THE BULLETIN SPRING 2010
WESTMINSTER
For Alumni, Parents & Friends of Westminster School
WESTMINSTER BULLETIN SPRING 2010
Published by:
Westminster School 995 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury, CT 06070 (860) 408-3000 This magazine is produced twice a year by the Marketing & Communications Office. Address Class Notes to:
Beth Soycher Westminster School P.O. Box 337 Simsbury, CT 06070-0377 Or submit via e-mail: alumninotes@westminster-school.org E-mail for address change ONLY: salexander@westminster-school.org Westminster School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin or sexual orientation in administration of its education policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. EDITOR Darlene Skeels, Director of Publications and Communications editor@westminster-school.org DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Ken Mason PHOTOGRAPHY Richard Bergen, Newell Grant ’99, Tiffany Liu ’10, Ken Mason, Chip Riegel ’90, Darlene Skeels, Scott Stevens and David Werner ’80
A springtime view of Andrews House.
CLASS NOTES COORDINATOR Beth Soycher DESIGN John Johnson Art Direction & Design Collinsville, Connecticut
3Cover photo: Headmaster Graham Cole and Carol Cole. TRUSTEES 2009–2010 John S. Armour ’76 Chairman of the Board Palos Verdes Estates, California Susan Werner Berenson ’82 Bethesda, Maryland C. Andrew Brickman ’82 Hinsdale, Illinois Daniel Burke III ’87 Winchester, Massachusetts Trinette T. Cheng P’08, ’11, ’13 Kowloon, Hong Kong Abram Claude, Jr. ’46, P’71, ’80, ’84, GP’02 Emeritus North Salem, New York W. Graham Cole, Jr. H’09 Headmaster Ex officio Simsbury, Connecticut John H. Davis P’05 Longmeadow, Massachusetts William C. Egan III ’64, P’92, ’95, ’00, ’02 Emeritus Skillman, New Jersey
Jerome T. Fadden P’05 New Canaan, Connecticut Colin S. Flinn ’82 Sanibel, Florida Anthony J. Francoline P’96 Salisbury, Connecticut
Michael C. Lobdell ’75, P’07 Vice Chairman New Canaan, Connecticut
Allan A. Ryan IV ’78, P’06, ’07, ’12 Palm Beach, Florida
Charles B. Milliken P’77 Emeritus Bloomfield, Connecticut
Christopher K. Seglem P’06, ’09 Colorado Springs, Colorado
Joseph L. Gitterman III ’55, P’86, ’90 Emeritus Washington Depot, Connecticut
Anne K. Moran P’06, ’09, ’12 Unionville, Pennsylvania
John Sherwin, Jr. ’57, P’83, ’89 Emeritus Waite Hill, Ohio
John C. Niles ’81 Marblehead, Massachusetts
N. Louis Shipley ’81 Andover, Massachusetts
David E. Griffith ’72, P’06, ’10 New Hope, Pennsylvania
Brien M. O’Brien P’09 Chicago, Illinois
C. Evan Stewart ’70, P’11 New York, New York
Bernhard L. Kohn ’92 Los Angeles, California
James S. Offield ’69 Harbor Springs, Michigan
George C. Kokulis P’07, ’12 Simsbury, Connecticut
Moyahoena N. Ogilvie ’86 West Hartford, Connecticut
Samuel Thorne ’46, P’74, ’76 Emeritus Manchester-By-The-Sea, Massachusetts
Heather Kreitler P’10, ’13 Ex officio Fairfield, Connecticut
J. Pierce O’Neil ’76, P’10, ’12 New Canaan, Connecticut
Gregory F. Ugalde P’05, ’07, ’10, ’12 Burlington, Connecticut
C. Bradford Raymond ’85 New York, New York
Danielle Virtue P’11 Rye, New York
Timothy I. Robinson ’85, P’10 Ex officio Hampton Falls, New Hampshire
Susan Wilcox White ’74, P’05 Wellesley, Massachusetts
John M. Kreitler P’10, ’13 Ex officio Fairfield, Connecticut Peter B. Leibinger ’86 Schwieberdingen, Germany
D. Scott Wise P’11 New York, New York
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THE BULLETIN SPRING 2010
Hill Headlines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Common Bonds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Supporting Westminster . . . . . . 40
Reflections from the Hill . . . . . . . 12
Martlets on the Move . . . . . . . . . 51
Looking Back at the Cole Years . . 19
Class Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Embracing New Tools . . . . . . . . . . 28
Closing Thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Reflections from the Hill Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Hill Headlines Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Martlets on the Move
Athletics Page . . . . . . . . . 10
Page . . . . . . . . . . . 51
New Tools
Supporting Westminster
Page . . . . . . . . . . 28 Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Common Bonds Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Class Notes Page . . . . 54
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New Headmaster Named In November, the Westminster School Board of Trustees announced the appointment of William V.N. Philip P’06, ’09, H’06, who has had a long and distinguished career serving in senior leadership capacities at Westminster, as the school’s eighth headmaster beginning July 1. His appointment follows a national search for a successor to Headmaster Graham Cole, who is retiring in June. “Bill’s years of extraordinary service and accomplishment at Westminster encompass all of the qualities we were seeking in a new head of school,” said John Armour ’76, chairman of the Board of Trustees. “With his broad academic and teaching experience and proven leadership success across many school programs, he has the record of accomplishment necessary to lead Westminster on the path of continued distinction in the independent school world.” After Headmaster Cole announced in January 2009 his plans to retire in June 2010, the Board of Trustees appointed an eightmember Head of School Search Committee composed of teachers, parents, alumni and trustees to identify his successor. The committee, aided by consultants Carney Sandoe & Associates, conducted a nationwide search that attracted more than 80 candidates
for the school’s leadership position. They narrowed the list down to four semi-finalists. Members of the committee and the Westminster community then participated in rounds of candidate interviews that led to a finalist recommendation to the Board of Trustees, which unanimously approved Bill Philip as the next headmaster. “Based on his intelligence, character, broad-based experience, work ethic, loyalty and passion to lead, the committee unanimously agreed that Bill Philip was just the right person to advance Westminster over the next decade,” said William Egan ’64, P’92, ’95, ’00, ’02, chair of the Head of School Search Committee. During his 26-year tenure at Westminster School, Bill has held a variety of teaching, administrative and coaching responsibilities, including associate headmaster for eight years and assistant headmaster for three years. He also has taught history for 25 years and served as director of studies, director of college counseling and senior development director. A graduate of Hotchkiss School, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in history at Yale University and a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies at Wesleyan University. Bill and his wife, Jennifer, who serves as
William V.N. Philip alumni coordinator and head field hockey coach at Renbrook School, have two daughters: Kate ’06 and Alie ’09. “Westminster School is my passion, and I am deeply honored to be selected as its next headmaster,” said Bill. “I look forward to the extraordinary opportunity to work with all members of the Westminster community and the surrounding community in building on the distinguished history of one of the finest independent schools in the nation.”
Gaining Experience in International Diplomacy
Members of Westminster’s delegation to the Yale Model United Nations Conference gather in Fearn Hall.
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Twenty-one Westminster students spent a memorable weekend gathering first-hand experience in international diplomacy at the Yale Model United Nations Conference (YMUN) in January. This was the second year in a row that Westminster sent delegates to YMUN, which draws students from more than 50 schools. The Westminster delegates represented Austria and Indonesia and spent months rigorously preparing for their conference assignments. The Austrian delegation included Carolyn Zimmer ’11, Charlotte Stewart ’11, Simran Kaur ’12, Rene Jimenez ’11, Nabi Hassanzoy ’10, Abby Huth ’12, Kiana Cateriano ’11, Rosie Williams ’12, Donald Sonn ’12 and Anthony Dépatie ’10. The Indonesian delegation included Ryan Smythe ’11, Ousseynou Tall ’12, Gavin McGovern ’11, Alex Chaffee ’12, Rebecca Wardell ’11, Maggie Hark ’12, Chris Sailor ’11 and Shishan Zhang ’11. English-Speaking Union student Brook Geremew ’10 also joined as a consultant to the group and assistant advisor.
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Finalists in National Merit Scholarship Program Sixth Formers Anne Cervas and Suchi Mandavilli have been named Finalists in the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program competition and are being considered for a National Merit Scholarship and the Merit Scholar title. They are among approximately 15,000 Finalists competing for some 8,200 National Merit Scholarship awards that are being announced between April and July. To become a Finalist, a Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the head of school and earn SAT scores that confirm Anne Cervas the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test. Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments and potential for success in rigorous college studies. During Anne’s Westminster career, she has earned summus every term, is a candidate in the 2010 Presidential Scholars Program and was named an AP Scholar with Honor. She is president of the student organization Serving Our Neighbors, the literary editor of The Martlet and a day prefect. She also is co-captain of the varsity cross-country team and has played on Westminster soccer, lacrosse, track and squash teams. Suchi has also achieved summus every term and was named an AP Scholar with Distinction. She is the editor in chief of Westminster News, a participant in Cabaret and a member of the Chamber Choir. She also participates in cross country and has played on Westminster Suchi Mandavilli field hockey, tennis and squash teams. Outside of school, she serves as a volunteer at Hartford Hospital.
While at Yale, the students participated in day and evening sessions of their committees and took advantage of Yale Day activities. They toured the campus, visited classes, had lunch with professors in the Commons Dining Hall and attended a dance for all of the delegates. A major highlight of the experience was hearing keynote speaker James O.C. Jonah, who served as Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs from 1992 to 1994, after more than three decades in the U.N. Secretariat, speak about the role of the United Nations today and the current role of the United Nations in Haiti. Jake Benedict ’11 and Vlad Bok ’10 applied for and were awarded positions on Specialized Committees that involved attending an all-night crisis meeting about the Democratic National Convention in 1968. “Serving on a special committee is really an exciting piece of the YMUN event, and students have to apply for special committees and be chosen based on position papers submitted to the YMUN secretariat,” said English teacher Mollie Pilling, who coaches the Westminster Model United Nations participants and accompanied them to the conference. It was Vlad’s second year participating in a crisis meeting.
Student Named Candidate in Presidential Scholars Program Sixth Former Anne Cervas was named one of more than 3,000 candidates in the 2010 Presidential Scholars Program. The candidates were selected from nearly 3.2 million students expected to graduate from U.S. high schools in 2010. Inclusion in the Presidential Scholars Program, now in its 46th year, is one of the highest honors bestowed upon graduating high school seniors. Scholars are selected on the basis of superior academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities, strong character, and involvement in community and school activities. A distinguished panel of educators selects 500 semifinalists, and the Commission on Presidential Scholars then makes the final selection of the Scholars, which is announced by the U.S. Department of Education in May.
The Westminster delegation brought back three awards: Donald Sonn and Anthony Dépatie were named Honorable Delegates for excellence in representing Austria on the Security Council, and Nabi Hassanzoy won the coveted Outstanding Delegate Award for excellence in representing Austria on the Special Political and Decolonization Committee. “All of the delegates shone in their committees, stepping up to speak, writing resolutions and caucusing, supported by research they had begun back in September and continued until moments before leaving the hotel for the site of their meetings,” added Mollie. “Even if the committees the students served on didn't come up with firm resolutions to solve problems that threaten our world, the dialogue and interaction broadened the students’ perspectives and honed their skills in articulating ideas.” Westminster Chinese teacher Zhan Welcome also accompanied the students on the trip.
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Second Group of Davis Scholars Joins Westminster Westminster welcomed four new Davis Scholars to campus last September through a program designed to increase and diversify the international and domestic student population of American independent secondary schools. The new scholars join Westminster’s first four Davis Scholars who arrived from Ghana, Afghanistan, the Czech Republic and Oakland, Calif., in fall 2008. Westminster is one of five schools participating in the Davis Scholars Program, which is funded by the Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund. Westminster’s newest Davis Scholars come from diverse backgrounds and are already fully involved in activities on the Hill. • Javier Vargas ’10, whose family is originally from Puerto Rico, previously attended Hartford Public High School, where he took one of the most challenging course loads and earned three school records as a swimmer. He also participated in the Crossroads Cooperative Learning Program (CCLP). At Westminster, Javier has been a member of the football, swimming and baseball teams. • Simran Kaur ’12 was born in India and later moved to Naugatuck, Conn. She attended Naugatuck High School, where she was a member of the pre-med club, the drill team and Air Force ROTC. She also performed community service. Simran, who still has family in India, loves to read and write, and is very interested in biology. At Westminster, she has participated in field hockey, martial arts, track and field, the Multicultural Student Union (MSU), Debate, Serving Our Neighbors (SON) and the Science Club. • Ngoc Nguyen ’12 is from Hanoi, Vietnam, where she attended Hanoi Amsterdam High School. While there, she played tennis and was a member of the tour guide club. On weekends, she sometimes visited the Hoa Binh Peace Village, a specialized school and medical center that provides care to the child victims of Agent Orange. One summer, she also worked as an organizer and local translator for American doctors and medical students who were visiting poor provinces in Vietnam to provide free health care and medications. During the summer, she tutors children in her neighborhood. At Westminster, Ngoc played soccer in the fall, managed Second Girls’ Basketball in the winter, and is participating in track and field this spring. She also is a member of SON, Asian Awareness and the MSU. • Ousseynou Tall ’12 is originally from Senegal, West Africa, and moved to the United States two years ago. He still has siblings living in Senegal. Tall previously attended Bread and Roses High School in Harlem, where he helped new immigrants with their English; participated in the chess club, junior varsity basketball and the theater; and took piano lessons. At Westminster, he has been involved in soccer, basketball, lacrosse, MSU, Model United Nations, the gaming club, the artist club, the Cook Nook and improvisation.
Davis Scholars, standing, left to right, Ngoc Nguyen, Javier Vargas and Simran Kaur and, seated, Ousseynou Tall.
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While the Davis Scholars are at Westminster, the Davis Scholars Program and Westminster School jointly fund their scholarships. Upon graduation, the scholars are eligible for continued scholarship support for four years at any of the Davis United World College Scholars colleges and universities, now numbering more than 85 leading colleges and universities. Five of the Davis Scholars are members of Westminster’s Class of 2010.
Armour Academic Center Awarded LEED Gold Certification Westminster’s new 85,000-square-foot Armour Academic Center has been awarded LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute. The LEED green building certification system is the preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. It provides independent, third-party verification that a building project meets the highest green building and performance measures. The Armour Academic Center achieved the gold certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as for incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. It is one of the first facilities to use a geothermal heat exchange system on a large-scale basis. “We are extremely proud that the Armour Academic Center has received this prestigious recognition for its leading-edge green design,” said Headmaster Graham Cole. “From the beginning of our planning, there was a desire by our faculty, our students and the building’s design team to take an innovative approach in using cost-efficient and energy-saving features to make the center as sustainable as possible.” The center also has been recognized for its geothermal installation by the Connecticut Green Business Awards, and its general contractor, Bartlett Brainard Eacott, was named the second-place winner for new large construction in the 2010 Build Connecticut Awards.
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Noted Actor and Mime Captures Audience’s Imagination
Left, actor and mime Bill Bowers during his Westminster performance and, below, leading a workshop for students.
How so much can be communicated without words was surely on the minds of the audience when actor and mime Bill Bowers gave a performance for Westminster students and faculty in January. “When people find out I’m a mime, they ask me why,” explained Bill. “I’m a mime because I am from Montana. It is big and quiet, and can render you speechless. A lot of work I do as a performer was inspired by growing up there.” Bill’s performance included moving stories titled “Silver Dollar Saloon,” “Montana Moon,” “Cow on a Rope,” “Prayer for a Boy” and “Sweet Medicine.” He also demonstrated hand movements for an imaginary wall, one of the basic vocabularies in mime. “I give imaginary objects energy,” he said. “It is more about what happens to you.” Bill took a number of questions from the audience including one about how he learned to communicate using body language. He explained that as the youngest of six children, he was not interested in talking much as a child. When he wrote a book report on silent acting at age14, he was so captured by the idea that he began teaching himself mime and kept practicing. Later in his career, he studied with Marcel Marceau. While at Westminster, Bill gave a workshop for the cast of the musical “Godspell.” He explained the difference between pantomime and mime. “Pantomime won’t happen unless the audience has a willingness to believe,” he said. “It lives completely in the imagination. Mime is an art form that looks at shape in space. It creates feelings, ideas, shapes and motions, and it doesn’t have to be quiet.”
Bill has performed throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. He has appeared on Broadway, and his original shows have been produced Off Broadway and received critical raves. He also has numerous television credits and was featured in the film “Two Weeks Notice.” Bill earned an M.F.A. from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University and an Honorary Ph.D. from Rocky Mountain College. He regularly presents master classes and residencies at major universities and arts organizations.
