Academy World Spring 2015 by Wilbraham & Monson Academy

s p r i n g 2 015

The Magazine of Wilbraham & Monson Academy The Global School 速

ACADEMYWORLD

Following the Entrepreneurial Spirit The Success Story of Alumna Maura Griffin

also in this issue:

Entrepreneur Spotlight Alumni in Action Global Travel

by brian p. easler Head of School

perspectives

The Annual Fund Revisited

in the history of independent education, a school came up a little short of operating revenue to cover their expenses. Some loyal and generous alumnus or friend of the school offered to cover the shortfall, and all was good. Then it happened again, and again, with increasing regularity, until it became an annual expectation. Eventually, a school decided to embrace this expectation and the Annual Fund was born. This story is neither factual nor likely far off the mark. However, it is easy to imagine how it all played out over the years. Regardless of how it started and despite the undoubted good intentions, the Annual Fund now represents a nearly universal acceptance that a school will not, and even may not, be able to cover its expenses with tuition revenue. Annual budgets around the world are based on this very premise. You’ve probably heard Annual Fund pitches like, “Tuition does not cover the cost of education, so we need your Annual Fund dollars to bridge the gap.” Or, “Annual gifts are to live by and capital gifts are to grow by.” Or, perhaps more recently, “Without the Annual Fund, students would need to sleep on the floor.” These messages are just an outcome of Annual Fund dollars becoming an expected and seemingly necessary form of operating revenue. Without a doubt, there have been times in the history of many schools, including WMA, when Annual Fund dollars were, in fact, necessary for operating. We are now in a position to break this cycle. at some point and long ago

To learn more, scan this QR code or visit WMA.us/HOSBlog.

After the last decade of growth at WMA, and with some thoughtful and critical evaluation of expenses, we are within reach of balancing our budget without using Annual Fund dollars for operating needs. This is a pivotal time in our history and a clear indication of our institutional strength. This does not mean that we will abandon the Annual Fund; in fact, once we no longer need it for operating expenses, the Annual Fund will become even more critical to the future of WMA. For the future of the Academy, the Annual Fund will become a vehicle for progress and improvement, like a small capital campaign every year, which will make WMA even better than it is. Annual improvements to the campus and the program will make us even more appealing to prospective students and families, which will improve our enrollment rate over our competitors and earn us a sustained market advantage. All of this will create a healthy upward spiral of success, which will further strengthen the Academy over time, continue to generate a steady flow of world-class alumni, and endow the future of the Wilbraham & Monson tradition. We look forward to reporting our progress to you in the months to come.

contents

c0-editors

Deanna Roux Teddy Ryan

design

Stoltze Design printing

associate editor

Bill Wells

Starburst Printing & Graphics, Inc. board of trustees

advisory board

Tiffany Alrefae Christina Cronin Brian Easler Dawn Hines Erik Kindblom Richard Rodgers contributing writers

Tom Crafts ’65W Christina Cronin Fernando de Zavala Carvajal ’07 Brian Easler Linda B. Griffin Tim Harrington ’73 Gayle Hsiao Janet Moran Deanna Roux Teddy Ryan Jonathan Sperling ’57W Bill Wells Stuart Whitcomb photography

Paul Bloomfield Deanna Roux Dan Vaillancourt Bill Wells Various contributing photographers

Scott B. Jacobs ’75, Chair James E. LaCrosse ’50W, Vice Chair Mark R. Shenkman ’61M, Vice Chair Donald J. Stuart ’73, Treasurer Krista Hanson, Secretary David J. Callahan Robert S. Edmunds ’01 Caitlin S. Flynn ’06 K. Ivan F. Gothner Linda B. Griffin Hyun Chong Kim ’77 Judith A. Knapp Barry M. Maloney ’85 Timothy J. Marini Kent W. Pecoy David A. Reeves Craig A. Rubin ’63W Steven D. Spence ’76

trustees emeriti

Eric W. Anderson Richard S. Fuld ’64W Alan N. Hall William E. James ’64W Frederic A. Rothery parents association

Renee Alexander Brenda Labbe

Alumni, we’d like to hear from you! Send your current contact information and news to Alumni@WMA.us.

“Academy World” is published in the spring and fall for alumni, parents and friends of the Academy. Please direct comments and letters to:

feature story

departments

wilbraham & monson academy marketing & communications office 423 main street wilbraham, ma 01095-1715 marketing@wma.us

14 M aura Griffin: Following the Entrepreneurial Spirit

2 6 34 44 46 50

The mission of Wilbraham & Monson Academy is to develop global citizens and leaders. Wilbraham & Monson Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, military status, gender identity, and any other categories protected by federal, state or local law. get social with us! wilbrahammonsonacademy wilbrahammonson wilbrahammonsonacad @theglobalschool qqid: 2306006424

entrepreneur spotlight 18 Julia Carrasquel ’12 19 Frank Antonacci ’01 20 Fernando de Zavala Carvajal ’07

alumni in action 22 26 27 28

Lindsey Leduc ’00 Anthony Gulluni ’99 Rick Bennett ’86 Wilson Brother Legacy

News From the Hill Titans Victorious Global Travel Distinctive Programs Alumni Events Class Notes

on the cover WMA alumna Maura Griffin is pictured on a scenic rooftop in New York City, home base to her firm, Blue Spark Capital Advisors. Maura, who recently spoke to students at chapel about her circuitous journey, is the feature story in this Entrepreneurship issue of “Academy World.”

WILB R AHAM & MONSON AC ADEMY

by bill wells Director of Student Promotion

departments

News From the Hill

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Ashley Bradway ’18 and Jonathan Lee ’15

Students Selected as Features in the Orchestra Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s Ashley Bradway ’18 and Jonathan Lee ’15 weren’t just selected to an elite orchestra — they were featured. Ashley and Jonathan performed solos for the Worcester Youth Baroque Orchestra at a concert at the Pakachoag Music School of Greater Worcester in Auburn, Mass. Nov. 1. “Jonathan and Ashley have a great love for

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music and are willing to make time in their busy schedules to take advantage of performing opportunities,” said Thad Wheeler, who teaches music at the Academy. “Even though they had to travel 45 minutes each way for the rehearsals and concert, they were always enthusiastic and had a great time. They were each featured as soloists and were sophisticated and professional.”

Ashley and Jonathan auditioned for and were selected to the 11-member orchestra in October. The group performed music from the Baroque Era (1600 – 1750). Ashley was the only oboe player chosen for the orchestra. She played a duet with a flute player during the concert. Jonathan had a solo during the baroque concert.

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Isaias (Ikas) de Brito Trindade ’17 and Daniel Qin-Dong ’17

Rwanda Case Study For the third year in a row, Boston University professor Carl Hobert led an all-day case study regarding post-genocide Rwanda for Wilbraham & Monson Academy students enrolled in Global Studies I. This year’s case study, though, came with a bonus as Academy students had the opportunity to Skype with a government official from Rwanda who experienced and survived the genocide of 1994, when nearly one million Rwandans were slaughtered by fellow countrymen. Mr. Didier Nkurikiyimfura serves as the Director General in charge of Information and Communication Technology in the Ministry of Youth and Information Communications. Addressing the students for 15 – 20 minutes, Mr. Nkurikiyimfura spoke of the importance of forgiveness in order for the country to continue to move forward. “The opportunity to talk to a Rwandan government official was incredible,” Emily Dromgold ’17 said. “I don’t know any other place where I would ever be exposed to someone that important with such a personal connection to the

Rwandan genocide, especially as a sophomore in high school.” Isaias (Ikas) de Brito Trindade ’17, of Angola, was happy to hear Rwandan government officials continue to share facts surrounding the country’s darkest era in hopes that other African countries don’t suffer the same fate. Angola and Rwanda are both members of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region. “From an Angolan point of view, the case study was a very intriguing experience,” Ikas explained. “It was a way for me to experience the traditional problem-solving way of my country. Just like in Rwanda, in Angolan villages, they also gather in the village center and discuss problems with the soba, the Angolan version of Rwanda’s burgermeister (mayor).” Mr. Nkurikiyimfura also spoke of his personal situation, where he was raised predominantly in a refugee camp outside of Rwanda and how now some people from the country don’t feel he’s a true citizen.

Emily Dromgold ’17 Shares Musical Talent Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s Emily Dromgold ’17 loves the feel of the holidays. And when Emily gets a chance to play the piano for a worthy cause during the holiday season, that makes her feel even better. For the third December in a row, Emily played at Springfield’s Tower Square for the 14th Annual Festival of Trees, which serves as a fundraiser for the Springfield Boys & Girls Club. “It was so much fun this year,” Emily said. “It’s ridiculously festive. I like it because it gets me into the holiday spirit, and it’s nice to know it’s supporting a good cause. Everything about it is great, in one package. I love attending.” As she did for WMA’s Winter Concert, Emily played one of her favorites: “Christmas Time Is Here,” which was written for the 1965 TV special “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” The Festival of Trees typically draws more than 8,000 visitors and raises more than $80,000 annually. Participants bid on more than 100 pre-decorated trees.

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departments: news from the hill

Ben Ochola ’15 Receives Accolades Ben Ochola ’15 was honored at Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s all-school meeting Oct. 9 as an Outstanding Participant by the National Achievement Scholarship Program. With a smile on his face from ear to ear, Ben received a certificate from Dean of Studies Erik Kindblom. Ben, an honor roll student who plans to major in engineering, scored in the top 3% among black Americans on the Preliminary SAT in the fall of 2013. “I was taken completely by surprise,” Ben said. “When the award was being announced I was expecting it to be someone else. “I told my dad (about the award) when we were driving to pick up my brother and he gave me a long talk, basically telling me ‘congratulations.’ I felt really proud.” Ben took the PSAT a year ago, and since then has taken the SAT, which he found easier than the preliminary test. “I didn’t feel I had done exceptionally well on the PSAT, but I thought I had done well,” Ben said. “I found the PSAT harder than the SAT. I’ve heard that from a lot of kids and I feel that way, too. I scored 200 points higher on the SAT.”

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Gene Kang ’20 Combines Athleticism and Music Gene Kang’s extracurricular activities are certainly on different paths, but they are apparently headed toward the same successful destination. Gene, a member of Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s Class of 2020, is excelling musically and athletically. In September he was the only bass clarinet player selected to participate with the Worcester Youth Symphony Orchestra (WYSO) for the 2014–15 season, and in November

he earned spots in two high-level archery tournaments. Gene began playing clarinet in third grade but quickly made a switch to the bass clarinet, which has a deeper sound and different look. Gene was looking to challenge himself more musically so he decided to try out for the WYSO. “I wanted to try it out and see if I could get in, and if I did so I can practice more,” Gene said. “A lot of people get to display their talent and it’s fun being around other people who are good at what they do.” Two years ago, Gene’s dad took him to Hall’s Arrow Indoor Archery in Manchester, Conn., to try the sport of archery. Gene took right to it, and by the end of the year he competed in his first tournament following months of private lessons and practicing on his own is his basement. All those lessons and extra practice paid off in late November when Gene placed second among 20 competitors in his age group at the New England Warm-Up to qualify for the 51st Annual New England Indoor Championships Feb. 6 – 8 in Manchester, where he placed fifth in his age group. “I think I did better than I expected,” Gene said. “I feel that I advanced to the next competition and a high level so I can see what I can do. I want to shoot a 300 or better at the next competition. I’ve never done that before. My highest score is a 279.” Gene reached his goal two weeks after the New England event, finishing third in his age group with scores of 410 and 379 in the Eastern Region at the 2015 Junior Olympic Archery Development National Indoor Championships at Tantasqua Regional High School in Fiskdale, Mass. Feb. 20 – 22.

Students Selected to Perform at Western District Three students from Wilbraham & Monson Academy were selected to perform at the Massachusetts Western District Senior Festival at the Fine Arts Center at the University of Massachusetts Jan. 17 in Amherst. Jonathan Lee ’15, Cynthia Zhang ’17 and Victoria Zingarelli ’17 (pictured left to right) passed the earlyJanuary audition for Western Districts. Jonathan was selected to play violin, while Cynthia and Tori earned a spot in the chorus. For the first time in his playing career, Jonathan wasn’t in the first chair for violin. He didn’t like that situation initially, but soon realized the importance of the second violinist role. “It was interesting,” said Jonathan, who plays first violin for the Worcester Youth Symphony Orchestra. “I’ve never played second violin in my life. At first I

didn’t like the second violin because there weren’t as many melodies as first violin but I actually enjoyed it. I learned the importance of second violin throughout the concert and the responsibility as much as the first violin.” This was Jonathan’s second year performing at Western District. Cynthia, in her first showing at Western District, enjoyed her time singing with a large chorus, which sang eight songs. “Vocal harmony is wonderful,” Cynthia said. “It’s personal singing. You have altos, sopranos, bass, and it’s more like classical singing from centuries ago. The lyrics are historical and it can tell you a story.”

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l eft to right YoungSeok (Justin) Jang ’15, Emily Carson ’15, Alexandra Stoll ’15, Emma Stoll ’18

As Schools Match Wits Much like an athletic event, Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s “As Schools Match Wits” team needed some time to find its groove in its first match. And once WMA’s team found that groove, there was no stopping the Titans.

In a match that was filmed at Westfield State University in the fall and aired Jan. 10, the Academy team of Emily Carson ’15, YoungSeok (Justin) Jang ’15, Alexandra Stoll ’15 and Emma Stoll ’18 beat Chicopee 145 – 90. “The team did very well,” Coach Don Kelly said. “Kudos to the kids because they’re involved in a full program here — academic and athletic — and they gave up some free time. We didn’t have that many practices.” Sporting their WMA blazers, the Titans came from behind to earn the victory, with Justin’s run of correct math answers giving the Titans the lead midway through the match. Mr. Kelly had the students focus on specific areas: Justin in math and global topics; Emily in English and history; Ally in the sciences; and Emma in entertainment. “We had them focus on the different areas,” Mr. Kelly explained. “And we told them to speak up and take a chance; it’s only a game and have fun. If they get it wrong, we’re still going out for a sandwich and a soda afterward.”

Model Congress Competes How does the Congress of the United States work? Ten students from Wilbraham & Monson Academy found out the many ins and outs of the U.S. government by competing at the 75th Annual Model Congress at American International College Jan. 8 – 10. This was the first year the Academy participated in Model Congress. The WMA team was coached by CEGS Department member Gina Markowski, and included: Danielle Bellefeuille ’16, Haotian (Roger) Cui ’15, Isaias (Ikas) de Brito Trindade ’17, Jordana Irzyk ’17, William (Liam) Kirwan ’15, Colin O’Brien ’16, Brian Popovich ’15, Daniel Qin-Dong ’17, Matthew Schmidt ’16 and Emily Zeno ’15. “As our first time participating in this event, we weren’t quite sure what to expect and I gathered it would be similar to Harvard’s Model UN,” Ms. Markowski said. “I’m in agreement with the team members who I’ve also advised in HMUN that this was more intense in terms

of the level of debate from the participants. Several of our students thrived in this environment, pushing themselves outside of their comfort zones and quickly picking up the jargon of Robert’s Rules of Order. A sure sign of a positive experience is the kids are already brainstorming potential bills to propose for next year.” Brian and Matt teamed to pass a bill. Their Cosmetic Procedure Act would tax non-essential body alterations, such as hair transplants and elective plastic surgery, and would raise roughly $1.3 billion per year, which would go toward the Affordable Care Act to deduct the tax on medical devices. Eleven schools debated 35 bills at this year’s event. to right Daniel Qin-Dong ’17, Matthew Schmidt ’16, Isaias (Ikas) de Brito Trindade ’17, Emily Zeno ’15, Danielle Bellefeuille ’16, Brian Popovich ’15, Jordana Irzyk ’17, Colin O’Brien ’16 and Haotian (Roger) Cui ’15

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YoungSeok (Justin) Jang ’15 named National Merit Scholarship Program Finalist It’s official—academically, Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s YoungSeok (Justin) Jang ’15 is among the elite of the elite nationally. Justin has been named a National Merit Scholarship Finalist, which ranks him among the top students in the country and in position to receive a college scholarship. “Being named a National Merit Scholarship Finalist in Massachusetts is particularly honorable, because of the strength of the competition,” said Head of School Brian Easler. “Those selected as Finalists represent roughly less than the top 1% of PSAT scores in any given state, and there is an equal allocation by state. This means that states with particularly robust educational systems and prep school networks, like Massachusetts, present an even greater challenge to overcome. Justin has brought honor to himself and to his school … we are all very proud of his hard work and determination.” Justin, who is now one of 15,000 students nationally being considered for one of 7,600 scholarships, said the student-centric framework at WMA is a big reason why he has enjoyed so much academic success.

