Windward Magazine Winter/Spring 2022

WINDWARD MAGAZINE

50 YEARS OF INNOVATION Celebrating our Past; Inspiring our Future

W I N T E R / S P R I N G 2022

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Advancement Office Contributions

TABLE OF

01 A Letter from Tom Gilder

Innovation Campaign

02 The Future is Now 06 Innovation Campaign Donor Roll 07 Donor Spotlight: Milken Family

Academics

08 Teaching Pathways to Success 10 Visions of Justice, Images of Change 12 The Heart of Poetry

Events

14 School Spirits 15 Cum Laude Society Inductees Celebrated 16 An Honor in Any Language 17 Entrepreneurship in Action

Campus

18 Navigating a Pandemic—How Expertise and Teamwork Keep Windward in Motion

Well-Being

26 Return to Retreats 28 Prep Retreats Reach New Heights 29 Division Coordinator Spotlights

Student Spotlights

30 Shining a Light on Isolated Spaces: Isis Ginyard '23 31 Teen Talk: Shira Schlessinger '22 32 Fooled Us! Stanley Zhou '23 34 8th Grader is a Speaking Star: Bella Kapoor '26 35 Goodies for Granny: Kate Albert '22 and Shira Schlessinger '22

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

36 Letter From the Team 37 Safe Spaces for All 38 National Coming Out Day 39 Hispanic Heritage Month 40 Black History Month 41 Lunar New Year Celebration

Service Learning

42 Food for Thanks 43 A Season of Giving 44 Heart and Sole: Troy Jones '23

Tom Gilder

Dawn Barrett

CONTENTS From the Head of School

A LETTER FROM

Chief Operating Officer

Michael Bognanno

Director of Advancement Services

Athletics

46 Fall Athletics Roundup 49 Cross Country: Stars at State 50 Wildcats Get the W's

Performing Arts

52 W!T Is It 54 Tapping With Talent 56 Back in the Spotlight 58 Dear Dance

Visual & Media Arts

60 Media Arts & Film Lab Update 61 Creative Curators: Josie Hoeber '23

Parent Perspectives

62 Words of Appreciation

Windward Network

64 In the Mix—Ramping Up Resumes with Hire Options 66 Mentor Spotlight: Roger Fishman

Windward Fund

68 Volunteer Spotlight: Ann Gianopulos 70 Windward Fund Donor Roll 75 Why I Give: Tyrone Powell

50th Anniversary

76 Head of School Spotlight: Tom Gilder 78 Salute to Longstanding Faculty 80 Faculty and Staff Milestones 82 Founders' Week: A Blast From the Past

Alumni

84 Alumni Luncheon 86 Alumni Spotlight: Katie Lindsay '07 88 Alumni Spotlight: Micah Gordon '11 90 Alumni Spotlight: Leila Williams '20

Ads

92 Save the Dates

Whitney Burke

Director of Communications and Public Relations

Jeff Gilder ’08

Director of Alumni Development and Engagement

Jeff Lake

Communications Manager

Lindsay Knaub

Director of Development and Special Events

Susan Marx

Interim Director of Windward Fund

Jamey McElvain-Whitman Graphic Designer

Robin Pickett

Director of Windward Network

Jacqueline Varney

Director of Development and Major Gifts

La Donna Wertlieb

Director of Development and Donor Services

Parent Contributions Lani Farar

Photography Kevin Chan Tom Bonner Photography Brandon Kirk Photography Ultimate Exposures

Design & Layout Kevin Chan

Multimedia Specialist

Original Illustrations Mollie McElvain Windward School has indoor and outdoor masking policies as part of its COVID-19 safety protocols. These mask mandates have shifted throughout the 2021-22 academic year in accordance with Los Angeles County Department of Health guidelines. This magazine also includes photos taken before March 2020.

T

o say that the 2021-22 school year has been a golden one for Windward would be an understatement. Highlighted by our special 50th anniversary milestone, the year has been marked by an emotional return to campus and an exciting grand opening. It’s hard to articulate into words the joy I experienced when, after almost 16 months away, I witnessed students and faculty return to in-person learning this past Fall. That heartwarming feeling continued as we opened the doors of our Academic Hub in December for the entire Windward community to enjoy.

