cut-throat as Washington, D.C.” Covenant Preparatory School.

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Balancing Grit with Grace

By William V.N. Philip, Headmaster, Westminster School This article first appeared in the 2017 issue of Parents League Review.

Westminster School’s motto is Grit & Grace — two words that balance each other alliteratively, but far more importantly, complement each other inspirationally. Reflections about grit focus mostly on individual improvement, whereas grace emphasizes the importance of making a difference for others and possibly leading a more fulfilling and gratifying life.

Grit: Reaching Within One’s Self Thanks in large part to the research and writing of Angela Duckworth, grit permeates discussions in academic and popular culture today as a way to promote student success. Proponents of grit argue that qualities of character emphasizing persistence and effort offer a better predictor of success in life than the “gift” of talent. Significantly, these qualities can be taught and with deliberate practice absorbed.

This emphasis on grit is empowering, since it offers the prospect of more control over the personal and professional narratives that shape lives. Cultivating grit can lead to self-improvement and, ultimately, more success. Nuanced discussions of grit, such as those presented persuasively by Duckworth, extend beyond self-improvement to include passion, hope and gratitude, among other attributes. Nevertheless, at its core, grit offers a positive pathway to personal development through hard work, thereby diminishing the relevance of talent and offering opportunities otherwise thought unattainable.

Instances when students extend themselves to reach new horizons are highly motivational to teachers. Teachers devote themselves to teaching because they care about youngsters and seek to make a difference in their lives. Discussions about grit encourage teachers to consider their vocation more holistically, to move beyond the confines of preconceived notions of a student’s talent and to consider a more promising context for student learning. The best teachers reflect constantly upon how they might support their students and advance student learning. By encouraging gritty behavior in their students, teachers model how learning is not about uninterrupted successes following upon each other. Rather, they convey that some of the most important lessons occur at moments of failure. The resilience encompassed in grit offers a broader pathway forward.

Grace: Reaching Out to Others Good teaching can be a fundamentally selfless endeavor. In addition to continually expanding knowledge of their field, teachers seek to improve their teaching for the benefit of their students. Considered as such, good teachers are filled with plenty of grace along with grit. The extraordinarily powerful motivation they gain from making a difference for others — from gazing outward, instead of inward, from being selfless, not self-absorbed — reveals their commitment to an ethos of grace.

When considering the significance of grace, this aphorism resonates: “Grace isn’t a little prayer you say before receiving a meal. It’s a way to live.” A successful, meaningful life cannot only be about grit. Grace is about awareness of others. It is about thinking beyond self, to what can be done to support others. Individuals display grace when they adhere to an ethic of personal integrity, when they respect other people, including those who seem different, and when they insist on playing fairly and exhibiting sportsmanship. Grace also encompasses the small daily courtesies extended to others by greeting them in a friendly manner, holding the door open, taking hats off when inside, and being polite and respectful. These common courtesies not only honor another person’s dignity, they make someone else’s day a bit better. Grace underscores the importance of being kind, courteous, respectful and selfless.

Just as important as teaching students about grit is teaching them about grace. In this context, schools are not simply about teaching academic lessons; they balance individual lessons with lessons about community. Students learn that in the company of others, they can accomplish far more than alone. In this way, they not only develop an appreciation of differing perspectives and circumstances but empathy.

Grace is essential to any successful community, organization, institution or school. Without grace we are on our own.

Throughout the school day, whether in classrooms, in studios, onstage, on teams or in living spaces, students should learn to share, to listen, to appreciate, to cooperate and to compromise. These lessons can be especially poignant at boarding schools, where students can be from a wider range of circumstances and places than day schools, which may only draw students from a particular locale. Depending on a school’s inclination, grace also offers the possibility for spiritual reflection.

Civic engagement and partnership programs offer additional venues for students to extend their perspectives and to learn these lessons.

Schools should create opportunities for students to practice the lessons learned through grace. Considering the challenges facing our world today, these lessons seem especially relevant. Simply put, our world would be a better place, a more stable place, a more prosperous place, and a more accepting place, if more people embraced the qualities associated with grace.

Grace Enhances Grit Most important, grace enhances grit by invoking the passions that motivate achievement. Motivation for solitary self-improvement may be purposeful and productive, but without the passion invoked by involving others, it offers a limited horizon for accomplishment. It is in the company and service of others that we unlock passions necessary to fulfill our true potential. The joy derived from making a difference results in more meaningful and more gratifying accomplishments. Grace inspires us to overcome the challenges presented by the hard work of grit.

By balancing grit and grace, students are able to expand their opportunities for successful and fulfilling lives.

Together, Grit & Grace offer a motto for a life well lived.

© 2017 Parents League of New York www.parentsleague.org.

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A Physical and Virtual Gateway to Knowledge Westminster’s Cole Library serves as both a physical and a virtual gateway to knowledge. An integral part of campus life, it is a thriving hub for research, study, collaboration, inspiration and exploration.

Students at computers on the first floor of the library with displays in the background.

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Jeannie Griffith checks out a book for Cam Scott ’18.

Easily accessible to students and faculty during the class day, the library occupies two floors in Armour Academic Center and features two large reading rooms, computer areas, a conference room, six study rooms, a periodical area and a copy room.

When visitors enter the library, they will see students working at computers or in study rooms, librarians offering assistance or checking out books, and a variety of displays. The library is named after former Headmaster Graham Cole and Carol Cole in recognition of their 17 years of service to the school.

The director of the Cole Library is Shashi Johri, who is in her second year at Westminster, having worked previously for 15 years in libraries at Singapore International School, Miss Porter’s School and at Friends Academy in Locust Valley, N.Y. Shashi holds a master’s degree in library science from Syracuse University and a master’s degree in economics from the University of Rajasthan in India. Working with her part time in the library are Jeannie Griffith P’11, ’14, ’17 and Amy Stevens P’07, ’09, ’12.

“We are fortunate to have a fairly new library which is so well designed,” said Shashi. “It is a perfect blend of spaciousness, technological access and comfort. Students who like to work together in groups use study rooms, while those who function best in a quiet area can study in a reading room.” While some areas are popular with students for socializing, Shashi has no problem with that. “We have to change our perspective that libraries are places of absolute quiet,” she said.

Students work at computers on the second floor of the library.

Shashi Johri, director of the Cole Library, helps Nikola Kostic ’18 use the library’s website to identify a book for a class assignment.

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The Gund Reading Room offers a quiet place to study and is often used for special events.

The main area for quiet study is the Lobdell Reading Room, which is located on the first floor and houses the fiction and literature collection. Another popular study area is the Gund Reading Room on the second floor, which features a fireplace and an extensive collection of art books. The room also serves as a venue for meetings and special events such as the Friday Nights in Gund series.

Students in a group study room.

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The availability of quiet areas for study is often on the minds of parents. “Whenever parents are visiting, they always ask how many hours the library is open,” said Shashi. “Our library hours extend until 10 p.m., and we are open on weekends.”

Shashi describes the library’s collection as relevant and sufficiently balanced with print and electronic resources for members of the school community. Cole Library offers the latest fiction and nonfiction books, special collections, DVDs, periodicals, graphic novels as well as access to electronic books and databases.

Managing the 20,000-book collection is an ongoing process. The librarians work together on acquiring new books, weeding out older books and media, and adding new databases and other electronic resources.

Recommendations from library journals, book reviews, faculty members and students play a big role in the selection process. “We work hard to have the latest titles in both fiction and nonfiction on display in our collection,” said Jeannie, who has worked in the library for three years and also serves as Westminster’s director of student activities.

“Whenever someone recommends a title, we order it for the library. It is always exciting when new books arrive and gratifying to pair a book with a reader.”

“We have some avid readers who provide valuable feedback,” added Shashi. “I don’t see their love for physical books diminishing. Surveys indicate that more people are reading because of the convenience of reading on electronic devices.

But the love of reading a physical book is not disappearing. People still want to hold a book in their hands.”

The library also serves as a center of technology with its availability of desktop computers, printers, e-readers, e-books and online resources. “We are not considering going fully electronic,” emphasized Shashi. “Students, faculty and parents are not ready for that change, but at the same time, we want to keep up to date with the latest technology. We try to adapt and change according to the needs of our patrons.”

To encourage students to become more avid readers, English teachers Scott Stevens P’07, ’09, Amy Stevens assists Matt Quinn ’19 in the library. ’12 and Linda Wood P’19 bring their classes to the library at the beginning of the year, so students can check out a book they can read during designated times in class.

Linda brings her Fourth Form classes to the library to “promote “It is a perfect blend of spaciousness, a joy of reading” and to get students “hooked on a book” that they technological access and comfort. would want to read outside of class. “Students can’t get better at reading unless they do it,” she said. “Hopefully, allowing them to Students who like to work together in read for pleasure will stimulate a positive attitude toward reading.”

“Especially at the end of the day, students love to crack open a groups use study rooms, while those book and have time to free read,” said Scott, who brings his Third who function best in a quiet area can Form classes to the library. “It’s great to look around my classroom and see each of them thoroughly wrapped up in a library book. A study in a reading room.” love of reading can disappear during the high school years, and I want them to hold on to their good reading habits.”