WILB R AHAM & MONSON AC ADEMY

by bill wells Director of Student Promotion

departments

Titans Victorious

Austin Fabbo ’15 Joins the 100 Club When Austin Fabbo ’15 scored his 100th career goal for the Wilbraham & Monson Academy Water Polo team, he was very happy. But it wasn’t until a few days later that the accomplishment fully came into perspective for Austin, when he learned he had joined a very short list of players in the program’s history to reach the 100-goal mark. Austin reached the milestone Oct. 25 in a game against Eaglebrook School, which the Titans won 12 – 9. Austin didn’t know he reached the magic number until Coach Steve Gray ’70

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told him after the fact. “I was happy; I was surprised,” Austin said. “I thought I was close to 100 but I thought I had 10 or 15 more to go. I didn’t think I was there.” The big surprise, though, came later. Coach Gray told Austin he had become just the third player from WMA to tally 100 goals, joining greats Ben Marcus ’12 (236 career goals) and Jason Bois ’92 (110). “I was really surprised when I heard that,” Austin said. “I figured there had been a bunch of

people who did it because it’s only 25 goals a season, which I didn’t think was that big of a deal. I was definitely taken aback and surprised.” Austin was on the 2011 – 12 team with Ben, and it was that experience that motivated him to become one of the Academy’s all-time great water polo players. “Freshman year, Ben Marcus was on the team, and Ben was really good,” Austin explained. “I wanted to be as good as Ben when I got to be his age so that pushed me to keep playing the sport and get better.”

Christina Felchner ’16 Smashes Pool Record Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s Christina Felchner ’16 was hoping to set the school’s pool record in the 50-meter freestyle this season. She did, but her timing, and her time for that matter, weren’t what she expected at all. In the first home swimming meet of the season, Christina smashed the pool record by more than a second, sprinting to a time of 25.14 seconds in a meet against Worcester Academy Dec. 10. “I was close last year, but I didn’t think I’d get it last year,” Christina said. “I didn’t think I’d get it this soon this year. I was within a second but I didn’t think I’d go low 25s until the end of the season, not the beginning.” Christina topped the previous record, which was set in 2003 by Molly Goldrick ’07 (26.80). Christina is a member

of school records in all three relay events, but this was her first individual record. “My goal for the season is to get into the 23s,” Christina explained. “Now that I’m in the low 25s, I’m hoping by mid-season and after break I will be in the 24s, and hopefully I can get into the 23s by the end of the season. “I’m happy about it. I think I can do a lot better with my time for next meet and it’s something to look forward to — breaking my own record.” Christina didn’t receive much fanfare about setting a new swimming standard at WMA. She wasn’t told about the record until six days after the meet. “Right before practice Coach (Dan) Moran said, ‘Oh, yeah, you broke the pool record.’ I said, ‘That’s cool.’ And that was it,” Christina said.

Boys’ Soccer Enjoys Successful Season The Wilbraham & Monson Academy Boys’ Soccer team continued to play like one of the best prep schools in New England, qualifying for the postseason for the second year in a row. After going undefeated in its final 10 games of the regular season, the Titans earned the #6 seed in the New England Prep School Athletic Council Class B tournament. WMA, which fell to Noble and Greenough in the quarterfinal round, finished the 2014 season 11 – 5 – 3. “We didn’t have a ‘senior team’ this year, but we were an experienced team,” Coach Gary Cook said. “The coaches had a strong vision of the talent and potential for this group. We had a slow start record-wise but there was never any sense of panic on anyone’s part. The veterans kept working hard, and the younger players kept improving. The team won a number of close games, our confidence grew, and good results followed.” The Titans opened the season 2 – 4 – 2, but that included a number of matches against Class A opponents. That rigorous schedule, though, had WMA prepared for the second half of its schedule, where the Titans went 9 – 0 – 1.

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departments: titans victorious

Adriana Russell ’15 Breaks Record Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s Adriana Russell ’15 ended her final home Girls’ Cross Country meet of the 2014 season the same way she began — with a course record. Adie, who led from start to finish, smashed her own course record by 18 seconds with a time of 20 minutes, 32 seconds Oct. 18 during a tri-meet against Suffield Academy and Kingswood Oxford School. “I was definitely trying to better my time, and it happened that I broke my own record for a third time,” Adie said. “It means a lot to me because it’s my senior year and I’m not going to be able to run the course again. It was a good ending on the home course.” Adie set the course mark in 2013 with a time of 21:11 before running a 20:50 at the first of two home meets of this season. Adie earned All-New England Cross Country honors after she placed 12th at the New England

Prep School Track Association Division III Meet at Vermont Academy Nov. 9. She capped her season by taking 11th in 20:01 at the NEPSTA All-Star Meet Nov. 15 at St. Mark’s, which featured the top prep runners from throughout New England. “The All-Star race was more fitting to how I run,” Adie explained. “My first mile was a 6:17, and my second mile was under 13:00, so I had a quick second mile. It was a good race. I was happy with how I placed. That race definitely showed how much I’ve improved over the last four years of high school. It was one of the best times I’ve ever had. I was pleased with it.” “Adie ran an excellent race on a challenging course at the All-Star race,” Coach Marissa Axtell said. “She was focused and determined to leave everything she had on the course. All of her hard work paid off as she ran a smart race, placing herself in the top 10 for a majority of the race.”

“I’ve flipped my go-kart three times. Once it rolled four times. But I was more worried about getting it fixed and making sure we could go off in the main event.” Dan hopes to be in a number of main events this season when he jumps up to a SK Light Modified, which is bigger than a go-kart and has a frame more like a car. He will compete at Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut.

The vehicles travel 160 mph and he will be competing against other teenagers as well as adults. “You have to have a lot of experience with the vehicle and a lot of experience driving,” Dan said. “You have to know how the car is driving, whether it’s loose or tight so you can make adjustments.” Dan has been featured in stories on Stafford Motor Sports Speedway and Race Day Connecticut.

Daniel Wesson ’18 Races to the Top Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s Daniel Wesson ’18 has already won more than 40 races on the track. No, not with two feet — on four wheels. Dan, who started racing go-karts when he was 7 years old, will compete during the 2015 season in a vehicle that can reach 160 mph. “It’s fun. I think it’s a fun experience,” Dan said. Dan grew up surrounded by auto racing in his family. He begged his family to let him race, and when Dan hit elementary school, his parents let him strap on a helmet and climb into a go-kart. “I asked my dad constantly if I could race and he finally let me race,” Dan recalled. Dan began racing in go-karts that topped out at 40 mph. While he climbed up in divisions, which also meant he climbed up in the speed of the go-karts, Dan started to enjoy some success. He won a division one year and placed second in another. He stayed away from any bad accidents, but he did take a few tumbles. “I flipped a few times in go-karts, and that was kind of scary,” Dan explained. “But when I’m driving I’m focused. I’m focused on my line, which is how you get around the track faster and faster.

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Girls’ Soccer Runner-Up in NEPSAC Tournament Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s Girls’ Soccer team concluded its season Nov. 16 with a nice, new shiny piece of hardware as the Titans claimed the runner-up trophy in the New England Prep School Athletic Council’s Class B tournament. WMA fell to a rock-solid team from the Groton School 2 – 0 in the final at the Williston Northampton School. “To win two great games in the playoffs, and to get to the New England final for the first time since 2008 was a great accomplishment for the Titan team,” Coach Don Nicholson ’79 said. “The girls should hold their heads high. They wanted that title. I’m really proud of them, especially the seniors, who we will miss greatly next year.” WMA went 12 – 2 – 2 and earned the Women’s Western New England Prep School Soccer Association Class B title during the regular season. The Titans were seeded second in the eight-team Class B field for the playoffs, where they topped Lawrence Academy 2 – 1 on penalty kicks in a

quarterfinal before posting a 4 – 2 triumph over Governor’s Academy in a semifinal. Both games were at home. “We had an outstanding season,” Coach Nicholson said. “Right from the beginning, our girls were a great group that came together. They were very close, on and off the field, which is sometimes unique. Right from the beginning, we had a great regular season. We had a couple bumps here and there, but to finish up with a 14 – 3 – 2 record was fantastic.”

Matthew Naumec ’15 Named Player of the Year Matthew Naumec’s list of golf accomplishments keeps getting longer and longer. Matt, a member of Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s Class of 2015, was named the 2014 Christopher Cutler Rich Massachusetts Golf Association Junior Player of the Year Jan. 8. Matt was one of the highlights of the Salute to Champions Dinner, which drew the top golfers in the state to Wellesley Country Club. “The night was amazing. I went last year — same place,” said Matt, who won the 2013 New England prep title for WMA. “The dinner was great, and being around the highest level of people in the golf world in the state… It’s an honor to be around them, and hopefully that comes back for future contacts.” In the summer of 2014, Matt won the Massachusetts Junior Amateur Championship, which is the highest level of amateur golf in the state, competed at the U.S. Amateur Championship in Georgia, and played a key role in Team Massachusetts winning the New England Tournament. The MGA, the state’s ranking authority in golf, announced Matt as the Junior Player of the Year in mid-December. “It’s such an honor to be named the Chris Cutler Rich Player of the Year,” Matt said. “If you look at the list, it’s Jake Shuman, Patrick Frodigh, Jon Curran, who is on the PGA Tour, James Driscoll. It’s cool I’ll have my name on the trophy forever. It’s such an honor and it’s at the top of my pedestal for my golf achievements. I’m happy and it’s a confidence booster.” Matt signed his National Letter of Intent in November to play golf at Boston College, where he’ll major in economics. “I want to be in golf my whole life, whether that’s as a player or administrator,” he said. “My options are wide open.”

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l eft to right Sarah Bellefeuille ’15,

Sophia Gourley ’15, Robin Dillon ’15 and Coach Liz Fontaine

Field Hockey Players Named to National Academic Squad Three members of the Wilbraham & Monson Academy Field Hockey team were named to the 2014 Keith Waldman Optimal Performance Associates/ National Field Hockey Coaches Association High School National Academic Squad. Sophia Gourley ’15, Sarah Bellefeuille ’15 and Robin Dillon ’15 were selected to the national team, which recognizes high school seniors who had a non-weighted GPA of 3.5 or higher (out of 4.0) in the first marking period of the 2014–15 calendar year. “Our program works to develop well-rounded student-athletes,” WMA Coach Liz Fontaine said. “We hope to impart the skills and abilities to organize their schedules to incorporate fitness, academics, and free time/entertainment. We are proud of our team’s accomplishments on the field, yet it speaks volumes to the girls’ character when they are able to succeed in the classroom as well. “Sophie, Sarah and Robin worked diligently over their four years at WMA and created an impressive academic and athletic career.”

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departments: campus events

Family Weekend 1

Oct. 17 & 18, 2014

1 Parents Association hospitality tent. 2 Peter Nagle ’14 and Hannah Epstein ’14. 3 Maia Hutcheson-Jones ’19, Margaret Crocker ’18, Zoe Bloomfield ’18, Alexandra Garrison ’18 and Emma Stoll ’18. 4 Current parents April Mann and Joanna Strange. 5 Students line up to present flags at the Flag Procession. 6 Anna McCartney ’15, Racquelle Leach ’15, Aparna Sivakumar ’15 and Rachella Ferst ’15. 7 Haotian (Roger) Cui ’15 and Molly Socha ’15 hold the WMA Titans banner with pride. 8 Mosaic Harmony performs at the Family Weekend Concert.

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Homecoming BBQ 1

Oct. 18, 2014 1 Mark Mitchell ’07, Head of School Brian Easler and Jimmy Bernardo ’11. 2 WMA’s very own custom bumdrum, donated by Jim Carlin ’88 and Tom Presz of www.BumDrums.com. 3 Karl and Barbara-Lee Nelson with Sandra and Nick Yarmac, Facilities staff members with their wives. 4 Kyle Sweeting ’11 and his friend. 5 Former Trustee Ron Masnicki ’57M and Brian Easler lighting the bumdrum.

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around campus

by bill wells Director of Student Promotion

Middle School Dormitory Honors the LaBrecques

▲ Mr. and Mrs. LaBrecque cut the ceremonial ribbon as

donors S. Prestley and Helen Blake, Trustee Timm Marini and Trustee Chair Scott Jacobs ‘75 look on.

Middle School Director Charlie D’Avanzo said. “Our middle school students will now look beyond their own world to the globe.” Project donors S. Prestley and Helen Blake, former Trustee William Faulkner ’57W, Dr. Edward J. Gramse ’39W and family, Trustee Craig Rubin ’63W, and Trustee Kent Pecoy were recognized for their generosity during the ceremony. Also, “There was an anonymous donor who cleaned up a whole lot of extras, I will say,” acknowledged Timm Marini, a member of ▲ Former Head of School Rodney LaBrecque and Shirley LaBrecque the Board of Trustees and Chair for the Buildings and Grounds Committee. Mr. Marini added the project was completed wilbraham & monson academy took the lead Head of School Brian Easler and Board of in time for the school year due to the efforts of in global education when it trademarked itself Trustees Chair Scott Jacobs ’75 offered a welcome many people, including former Board of Trustee The Global School®. to the more than 200 people who attended member Mike Flynn. This school year, the Academy has again the ceremony, which was held Oct. 18 under “Although it was a hard process and a driven stepped to the front of global education, doing sunny skies in front of the dorm. process, it was done with class and poise,” something no other school in the United Since he began at the Academy in 2002, Mr. Marini said. “As a result we have a beautiful States can match. Mr. LaBrecque felt the Middle School needed a facility for the kids.” During Family Weekend, WMA had boarding component. In his final year as Head Mr. LaBrecque was on campus for the first a ribbon-cutting event for the Dedication of of School, he saw his belief become a reality, with time in more than a month. He greeted friends, The Rodney and Shirley LaBrecque House, construction beginning near the end of his faculty and students as they entered the dormitory which serves as a dorm for 12 Grade 8 middle tenure. Students from China, Korea, Mexico, for a tour at the conclusion of the ceremony. school students. Russia and Ukraine moved in at the start of “It was fantastic to see all of the students and “We’re one of the few boarding schools that the 2014 – 15 school year. families here, and enjoying this beautiful offer boarding for 8 – postgraduate,” former “What is happening here is to the future wellcampus,” Mr. LaBrecque said. “This dormitory Head of School Rodney LaBrecque said. “This being of our planet,” Mr. LaBrecque said. “These will add to the quality of the student body is a different model. I’m pleased with how it middle school students are forging a new tradition.” and the quality of the student life, so it’s a fantastic came out, and the quality of the students, from “The Middle School dorm is another pillar opportunity for the school as we move what I understand, is great.” in the career of Rodney and Shirley LaBrecque,” ahead with being a leader in global education.”

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by bill wells Director of Student Promotion

inside the classroom

Students Talk History with Holocaust Survivor wilbraham & monson academy

Middle School teacher Sherri Krassin said history is much more powerful when living history can be put in front of students. In January, through technology, the Academy’s entire seventh grade was put in front of one of the greatest tragedies in world history. Abraham Rodstein, grandfather of Kyle Yamagishi-Rodstein ’20, spoke via FaceTime of his experiences living in the Kovno Ghetto in Nazi-occupied Lithuania and Dachau Concentration Camp during World War II. “Talking about cattle cars is one thing, but then hearing him say, ‘I was in a cattle car for three days and people died,’ it took kids back because it’s real,” Ms. Krassin said. Mr. Rodstein was a young teen during World War II. Prior to the Nazis taking control of Lithuania, he led a privileged life, which included attending private school. His life, though, quickly and drastically turned upside-down in 1941, forcing him to abandon his white-collar lifestyle and become a survivor. “He talked a lot about what it was like to live in Dachau and the Kovno Ghetto,” Kyle explained. “He was pretty good with electronics; he became an engineer. He was the guy the people in the ghetto would ask to fix fuses. They’d give him food to fix their fuse. He would fix fuses in a way he knew would blow out so they’d call him again so he could get more food. “He talked about what he did to survive. He wasn’t thinking about a bigger picture — he was thinking about surviving the next 10 minutes.” After listening to Mr. Rodstein, Claire Thomas ’20 saw the big picture regarding the opportunity she had to speak to a holocaust survivor. “The survivors who were in

Dachau aren’t going to be around much longer,” Claire said. “It’s an experience I don’t think anyone will be able to take away from me. I will be able to tell people for years I talked to a survivor.” Interestingly, one story that stuck with Claire was a situation where, in the midst of chaos, a teacher taught Mr. Rodstein math. “Mr. Rodstein said there was a math teacher in the ghetto,” Claire explained. “To keep himself from going crazy, the math teacher grabbed him and offered to teach him math.

The two years he was in the ghetto, Mr. Rodstein learned college level math, and then he later went on to become an engineer.” Kyle initially learned of his grandfather’s childhood experiences when he was in elementary school. His grandfather has been open with Kyle throughout the years regarding the Holocaust, but even Kyle said he learned some things he didn’t previously know. “My grandfather passed out during one of the death marches,” Kyle said. “There was a (Jewish)

doctor who felt his pulse and could tell he had a chance of surviving, and the doctor dragged him back, so that saved my grandfather’s life. “I think it was cool and a good opportunity to learn for my peers. I learned a bit, and even my dad said he learned some stuff. It was interesting because there were so many students and they had questions that I wouldn’t ask personally, even when I talk to him, but they were really good questions. I felt like it was a good experience for me and my fellow students.”

▼ Abraham Rodstein, Holocaust survivor and grandfather of Kyle Yamagishi-Rodstein ’20, gives students firsthand insight into history.