Celebrating Writing Members of the Westminster community and the surrounding community have been gathering on selected Friday nights during the 2009-2010 academic year to celebrate writing at a new Friday Night Reading Series held in the Gund Reading Room of the Armour Academic Center. The literary readings are open to the public and feature a guest reader and a student reader. Westminster English teacher and poet Michael Cervas kicked off the series in October with selected readings from his poetry. Other guest readers have included novelist, essayist and radio talk show host Colin Poet Brad Davis, left, and McEnroe; poet Brad Davis; and award-winning sports Eddie Gentle ’10 were writer and recent novelist Steve Rushin. Student featured readers at the readers have included Sixth Formers Charlotte January Friday Night O’Herron, Suchi Mandavilli, Eddie Gentle and Kwaku Reading Series. Akoi. Following the readings, members of the audience gather in the Gitterman Family Student Lounge for refreshments. The series concludes in May. Friday Night Reading Series events held in the Gund Reading Room are very popular with members of the Westminster community and the surrounding community.
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Westminster students and faculty volunteered for charities and organizations throughout Connecticut during a school-wide Service Day.
Reaching Out to the Community Westminster students and faculty spent Oct. 5 extending a helping hand in communities across Connecticut. They boarded buses and vans early in the morning for a school-wide Service Day and traveled to Salisbury, Ashford, Avon, Hartford, Burlington, South Windham and downtown Simsbury to volunteer for a variety of charities and organizations. They spent the day interacting with senior citizens and young children, performing yard work for those in need, cleaning green spaces, and assisting with program activities. Among the places they visited were Camp Chase, Camp Horizons, Camp Hole in the Wall, the American School for the Deaf’s Camp Isola Bella, Reggio Magnet School of the Arts, Hartford Food Share, Simsbury Social Services, Simsbury Parks and Recreation, Simsbury Board of Education, Simsbury Public Works, Eno Hall Senior Center and Roaring Brook Nature Center. “I had a great time with the kids seeing them work hard in every job they were given,” said Sara Deveaux, head of the Language Department, about volunteering with Fourth Formers at Camp Horizons. The camp provides high-quality residential, recreational, support and work programs for people who are developmentally disabled or who have other challenging social and emotional needs. “When our students were told that they were going to wash windows, make beds, move furniture and rake leaves, there wasn’t one objection to be heard,” she said. “They all did their jobs, talked and, hopefully, had fun working to help out! We watched a short film and presentation about the camp and the people it serves, and I think the kids really appreciated being able to put faces behind their tasks.”
At Food Share in Hartford, 15 Sixth Formers and three faculty members bagged 11,000 pounds of food. “Every member of the team was a huge contributor and worked hard,” said Westminster librarian Pam McDonald. “I think everyone broke a sweat at some point during this comfortably cool day, just standing, sorting and bagging potatoes and apples. We had informal competitions about who could bag the most and enjoyed the teamwork.” At Reggio Magnet School of the Arts in Avon, Westminster volunteers helped pre-K through first grade students in their classes and brought show-and-tell items. “I especially liked giving a talk to the kids about music,” said Corey Smith ’11, who played his guitar. And at Eno Memorial Hall in Simsbury, where volunteers entertained senior citizens with a musical presentation and cleaned up the grounds, Simsbury Community Television interviewed faculty member Gloria Connell, Westminster’s director of community service, about the day’s activities. A segment about Westminster’s Service Day aired on the community news program, “Headlines” for two weeks. “Learning to serve others is not a discipline of the mind or body but rather a habit of the heart,” said Gloria about her reflections on the day. “Volunteering can never be measured by time or numbers because the greatest value is gained by those who give.”
“Volunteering can never be measured by time or numbers because the greatest value is gained by those who give.”
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Award-Winning Writer Discusses Race Ignorance in America Author and Emmy-award-winning television writer Dennis Watlington visited Westminster School in November to share his dramatic life story and to talk about the history of race ignorance in America. Born in Harlem in 1952, Dennis has had a remarkable life. Once addicted to heroin and in and out of various schools, he received an unexpected scholarship to the Hotchkiss School, where he was later elected president of his class. After attending New York University, he wrote and directed his first play and later founded the People’s Neighborhood Theater. In the early 1980s, Dennis’ life took a downturn through an addiction to crack, and he returned to rehabilitation. On the road to recovery, he met author Gaily Sheehy who included a chapter about him in her best-selling book, “Passages.” She also prompted him to write about his addiction, which he did in an article for Vanity Fair magazine. The article was optioned by HBO for a television movie, and he was hired to write the screenplay. His journalism career continued with regular contributions to Vanity Fair, the New York Times and American Way magazine. The writer of numerous movie and television scripts, Dennis has focused his work during the past decade in documentary film. In 1984, he won an Emmy Award for writing “The Untold West: The Black West” for TBS. In 2006, he also published a memoir, “Chasing America: Notes of a Rock ’n Soul Integrationist.” During his Westminster presentation, Dennis shared the unusual
English Teacher Publishes Novel English teacher Mollie Pilling says it was an evening at the opera that inspired her to write her recently published novel, “The Ensign’s Wife,” which is based on Shakespeare’s play “Othello.” She was sitting close to the stage at the Kennedy Center Opera House watching the final scenes of Verdi’s opera based on “Othello” when she felt compelled to create the story of Emilia, wife of the villain Iago. “The Ensign’s Wife” is set in Venice in the 1600s and follows Shakespeare’s storyline in the development of the character of Emilia, an outspoken woman who ultimately exposes Iago’s intrigue. A possible treason has taken place in Cyprus and a wounded Emilia is taken under guard to the prison in the Doge’s Palace in Venice and accused of treachery against the
Kip Denoyer ’10 talks with Dennis Watlington. way he was admitted to a prep school and how much his education there helped him. “I love the prep school atmosphere,” he said. “One of the greatest things about prep schools is that they have the time to care.” He also gave readings from his book to highlight major experiences in his life and present a “timeline about biracial America.” The term I focus on is race ignorance,” he explained. “Race ignorance is the lack of interaction and that is really easy to deal with. If people like each other based on merit, that is a huge improvement because it lies on both sides of the pigment line.” He told the students that they are ready to take the nation to great heights. “I was born in an empty glass that had been empty for 400 years, and I watched that glass zoom to half full in 45 years,” he said. “When I was born in 1952, there was only one voice: the white male voice. That is gone, and now it is your show. And because you are diverse, you are in the forefront.”
Republic. Emilia is the sole survivor of the murders and suicide that have shaken the Republic and is implicated for her role in the plot. The story mixes themes of treachery, treason, cruelty and betrayal with themes of love, loyalty, family and perseverance. “A year of weekends spent in the Johns Hopkins University library researching Venice in the 1600s and wars with the Turks culminated in a novel written during the summer of 2006 on the island of Samos,” explained Mollie. “The novel is not high literature, but keeps the historical and literary roots of the tale intact. If you were to take the book to Venice, it would serve as a fairly useful guide to that magical city.”
Mollie enjoys traveling to Europe every summer to inspire her writing and continues to study the ancient cultures of the Romans and Greeks. Prior to her appointment to the Westminster faculty in 2008, she taught English for many years overseas, including 17 years in international independent schools in Switzerland, Greece, England and Italy. For seven years at St. Stephen’s School of Rome, she served as English department chair, coordinator of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, and taught English AP, IB and Theory of Knowledge. In addition to teaching Fourth Form and Sixth Form English and team teaching AP English at Westminster, Mollie is a reader for the College Board for AP English Literature and Composition and an examiner for the IB Language A1 Program.
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Visual and Performing Arts Festival Members of the Dance Ensemble, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Chamber Choir, Chorale, and Faculty Choir gave wonderful performances for the Westminster community at the Visual and Performing Arts Festival held on March 4 in the Werner Centennial Center and Andrews Memorial Chapel.
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Making School History By Betsy Heckman Sports Information Director
Girls’ Hockey Wins Championship The 2009-2010 First Girls’ Hockey team has made school history. After proving in recent years that it is one of the best teams in New England, this season it emerged as not one of the best but the best, winning the Division I New England Championship with a 3-1 victory over Lawrence Academy. The Martlets, under the direction of coaches David Pope and Jess Keeley, earned the No. 4 seed in the tournament after compiling a 17-3-2 regular season record. This allowed Westminster to host the quarterfinal matchup against WillistonNorthampton. The two teams met earlier in the season in a hotly contested battle from which the Martlets emerged with the 3-1 win. It was a familiar scenario for the Martlets, as they had earned a spot in this tournament for the last four years, but they had been unable to break through to the final four. This year would be a different story, as the Martlets were dominant throughout the game against Williston, ultimately winning 3-0. The semifinal and final rounds were hosted by Berkshire School, and Westminster had to face its nemesis, Choate. The Wild Boars have been consistently among the very top teams for a number of seasons. While Westminster has been competitive with Choate, even beating them at times during the regular season, the Martlets never have been able to top them in the tournament. This season, No.1 Choate earned a 2-1 victory over the Martlets in January and was undefeated heading into the tournament. The Martlets knew they could beat the Wild Boars, but it would take their best effort. In the semifinal game, which felt like the championship, the Martlets scored first, but Choate responded with a goal of its own. The game came down to the final period when the Martlets were able to put one past the Wild Boar netminder and then hold off the Choate counterattack for the remainder of the game. It was another first for the program: the Martlets were headed to the finals.
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In the championship matchup, Lawrence was able to get on the board first but that would be all of the offense the team would be able to muster against Westminster’s stifling defense. The Martlets were able to tie the game and then push past Lawrence with two more goals. “We forechecked with incredible tempo, led by Paige Decker ’10, which stopped many of their rushes before they even started, especially in the third period,” said Coach Pope. “Our defense also played very well. Tori Pizzuto ’10 and Amanda Boulier ’11 were outstanding.” When the final horn sounded, the team seemed to be in disbelief. As the trophy was handed to Coach Pope and his team, it was surely a proud day to be a Martlet. Captain Paige Decker was awarded MVP honors for the tournament, and Amanda Boulier ’11 was named to the New England Prep School Girls’ Ice Hockey All Star Team, an incredible honor. This was clearly a special team. “It is a fantastic feeling,” said Coach Pope about the championship. “Being around prep school hockey since 1986, I really know how difficult it is to win a New England championship and, frankly, how difficult it is to just win a playoff game.” He had a number of players to look to and this depth clearly proved to be the difference in the championship. “Our team came together and became a resilient group of athletes who were really concerned about team goals, putting personal achievement aside,” he said. “A great mixture of experience and talent led to an unstoppable force on the ice.” Sixth Formers Paige Decker, Sara Ugalde, Tori Pizzuto, Kristen Maxwell and Erin Wallace will be missed, but with a number of major contributors returning next season, this will surely be a team with high expectations.
Boys’ Hockey Advances to Final Four in Tournament Westminster First Boys’ Hockey had their best season in many years, advancing to the final four in the New England Championship Tournament. The postseason play took on a new format this year with three different tournament options. Westminster qualified for the Stuart/Corkery Tournament, which consisted of the top eight teams in New England regardless of school size. The two other brackets, one of which is named after legendary coach and Westminster faculty member Tom Earl, represent large and small schools separately. With a 16-7-2 regular season record, the Martlets, who are coached by Tim Joncas ’00 and Tim Quinn ’96, earned the No. 5 seed and traveled to Boston to play Belmont Hill in the quarterfinals. The 2-1 win secured a spot in the semifinals against NorthfieldMount Hermon (NMH), which the Martlets had defeated in the regular season 6-3. The Westminster team found itself down early and dug a 3-0 hole for itself. But to its credit, the team did not quit and tied the game just before the end of
Members of First Girls’ Hockey celebrate their Division I New England Championship win. 10
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Three members of the Westminster team were recognized for their outstanding play in the Class A New England Tournament: Goalie Carmen MacDonald ’11, forward Paige Decker ’10 and defensewoman Sara Ugalde ’10 made the AllTournament Team. MacDonald proved invaluable in goal this season, earning a total of 10 shutouts. Her performance in the tournament was outstanding. She blocked three of the five penalty strokes against Greenwich and kept the Martlets in the game against Hotchkiss as the Bearcats ceaselessly pressured the Martlet defense. Ugalde was also a major player on defense all season and instrumental in limiting the Martlets’ opponents to only 12 goals. Her speed and tenacity will be missed. Decker was a force on offense. Over the course of the season, she earned nine goals and eight assists, proving to be one of the main threats for the Black and Gold. Ryan Tyson ’10, scoring on a penalty shot to tie the game at 3 late in the third period. regulation. While the Martlets had their chances, it was NMH that scored the go-ahead goal in overtime. The Martlets finished the season ranked fourth in the final New England Prep Hockey Poll.
Field Hockey Makes it to the Finals For the first time in school history, Westminster First Girls’ Field Hockey advanced to the New England finals after an exciting overtime victory against Greenwich Academy that came down to penalty strokes. In the finals, the Martlets who are coached by Colleen Joncas and Dana Chapin, faced Hotchkiss, the tournament’s winner for the past several years. Again, the game was decided in overtime but not in Westminster’s favor. This is the second year in a row in which the Martlets lost to Hotchkiss in the New England tournament in overtime. Rachel Kennedy ’12 in the Class A New England Tournament game against Hotchkiss.
Second Boys’ Hockey, following a win over Pomfret. Team members are shown with Steve Woodruff, parent of Brad Woodruff ’10. The lobby of the Pomfret rink bears Steve’s twin brother's name, Doug Woodruff, who died of cancer several years ago.
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Reflections About Life On and Off the Hill Headmaster Graham Cole H’09 and Carol Cole announced in January 2009 that they would be leaving Westminster in June of this year, at the end of Graham’s 17th year as headmaster. They have been married 42 years and have spent 37 of those years involved in education. As their time on Williams Hill draws to a close, they took time to reflect on their years at Westminster and what new challenges might be ahead for them.
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With such demanding responsibilities over the years, how have you maintained balance in your lives and marriage? G: I would freely confess that we are not models of balance. We are fortunate that we don’t have younger children who demand a lot of time and attention from us. Carol puts up with me when I come home from the office at 10 o’clock and understands that on Wednesdays and Saturdays, I am off watching games. She has been wonderful about accepting how I go about my job. C: Graham’s time at work has allowed me time to explore interests and activities of my own, which has always worked well for us. But we have both always enjoyed our school lives. And while we are both terrible vacationers, more recently, we find that we enjoy biking together whether in the States or abroad. Have you had a chance to get involved in any off-campus activities while you have been at Westminster? C: Back at Lawrenceville, I was really involved in the town, and I have done some of that while at Westminster. I sat on the Economic Development Commission, the Planning Commission and I co-chaired a Joint Committee on Economic Development for the Town of Simsbury. I also wrote the grant that expanded the Business Resource Center and classroom at the Simsbury Public Library, and I did some freelancing in Hartford before I started working in the Westminster School library about 10 years ago. G: Again, I am not a model here. My off-campus activities have all been related to the school in some way. I have been a passionate advocate for the English Speaking Union Secondary School Exchange, as I spent a wonderful year in Scotland in the ’60s and have always felt an abiding gratitude to that organization for that experience. I also have served on the Board of Directors for the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and as an Elector of the Wadsworth Atheneum. But beyond that, most of my life and my work overlapped extensively. One of the things I am looking forward to in retirement is the chance to develop other kinds of interests. What have been some of the rewards of dedicating your lives to education? G: This has been a very fulfilling job, and I have enjoyed every aspect of it. I have loved being with kids, but I also enjoyed working with our faculty. Frankly, I can’t think of better people with whom to work. They are talented, bright, devoted, interesting people who share a deep passion for educating the young. Working with trustees has also been very satisfying. There have been wonderful people serving on our board over the last 17 years — people with whom we have become very good friends.