Linda Wood’s Fourth Form English class visits the library.

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Students studying in the Lobdell Reading Room.

Amy, who has worked in the library for six years and also serves as chapel coordinator, added: “The librarians enjoy working with teachers and students when they visit the library.

To help students choose a book, we talk with them about what kinds of books they like, fiction or nonfiction, fantasy or young adult, and point them in the right direction.”

The library is also where students learn how to conduct research and effectively utilize information resources. Most of this instruction takes place during visits to the library by history classes.

“Any time a class assignment involves writing a research paper and preparing citations, teachers usually schedule time for us to meet with their class in the library,” said Shashi. “I review the steps of the research process, the differences in primary and secondary sources, how to evaluate resources and how to use a Lib Guide, which I create with all the required and relevant resources for that particular subject.”

A boon for students and teachers, a Lib Guide features links for books, newspaper and journal articles, reference sources, video clips and databases. Since many teachers require physical books to be used as sources, the librarians place relevant books on reserve for students.

“Class visits to the library also help students get familiar with the library staff, so they can feel comfortable approaching us in the future,” said Amy.

During their time at Westminster, students build their basic research skills, so when they go off to college they know how to use more advanced, multiple and diverse resources. “The amount of information available can be overwhelming,” said Shashi. “Students need to learn how to analyze and narrow down the relevant and appropriate resources by effectively using search limiters.”

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With a recently updated website, more than half the library can now be accessed electronically. Because of the increased availability of electronic books, nonfiction borrowing has declined in recent years according to the librarians. The Questia database alone offers 83,000 books online and 8 million articles, all of which can be accessed from anywhere internet access is available. Students can read right on their screens, highlighting and taking notes. Databases can also generate citations for them.

“More than ever before, students are using online resources for their research papers,” said Jeannie.

During a history class visit to the library, Shashi discusses the library’s website and the research process.

Sarah Minella ’17 spends between 10 and 20 hours a week in Cole Library. “What I like most about the library is that not only is it an excellent atmosphere to work and collaborate, it is a place to get to know other students, especially those with whom I do not interact outside of the library,” she said. “Using our library has helped me prepare for college by providing a place to work hard, study and research schools. It has also served as a reminder of what I value in a school: a strong, diverse community of involved students, where knowledge is shared regularly and openly, through conversation as well as study.”

Mike Riberdy ’18 is another regular library user. “I like that there are more open areas and more secluded ones, allowing for private study or group work,” he said. “I have done project work and extracurricular work with other students in the library. It also allows me to practice and reinforce study skills I’ll need later in life.”

Looking to the future, Shashi says libraries have survived and evolved with the changes in technology, and they will continue to do so. “My effort will always be to maintain the integrity of the collection and strive to make our library the hub of learning on campus,” she said. Amy added: “Libraries are gathering places. They have community spaces and quiet spaces, computers, desks, comfy chairs, resources, art and friends. What’s not to love about a library?”

The library is home to a number of special collections.

“What I like most about the library is that not only is it an excellent atmosphere to work and collaborate, it is a place to get to know other students, especially those with whom I do not interact outside of the library.”

History teacher Colleen Joncas brings her U.S. History class to the library to learn about using information resources.

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Building Relationships Faculty member Richard P. “Scott” Berry Jr. P’11, ’16 is retiring at the end of the academic year after a 46-year career at Westminster School. Scott is known for his lifelong interest in science and sports. Over the years, he has served as a science teacher, coach, athletic director, assistant athletic director, dean of students and a dormitory supervisor. He earned his B.A. at Amherst College and later took a sabbatical year to earn his master’s degree in administrative education at the University of Hartford.

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Scott is the current holder of the John Gow Senior Master Chair, and the John Sherwin Jr. ’57 and W. Graham Cole Jr. Chair. He lives in Gund House with his wife, Nancy Urner-Berry ’81, P’11, ’16. Their two daughters, Margaret ’11, a graduate of Middlebury College, and Katherine ’16, a freshman at Colby College, grew up on campus. Scott’s oldest daughter, Kelly, who earned her M.S.W. at Smith College, is a second-grade teacher in Portland, Maine.

In his self-effacing manner, Scott shares some thoughts about what brought him to Westminster and why he chose to spend nearly five decades on the faculty.

Where did you grow up?

I was born in Littleton, N.H., moved to Goffstown, N.H., in fourth grade and in the sixth grade, I moved to Essex Junction, Vt., where I graduated from high school.

How did you get the name Scott?

I was named after my father, and my parents wanted to avoid the confusion of having two people with the same first name in the family.

My mother liked the name Scott, so they used that for me.

What were your main interests in college?

At Amherst College, I majored in history but took many science courses. I also played varsity soccer and was captain of the varsity ski team.

The ski team practiced at what is now called Bershire East Ski Resort in Massachusetts.

I grew up skiing.

After college, how did your career in education get started?

A friend of mine from Amherst, with whom I had been on the ski team, got a job at Lenox School in Lenox, Mass., and suggested that I apply for an opening there to teach science and coach soccer, skiing and baseball. It was a prep school for boys in grades nine through 12. I wasn’t ready for graduate school, so I applied for the position and was hired. I eventually became assistant athletic director. I worked there for four years, until the school closed in August 1971.

What brought you to Westminster?

When Lenox School was closing, I heard about an opening at Westminster School and gave Don Werner, who was headmaster at the time,

Scott with family members Troy DeRoche, Oula Berry, Kelly Berry, Margaret Berry ’11, Nancy Urner-Berry ’81, P’11, ’16 and Katherine Berry ’16.

a call. I came for an interview, he offered me the job and the rest is history.

Hovey told me, “This is a way of life. It is not a job, and you are in it for the kids.”

What were your earliest responsibilities at Westminster?

I taught Biology and Advanced Biology. They didn’t have AP courses then. I was also in charge of the work squad, coached junior varsity boys’ soccer and baseball, and drove the bus to recreational skiing. I lived in Memorial Hall.

What courses have you taught over the years in the Science Department?

I have taught Introductory Biology, Advanced Biology, Conceptual Physics, and Human Anatomy and Physiology. I liked all of them, especially the biology courses. I probably learned the most teaching physics, which I hadn’t taught before and spent extra time preparing for.

I currently teach two sections of Anatomy and Physiology, which is an elective. I created the course knowing students like to learn about themselves. Sometimes it is hard to make something interesting, but if they are interested beforehand, it is a lot easier. Mostly Sixth Formers are enrolled in the course, but there are also some Fifth Formers.

Did you have any early faculty mentors?

My early mentor was Harris Squibb, who we called Squibby. He made sure I channeled my energies in the right direction. From him, I learned one key word: omnipresence. I am always taking that to heart.

Don Werner was a big help to me as well.

He emphasized that as a faculty member, you are on duty 24/7 when school is in session.

There is no such thing as off-duty. And David

“ ”

I got into this way of life because of the students.

I think the most important thing is my relationship with the kids. That is what I try to build on.

In the classroom, students know who I am, I know who they are and things work out.

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What have you liked about being a member of the Science Department?

It is collegial, with everyone helping one another. We all get along and have a good time together.

Has your approach to teaching changed over the years?

I got into this way of life because of the students. I think the most important thing is my relationship with the kids. That is what I try to build on. In the classroom, students know who I am, I know who they are and things work out.

Scott in his science classroom.

How did you first become director of athletics?

I remember Squibby, who served as director of athletics, shaking his head one day, and I asked him what was the matter. He replied, “Don’t ever be an athletic director.” This was my second year at Westminster, and I told him that is what I want to be. Suddenly, I was no longer head of the work program; I was assistant athletic director. I did that for quite a while, and when he retired, I became athletic director.

bounce it off one of the other athletic directors with whom I was close.

to coach my daughter Katherine in soccer when she was here.

Are there any special demands to that position?

What advice do you like to give student-athletes?

It is no different from in the classroom. I believe in tough love. It is not whether they like you or not, it is whether they respect you.

How many times did you serve as director of athletics?

I served as athletic director twice, plus I did it once for a winter term.

What have you liked about coaching?

What were some of the rewards of serving in that position?

Unlike some other administrative positions, in this role you are still working with students, which I like. Secondly, there is a lot of camaraderie among athletic directors at other schools. If I had a question, I could always

More than anything, when you serve as athletic director you have to learn to pay attention to detail. If you are organized, things fall into place. If you don’t pay attention to detail and are not organized: help!

I always enjoyed the bonds I had with members of the team. Those ties carried over from the season, even when I didn’t coach those students anymore. You learn which buttons to push and which not to. The remedy for one athlete might not be the remedy for the next one. I never felt that wins and losses determined whether or not you were a good coach. I always thought that if someone said you got the most out of every player that was what was important. I even got

Earlier in his career, Scott coaching soccer, left, and teaching biology, right.

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The Berry Awards, which are named after you, are given out at the end of every season to recognize the player from each lower team who gave the best effort and demonstrated the best attitude throughout the season.

Why is it important to recognize lower team athletes?