Our Academic Hub, which was many years in the making and a true labor of love for our Innovation Campaign Steering Committee, fosters spaces that encourage design thinking, tinkering, collaborative learning, entrepreneurship, and engagement for all students to flourish. It also marks the completion of Part I of our Innovation Campaign (see pages 2-3). We now set our sights on Part II—the Innovation & Arts Center. With each new intentionally designed space, we continue to elevate Windward’s campus into a true 21st century facility, one innovative enough to keep pace with an ever-changing world.

As our spaces have evolved over the last 50 years, so too has our pedagogical approach in preparing students for success in college and beyond. This year, our faculty have been busy exploring ways in which our Core Competencies can be woven into our curriculum and actualized to ensure that graduates possess a core set of dispositions and skills.

Tangible examples of these Competencies are apparent in our classrooms each and every day (see pages 8-9).

Equally visible on campus is the School’s steadfast commitment to student well-being. Our return to campus included a number of highly thought-out safety measures and health protocols—our students, parents, faculty, and staff showing a level of teamwork and collaboration unlike any seen before. From our Operations and Athletic Medicine teams to Facilities and Security, it truly takes a village to keep our campus safe, healthy, and open in these challenging times (see pages 18-25).

live music and improv shows to dance concerts and theater performances, it was truly amazing to see our student artists perform in-person once again (see pages 54-59).

Keeping our campus open has also allowed us to continue to advance our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programming, pairing our longstanding on-campus staples with a number of fulfilling new events. Annual focuses such as National Coming Out Day, Hispanic Heritage Month, Lunar New Year, and Black History Month gave our community the chance to come together and learn more about various histories and cultures by way of on-campus displays and activities.

Our student involvement and engagement has been very strong, as our various student groups put their stamp on the campus climate and overall student experience. Our DEI team continues to act as catalysts for continued growth and increased awareness, understanding, empathy, and sense of belonging (see pages 36-41).

If the past two years have taught us nothing else, it’s that Windward is home to a remarkable community. 50 years ago, Shirley Windward and Carl Parsons had a dream for what the School could be, and five decades of students, parents, and faculty later, we continue to embrace that spirit of transformation.

While this issue of our magazine marks the celebration of new beginnings, we also honor the dedication of our longstanding faculty, who have helped us to evolve into the premier institution we are today. They are a testament to Windward’s dedication to fulfilling its mission of a dynamic, engaging education in a nurturing, inclusive community— one I am honored to be part of. I look forward to partnering with each and every one of you as we embark on our next chapter together.

Tom Gilder HEAD OF SCHOOL

Thanks to these tireless efforts from our entire community, we were able to welcome back on-campus events and performances for the first time in almost two years. From

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INNOVATION CAMPAIGN

The Future is Now 02 - I N N O V A T I O N C A M P A I G N

O Windward’s newly constructed Academic Hub encourages design thinking, tinkering, collaborative learning, entrepreneurship, and engagement for all students to flourish.

n Friday, December 3, Windward’s long awaited, eagerly anticipated Academic Hub opened its doors to the community. The Academic Hub was made possible by gifts donated on behalf of Windward's Innovation Campaign.

Such a feat would not have been possible without the leadership of Head of School Tom Gilder and the steadfast support of Windward's Steering Committee. Through the dedication, commitment, and support of our community, the School was able to achieve the financial support necessary to turn this sophisticated building into a reality for our students, parents, faculty, and staff to enjoy.

Coming up with the proper design and functionality of the new spaces was a multi-year endeavour that started with Tom collaborating closely with faculty to understand their learning environment needs. Tom assembled a task force to survey information from peer schools within the surrounding Los Angeles area

and across the country. The team then connected with programs at colleges and universities at the forefront of innovation to learn more about the design of their learning spaces, visiting several sites to see first-hand what possibilities were available and what cutting-edge ideas they could bring back to Windward. Every space was carefully curated with flexibility and usage as a guiding principle. This space is a central part of Windward’s campus, encouraging creativity, design thinking, and collaboration for students of all grade levels.