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C: We also treasure the longstanding relationships we have formed with parents. Some of them have been with us almost the entire time we have been here. Have the demands on your roles here changed over time? G: Arguably, the rhythms, the cycles of the job are fairly predictable. In the first few years, we devoted the lion’s share of our time to getting to know faculty, students, parents and trustees. Put simply, it was a process of mutual familiarization. Simultaneously, the board was working with me on strategic planning, which was very exciting. As a result, I stayed closer to campus and wasn’t on the road that much. As I have been here longer, as we developed a strategic vision and then as we went into a full-blown fund-raising mode, there has been a greater emphasis on external matters which involved more traveling and less time to spend on internal affairs. A headmaster’s tenure seems to evolve this way. In this my last year, I have been on the road saying goodbyes and closing our capital campaign, which has been a bit sad. I am acutely aware of each day that goes by when I am not with students and faculty, but I recognize that as you get to know all the school’s people and you become the chief spokesperson for the school, there will be more demands on you to represent the school beyond the Hill. I have even ruminated on occasion about whether the model of the small school headmaster doing it all, working both internally and externally, will be sustainable for the future. Even small schools may have to follow suit with some of the larger institutions in having an inside and an outside person in order to meet all the school’s many needs. C: My particular role has not changed significantly. There were no expectations for me when we arrived. Trustees just wanted to know that I would support the school in any appropriate way, and they liked the fact that I was likely to become involved in town affairs. I have always had this other life outside of school which is important to me. It enables me to just enjoy being here. I surprised both of us when I went to work in the library, but it has helped me to get to know the kids better, and I really enjoy helping them with research. If anything, the role of the spouse of a head of school has changed with more women in the work force and more men who are spouses of heads of schools. What have you liked most about your responsibilities? G: I have truly loved this position in all of its dimensions, even though there are parts of the job, like in any job, that are certainly not very enjoyable, such as dismissing a student. Those decisions are especially painful in a small community where you know people well.
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But it goes with the territory, and I can’t think of any position that doesn’t have aspects to it that you would rather not do. I will always consider myself extremely blessed that I have had such wonderful people both on the board and the faculty with whom I have worked over the years. I would mention, especially, members of the senior administrative team, who do their jobs extraordinarily well and make Westminster and the headmaster look good. It is a great place to work; it is a great human community. C: I think Westminster is an easy place to be happy. I honestly believe that all of the burdens in the work are pretty evenly shared. Obviously, there are going to be people who do more than others, but there is a real esprit de corps here. I think it gets harder on faculty with dual family obligations, but I do get a sense that everyone works well together. And the staff members are outstanding. I have never seen such a high level of competency in one place. Everyone is also very loyal to the school, and it makes you feel good about working in a place where people feel that way about the institution.
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Do you have any regrets? G: I can’t think of specific things, although I know that there are certainly people who regret things I have done. I hope that the next school historian will validate most of our decisions, but I understand that we have hardly been mistake-free. How have you managed to be omnipresent at campus activities? G: I have loved that part of the job; it is what makes it so much fun to be in a boarding school — just showing up at activities, seeing people in action. It is a joy watching the kids and your colleagues at a sporting event or an arts performance and realizing all of the effort that goes into putting them out there. This winter, when I traveled to Loomis to see a girls’ ice hockey game, a couple of the parents came up to tell me how nice it was that a headmaster would make the trip and follow the team. I replied, “You have got to be kidding me; I can’t believe I get paid to do this!” C: I don’t go to as many games as Graham does, but we both love sports and enjoy watching kids strive to do well for each other. G: The other principle of leadership I try to put into practice, one that I learned in the military, is that effective leaders do what their troops do. You show up. You eat with the people with whom you are working. Just be there. You need to know what is going on. You need to hear and see things. I have known leaders who got into difficulty because they lived lives apart from those with whom they worked.
What have been the hardest decisions to make? G: I vividly remember wondering whether we were doing the right thing when we went ahead with a few of our major construction projects. We struggled with, agonized over these decisions, but in the end, with hindsight, I believe that we reached the right decisions. Again, it has always been difficult letting students go, which, of course, is a major decision. But I also would say that if I got to the point where I wasn’t wrestling with that question, it is probably time to stop doing the job. One of the great joys of this school, but what also makes the decision harder, is that you know so much. If you deal with things in the abstract as principles of justice or just read a youngster’s record, it is one thing, but when you try to understand students in all of their complexities — families and personal circumstances, problems and issues — you will struggle. I have always believed that Westminster may not be the right place for everybody and that there will inevitably be times when someone needs to leave, both for that person’s sake and for the community’s, too. Over the years, many students have come back to tell me that dismissal was the best thing ever done for them. Yet I also appreciate that there will be youngsters who will never be able to say that. I continue to believe strongly in the wisdom and the humanity of our disciplinary process, the full faculty meeting about a youngster’s situation and the recommendations to the headmaster. In all of the years I have been here, I have only modified two recommendations from the faculty. A large number of caring people talking at great length and in great depth about a young person almost always come up with the right decision and will educate both the faculty and the student body about our expectations for behavior in the community.
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What have been some of the major milestones and challenges of your tenure? G: When we first arrived here, Carol gave me a journal to write down some things I hoped we might accomplish or things that needed to be done. The first was to build the endowment. On our first visit to the Hill, we loved the school but were struck by the fact that it was such a wonderful human place competing with very high-flying schools, all of which had bigger endowments, more impressive campuses and could do everything bigger and better than Westminster. Our strength was in people and ethos, but I was worried when people kept talking about competing against these schools, and we had neither the physical plant nor the financial resources to do so.
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One of the things I have really felt very good about has been the blossoming of our girls’ sports program. When we arrived, girls’ soccer was outstanding, but other teams did not stand out. Now, I would say immodestly, our girls’ sports programs are as good as any in New England, which has been very gratifying. I believe that is a healthy thing for a school when the girls’ sports excel and when we have our boys cheering on our girls. C: There are also more faculty members here now with families. G: When we arrived, there were many experienced, veteran faculty who had been here a long time and many very young faculty who tended to turnover, as young people do. We made a decision in the mid ’90s to provide more stability and hire more faculty with families. We wanted people to put down roots in the institution and that effort has paid off handsomely. C: I have especially enjoyed the recent advent of the Davis Scholars Program. We have always had international students here, but these kids have brought so much to the school, and it has created a nice mass of students with diverse backgrounds. G: We have made a major commitment to be a more diverse community, and although we will always need more financial aid, we now have a stronger financial aid budget — thanks again to the Edge gift — to help us achieve this. We are also working to have a more diverse faculty and feel especially good about this next year’s new faculty hires in that respect. C: Technology was another major development. There was no Internet when we arrived.
And then came the Walter Edge gift, which will forever be at the top of my list of milestones. Without that gift, the history of the school would have been so very different. It gave us a financial platform to do all of the wonderful things that have happened here in the last 15 years. I certainly look back, with great pride, on the new Armour Academic Center, the Sherwin Health and Athletic Center and Edge House on the physical plant side. I also take great satisfaction in the fact that we now receive the credit we deserve as an excellent academic school. I always felt that our faculty and our curriculum were outstanding and too often underappreciated. C: Westminster is physically a different place than when we arrived. There are also more female faculty and students here now with some of those faculty serving in administrative positions as well. G: We are still in the process of making this a truly coeducational school. We are far from perfect, but we have come a long way. I don’t mean to be critical in any way about what came before. Put simply, it takes a while for a school to become coeducational. Old traditions and that old feel are hard to change, and I do think we have made great progress in that respect as Carol mentioned.
G: We made the decision to build a technology platform in 19961997, stealing a march on many other schools. It was a significant decision since we took $1 million out of the Edge gift to do it. This step would have been unthinkable without that gift and also reminds me why I remain skeptical about long-term strategic planning, thinking that extends beyond 10 years. I remember being asked in 2003 to think back to 1993 to imagine where we might be in a decade, and frankly, I would have not been anywhere close in 1993. The same was true in 2001 when we were developing the next strategic vision; again, it was virtually impossible to predict what this campus would look like in 2010. I just don’t think you can look that far ahead. So you have to be aware of trends, such as technology, that are going to influence the future, but you have no idea where they will take you. I frankly think that between 1993 and 2010, it is just astonishing to consider all of the things in our external environment that have changed, factors we could never have imagined.
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How have you tried to ensure Westminster remains true to its core values? G: Let me say first that I will always be very grateful to Don Werner who did so much in his tenure to embed our values so deeply into the fabric of this place. We really do run the core values check against almost everything that we do. I acknowledge that the core values don’t hold the answer to everything and that the concepts are quite large and general, but in any decision we have made, we have always tried examine it through the core-values lens. I think that the faculty and the board are very good about this, as they understand this is what makes this school so successful and so happy. We may disagree about directions to take or policies to establish, but the test and the discussion are so important to keeping us faithful to what we are all about. You established a number of new traditions at Westminster. Why are traditions important to the life of a school? G: I believe that traditions are very important to healthy institutions as they provide expected ways of thinking and behaving that lift morale and have meaning for the community. Returning to my earlier point of testing against our core values, we have also done away with some traditions, black ties and yellow ribbons, for example. There will be some alumni who will never forgive me for abolishing this tradition, but it really had outlived its original purposes and had evolved into behavior that was at odds with our values. To replace ties and ribbons, the Class of 1998 came up with the Sixth Form pins, which has become a wonderful tradition in its own right. Instead of singling out the new people, it singles out the Sixth Form. Mountain Day, the passing of diplomas at commencement and the signing-in ceremony are ideas, traditions, I borrowed from my own prep school experience.
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I should also mention my way of announcing Hill Holidays with a hat. In the past, Hill Holidays had been announced at dinner and the form deans had to get on the phone after the meal and call all of the day students. Again, taking community as one of our core values, it just seemed to me that we should inform the entire school at once and not burden busy deans. In effect, the new tradition sprang from practicality and values. I have never forgotten the first Hill Holiday I announced. I walked into assembly with my hat on, and even in those days, you just didn’t wear hats indoors. There I was sitting in assembly wearing my hat and all of the students and faculty were wondering what was wrong with the headmaster. I then got up and told them that this would be the new way of announcing Hill Holidays, which was greeted with a large cheer. I really like traditions, and I hope a lot of them flourish. But I also know that over the years, they will change. What distinguishes Westminster today? G: Westminster has a very special feel to it. It has such a wonderful blend of very high standards and a very warm, friendly and supportive atmosphere. Our students work hard at everything they do, and I hear it again and again from visitors to our campus about how happy our students look. Grit and Grace — hard work, high achievement with strong character, human decency.
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C: One of the advantages of Westminster is that it has such a compact campus, and we don’t have many places where adolescents can go without interacting with adults, as well as adults with their children and their pets. I think that is really important. Students can hang out together in Fearn Hall, but there is a constant adult presence. Even at night in the Armour Academic Center, adults are around. G: I do worry about the direction of our larger society in this respect. One of my concerns is that adolescents seem to be spinning further and further away from adults, whether through technology or friendship patterns and that adults seem to need more time for their personal lives. I think schools will have to work really hard to find adults who continue to want to be so involved. Adolescent culture is very powerful, and these are trends that I think will be very difficult to combat.
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have been devoted for years. You fall into a “rescue fantasy” that the place can’t go on without you. We know that Westminster will continue to thrive and grow under Bill Philip’s leadership, and it is almost always healthy for the school to have new leadership. This is not to say that we won’t have twinges of regret and some fears about what our personal future holds. C: Yes, it is time for us to leave. Why did you decide to return to Lawrenceville, New Jersey? C: We are lucky that we are going back to a place where we have longtime friends. We won’t be formally associated with the Lawrenceville School, but we will be living nearby and hope to enjoy some of its cultural and athletic activities. G: We did look at a number of different places to retire, including Boston and Chapel Hill. People told us that one of the central challenges of retirement is building a new social network, so we are returning to people Carol knew from her work in the town of Lawrenceville and former Lawrenceville colleagues still in the area. Another criterion for retirement was to be close to a university community with a vibrant academic and intellectual life. Princeton has an abundance of speakers and events, and I look forward to watching Princeton sports. C: We also look forward to attending the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, where we used to go a lot, and incidentally, it is a sister theater to the Hartford Stage, which we also enjoy.
How well is Westminster positioned to face current and future challenges? G: Overall, Westminster is in a very strong position. The recent economic downturn has affected everybody, and we have done very well in terms of financial management. We made the right decisions — the hard decisions — to keep us financially healthy. In turns of reputation, we get high marks from all quarters, and our alumni have fond feelings for their alma mater. Admissions continues to do very well, and we will bring the largest capital campaign in the school’s history to a successful close this June — all indicators of institutional strength and health. As the day for your Westminster departure gets closer, do you have any second thoughts about your decision? G: It is hard leaving a place you love, but it is time. I have heard of too many instances where school heads have stayed on too long because they can’t bring themselves to leave places to which they
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Do you have specific interests you want to pursue there? C: We are both going to try to work. I know everybody expects us to travel, and I hope that we will do some of that, but it is not at the top of our list. G: I have received a lot of advice from retired headmasters and some of them say not to do anything for a year and to put your feet up, travel and relax. C: I think you can only do that for a few months. G: Temperamentally, I am not well suited for inactivity. I have also been advised not to jump at the first things that come at you. Psychologically, it is hard to go from a job where you are so central to everything to suddenly not being involved in anything. I think it is good advice to wait and see. I remain optimistic that something will come up that will be meaningful, and it may not even be in education. I wouldn’t mind doing something completely different. I will certainly find ways to coach lacrosse. How do you hope to stay involved with Westminster? G: The prevailing wisdom about retiring ministers and headmasters dictates that you need to leave town, and I think it is right. The school needs some separation from us, and we probably need some separation from the school. Bill Philip is already well established in this community, but he should have some time and space to establish his own style. I know of too many schools where the outgoing head remained a presence in one way or another in the school’s business and that is not healthy for a school. Certainly we would love to host anyone who comes through Lawrenceville, but we won’t show up at very many Westminster events. Our hope is that people don’t take this personally. It doesn’t mean we don’t love the school and its people, but it goes with the territory of leaving and beginning again. What do you take from your Westminster experience? C: The people and the privilege of having worked with them. G: That says it really well. We count it a privilege and a
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blessing to have worked in such a wonderful place. It has been a real joy, and I can’t believe where the 17 years have gone. It is all been a blur, frankly. I feel very fortunate because I talk with so many people in so many different lines of work who really don’t like what they do. I felt very fortunate, indeed, to be doing work I love with a lot of first-rate people. What would you like people to say about the Cole years at Westminster? G: When we came to Westminster, it had a powerful, impressive ethos and was very well run. Yet with all of the improvements to the school during the last 17 years — our financial good fortune, the new buildings, record-setting numbers coming through our doors for admissions and strong college placement results — some alumni wondered, “Is Cole changing the school?” I have tried to reassure people that the answer is “no!” To quote our own campaign literature, we have been trying to be “a better version of ourselves” and to remain steadfastly committed to the core values, the mission and the ethos of the school. C: We also had fun. We just simply enjoyed being here. G: Yes, we would be mightily pleased if they knew how much we loved the place. I guess I will leave it to historians to write the final chapter about what this has all meant. Most importantly, I hope that they would say that we produced a generation of young people who are committed to Grit and Grace, who are good people, who have community, character, balance, and involvement in their lives beyond the Hill.
Looking Back at the Cole Years Headmaster Graham Cole’s tenure as Westminster’s seventh headmaster was marked by many major milestones in the life of the school. But it won’t be just new programs and buildings that will be long remembered. As the following reflections from some members of the Westminster community indicate, a great part of his legacy will be the influence he had on so many people’s lives.
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Achievements of Place and Purpose By John Sherwin, Jr. ’57, P’83, ’89 Trustee Emeritus
I
t’s been 17 years — almost half of an average working life and two or three times an average head of school’s tenure — but then again, Graham Cole is not your average headmaster. Graham, through his leadership, has done things many school heads could only dream about by changing what I call “place” at Westminster. Eleven facilities were renovated or remodeled, and 16 new facilities, including Edge House, the Kohn Squash Pavilion, the Hibbard Aquatic Center, the Sherwin Health and Athletic Center and, the crowning jewel, the Armour Academic Center, now adorn Williams Hill. Residential life changes included renovation of two major dormitories and the construction of six new faculty homes. All of these facilities have supported the school’s mission of involvement, community, balance and character. Westminster as a “place” has been altered and dramatically improved. Our campus is clearly more attractive and now includes many of the amenities only available at the finest schools in the country. The Armour Academic Center, with its
1993
LEED gold environmental designation, is one of the only “green” academic buildings equipped with the most advanced technology for both operational and educational excellence. Our athletic facilities are superb and an attraction to prospective students and families. Graham has planned, orchestrated and implemented these “place” improvements to our school, but need I say, there is more, much more. Graham has also led “purpose” improvements, which were guided by master plans and strategic plans. These are changes that impact the very reason for the school’s existence. The curriculum and numerous academic programs have been upgraded and improved to fit our changing times. Chinese has been added to the language curriculum. Greater emphasis has been placed on the sciences. The school schedule has been revised by lengthening both the school day and year. Substantial investments have been made in new technology to augment educational programs. And although the Armour Academic Center might be
considered “place,” it is most definitely the major focus of “purpose,” as it is where our most important activity takes place: the education of our young scholars. All of these physical and curricular developments were matched by financial successes, with the raising of almost $100 million, spurred by the wonderful largess of the late Walter Edge ’35 and capped by the success of the current $50 million Building Grit and Grace campaign. Our enrollment is strong, our decennial evaluations have been glowing and we have celebrated our 100th birthday. Thank you, Graham Cole. What of the man behind the easy smile and the white hair? I had the
1994 The Board of Trustees adopts a Strategic Vision encompassing all aspects of the school for the decades ahead.
The faculty revise the school schedule and lengthen the academic day and year. Science facilities in Baxter Academic Center are modernized, and a new science curriculum now includes AP courses in physics, chemistry and biology.