I don’t think lower team athletes are any different from first team athletes. They are playing at the highest level they can play, and we should recognize and appreciate that. They are learning and are growing. Not everyone can be a star at the top level.

Where have you lived on campus over the years?

After living in Memorial, I moved to Andrews House, to West Cottage, to Alumni House, to a faculty home on campus and, most recently, to Gund House, where my wife, Nancy, serves as dormitory head.

What have you liked about serving on the Westminster faculty?

I like the way of life. I could not see myself sitting at a desk all day. I get to work with students in the morning, in the afternoon and at other times. Westminster is also a good place to bring up a family.

session, you are on duty 24/7, and you get tired.

You need the summer as a break to get away from campus. We go to the New Jersey shore where I kayak, walk the beach and play tennis.

In the winter, we also have a place at Mount Snow in Vermont where we ski. Throughout the year, I walk 30,000 steps per day on average.

You and Nancy made a choice to return to dormitory life in 2013. What do you like about living there?

Again, you build connections with students. In the dorm, you get to know more students. The nice part about the way of life at Westminster is students get to see you in the classroom, they get to see you at the dinner table, they get to see you on the athletic field and they get to see you in the dormitory. They see the full picture, which is good.

When I ran a dorm for a lot of years, I never looked at it as a real job. I thought it was fun. Was it always smooth sailing? Of course not. What job is? But I have always enjoyed the relationship with the kids.

As the parent of two Westminster alumnae, did your perspective as a parent change you as a faculty member?

It probably made me a better teacher and a better coach. I saw the relationships my children formed. Generally, I just do what I think is right.

That has carried me through all of these years pretty successfully.

To what do you attribute your long tenure at Westminster?

When I wake up, I enjoy going to work. I have liked the way of life working with the kids, and I never thought about change. I don’t take myself too seriously. Life is too short. You have to be able to laugh at yourself.

Have you always served as an advisor to students?

I have been an advisor every year except this year. The nice part about that role is that not only do you build a relationship with the students; you also build one with their parents.

How do students give back to you?

They keep me young. That is the biggest thing. I learn every day from them. I particularly learned from my daughters. I consider myself a lifelong learner with regard to people. I am interested in relationships. They may be for five minutes, but it may be a good five minutes.

What do you like to do during your time away from school?

Again, going back to my mentor, Squibby, I recall him giving a chapel talk and saying the three best parts about teaching at Westminster are June, July and August. When school is in

What led to your decision to retire?

When I don’t do the job to Scott Berry’s standards, it is time to stop. The last couple of years I was ambivalent about retiring then it just sort of was time. Growing up, my three main idols were professional baseball players, and I always thought they played a little too long.

I don’t want that to happen to me. This is my 50th year teaching, 46 years at Westminster and four at Lenox School. This year, I’ll also celebrate my 50th reunion at Amherst, which will be the first one I have attended because those reunions have always been held on our graduation weekend.

Have you learned any important lessons at Westminster?

I learned to be flexible.

Do you have any specific plans for your retirement?

I have no idea, but I have received plenty of advice. I’ll still be living on campus but probably won’t be here as much as now. I plan to visit my older daughter, Kelly, and her children in Portland, Maine. In the winter, I plan to ski more.

The best advice I have received is twopart: The first is not to do anything for a while but try to figure things out. The second is to take up a new hobby. I’m still thinking about the hobby.

How would you like people to remember your tenure at Westminster?

I just want to be remembered as a good school person.

Scott coaching girls’ soccer.

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Supporting Westminster

Alumna Joins Board As chair of the Executive Committee of the Alumni Association, Mary Minns Peck ’90 joined the Board of Trustees in January as an ex officio trustee. She lives in Denver with her husband, Greg Kasper, and their daughter, Gracie. As president of Mary Peck Art Advisory, LLC, Mary guides clients through a full range of art collecting activities, from buying and selling works of art to collection management. While a Westminster student, she was a member of the Chamber Choir and Chorale, and received the Gretchen Hupfel ’82 Art Purchase Prize. In athletics, she participated in field hockey, track and girls’ hockey. Following Westminster, she earned a B.A. in the history of art from Yale University.

As an alumna, Mary has served as a class agent and helped plan her reunions. She also participated in Westminster Today and previously served as chair of the Executive Committee of the Alumni Association from 2006-2008. In 2015, Mary was presented the Alan F. Brooks ’55 Distinguished Alumni Award.

Mary Minns Peck ’90

New Appointments to the Advancement Team

Aileen Daversa ’90

Jennifer Keyo

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Westminster’s Advancement Office welcomed two new team members in January.

Aileen Daversa ’90 was appointed director of alumni relations. Before her return to her alma mater, Aileen spent the majority of her career in the field of turnaround, restructuring and corporate reorganization work. During this time, she also was involved with Westminster, serving as president of the Executive Committee of the Alumni Association, as a class agent and as a reunion committee member. As a Westminster student, she was a three-sport athlete and captain of the girls’ soccer and lacrosse teams. She also was a member of Black and Gold and the Language Club.

A graduate of Renbrook School, Aileen earned a B.A. in biology and economics at Bowdoin College and an M.S. in accounting/MBA at Northeastern University. She previously served as a director of the Bowdoin Club of Boston. She lives in West Hartford and enjoys golf, sailing, running and traveling. She once biked across the United States.

“We are thrilled to have Aileen join the Advancement team to fill the position that was previously held by Dave Werner ’80,” said Assistant Headmaster for Advancement Ted Probert ’80.

“A primary responsibility for Aileen is to build relationships with Westminster alumni, and she will be tremendous in this capacity. Getting her to return to her alma mater is terrific.”

Jennifer Keyo was appointed director of planned giving. She brings extensive experience in annual giving and advancement operations to the position. Previously, she spent 10 years in the Institutional Advancement Office at the University of Hartford, working most recently for two years as director of annual giving. In that position, she managed a staff of four, oversaw solicitation efforts, developed a new leadership giving society, and designed and implemented successful shortterm fundraising challenges. Before that, she served three years as a development officer, three years as director of the annual fund and two years as assistant director of the annual fund.

While a student at Saint Mary-of-the Woods College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business and marketing, Jenn received the Alumnae Leadership and Service Medallion and played varsity intercollegiate soccer. Her Master of Arts from the University of Hartford is in communication.

Jenn lives in Canton, Conn., with her husband, Peter, and son, Dylan. She enjoys cooking and running.

“We have been looking to bring on board a director of planned giving to increase irrevocable gifts and bequest intentions to Westminster,” said Ted. “With a focus on building our endowment, this position and Aileen’s position are critical to our success and the long-term future health of the school.”

Members of the Gilbert family.

Paying Forward Transformational Opportunities Sometimes fate just steps in. Such was the experience for Doug ’85 and Kato ’85 Gilbert, who met at the square dance at Westminster on their first day of school in September 1982 and began dating when they were Fifth Formers. Now married 24 years, they live in Maryland and have four sons.

Doug and Kato constantly reflect on how much Westminster has meant to them. “My time there was transformational,” recalled Doug. “It was the community, the academics and more. I found my stride and the ability to achieve. What I learned carried me into college, business school, my career and life.”

At the time of their 15th reunion, Doug and Kato started making plans for the future. “If something happened to us, we wanted to make sure that our boys are taken care of but also that there would be an impact on Westminster,” said Doug. The Gilberts worked with their family attorney to create a charitable bequest that states the specific amount they want to give to Westminster School.

The Gilberts have found a way to ensure financial stability for their family and to give back to Westminster, which they credit with giving them so much. And Westminster can assure the Gilberts that their goals for their estate gift will be achieved. “Our objective is for more young people to have the type of transformational experience where they find the potential in themselves that others have not seen yet,” said Doug. “The school and the faculty help students find that. It’s the intangible Grit & Grace that changes you and carries you forward.”

For additional information about including Westminster in your will or other planned giving opportunities, please contact: Jennifer Keyo Director of Gift Planning (860) 408-3039 jkeyo@westminster-school.org

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Supporting Westminster

Members of the Westminster community gathered for seasonal receptions in Hartford, Boston and New York City.

Hartford The Hartford reception took place Nov. 29 at the Hartford Golf Club.

David McHale P’18, Brook Seeley P’18, ’20, Jeff Lynch ’85, P’15, ’17, ’20 and Greg Stedman P’18

Front row, Alan Hadad, Carmen Sierra P’16 and Mary Eckerson P’09, ’11,’17 Back row, Todd Eckerson P’09, ’11, ’17 and Moy Ogilvie Johnson ’86

Bill and Donna Donegan P’20, and Kathleen and John Schuster P’19

Jeff Flaks P’20, and Anne and Bob Sargent ’74, P’07, ’17, ’20

Boston The Dec. 7 Boston reception at the Somerset Club was hosted by Graham Gund ’59.

Jules Stafford ’03, Greg Devlin ’04, Sean Devlin ’01, James Bishop ’00 and Craig Grenier ‘02

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SEASONAL RECEPTIONS

New York City The New York City reception took place Dec. 12 at the Yale Club.