WILB R AHAM & MONSON AC ADEMY

by deanna roux Director of Communications

feature story: entrepreneur spotlight

Following the Entrepreneurial Spirit The Success Story of Alumna Maura Griffin to sum up an entrepreneur, it’s indefatigable, and according to alumna Maura Griffin, it’s because “you have to want to do all parts of the business.” Maura is Founder and CEO of Blue Spark Capital Advisors in New York City, where she lives with her teenage son. Blue Spark is not Maura’s first business, however. Her tireless passion manages to percolate into whatever she is doing, making every experience something she takes with her to the next. “Academy World” caught up with Maura in her Madison Avenue office overlooking the city to learn about her entrepreneurial journey. if there’s one word

Getting Paid to Do Good

After moving back to the states, Maura worked in the corporate investment world. She held highranking positions at UBS, Citigroup and Capital Group. It was there that she honed her already innate money management skills. Maura also attended Columbia Business School, where she earned a master’s degree in finance. “I was thinking about what I was going to do next when I found out about being able to create your own business being a fee-only fiduciary, which means I’m paid for my expertise and my advice,” Maura explained. “Sometimes it’s project-based or it’s a percentage of assets under management, so I don’t get paid anything for

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recommending a certain fund. I create portfolios that are right for the client’s individual situations and I get nothing else out of that. It incentivizes me to do the right thing. That’s the beauty of this. It’s very important to me.”

with their financial lives that men have had. Perhaps someone else had always made those decisions in the past and suddenly they’re making those decisions for the first time on their own.”

Finding an Outlet

Realizing Your Niche

Maura said she was born with an entrepreneurial streak a mile wide. As an inquisitive reporter in Vermont in the late 80s, she began a business buying and selling antiques. “That was my outlet on the side. I would go to auctions and buy things to resell in stores in Stowe and different tourist areas,” Maura said. At the time, writing was also her outlet. A Georgetown University graduate, Maura worked

After three years of being in business as Blue Spark Capital Advisors, which includes about 50 clients and up to $30 million of assets under management, Maura said it’s been successful beyond her expectations. She attributes it to working 20 hours per day when necessary, being fully committed, being authentic, and realizing who her target market is. “I raised a child on my own. I was divorced fairly early on in my marriage. My clients are women who have been widowed, divorced or are single and perhaps adopted a child, or never had children. They’re business owners. I have families and single men as well. But the niche really is — m aura griffin taking care of women,” Maura explained. “Women tend not to have the ease

“What drew me to journalism initially was being curious — wanting to know about lots of different things and that’s why I loved journalism.”

feature story: entrepreneur spotlight

for the Associated Press in Montpelier, Vt. “What drew me to journalism initially was being curious — wanting to know about lots of different things and that’s why I loved journalism. A lot of those skills translate — knowing how to research, knowing how to ask questions, knowing how to connect with people — that’s a large part of my job right now.”

Slight Detour Ahead

In the early 90s, Maura went to Czechoslovakia with the intention of staying for a few months before returning to the states to attend graduate school. She ended up staying for six years. She worked as a writer and editor, at first. The bulk of her time was spent on a business venture. “Four friends and I opened the Globe Bookstore and Coffeehouse in Prague. It still exists and is highly successful some 20 years later,” said Maura.

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“It was a time when Czechoslovakia was going through enormous changes. It was just before the split into Czech Republic and Slovakia. It was very early post-communist and they were new to everything. Americans could come in and if you had a brush with marketing or knew a little bit about journalism, it was more than they knew because they had been in a closed society for so long. So we saw there weren’t a lot of great bookstores or there was no bookstore coffeehouse and it was starting to become popular here, so we created this mix and people loved it.”

someone bewildered and unsure and not know what to do next and then to create a relationship of trust and see the appreciation that they have, it’s rewarding.” Maura explained that many people have difficulty talking about money issues. She is often the voice of reason for her clients. “Money is so wrapped up in emotion. Clients who have inheritances or are going through divorce can have guilt or anger associated to the money,” said Maura. “I help them validate the emotion, but help them to do smart things with the money.”

The Emotion of Money

There are some traits that can be recognized as entrepreneurial. Entrepreneurial thinking, spirit and mindset are also ways to describe the person who may display such traits. Maura said to be successful you need to have a lot of ideas and think

When asked what excites her about her work, Maura replied, “Every day is different and I love my clients.” She described her clients as friends. She cares about them and wants to help them. “To see

Seeing the Twist

“Clients who have inheritances or are going through divorce can have guilt or anger associated to the money. I help them validate the emotion, but help them to do smart things with the money.” — maura griffin

outside the box. “Part of it is seeing something that other people don’t see,” she explained. “The desire to see those ideas and to think, ‘Hey, I could do that, but with a little twist.’ Like what we did in Prague with the Globe. There were bookstores, but not for the backpackers coming through, or the students, who could trade books. Also no other bookstore was combined with a coffeehouse.” Maura said other essential traits are grit, instinct and gut feelings. “You also need to have a fairly thick skin because there’s going to be a lot of ups and downs and you’re going to have to power through the failure,” she said.

It Takes a Network

“None of us works individually,” Maura said. “It’s all about helping each other. That’s how business thrives, and honestly I think that’s one of the reasons for my success. “What I’ve found as a business owner, you work with people, you support people, and they support you, when

you like them and when you can communicate with them. With me, it can be men, but it’s often women.” When making referrals for an estate-planning lawyer, an insurance agent, a small business lawyer, or an accountant, Maura taps into her network that she’s built through attending women’s conferences and advisory groups. “I think women often can communicate in a very different style than men, and when we can support each other there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s like saying business owners from Philadelphia all get together,” Maura shared. Maura enjoys networking because it helps her business, her clients, and a new contact’s business as well. “There’s a women’s advisory conference I attend and in many ways it’s an instant bond, particularly with other women entrepreneurs with small companies. We get each other,” she said.

Tips to Spark Success: Maura’s Advice  for the Entrepreneur • Investigate the why. List why this idea could succeed and why it could fail, then decide to move on or not. • Read everything about your industry, associated industries and industries your clients may have been previously connected. • Imagine yourself in that business and get in the mindset of what it would be like. • Network to find out who is going to help support you and who you are going to help support. • Think about what’s next if your idea works out and what’s next after that.

Blue Spark employs five people, including fellow Georgetown graduate and Maura’s second cousin, Matt Carey, as partner. Maura keeps her work-life in balance as a devoted soccer mom (no business calls on the soccer fields) to her son, Calvin, who will attend Georgetown University next fall. She unplugs by practicing yoga and meditation and enjoying quality time with family and friends. Find Maura on the web series Consuelo Mack wealthtrack (wealthtrack.com), where she discusses money management strategies. She also appeared in the August 2014 issue of “USA Today” for earning the Women’s Choice Award for Financial Advisors.

• Find a mentor, which could be one person or the collective advice of a group. • Know the financial component, especially the profit and loss statement. • Understand your clients, research them, and look at the business through their eyes.

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entrepreneur spotlight: julia carrasquel ’12

by bill wells Director of Student Promotion

Necessity, the Founder of an Entrepreneur

don’t bother looking up her freshman year at Clark, she in her first semester, she made some “DormBoard” in a dictionary because came up with the idea during sketches of what she called it isn’t a word … yet. her 2011 – 12 postgraduate year at “DormBoard.” The class liked it, DormBoard is a small, attachable the Academy. so much so that Julia stayed with the bedside desk that was designed “I needed a DormBoard and idea and pitched it at an end-ofby Wilbraham & Monson Academy I couldn’t find one,” Julia explained. the-year function. Clark’s Dean of entrepreneur Julia Carrasquel ’12, “At the Academy, I was in a triple Students was in the audience, liked who serves as the structure’s sole and I was in a bunk bed. It was the idea, and gave Julia some money proprietor. annoying to get my phone and laptop to continue. “It was confusing to go to City every day. I actually tried to look “That’s when I thought, ‘OK, let’s Hall but this makes DormBoard for something (to buy) but I didn’t do this for real,’” Julia said. real, and I have the paper that find anything. I was in my Julia spent every week with an proves it,” said Julia, who is a junior entrepreneur class with Mrs. (Gayle) advisor at Clark going over a at Clark University. Hsiao and I talked to her about it. business plan, won more funds at an DormBoard attaches to a bed. It It was there I got the idea.” entrepreneur contest in Worcester, has a moveable arm and operates as Upon graduating from WMA, and shaped the business model as she a desk. It’s roughly 16" × 11" with Julia went to Clark, where she completed her sophomore year. drawers. When it’s not being used was again in need of a place to work “We worked on the final as a desk, it acts as a nightstand. on her laptop and store her design to have it professionally While Julia did take her big steps electronics while she worked on her made,” Julia said. toward creating DormBoard during bed. During an entrepreneur class Julia, who had previously created

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Facebook and Twitter accounts for DormBoard, launched her website (www.mydormboard.com) in July. Students staying for the summer at Clark tested DormBoard, which helped Julia with the final tweaks before mass production. Clark’s Admissions Office has already agreed to help market the idea to its students. Clark students will have the opportunity to purchase a DormBoard for approximately $50. Julia plans to expand to the other Worcester colleges next year before moving into the Boston market. “If all goes well, this will spread to other campuses,” Julia said. Julia is holding a fundraising campaign for DormBoard. To make a donation or to contact Julia, email juliacarrasquel@gmail.com.

entrepreneur spotlight: frank m. antonacci ’01

by bill wells Director of Student Promotion

Investing in a Dream Where Horse Racing and Marketing Meet has had his share of success on the racetrack competing in the U.S. Trotting Association, with his horses winning more than $1 million in each of his first nine seasons. Off the track, Frank has become one of the sport’s trendsetters, with his 2011 entrepreneurial idea now at the front of the association’s marketing and promotions plan. Family-owned Lindy Farms Racing Stable in Enfield, Conn., is in its third generation, with Frank taking over the training aspect of the racing team in 2005 while he was still a senior at Boston College. frank m. antonacci ’01

Frank changed the logo and racing colors, and set a new tone at the farm. He saw instant success with his horse, Crazed, becoming a world champion and pulling in more than $1 million. “The enthusiasm was growing at the farm,” said Frank, 30. “Mediocrity was unacceptable. We were trying to build a culture of winning and success.” Some of Frank’s friends invested in Crazed, and he noticed how much they enjoyed being connected and involved. This gave Frank an idea. He wanted to get people involved in the sport of harness racing from an ownership angle, but without the big money so often associated with horses. “The concept we came up with was to break the horse up into a share product, just like a public company,” explained Frank, who began

training horses when he was 13 years old. Frank established the Bourbon Slush Stable, where a person, for $500, could be 1/100 of an owner of a horse with no strings attached. He teased his idea through social media and email for a few weeks. He hoped to draw enough interest so 100 people could become part owner in his horse, Bourbon Slush. When he opened the portal so people could invest online, within six hours he not only had enough money to cover the cost of Bourbon Slush, but enough to purchase two more horses. “We were over-subscribed,” he said. “So we decided everyone would get divided up over the three horses, which gave everyone three horses to cheer for instead of one.” Interest in Lindy Farms exploded. Followers on the farm’s Facebook page climbed to 2,000; people started following Frank on Instagram; others sent his family birthday gifts. Frank was overwhelmed at the interest and support people, predominantly strangers, showed. He wanted to give something back, so he opened the doors to his farm … literally. “We put webcams in the stalls; we had family days at the farm,” Frank said. “It took on its own community: the Bourbon Slush Stable Community. They felt like they were part of this team. We sent them email and video updates. The people were enjoying the learning experience and feeling part of the racing family.” When the Bourbon Slush Stable concluded at the end of the 2013 racing season after two seasons, Lindy Farms didn’t make any money off Frank’s low-risk endeavor. However, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good design. In fact, the U.S. Trotting Association thought it was so good for the sport that it’s trying to implement the idea at every racetrack in the country. “I knew I wasn’t going to make any money at it, but I thought it was important to take a lead in the industry as a whole to show them that with some ingenuity and a lot of hard work, you can market the sport in a way that can be successful and bring new people into the business,” Frank said. Frank has trained three world champions and his horses have set eight track records. He’s married and has two children. He lives in Somersville, Conn.

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entrepreneur spotlight: fernando de zavala carvajal ’07

by fernando de zavala carvajal ’07

IntuuChina: Making Global Connections

▲ Fernando

de Zavala Carvajal ’07 (far right) works with young students and professionals in China.

China has had an average economic growth rate of more than 10 percent, accompanied by a very low unemployment rate. Given the western economic slowdown, this crucial factor led my partner and me to believe the Chinese labor market can contribute to the careers of many highly qualified young professionals who are currently unemployed or underemployed. This realization presented us with a unique business opportunity. With this in mind, we began to work on our business prototype. At the age of 23, and my partner 22, we opened a company in Hong Kong, headquartered in Shanghai, with the help of a new partner in Barcelona. Our goal was to advise young professionals who wished to leave their native country and join a profoundly different cultural market or students who wanted to study for their bachelor degree in China.

in the last decade,

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We began helping people find stimulating careers and university studies in Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong. After launching a very simple website, applications began pouring in for our business, IntuuChina (www.intuuchina.com). Today, we receive more than 550 applications per month. From those applications we make a preliminary selection based on Skype interviews, which allows us to get a better understanding of applicants’ professional abilities and aspirations and how they fit in a wide variety of sectors. We then put them in touch with potential employers and oversee the hiring process. Once this phase is concluded we assist them with acquiring visas and finding accommodations. Upon arrival in China, a “placement tutor” is assigned to them, who provides personal advice and constant support in the form of weekly seminars in various

professional backgrounds, Chinese classes and tutored assistance to various fairs and events helping them establish extensive networks. Since we began, we have integrated 140 young professionals and students into the Chinese labor market and universities. Among them, more than 80 percent have been offered full time employment, as there are many sectors where speaking Chinese is not required. Since our inception in 2012, our company has grown from two employees with a uniquely Spanish clientele to 10 employees servicing clients from 18 different countries. We are highly motivated and aim to generate a small community of “IntuuChinese” with their own identity who, over time, will become a platform for guidance and support to newcomers. Through regular exchange, shared information and direct contact with young people, I believe our greatest contribution has been the support

we provide in addressing and defining the career, future employment and the study possibilities of each person. We help them make a smooth transition into a new country and meet the high expectations that we’ve established in the Chinese labor market. China offers dynamic and diverse opportunities for professional development that Europe cannot provide. A good real life example is a client from Madrid who went from an entry level sales position in a Shanghai company to leading the department in just nine months,

receiving a salary of 2200 euros per month. There is great potential for well-prepared and creative foreigners who want to contribute to the exciting process of internationalization of Chinese companies wanting to look outside or international companies that want to establish themselves in China. These young people have a lot to offer and are in a unique position to grow, especially in areas related to marketing, international trade, design and finance. In terms of how WMA helped me, I believe

Advice for Young Entrepreneurs

important, if not more so, than identifying your meaningful to offer people and we immediately strengths. When you identify a weakness, develop a began work on a very basic website. As we began to plan that addresses what you can or can’t do about see results we realized that we had gained popularity it and you will get a good idea of the kind of people in universities with students who were struggling you need to surround yourself with. Entrepreneurs to access the business world. We began introducing sometime have a wide breadth of knowledge. The them to internship possibilities where they could talents an entrepreneur should find are people who really develop in their field and contribute to fill in any gaps and cover the lack of depth you might have in certain areas. This will allow you to play to your strengths but be careful if you’re focusing all your energy on something where you already strive. If you want to work in the corporate world sp e cialization is great, but if you want to be a successful entrepreneur you must be capable and familiar with every aspect of your business. This is why any venture is a good venture. ▲ Fernando de Zavala Carvajal ’07 being interviewed by media in China. A small venture gives you the opportunity to develop a broad vision where, if companies doing major work in China. Our initial idea you make mistakes they do not have disastrous grew and adapted into a full-fledged business plan consequences. They are expendable, allowing you to that we had proven can work and had tremendous become familiar with a process. And who knows? faith in so we moved forward and began approaching Maybe your small idea will grow into a Fortune investors. The wheels were in motion as our office 500 company! grew and we were able to move away from the daily My company, IntuuChina, which provides young operations and focus on the growth and expansion of students and professionals with opportunities in our company. China, started as a favor to friends who saw how I think this fluid, natural process is the best young students and professionals were thriving there route for both a successful business and personal and wanted to know how they could do the same. fulfillment, and it all starts from simple, My partner and I realized that we had something small ideas.

Having been given a lot of good advice in my life, and some bad, I would be happy to share what has worked for me with WMA students. Mainly, stay calm, enroll in some classes of the CEGS and always move forward. WMA is, without a doubt, the right place for a future entrepreneur! A lot of people look at companies like Apple or Starbucks and think “I could never build something like that” and they’d be right because these companies didn’t start as massive undertakings to change the world. They started in garages and dorm rooms from people who used the skills they had to create something … anything that people might want. The most successful ideas are those that occur naturally from a desire to create something useful or serve your fellow man. When you begin working from a genuine personal desire, your motivation isn’t reliant on anyone else and the odds of crashing become significantly smaller. Start small and make mistakes. If you own a lemonade stand and invest in bad lemons, you learn quality control. If you cut the grass for your neighbors and your partner mows over the rose bushes, you learn character assessment. Better to learn these lessons now than after you’ve invested everything you own. These lessons are extremely valuable and will show you that failure is a made-up word. No one can define failure for you and you should see it as a motivator. When you think you’ve “failed,” distance yourself from the situation and seriously evaluate what you did right and what you did wrong. Identifying your weaknesses is just as

my experience in the Center for Entrepreneurial & Global Studies (CEGS) was crucial, through studying and experiencing real life business situations. Under the leadership of great teachers like Melissa Donohue, I was able to debunk business in a revealing way, and this gave me more confidence in my capacity to create and run a business. Probably without my experience at WMA, I would never have had the self-trust in my business abilities. I am extremely grateful for the two years I spent at that great Academy.