Renovation of Hinman Reading Room is made possible through the generosity of the Class of 1944. Headmaster Cole initiates the Mountain Day hike up Mt. Monadnock with the Sixth Form. Completion of a three-season locker room facility.
Graham Cole begins his tenure as Westminster School’s seventh headmaster. Architect Graham Gund ’59 develops a campus master plan. 20
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A Legacy of Caring By Michele Hatchette ’05
privilege of serving as Board Chair for seven years and, as such, spent Trustee Weekends at Chez Cole. After stepping down, I continued to enjoy Graham and Carol’s wonderful hospitality. Their warmth, caring and kindness will not be soon forgotten. The open and candid conversations about the day’s events were both stimulating and rewarding. My time in Pratt House produced a wonderful bond with the entire Cole family, as there were plenty of conversations with Carol and Jamie about the Yankees, the “beloved” Red Sox and the wild Indians from the Midwest. Many trustees have come and gone during the Cole years, but I have had the honor of being closer to Graham than most. In his quiet way, he is an icon in the boarding school community. He has never blown his own horn or touted accomplishments, but the results speak for themselves. The shoes being left at the door of Pratt House are indeed big ones. I will miss the Coles.
I
will always remember my first day at Westminster sitting in Centennial and listening to Mr. Cole speak to all of the new students and families as we neared closer to saying goodbye to our parents. I was incredibly excited about being at Westminster and could hardly pay attention to what was going on until Mr. Cole said something that has always stuck with me. He said, “You don’t go to school with buildings — you go to school with people.” Those words kept me company throughout my career at Westminster as I experienced the school’s incredible dedication to fostering a strong community on a daily basis. Mr. Cole embodied that idea the whole time I was there. He was the leader who pulled the community together during difficult times. He was also a reason for us to smile and feel joyous on any average day on the Hill. I had the privilege of knowing Mr. Cole as my advisor and am thankful for all the support and encouragement he gave me during my time as head prefect. Each week we met to talk. For that hour, all phone calls, visitors and other items on his agenda were set aside and he committed himself fully to our discussions. As a student, it can mean the world to know someone values your opinion and advocates for you in all situations. This means even more when that someone is your headmaster and has confidence and trust in all that you are. Mr. Cole guided me through my most important and difficult year at Westminster, and his unwavering support carried me through until the end. His love of the people in the community and dedication to the school’s success is a legacy he leaves behind. He simply cares about everyone, and you just want to be in a school where from the top down, people are looking out for you. So thank you, Mr. Cole, for everything — for making sure you get to almost everyone’s games on Wednesdays and Saturdays, for creative Hill Holiday announcements, for both figuratively and literally keeping your office door open and, most of all, for loving Westminster.
1995 An anonymous $3 million challenge gift is received to support the residential component of the Strategic Vision. Herrick Jackson ’58 House is dedicated. Administrative offices are linked through a new computer network, and Westminster becomes one of
1996 a few schools that can boast of its own Web site.
$7.6 million is raised in 16 months from trustees for dormitory projects.
A successful Decennial Evaluation draws to a close with a glowing report. Trustees approve plans for dormitory construction and renovation. Edge House, a new dormitory that houses 32 girls and three faculty families, is dedicated and named for Walter E. Edge, Jr. ’35. The ice hockey rink is named the Jackson Rink for longtime faculty member Michael Jackson ’49, P’75, ’82, GP’04, ’08.
Headmaster Cole and Assistant Headmaster Richard Miller travel to Southeast Asia to visit alumni and to interview prospective students. Walter E. Edge, Jr. ’35 bequeaths his estate of $33 million to Westminster. At the time, it is the second largest gift to an independent school. Squibb House and Andrews House renovations are completed. A celebration of the 25th anniversary of coeducation begins for the 1996-1997 academic year. 21
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Engaged in the People By Josh Cervas ’96
O
n a recent return to campus, a trip home to visit family this past Christmas, I ran into Graham in the atrium of the aquatic center. He was just down from the fitness room, and I had ducked inside to show the building to my wife. The exchange was brief — perhaps 10 minutes or so — but substantial, sincere. Talk was of family and Westminster, new jobs and old ones, a book worth reading. After shaking hands, he stepped out and, soon after, I moved on to the next stop on my tour of some of the dazzling new buildings on campus. The Hibbard Aquatic Center became the Kohn Squash Pavilion, followed by the brand new Armour Academic Center. Though hardly a defining moment of Graham’s tenure at Westminster, this passing scene captures plenty of what I’ve come to know of him and his influence. Over 17 years as headmaster — arriving for my Fourth Form year in 1993 — he has led a remarkable transformation of the campus’s buildings and grounds, beginning with the construction of Edge House and finishing, with a flourish, with the Armour Academic Center. From my vantage point as a faculty child, the changes have been astonishing. Every trip home, a new milestone in construction seemed near. As an alumnus, I’ve felt a certain source of pride. But more than the buildings, more than the state-of-the-art swim center we were standing in months back, it is a sincerity of personal interest that defines my
sense of Graham — an investment in the people of Westminster. I remember, as a student, the regular and enthusiastic attendance at games — crossing all levels, boys’ and girls’ competitions both, every sport. Records rarely mattered (though there were certainly plenty of successful teams to cheer); Graham would likely be in the stands. There were similar expressions of the same impulse in wider ways, too — the obvious smile, the gleeful donning of the “W” hat that signaled a Hill Holiday, the quick joke with a passing new student, the institution of the passing of diplomas at graduation. As Graham’s advisee my Sixth Form year, I gained similar witness. Though I’ve forgotten a portion of the work accomplished as head prefect, there was always a steadiness of support and collegial interest from the headmaster. These are the things that linger. Weekly meetings in Graham’s office — perhaps defying schoolboy odds at any other place — were a candid, easy endeavor. And after graduation, too, the facts have been very much the same. He has written supportive recommendations. He has attended students’ weddings. And on a recent winter break run-in, surrounded by buildings that might define a legacy — and only months removed from retirement, technically “off-duty” for the holidays as well — Graham stopped to ask how an alumnus and his family were doing. He engaged once more in the people of his school.
1997
1998
1999
Peter Wilde P’81,’85,’88 steps down as chairman of the Board of Trustees and John (Jack) Sherwin ’57, P’83,’89 becomes the new chairman.
The Parents of the Class of 1998 create a Sixth Form Capital Gift Program.
A new campus entrance drive is completed and dedicated in memory of former trustee John T. Perkin P’91,’93,’99.
The Centennial Center is renamed the Werner Centennial Center to honor and recognize former Headmaster Don Werner and Mimi Werner. A new Sanger House is dedicated in memory of Stephen Carroll Sanger ’65, who was killed in Vietnam.
A renovated Memorial Hall opens to students. More than $1.5 million is invested in new technology on campus. Cushing Hall dormitory renovations are completed. The Class of 1998 initiates the Sixth Form Pin tradition.
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The Class of 1949 celebrates its 50th reunion by setting a reunion giving record and creating the Top of the Tower Award.
Timken Student Center is remodeled through the generosity of the Class of 1958.
The Annual Fund surpasses $1 million.
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A Lifelong Gift By Georgina Wolffer ’03
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never believed I was great at anything but tennis. On the court, I was prepared, powerful and in control. It was not that I was without fear, but I had the confidence to push myself to be better. Tennis was everything to me — happiness, strength and the substance of my dreams. Mr. Cole transformed this singular belief. It was my senior year at Westy, and I was in the midst of college applications. Despite the overwhelming stress that this process entails, I felt secure with my early application to Dartmouth University due to the tennis coach’s verbal assurance that I was his No. 1 recruit. This preconception was shattered when I received my rejection letter. Reflexively, I headed straight for Mr. Cole’s office, humiliated and devastated. I didn’t have to say anything. He knew. First he gave me a big hug, and after a moment of reflection, he posed a wise and penetrating question: “Georgie, this is
Phase I of the Strategic Vision, during which the school committed $23.5 million to different projects and enhancements and saw the endowment grow from $20 million to $62 million, draws to a conclusion. New athletic fields and 14 new tennis courts are completed. Two new Har-Tru tennis courts are named for former longtime faculty member and tennis coach John Gow. The Jackson Hockey Rink is completely enclosed.
Dartmouth’s loss, but I want you to do me a favor and think about this: If you injured yourself so you could not play tennis for the rest of your college career would Dartmouth still be your number one choice?” It wasn’t until after my freshman year at Northwestern, when I decided to quit playing on the tennis team, that I fully understood what Mr. Cole was trying to make me realize; the Georgie who until this point had only defined herself as a tennis player needed to redefine herself into someone who wanted to explore life beyond the constrained white lines of the tennis court. Mr. Cole’s questioning and my subsequent realization altered my life and selfperception. His advice was subtle and insightful. He has the ability to understand and reach each individual. He knew that the only way I — Georgie Wolffer — was ever going to
believe that I had other interests or skills in life was to let go of how tennis defined me. After quitting the tennis team, my Northwestern world opened up, and I became an academic, a leader, and overall, a well-rounded college student. The athlete had suddenly found herself in leadership classes, signing up for every available Russian literature class and joining a sorority where lifelong friendships were established. Mr. Cole knew something that I had yet to discover about myself. He knew I eventually would have to leave the safety of my tennis racket, and he also knew that I would, in my own time, discover that I had other talents and passions. By opening the door with his question, he left the discovery up to me, which has become a lifelong gift. I wish Mr. Cole the best in his next adventure. He will continue to teach and inspire others, no matter what he does. It is who he is. I thank him for showing me the strength I never knew I had. I lost my father in 2008, and I know I could not have gotten through this time in my life if I didn’t realize that all of us can do what may be unimaginable at the time.
2000
2001
2002
The new Kohn Squash Pavilion opens and is dedicated in honor of trustee Bernhard L. Kohn, Jr. ’66, P’92 and his family.
The Westminster Fellows program begins. Westminster celebrates 100 years on Williams Hill.
Groundbreaking takes place for an athletic center project to include a state-of-the art swimming pool, fitness center, health center and locker rooms.
Burdett House is dedicated in honor of former faculty members Bruce and Peg Burdett P’70, ’83.
The Crossroads Cooperative Learning Program (CCLP) is incorporated.
Westminster hosts the first communitywide MS Walk.
Headmaster Cole initiates a sign-in ceremony for new students.
A new track and football field are completed. A second Strategic Planning Committee begins work identifying the school’s priorities for the next five to seven years. The Westminster Poetry Series is inaugurated.
The year of the sciences at Westminster includes a reform of the science curriculum with a new physics-first sequence.
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A Deep Commitment to Community By Dick Adams P’93 Dean of Faculty
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f I had to choose just one of the core values which would exemplify Westminster, it would be community. I know that many will rightly point to the enormous physical transformation that has occurred to the campus under Graham Cole’s leadership, but it is his deep commitment to community which I believe the faculty and students these past 17 years will most remember. Visual images are always powerful, and a lasting one that members of the Westminster community will carry with them is of Graham in his Cushing office, door open, working at his desk. That open door was a constant invitation to the community, faculty and students alike. That accessibility, his willingness to listen, has endeared him to our school — and that door was open as we went to breakfast, as we passed through Cushing after dinner, and during many of the hours in between. His accessibility was exceeded only by the joy he has taken in working with us. We often tell our team captains that they cannot have a
2003
bad day, and I can honestly say that I have never seen Graham have a bad day. No matter how difficult the challenges he was wrestling with, he always seemed to have seen them as opportunities — and that positiveness has been contagious to both faculty and students. For 17 years, Graham has conveyed a genuine love for those around him. Whether they be alums, faculty, students or even faculty children, he has shown not only concern but great pleasure just being with them. His involvement in the Westminster community went far beyond Cushing Hall. He has been Westminster’s biggest fan, cheering on all levels of teams, sometimes traveling hours to see them play, and supporting all of the school’s musical and dramatic performances. Even more importantly, he has reached out with genuine empathy to colleagues and students who have experienced personal difficulties. He was always concerned with making Westminster, not only the best school possible, but
2004
The new track is named the Brooks Family Track in honor of longtime faculty member Alan Brooks ’55 and his wife Marie-Pier and their three children, Fletcher ’89, Ethan ’91 and Rebecca ’96.
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2005 A new all-weather tennis court is named The Haynes Court in honor of Chase Haynes ’03 and her parents, Lorill and Patrick Haynes.
The baseball field is completed. A new 33,000 square-foot health, fitness and aquatic center is completed. The new health center includes six rooms for day and overnight care. The Hibbard Aquatic Center, which includes an eightlane pool, is dedicated and named after J.W. Kearny Hibbard ’55.
the best community, as well. I hope that Graham will take with him the sincere gratitude of the entire Westminster community for bringing to the Hill a direction and a sense of joy that we will long remember.
The new health and fitness center is named the Sherwin Health and Athletic Center in honor of Chairman of the Board of Trustees Jack Sherwin ’57, P’83,’89. Jack Sherwin steps down as chairman of the Board of Trustees and John S. Armour ’76 is elected the new chairman.
The Class of 2004 College Counseling Center opens in the west wing of Cushing Hall, featuring four offices and a resource room. The quiet phase of a campaign to support new academic facilities; faculty compensation, including faculty housing; financial aid; marketing; and endowment and Annual Fund growth is launched. The initiatives are an outgrowth of the strategic planning process begun in 2000.
Two new faculty homes are constructed on campus. A new greenway project at the top of the upper fields looking down on the lower fields is completed thanks to contributions from the parents of the Class of 2005. The Annual Fund tops $2 million. The Class of 1955 climbs to the Top of the Tower by raising $2.5 million for their 50th reunion gift.
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Embodying the Core Values By Cris Gomez ’10, Head Prefect Will Smith ’10, Junior Prefect
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ooking back on our four years at Westminster, we have many memories that have stuck with us. Traditions such as the Texas Line Dance, Candlelight, the Lawn Ceremony and commencement are specific events that will always be with us. However, there are a few memories of Mr. Cole that really stand out. One of our first experiences at Westminster was Mr. Cole’s speech on opening day. Not only did his welcoming words make us feel at home, but they also illustrated the type of person Mr. Cole is. He embodies the core values of Westminster: involvement, balance, community and character. He attends sporting events and musical performances on a regular basis, which helps him connect with students on a personal level. Even when he is busy, he is able to illustrate balance by representing Westminster at various campus events. One of Mr. Cole’s most impressive characteristics is his ability to know everyone’s name. His commitment to making students feel at home greatly contributes to Westminster’s welcoming community. And his tremendous ability to understand the students’ feelings about issues circulating around the school allows students to see his character. It is clear that grit and grace are the words he lives by. On a personal level, Mr. Cole has been a great advisor and mentor this year. He is very supportive of our different endeavors, and that has been extremely helpful as we have moved through our senior year. His unwavering smile has helped us through many tough days, and we are very thankful for that. As student representatives, there have been countless times when we have gone to Mr. Cole for advice.
His receptive spirit allows us to relate student issues with the utmost confidence that our discussion will not be repeated. These characteristics have made Mr. Cole into an influential person in our lives. Everybody envies the way he approaches each day. The positive nature of his personality has made him into a wonderful role model for the students. Mr. Cole will surely be missed, and he will always be remembered as a great headmaster. Grit and grace and the core values of Westminster will always be in his heart.
2006
2007
The Osborn Baseball Field, honoring James E. Osborn, II ’44, is dedicated.
The entryway to Keyes House is renovated thanks to generous contributions from the parents of the Class of 2006. A redesigned Westminster Web site is launched.
The 2006 USA Women’s Olympic Hockey Team plays an exhibition game against First Boys’ Hockey at the Jackson Hockey Rink. Westminster receives high marks on its Decennial Evaluation. The Watson Family Tennis Terrace, which honors Peter and Kathy Watson P’97, ’99 and ’01, is dedicated.