Greg Islan ’66, John Beinecke ’65 and Bill Philip P’06, ’09

Anne Detwiler P’19, and Claudia and Stephen Jury P’19

Kirsten Sichler Webb ’98, Brad Raymond ’85, P’19, ’20 and Tread Mink ’77, P’11

Sean Kelly ’10, Grant Kugler ’11, Joey Liberator ’07, Eddie McCormick ’10, Matt Leach ’11, Alex Gould ’11 and Timmy Welles ’11

Marielle Lafaire ’12, Marina Rust Connor ’83 and Michelle Aiyanyor ’12

Jon Wolter ’06, Emily Parker ’06, Kaytie Belfiore ’06 and Shane Spinell ’04

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RECEPTIONS

New York City Volunteer Reception A Jan. 18 reception to thank volunteers for all that they do for Westminster was hosted by Eleanor Acquavella Dejoux ’91 at Acquavella Galleries in New York City.

Evan Stewart ’70, P’11, Eleanor Acquavella Dejoux ’91, Trisha Stewart P’11, and Marianna and Harper Levine P’19

Caitlin Romaniello ’07, Margaret Miller ’10, Bill Philip P’06, ’09 and Adam King ’07

Powell Holly ’82, Tread Mink ’77, P’11 and Kirsten Sichler Webb ’98

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Abby Huth ’12, Whit Powel ’11, Kathryn Griffith ’11 and Olivia Frank ’11

ALUMNI AND PARENT RECEPTIONS

Young Alumni Reception Westminster alumni currently attending Hamilton College and Colgate College got together for a casual dinner Feb. 22 at the home of Carrie and Fred Matt P’13.

Front row, Cullen Matt ’13, Annie Mayer ’15, Xavier Morin ’13, Charlotte Gould ’13 and Stina Ladd ’15 Back row: Katherine Ogden ’16, Jackie Mendia ’14, Kait McCausland ’16, Sam Matlick ’13, George Crawford ’15, TJ Daigler ’14, Zac Hamilton ’14 and Julia Bensen ‘13

Alumni Hockey Game Alumni returned to Westminster Feb. 25 to participate in a hockey game at Jackson Rink. After some fierce competition, everyone enjoyed a brief lunch before watching First Boys’ Hockey defeat Deerfield 3-1.

Front row, Paul Spagnoletti ’90, John Shane ’79, Dave Spannaus ’80, Brad Woodruff ’11, Lou Shipley ’81, Tim Joncas ’00, Chris Oetting ’04 and Nick Finn ’12 Back row, Mario Caouette ’01, Emily Walsh ’09, Steve Ashe ’87, Steve Theall ’83, Mike Ashe ’85, Jeff Kaye ’95, Pavel Navrat ’93, Phil Lauderdale ’02, Elliot Gray ’89, Harry Radovich ’09, Andrew Webb ’07 and Jordan Dewey ’08 Spring 2017

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ALUMNI AND PARENT RECEPTIONS

San Francisco Ian Morton ’87 hosted a reception Feb. 16 at the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco.

Jonathan Symonds ’87 and Ian Morton ’87

Steven Gasser and Amy Unger P’18, Will Lyon ’87 and Aileen Daversa ’90

Bill Philip P’06, ’09, Pete Aeschliman ’89, Bob Bynum ’69 and Mike Hanley ’78

Washington, D.C. The Metropolitan Club of the City of Washington was the site of a reception in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 28.

Peter Williams ’07, Tom Cavazuti ’10, Andrew Sullivan ’02 and Mark Stodter ’76 46

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Melanie Brown, Natalie Hatchette ’08, Chinazo Okpalanma ’08, Meg Fitzpatrick ’02, Coleman Brooks ’95 and Peter Roberts ’76

ALUMNI AND PARENT RECEPTIONS

Denver Alumni and parents gathered Jan. 31 at Historians Ale House in Denver.

Newell Grant P’99 and David Keene ’67

Piper Stevens ’70 and Jamie Boynton ’97

Sam Gaudet ’91 and Evan Boenning ’67, P’99

James Ryan ’95 and Judy Grant P’99

Hutch McClendon ’80, Marcus Jaffe ’81, Jamie Williams ’81 and Powell Holly ’82

Brian Kwak ’06, Liza Winship ’07, Chelsea Hall ’07 and Peter Williams ’07

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From the Archives Prior to the opening of Cole Library in Armour Academic Center in 2009, Westminster School had two previous libraries on Williams Hill: Hinman Reading Room in Cushing Hall and the Darling Library in Baxter Academic Center.

The original library in Cushing Hall was later named Hinman Reading Room after Rankine Hinman, who joined the faculty in 1939 and served as chair of the History Department, director of studies and, later, school archivist.

Clockwise from top, the library in the early 1940s; a student using the card catalog; students visiting and studying; and E. Floyd Lounsbury, Latin teacher, librarian and organist who served the school from 1925 to 1967, in the library in the 1960s.

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The Robert Darling Library was completed in 1970 and was dedicated in 1972 to Robert Darling, former president of the Board of Trustees and his son, former trustee Robert ’22. The library was part of Baxter Academic Center, which was the work of architect Phelps Barnum 1909.

The tables, chairs, couches, carrels, shelves and card catalog file were specially designed for the library. Some 7,000 volumes were transferred to the new shelves from a history library and the old main library in Cushing Hall.

Clockwise from top, groundbreaking for the Baxter Academic Center-Darling Library complex in 1964 during the weekend of the school’s 75th anniversary celebration (Robert E. Darling ’22 wields the shovel); windows in the main reading room of the library look out on Andrews Memorial Chapel; a gathering in the library; a view of the main reading room and mezzanine; and construction underway on the library wing.

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Taking On an Unexpected Role

Reed Rathgeber ’99 with a student.

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Every day is a homecoming of sorts for Reed Rathgeber ’99. A 1996 alumna of Mooreland Hill School in Kensington, Conn., she was named its head of school in July 2015, marking her return to the independent day school she attended in grades six through nine.

Reed began her career as an educator teaching history and English in the Brookline, Mass., public school system. She led social studies curriculum development for the district and trained teachers how to effectively set up, use and integrate Google applications into their classrooms.

After the death of Mooreland Hill’s previous head of school, a member of the school’s Board of Trustees asked Reed to apply for the position. Though she had no previous administrative experience, Reed placed her name in consideration. “I had run faculty meetings, but I don’t have an administrative degree,” she explained.

“Now I run an awesome little school. We just went through the 10-year accreditation process, which wasn’t easy to do in my first year. In the report, they said ‘see you in 2026,’ so I just needed to dig in.”

In her new role, Reed has found support from the broader community of independent school heads. Among the congratulatory calls she received upon her appointment was one from Westminster Headmaster Bill Philip.

“It was very much appreciated,” she said.

Though Reed’s family lived in nearby Kensington, she attended Westminster as a boarding student. She played varsity field hockey, basketball and lacrosse. She also was a member of the John Hay Society, Serving Our Neighbors (SON) and the Environmental Awareness Group.

She credits Miss Sparks for instilling in her the love of history. “I have so many fond memories of Westminster,” said Reed. “Mr. Adams would push us to be our best selves.

You wanted to rise to his expectations. And Mr. Ford helped us to be better writers and readers.”

She earned a B.A. at St. Lawrence University in history and a Master of Arts in teaching from Simmons College.

From a young age, Reed attended Camp Wohelo, a summer camp for girls in Maine. There she met

Hillary Lavely Corbin ’98, who encouraged her to attend Westminster. Reed spent 20 summers at Wohelo, as a camper, counselor and, finally, head of activities. “It was tough to give it up and grow up,” she said.

She still returns to Wohelo for one week each summer to run sailing and swimming. “It lets me get my camp fix in,” she exclaimed. “There are lots of Westminster kids at Wohelo. I enjoy receiving the Westminster Bulletin and seeing names of past campers.”

Reed works with eighth-grade students to help them decide where they want to go beyond Mooreland Hill, and many of her students visit Westminster. She is also leading Mooreland Hill’s initiative to increase home and school collaboration. Teachers and students are using Google classroom to bring learning home. The students are developing a portfolio that can be brought to high school and beyond. “They are saving work digitally, so they can see their improvements throughout their school careers,” she said.

Increasing enrollment at Mooreland Hill, which serves kindergarten through grade nine, and creating a more accessible tuition model are chief among Reed’s goals. The school currently has combined lower grades for kindergarten and first grade, and second and third grade. “The school is small by design, but we would like to increase our current enrollment numbers to serve more families,” she said. “We also want to make independent school accessible to all by creating a financial model that keeps costs down.”

Head of school duties aside, Reed plays basketball each day with her students as they await their parents at dismissal, and she continues to maintain a presence in the classroom by teaching a section of history.

In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, and she recently returned from a trip to Scotland. “I like to get out and see the world, experience other cultures and appreciate what other people offer,” she said. However, Mooreland Hill School keeps her close to home. She now lives just five houses from her parents. “It wasn’t easy for my parents to let their 14-year-old daughter go to boarding school,” she said. “I am thankful to them for giving me that opportunity.”