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by deanna roux Director of Communications

alumni in action: lindsey leduc ’00

A Global Scholar’s Tale of Gratitude looking for her big break sat on a curb across the street from her dream company, Giordano Dance Chicago. Gazing up at the giant banners that hung from the towering light posts, she admired the dancers’ photos and thought to herself, “I’m going to get into that company.” In a surreal moment, Lindsey Leduc ’00 found herself standing in that same spot many years later. It was time to say goodbye to a place that became her home, filled with family. As she stood there reminiscing in her mind, she was satisfied knowing that she accomplished what she set out to do; that she was leaving on a high note; that she was, as her dad, Tom Leduc, put it, “opening a spot for a young dancer and allowing another dad to feel the pride” that he had felt for her; and that it was her photo now gracing the banners high on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue. This is only one experience Lindsey attributes to the solid foundation she gained during her five years at Wilbraham & Monson Academy. Here, Lindsey shares the stories of her start, her path and the support she received along the way.

a determined, hopeful dancer

Presenting…12-year-old Lindsey Leduc

“I was dancing with Terri Gordon, owner of Mass Motion Dance, since I was 2 years old. In 1995 her daughter, Irada (Djelassi ’96), was attending WMA. Terri was getting involved with the Academy more and they started talking about their interest in dance. At the time, they had a strong theater program with ARC, but no dance program. Using her best dancers, Terri put together a lecture demonstration to present what a dance program could look like at the Academy and how it would be structured. As a 12-year-old, I was in the senior company, along with Irada, and we participated in the lec-dem.”

First Impressions

“When I arrived on campus I was so impressed. I actually talked to my parents about attending a school like that for dance, but we weren’t able to afford it. We showcased all the different disciplines of dance. The families of the dancers were invited and we put on this great show for the school administration. Afterward I was up in the Mattern parking lot with my parents getting ready to leave and we heard someone calling my name. It was Rebecca Bouchard and Richard Malley,

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the Director of Admission and the Head of School at the time. They congratulated me on my performance and asked me what I thought of the Academy. I told them how amazing it was!”

Opportunity Knocking

“Four days later, I received a T-shirt and an application in the mail along with handwritten notes from both Rebecca Bouchard and Richard Malley that read, ‘We’d love to see you on campus in the fall.’ It was so exciting for so many reasons! My parents ended up meeting with them and explained that I would love the opportunity, but we just weren’t in the market for a private school. Later on that summer someone contacted us offering substantial tuition assistance though a Trustee scholarship. I ended up attending the Academy from eighth grade through my senior year. We received a lot of help. We were all so excited for the future!”

Getting an Education

“The education I had up to that point was not at all advanced and entering eighth grade at Wilbraham & Monson Academy I was completely out of my element. I would go home every day and cry. Math was much more than times tables; my older brother would help me with algebra. I had reading for research classes where I wrote a

22-page paper as an eighth grader! The most I had ever written until that point was a one-page book report. It was so overwhelming.”

Building Academic Confidence

“I didn’t do very well but everyone was so patient with me. They never made me feel bad or treated me like I wasn’t good enough. And no one ever let me fail. The biggest achievement of my young life was making the honor roll. I made it once in my senior year. You would have thought I won the lottery. I was so excited. After five years I finally felt like I knew what I was doing and I knew what I was talking about. Looking back, it was a long journey and I was so supported.”

It’s Showtime

“The interest in me was my dancing. They wanted to start this dance program and how great to have this young dancer, who’s already trained, to be a part of it. That would be attractive to other students who maybe wouldn’t be attracted to the school otherwise. That was great for a few years and in my junior year we lost our instructor halfway through. I said, ‘I think I could do this for you; I could teach classes.’ And that’s what I did. I taught everyday and put a show together. I choreographed and helped other students choreograph as well. We did ‘Cabaret’ that year.”

photo credit: gorman cook

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alumni in action: lindsey leduc ’00

He was the coach and encouraged me to try Making the Connection something new. Many times I had to stay overnight “One thing that was very different for me going on campus and Becky Bouchard would help to the Academy was I would get connected to these make arrangements. I would sleep in the girls’ dorm people and then they would just disappear; some or with Mr. Getty’s family. He was the Dean of students would come for a PG year or just for senior or freshman year. Most people grow up with Students at the time and was very good to me. He supported me being able to continue my education the same group of students and they’re excited about getting back together with their high school at the Academy. I would stay with Rebecca Bouchard sometimes, too. She was also my friends during the holidays and breaks. My high advisor. It was a very supportive group of people school friends are all over the world; we don’t I had around me.” all come home and meet up at the local bar. It prepared me well for the industry I’m in, though. Prep School Payoff Being an artist is very gypsy, you work with people very intensely for a certain amount of time “When it was time to graduate, I didn’t apply to many schools. I ended up getting accepted and then you move on with life.” into Hofstra University. It reminded me of the charming Wilbraham campus. I loved it! Support Group But I was terrified of the thought that what “Becky Bouchard and Richard Malley had happened in my first year at Wilbraham would the most influence on me during my time at the happen again. I was afraid of failing. Because Academy. Not only did they pull me out of all I ever cared about was dance, I never thought the Mattern parking lot, but we continued to I would have cared so much about my academics. have a close relationship throughout my years at But I realized I did care about my investment the school. I even played tennis for Mr. Malley.

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and all the work I had done. I was so proud. Then in my freshman year at Hofstra I made the Dean’s List. The following year I was a student teacher. That’s what the Academy did for me.”

Roll the Credits

“Because of where I came from and then the person I ended up being by the time I graduated, I always put in my bio for gigs: ‘At 13 years old she became a Trustee Scholar at Wilbraham & Monson Academy for her dance ability, exposing her to knowledge and cultural diversity that shaped and inspired her.’ If only I could have articulated that at the time to the Trustees who gave me this huge opportunity. I guess that’s what comes with getting older. I certainly feel so much appreciation now and know how lucky I was to be given such a gift.” Lifelong residents of the once-booming mill town of Southbridge, Mass., Regina and Tom Leduc are two extremely proud parents. But more than that, they are grateful for that fateful day when their daughter’s dancing talent was noticed. “Sometimes when kids are recruited, they are just used up in a sense, but Lindsey was cared for and nurtured and given so many opportunities,”

Regina said. “The Trustees who gave her the scholarship really changed how her life turned out because she wouldn’t have had these same experiences after high school either,” added Tom. If you walk along Faculty Street toward the Athletic Center, you can find Lindsey’s senior stone where it was placed 15 years ago during the Commencement ceremony of the Class of 2000. It reads simply, “Thank you.”

Lindsey graduated cum laude from Hofstra University with a B.A. in Dance and Community Health. She earned her Actors Equity performing off-Broadway, attended Giordano Dance School on scholarship, was promoted to Giordano II and performed with Giordano Dance Chicago for seven years. Lindsey has performed, choreographed, and taught master classes nationally and internationally. She has also been on faculty at The Joffrey Academy of Dance and serves as an adjudicator and master teacher for premiere international dance competitions. Lindsey has served as judge for the Lifetime series “Dance Moms,” was featured on the cover of “Dance Magazine,” and is currently on faculty at Boston University.

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Lindsey teaching master class at World-Class Talent Experience.

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alumni in action: anthony gulluni ’99

by bill wells Director of Student Promotion

Taking It to the People New District Attorney for Hampden County Vows to Raise Funds for Public Safety anthony gulluni ’99 was sworn in as District Attorney for Hampden County Jan. 7, and the 1999 Wilbraham & Monson Academy graduate isn’t wasting any time making a difference to the people he serves. “For the last two-thirds of my speech, I talked about how I felt a responsibility to my predecessors, family and friends, community and voters,” Anthony said. With 600 family, friends and public officials in attendance, Anthony was sworn in as the youngest DA in Hampden County history by Mark Mastroianni, the county’s former District Attorney and Anthony’s previous boss. Anthony beat three opponents in a Democratic Primary in September, and since no Republicans were on the ticket, he was easily voted into the position in November on Election Day. The swearing in ceremony was held at Old First Church in January in Anthony’s lifelong hometown of Springfield. “Standing on a stage at a beautiful venue with several hundred people there, it was amazing,” Anthony recalled. “There was an acute sense of the responsibility I was taking on with the formality of that particular event. To have my predecessor, who is now a federal judge, swear me in really lent a sense of gravity to the whole proceedings. “It was a special day and I was pleased with how it played out.” That day, though, is over, and now it’s time for Anthony and his staff to get to work on being the top cop in Hampden County, which serves 465,000 people, including the Academy. After his staff adjusts to the transition period, Anthony’s going to do all he can to raise as many funds for his office as possible. “The biggest initiative I will take on is our community outreach has to be grown,” Anthony explained. “We have our foundation of trial lawyers and the work we do in the courtroom is pretty consistent and unchanging. The work I want to do outside the courtroom will take some

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creativity and some additional resources. “We’re historically underfunded as an office in comparison to other offices across the Commonwealth. I’m going to work as hard as I can, and that’s only a job I can do. Only I can go to the state senators and state representatives and show them the numbers and comparisons to other offices. That’s a critical piece of my job and one of my primary responsibilities right now so we can make sure we have the funds to do the work and protect the people of Hampden County and do the community outreach that

those combat veterans as soon as they come into the system upon their arraignment, and of course if there’s something not terribly serious, we’ll take those cases out of the regular stream of court cases and treat those veterans dealing with mental health issues. Instead of addressing the crime, we’ll address the root of the problem, which is their mental health,” Anthony said. “Hopefully we can address the cause and never see these people again. It’s important that I, being in this position, consider the sacrifice and investment of these people to our country and the

I think will have an impact on public safety.” Part of that public outreach will include the topic of mental health. Anthony is hoping to receive grant money to go toward protecting people who suffer from mental illness from being abused. “We want to get some money, hopefully, so we can use it to help educate those people who have mental disabilities how to identify when they are being abused,” he said. “You have problems when people don’t understand how they are supposed to be treated. “Law enforcement has to step up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.” Also in the mental health field, Anthony wants to help veterans who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder who have committed a crime. Anthony is taking the lead from the Soldier On Program in neighboring Hampshire County. “I think in practical terms, we need to identify

way in which we deal with them. It’s a sort of responsibility we have to work with veterans if they hit a rough patch after they are done serving.” The Academy served Anthony well in his postgraduate year, with WMA helping him build the platform that launched him into the position he holds today. “The Academy provided me with the first layers of my foundation,” Anthony said. “I learned so much about myself in the relatively short time I spent there, but I met so many quality people and I realized my capabilities there by being pushed by the curriculum and being around so many peers who were motivated and had ideas of what they wanted to do in life. They were ambitious young people. I hadn’t been immersed in that before that. To be immersed in a situation where there were so many ambitious, smart people of my own age motivated me. I really wanted to see what I could do. It was a transformation period for me. I carry that with me.”

by bill wells Director of Student Promotion

alumni in action: rick bennett ’86

The Postgraduate Trajectory Taking a Year to Attend WMA Sets Student Up for Long-term Hockey Success was at a crossroads following his graduation from a local public high school. His options were limited. “Either I was going into construction, the service, or do a year at a prep school to play hockey and see where that could lead me,” Rick explained. “I had a lot of help along the way to get into Wilbraham & Monson, so it worked out that I went the prep school route.” And that route from Wilbraham & Monson Academy has led to years of success for Rick, including his Union College men’s hockey team winning the NCAA Division I title. rick bennett ’86

Behind the guidance of former WMA College Counselor Judith Roberts, Rick attended Providence College following his postgraduate year at the Academy. PC wasn’t one of his top choices, but Mrs. Roberts encouraged him to attend. He did so, where he was later taken in the 1990 National Hockey League Draft by the New York Rangers following a stellar four-year career playing for the Friars in the mighty Hockey East. “She was so helpful in helping me get into Providence College,” said Rick, who still keeps in touch with Mrs. Roberts. “Providence College was #30 on my list of colleges to pick from. I can’t thank her enough. Through all the years, she was the person from WMA who helped me the most.” After five years of bouncing back and forth between the NHL and minor league hockey, Rick became interested in coaching and

accepted a player-coach position in the Eastern Coast Hockey League. “I really liked it and it led to where I am today,” Rick said. Today, Rick is enjoying his 10th season at Union College, a Division I hockey giant despite the school enrolling just 2,250 students and being Division III in all of its other sports. Rick’s Dutchmen went on a remarkable season-ending run in 2013–14, capped by a 7–4 win over Minnesota in the Division I final. It was Union’s first NCAA title in any sport since 1929. “I think the word surreal is used too much, but it was like going to an amusement park as a five-year-old, and you come home and you’re so excited about what just happened,” Rick said. “It was a tremendous experience, and to live that with the players … the players are the ones who play the game, and they’re the ones who won it. It was a remarkable experience to be a part of that.”

Union’s success, though, has offered a new set of challenges for the 2014–15 team. However, Rick’s transition from his public school, Classical High in Springfield, to the Academy had him prepared for the adjustment. “The world has changed as far as winning a national championship,” Rick admitted. “There are more expectations now, but those are what you put upon yourself. We’ve gone through that the first half of the year, our coaching staff included. We have to stick to our basic game plan. What happened last year can take you out of that. We’ve learned to keep it on the same level as we have before. “Again, that was another lifechanging experience, similar to my time of going from Classical to Wilbraham & Monson — it takes a while to get used to. But if you’re grounded and humble I think you can get through it.”

alumni in action: wilson brother legacy

by bill wells Director of Student Promotion

A Father Prepares His Son for Greatness

Lessons Learned at the Academy ▲ t op

left Ben Wilson ’69W, uncle of Russell Wilson

t op right Harrison B. Wilson III ’73, Russell Wilson’s father

bottom left John Wilson ’76, uncle of Russell Wilson

b ottom right Richard Wilson ’81, uncle of Russell Wilson

in his commercial for Levi’s, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson talks about how his dad “helped shape” his life and how his dad “helped change” his life. Russell Wilson’s dad is Harry Wilson III ’73, whose life was shaped and changed at Wilbraham & Monson Academy. “Harry knew quickly Russell had this exceptional ability,” said Russell Wilson’s uncle, Ben ’69W. “It must have been like being the mother of Whitney Houston. Harry really prepared Russell — how to handle an interview; how to handle tough questions; how to be a leader; how to overcome mistreatment and win anyway. Harry learned those lessons at the Academy. “Harry loved Wilbraham, loved his classmates, loved his teachers, and it was a big deal for us.”

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Ben Wilson was the first of the four Wilson brothers (Ben ’69W, Harry ’73, John ’76 and Richard ’81) to attend the Academy. Ben’s parents, teachers at Jackson State University in Mississippi in the mid-1960s, learned Wilbraham Academy was looking for black boys to attend the school. In August of 1965, a spot opened up when an international student decided not to enroll weeks before classes were to begin. The Wilsons took the spot and sent their oldest son north. “I give my parents a lot of credit,” Ben explained. “We were a close family. For them to say they were going to send their son away to school, at age 14, was tough, especially during those times. But they saw Wilbraham as a chance for me to measure myself against other boys to see just how good I really was. “After I started going, my brothers wanted to go. They had the inside track. At that point, they had a sense of what it’s like. That was a fascinating time.” And the Wilsons were fascinating teenagers. They excelled as student-athletes, so much so they all went on to play football at Dartmouth College. Ben said playing sports was, and still is, “invaluable. You learn to play as part of a team, which is always a good thing. And athletic skills are transferable to other areas.” Also notable athletically, Ben and Harry played on New England basketball championship teams their senior years. “What Wilbraham provided was an opportunity to show our intellectual and athletic ability, an opportunity to develop that, and an opportunity to test it against others,” Ben said proudly of his alma mater. “I think that’s the crux of it. Wilbraham meant a lot to us.” Ben said it was believed throughout the family that Harry was the best athlete amongst the four boys. WMA English Department Chair Tim Harrington ’73 played football at WMA with Harry, who was nicknamed “Super Bee.” “He was one of the most gifted athletes I had a chance to play with or against,” Mr. Harrington said. “He was a star wide receiver, he was the sixth man on the basketball team that won the New England title in 1973, and he was the starting shortstop his four years here. He was probably as good of a baseball player as he was a football player.” “There was nothing Harry couldn’t do athletically,” Ben added. “Harry had great body control. Sports are a combination of power and force, and then you have to switch to finesse. Most people can do one or the other, but he could do both.” Russell Wilson can sure do both as well. He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles after high school and by the Colorado Rockies during college for baseball, as well as by Seattle for football. Russell chose the NFL, and led Seattle

to its first Super Bowl in franchise history Feb. 2, 2014, with the Seahawks beating the Denver Broncos 43–8. One of Russell’s greatest memories from the Super Bowl season came at the NFC Championship. At the game, Ben bumped into former San Francisco 49ers Coach George Seifert, who coached at Cornell University in the mid-1970s. “I asked Coach Seifert if he remembered Russell’s dad, Harry, who was a wide receiver at Dartmouth,” Ben said. “Coach Seifert said, ‘Yes, five catches, 95 yards, two touchdowns.’ He remembered! “I told Russell. He was so happy Coach Seifert remembered his dad. You didn’t know Russell had just won the game that leads to the Super Bowl. It meant a lot to him that Coach Seifert remembered his dad.” Harry was ill for a number of years and died from diabetes in 2010. He never saw Russell play in the NFL. Ben hosted a party at his house during the 2012 NFL Draft, where he was able to share Russell’s special moment. Ben has shared a number of special moments with his nephew, before and after Harry’s death. Ben, though, made sure his relationship with Russell always stayed the same. “I never tried to be Russell’s father,” Ben said. “I tried to be a good uncle. He had a great father.” Russell

Wilson with his uncle Ben Wilson ’69W and aunt Merinda.