From its advanced learning spaces to its stunning courtyard and beyond, the community is thrilled for Windward’s newest campus addition. Learning spaces, such as those within the Academic Hub, are an essential element of teaching and provide a flexible environment in support of the pedagogical needs of Windward students and faculty. These needs include being able to teach skills characterized by

an ever-changing world—such as critical thinking and resilient problem solving— two of Windward’s Core Competencies.

“If Windward is to continue to push boundaries as an independent school that fuels innovation, we must invest in facilities designed to support innovative and entrepreneurial thinking and programs,” said Tom. The spaces, as well as the furniture and equipment within them, were all planned intentionally to match the needs of Windward’s 21st century students. The vision for the 28,178 square foot building was designed with student engagement and learning in mind. The learning spaces in the Academic Hub are designed with multiple zones to support a variety of teaching styles and quick transitions within any given class period. Each classroom layout is designed to promote collaboration and support creativity, which prepare students to work organically in collaborative groups to solve problems.

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INNOVATION CAMPAIGN

“The learning environments are designed with flexible furnishings that can adapt to the environment as necessary to support student agency and choice while provoking, engaging, and supporting students in their learning,” said Jim Bologna, Senior Director of Innovation and Technology.

The Academic Hub houses state-of-the-art facilities that are emblematic of the goals of the School’s Strategic Plan. Windward has been engaging in best practice research for the past six years as part of its Strategic Plan, partnering with collegiate and professional institutions to refine the interior design of its facilities to best meet the programmatic goals and enhance learning experiences for all students.

The Academic Hub Features: • 11 Active Learning Studios • Drawing and Painting Studio • Graphic Design Lab • Division Suites • Offices for Admissions and Head of School • Outdoor Deck • Central Courtyard for students to gather outdoors • An upgraded Performing Arts Wing

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signal to the students that we value their work and their creativity,” said Jeff.

The new Academic Hub will strengthen connections, provide hands-on learning experiences, and will help to continue to build innovative ways of channeling creativity. The Academic Hub embodies the tenets of play, practice, and performance by providing students with a chance to utilize the available resources, offering unique opportunities, and space to fulfill our mission of a dynamic education and nurturing learning environment.

“The process of learning is dynamic.

Teaching and learning in a space that's open, with windows out to the world, creates synergy and brings out that dynamism. Calling our classroom home this year is a terrific feeling for my students and for me,” said Associate Director of the Collegiate Division Dahlia Setiyawan.

The new Academic Hub has not only had a profound effect on students’ abilities to learn, but it has also helped in fostering Windward’s Strategic Plan goal of Community Well-being.

“The new spaces give us more studio space for students to work, more wall space for students to display work, and more storage space for all the equipment and supplies we use. When space isn't a limitation, students have much more flexibility to think creatively about scale and realize their visions,” said Jeff Miller, Visual & Media Arts Chair.

“Everyone who walks into the dance studio is immediately transported into a better mental state. The large windows to the street have become an incredibly positive and mood-lifting element for all of us. The high ceilings are also wonderful, as they allow us to feel limitless with our movement,” said Windward’s Dance faculty.

“Students are in awe of how much space they now have—they feel respected and honored.

Space is a vital factor in the success of a Visual & Media Arts program. If the facilities don't grow with the School, the students can't grow as artists. These new classrooms

With its new technology, the Academic Hub exudes a collegiate-level energy that enhances the campus for all to enjoy.

“The new space seems to encourage students and teachers to ‘up their game.’ It

“

The post-industrial age is characterized by rapid change.

Literary skills now include critical thought, persuasive expression, and the ability to solve complex scientific and organizational problems. Knowing now means using a well-organized set of facts to find new information and to solve novel problems. In 1900, learning consisted largely of memorization; today it relies chiefly on understanding.”

truly feels like a college campus. The bigger space allows me to be more creative in the way I teach.

I can differentiate my instruction by creating workstations and small group work. I love the whiteboard wall—I have my students brainstorm essay topics, discussion questions, and interpret Malcolm Brown, author of poetry. Also, we read the “Educating the Next Generation” novel “Station Eleven” for Summer reading. HBO just released a mini-seis inspiring to work inside such a space,” ries based on the novel. Before Winter said ance teacher Julie Friedrich. “We feel Break, we watched an episode on the big fortunate and incredibly grateful knowing screen. Amazing! It was like watching in a that we now have one of the most beautiful movie theater,” said Damon Van Leeuwen, dance studios in Los Angeles.”