The Hartford Symphony Orchestra returns to the Werner Centennial Center to perform three concerts in residence. The Board of Trustees makes construction of a new academic center the school’s top strategic priority.
Construction is completed on four new faculty homes. Harrison Field is improved. Approximately 160 grandparents of current students attend Westminster’s first Grandparents’ Day. East Cottage is taken down to make room for the new academic center and Sanger House is moved to a new location. Fearn Hall is renovated thanks to a gift from the parents of the Class of 2007.
The Board of Trustees votes to begin construction on a new academic center, which is the largest construction project in the school’s history. Headmaster Cole and Carol Cole travel to Seoul and Hong Kong to meet with alumni, current students and parents, past and present. 25
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Opinions Matter By Diana Evans P’98 Headmaster’s Assistant
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o you really think your opinion matters? If you are talking to Graham Cole it does. Thoreau said, “The greatest compliment that was ever paid me was when one asked me what I thought and attended to my answer.” Graham’s ability to truly listen to people is one of his most endearing traits. I’m sure many heads of school pride themselves on having an open-door policy. From my vantage point, (my office looks out onto the hallway leading to the Headmaster’s Study) I’ve watched Graham take that policy to heart. There are days when it seems someone is in his doorway every five minutes: a faculty member with a question about sit-down dinner, me, an alum who happens to be in the neighborhood, a person to check the smoke alarm, a student trying to retrieve his mail but who forgot his mailbox combination, a faculty child who spied an interesting sculpture on the mantel, me again and Pat Thompson asking about setting up for Sixth Form “coffee.” The kindness and openness that Graham shows to each person is remarkable because I know that, at that moment, he is busy getting ready for Board Weekend or on his way out to a meeting. The person standing in the doorway can count on having Graham’s undivided attention and is never made to feel as though he or she is imposing. As you may know, Graham loves music. As a matter of fact, one of his desk drawers is filled to the brim with CDs, and this has been a great benefit to me, as it creates an extremely pleasant work environment. Graham’s musical library is varied and rich, so each morning as I approach the office, I wonder whether it will be a Mozart day or whether
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Andean music of Viva Quetzal will be wafting through my doorway. Throughout the day, when Graham’s open-door style meets his fondness for music, the result is amusing: very loud conversations competing with The New York Philharmonic or a mix-CD that Jamie Cole burned for his dad, “The Greatest Hits of the 80s.” I know that scores of people think the world of Graham: alumni, past and present parents, colleagues and other heads of school. After the Coles announced their retirement, Graham received many letters, e-mails and phone calls from people expressing their appreciation for all he has done for Westminster. A portion of the notes he received were from students thanking him for knowing their name when they arrived on campus on opening day, for making them feel welcome, and for showing up at games on a regular basis, even though he had just returned from a long trip. One student called him “Superman.” Being a good listener, being kind and making people feel like they matter are qualities that make a friend a dear friend, a leader a great leader, a headmaster a loved headmaster. Thank you, Graham. I have enjoyed working for you and will miss your friendship (and your music).
2008
2009 Westminster joins a select group of nominating schools for the Morehead-Cain Scholars Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
More than 1,000 admission applications are received. Westminster is selected as one of five boarding schools to participate in the Davis Scholars Program. A faculty home is named the Gitterman House in honor of Joe Gitterman ’55, P’86, ’90. 26
Westminster faculty celebrate the topping off of the new academic center. A faculty- and student-run EcoTeam spearheads Westminster’s first year of participation in the Green Cup Challenge, an interschool energyconservation competition.
Headmaster Cole announces his June 30, 2010, retirement. Chairman of the Board of Trustees John Armour appoints a search committee to identify a new head of school. A natural grass field is installed behind the Sherwin Health and Athletic Center. Chinese is added to the Language curriculum. Renovation of the main entrance to Cushing Hall is completed as a result of generous contributions from the parents of the Class of 2008.
At the Lawn Ceremony, Headmaster Cole is invited onto the Sixth Form Lawn as an honorary member of the Class of 2009.
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A Rare Ability to Connect By Steve Healy ’04
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y initial visit to “The Hill” with fellow ’04 classmate Duncan Smith is a great story, which speaks to the character of our beloved Mr. Cole. Among the items on the itinerary for the trip was a meeting with the school’s “headmaster.” Not having any experience with private schools beyond references in pop culture, it was easily justifiable for Duncan and me to be apprehensive about this one particular event on our road trip from small town Nova Scotia to Simsbury, Conn. Was the headmaster going to be like Mr. Haas in “Catcher in The Rye”? Or how about Mr. Trask in “Scent Of a Woman”? Ominous thoughts, to say the least. However, immediately upon our initial meeting, it was simple to see why my sister had spoken so glowingly of Mr. Cole. He has the rare ability to genuinely connect with individuals on a personal level and to put their fears at ease. He instantly became a person I wanted to make proud, both during my time at Westminster and beyond. Some leaders achieve this through fear and intimidation, but Mr. Cole achieves this through admiration and respect from his students.
It was very common to hear students marvel at Mr. Cole’s aptitude for knowing every single person’s name in the Westy community. However, for me it went a lot further than that because Mr. Cole not only knew everyone’s name, he could also have an authentic discussion on a personal level with every member of the Westy community. Westminster’s core value of “community” is not merely a platitude hanging on the wall but an attribute that makes the school unique among competitors. Nowhere was this more evident than in the Headmaster’s Study during my time on The Hill. Mr. Cole’s legacy will consist of many tangible achievements: talented and loyal faculty, first-class modern buildings on a beautiful New England campus, strong matriculation lists, loyal alumni support and the list goes on. However, his most lasting legacy with his students will be that of a genuinely kind man who truly loved his school and his students. I’m honored to be able to call him a friend.
2010 Demolition work is completed on Baxter Academic Center.
Restoration of Keyes Garden, which was funded by the Class of 1959, is completed.
A goal of raising $50 million in total financial commitments by June 2010 is set for the fundraising campaign — Building Grit and Grace. During its quiet phase, the campaign raised more than $44 million, including $14.7 million for the construction of the Armour Academic Center.
Throughout the academic year, alumni, parents and friends of Westminster attend receptions across the country to celebrate the final year of the Building Grit and Grace campaign and to honor Headmaster Cole for his service to Westminster. William V.N. Philip P’06, ’09, H’06 is appointed Westminster School’s eighth headmaster beginning July 1, 2010.
The Armour Academic Center is awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. The Building Grit and Grace campaign concludes. Graham and Carol Cole conclude their 17-year tenure at Westminster School.
The new 85,000-square-foot Armour Academic Center opens on the first day of school. An opening celebration and dedication are held on Sept. 26. 27
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Embracing New Tools to Enhance Learning The Armour Academic Center opened last fall with stunning, state-of-the-art educational technology in every classroom. New tools such as sophisticated interactive whiteboards, document cameras, multimedia players and advanced sound systems now make it possible for Westminster teachers to bring global information into their classroom at the touch of a fingertip and to share and save work instantaneously. While Baxter Academic Center was equipped with some technology, it was not of the quality and sophistication of what is now available in the Armour Academic Center. The following are some examples of the creative ways Westminster faculty members have adopted these new educational tools to enhance the learning opportunities for their students.
Language Department “The new technology has greatly enhanced our ability to teach languages,” said Sara Deveaux, French teacher and head of the Language Department. “As language teachers, we depend upon the current technology every day. Going back would be very difficult.”
One of the main ways she and other teachers in the Language Department are using technology is to access Web sites linked to language textbooks and to perform classroom research. At the touch of a button on the interactive whiteboard, they can bring up language exercises, videos of people speaking a targeted language and information on countries where a language is spoken. This helps students build their language skills and learn about the people and culture of other countries. “Learning a language is no longer simply about grammatical structures and putting the sentences together,” said Sara. “It is so easy now to relate the language and culture to something happening in the outside world. In French 1, for example, while studying seasons and winter activities, we can access a French Web site about a ski resort in the French Alps. And at the AP
Students in French teacher Sara Deveaux’s French 1 classroom discuss a video exercise that is linked to their textbook.
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level, where students must research six global themes including one on science and technology, we can call up information about the French company Airbus, its inaugural flights, how the company has advanced technology and its ramifications on our world.” Language students also have the opportunity to experience real-time audio and visual interaction in the new multimedia, digital Language Studio. Students visit the studio a minimum of once a week to improve aural and oral comprehension. “The Language Studio makes it easy to share a short video, film, news clip or song, for Spanish teacher David Barragán with students in the multimedia, digital Language Studio. example,” explained Sara. “The students can then complete a variety of activities listen to real people talking about real issues in the language ranging from recording their answers to oral comprehension and compare it to their own issues, all using the target questions, to sharing their thoughts and reactions to a video language,” said Sara. “This technology has opened up so clip or news report with a partner.” many new opportunities to go into more depth on a topic The studio also provides opportunities for students to quickly and with great ease.” hear multiple voices speaking a language rather than just their teacher’s voice or a tape recording. “Now they can
Math Department Although Peter Ulrich, head of the Math Department, had an interactive whiteboard in his classroom in Baxter Academic Center, it was very time consuming to set up. Now he regularly uses the more advanced whiteboard in his new classroom for displaying new interactive calculator software that makes full use of the board’s capabilities. The software allows him and other teachers in the department to teach students how to use their TI-84 graphing calculators through large display screens that are projected on the interactive board and present the key-press history, the graph, the equation and the tables. “The whole process is very transparent,” said Peter. “It has made ideas, concepts and presentations more vivid. In some cases, it actually allows for a clarity that wasn’t even possible before. It is the same calculator we used in the past, but now we don’t get held up with questions about what keys to press. Students can look at it on the board.”
Math teacher Alan Leathers uses new interactive calculator software that takes full advantage of the interactive whiteboard in his classroom.
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Peter also uses the interactive whiteboard in his statistics class to display images from online math sites and to pull up news articles that contain information about the use of statistics. One of the biggest champions of the new document cameras is Peter Doucette, who teaches Geometry Honors and Pre-Calculus/Calculus Honors. The document camera, which resides at the teacher station in each classroom, makes it possible to take snapshots of images on the interactive whiteboard, in textbooks, from handouts or even of student work. The image can then be projected on the whiteboard, stored on a computer or sent to a class online conference. “I love using the camera for geometry,” said Peter. “I’ll take a student proof, put it up on the whiteboard, freeze an image of it, give it back to the student and then the class can talk about it. I tell them what I see and how I might grade it, and then the student can make corrections. Students are able to see the kinds of mistakes that naturally arise and how to deal with them. It is much more interactive.” He says another big use of the camera is to project pages from a textbook or homework problems. “You can even draw on the image on the whiteboard and show the students what they should be doing to solve the problem,” he explained. “The ability to put student work up on the board with the camera is a huge plus. It is so convenient and it is good for students to see other students’ work, whether it has mistakes or it is exemplary.”
English Department Tim Quinn ’96, who teaches English 3 and English 6, likes getting closer to being “paperless” in his classes by using the document camera to project handouts on the whiteboard. He also uses the camera to display student
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writing. “With either the interactive whiteboard or the dry erase board, we can edit it right there,” he said. Similarly, faculty member Mac Lynch, who teaches English 6, uses the camera to project poetry and peer writing critiques. “You can put them up on the whiteboard and then write over them as if you were making marginal notes,” he explained. Ariel Duddy, who teaches English 4 and English 6, often uses the interactive whiteboard to display sentences when teaching grammar. “I can avoid writing down all of the sentences from the book onto the board,” she said. And Bryan Tawney, who teaches AP English 5 and English 6, uses it for projecting biweekly “grammar games,” showing video clips to demonstrate literary terms and to project maps. “Technology is fun,” exclaimed Mollie Pilling, who teaches English 4 and AP English 6. She has done online explorations of Oedipus’ fate at Colonus and shown maps of Sophocles’ birthplace. “He was born in Colonus and the village still thrives,” she said. “It is all good and in living color on the ‘magic wall.’ Plus the document camera is invaluable with poetry — line-by-line or interactive.”
History Department “It is not that we are doing anything totally different with technology than what we used to do; we are just doing a lot more of it,” said Betsy Heckman, who teaches AP Comparative Government and U.S. History, and serves as head of the History Department. “I often project PowerPoint presentations, movies and Web sites in class. In Baxter, the projector and the Internet were unreliable, and I couldn’t count on being able to do things so seamlessly.” She says the easier access to more audio and visual capabilities in the classroom makes the learning experience more vibrant for students and can aid in their understanding. “For history, it is great to have the projection capabilities because we want to show so many audiovisual resources,” she said. “There is always something for the students to look at. We are not limited to verbal discussions. This can especially help people who learn in different ways.”
English teacher Tim Quinn ’96 uses the interactive whiteboard to discuss editing with his class.
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He has built his classes around projecting PowerPoint discussions that include sophisticated visual images related to the class’s textbook. “They are a tremendous tool for a class that has lots of visual components to it like biology does,” he explained. “They allow me to cover the material at a much faster pace, a must in the class, and also allow the students to have a wonderful resource of perfect notes.” He posts the presentations in an online class conference for students History teacher Betsy Heckman projects a PowerPoint presentation in her class. to access. “All of the information is there, including the great pictures She often uses CSPAN, YouTube videos and American that would be impossible to draw very nicely, and it is history videos for class discussions. “Pulling up CSPAN and organized,” he said. Students also post their required the British House of Commons seamlessly in class, transports classroom presentations in the conference. “A lot of them students there and shows them how government works,” she bring in images from our textbook and Web sites and said. “They can read about it in textbooks but bringing what integrate the materials into their PowerPoint presentations,” is happening now visually in front of them, makes a big said Greg. “They do a nice job with it, and it is a great impact.” learning tool.” Looking into the future, Betsy sees a day when her Greg says the new desktop computers at the eight lab classroom might even be interacting with a classroom in stations in his classroom also contribute to classroom another school nationally or internationally. “I could see us efficiency by making it possible to conduct online lab having a conversation with a classroom of British students,” simulations of the more time-consuming required labs in his she said. “If we want to know what is going on in Britain, why don’t we just ask them directly. It is an exciting time to teach here.”
Science Department Director of Studies Greg Marco, who teaches AP Biology, believes the new technology enhances student understanding and engagement. “It is a bit more exciting, and makes it easier to move through a preset national AP curriculum at a very rapid pace,” he said.
Greg Miller ’10 participates in a lab exercise in his AP Environmental Science classroom.
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course. “It used to be that we needed to go to a computer lab to conduct a lab simulation,” he explained. “Now, I can have two students at each computer in our classroom, and they can do a simulation together.” AP Environmental Science teacher Grant Gritzmacher is another champion of using the interactive whiteboard for PowerPoint presentations and for solving practice problems in class. “The ability to write and record student ideas, draw diagrams and then snapshot them and e-mail them to students is quite valuable,” he said. He posts the presentations in an online conference for students to use as study guides. “This allows students to focus more on discussion and sharing their insights in class and less on scribbling down notes in their notebook,” he said. “What I like most is to ask questions and to have students give responses that I can write on the board. Interactivity is the key. It empowers students to contribute to their learning rather than me just talking at them.” During lab exercises, many of which involve graphing at the eight computers in his classroom, he also projects the procedure and data sheets onto the interactive whiteboard so students can follow along. “Sometimes we even do quick research to figure out some data, get some images or access a Web site for facts,” he said. “Our computers have all of the latest and greatest programs, and the Internet access is great. This is about as much as I could ask for as a teacher.”
Visual and Performing Arts Department Head of the Visual and Performing Arts Department John Sandoval makes use of the interactive whiteboard in his AP Art History class for teaching composition. “If I want to talk about rhythm or shapes, I can project an image of a painting and actually draw right over it,” he said. He also posts all of his resource materials and slides in an online conference for students. When students are required to assume the role of lecturer in class, they must also submit their lecture notes to the conference site to become part of chapter reviews. “Just the act of writing about a work reinforces their knowledge,” said John. Another way his students are using technology is to post their art portfolios on the Westminster Web site. “It makes it
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AP Studio Art portfolios appear on the Westminster School Web site.
possible for parents and grandparents to see student artwork, and it is wonderful for students applying to college to give the Web address in support of their application,” he said. The images are also used to compile digital portfolios for the College Board. Jane Toner, who teaches photography, uses the interactive board in her classroom in Cushing Hall to view photographs and to visit Web sites related to photography. AP photography students often project their photos on the whiteboard for more formal in-class critiques. “They gather feedback from their classmates as they edit and choose photos for their portfolios,” she said.