Creating Technology of the Future If the workings of a smart home are something you can only imagine, Jeff Scarcella ’99 has you covered. As director of product management at iDevices in Avon, Conn., Jeff and his team are designing the next generation of automation devices to enhance everyday life. The company’s “plug and play” indoor and outdoor sockets and switches can turn any product into a smart device controlled via a smartphone application.

Jeff and his team recently introduced iDevices’ newest innovation, The Instant Switch™, a remote Bluetooth® Smart wall switch that allows users to place additional switches anywhere in the home and wirelessly control lights and outlets. Unlike other smart switches, the iDevices’ product, which will be available on the consumer market this summer, requires no wiring and attaches to the wall with a removable adhesive.

Jeff says the first phase of smart home products was task-oriented, with the user providing commands.

“The current phase of development is all about devices interacting with each other in a productive way, like outside lights that know your location and turn on when you come home,” he explained.

Jeff attended Cornell University and was a member of the school’s Formula SAE Race Car Team, which designed a first-place-winning, ethanol-powered car. “It wasn’t about efficiency; it was about speed,” he said. He earned a B.S. in mechanical and aerospace engineering in 2003, a year he says was challenging for the auto industry.

With motorsports being a tough field to get into, Jeff began a career in aerospace engineering and soon transitioned into project management. “I enjoy helping people bridge the gap between technology and the real world,” he said. He also continued his studies and earned an M.Eng. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at Hartford and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

After a decade in the aerospace industry, Jeff joined the University of Connecticut, where he created partnerships that connected business and industry with the university. He also helped businesses understand how the resources of the university could boost their research and product development. Subsequently, he operated his own consulting firm before joining iDevices in the spring of 2015.

At Westminster, Jeff found inspiration to study engineering. “Teachers helped students develop mental flexibility,” he said. “It’s the way you imagine new things.

I developed a sense that anything is possible.”

He says he developed a strong background in science through hands-on coursework. “Westminster

classes focused on investigative learning,” he said. “We talked about design and the process of how things come together. The way you learned was to find out how to find the answer. That is the basis for science and product development.”

As a student, Jeff played soccer all four years and was on the track team. He also played in the Jazz Ensemble, worked on The Westminster News, and was a member of the Outing Club and the Environmental Awareness Group.

He attended Westminster as a day student and today makes his home in nearby Tariffville. Jeff and his wife, Kate, whom he met while attending Cornell, are parents to 7-year-old Abby and 5-year-old Haley.

The family skis together regularly and vacations at the Sugarbush Resort in Vermont. “The kids were on skis as soon as they could learn to walk,” said Jeff. “It’s only a couple of more years that I’ll still be the best skier in my house.”

In addition to recreational skiing, Jeff serves on the ski patrol at Ski Sundown. “I originally joined the Ski Patrol to get medical training when I was having children,” he said. “I found that I like helping people have a safe and enjoyable experience on the mountain.”

Jeff also volunteers as a director of the local municipal water authority. He put together a long-range infrastructure plan for the organization, which recently finished construction of a new $1.6 million storage tank project.

The Scarcella home serves as an informal research lab using both iDevices’ and competitors’ products. Abby and Haley are growing up in a smart home. “The kids are learning to program; they can think of terms of software code,” said Jeff.

Looking to the future, Jeff believes the internet of things, or the internetworking of physical devices in daily life, is still not well understood by the general public.

“One of the rewards about being at iDevices is seeing our products in a store and being able to say, ‘I did that,’” he remarked. “I convince people this technology is something they want. It is what is to come in the future.”

Jeff Scarcella ’99

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Wanting to Serve at an Early Age “The ocean is the ocean whether you’re off the coast of Yemen or New Hampshire,” said James Lord ’09, commanding officer of the United States Coast Guard Cutter Albacore. Sailing from the Coast Guard’s New London, Conn., station, James commands the 87foot Albacore and its crew of 12 sailors, who enforce commercial fishing regulations and conduct search and rescue operations from Sandy Hook, N.J., to Rockland, Maine. He was given command last summer after a yearlong assignment as executive officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Maui in the Arabian Gulf.

James Lord ’09, third from left, with members of his family.

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As a child of State Department employees working overseas in Kenya, Egypt, Uganda and Kazakhstan, James had not lived in the United States until attending Westminster his Third Form year. “I loved the look of the upper fields in the fall at Westminster,” he recalled.

“I was awe-struck at 13.”

James was also dead set on joining the military at an early age. “Westminster gave me the roots and discipline to succeed,” he said. “I’m particularly grateful to Mr. Adams, Mr. Daly and other faculty who gave me the wisdom to pursue the Coast Guard due in large part to the humanitarian aspects of its mission. I wasn’t an overachieving student by any means. They thought I’d be more successful in an action-oriented environment.”

As a Westminster student, James was a dorm prefect, a member of the John Hay Society, president of Black and Gold, co-president of the Multicultural Student Union and a member of the Eco Club. He also played football and lacrosse.

James learned of his appointment to the United States Coast Guard Academy at a Westminster assembly.

His sister USCG Ensign Kathleen Lord made a surprise appearance to present him with his notice.

James graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 2013, and seeking challenge and development opportunities, he volunteered to work in the Arabian Gulf.

“There, you are dealing with Iranian small boats,” he said.

“They like to play chicken, driving provocatively in the opposite direction to see if they can get a rise out of us, but we go through rigorous rules of engagement training and follow strict guidelines on how to respond under pressure.”

In his current position patrolling off the East Coast, James and his crew on the Albacore mostly deal with search and rescue related to weather and sea conditions.

They recently conducted an overnight rescue mission off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard when a hail and wind damaged fishing boat with an inexperienced crew lost communication and began taking on water. “The seas were rough, and the vessel was at risk of sinking,” explained James. “The crew was young and scared. In an emergency situation, we don’t want anyone to end up in the water where survivability rates take a nosedive. It took more than 12 hours to safely escort them to safety on Block Island.”

The Albacore spends its days within 25 miles of the shoreline. “Overnight, we find a quiet patch of water and hang out inside of 10 miles offshore,” said James. “In cold weather, ice-breaking duties are added to the daily routine. Several tons of ice can build up on the ship over the course of an underway day, and the crew must remove the ice with rubber mallets.”

James stays up to date with Westminster classmates and faculty on social media and was able to return to campus for his fifth reunion and attend a lacrosse game. He also hopes to find time to catch a Saturday hockey game. “I have come to love Connecticut,” he said.

“I like the people and the Dunkin’ Donuts. I can see myself building a future here.”

When his command assignment on the Albacore comes to an end, James will be seeking the opportunity to attend law school through the Coast Guard. He is already studying for the LSAT and is considering schools in Boston and the District of Columbia. “After passing the bar, I would be a Coast Guard assistant judge advocate general and go between operations and forward deployed status,” he said. “My dream is to be a lawyer at the Pentagon or State Department, advising senior officials about legal and military matters.”

Learning a Work Ethic to Use in the Real World Ashley Clark ’01 closed 2016 on a high note. As a licensed real estate salesperson with The Harkov Lewis Team at Halstead Property in New York City, she closed more than 30 real estate deals in the Manhattan luxury market — a notable achievement in a market where the typical agent closes eight deals a year on average. Her team was recognized by the Wall Street Journal as one of the top 150 real estate teams in the country in 2016, and as one of the top producing teams at Halstead Property, among other accolades.

“This job is the right fit for me,” said Ashley, who has been on The Harkov Lewis Team for four years. “I get to meet and befriend different people and work on different projects every day. This job is relational, not transactional.

Many of my clients have become great friends.” While she can’t provide names, her team has a long list of celebrity clientele.

Ashley earned a degree in philosophy from Union College in 2005, and had planned to attend law school.

“After my first year at Union, I did an internship at a law firm and found it wasn’t the right path for me,” she explained. “I studied philosophy since I enjoy problemsolving, and I knew I could apply this knowledge in any career after college.”

Ashley began her career as a private client associate with Bernstein Global Wealth Management, where she stayed for two years before attending Berkeley College to earn an A.A.S. in interior design.

“After Berkeley, I worked on high-end residential projects in New York City, including one for a Saudi Arabian sheikh,” she said. Her design work led her to Dassault Falcon Jet, where she designed the interiors of private jets until 2008. “When the market tanked in 2008, no one was buying or redesigning private jets,” she said.

“It was a niche sector.”

The following year, Ashley joined Windsor Communities, overseeing the leasing and management of eight luxury residential high-rises in Manhattan. “I was exposed to many different neighborhoods and how running a building works,” she explained. “I relied on my design background to help renters envision a space.”

Ashley could not have known that a walk around her own block in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn would set in motion a move to a career with one of New York City’s most respected luxury real estate sales teams.

While walking her dog, she met Warner Lewis. “He told me I was working on the wrong side of the business, but I knew that the logistics of leaving a salaried job with benefits to become an independent contractor were complicated,” she recalled. By the spring of 2013, her

transition plan was in place, and she became a member of The Harkov Lewis Team.