AP Literature and Composition teacher.

Before Windward broke ground on the Academic Hub, much like Windward’s Visual & Media Arts spaces, its Performing Arts programs had outgrown their facilities and were in need of upgraded ones that could support the excellent instruction and showcase the incredible talents of its students. As part of the research process, the Performing Arts Department took many of its performances off-campus to collegiate and professional venues. Seeing the ways in which performing in these spaces inspired the students to raise the quality of their work left no doubt that the same types of spaces needed to be offered on Windward’s campus.

As Part I concludes, Windward is excited to embark on the next phase of its Innovation Campaign Part II—The Innovation & Arts Center and the Milken Family Community Gathering Plaza, which will be breaking ground 2023! These new facilities will provide tremendous possibilities for all students at Windward for years to come.

“The impact the new dance studio has made on the dancers, and on the Dance faculty is immense. Greeted by natural light every morning as we walk in, we see the huge windows overlooking the park, and we feel the enormity of the space. It

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INNOVATION CAMPAIGN

Innovation Campaign Donor Spotlight

The Milken Family W

hat we thought would be an easy decision during our school searches was never that—for all five of our children. There are so many great private schools in Los Angeles, and Gregory in particular, wanted to see every preschool, elementary, and middle school. It is why finding Windward has been such a gift for our family.

$2MM+

INNOVATION

CAMPAIGN THANK YOU to OUR DONORS

I

t is with appreciation and gratitude that we thank the following families for their commitment to progress and their investment in the Innovation Campaign and the future of Windward School.

This list is current as of Feb. 18, 2022.

The Milken Family Allison & Bennett Rosenthal

$1MM+

Anonymous (2) Christine & Jordan Kaplan The Schwartzberg Family

$500,000+ The Ahmanson Foundation Valerie & Faraz Daneshgar Shannon & Dean Factor Caroline & Michael Hackman Dana & Richard Pachulski The Shourie Family

$250,000+ Anonymous (1) Shainaz Donnelly Burg & Mark Burg Andrea & Barry Cayton The Crotty Family Quinn & Bryan Ezralow Jon & Nancy Glaser Jenny & Alex Kwit Allison & Jeffrey Mirkin Sam Naficy The O'Connor Family The Rosenthal Family Pamela & Matt Schwab Tuzon-Stone Family The Yi Family

$100,000+ Anonymous (5) Lori & Howard Altman Michelle & Gareth Asten The Benudiz Family Nicole & Brad Brooks Jo Champa

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Julia & Jonathan Eng Angela Asher & Ted Fikre The Finger Family Samantha & Jonathan Firestone The Foster Family Evanne & Edward Gargiulo Maria Mancuso Gersh & Gary Gersh Carol Schwartz & Elliot Gordon '74 Susan Winfield & Stephen Grynberg Shiva & Cyrus Hadavi The Koudsi Family Wendy & Gary Leshgold Lisa & Kevin Lewin The Lugash Family The Mass Family Michelle & Yariv Milchan Staci & Adam Miller Angela & Mark Milstein The Newkirk Family Christine & Richard Newman The Ouchi Tsai Gallon Families The Pauley Foundation Kelly & Darren Peers Rachael & Bob Platt Tristan Bickman & David Ribakoff Laura & Kenny Rogers The Sachs Family Dana & Evan Schlessinger Paulina & Carlos Smith The St. John Family The Stratton Family The Trilling Family Trina & Adam Venit Amy & Brian Weitman Elisabeth & Rich Welch La Donna & Neil Wertlieb

$50,000+ John Andrews Nadine Bell Lorraine & Joe Berchtold Alex & Jason Brent Alison Garb

Partnering with a great middle school was critical in our parenting plan.