College Counseling Office The College Counseling Office took advantage of all of the projection and interactive technology in the new Armour Academic Center’s Sejong Lecture Hall this year to educate Fifth and Sixth Formers about the college search process. “Students can now learn how to navigate the college search tool, Naviance, access the Common Application, and use the College Board Web site in a great meeting space,” said Director of College Resources Jane Toner. “Everyone can see, we don’t have to bring in laptop computers, and it is very user friendly.
Students in Jane Toner’s photography class learn how to use software to manipulate digital photos.
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Top, Library Director Edna Madden with Chessy diGaloma ’11 in the Perry Room of the Cole Library during a class about using the library’s information resources. Below, students use laptop computers to access the library’s catalog and specialized databases.
Although I can be speaking with a large group, the space feels very intimate.” Students also continue to meet in smaller groups in the College Office resource room. The new Language Studio is another valuable resource for the College Counseling Office. It provides an ideal space to administer the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for Westminster’s international students who are planning to attend college in the United States. Previously, students often had to travel to a neighboring school to take the required exam.
Cole Library Teaching today’s media-savvy students how to properly access global information when conducting research is one of the goals of Westminster School’s librarians. The librarians meet regularly with students in the Perry Room in the Cole Library to provide instruction about using the library’s information resources, especially for term papers. The classroom has the same interactive whiteboard, document camera and audiovisual capabilities as other classrooms in the building, as well as a cart of laptop computers. “Using the interactive whiteboard is fun, helps keep the students interested and makes it easier for them to remember what they have learned,” said Library Director Edna Madden. “Students often come up to the board and help with the instruction. We cover everything from the library’s catalog to our specialized databases, which are going to be more useful for them than just going out on Google and finding sites that might not be approved by their teachers.”
A Smooth Transition Director of Technology Sara Anderson says adoption of new educational technology on campus has gone very smoothly and credits Westminster faculty members with embracing the tools from the start. Prior to the opening of the Armour Academic Center last fall, she and her assistant,
Audra Harris, provided demonstrations of the new tools to faculty members, and they have continued to serve as a resource throughout the year to answer any questions. They encouraged teachers to start small and to build on their successes. “Even though our teachers might have had concerns because some of the technology was new to them, they were very excited to begin using it,” Sara explained. “There has been a lot of sharing of ideas among colleagues and a great deal of enthusiasm about the learning possibilities the tools present for our students. I expect this collaboration to be continuous as our teachers explore the ever-growing opportunities for integrating 21st-century information tools into the curriculum.”
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n a spectacular fall New England day, Larry Alan Smith and Marguerita Oundjian Smith toured the Westminster School campus with the oldest of their four sons, James, who was considering attending Westminster. Residents of Avon, Conn., the Smiths put Westminster on their list of schools to visit since Marguerita had a familiarity with boarding schools, having attended boarding school as a child, and Larry knew members of the Westminster community from his professional life. What struck them the most that day was the size of the Westminster community, the emphasis on respect for others, and the close interaction between students and faculty. James enrolled as a Third Form day student in fall 1997, and 13 years later, the Smiths are looking forward to the graduation in May of a fourth son, Will, from Westminster. During this time span, the Smiths have been visible members of the Westminster community as James ’01, Chris ’03, Ben ’06 and Will ’10 each completed distinguished Westminster careers.
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Members of the Smith family gather for a family skate at the Jackson Hockey Rink. Standing, left to right, Marguerita Smith and Larry Alan Smith. Seated, left to right, Ben Smith ’06, Will Smith ’10, James Smith ’01 and Chris Smith ’03.
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A Shared Passion for Music One area in which all of the Smiths excel is music. James is a professional oboist, Chris plays the guitar and drums, Ben plays the guitar and sings, and Will sings. This is not surprising given the musical accomplishments of their parents. Marguerita began her piano studies in London, continued in Paris, and later graduated from The Juilliard School with her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music. Winner of the Debussy Competition in St. Germain-en-Laye and the Khatchaturian Competition in New York, she has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in Europe, the United States and Canada. Having been on the faculty of the Hartt School Community Division and Suffield Academy, she currently maintains a private studio and teaches at the Ethel Walker School in Simsbury. Larry began his earliest musical training in Ohio and pursued studies in France, where he met Marguerita. He earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in music at The Juilliard School, where he also taught for six years. An award-winning composer, he maintains an active performing schedule, guest conducting orchestras and chamber ensembles around the world and often performing his own works as a pianist. As an arts administrator, he has served as president of the School of American Ballet, dean of the Hartt School at the University of Hartford, and dean of the School of Music at the North Carolina School of the Arts. Currently, he is professor of composition at the Hartt School, artistic and executive director of Wintergreen Performing Arts in Wintergreen, Va., and an advisor for a number of organizations. With such musically gifted parents, it is no wonder that James, Chris, Ben and Will all share a passion for music. But music is not the only common bond among these young men. At Westminster, they all shared experiences of superior achievement across many areas and credit these experiences with helping shape their identities.
JAMES ’01 “The allure of small classes, personal attention from teachers and a rigorous, intellectual education was really what made me decide to attend Westminster,” said James. As a Martlet, he was involved with a wide range of Westminster activities including Black and Gold, the Debate Society, the John Hay Society, Dramat, Chamber Choir, Chorale and the Westminster News. He also earned summus and served as a form officer for three years and as a school prefect. Off A portrait of James Smith campus, he studied and ’01 from his Westminster performed the oboe with the yearbook.
Marguerita and Larry Alan Smith P’01, ’03, ’06, ’10. Connecticut Youth Symphony at the University of Hartford and with the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra at the New England Conservatory in Boston. “What remains with me most about Westminster are the academic experiences — being challenged by some excellent teachers and being surrounded by a group of intelligent, curious people,” said James. “I had the luxury of being with the same 15 students in most of my classes for my Fifth and Sixth Form years.” Following graduation from Westminster, James attended Northwestern University where he earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and music. He also spent a year as a Fulbright Scholar in Leipzig, Germany, at the Hochschule fûr Musik und Theater “Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy.” In 2008, he earned a master’s degree in music from Yale. Today, James is a New York-based oboist, active chamber musician and a new music advocate. He is a member of the new music ensemble ICE (International Contemporary Ensemble) and a fellow of a postgraduate program run by Carnegie Hall and The Juilliard School, for which he performs and teaches periodically at a New York City public school. The rest of his time is spent playing concerts and teaching master classes at universities and conservatories around the country. “I am fortunate that my life is varied and exciting,” said James. “I perform between 50 and 75 concerts a year around the country and the world, and James Smith ’01 performing the my performances are Sequenza VII of Luciano Berio all different — from for solo oboe at The Tank in contemporary music in New York City. The clubs in Greenwich performance was part of the Village to the staples of International Contemporary Ensemble’s series “ICETank.” 35
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the chamber music repertoire at Carnegie Hall. There is never a dull moment.” As a new-music advocate, James helps people understand and appreciate contemporary classical music. “The dissonant, sometimes harsh or even violent sounds are a turn-off to a lot of listeners,” he pointed out. “As far as I’m concerned, a musician can’t just perform contemporary music; they have to advocate for it by giving pre-concert explanations, answering people’s questions and creating an environment that allows a listener, no matter their concertgoing experience, to open their ears to new sounds and perhaps to find a new piece of music that they enjoy in a way they wouldn’t have before.” One of James’ most exciting experiences since leaving Westminster was living and studying in former East Germany during his Fulbright year. “Life back in Communist East Germany was pretty rough — from the endemic political corruption, manipulation and oppression to the difficulties of living in a place so isolated from the Western World,” he said. “The arts, especially music, were a refuge for citizens from the daily grayness of their lives. I discovered a deep respect for musicians and their art when I lived there. I went to have a musical education and returned with a life education that was singular and profound.” James credits Westminster with instilling in him a curiosity and work ethic that have served him well from his undergraduate days to his current life in New York. “As an undergraduate at Northwestern, surrounded by bright, quick valedictorians, I was probably one of the best-prepared for the rigors of college academics,” he said. “The importance Westminster places on writing — reading good writing, becoming a good writer and becoming an efficient writer — is golden in preparation for college.” James has stayed involved with Westminster as the “proud brother of my three younger brothers.” He has returned as often as he could for their soccer and hockey games. “Watching Westminster change is always interesting,” he added. “And I can’t tell a lie about the fact that I had a personal little memorial service for Baxter when it was torn down after thinking of the hours spent studying there!”
CHRIS ’03 When James was a Fifth Former, Chris applied to Westminster but was not at all convinced that what was what he wanted to do. He had little interest at the time in academics and was set on attending another school, despite his parents’ encouragement that he consider Westminster. “I even made my mother sign a sheet of paper saying that I could switch schools if I didn’t like Westminster!” he recalled. “As usual,
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Chris Smith ’03 and Erin McInerney ’03, who were engaged last December, visited Wintergreen, Va., on the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, during the 2009 Wintergreen Summer Music Festival. Larry Alan Smith is the artistic and executive director of the festival. parents know what’s best for their children and that was certainly the case.” Chris thrived as a Martlet. He earned summus; played on First Boys’ Soccer and First Boys’ Squash; was a member of the John Hay Society, the Student Activities Committee and the Westminster News; and served as a form president for three years and as head prefect. “My biggest aspiration was serving as a student leader in the community,” he explained. “I took pride in the fact that I knew every student by name, and I really wanted to help everyone, including the younger and quieter students, feel like they belonged at Westminster. By my Sixth Form year, I realized how tough high school could be for some people, and I really wanted to make Westminster a place that was comfortable. I had many other aspirations, though, and the fact that I got to achieve most of them is what makes Westminster such a great place.” Chris says his greatest hurdle was adjusting to a place where teachers cared so much about his academic performance. “My first fall at Westminster was extremely challenging, and I clearly remember the disappointment I felt when I received my first set of grades. The teachers cared so deeply that I actually felt like I had let them down. It was a great wake-up call for me. From that time forward, I put in more effort than I had ever given before, and I found that I enjoyed being intellectually stimulated. It was definitely a new feeling for me at that
“As a class agent, I enjoy getting in touch with classmates every year and reminding them about the importance of supporting Westminster so other students can benefit from the same experiences we shared.”
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time, and I will always be thankful that Westminster was able to change me in that way.” Following Westminster, Chris graduated from The College of William & Mary with a double major in history and economics. In 2007, he moved to New York City to complete a training program at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., and in 2008, he transferred to the Boston office where he currently works in socially responsible investing and compliance for pension funds and mutual funds. This past December, he proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Erin McInerney ’03, a third-year veterinary student at Tufts University, on the 10th anniversary of their first date at Westminster. Chris and Erin are planning a June 2011 wedding. In his free time, Chris likes to run, play the guitar and raise funds for The College of William & Mary. He is also a class agent for the Westminster Class of 2003. “I have had the great fortune of having two younger brothers at Westminster since I graduated in 2003, so Westminster has never been far from my life,” said Chris. “As a class agent, I enjoy getting in touch with classmates every year and reminding them about the importance of supporting Chris Smith ’03 playing the guitar at Westminster. Westminster so other students can benefit from the same experiences we shared.” Reflecting back on his Westminster experience, Chris is particularly grateful for what he learned about responsibility and accountability. “My fellow students and I were pulled in all directions, but we were never allowed to use the busy schedule as an excuse, which was a great lesson for me as I moved on to college and the banking world,” he explained.
BEN ’06 When Chris was a Sixth Former, Ben arrived at Westminster as a Third Former, already acquainted with some of the faculty and his brother’s friends. He credits Chris with easing his transition. The two even decided to play on Second Boys’ Baseball together, having little experience with the game. “We would sit on the bench for the whole game and then Coach Bryan Tawney would throw us in,” recalled Ben. “I played first base and Chris played second, so we would play right next to each other. It was a lot of fun.”
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Ben’s life on the Hill grew in many directions. He was a member of Black and Gold, the John Hay Society, Chamber Choir and Chorale, and worked on the Westminster News. He also earned summus, and served in leadership capacities as a form officer for two years and as the junior prefect. Perhaps his most visible activity was as a four-year player on First Boys’ Hockey, where he earned All-New England first-team honors, most valuable player honors, and was a three-time Founders League All-Star. Off campus, he played for internationally recognized U.S. Select teams and for the Boston Junior Ben Smith ’06 during a Bruins organization for science class at four years. Westminster. Ben says he appreciated the ability to incorporate his broad interests into his life at Westminster. “The memory that stands out most about Westminster is just running around and trying to do a million different things,” he said. “There was always something going on which I liked and made it fun. With homework, singing, athletics and classes, you are forced to find some type of structure. That helped me a lot when I got to college.” He also values the interpersonal skills he developed on the Hill. “They helped me to become more comfortable when I meet a professor in college or am going into an interview,” he said. “You shake the person’s hand and look them in the eye, while someone who didn’t have the experience at Westminster might not.” Ben is winding up his senior year at Boston College, where he has majored in history, with minors in economics and philosophy, and played forward for the Eagles’ ice hockey team. He captured headlines his sophomore year, when he registered three points — one goal and two assists — in the Eagles’ 4-1 national championship win over Notre Dame. And more recently, he was in the news again after earning Most Outstanding Player honors at the 2010 Frozen Four, where he helped lead the Eagles to another national title. He scored two goals and one assist in the Eagles’ semifinal 7-1 victory over Miami (Ohio) and the first goal in the Eagles’ NCAA championship 5-0 victory over Wisconsin. As an Eagle, Ben has received the Hockey East Len Ceglarski Sportsmanship Award, Hockey East All-Academic team honors and was named Boston College's Outstanding Scholar-Athlete Freshman (2006-07). Ben credits his Westminster career with helping him juggle the many demands placed on a student athlete. “My
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family tradition of a group skate around Christmas at the Jackson Hockey Rink. He looks forward to attending reunions with James, since their reunion years will overlap.
Photo by: John Quackenbos
WILL ’10
Boston College senior alternate captain Ben Smith ’06, shown at Fenway Park against Boston University on Jan. 8, 2010, captured three Hockey East Tournament titles and advanced to three NCAA Frozen Fours during his four years for the Eagles.
experience with leadership in student government at Westminster has helped me serve as one of three captains of our team at Boston College,” he explained. “Being an athlete in college is a lot like being a prep school student. Westminster instilled in me the value of structure and making sure I get my work done by 11 p.m., so I can sleep for nine hours and be rested for practice and games.” One of Ben’s biggest dreams came true on April 14 when the Chicago Blackhawks organization signed him to a two-year contract with its American Hockey League affiliate in Rockford, Ill., the Rockford IceHogs. He immediately flew to Texas to be with the team for its playoffs against the Texas Stars. The Blackhawks had selected Ben in the sixth round of the 2008 National Hockey League Entry Draft. Ben has stayed in touch with Westminster through his brother Will, who is finishing up his Sixth Form year. In fact, Ben stood in for Will at the Sixth Form Lawn Ceremony last year, when Will needed to attend a soccer showcase event that was critical to his college application. Will was elected junior prefect, and in his absence, Ben was pulled onto the lawn for Will. “I don’t know if that has ever happened before, but he asked me to do it and it, was great fun,” said Ben. Ben also returns to the Hill as often as he can for commencement, Candlelight Service and to participate in the
Despite his longtime familiarity with Westminster, Will had a hard time adjusting to life on the Hill. “You would think that I would have the easiest transition of anyone coming to Westminster because I had all of those brothers attend before me,” he explained. “People knew my family, and I was on a varsity sport. But I missed my friends in Avon with whom I had grown up. Every weekend my Third Form year, I was at home hanging out with them, and I never really made that much of an effort to get to know people at Westminster.” But his comfort level with Westminster turned around his Fourth Form year, just as his brothers told him it would. He even shared his difficulty adjusting to a new school with his classmates in a chapel talk as a Fifth Former. He considers the talk one of his proudest achievements. Will has made his own mark at Westminster. “I wanted to get involved in activities that I was interested in and maybe my brothers weren’t involved in,” he said. “But then again, they were great role models so it was pretty easy for me to get involved.” Will is a member of Chorale, the Chamber Choir, Black and Gold, the John Hay Society, the Multicultural Student Union, and has played First Boys’ Soccer and First Boys’ Golf all four years. He has also earned summus, served on student council every year and is the junior prefect. “I have always enjoyed having a leadership position, whatever it is,” said Will. “It is just something that is a part of me. I think it is part of our entire family.” Will has taken advantage of singing opportunities at Westminster, especially at Candlelight, his favorite Westminster tradition. He also likes sharing a love of music with his brothers. “I always talk about my brothers because they are three very good role models,” he explained. “James is a musician so I can follow him. Chris is a guitarist and a drummer, and Ben is a guitarist and sings. We have always been very musical.” Will credits his parents with allowing him and his brothers to make choices about what interests they wanted to pursue. “My parents are very strict with certain things, and they don’t just let us be,” he explained. “But they let us make a choice in what we want to do, and they stand by it as long as it is something with which they agree. My brothers and I always talk about how our parents brought us up with that kind of freedom, and how we respect that.” One of Will’s major decisions was to pursue playing Division I soccer in college. Although he is an excellent golfer, and once thought he would like to play college golf,
“With homework, singing, athletics and classes, you are forced to find some type of structure. That helped me a lot when I got to college.”