“The concept of being team-oriented resonated with me at Westminster, which was such a nurturing and encouraging environment,” she said. “The structure of Westminster kept me going nonstop. It taught me a work ethic I’ve used in the real world and to never be afraid to take the lead on a team. What I learned at Westminster and in college helped me build to where I am today.”

Ashley was also able to add a leasing element to her work with The Harkov Lewis Team as the team took on the role of exclusive leasing agent for an asset management firm with a large luxury portfolio in Manhattan. With this client addition, Ashley was recognized in her office with the “Landing the Biggest Fish” award. She hopes to bring in more of the same business for her team in 2017.

While at Westminster, Ashley was a member of the Debate Club, Dramat and Students Against Drunk Driving. She was captain of the varsity volleyball and softball teams, and played varsity soccer and ice hockey.

She was the recipient of numerous athletic awards and was named to the All-State Volleyball Team.

Volleyball remains a part of Ashley’s life. In the summer, she can be found in the outdoor sand courts in Central Park or Brooklyn Heights. She plays on both women’s and coed teams year-round and travels with a doubles partner for beach tournaments. She is also an enthusiastic leisure traveler.

Ashley served on her Westminster 10th reunion committee and serves on the planning committee for Union College. She is also involved in several New York-area charities including iMentor, Project Sunshine and Garden of Dreams. She works with their boards of directors to plan fundraising events. “I have a lot for which to be thankful,” she concluded.

Ashley Clark ’01

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In Memoriam Joseph Lawrence Gilman Westminster’s longest serving faculty member, Joseph Lawrence “Larry” Gilman P’78, ’80, of Tariffville, Conn., and husband of Ann Collier Gilman P’78, ’80, died Feb.7 after a brief illness. Larry’s tenure at Westminster spanned four headmasters and included 25 years as music director, 39 years as an English teacher and 21 years as archivist.

Born May 29, 1930, in New York City, he was the son of Joseph Williams Gilman and Christine (Baum) Gilman. He grew up in Croton-Harmon, N.Y., where his early love of music started with piano lessons, although he preferred playing the trumpet in the school band. Following graduation, he studied one year at Florida Southern College, and a summer studying orchestral conducting with Pierre Monteux, before moving to Boston University to major in musicology and another summer with Monteux. Concurrent with his work at Boston University, he enrolled at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, Mass., with an emphasis on ear training and harmony.

Larry earned a bachelor’s degree in musicology from Boston University School of Music, a bachelor’s degree in French horn from Yale University and a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from Wesleyan University.

He joined the Westminster School faculty in 1956 as music director and an English teacher. He and Ann, who he had met at Boston University, married a month before they moved to Westminster. They lived in Graduate House for 14 years and then moved to a faculty home on campus, where they lived until 1995.

Larry’s early responsibilities included directing the choir with Ann as accompanist and teaching English at the Second Form and Fourth Form levels in addition to two music courses. Over the years, he helped coach soccer, but especially enjoyed coaching diving and pole vault.

Larry served as choir director until 1981, and often played in musical productions and directed and played in the school band. He taught English until

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Larry and Ann both had a huge and happy impact on my life through music at Westminster. I was in the choir, glee club and Harmonaires, ending up as head of the last two my Sixth Form year. I went on to Rollins to major in theater and minor in voice for my M.F.A., primarily because of their influence. It was what makes Westminster so special to me: the support and guidance of faculty and family like Larry and Ann. Peter Kellogg ’59

Mr. Gilman was an unsung hero in our midst. This was a man whose enthusiasm for the wonder of music was, at the same time, understated, passionate and unrelenting. His was a labor of pure joy that was so evident in his everyday countenance that many of us took him and it for granted. His life’s work was music, and his calling to encourage our embrace of his passion was subtlety, yet doggedly, prosecuted.

Jody Vaill ’66

Even today when I hear pieces like Handel’s “Hallelujah,” in my mind’s eye, I see Mr. Gilman passionately directing our little choir, arms waving and black hair flipping around closed eyes. The memory still makes me smile.

Nancy Watkins Shott ’77

Mr. Gilman’s impact on me personally is immeasurable and cannot be described. I arrived on the Hill in the fall of 1984 as a Fifth Former.

My first class was Mr. Gilman’s Fifth Form English class. He walked into the classroom, told us to open our “Elements of Literature” textbook to a certain page and then began reading out loud the poem on the page. I believe it was A.E. Housman’s “To An Athlete Dying Young.”

I was 15 years old and had never before heard poetry read aloud with feeling. It was a jarring experience for me, and something I have never forgotten. Mr. Gilman read that poem in a way that made you feel the words were alive, that they wanted to touch you with their breath and their beauty. My immature brain knew that it was being exposed to something new and exciting, without being able to understand what it was. I now know that it was a teacher who wanted to engage and challenge you in the classroom, and for you to embrace the challenge. He would often say after reading out loud a passage of Charles Dickens’, “I would give five years of my life to have written those words.”

Three things made Mr. Gilman a great man: his passion for being an educator, his ardent desire to impart his thirst for knowledge to his students, and his love for and dedication to the Westminster community. He has had more influence on my development as a human being than any other person who I have ever met. I Spring 2017

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count myself privileged and blessed to have had him in my life.

Barry Deonarine ’86

Larry was such a wonderful member of the Westminster family. I have fond memories of his first midterm comment that said, “Curtis must learn that the day begins in the morning, in the classroom, and not in the afternoon, out on the athletic field.” I also remember him, as my Fifth Form English teacher, remarking how far I had come and that he was proud of me. However, when I asked him how long my paper needed to be, he simply replied, “Curtis, as long as a string.”

I told him I thought he was losing it. What does that mean? He laughed and replied, “As long as it takes to neatly tie the package.” Larry then went on to write a tremendous college recommendation for me, which assisted me in getting into Duke. He was a wonderful teacher and a gentleman, whom I always respected and enjoyed. The world is a lesser place without him here.

Curt Brockelman ’86, P’19

Larry’s English class was my first class on my first day at Westminster as a Third Former, and I also enrolled in his Mark Twain seminar during the spring of my Sixth Form year. I am grateful that his classes served as bookends for my experience at the school. His love of books and language was contagious. I remember him teaching us grammar and sentence construction by amusedly reading from poorly worded classified ads in the local paper.

Whenever I read a quote from Mark Twain, I remember Larry animatedly reading dialogue between Huck and Jim. Larry was one of the people who interested me in words and writing, which I’ve pursued as a vocation in the years since. I know I’m just one of many to benefit from Larry’s teaching and example.

Jennifer Keeney-Bleeg ’95

Mr. Gilman’s last day as an English teacher and an advisor was my last day as a freshman. I said goodbye to him after graduation and immediately burst into tears. I couldn’t then communicate to Mr. Gilman how much he had meant to me over the course of only a year. At 15, I still felt like a little boy, but Mr. Gilman treated me with respect; no teacher had asked me so many questions and was so interested in my ideas. I began to arrive at my English class early just to talk and was thrilled to join the swim team, so he could watch me from the deck as he coached the divers. I often remind myself that as an educator now, my most important job is to build those same relationships with my own students, a job that Mr. Gilman seemed to do so effortlessly. In doing so, Mr. Gilman made me feel valuable. He 60

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1995 to the Third, Fifth and Sixth forms. He also taught a Fifth Form and Sixth Form music elective and music appreciation for the Third Form.

In 1990, Larry was designated a Hometown Hero in Simsbury for his role as director of the Tercentenary Chorale for Simsbury’s 300th-year celebration and for continuing as director of this group, which became the Interfaith Chorale.

When he retired from the Westminster teaching faculty in 1995, Larry was appointed Westminster’s archivist and served as a tutor for international students.

He once described his most significant projects in the archives as “planning the organization of everything.” Known for his encyclopedic knowledge about Westminster, he was a constant resource for anyone hunting historical information about the campus. He also mounted photographic displays for reunions and other subjects that struck his interest.

Larry retired last spring on the 60th anniversary of his appointment. He and Ann, a former faculty member who served as organist, choir accompanist, voice

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helped me feel comfortable with who I was at a time when it was hard for me to do that myself.

I imagine that over the course of 39 years he did the same for so many young women and men who were fortunate enough to know him.

Elliot Dickson ’98 (Westminster faculty 2002-2007)

The College Office often referred international students to Larry for tutoring in English as a second language. Always generous with his time, he patiently worked one-on-one with these students to prepare them for success at Westminster and beyond. Larry was a thoughtful colleague to all and will be remembered for his kindness, warm smile and delightful sense of humor.

Westminster faculty member and Director of College Resources Jane Toner P’02

coach, music director for Dramat and choral arranger for 45 years, were a constant presence at Westminster over the years. They had a major impact on the lives of generations of students. They also raised their two children, Lawrence ’78 and Suzanne ’80, on campus.

Along with Ann, his wife of 60 years, Larry leaves his son, Lawrence C. Gilman, and his wife, Susan, of Delta Junction, Alaska; his daughter, Suzanne Gilman, and her partner Gena Taylor of New York City; his grandson, Aaron Apling-Gilman of Girdwood, Alaska; his sister-in-law, Anne Collier of Wakefield, Mass.; his nephews, Matthew Collier of Wakefield, Mass., and David Collier of Wildomar, Calif.; and his niece, Elizabeth Collier, of Wakefield, Mass.