“He (Harry) was one of the most gifted athletes I had a chance to play with or against … He was probably as good of a baseball player as he was a football player.” — t im harrington ’73

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by jonathan sperling ’57w

we remember

Nitya Pibulsonggram ’59W A Tribute to Nitya Pibulsonggram ’59W: Ambassador, Trustee, and Friend nitya pibulsonggram, Wilbraham Class of 1959 was a close friend of mine for more than 49 years. I first met Nid, as his friends knew him, in September 1955 when I came to Wilbraham. At that time Wilbraham was the school of choice for Thai Students studying in the U.S.; it was chosen because the Thai Ambassador to the U.N. and the U.S., Pote Sarasin ’25W, had attended many years before. Nid was the youngest son of Marshall Plaek Pibulsonggram and his wife, Thanphuying La-iad. Marshall Pibulsonggram was and remains an important figure in Thai history having been one of the leaders of the revolution who changed Siam from an Absolute Monarchy to a nation with a constitution. He also modernized Thai society and changed the name of the country to Thailand. Marshall Pibulsonggram was Prime Minister from 1938 to 1944 and again from 1948 to 1957. At Wilbraham, Nid was an outstanding student as well as the Academy’s leading tennis player. But it wasn’t just sports and studies that occupied his time. He was also quite adept at cooking noodles, a Thai staple not found in the dining hall, with an immersion coil in his room. This was not a very clandestine matter as the pungent Thai fish sauce, Nam Pla, was generously dispensed when the noodles were served. One could smell it from one end of the fourth floor of Rich Hall to the other. The Thai students always spent holidays at the Thai Embassy in Washington, DC, and on one occasion I was invited to join. They maintained a nightclub in the Embassy basement complete with a Jazz group made up of college students and fuelled by trips to junk food takeout establishments such as Hot Shoppes or McDonalds. Wilbraham sent one student per year to Dartmouth College and Nid went up to Hanover in 1959. Bill Danforth ’56W convinced Nid to join his fraternity Kappa Kappa Kappa, which was located next to my own fraternity house, so I saw Nid on many occasions during our time in Hanover. He then went on to obtain an M.A.

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at Brown and married Pat, a Rhode Island School of Design student, shortly thereafter. She was not only an extremely talented woman, but she also provided invaluable support to Nid throughout his career. I made contact with Nid once again in 1970 when I was posted to Thailand by the U.S. Agency for International Development and he was a diplomat starting his career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Pat and my ex-wife, Nancy, (who was also a foreign service officer with USAID) hit it off from the start and we all had many wonderful times together during my five and a half years there. In addition to regular Saturday afternoon tennis games in his compound that were invariably won by Nid and his partners, Nid, Pat, Nancy and I would play bridge from time to time. These games were the venue for some quite enlightening discussions which really opened my eyes to different ways of looking at politics and economics. On one occasion I condemned corruption roundly and Nid pointed out that if a corrupt transaction resulted in investment in a productive enterprise, ▼ Nitya

one that would not otherwise have occurred, it might have a positive economic effect. Corruption is bad when the transaction leads to an overly expensive investment or the people of the country suffer. He pointed out a balanced Ph.D. dissertation on the subject to me and my views since then have been informed by this very complicated discussion. Through a conversation over cards, Nid provided me with a life lesson: there are very complex outcomes to human interactions and one should be wary of passing judgment without thorough analysis. In addition to renting fishing boats for overnight adventures to quiet islands in the Gulf of Thailand and car trips to the nature reserve at Khao Yai where we ended a long hike through the forest by picking leeches off of each other’s legs, Nid and Pat would host visits to their beach house north of Hua Hin. This house had been the refuge for Burmese President U Nu when he was overthrown in 1952 and for whom Nid’s father provided sanctuary. Nid’s decisiveness was demonstrated when, at one of these gatherings, he opened a shutter and it crashed to the ground.

Pibulsonggram ’59W with a wax figure of his father, historical Thai figure Marshall Pibulsonggram, at Madame Tussauds in Bangkok.

He then planned and built a new eco-friendly house as a replacement, which was years ahead of its time. It was at one of these excursions that Pat earned a world beating Scrabble score by entering “quahogs” on a triple word square using all seven letters and earning 143 points. Nid quieted the protests in his best diplomatic way by convincing the Aussies present that a quahog was an essential part of the New England diet. While I was in Bangkok Nid joined his Foreign Minister in opening relations with China and participated in negotiations with a North Vietnamese delegation that turned up shortly after the fall of Saigon to claim a number of planes that the South Vietnamese air force had flown to Thailand. Nid was Ambassador to the U.S. between 1996 and 2000. While serving, he advanced the interests of Thailand and maintained excellent relations with the U.S. while running a large and complicated Embassy, which is akin to running a corporation. He was an excellent manager as well as an astute diplomat. He was a strong supporter of WMA and served on the Board of Trustees for a number of years. He was active in fundraising for the Academy and he and Pat were generous of both their time and treasure in supporting the school. He delivered a wonderful eulogy at the memorial service for former Head of School Gray Mattern. Nid subsequently served as Permanent Secretary of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then as Foreign Minister between 2006 and 2008. He passed away far too soon on May 25, 2014 at the age of 72. His funeral was sponsored by the Royal Family and attended by over 1,000 people. WMA should be proud to have been a contributor to the making of this extraordinary person whose astute and masterful diplomacy led to many advances in Thai-U.S. relations, as well as between Thailand and many other nations. His empathy, the core skill for a good diplomat, was evident in all he did, as was his excellence in working with people. WMA has lost a fast friend and valuable supporter.

Nitya

Pibulsonggram ’59W, with his wife Patricia, in his office during his time as Foreign Minister.

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by timothy harrington ’73 English Department Chair

we remember

Galway Kinnell ’44W Memoriam for a Poet, Pulitzer Prize Winner, Activist and Teacher Wilbraham alumnus and celebrated poet Galway Kinnell ’44W died from leukemia at his farmhouse in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. He was 87 years old. Without doubt, Galway was one of the great literary voices of our age, and his range was impressive. He was a poet of both the city and country. He wrote great visionary national poems that are epic in scope, such as “The Avenue Bearing the Initial of Christ into the New World” and “When the Towers Fell” — two powerful and ambitious New York poems that address the landscape of the city at very different times and in very different terms. He also wrote about Vermont and the woods; he was quintessentially New England. And he also wrote very intimate poems about love, death, family and fatherhood. During his long and productive career, he published a dozen books of poetry, translated such greats as Francois Villon and Rainer Maria Rilke, edited “The Essential Whitman,” was awarded a MacArthur Foundation grant (the so-called “genius” grant), received a Pulitzer Prize and won a National Book Award. He has been published in “Poetry,” “The Paris Review” and the “New Yorker” among others. He was a graduate of Princeton University (after a stint in the U.S. Navy) where he was a good friend of poet W.S. Merwin. He also earned a graduate degree from Rochester. Reflecting his connection to the great state of Vermont, he was named Poet Laureate of Vermont, a title held previously only by Robert Frost. Galway was very proud of this distinction and apparently took this position and role very seriously and not just as an honorary position. He took it upon himself to advocate for poetry, spreading the idea of poetry and access to it in school visits and readings throughout the state. But his literary CV, as impressive as it is, does not really do justice to the person Galway was. He was a political activist who was personally involved in the Civil Rights Movement and the protests against the Vietnam War and the Iraq War. this past october,

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He was also a teacher — he was the co-founder of the New York University writing program in the early 1980s and, after teaching at a number of universities, returned to NYU in 1991 as the Erich Maria Remarque Professor of Creative Writing until he retired in 2005. But before all of that, he was a student at Wilbraham Academy. And what does future greatness look like in high school? It turns out it looks like many of our students, both current and past. Galway was at the Academy for two years. He went to school meetings, waited on tables in the dining hall when it was his turn, lived in Rich Hall, walked up the Hill for classes, and then walked down the Hill for sports. He was Art Editor of the 1944 edition of “Del Todo” (the yearbook) and he was a member of the student council. He wrote a column for “Atlas,” the student newspaper. And he was Vice President of his class. His senior superlative was “best bluffer.” In 2011, I was invited up to the old farmhouse

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where Galway lived with his wife Bobbie Bristol in Sheffield, Vt. to interview him in his “office” in the back of a shed with a wood stove, his dogs and a big window facing the Connecticut River Valley and the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We talked about a lot of things — certainly poetry and literature — but mostly we talked about the Academy and what that experience was like. We both had Roger Lincoln as our senior English teacher in the basement of Old Academy and we both had played football and baseball on Corbin Field. One of the things Galway was most proud of was his ability to hit a baseball. Apparently, as baseball scouts would say, he had a lot of “pop” in his bat. In fact, he was known as “Casey” during his years as a student at the Academy (from one of the best known poems in American literature, “Casey at the Bat”). Galway never forgot Wilbraham Academy. It was the place that launched him into the life he lived, that allowed him to become the person

left Young “Casey” Kinnell in his senior year at the Academy, along with some of his teammates, wielding a first baseman’s mitt.

“I cannot imagine a time when Galway’s poetry won’t be a part of the Academy English curriculum.” — t im harrington ’73

he became. He felt blessed to have been plucked from the mills and factories of Pawtucket, R.I. by Charles Greenhalgh, then a trustee of the Academy, and given the opportunity to attend Wilbraham on scholarship. The course of his life changed and he was very grateful. He repaid the debt over and over again. He returned in the early 1980s when his critically acclaimed “Selected Poems” was about to be published to reunite with his high school mentor Mr. Lincoln and give a reading of his work — he read “The Bear” and “Fergus Falling” (about his son) among other poems. The book that won the Pulitzer and the National Book Award is dedicated to Mr. Lincoln (a fact I remind my English students whenever I get the chance). He returned again about ten years ago shortly after his “New Selected Poems” was published to give another reading and to meet with students and talk about poetry. I cannot imagine a time when Galway’s poetry won’t be a part of the Academy English curriculum. I remember reading his poetry in the 1970s and I have taught several of his poems in my English class, most notably “The Bear” and “Blackberry Eating” — two of his most visceral poems that are, therefore, very accessible to high school students. The day his death was announced in the papers, I received a series of texts and emails from friends and colleagues. He had made a big impression at this school over the years and the sense of loss was palpable. To say the least, “there was no joy in Mudville.” The next day in school meeting, students read three poems about time and memory: “Promissory Note,” “Memories of My Father” and “The Man Splitting Wood in the Daybreak.” We talked about connections, particularly to place.

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Galway Kinnell ’44W at his home in Vermont.

The last time Galway returned to the Academy was in 2011 as the commencement speaker. In the great tradition of commencement speeches, he offered several pieces of sage advice to the Class of 2011; among the nuggets were: 1. “Don’t waste time (except when it is exquisitely pleasurable to do so).” 2. “Have great ambitions, but don’t ever think that success justifies everything.” 3. “Be aware of the suffering of others, as well as your own, and learn all you can from it.” — a ll great words by which to live.

But he said something that particularly struck home for me. He said: “If you are ever able to give help to someone in a way that might transform his or her life, as Charles Greenhalgh did for me, understand that you may never know how it all turned out, and you may never be thanked, but you must do it if you possibly can.” This speaks to the calling of every teacher and educator. And as long as there is an Academy in Wilbraham, it speaks to the mission of this school.

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by teddy ryan Director of Marketing

global travel: student trips

Experiential Learning by Way of Travel 1

1 T he Blues and Royals calvary regiment is seen during a British Army training session in England. 2 N ora Harrington ’13 in Cambodia photo credit: sarah goolishian ’13

journeyed to a faraway land, sampled unfamiliar foods, or have been immersed in foreign cultures, you already understand what a student can experience while attending Wilbraham & Monson Academy. This school year alone, students have traveled to Washington, DC, Miami, Cambodia and England, with more trips planned for the remainder of the 2014–2015 academic year. This summer, students will also travel to the Amazon, Namibia and France. WMA’s travel opportunities offer various educational themes depending on the desires of the student. The trip to Washington, DC, focused on American history and government, while students who spent a long weekend in Miami studied art and design. Culture, the study of non-governmental organizations and the history of the civil war and genocide were the heart of the Cambodia excursion. Travel through the Hubbard Grant shares an exchange with students from Plymouth College in England. Students going to the Amazon will see firsthand the intricate relationships between farmers, native Indian tribes, if you have ever

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frontiersman, the governing body, and businesses all trying to find a balance between development and preservation of the rainforest. Travelers going to Namibia will have the opportunity to study cheetah conservation while also doing service work alongside the Himba tribe and Namibian students. Coinciding with the new interdisciplinary track of Fashion Design at WMA, the trip to France will focus on the art of design, cultural immersion, and the business of fashion. “One of the things we’ve done well in the past and that we should keep doing is going to countries that do things better than we do,” said Wally Swanson, Director of CEGS and Global Advancement. “For example, going to Korea and being humbled by their ubiquitous Wi-Fi network and subway systems that work, or maybe going to Scandinavia or other places — that creates a good lesson for kids.” There is only so much of The Global School’s® mission that can be accomplished in Wilbraham, Mass. By making travel opportunities available for our students, we are teaching valuable skill sets that will further their development

and growth as young adults to become global citizens and leaders. Upon graduating from the Academy, our students will be entering a global marketplace, a competitive environment for college admission and future employment. Their skill sets are what must set them apart. They are prepped academically for travel through reading and journal reflection, but it is experiential learning and cultural engagement that creates an understanding and comfort level of being a foreigner in a new place and working with people different from yourself. Further, it instills a notion of empathy between our domestic and international students and builds relationships with faculty members who run the trips. These experiences will make lasting impacts and connections to last a lifetime. One of the goals will be to expand the travel program and learning beyond the classroom to more students. “We’d

like to go in a direction where we are able to offer more students the opportunity to go abroad,” said Head of School Brian Easler. The Global Scholars program (a merit-based scholarship opportunity) allows one trip per year, while another group, the newly-created Global Leaders program, will follow an opt-in/Eagle Scout format with projects and tasks to be completed in order to become eligible to travel with WMA. “We are actively seeking ways in which we can take the student travel experience, that for a while has been focused on a limited number of kids, and broaden it within the student body, creating more opportunities.” Of course, there are also budgetary restrictions that can limit the number of trips offered and how often. In order to expand on these travel programs, additional funding will be needed to have a greater impact on the entire student body.

3 Adrianne Hanson ’10 strikes a yoga tree pose in the Himalayas. 4 Chris Glabicky ’11 in Morocco 5 Peter Nagle ‘14 greets young students in Haiti.

6 Jessica Smith ’14, Ashley Imbriano ’14, former faculty member Caroline Burke and Kristin Reeves ’14 visited the Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sofia and the Grand Bazaar while in Turkey. 7 WMA visits the Netherlands

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by teddy ryan Director of Marketing

global travel: student trips

The Amazon: To the Last Frontier stems from a pre-9/11 phone call. Head of School Brian Easler’s friend from his U.S. Army Ranger days, John Cain Carter, had moved to Brazil, married a Brazilian woman, and purchased a ranch. “He called me on his satellite phone after it was repaired following parrots eating through the cables, and he said, ‘Brian, you gotta get down here, this is the last frontier.’ He said there’s never going to be anything like this ever again,” Mr. Easler recalled. The timing was perfect, as Mr. Easler and his wife had been invited to visit a former advisee, Marcello Muller ’01, who lived with his family in Brazil. They traveled to the Southern Hemisphere to spend a week with the Muller family, and then onward to the Arc of Fire to personally experience the last frontier. They were able to visit with Indians and travel around the region to see what was happening. Fast-forward a few years later, when Mr. Easler gathered with friends in Nashville to celebrate John’s 40th birthday. Between conversations of the first visit and talk of WMA, “It was kind of like Reese’s Peanut Butter the idea of a trip to the amazon

▼ Max

Rankin ’12 walks with two Kamayura children photography by: sarah goolishian ’13

Cups,” Mr. Easler said. He called it an accidental joining of an amazing educational opportunity — to see a frontier and the beginnings of cities when they are just a dirt intersection and a gas station — to be able to bring students to a place where colonization is just beginning. “This incredible intersection between environmental conservation and human progress” is how the Amazon trip was born. It was a risk, as no school had ever done anything like this before. The risk was worth the opportunity and eventual reward.