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sons grow from freshmen who just did schoolwork because they had to, into children who actually sought out information because they were interested,” added Marguerita. “We also notice that our sons and their friends from school always feel comfortable in social situations. They always shake hands, look people in the eye and smile.”
“I have always enjoyed having a leadership position, whatever it is,” said Will. “It is just something that is a part of me. I think it is part of our entire family.”
Will Smith ’10 serves as captain for First Boys’ Soccer.
he prefers the team aspects of soccer. In addition to serving as captain of First Boys’ Soccer at Westminster, he is captain of his Oakwood Soccer Club, where he has played soccer since he was in elementary school. Last summer, he traveled to Argentina to train with a soccer club that feeds into a professional team. He became good friends with members of the team and gained some new perspectives about life from them. “They appreciate so many little things that you would never think of appreciating,” he explained. “I wrote a college essay about the need to put things into perspective and not take things for granted.” Last spring, Will signed a letter of intent with The College of William & Mary, where he will play center back for the men’s soccer team next year. He is thinking about majoring in government or history and hopes singing and soccer remain in his future for the long term too. “I have very high goals because of my brothers and what they have achieved,” he added.
For now, Marguerita and Larry are looking forward to Will’s graduation and possibly having more time to travel together. Although their parent days at Westminster will soon be over, they know Martlets will never be far from their home. Over the years, they say it has been commonplace to find a group of Westminster students and alumni gathered around their kitchen table laughing and reminiscing, and they expect that to continue. “There can be quite a disparity in the ages, but they all have Westminster in common,” said Marguerita. “All the different Westminster friends seem to enjoy each other’s company. I think it is probably because there is such a sense of community. The school fosters that and caring for each other and caring for everybody on campus, not just your own friends in your grade but everybody who works there and is involved with the school.”
Will Smith ’10, center, singing at Candlelight.
A Continuing Involvement Expected Marguerita and Larry say they are very happy with their decision to send their four sons to Westminster. “It was a major commitment on our part, and it exceeded our expectations,” said Larry. “Over the years, it has been interesting to watch our
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Building Grit and Grace Campaign Generates Support for Ambitious Goal The public phase of Westminster School’s $50 million fund-raising campaign — Building Grit and Grace — has generated tremendous excitement and support since it kicked off Sept. 26, 2009. Alumni, parents
Hartford
and friends of the school have attended events held across the country during the academic year to celebrate the campaign’s final year and to honor Headmaster Graham Cole for his 17 years of service to Westminster. The campaign, which is the largest in the school’s history, supports new academic facilities; faculty compensation, including faculty housing; financial aid; marketing; and endowment and Annual Fund growth. During its quiet phase, which lasted five years, it raised more than $44 million. The final year of the campaign has focused on supporting the school’s faculty, students and programs by increasing the endowment and growing the Annual Fund. Many members of the Westminster community have made a difference in the quality and future of the school through their generous contributions.
Headmaster Graham Cole H’09.
Eileen and Rick Thibadeau P’06, ’11.
Alumni, parents and parents of alumni at the Hartford Golf Club listening to remarks by Headmaster Cole. 40
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Los Angeles
Laura Dine Million ’92, Ben Kohn ’92 and Amy Gayeski ’92.
Stephen Polk ’78; Scott Stevens P’07, ’09, ’12; and Tim Armour ’78.
Martin Irani ’83, Graham Cole H’09 and John Armour ’76.
Marie-Noelle Serafini ’80; Dave Werner ’80, P’10, ’11; and Darryl Huie ’88.
San Francisco
Josh Gladding ’98, Tom Geissler ’69, Will Lyon ’87 and Robert Epsen ’57.
Zandy Smith ’96, Doug Prezzano ’93 and Mike Hanley ’78.
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Boston
Dave Werner ’80, P’10, ’11; Michael Wiernasz ’94; Geoff Carnes ’93; Bart Scott ’94; and José Ruiz ’94.
Stuart Sziklas ’82, Betsey Yeats ’82, Julie Morris Ogden ’82 and Jay Niles ’81.
Tom Nelson ’81; Tim French ’80, P’13; Bob Knowles ’81; and Graham Cole H’09.
Susan Dwyer P’88, ’90; Bill Philip P’06, ’09, H’06; and John Dwyer P’88, ’90.
Tricia Daly Frank ’77, P’11; Bini Worcester Egertson ’77; and Silas Witherbee ’73. 42
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New York
Breed Randall ’01; Maggie Pinney P’01,’11; and Jack Reigeluth ’02.
Dan FitzPatrick P’09, ’13; Tedla Asfaw P’13; and Brian Murphy P’09.
Jennifer Barrett Crocker ’00, Emily Rotando ’00, Quincy Francis ’01 and Blair Gallagher ’00.
Newell Grant ’99 and Alexis van der Mije ’98.
Dallas
Washington, D.C.
Front row, left to right, Sarah Griffin ’04, Brooke Hastings, Justin Scott ’93 and Lindsey Armstrong ’04.
Headmaster Graham Cole H’09, Newell Grant ’99, Brad Berenson and Sandy Bryant ’98.
Back row, left to right, Pat Holloway ’80, Brandt Hastings ’98, Graham Cole H’09, Laura Guthrie Lear ’91, Jeff Grover ’80 and Leigh Armstrong ’07. 43
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Hong Kong and Korea Trip Director of Admissions Jon Deveaux and Director of Development Scott Stevens P’07, ’09, ’12 visited Hong Kong and Korea last fall, where they had a chance to visit with alumni, current parents and parents of alumni.
Eunice Lee P’08, ’09, ’13; Jon Deveaux; Julie Kim P’12; and Soojin Seo P’12.
Chul Jeong ’95, Jenny Ryoo ’04 and Young Bahn ’07.
Jon Deveaux and Scott Stevens P’07, ’09, ’12 with alumni, current parents and parents of alumni.
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1888: Simsbury Having traveled halfway around the world for Parents’ Weekend, Korean parents were welcomed into the Simsbury home of Bill and Melanie Cranshaw P’08, ’11. The Cranshaws hosted a small reception to provide the weary travelers with a warm welcome and an opportunity to relax. Several local parents and members of the faculty joined Graham and Carol Cole for the event.
Melanie Cranshaw P’08, ’12; Carol Cole; and Gina Yoon P’08, ’13.
John Liberator P’07, ’08, ’11; CS Kim P’12; and Julie Kim P’12.
1888: Greenwich Curt Brockelman ’86 once again brought the Westminster faithful together for an evening of paddle tennis and camaraderie at the Round Hill Club in Greenwich, Conn. Whether participants were new to the game or league players, they found a good match and were able to get some fresh air on a crisp winter night.
Back, left to right, Malcolm Miller ’86; Scott Stevens P’07, ’09, ’12; Bob Stockton ’90; Ned Burns ’84; Hillary Lavely Corbin ’98; Parker Corbin ’98; Spike Lobdell ’75, P’07; Nate de Kanter ’95; Matt Warner ’91; Lars Noble ’80; Russ Burgess ’81; Liz Crawford Van Duyne ’83; Lee Briggs Couch ’83; Dorothy Briggs Reynolds ’80; Trey Reynolds ’76; Erick Steen ’79; and Natalie Kirschner Tallis ’81. Front, left to right, Bill Philip P’06, ’09, H’06; host Curt Brockelman ’86; Sarah Davis Johnson ’90; Ellen Brockelman Bailey ’90; Jed Stevens ’81; Matt Innes ’01; and Dave Werner ’80, P’10, ’11.
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Alumni Winter Games Day Approximately 50 alumni returned to Westminster on Jan. 10 for the 2010 Alumni Winter Games Day. The eventful day included great competition with Westminster teams, spirited support from the sidelines and a special recognition for a longtime Westminster coach.
Hockey The Alumni Hockey Game proved to be another exciting affair for the young and old alike. Although the alumni didn’t have huge numbers on the bench — 5 defensemen and 9 forwards — they had a winning formula, defeating the Westminster “young pups” by a score of 6-4. The alumni squad had the edge during the first half of this tilt, clearly taking advantage of their fresh legs and went into the locker room with a 5-2 lead. The decision, out of sheer necessity, to convert several would-be forwards to defense (Brian Leddy ’91, Matt Innes ’01, Tim Joncas ’00, Stonehill College’s Andrew Webb ’07 and always offensive defenseman David Earl ’06) provided the alumni with a great ability to transition the puck quickly and put immediate pressure on their unsuspecting rival.
The forward line of Jake O’Brien ’04, Mike Innes ’98 and Mike Hallisey ’09 (Holy Cross) made its presence felt all afternoon with tenacious forechecking and several great opportunities. The line composed of James Einstein ’08 (Trinity), Tim Quinn ’96 and Jack Kennedy ’98 gave the alumni a nice combination of speed, size and strength to give their opponents fits from the opening face-off. Finally, the 2008 hockey triumvirate of Connecticut College’s Julien Boutet ’08, Trinity’s Jordan So ’08 and Bowdoin’s Ollie Koo ’08 dazzled the crowd with their quickness, creative passing and scoring punch. After feeling pretty good about things at halftime, the alumni unfortunately witnessed their three-goal lead dwindle to only one with only six minutes left in the contest. However, not to be
Members of the Alumni Hockey Team, back row, left to right, Oliver Koo ’08, Mike Innes ’98, Matt Innes ’01, Tim Quinn ’96, Jack Kennedy ’98, Andrew Webb ’07, Tim Joncas ’00, Julien Boutet ’08 and James Einstein ’08; and front row, left to right, Brian Leddy ’91, David Earl ’06, Jake O’Brien ’04, Mike Hallisey ’09 and Jordan So ’08. 46
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Members of the 2010 Alumni Basketball Team, left to right, C.G. Grant ’07, Fred Linton ’03, Hunt Eldridge ’06, Peter Newman ’80, Kevin Garcia-Ramirez ’08, Steve Decelian ’08 and Aaron Halfon ’09. denied, David Earl found a seam in the Martlet defense and one-timed a beautiful pass into the goal to seal the 6-4 victory for the alumni squad. Everyone had a spirited and enjoyable afternoon. Appreciation goes out to First Boys’ Hockey for its participation on a Sunday after returning from a long but successful day at Trinity-Pawling the day before, and to all the alumni skaters who returned to the Hill.
Basketball The 2010 Alumni Basketball Game pitted the First Boys’ team, fresh off a great win at Pomfret the day prior, against an enthusiastic and somewhat geriatric line up that included two fellows 30 years removed from Westminster. Nevertheless, despite Peter Newman ’80 and Dave Werner’s
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’80 play, the game was fun and fast-paced. C.G. Grant ’07 and Freddie Linton ’03 ran the point well, showing signs that they still compete in pick-up and intramural play. Hunt Eldridge ’06, back for his first time, pounded the boards and displayed the intensity for which he was known a few short years ago. Both Kevin “KGR” Garcia-Ramirez ’08 and Aaron Halfon ’09 added nicely to both ends of the court, firing a few threes and working the boards at the defensive end. Demond Simmons ’93, always dangerous around the glass, had a couple key put-backs and many more that rolled just off the rim. Steve Decelian ’08 added moral support from the bench, particularly when Greg Miller ’10 dunked over Newman and Werner. Twice. In the end, the First Team triumphed, 58-28 over the alumni team. As always, it was a fun day that brought together old friends and teammates. The 2010 Alumnae Basketball Team, coached by their former mentor, Dick Adams, tipped off their game against First Girls’ Basketball with only six players in the lineup: Michele Ribaudo ’08, Robin Cotter ’09, Laurie Keene ’04, Ashley Jeffress ’09, Danielle Moseley ’02 and Rebecca Brooks ’96. After the game was underway, however, Nina Minella, Liz Phillips and Joanna Ciafone, all from the Class of 2005, joined the alumnae, providing additional height and muscle under the basket. The play was even during the first half, with both teams having difficulty scoring. At the break, the varsity team, led by new coach Brian Tawney, was up by three points. In the second half, the alumnae showed more aggressiveness with Moseley shooting from the outside, Ribaudo driving to the basket and Brooks executing her trademark moves underneath. Once
Members of the Alumnae Basketball Team, left to right, Robin Cotter ’09, Ashley Jeffress ’09, Liz Phillips ’05, Nina Minella ’05, Laurie Keene ’04, Danielle Moseley '02, Joanna Ciafone ’05, Michele Ribaudo ’08, Rebecca Brooks ’96 and coach Dick Adams P’93.
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Dick Adams P’93 was honored at a courtside ceremony by Headmaster Graham Cole and Scott Berry P’11. the alumnae took the lead, they never looked back, and the game ended, 30-18. Following the game, the alumnae players, joined by many of Dick Adams’ P’93 other former players, gathered with school members at courtside for a short ceremony to honor Dick, who had coached the girls’ first team from 1980 to 2009. Headmaster Graham Cole spoke of Dick’s qualities as a person and as a teacher and presented him with a silver tray with the following inscription: “Presented in recognition of your uncompromising leadership, steady and patient guidance and devotion to the game. Your dedication to the fundamentals of your sport and your caring commitment to your players have been an inspiring influence on countless number of young women. With thanks from a grateful school.” Scott Berry, interim athletic director, talked of his friendship with Dick and how much he enjoyed coaching with him over the years. The women gave their former coach an autographed basketball and a case for it. The ceremony concluded with Dick expressing to the group that his greatest joy from 29 years of coaching girls’ basketball was watching his former players grow into good people and strong executives, teachers, coaches and mothers. The assembled group then adjourned to the Hovey Trophy Room for refreshments.
Squash J.P. Morais ’06, Alex Lavoie ’06, Graham Fadden ’05 and Andy Polio ’08 were back for alumni squash games with all of them playing three or four different current players. Lavoie is currently number seven on the Harvard team and soundly whipped all comers including Ross Bolling ’12, Matt Leach ’11 and Miller Robinson ’10. The students were amazed that Alex had started his squash at Westminster on thirds, never having played before. In all, there was lots of squash and good conversation.
Alumni squash players, left to right, Andy Polio ’08, J.P. Morais ’06, Alex Lavoie ’06 and Graham Fadden ’05.
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Social and Professional Networking with Westminster Alumni By David Werner ’80 Director of Alumni and Parent Relations By the summer of 2008, the social network Facebook was gaining traction beyond teenagers and those in their early 20s. Recognizing that Facebook could support Westminster’s efforts to bring alumni together with one another and the school, I created an account and began “friending” alumni of all ages. Since most Facebook users David Werner identify their high school in the profile section, I was easily able to find hundreds of Westminster alumni. Early on, I gathered alumni from the 1990s and the 2000s, as they were well-established social networkers; by the summer of 2009, alumni from the ’70s and ’80s were creating accounts, and the number of my Westminster friends crested at 1,500. To date, there are more than 1,800 alumni who have signed on, along with a handful of former faculty, current faculty and a few parents of alumni. The greatest feature of Facebook is the ability for our alumni to be “part of a conversation,” a phrase used to describe the interactive nature of social media. Perhaps the best examples of this are the following: When the headmaster search committee and its consultant, Carney, Sandoe & Associates, queried the Westminster community about head of school candidates, I posted a link on Facebook where alumni could respond to a questionnaire. There was a surge in responses from alumni two days after the posting. Second, while our boys’ and girls’ hockey teams played in post-season tournaments, I took a minute or two to update my Facebook status with scores and results as the games were being played. Over the past 18 months, I have uploaded numerous photo albums of various Westminster 1888 events that have taken place across the country. These photo albums allow alumni to see what took place and who attended. And as Facebook users are able to make comments about the photos, it is great to see good-natured banter happening. In one instance, Philip Ohler ’78 scanned then shared with me some photos of the old Westminster ski hill, and a number of alumni from the late ’70s shared some good memories and laughs.