After a solid foundation was set for our kids through their wonderful preschool and elementary schools, we felt it was essential to find a school that our teenagers would love and embrace as their own. We knew we were entering into a phase where we risked losing their interest because matters of intellectual curiosity would compete with newfound freedom. We were seeking a school where students were intrinsically motivated and happily engaged. On our tours, we immediately felt we found the right place. Windward teachers and administrators were so enthusiastic and experts in their respective subjects, and there were so many varying interests that our very different children could explore.

The community was also warm and welcoming.

Risa Gertner Cathy & Josh Goldsmith Roopal & Dylan Jadeja Lisa & Brian Kessler Leah & John Ketcham Serena & Shawn Levy Laura & Chris Miller Judith Hayward & Michael Parks Kimberly & Joshua Perttula '88 Aimee & Mark Rosenbaum Sharon & Shawn Sani Bart Williams

The rising costs of education, facilities, and programs makes it so difficult to maintain a status of excellence without continual investment.

Our philanthropic work has entirely been focused on education, so we have seen first-hand how expensive it is to simply remain competitive with peer schools. We have been thankful that our children have been able to attend top-tier schools, like Windward, and like all of you, we make it a priority to pay our gratitude forward by helping in any way that the School needs.

up to $49,999 Randye Soref & Michael Abrams Jennifer & Chris Andrews Jamie & Michael Angus Kamila & Dilip Bhavnani Karol Watson & Christopher Branche Rachel & John Edwards Katherine & Sean Eskovitz The Farar Family Ryan & Tucker Gates Lori & Tom Gilder Sheri & Michael Green Jamie & Joshua Gutfreund The Gutman Family Stacie & Bryan Hausner The Kallman Family The Kane Family Emily Kovner Cathy & Matt Leaf Debbie & Jonathan Markiles The Nichols Levey Family Lydia & Charles Oppenheim I-Shyh & Paul Ortiz Patricia Duncan & Winston Peters Jessica & Eric Reid Michelle & David Taub Courtney & Jared Wolff Malea & Reza Zafari Gina Deutsch-Zakarin & Mark Zakarin

As we witnessed the comprehensive Innovation Campaign plans, it became obvious that the project teams have thoroughly vetted and taken best practices from other institutions and crafted flexible facilities that make the most use of the limited space we have in Los Angeles.

When we heard about the plans for the Community Gathering Plaza, in between the bridges built by generous families, we knew it was the perfect area for us to help fund—an outdoor area for learning and performing, and a natural remedy for difficult semesters that everyone has bravely worked through during this challenging pandemic. The renderings showcased a bright and joyous space that everyone would use together, between new and existing buildings. We could easily see our current Windward students Bailey and Ari learning and enjoying the space, as well as Hayden, Kylie, and Stella who are not yet at the School, growing and performing in the future as well.

Windward is grateful for the tremendous support of both the Michael & Lori Milken Family Foundation and the Gregory & EJ Milken Foundation. Their generosity to the Innovation Campaign is helping to create new spaces, which expand Windward’s programs and learning environments.

All of the well-designed facilities that are part of the Innovation Campaign bring hope and wonder to our current students and those yet to come. To the administration, faculty and staff, and many families before us who have already been so generous and given to the School, whether it be working, volunteering, giving, and building—all of us in the Milken family want to thank you for creating such a special environment.

-EJ & Gregory Milken

Parents of Bailey ’25, Ari ’27, Hayden, Kylie, and Stella

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ACADEMICS

Original Illustration: Mollie McElvain

Teaching Pathways to Success A

s Windward students move along their academic journeys, we as educators continue to ask ourselves a single guiding question: how do we cultivate in students the skills and dispositions they need for success in college and beyond?

Students are the central focus of all of the work taking place at Windward. As a way of further fostering their growth and development, in recent years the School has constructed its curriculum to ensure that graduates possess a core set of dispositions and skills.

These five student Core Competencies— Critical Thinkers, Effective Communicators, Resilient Problem Solvers, Inclusive Leaders, and Ethical and Culturally Responsive Leaders—are the basis of this goal. For the 2021-22 school year, faculty have been exploring the role each Core Competency plays in making these Core Competencies part of the everyday Windward experience, with the end goal being that students develop the character traits and proficiency needed for their longterm success.