When the Asphalt Comes, the Trees Go Away

In many ways, asphalt in Brazil is the measure of human progress. It’s not that the trees disappear completely, but it illustrates the beginnings of modern civilization. Asphalt indicates predictability and continuity. Without asphalt, many roads are impassable during the rainy season, which usually runs six months out of the year. The WMA trip is intentionally planned for the height of the dry season, in mid-July. It means a less-buggy experience and the fishing is decent, with lower water levels. Students can truly engage with the environment. They work to provide for themselves during the day. Mr. Easler refers to it as roughing it easy. The first leg of the trip, the group is out experiencing the jungle. They get dirty, traipsing through mud that can be almost waist-high with no showers available. At night, they return to a lodge with electricity and a cook prepares their meals. The second leg is much more organic. The group lives with the first of two Indian tribes. The Kamayura, a happy and somewhat prosperous group (by Brazilian indigenous standards), adorn the students with paint and feathers. They work to make them feel welcome and a part of their tribe. “In all of my travels around the world, I’ve never met a group of people that were as kind and hospitable and genuinely good as the Kamayura people,” said Mr. Easler. Once the group lands in the village, the entire tribe comes to meet them. Imagine 800 or so Kamayura — men, women and children — swarming the planes and helping to carry bags. They join hands with the group and lead them into their village in the jungle, where the students assist with daily chores and sleep in hammocks under beautifully constructed lodges with thatched roofs. Following the Kamayura visit, the students visit the Xavante tribe. An eye-opening experience, their story is significantly different from the first. The Xavante people have much less in the way of resources. In the 1970s as part of a land movement, they were sent to missions, where many died of Western diseases. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that the tribe marched back to their land and blocked the road for weeks. The government finally seceded and let them occupy the land.

“In all of my travels around the world, I’ve never met a group of people that were as kind and hospitable and genuinely good as the Kamayura people.” — h ead of school brian easler

In 2012, they finally earned their land back (through a lengthy court process). Barren and severely lacking in wildlife and trees, Mr. Easler compares driving into their village like driving into a landfill or a shanty town. Scraps of sheet metal, cardboard and sticks make up their shelters. The children are not healthy, the people are unhappy and suspicious of visitors. For WMA students to see and experience both ends of the spectrum of conservation and human progress, is an educational experience like no other. They learn about the delicate balance between landowners, ranchers, “squatters,” Indians, the government, and other groups. With so many intertwining elements, they end up walking away with a greater appreciation for their own lives, with memories that will last a lifetime and with more questions of how they can better live like global leaders and citizens.

▲ photography

by: sarah goolishian ’13

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global travel: faculty hubbard grant trips

by timothy harrington ’73 English Department Chair

Busman’s Holiday

An English Teacher Travels to England of Mr. and Mrs. Lev Hubbard, my daughter Clara ’18 and I traveled to England this past July. My reasons for choosing England as a destination were the obvious ones. Where else is an English teacher going to find better fodder for the classroom? But I was troubled. Somehow it seemed a cop out for a member of the faculty of The Global School® to travel to safe and comfortable England when there were adventures in globalization to be had elsewhere. I asked myself, where would Messrs. Whitcomb, Swanson or Dziura go? (Dziura, it turns out, was on his way to Marrakesh; Whitcomb to Menorca; and Swanson, I think, was on the Cape). I decided that, while in England, we would have to seek out the global. We could not let

thanks to the generosity

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ourselves be satisfied with a “fish & chips” trip to Merry Olde England. You know: ride around in a double-decker bus, take a selfie with a Beefeater, get lost on the Tube, drink some weak tea with biscuits, and then say we’ve been to London. The trip would also have to be literary; it would have to justify itself on the basis of being useful to an English teacher. It would not be enough to stand in the foyer of the British Library and say, “Check that one off.” We would have to find Will Shakespeare on the South Bank of the Thames, and Orwell in his flat in Notting Hill, and Dickens in Bloomsbury. We would have to find Jane Austen in the streets of Bath, and we would have to search for the Holy Grail (like Galahad and Gawain in Malory’s “Le Morte d’Arthur”). Which meant that Clara would be up for the adventure of a lifetime: navigating the English countryside with a map (no GPS!) in a rented Vauxhall (with the shift on the left!) driven by her dear old dad. I think you can safely say the fifth

time around the same roundabout that you are on an adventure (and lost). Along the way, we found Charles Dickens’ house (it’s now a museum). We found George Orwell’s apartment on Notting Hill’s Portobello Road (and Clara found a pretty cool second-hand denim jacket — Portobello Road is probably the most famous open market in London). We found platform 9-3/4 at King’s Cross Station (and the train to Hogwarts, which everyone knows was modeled after WMA). We found the Globe Theatre in Southwark just as it looked in the late 16th century; there, we stood in “the pit” with the other groundlings and witnessed a remarkable performance of “Julius Caesar” (“…and Brutus is an honorable man!”). We had tea at Sally Lunn’s tea shop around the corner from the Roman baths (not unlike the tea shop where Anne Eliott runs into Captain Wentworth in “Persuasion” and lets him know without saying a word that the romance is on). We walked the streets of Oxford where J.R.R. Tolkien hung out with his buddy C.S. Lewis. And we found the alleged final resting place of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere on the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey. We also had time to: take a spin on the London Eye; journey (twice) up the Thames on a river cruise; stand a few feet from where Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were beheaded (Henry VIII’s second and fifth wives) on Tower Green; visit Warner Bros. Studio sets for the Harry Potter film series in Watford (a bucket list item for all Potterheads); and pretend shop in Harrod’s and real shop on Carnaby Street (you have to have lived in the 1960s to know how cool that is). We saw plenty of world famous art at the Tate and National Gallery. And we saw a little cricket and an impromptu touch rugby game on the pitch of Bath’s famous Old Rec (if only I had my boots!). Were we successful in our mission? Well, no, not if you expected us to find the Holy Grail, though we did drink red water from the Chalice Well in Glastonbury where some people say the Grail was chucked. But if there were any doubts about the success of our trip, it was answered by Clara when I asked her what the best part was. She answered, without hesitation, “‘Julius Caesar’ at the Globe.” And I, of course, smiled…

by stuart whitcomb Middle School Humanities

global travel: faculty hubbard grant trips

Adventures in the Mediterranean

of the 2013–14 school year, my wife Sara and I boarded a plane for Spain. We left the children with their grandparents and for the first time in years adventured off into the world. Our destination, Menorca, was much anticipated. An island in the Mediterranean Sea, Menorca is the smallest of the three major Belaric Islands and relatively unheard of in our circle of friends and associates. “Wait.” they might say, “I thought you were going to Spain…” But that was perfectly fine with us because we were hoping for a unique experience. In the end, however, we received a lesson in a shrinking world. The town in which we were living was filled with

at the end

Liverpudlians, on holiday en masse as they had been for a few years running. Apparently the town of Cala Galdana was where you went when you wanted to get out of Liverpool. Now, I can hardly fault their decision, for what drew them drew us as well: gorgeous and utterly foreign soil that was not covered in sheets of ice and snow. But we were hoping for local flavor and what we got instead was a primer on the impact of a global economy. Brilliant. A few days in, a few hikes under our belts, a few delicious meals and all was forgiven. Who could hold a grudge against a people who shared your own excellent taste? We could not, and soon we branched out to enjoy other aspects of the island, both cultural and historic. The small city of Ciutadella boasted a beautiful cathedral that had endured the onslaught of Communist revolutionaries; the communists had entered the cathedral and stripped it of its relics, tossing them into the sea, and then defaced the frescoes that adorned the walls and ceiling. Sure, the trip was not what we had anticipated. Perhaps the thought of an out-of-the-way spot in the Mediterranean was a bit optimistic. Perhaps the expectations had to be adjusted and the sights recalibrated. But all was well. As with any time spent away from home there was always something new, something unfamiliar, in which to engage and assess. And we had some great mayonnaise.

FUN FACTS

The Menorcan town of Mahon claims to have invented mayonnaise.

Ciutadella’s cathedral was built on the ruins of a mosque.

The Hubbard Grant was established by Lev & Catee Hubbard to give faculty the opportunity to travel in hopes that global experience would contribute to innovative ideas in the classroom.

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student travel: thanksgiving break

by gayle hsiao Director, International Student Program

Titans in the Nation’s Capital two chaperones and 15 students set off for a

five-day adventure in Washington, DC over this past Thanksgiving Break. Staying at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill delivered two advantages: Union Station with its food court was within a few blocks and every departure and return to the hotel offered a full-on view of the United States Capitol building in all its splendor. How much adventure can be packed into a short visit to our nation’s capital? The simple answer is, ‘a lot!’

Day 1: National Mall

A good place to begin a Washington, DC tour is the National Mall and the best time to tour the monuments and museums of the Mall is the day before a holiday! While most people were putting the final touches on their Thanksgiving dinner preparations, our travelers were touching the moon rock at the Air & Space Museum and discovering the wonders of Vermeer, Chagall, Wyeth, Degas’ “Little Dancer,” and El Greco in the National Gallery of Art. A walk up to the Washington ▲ Students enjoyed a private tour of the Space Shuttle Discovery. Monument in the rain was a persuasive sign that the walking tour of the monuments should be Day 2: Thanksgiving the Federal Circuit bench. In addition to talking rescheduled to a drier, warmer day. The Lincoln The group participated in the 13th Annual about his experiences, Judge Chen discussed Memorial and the World War II Monument were Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot for Hunger raising basketball, food, and making career and college visited later. $450 for local homeless, elderly, and incapacitated choices with the students over dinner. “Interstellar,” the IMAX Experience at people by walking or running the entire 5K the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia course. The course followed Pennsylvania Avenue Day 4: Students’ Choice provided a full afternoon’s diversion and the beginning and ending at Freedom Plaza and The students chose to revisit the National Mall group unanimously rated it an awesome experience. encircling the U.S. Capitol. to see the Museum of Natural History and the A bigger surprise followed when our students A traditional Thanksgiving dinner with mashed Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. After were invited to a private tour of the Space Shuttle potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce, and special a quick dinner near the Verizon Center, part Discovery. Discovery was launched 39 times stuffing was offered at the home of Lani Hsiao and of the group took in the Washington Wizards to space before it was retired last year. It was a Rod Rhines. In the words of one student, this was basketball game while the rest went back spectacular privilege to be able to see Discovery “a unique opportunity and it was a pleasure to sit to the hotel to pack for home and prepare a in the quiet reverence of our own group. around a big table together, with the turkey birthday party. at the center, saying a prayer of Thanksgiving, and talking about what we are thankful for.” Day 5: Homeward Bound ▼ Students participated in the annual Turkey Trot. An early departure time necessitates an early Day 3: Black Friday wake-up call! Tired travelers returned back to The group spent the morning shopping at a WMA in the early afternoon. Our trip was nearby outlet mall followed by an afternoon playing rewarding and adventurous due to the nature of basketball, board games and cards. They were the group. Fifteen students, not all friends thrilled to have dinner with Raymond Chen, before the trip, learned how to be good traveling a Circuit Judge of the United States Court of companions. They were willing to be flexible, Appeals for the Federal Circuit. respectful and spontaneous; willing to share It is notable that Judge Chen is the youngest responsibilities, compromise, and be sensitive serving federal appellate judge and the first to the needs of others; and, as a result, came back Asian-American to achieve such a high post on with friendships strengthened.

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the global school®

Students share what they love about their home city

This Is My City Tanatip Daloonpet ’15 Chiang Mai, Thailand

Patricia De Sousa ’15 Caracas, Venezuela “What makes Caracas unique? The amazing views: no matter where you are, you will always see our big mountain, “El Avila,” protecting us. Sunsets from the different mountains are breathtaking. You can see the rays of light covering the city. The buildings’ windows reflect the rays, sending orange shadows in all directions and making them shine. But more than anything, what makes my city unique is the people. The casual “good morning” when you walk by a stranger while shopping for groceries, or the infinite smiles from people you have never seen before. All these little things make you feel welcomed everywhere.”

“Chiang Mai is in the northern part of Thailand. Some of the unique things about Chiang Mai are the food and the things to do. It’s always hot. We live in a tropical rainforest, but during winter it’s a bit cooler. Everyone goes to the highest mountain (Doi Inthanon) during winter breaks to go camping and sightseeing. There are also seven different tribes of people who have their own religion, traditions and culture and live remotely from the city and you can visit them. If you want to live with a lot of people and be able to communicate more easily, it’s convenient to live in the city. It’s also pretty peaceful once you travel outside the city to see the mountains, trees and grass. We also go to a man-made canyon to swim and visit elephant parks. We have a panda in our city, too, through an agreement with China. We are one of the only countries to have one. The food is a little different than traditional Thai food. We do eat Pad Thai and curry, but our food in Chiang Mai is spicier and we mix it with sweetness. We also have sticky rice, which you eat with your hands.”

Jazario Brimmer ’17 Pembroke, Bermuda

Nanako Honda ’15 Tokyo, Japan “Tokyo is one of the biggest cities, with 10 million people living there. It is seasonal, and is not as cold as the U.S. in the winter but is warmer in the summer. The population representation is split between imperial and pop culture, which I like. It’s two extremes and types of people. There are so many restaurants. I like to find an inexpensive restaurant that serves really good noodles. There are many art museums that are interesting to explore. The train system is also the best transportation. It’s never late, and even if it is, it’s only by 30 seconds or a minute. It’s very efficient.”

“Pembroke is the parish, which is like a district. There are nine parishes on the island. There is a big shopping area that you can go to called Hamilton Mall. There are lots of football (soccer) fields since it’s the main sport on the island. The National Academy team trains there. My friends and I go to Admiralty House to go cliff-jumping. The food is a mix of island food, Jamaican and traditional soul food — things like macaroni and cheese.”

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spotlight

Insight into the people who make WMA tick

Faculty, Staff & Trustees

Kent Pecoy

Ubert Boswell

Marxan Pescetta, Ph.D.

Board of Trustees Years as an Academy Trustee: 6

Maintenance Staff Years with the Academy: 21 Students who graduated from WMA: Sophia Boswell ’06, Jermaine Boswell ’09 and Natalie Chambers ’98

Director of Information Technology Years with the Academy: 18

Mr. Pecoy joined the Board of Trustees in 2009. The President, Founder and Owner of The Pecoy Companies, he is the Chair of the Audit Committee, and serves on the Buildings & Grounds Committee. His company was instrumental in the building and design of the Rodney & Shirley LaBrecque House. Most important life lesson or piece of advice you would share: My advice to students is never quit. Whatever the challenge, however great, never quit. Life is not easy and I don’t believe it is intended to be. The challenges we face, big and small, give us the endurance and insight to deal with other life challenges yet to come. They also make us better at what we do and who we are. The best life lessons and most rewarding experiences have come out of the toughest times of my life. Not withstanding the fact that as they were taking place I would have given anything to be someplace else, or maybe even someone else, just to make it stop or go away. Stay with it — don’t walk away. Others will respect you for it. Most importantly you will gain tremendous inner-strength and insight into who you are. Welcome it. It’s all there for you.”

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After immigrating with his three daughters to the United States from Jamaica, Mr. Boswell joined the Academy in 1993. A soft-spoken, kind and humble man, he attends church every Saturday. His spiritual beliefs are his compass through life. A well-liked member of the WMA community, he retired in November and will spend time with his wife, children, and grandchildren in his native Jamaica and in the U.S. He hopes to maintain all of his friendships he’s made over the years while working to make our campus a beautiful and warm place for students to learn and grow. He promises to come and visit. Favorite memory or experience at WMA: My favorite time in the 21 years I’ve been here is graduation: when those children line up to go down the aisle. I didn’t get that opportunity when I was a boy. Life was so rough; I didn’t get it. So when I see children with the opportunity to come to school here, that’s why I have to keep counseling them. I see them sometimes and they need someone to talk to. I usually have some good advice to give them — to keep them here because I know parents spend a lot of money. This is a very good school, number one. When my own children came here, they spoke very much about Wilbraham & Monson Academy, and it was a blessing for me to get the job here. If I didn’t, I couldn’t send them. I couldn’t afford it. When graduation time comes every year, especially on the sidewalk, it’s the hardest work I’ve ever done in my life, but I just take it as a pleasure to make my mark and get it done.”

Dr. Pescetta began her tenure at WMA as the Chair of the Computer Science Department, where she developed many academic technology courses and worked with faculty on instructional framework and assessment tools. She has served as the Director of Academic Technology and most recently as the Director of Information Technology, implementing best practices for incorporating the use of technology in the classroom and the Academy’s curriculum. Name one thing others should know about you: One thing many may not know about me is I love to put together puzzles. I have a room in my home that has many of the puzzles hanging. I find the process reduces stress and clears my mind. In fact, when my mother was going through her second cancer surgery, I completed a 1,000-piece puzzle within 48 hours! Last summer we had a family reunion in Kennebunkport, Maine; we lived there many years ago. The house we rented had a great puzzle by the artist Patrick De Santis. It was a rendition of the Kennebunkport harbor. As a group we completed a puzzle. I wanted to remember all the fun we had on our vacation with my family so I bought the same puzzle and it now hangs in my home. For my birthday (WMA Academic Computing teacher) Steve Gray (’70) gave me a crystal 3D puzzle to build … now those puzzles are challenging!”

book reviews

WMA faculty and staff share their favorite reads

What’s on Your Nightstand?