The family wishes to express thankfulness to members of the Westminster community for the support and warm, loving embrace they have always extended.

They also requested that any memorial donations be sent to the Gilman Music Fund at Westminster School.

Not every Sixth Form English teacher lectures.

When I arrived at Westminster in 1984, the principal lecturer was Gordon McKinley, head of the department, who lectured for much of the first term on Hawthorne and Melville. Peg Burdett lectured on Henry James, and Larry Gilman lectured on William Faulkner. Larry read his meticulous, beautiful, and, of course, musical prose, evoking Faulkner’s invented world — Yoknapatawpha County. As scholarly as Larry could be, he always carried us with him. One year, when Larry concluded spinning Faulkner’s magic with his own particular magic, Larry left us, or at least me, transported and in a state of wonder and awe. At that point, the Sixth Form gave Larry a standing ovation. I’ve never seen anything like it since. His lectures were that fine.

A number of years later, when “Pride and Prejudice” was brought back into the curriculum, it fell to the willing and nervous me to lecture.

As far as I could believe then and now, there is only one way to start a lecture series on “Pride and Prejudice”: begin the same way Austen did. As I began by reading the famous opening sentence, “It is a truth universally acknowledged …,” I heard gentle laughter from the back row of Lounsbury Auditorium. I looked up to identify the source. It was Larry, laughing not only at the delicious good humor of that sentence, but laughing with full knowledge of and delight in the beautiful foolishness that awaited us all. That was all I needed. We were off.

I do not try to remember these two moments from Sixth Form English when I lecture or speak. But they come to me, challenging me and encouraging me to aspire to that excellence and understanding. “Good night, sweet prince, And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”

Westminster archivist and former English teacher Scott Reeves P’03, ’05, ’05 Spring 2017

61

In Memoriam

1952

1954

S. Whitney Blodgett Jr. died Nov. 9,

Peter Cooper of Bermuda died Dec. 23, 2016. He was one of Bermuda’s bestknown retailers and the head of A.S. Cooper and Sons. During his time as head of the business, he grew it to 18 stores islandwide, with as many as 125 employees, and oversaw its development as a leader and pacesetter in branded fashion.

Peter was born in Orange, N.J. Most of his childhood was spent in New Jersey, Chicago and Philadelphia. He studied at New York University and married Barbara Hutchings in 1955. That same year, he began working for the family business and moved to Britain to learn the china business at Wedgewood and other potteries in the Staffordshire area. Under the watchful eye of his grandfather, father and four uncles, Peter developed his career at A.S. Cooper that lasted 52 years.

Peter held positions on the boards of many local companies. His personal life revolved around family and the water. He grew up sailing and rowing the waters of Pitts Bay with his brother Kirk. Boating was the recreation choice for his family.

He also loved shooting, and was active with the Bermuda Trap and Skeet Club.

Peter is survived by his wife, Barbara, three children and nine grandchildren.

His granddaughter Julia Cooper ’15 writes, “Peter Cooper was a respected and loving father, grandfather and friend to many. He put others in front of himself and always had a kind word to say. Westminster was a very special place for both him and his granddaughter, something they hold dear with the fondest of memories. He was greatly loved and will be missed by many.”

Classmate Sheldon Clark writes, “Peter was kind, thoughtful and generous of spirit. Peter, along with Billy Childs and Jim Brown, was one of the Eaglebrook boys. … He played football, managed the hockey team, though he couldn’t skate, and played second base. In the evenings, Peter manned the switchboard, so he was a source of information that often was of particular interest to his confidants. Peter received letters almost daily from Barbara, on blue stationery, his sweetheart and

2016. He was raised in the Hudson River Valley on a large farm where his father grew green beans, and Whitney learned to grow apples. He graduated from Yale, where he majored in American studies.

Whitney then joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was sent to flight school. He spent three years flying Marine helicopters while based in Southern California. His most exciting memory came when he was forced to land in a shopping plaza due to engine failure.

Following his service with the Marines, he moved to New York City and worked as a security analyst for Morgan Bank. Four years later after consulting with Cornell Agricultural School about the best place to grow apples, he moved to Vermont and developed a large commercial apple orchard, Sentinel Pine in Shoreham, on the banks of Lake Champlain. His orchards grew prime McIntosh apples, delivering to commercial markets across the United States and in England. Whitney was also active in Shoreham community service, serving as head of the school board, a member of the select board and as a volunteer firefighter.

He was an accomplished pilot, fisherman and bird hunter. He also loved to garden and became a master gardener. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, and his five children.

Classmate Tad Harvey, writes, “I and several classmates will miss him very much and have fond memories of his big smile, sharp irony and quiet good humor.”

1953 William Chappell of Pawling, N.Y.,

passed away Jan. 26, 2017. A graduate of Colby College, Bill was a former vice president of Kidder Peabody. He was a member of several boards, including The Nature Conservancy Eastern New York Chapter, The Wild Center, Trinity-Pawling School and New Milford Hospital. Bill was also a former class agent and trustee of Westminster. He was predeceased by his children and is survived by his wife, Percy, and several grandchildren.

62

Westminster Bulletin

Peter Cooper ’54 with his granddaughter Julia Cooper ’15 at commencement in 2015.

eventually his wife. Everyone loved Peter.

He roomed with Billy Childs and Timmy Clark. Peter’s kind heart, his loyalty to Westminster and his friends make it difficult to say ‘goodbye.’ What a great guy.”

1961

Geoffrey L. Chentow, of Cleveland, Ohio,

died July 9, 2016. He was an internal medicine physician. He was the brother of Lynn (Michael Cramer) Chentow and the late Craig Chentow. He is also survived by his niece, Kimberly Jill Chase.

Classmate Tom Turton writes, “I remember Geoff as a pretty intense sort of guy who was quite a competitor.

He ran track in the spring and played football in the fall. Being a fast track guy, he was the wide receiver on the right side of our single wing formation.

I’ll always remember our 13-12 victory over Berkshire. Midway through the third quarter, I called a pass play (the 4-9 Princeton — Why I remember the name of the pass play I really don’t know!). The ball was hiked to our tailback, Denny Sutro, who ran to the right, stopped and threw a perfect pass to Geoff for a gain of about 35 yards. But we were flagged for offsides, and the play was called back. In the huddle, I said something like, ‘That play worked; let’s do it again.’ And darned if Denny and Geoff didn’t hook up again for another 35-yard gain. We went on to score and then held them off late in the game for one of our two wins that year.

Undoubtedly our co-captains, tackle Mal Douglas and guard Sam Pierson, were stalwart linemen who gave Denny time for both throws!”

Classmate Mal Douglas says, “We called him Warren, due to the fact that he bore a remarkable resemblance to Warren Spahn, an all-time great, lefthanded pitcher who was with the old Boston Braves back in the ’50s then on to the Milwaukee Brewers, when the team moved west. Geoff always took our ribbing in a good spirit. One thing I do remember for sure is the day in early football when we all came in at the end of practice and were seated on the bench outside the back door to the gym, knocking the dirt off our cleats. Geoff was standing over me and suddenly exclaimed in a loud voice, ‘Mal, you’re going bald!’

Indeed, I was, much to my chagrin.”

1972 David Baldwin died Jan. 16, 2017, in

Framingham, Mass. Born in White Plains, N.Y., he graduated from Oberlin College.

He married Jean Killam in February 2012.

They traveled the world in their short time together, making many wonderful memories. For more than 15 seasons, he was employed in Visiting Services at Garden in the Woods and served as a volunteer guide. He also volunteered for Friends of the Library and as a docent for the Danforth Art Museum, both in Framingham, as well as singing in many musical productions with the Sudbury Savoyards. David was an active member of St. Andrews Episcopal Church. He is survived by his wife, Jean, and his brother, sister and several nieces.

1978 Brett Bufalino passed away Dec. 28, 2016.

He was born in Manchester, Mass., and spent his early childhood there. He attended Eaglebrook School. While at Westminster, he excelled in athletics, starring in football. Brett went on to attend the University of Massachusetts and the University of New Hampshire. He worked in property management for many years

and founded his own company, ProActive Property Management of Hampton, which he ran until the time of his death.

Brett was a great cook and worked for his father at the Flagstones Restaurant in Newington for a number of years.

A humble, generous man with varied interests, Brett loved kids and animals and held his private pilot’s license. He carried animal treats in his work vehicle and became very popular with all the dogs and cats on his work route. He was also an active volunteer with the Seacoast Area Feline Education & Rescue (SAFER) Program. He is survived by his stepmother, sister, nephew and many cousins.

2004 Matthew Lamothe died Jan. 16, 2017, in Manhattan, N.Y. He was born in Hartford, Conn., and had lived in Los Angeles, Calif., for many years before moving to New York City last year. A graduate of Wesleyan University, Matthew started his career working at Interactive Creative Management before becoming a producer at a private film production company. He later joined Tommy V Films. Matthew’s accomplishments were vast, but most notably included being the executive producer for the award-nominated “I’ll See You In My Dreams,” which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival; “Intruders” which screened at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival; and, most recently, “London Town.”