Within Facebook, subgroups form, allowing people who share a common interest to exchange information and memories, and plan for future events. It has been great to see classes with an upcoming reunion form a group. And though our younger alumni have been the most proficient in this area in the past, it’s heartening to see folks celebrating their 35th reunion — and even the Class of 1960, in anticipation of their 50th, created a group. Along with Facebook, Westminster alumni have connected with one another through the social network LinkedIn. More professional than social, this network allows our alumni an opportunity to share their career paths; post job openings; and post other people’s recommendations of their own work. To help broaden professional networks for our alumni and after seeing that there was a group for graduates of the Independent School League in and around Boston, I also created a “Founders League Alumni Group.” This group enables folks to connect with graduates of Avon Old Farms, Choate-Rosemary Hall, Hotchkiss, Kent, Kingswood-Oxford, Loomis-Chaffee, Miss Porter’s, Taft, Trinity-Pawling and Westminster. Finally, in its infancy is the Twitter Group, “Martlet1888.” How and when this becomes an important part of Westminster’s ability to share useful and timely information is yet to be seen. However, when that time comes, it is nice to know we’ll be ready to connect with those who are interested.
David Werner ’80 helps keep Westminster alumni connected on Facebook.
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SUPPORTING WESTMINSTER
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THE THRING SOCIETY
The Best Planned Gift is Often the Simplest When Dan Burke ’87 decided to include Westminster in his estate plans, he approached the gift with all of his training as a financial planner. "I thought about meeting with an insurance agent along with an accountant and an attorney, but I kept putting it off,” said Dan. “Then I realized that using an IRA [Individual Retirement Account] would solve all of my problems." IRA distributions are subject to income taxes, which can decrease their value significantly. In some cases, a dollar from an IRA can be taxed as much as 70 cents, leaving only 30 cents to heirs. However, charitable gifts made from IRAs avoid federal and state income tax, and can save on estate taxes. "I care about the school, and it was an opportunity for me to ensure a gift was made under appropriate tax circumstances," added Dan.
Quick and Flexible Most IRA administrators have a short form that participants can sign and return to designate beneficiaries. Dan filled out a Change of Beneficiary Form, submitted it online and received confirmation the same day. Beneficiary designations are also very flexible, and can be changed as family circumstances and other priorities change. Westminster is fortunate to have alumni and trustees like Dan, whose thoughtful philanthropy and long-standing generosity have helped support the school for many years. Dan’s planned gift to Westminster qualifies him for membership in the Thring Society, named for Reverend Edward Thring, headmaster of the Uppingham School in England, whose philosophy influenced William Lee Cushing as he founded Westminster School. Westminster's Board of Trustees established this society in 1991 to recognize any member of the Westminster community who has made planned gifts or bequests with Westminster as a beneficiary. If you have questions, or if you would like more information on gift-planning opportunities, please contact: Douglas Allen, Director of Planned Giving, (860) 408-3027, dallen@westminster-school.org or visit our Web site: www.westminster-school.org and select “Supporting Westminster.”
Corrections to the 2008-2009 Annual Report The following gifts were accidentally omitted in the 2009 Annual Report of Philanthropy. We apologize for this oversight and greatly appreciate this support of Westminster School! To order a copy of the report, please contact Ellen Hannah at elhannah@westminster-school.org. Werner Club Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth McGovern Faculty/Staff Mr. Robert D. Hafner, Jr.
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Creating Style for Modern Brides "The garment business is not like finance," says Coren Caisse Moore ’93. She knows first hand. Her store, Coren Moore Brides & Maids, is headquartered in the heart of Manhattan’s storied Garment District on West 39th St., directly across the street from where its dresses are made — and a world away from the investment firm where Coren started her career. Planning her own wedding six years ago, Coren discovered the challenge of finding a stylish dress that could be well fitted to nine bridesmaids. Her experience inspired her to create a niche in the bridal market. She began designing a line of dresses with classic, elegant lines that would appeal to brides and their attendants looking for stylish, flattering and whimsical dress options. “I know what I like and what works for me,” says Coren. “I sell what I would wear.” While her husband attended the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, Coren took time off from her work as an analyst at BankBoston to study fashion design at Parsons The New School for Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology at the State University of New York. She had graduated from Bowdoin with a degree in history, but had no previous design experience. She launched her business from her Brooklyn apartment, sending e-mails to 20 friends looking for referrals. At the same time, she sought garment makers to work with her. Finding the help she needed was not easy. “Factories and pattern makers don’t want to work with a small producer,” says Coren. She scoured the Garment District, using print directories and old-fashioned door knocking to find appropriate, willing garment makers. While she designs all of her own dresses, she employs both a pattern maker and a sample maker to produce prototypes. She says the art of pattern making alone can take years to learn. The fabric for her dresses is imported from a mill in India. Each bolt of fabric is inspected to ensure the natural, handpicked materials meet the company’s quality standards. The silks, laces and cotton sateens are transformed into more than 30 different dress styles for attendants and brides. Her gowns are now sold in more than 60 retail locations, as well as at her flagship New York store, and her new showroom overlooking the Five Mile River in Rowayton, Conn. She says that while most of “her brides” live in New York City, many spend a day of shopping with their mothers in Connecticut. The new Connecticut showroom is close to the home where Coren and her family relocated from New York last year. Coren is the mother to two small children and is expecting her third child. Though busy with her family and business, Coren is also engaged in community and charity events, including fund-raising for her community’s new library. While at Westminster, Coren was sports editor of the Westminster News; participated in Serving Our Neighbors (SON); played soccer, squash and tennis; and was a member of the cross country, track and swim teams. Her connection to Westminster remains strong. Several brides who have been married in Andrews Memorial Chapel at Westminster have worn Coren Moore dresses, and the niece of a Westminster faculty member assists with sales in the Rowayton store. “Coming out of the recession, we’re optimistic about growth,” says Coren, noting that the market is strong for mid- to high-price point dresses. If hemlines are an economic indicator, watch this year’s trend: Coren is shortening her existing styles by two inches. While her designs are styled for modern brides, Coren’s business is steeped in tradition. “I love the history of the Garment District,” she said. “Not much has changed there in 50 years.”
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Exploring Mixed-Race America When the 9/11 terrorist attacks occurred, Mike Tauber ’90, a professional photographer working in New York City, was intrigued by the anger directed at the city’s Sikh population by individuals who mistakenly associated the Sikhs with the Muslim terrorists based solely on their perceived similarities in appearance. Those observations led Mike to seek a window into the larger consciousness of race in the United States and to begin work with his future wife, Pamela Singh, who identifies herself as multiracial, on a book titled “Blended Nation: Portraits and Interviews of Mixed-Race America.” The two wanted to explore the experience of being mixed-race in 21st-century America through photographs, vignettes and essays. They found their first photo subjects through word of mouth, initially with a network of friends who are “mixed.” They then expanded their search with the help of organizations like Swirl and the Mavin Foundation, Mike Tauber ’90 with his wife, Pamela Singh. which cater to the mixed-race community. "We photographed individuals and families across the Northeast, California and Washington, concentrating on areas of the country with the largest populations of mixed-race individuals,” said Mike. “To substantiate the images, we then asked each subject to share with us his or her personal experiences of existing between the perceived racial categories designated by the U.S. Census.” Mike and Pamela even approached strangers on the street. While one would expect that subjects would be taken aback by questions about race, Mike says that his confidence in the strength of the project helped pave the way. “People can sense your intentions,” he explained. Mike also took cues from Pamela, a native of Trinidad who considers herself to be mixed-race, a blend primarily of Indian with some African and Carib Indian heritage. “Blended Nation” won first place in the 2009 International Photography Awards category for books about people and has been featured on National Public Radio, The Today Show and the Tavis Smiley Show. At Westminster, Mike was not known as an artist. He came to Westminster his Fourth Form year and was an honors student and dorm prefect who played hockey, lacrosse and soccer. He was also a member of the John Hay Society and Black and Gold. “I took a sculpture and photo class with Mr. Powers, but the art talent wasn’t really there until Tanzania,” said Mike. Tanzania is where Mike took his junior year abroad in college and found inspiration in the subject matter. He invested in a new camera and took a photography course during his final year at Connecticut College, where he graduated with a degree in environmental science and anthropology. Mike continued to travel, and spent a year capturing images in Africa, Asia and Australia. Settling in New York City, he began work with HBO, where as an account executive, he managed art directors in the visual department. At the same time, he studied at the International Center of Photography and School of Visual Arts. With his job at HBO came press credentials, which he used to gain access to HBO’s boxing events to gather practical experience capturing shots with lights and action. Mike soon began traveling again to build his portfolio and submitted his work to magazines and agencies. While he began a full-time photography career focusing on documentary and travel imagery, his business broadened after 9/11, when he began shooting portraiture and interiors/architecture for designers, real estate firms, architects and for “Blended Nation.” Today, Mike and Pamela, who were married in 2003, live in Fairfield, Conn., with their two young sons, and Mike continues his commercial, editorial and architectural work in New York City. The couple is considering continuing the “Blended Nation” project outside of the United States. 52
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Book Deal Follows Overwhelming Response to Essay “A 20-year success story played out in six months” is how Laura Munson ’84 describes the publication of her new memoir, “This Is Not The Story You Think It Is…A Season of Unlikely Happiness” (Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam), and her spring 2010 national book tour. Her break came when she submitted her essay “Those Aren’t Fighting Words, Dear,” an abbreviated version of her memoir, to The New York Times for its “Modern Love” column. Within 24 hours, her essay had been accepted. A day after its publication, she had a book deal. “Those Aren’t Fighting Words, Dear" became the most-read and e-mailed article of the day; the overwhelming number of reader responses led the paper to temporarily shut down the comments section. For two months, it remained the top-searched article on The New York Times’ Web site. Professional success did not come quickly for Laura. Her 14 previous fiction novels had been rejected (with praise) by publishers, yet she continued to write, and in a bit of self-preservation, adopted the strategy that she would not base her own happiness on things that were out of her control. “I was so rigged that self-worth is contingent upon professional success,” says Laura. That strategy came in time for Laura to chronicle the events of her own life during a summer that challenged her marriage and her family. She became the main character in her own story, stepping outside of fiction and documenting her response to crisis during a time that it seemed her marriage might end. “The book was written with a teaching spirit,” says Laura. “It is an invitation to go on a journey with me, not a bitter, whiny memoir.” Ultimately she and her husband, Peter, are proud of the book and of its message. “Taking responsibility for your own well-being, especially during crisis, is a powerful way to live. I hope this book helps many people,” she says. Laura attended Denison University in Ohio with 10 other Westminster alumni, and graduated cum laude with a degree in film and art history. She also met her husband at Denison. Together, the couple settled in Boston, and then Seattle. In both cities, Laura remained committed to writing, taking flexible jobs to make ends meet. “I purchased one suit and told the temp agency that I wanted to go to a different place every day,” says Laura. Over time, she worked as a switchboard operator at Sheraton World Headquarters, as a greeter on the Queen Elizabeth II, and as nanny and a cocktail waitress. Finally, her husband’s career brought them to Whitefish, Mont., where Laura could pursue writing full time. Laura credits her experience at Westminster for developing her writing skills and for her love of the English language. (A journal entry recorded during her high school days surfaces as an epiphany in her story.) She returned to campus for her 20th reunion and was pleased to find an emphasis on the arts. “We put on amazing productions before the construction of the Werner Centennial Center,” she said. “I wanted to be an actress; I hated sports. I was constantly going to the nurse to beg out of field hockey practice. Recalling her graduation day, Laura says, “Mr. Prewitt gave me a four leaf clover and told me that I could be an actress — that I could be anything.” With news of her new book, Laura has heard from many Westminster classmates and teachers, and she’s received generous offers of hospitality from friends in Boston, New York and Chicago, all scheduled stops on her book tour. She plans to return to the Hill again when she visits a bookstore in West Hartford, Conn. While the book tour marks the first time she’s been away from her children for an extended period of time, she’s looking forward to taking her “big shot.” She’ll return home to Montana after her month-long book tour to her children, her husband, her horse and more writing. To follow Laura’s book and read more of her writing, go to lauramunsonauthor.com.
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Closing Thoughts Leading Transformation with Remarkable Continuity By Richard W. Miller P’86, ’89 Former Assistant Headmaster
When you know how a story turns out, it’s easy to forget how it began. In 1992, Donald Werner announced his decision to retire from Westminster the following year, after serving 33 years, 23 as headmaster. A nationwide search began and narrowed to three candidates, scheduled to visit the campus that winter. Brief bios of the candidates included a Graham Cole and his wife, Carol.
For 20 years, Graham had served in several capacities at The Lawrenceville School, a large, fouryear coeducational boarding and day school near Princeton, N.J. Would someone from a large school fit well at Westminster? In addition, Graham was also the oldest of the three candidates. We wanted someone with energy to lead our school: his age concerned some of us. Well, when the Coles, the last of the candidates, finally visited our campus, we fell in love with them, and they with us. The Coles expressed a sincere interest in a smaller school and saw many advantages in being part of one. They also connected, demonstrating energy, vitality, and a great warmth and lively interest in others. It banished any doubts, and shortly after their visit, we were thrilled to hear that Graham had accepted Westminster’s invitation to become its seventh headmaster. Nonetheless, the transition to a new headmaster raises considerable anxiety. First of all, recent heads had come from within. How would we function under the leadership of a person who had never been a part of the school? What kind of access would faculty, staff and students have to the headmaster? Would the new head and the
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board of trustees get along? Would he seek new directions? Would we lose what made us unique? We had seen other schools in recent years come to regret their decision and replace a new headmaster in fairly short order. We hoped that the Coles and the school had each made the right choice. Some answers came soon. For two years prior to the Coles’ arrival in the summer of 1993, Westminster had been engaged in a strategic planning process, led by Jack Sherwin. The plan represented countless hours of work on the part of all constituents of the school: it was now in place, ready for implementation. Shortly after the Coles arrived on campus, Graham, expressing some trepidation, mentioned to me that he was going to meet with Jack Sherwin, hoping to get his blessing to revisit and perhaps seriously revise the strategic plan, especially because it envisioned no new buildings. Apparently, that meeting went well. It initiated a process that repeated itself over the years as faculty, staff and trustees considered Westminster’s future and sought to establish it in the front ranks of the nation’s private boarding schools. The most obvious element: Westminster’s remarkable physical transformation, from the renovation of Memorial to the Armour Academic Center and everything in between. That transformation has been truly striking. Consider for a moment that in 1993 there was no Edge House, no lower fields, no regulation-size squash courts, no usable pool, a small, windowless weight room and an even smaller exercise room. The current college counseling center was the site of the health center. The school lacked a campus master plan. How to account for such a dramatic transformation? It resides in leadership. Through his energy, openness and willingness to challenge
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mindsets, Graham encouraged students, faculty, staff and trustees to consider together to what we might aspire and then to find the means to implement those aspirations. He created excitement and new possibilities. Both by his urging to think anew and through his collaborative style, he liberated untapped energy and aided in the discovery of new resources. A great number of people invested their time and treasure in areas of interest and concern that also advanced the work and mission of the school. One can see the results of that leadership. It would be a great mistake, however, to associate the tenure of Graham and Carol solely with physical changes. Buildings do not constitute a school: they serve as a vessel, a means to an end. That end required a reexamination of Westminster’s mission and core values, a task to which the school community returned again and again. What stands out is the remarkable continuity with the past. From its first headmaster on, the school expected much of its faculty and students, a willingness to explore and stretch, to find strength from within and without, from “grit and grace.” That tradition has continued with the Coles. Thumb through the directory and you’ll find the sons, daughters and grandchildren of men and women who came through these fields and halls in years past. It is no accident, a mere burst of nostalgia, that brings such families to the campus today.
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They see the continuity, the attention given to a broad-based education and the nurture of young people, embodied by the Coles and Westminster’s faculty. We can answer those questions posed at the beginning. With Graham and his chief advisor, Carol, in the lead, it has been a great run for the school, better positioned to compete for promising students and faculty, better able to serve their needs with first-rate facilities. Just as important is the continued emphasis on core values — community, character, balance and involvement — that speak to a vital tradition maintained and strengthened. These core values lie at the heart of what has always made Westminster a great school. I wish to close on a personal note. My wife and I have greatly enjoyed our relationship with the Coles. We deeply appreciate their keen and sincere interest in others. They are considerate and welcoming. We have been witness to and recipients of their kindness and thoughtfulness, to their great interest in others and their well-being. So on behalf of the entire Westminster community, we wish them more great runs. Our world has many unmet needs. In the days ahead, others will come to appreciate their leadership, energy, compassion and skills as they tackle and embrace new challenges and opportunities. We thank them for sharing so much of their lives with us.
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www.Westminster-School.org Scenes from Dramat’s winter musical, “Godspell.”
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