“My Struggle: Book 1”

“The Hexed”

By Karl Ove Knausgaard

By Heather Graham

My brother recommended I read “My Struggle” by Karl Ove Knausgaard. Part one of a six volume series, the book is an autobiography of Mr. Knausgaard, a Norwegian writer in his forties taking on the big issues of life—loss, career and art—in a way I found incredibly unique. Often dwelling on the mundane and routine issues of everyday existence, Mr. Knausgaard’s original literary style reminds the reader of the beauty and frustration that is present when we pay attention to the seemingly banal duties of regular life. Mr. Knausgaard’s depiction of life is not spectacular or amazing, other than the tone and brutal honesty with which he addresses his own achievements and failures. Book 1 follows Mr. Knausgaard’s story with his parents as both a child and an adult. Book 2, also on my nightstand, follows Mr. Knausgaard’s career, marriage and the birth of his children. Four more books remain beyond that; three of them still to be translated into English.”

Heather Graham’s “The Hexed” is a fun read. I love a good mystery/suspense with a little paranormal activity thrown in for good measure. The story opens when local author, Devin Lyle, moves back home to Salem, Massachusetts. Devin’s deceased grandmother, Mina, left her an old cabin in the woods, where she continues to reside as a ghost! One night, Devin hears a woman screaming for help. She is drawn into the woods where she finds the body of a woman with her arms and legs outstretched resembling the design of a pentagram. On her chest is a silver chain with a pentagram medallion, much like one she had recently purchased. Horrified, Devin runs off through the woods and straight into the arms of FBI agent Craig Rockwell (Rocky). Devin and Rocky’s encounter begins the long investigation into this present murder and how it’s related to the murder of Rocky’s girlfriend more than 20 years prior. You’ll have to read the book to find out which one of their friends may be a murderer!”

Walter Swanson Director of Global Advancement

Marxan Pescetta, Ph.D. Director of Information Technology

“Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” By Carol S. Dweck, Ph. D. Who knew the three-letter word “yet” could unleash the power within every person to achieve his or her full potential? “I am not good at math, yet…” “I do not have the skills to learn a new language, yet…” “I cannot achieve my goal, yet…” By showing the reader the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset, Carol Dweck has written a book that applies to every student from infancy to 99 years old. WMA faculty members are now using this book, combined with the partner curriculum Brainology, in the Middle School wellness program and in Freshmen Foundations to help students develop their own growth mindset and reach their full potential. While the program is still expanding, there has already been a shift in the language of the students and the culture of the school. One small word composed of three letters has opened the door of unlimited possibilities for our students.” Tiffany Alrefae Dean of Students

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by deanna roux Director of Communications

departments: distinctive programs

Innovation in Action A Tinkering Place Is Born innovation can be described as a new original idea, thing or process that effectively breaks into the mainstream. An innovative idea can take one or more common practices and put them together in a way that creates better solutions. Learning innovation as part of a 21st century skill set often involves technology. Wilbraham & Monson Academy Science Department Chair Kathleen Gorski, Ph.D., who has experience as an industrial analytical chemist involved in developing instrumentation, considers herself a professional student. Recently, she had a brush with innovation herself. Dr. Gorski took note of two distinct things that were happening around her — her own professional development and science donations — and spun them together to create A Tinkering Place, the Academy’s first formal “maker space” that is currently offered as a weekend activity. “It was that happy confluence at the right time and I said ‘Ah-ha! What’s the worst we could do?’”

simply speaking,

Kianna Romano ’17, Gabe Awad ’17 and Dylan Derose ’18 learn by doing in A Tinkering Place.

Teach the Teacher

$82,000. The Science Department has since seen As the perpetual student browsed the Internet for vast improvements in equipment and curriculum. online courses, she came across one called The “We had someone with the Science Initiative who Art of Tinkering, offered through San Francisco’s asked, ‘If you had ‘this much’ money, what would Exploratorium, home of the original Tinkering you get?’ I had said at the time electronics and Studio. “This comes out with the changes in science robotics, but I don’t know how quickly I can get standards over the last few years and really trying it into the kids’ hands because that would mean to get more of an emphasis on hands-on learning some real curricular changes that would require and how do you get it to take place outside the a lot of thought and discussion,” said Dr. Gorski. classroom,” said Dr. Gorski. “I took that course “He gave us the money even knowing that.” and was totally enthralled.” As well, former Trustee William Faulkner ’57W About the same time, she took a class at generously donated two 3D printers to the school, University of Massachusetts-Lowell that focused which also means the learning continues for Dr. on innovation and entrepreneurism. Dr. Gorski’s Gorski. “The 3D printer uses an online software ongoing thirst for learning was the first piece program, so I was able to attend a one-day of the two-part mix that sparked the idea for workshop on that,” she said. A Tinkering Place.

A Science Geek’s Dream

The second piece of the mix was the 2014 WMA Science Initiative, which raised more than

Cross-Department Application

Aside from offering students a weekend hangout to explore and learn, the new components in A Tinkering Place can be used in many applications.

▲ The

Doodler is put into practice by David Kulig ’18.

So far students in science and CEGS have used aspects of the maker space, and art students have many possibilities as well. All of this new equipment sparked ideas for how it could be best utilized. Dr. Gorski had discussions with Dean of Curriculum Meg Hutcheson and Director of Information Technology Marxan Pescetta, Ph.D., about the future of computer science at WMA. “Marxan and I are taking an online course in Scratch so we can better facilitate students using the Arduino Electronics,” said Dr. Gorski. “It’s a simplified program developed by MIT that doesn’t require any real computer programming.” One of the last things purchased with the Science Initiative funds was a vinyl cutter. “We can start to develop some silk screening templates

▲

The new 3D printer’s completed work.

and stencils with the Art Department,” explained Dr. Gorski. “It’s more sophisticated and durable than what they use now.”

A Tinkering Place in Action

Recently, Global Studies II and Chemistry students were asked, “As global citizens, how can we mitigate or solve global environmental issues through regional and international policy decisions?” During this interdisciplinary project assignment, students were guided in the use of design thinking methodology. “You start with this overt empathy piece — learning about the problem and the people — then you go into defining the parameters and a big change is how you brainstorm,” Dr. Gorski said. “All ideas are acceptable, think wild ideas, and

▲ D irector

of Information Technology Marxan Pescetta, Ph.D., and her granddaughter tinker in the lab.

nobody can play devil’s advocate.” Next, the groups work together to choose the best ideas and then they prototype rapidly. This is where A Tinkering Place comes into play. “We have feathers, chenille stems, clay, felt, toilet paper rolls, all kinds of things,” said Dr. Gorski. “The idea is to reuse and repurpose materials. It’s not trash, it’s Rube Goldberg treasure!” In their final projects students took advantage of the supplies and equipment in the lab, including the 3D printer. What’s the future of A Tinkering Place? “My long-term goal is to open it every weekend but right now it’s open every other weekend,” Dr. Gorski said. “It’s important for students to be able to innovate outside the classroom, free of confinements and being graded.”

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departments

Alumni Events 1

NYC NYC area alumni gathered Sept. 18 for a reception at The Yale Club, hosted by Jim Downey ’73, and after hours at Heartland Brewery.

The Yale Club 1 Group photo at The Yale Club 2 Peter Cohen ’05, Matt Hall ’05, Chris Antonacci ’06, Head of School Brian Easler and Olivia Clement ’06 3 Ralph Sinsheimer ’73, Peter Lincoln ’55W and host Jim Downey ’73

Heartland Brewery 4 Justin Woo ’03, Jeremy Woo ’04

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Boston Boston area alumni gathered Sept. 9 for a reception at Cafeteria Boston on Newbury Street, hosted by Demetri Tsolakis ’01. 6

5 Trustee Caitlin Flynn ’06 with alumni parents Tom and Ellen Race 6 Ramon Garcia ’00, Brian Easler and Abraham Haile ’04 7 Trustee Rob Edmunds ’01 and Austin Little ’12 8 Host Demetri Tsolakis ’01 and Brian Easler

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departments: alumni events 9

Philly Philadelphia area alumni gathered Oct. 8 for a reception at The Union League, hosted by alumni parents Garrett and Judy Smith, and Stephanie (Smith ’05) and Garret Desjardins. 9 Kevin Slaughter ’94 with hosts Garrett Smith, Stephanie Desjardins ’05 and Judy Smith 10 Wayne Ranbom ’69W and Brian Laurita ’07 11 Roberta Tarbell and Karl Miller ’60W 12 Alumni parent Carolyn Wilson, Stephanie Desjardins ’05 and current parent Kristine Smith

Western Massachusetts Local alumni gathered for a reception at Lattitude Restaurant in West Springfield Nov. 13. 13 Beata and Parshant Puri ’89 14 Dave Pula ’01, Brian Zimmerli ’02, Dean of Studies Erik Kindblom and ESL Chair Anne Kindblom 15 Carolyn and Warren Webber ’56M with Marion and Jim Russell ’55M

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Young Alumni Young alumni came back to campus Jan. 7 for pizza in the Campus Center. 16 Group photo in the Campus Center 17 B rian Mascaro ’14, Chris Musselman ’14, Director of College Counseling John Boozang and Alyssa Natario ’13 18 Kelsey Gomes ’13 and Christina Wakefield ’14

Florida

Head of School Brian Easler traveled to Florida in January to meet with alumni. Receptions were held in Fort Lauderdale, Bonita Springs, Bradenton, Orlando and Palm Beach Gardens, with visits in Miami, Naples, Stuart and Marco Island.

Bonita Springs 19 Phil and Ellen Shaw ’57W with hosts Shirley and Bill Tychsen ’59W

Fort Lauderdale 20 Alumni parents David and Kathleen Sherman, also a former faculty member, with former Trustee Todd Masnicki ’89

Naples 21 Brian and Stephanie Easler, Bill Hawthorne ’61W and Director of Development Richard Rodgers met for lunch.

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departments

Class Notes 1955 Wilbraham

Peter Lincoln traveled to the South Pacific in December. He spent three weeks traveling, making stops in Fiji, Easter Island and Columbia.

1962 Wilbraham 1 Charles Mason stopped by to watch the WMA-Pomfret football game while he was visiting New England from his hometown in Raleigh. The rain didn’t stop him. He has many fond memories of playing sports in the rain! Charles would love to hear from members of the Wilbraham Class of 1962.

1964 Wilbraham

1965 Monson

4 There was a mini-reunion from the Wilbraham Academy class of 1964 in Bangkok, Thailand, where three alumni and their wives met for dinner in November. Left to right: Martina and Dr. Werner Fasslabend, Rapeephan and His Excellency Korn Dabbaransi, Stephen Rozwenc and Wanida Puppruek.

5 Bobby Veit and Tom Crafts got together on Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota in November for a minireunion of Monson Academy Class of 1965. They are looking forward to their 50th Reunion this June!

Realizing there was no Florida law allowing mentally incompetent seniors to easily get refunds from unwanted, excessive credit card charges, Pete Harrington took action. Pete wrote legislation and then found legislators to sponsor it. “I understand no such law exists in any other state if you’re looking for something to do. No federal law exists either that could cover all 50 states,” said Pete.

1971 Monson Lee Palmer and his family have moved back to Connecticut after a 10-year hiatus to the Midwest. “Knock on wood, everyone is doing great. I am currently employed

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as the Chief of Human Resources for the Norwalk Public Schools. All my best to the WMA Community.”

of “BusinessWest” and celebrated at the annual 40 Under Forty Gala in June.

1972

1980

Michael DelloRusso married Jeeranan Pasotakang of Buriram Thailand on Nov. 7, 2010. On a visit back to her homeland Jeeranan had a chance to get together with Michael’s good friend, Sakrapan Eamegdoo, in Bangkok. Michael and Jeeranan live in Winchester, Mass. and Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard. Friend Michael DelloRusso Jr. on Facebook to see what they are up to.

Nancy Law has left her alma mater, Cornell University, after 30 years of employment to take on a new role as Director of Alumni Engagement at Ithaca College. Congrats Nancy!

1977 Jeff Sattler was selected along with four other outstanding Springfield community leaders to select the 40 Under Forty Class of 2015, a celebration of young business and civic leaders in the Pioneer Valley, sponsored by “BusinessWest” magazine. The selected individuals were profiled in the April 20 edition

1982 Shawn Floyd-Paul has a daughter who is 15 years old and loves to play squash. Cheyenne ranks second in her 10th grade class at “Harlem Street Squash.” Shawn said life is good. Virginia Salem is now at Freemans’ Auctioneers where she heads up its jewelry department. 2 Josef Martin married Cindy Blakeney Whiting Oct. 25, 2014. That same day, he became a step grandparent! Congrats Joe!

is a wee bit different from good ole New England, but they don’t miss the snow and cold! Paul would love to catch up with former classmates and former students when they’re in Vegas!

1988

Research Foundation. The organization just received a prestigious four-star rating from Charity Navigator for the fourth year in a row! Congrats Kent!

1986

1983 3 The Class of 1983 had a mini-reunion at a Patriots Game! Back row left to right: Jeff Grandchamp, Shawn Slattery, John Moylan, Donnie Chapin, Mike Balise and Sean Morgan. Down in front: Pete Soutier and Gunner, Donnie’s pooch. 7 Our alumni continue to do great things! Mike Balise read to the kids at Kensington Ave. Elementary School in Springfield, Mass. through the Link To Libraries, Inc. program, something he has done for many years. Here, he stands with Gail Baquis, Dr. Mark Keroack ’72 and Doug Bowen, staff at the school.

1984

CDR Kasper H. Moghaddam, USN, his wife Janine and his daughters are leaving Japan in April for a five-week stop at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, R.I., and then they will be off to Naples, Italy, for the next three-to-four years. “We are very excited, as I was already posted at HQ, Commander U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Africa & Commander US SIXTH Fleet back in 2006–2008. Now I got the offer to go back to the same HQ staff as the Director for Assessments (N9). Janine and I will be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary in June at the Amalfi coast of southern Italy. My goal is to have my mom and dad visit us during that time so my daughters (Gabriella, age 13 and Valentina, age 11) can stay with grandma and grandpa during our anniversary.” As always, Kap extends an invitation to anyone from the WMA family for a glass of vino if they find themselves in southern Italy over the next few years!

6 Motoko Omori-Lavallee braved the cold with her family to ring in the 2015 New Year in Times Square, New York City.

1987

Kent Karosen is President and CEO of The Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s

8 Paul Magyar and his wife Dawn are now in Las Vegas. The Desert Southwest

Scott Dixon has been with the Commonweal Theatre Company in Lanesboro, Minn., for 15 seasons, and this year marks his first year as the new Director of Development, which is in addition to his artistic work as actor, director and playwright for the company. “My wife, Stela Burdt, is working her way back into the acting company after taking time away to focus on raising our very active and imaginative son, Kieran (age 4), and we’re resisting all temptation to have him memorize ‘God bless us every one’ and ‘Please sir, may I have some more’ until he’s at least 6!” T. Elizabeth Moran has been living in south Florida for more than 20 years. She is a nurse with a focus on orthopedics and most recently neurology. She is married with one child in high school. 9

1996 9 Eric Topor has been living in Japan for about three years now while going to sea as a chief engineer on a ship. He was married at Kumano Taisha in Nanyo Yamagata, a shrine that dates back to the ninth century. He and his wife are living in Katsushika, Tokyo.

1999 Alumnus and Louisiana State University Postdoctoral Researcher for the Department of Physics Jonathan Insler received a Fermilab Intensity Research Fellowship for his outstanding work in physics research.

2001 10 Andrew Nepomuceno married Emma Gill July 5, 2014. They live in Cincinnati, Ohio.

2002 Peter Spartos and three partners just raised capital via Kickstarter to start VertiCulture Farms, LLC, an urban aquaponics farming startup 10

Mark Robbins ’05

WILB R AHAM & MONSON AC ADEMY

departments: class notes

based in Bedstuy Brooklyn, N.Y. VertiCulture is made up of agriculture professionals with expertise in ecological design, fish and plant biology, economics and business. They plan to build New York City’s first commercial-scale aquaponic farm. Learn more about it at: http://vimeo.com/110028207.

of the Glaciochemistry and Isotope Geochemistry Lab Group at the University of Michigan.

Claudia Debelova is starting an MBA program in the Netherlands. She has been focusing on her company in the apparel industry but will be slowing down during her studies, since it is an intense 12-month program.

The massive makeover of Hampden Country Club is a threeyear, $40 million project that should re-establish the private club as one of the region’s elite. Guy Antonacci, who handles the day-today operations for his family’s ownership, said most of the projects are on schedule and the target date for full operation is the middle of next season. “The focus is on families,’’ Antonacci said. “There will be great options for everyone: adults, kids and families. We’ll be open 11 months of the year.”