Matthew loved watching movies and playing golf, hockey and tennis. He also liked relaxing by the water, both pool and beach. Most of all, he enjoyed spending time with family and traveling around the world to exciting places where he met new people and experienced great opportunities.

In addition to his parents, Dr. Henri Lamothe and Laura Lamothe of Weatogue, Conn., he is survived by his siblings, Barrie ’03, Brooke ’06, Luke ’08, Noah and Austin; his grandparents, Tom and Marlene Beaudin; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

2009 David H. Hovey III died Feb. 6, 2017, after a valiant battle with brain cancer. Born in Littleton, Colo., he was the son of David H. Hovey Jr. ’78 and Leigh (Armstrong) Hovey P’ 09, ’11,’14 of Simsbury, Conn., and Chatham, Mass. Following his graduation from Westminster, Davey earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from St. Lawrence University. He moved to Boston, where he began his dream job as a marketing manager for Arnold Worldwide, working for the Titleist account.

Davey was a talented athlete who played soccer, hockey and lacrosse at Westminster and was named captain of the lacrosse team at St. Lawrence University. After graduating from college, he became an avid golfer and could be found on the course, usually with his brother in any type of weather. Chatham was a very special place to Davey. He enjoyed summers playing golf at Eastward Ho!, tennis at Chatham Beach & Tennis Club, and spending time with friends and family both on the beach and at the Chatham Squire.

After he was diagnosed with cancer, he took the fight to the golf course with Grit & Grace, playing in a 100-hole golf tournament and raising more than $133,500 for glioblastoma research. He never gave up on his personal fight with cancer and was determined to help others with theirs, as well. He was fun loving, energetic and made everyone’s lives brighter. His friends from St. Lawrence, Chatham, Westminster and Simsbury are in the thousands. He was so lucky to have a vast network of support during his fight.

In addition to his parents, he is survived by his brother Tom ’11; his sister, Katie ’14; his aunt Kim Hovey ’80 of New York City; his uncle and aunt Sam ’83 and Romi Hovey, and cousins Grayson and Landon of Denver, Colo.; and his uncle and aunt Kipp and Tricia Armstrong and cousins Cassidy, Magnolia and Levi of Northampton, Mass. He was predeceased by his grandparents, David and Mary-Jenks Hovey P’78, ’80, ’83, GP’09, ’11, ’14, and John and Kathy Armstrong.

Spring 2017

63

Closing Thoughts

Buying In

By Manny Meltzer ’17 Adapted from a chapel talk he gave Jan. 13, 2017

To give some context, I’ve had a rocky road up to this point. Let’s just say I wasn’t the finest middle school student. I hit my peak in the spring of fifth grade after crushing lower school. My downward slide began during March of sixth grade. I used some profanity around some important people in my school, and the incident ended with my “withdrawal” midyear. Not my finest moment.

Then, following a half year of homeschooling during seventh grade, I sort of got “detained.” While I was learning to adjust to my schooling situation, my mom and I got into a bit of an argument on the street. In the midst of our shouting match, a police car pulled up next to us, and the officer asked, “Is there a problem here ma’am?” A grin slowly came across my mother’s face, and my wonderful mom responded with, “Yes sir, there is.” Soon I ended up in the back of a cop car.

Thinking I was going to spend the night in jail, I began preparing my argument for my court hearing. However, clearly my mom had winked at the police officer, and after a drive around the block, I was returned home safely. Looking back on what happened, I understand I learned a lesson: my mom will always win the argument and is usually right, most of the time.

Eighth grade wasn’t my finest year either. Constant fights with my parents and poor results in the classroom led me to believe I needed a change. This change was Westminster. However, Third Form year didn’t go so well. Free from my parents, I ate my way through the dining hall and gained a ton of weight. I wasn’t shining in the classroom and, to be blunt, I wasn’t Westminster’s biggest fan.

In fact, this isn’t my first time speaking in chapel. Third Form year, I stood up in front of the whole school and talked about how I really didn’t love Westminster at first. Needless to say, my start at Westminster was a tough go. Fast-forward to today, and my Westminster graduation is in sight.

At this point, after listening to my story, you are all probably feeling sorry for my parents. I have amazing parents who have always supported me, and I’m incredibly thankful for them.

Now, on to my main point. Every year on the first day of school during orientation, Tony Griffith talks to the whole community and says the same phrase: “Never again in your life will you ever be in a place where so many people care about you and want you to succeed.” The only issue is that when he makes this comment, nobody is paying attention. Third Formers are meeting new people, completely absorbed in their brand-new experience. Fourth Formers are happy they aren’t the youngest anymore, asking friends about their summer. Fifth Formers feel like seasoned veterans, so no reason to listen. Sixth Formers are involved in orientation activities, happy they have finally made it to the top. But Mr. Griffith’s advice is worth listening to.

As your time at Westminster passes, you come to understand what his words really mean. Westminster is a small community where everyone knows everyone. It’s hard to appreciate all that we have. There is virtually 64

Westminster Bulletin

Manny Meltzer ’17

no down time. A rigorous academic load combined with a demanding afternoon schedule, while trying to have a social life and get some sleep, make it very difficult to stop, look around and reflect.

In fact, at times, you can feel lost. For example, imagine it’s a Wednesday and you are returning from an away game against Deerfield, and the team got crushed. You won’t get back to school until late and have two tests and a quiz tomorrow, and you are not ready for them. We’ve all been there before.

Despite how good or bad the times may seem, we are extremely lucky to be at Westminster. You may have realized it the first day you arrived on campus or you may not realize it until you receive your diploma.

It may even take you 10 years to understand how special this place really is.

At Westminster, you have friends who stay up late to help you with homework, but one day in college, you’ll have “friends” who hide review sheets from you.

At Westminster, there are teachers who will meet with you during their free time, even in the morning before class and after being on duty the previous night. They will also drive you off campus, despite having loved-ones at home. And it is easy to overlook the employees in the dining hall who hold dinner open late, so your team can eat; the staff who plow the snow, so you can get to class; and the security guards, who not only keep us safe, but also open the laundry room after we forget to pick up our laundry. Sometimes it’s hard to recognize all the support that is around us every day.

During my four years at Westminster, I found what I believe is the key to being successful: buying in. What I have realized is that if you want to do well at this school, it is virtually impossible not to. If you accept the help of teachers, you will do fine in the classroom. If you look to your coaches to get better, you will improve as an athlete. Lastly, if you embrace the social scene, you will find happiness. Buying into what Westminster offers is the most important tool to finding success on the Hill.

The one thing I hope you take away from this talk is the realization that everyone at Westminster works tirelessly to help you achieve. We should all be grateful and show our appreciation by doing little things like holding the door, saying good morning, asking somebody about his or her weekend, and stopping to look around once in a while. It is easy to get trapped in this bubble and not comprehend how special a place Westminster is. By your Sixth Form year, you learn one thing is certain: time flies at Westminster, so make the most of it!

T R U S T E E S

2 0 1 6 - 2 0 1 7

John S. Armour ’76 Emeritus Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.

William C. Egan III ’64, P’92, ’95, ’00, ’02 Emeritus Jackson, Wyo.

Mary M. Peck ’90 Ex officio Denver, Colo.

Timothy D. Armour ’78 Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.

Colin S. Flinn ’82 Sanibel, Fla.

Elisabeth M. Armstrong P’04, ’06, ’07 Dallas, Texas

Heather Frahm ’86 Weston, Mass.

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

Stephen W. Bailey ’89 Austin, Texas

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

Beth Cuda Baker P’09, ’12, ’15 New Canaan, Conn.

Susan Werner Berenson ’82 San Francisco, Calif.

Ellen G. Breed P’11, ’15 Greenwich, Conn.

Powell W. Holly III ’82 Fredericksburg, Va. Robert T. Horsford ’89 New York, N.Y. David H. Hovey Jr. ’78, P’09, ’11, ’14 Simsbury, Conn.

William D. Brewer P’17 New York, N.Y. Curtis F. Brockelman Jr. ’86, P’19 Greenwich, Conn.

Zooey Brown P’15 Batesville, Va. Abram Claude Jr. ’46, P’71, ’80, ’84, GP’02 Emeritus North Salem, N.Y.

Martin R. Irani ’83 Encino, Calif.

Moyahoena Ogilvie Johnson ’86 Vice Chair of the Board Bloomfield, Conn.

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

Kirsten Sichler Webb ’98 Greenwich, Conn.

Benjamin D. Williams IV ’81 Carpinteria, Calif.

Andrew D. McCullough Jr. ’87 Houston, Texas

John H. Davis P’05 Emeritus Longmeadow, Mass.

S. Bradley Mell P’14, ’16 Far Hills, N.J.

David R. Wolf P’19 Ex officio New York, N.Y. Lisa Bjornson Wolf P’19 Ex officio New York, N.Y.

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

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