2005

2006

12 Mark Robbins is doing fieldwork toward a Ph.D. in Alberta, Canada, at the Athabasca Glacier, Icefields Parkway, and the Saskatchewan Glacier. He’s part

Jeremy Korytoski is engaged to Lily Elizabeth Tarnawa. He is now working as a nurse in the Immediate Care Unit at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Mass.

2004

11 Joseph Martin has good news to share. He married Nicole Breslin May 10, 2014, and he has been tearing it up on the rugby field for Springfield since graduating from Bryant College in 2011.

2007 13 Former WMA teacher Chris Ayers taught Latin at WMA from 2004 – 2011 and is currently teaching Latin at 13

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Austin Preparatory School in Reading, Mass. Imagine his surprise when he ran into Alex Mascaro in the hallway! Alex is now a college rep for Curry College and was visiting the school to hold student interviews. Chris said, “It was great to catch up with him and to remember those days when he was my Latin student in the basement of Old Academy!” Kerry Power is now officially a grad

student at Simmons School of Social Work in Boston. Sarah Richard is now a full-time law student at Suffolk University Law School in Boston.

2008 14 Congrats to Roy Yeh! He was married to Lily Chang in August! Andrew Harvey played in the USA Rugby National Championship in November 2014. His team lost in the second round of the playoffs. Andrew will graduate in May from the University of Vermont.

2009 Patrick Agahigian is starting a new job as an analyst with Alcoa’s Management Consulting and Strategy group in NYC. He is now a FAA Certified Commercial Pilot.

Caitlin Mitchell was accepted into Washington & Lee University School of Law (her first choice) and will soon be on her way to becoming an attorney.

2010 Naofall “Ming” Folahan is doing some amazing work providing shoes for kids in his home country of Benin through The Project Ming Foundation (www.projectming.org), which he founded. He’s also keeping busy playing center for the Saint John Mill Rats in the National Basketball League of Canada. 15 Andre Malouf was engaged to Majo Asturisa on New Year’s Eve 2014. Adrianne Hanson is currently attending Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta for a Master of Art in advertising. She would

ideally like to work as an art director in an ad agency when she graduates.

year and Steven’s third year working with the program.

Steve Marcus is a member of the Basketball Operations Staff for the Maine Red Claws. The Maine Red Claws are the minor league feeder team for the Boston Celtics.

2012

Victoria Mordasky has been accepted into a competitive dualgraduate program at the University of Central Florida. She’ll be studying interpersonal communications and non-profit administration. She completed an internship with the American Lung Association last summer.

2011 Jeannette Viens and Steven Ragnauth ’12 spent a month in Madaba, Jordan working with underserved students at an ESL and IT summer enrichment program. This was Jeannette’s second

Julia Bell is currently in her junior year at Mount Holyoke College. She just got back from traveling to China with her field hockey team for preseason. They stayed in Beijing for 10 days and traveled to: the Great Wall, the Temple of Heaven, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Bird’s Nest, and many other places. Julia also finished her lacrosse season strong, being named to: NEWMAC First Team All-Conference, ECAC All Star First Team, IWLCA Second Team Berkshire All-Region and passed the 100-goal mark at the end of her sophomore year. 16 Gayle & Allen Hsiao recently took a group of students to see the New York Historical Society’s exhibit titled “Chinese American:

WILB R AHAM & MONSON AC ADEMY

departments: class notes

Exclusion/Inclusion” and were joined by some WMA Alumni studying in the city! Left to right: Joseph Li (NYU), Allen Hsiao, Rui Lin (Parsons), Melody Liu (FIT), Gayle Hsiao and Andrew Ying ’13 (Case Western). 17

2013 17 Carly Cronin had a great first year on the Bryant Women’s Lacrosse team. The Bulldogs went undefeated in their league and were crowned NEC (Northeast Conference) Champions. They went on to compete for the first time in school history in the NCAA Division I Tournament. When you see her she’ll be wearing her NCAA ring!

Kelsey has also landed an internship with the Washington Spirit National Women’s Professional League (NWSL) for the 2015 summer. She began in March, over the spring

season, to open the preseason as an Operations intern. Kelsey will spend the entire summer in Washington DC as the Public Relations/Communications Intern.

Andrew Mordasky is in his second year of the pre-veterinary program at the University of Connecticut. 18 Kelsey Gomes spent four days in Philadelphia in October for the CONCACAF Women’s semifinal games! She had front row seats watching teams qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015!

We Remember Nathan Barker ’56M

Jonathan E. Driscoll ’89

Kenneth J. Kessaris ’50W

David K. Beach ’49W Alumni Non-Grad

John W. Dunlop ’48W

Galway M. Kinnell ’44W

James A. Dunphy ’57M

Marcelo Muller ’01

Norma R. Berube Alumni Parent

Ellen J. Enemark Alumni Spouse

Donald C. LaBrecque Alumni Non-Grad Parent Lawrence L. Lonczak ’58M

William M. Northrop ’51W

Henry C. Buhrmaster Jr. ’59W

Daniel D. Frechette ’66M

Mortimer Lotane ’48M

Edward J. Carey ’50M

Joseph R. Gorecki ’13 Alumni Non-Grad

Carl B. Martin III ’61W

William J. O’Donnell Former Staff

Marjorie F. Griffin Alumni Parent

Sean E. McCarthy ’86

Francis J. Cataldo ’57W Robert E. Chapman Jr. ’42W John C. Cox Alumni Parent Albert W. Dodge Sr. ’32W

Robert P. Hubbard Former Faculty Marjory Johnson Alumni Spouse

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John W. Maynard ’41W

Allan R. McKinnon ’47M

Lumanetta Muller Alumni Spouse

George H. Murray ’42W

Florence M. Shults Former Staff Dwight R. Sullivan ’66W Gustavus F. Swift IV ’66W John H. Wooden ’03 Alumni Non-Grad

alumni events

Monson Academy Luncheon 1

Sept. 20, 2014

Monson Academy graduates were welcomed back to campus for a luncheon with Head of School Brian Easler so they could hear his ideas and share their thoughts and concerns as Monson graduates. 1 A few of the Monson grads with their spouses after a walk up to the Heritage Courtyard. 2 Brian Easler with Christine and Gordon Tiziani ’52M. 3 Bobby Viet ’65M and David Anton ’66M. 4 Welles and Lillian Guilmartin ’65M with Chuck Nothe ’65M. 5 Jim Russell ’55M and Gordon Tiziani ’52M looking at yearbooks. 6 Ready to ring the Monson Bell in the Heritage Courtyard.

WILB R AHAM & MONSON AC ADEMY

by janet moran Associate Director of Archives

history

From the Archives

new “From the Archives” feature. Here, we will showcase photos from many eras and subjects, sporting events, student life and activities, alumni gatherings and much more. We could use your help. If you can identify anyone in our photos or care to share a story, we would love to hear from you (email JMoran@WMA.us). We will start with a glimpse into our science past. This is a photo taken at Wilbraham Academy in the late 1950s. Physics teacher Spottiswoode W. Randolph Jr. (1955 – 1967) was teaching physics long before our Mattern Science Center was built in 1971. The Mattern building, named after former Headmaster W. Gray Mattern Jr. (1955 – 71), offered an exciting modern science building with state of the art classrooms and laboratories for its time upon completion. Mr. Mattern revised, expanded and created an innovative academic curriculum, which added greatly to a vibrant campus. Our science present shows students tinkering with an Arduino kit in the lab. Following the 2014 Science Initiative, curriculum has been enhanced and classrooms have been upgraded with state-of-the-art equipment. welcome to wilbraham & monson academy’s

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Upcoming Events may

22 may

Prize Day

Friday, May 22, at 2 p.m. | East Lawn

Commencement

Saturday, May 23, at 10 a.m. | East Lawn

We are excited to announce the newly-appointed President and CEO of Baystate Health Dr. Mark A. Keroack ’72 has accepted the Academy’s invitation to be the 2015 Commencement Speaker!

Alumni Gatherings We’re planning events for the 2015 – 2016 academic year and want to have your input. Where should we go? We’ll be on Cape Cod this summer and plan to be back in NYC and Boston in the fall. We’re thinking about Florida again in the winter, but that’s not all. Email Alumni@WMA.us and tell us where we should hold Alumni Gatherings and let us know if you can help in the planning or hosting of the events!

Summer Enrichment Programs at WMA summer program workshops

Annual Fund

Expand A Student’s Future WHY I GIVE

“The Academy was so good to me at a time when I needed support. I feel great that I am able to help support the school.” — e ddie shore ’48w “I gave to my Senior Class Gift because it seemed like the right thing to do for my school. After all the Academy has done to set me up for success in my future I was happy to start giving back.” — hannah clewes ’15

July 5 – July 31 (two-week sessions) | Grades 7 – 11 Reading & Writing, Math, Science, Fine Arts, Stock Market

forum classes June 22 – July 31 (one-week sessions) | Grades 5 – 7 Creative Writing, Technology, Studio Art, Investing, Spanish/French

beech tree day camp June 29 – July 31 | Grades K – 8 Team Activities, Nature & Outdoor Skills, Creative Projects, Wellness Activities

To learn more or apply, visit www.WMA.us/Summer or email Summer@WMA.us. WILB R AHAM & MONSON AC ADEMY

by christina cronin Director of Capital and Planned Giving

capital giving: 2014–2015 capital projects

The World Ahead: Building The Global School® 1

Investing in Science 1 2014 Science Campaign More than $82,000 was raised to purchase hundreds of items for our science labs, which include sensors and probes that connect to students’ iPads and calculators enabling more hands-on learning experiences. 2 F aulkner 3D printers William Faulkner ’57W generously donated two 3D printers for use by students and faculty. WMA students who tinker love working with them. They are also being used by the Math, Science and Art Departments. 3 A Tinkering Place Science Department Chair Kathleen Gorski, Ph.D., and her team created a new on-campus weekend activity that allows students to experiment with 3D printing, engineering and robotics. “Tinkering is a mindset,” Dr. Gorski said. “WMA’s A Tinkering Place offers a playful way to approach and solve problems through direct experience, experimentation and discovery.”

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Buildings and Grounds 4 The Rodney and Shirley LaBrecque House Our new Middle School dormitory houses 12 international Grade 8 students this year. The dorm was supported by several donors, including Pres. and Helen Blake, the Gramse Family, former Trustee William Faulkner ’57W, and Trustees Kent Pecoy, Scott Jacobs ’76 and Michael J. Flynn.

6 5 Rich Hall Cupola Renovation One of many building projects that took place over the summer of 2014, the cupola was cleaned, repaired and painted. 6 New Clock and Bench Trustee Mark Shenkman ’61M has a history of helping WMA put its best foot forward. This fall he added a new lighted clock and a bronze Einstein sculpture bench to the campus. Einstein was selected by our students and faculty because of his global citizenship, entrepreneurial thinking, gaze of wonder and dreams of possibility.

Underway in 2015 8 Tree Succession Plan A plan is in the works to replace and maintain our beautiful old trees which are a big part of the beauty and history of our campus. Energy Audit The Board of Trustees Buildings and Grounds Committee is in the process of conducting an energy audit. New Ball Field at the Turf Field Complex Girls’ Varsity Softball and Third Team Soccer will soon have a home in the former Mohawk Field area. Generous gifts from Rudy and Marjorie Fisher, who were recognized at a special dedication of our tennis courts last summer, and the WMA Class of 1982 Investment Fund have made the completion of these two new fields possible.

7 Alumni Chapel Painted, Portraits Hung Alumni Memorial Chapel was given a fresh coat of paint this winter in preparation for becoming the home to our many portraits of past Headmasters. “Our rich history is an important part of WMA. We need to put it on display for all to see,” said Brian Easler, Head of School.

WILB R AHAM & MONSON AC ADEMY

preserve our heritage

Invest in our Future

Create Your Legacy: Introducing Free New Tools Online! by christina cronin Director of Capital and Planned Giving considered creating a bequest or other planned gift to Wilbraham & Monson Academy but didn’t know where to start? The tools on WMA’s new planned giving webpage can help you find the best way to make your gift, and perhaps find a gift option that you might not have otherwise thought was possible. The site includes information on different types of planned gifts and a gift calculator tool where constituents can calculate the income and tax benefits of different types of planned giving vehicles and explore which gift might be best for them to make to their school. have you ever

Legacy gifts provide the foundation for the Academy’s work. These gifts also allow you to take care of your family, provide for the transfer of assets to those close to you, and include charitable gifts all during your lifetime and afterwards. Visit our new planned giving page at www.WMA.us/giftplanning or contact Christina Cronin, Director of Capital and Planned Giving, at CCronin@WMA.us or 413.596.9189 to find out more. Preserve our heritage by investing in our future. Join your fellow alumni, parents and friends as a member of WMA’s Heritage Society.

THESE TOOLS CAN HELP YOU: • Explore What Gift Is Right for You • Giving through Your Estate

• Giving and Generating Income through Trusts or Annuities • Giving and Tax Benefits

“I loved my experience at WMA. When I created my will, I knew that I would thank the Academy for all that I received by making WMA part of my estate plans.” — robert edmunds ’01, trustee

“Helping young people have the same wonderful experiences my husband Bill Griffin ’68W did as a student is so important to our family. That’s why we established a scholarship fund.” — linda griffin, trustee

“Making my favorite charities the beneficiary of my life-insurance policy was an easy way for me to support the causes I love.” — dan kunhart ’72, leadership volunteer

please note that WMA does not provide tax or legal advice. Gift calculations may be provided for illustrative purposes only, and the actual values may vary based on the timing and nature of your gift. Advice from legal and tax counsel should be sought when considering a charitable gift plan of any kind.

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“As a former Trustee, I understand that building a strong endowment is critical to the health of the Academy. Planned gifts and bequests from our alumni ensure that our endowment remains robust.” — ed sack ’47w, former trustee

the world ahead

Building The Global School®

▲

Linda and Bill Griffin ’68W are pictured with their daughter Ashley.

A Trustee’s Reflection by linda b. griffin Trustee was the making of Bill Griffin.” So said Bill’s mother, who recently passed away at 102 years old. Bill ’68W, my late husband, had a poor seventh grade experience in public school. He and his parents selected Wilbraham Academy for his Grade 8 year. He so enjoyed that year that he decided to stay until graduation. As he said later, “Aside from my father, Gray Mattern was the most important man in my life.” About 25 years after his graduation, Bill was asked to join the Board of Trustees, and shortly thereafter he became the Chairman of the Board. It was at a critical juncture in the Academy’s history, and Bill gathered around him alumni from the 1950s and 1960s, a few current parents, and a “wilbraham academy

former faculty member or two to begin the process of strategic planning and the search for a new Headmaster. Bill’s parents, Marjorie and Robert Griffin, were deeply grateful to the Academy for his education and so proud of him for his work as a Trustee that they were inspired to make three capital gifts. They formed the basis of the William A. Griffin Endowed Scholarship Fund, contributed to building renovations, and gave money to help refurbish Morrow House so that it was a more suitable home for the new Headmaster and his wife. I have attended the last several Named Scholars Dinners and met not only the Griffin Scholars and their parents, but also their

peers. The evening is now my favorite Academy gathering because I get to know these students and talk with them informally. They so honor WMA, and they make me smile with pride. It is my intention through my will to fully fund the William A. Griffin Endowment Scholarship. Bill was loyal by nature, and he was always especially loyal to WMA. Sadly, Bill died in March 2011. Our daughter, Ashley, and I wish he could see how healthy the Academy is today. He would be beaming. As Bill would expect, Ashley and I honor his memory by contributing to the Annual Fund and the Scholarship Fund, and each communication from the Academy makes us smile in remembrance.

Wilbraham & Monson Academy 423 Main Street Wilbraham, MA 01095-1715 www.WMA.us tel: 413.596.6811 address service requested

non profit organization us postage paid permit no 88 enfield ct

A Message to the Monson Academy Class of 1965 This marks the 50th Reunion for the Monson Academy Class of 1965. Last October, I began a search for the 48 surviving “brothers” using the ’65 Yearbook. As of December, 39 were successfully located and spoken with by myself and other members of my team. Our quest is to find and connect with the nine remaining missing brothers: Fredrick R. Aldrich, Bruce M. Crampton, Joseph P. Dialessi, Robert L. Johnson, Richard W. Rice, Jonathan C. Schneider, Stephen H. Simon, Richard K. Williams and Donald J. Zalewa. If anyone knows the whereabouts of our classmates, please contact the Alumni and Development Office. The Monson Academy Class of 1965 Class Gift is in remembrance of Mr. Hugh Harrell. During our reunion, a special engraved granite paver will be laid in the pathway leading up to the Monson Bell. This is a significant time and event that we sincerely hope many of our “Band of Brothers” will join us for in Wilbraham, Mass. Let’s give the very best reunion showing ever for WMA! Sincerely, Tom Crafts ’65M

save the date: reunion 2015 june 5 & 6 all alumni are invited as we celebrate the classes of…

1930 | 1935 | 1940 | 1945 | 1950 | 1955 | 1960 | 1965 | 1970 | 1975 | 1980 | 1985 | 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010

To see the schedule and to register go to www.WMA.us/Reunion2015. For more information, contact Dawn Hines, Associate Director of Alumni Relations, at Alumni@WMA.us or 413.596.9118.