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In the Foundations of Making and Design (FOMAD) elective, instructors Regina Rubio and Jenn Zanoria organically cultivate critical thinking through the design thinking process. “The students identify a problem, brainstorm, and execute solutions,” explained Jenn. “They then test those solutions and reiterate the design until the maker is satisfied with the final outcome.” Students are encouraged to go outside their comfort levels to learn new skills that will broaden their approach and understanding. If the students want to make something but don’t know how, they are encouraged to find out through their own research, advocating for themselves by asking for help, and learning from each other. Students are also asked to deeply reflect on their work and their process by presenting to the class and a written response.

To instructor Drue Metz, effective communication is an essential component to a student’s longlasting educational success. As part of Film Production—1, students each create “creative lookbooks” for their departments of directing, cinematography, and production design.

Throughout this process, students must learn how to cohesively work with one another, assigning creative tasks, giving and receiving feedback, and presenting their work to the class. “One of the most valuable skill sets we can nurture within our students is their ability to become not only great communicators, but great listeners as well,” explained Drue. “This helps our students grow holistically as empathetic leaders, and will be an invaluable skill set that they will use throughout all of life’s personal and professional endeavors.”

Equally important is a student’s ability to be a resilient problem-solver, able to be adaptive to new challenges and solutions.

In Think Differently: Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship, instructor Jeff Gilder tasked students with a project that had them participate in a case study where they were presented with a business challenge and asked to develop a compelling solution for their target organization. Students gathered data, researched the market, and brainstormed potential solutions. They then had to adapt their solutions as their knowledge surrounding the subject matter evolved. “Resiliency is a key component of this exercise,” Jeff shared. “Students are encouraged to continually refine their solutions as they better understand the nuances of the particular challenge through their research.”

Jeff continued, “It’s critical that students embrace a growth mindset and under-

stand that each failure is truly a learning opportunity. As our student entrepreneurs internalize this concept and utilize the iterative process, they generate innovative solutions to complex problems.”

Perhaps nowhere is the collaborative nature of the Core Competencies more apparent than in encouraging inclusive leaders. In Windward’s Honors Capstone: Ethics and Leadership—1, Seniors practice consciously working in teams in many scenarios throughout the course. In the Gumdrop Challenge, students work in small groups to recreate a structure made out of gumdrops and toothpicks. Team members learn the importance of vision, explicit and implicit communication, and execution. “Building effective teams is an essential element of fostering inclusive leaders,” said instructor Alexa Micek.

“Inclusive leaders will thrive from learning the strengths of their team members and how to empower each other in a way that creates buy-in for the team culture and mission. The ability to place value in others and approach teammates with empathetic understanding moves the team forward toward their goals.”

By the time our students graduate, the hope is that they will be ethical and culturally responsive citizens, having achieved a greater understanding of the values, experiences, and perspectives of others. “In Global Studies, almost every decision we make about what to

teach and how to present it to our students is driven by a desire to help them understand the complexity of the world and how they can be empathetic members of their local and global communities,” detailed Global Programs Director Regan Buck Bardeen. In the unit “Cross Cultural Encounters,” one of the essential questions is, ‘What does mutually beneficial cross-cultural engagement look like in the world today?’ “I’m really excited,” Regan shared, “because I’ve seen how students take these big ideas about identity, authenticity, and cultural contact and realize the ways they have (hopefully empathetic!) cross-cultural encounters in their own lives.”

Educational reformer John Dewey once said: “We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.”

Windward’s Middle School Capstone does just that by structuring its curriculum around habits of mind. Led by Associate Director of Middle School Emily Dawe, the course is designed to allow students to think about their own growth in the Core Competencies throughout their Middle School years. Students are tasked with collecting various artifacts in a digital portfolio, which serve as evidence of their growth in the Core Competencies.

“I ask my students to demonstrate how they are developing as a problem solver or as a critical thinker etc., using these

different artifacts they are sharing and are proud of as a vehicle,” said Emily.

“The idea behind the Core Competencies is less about ’I am developing my ability to solve systems of equations,’ and more about ‘being a resilient problem solver could be true in my math class, in my debate club, or on my football team.’ As the Responsive Teaching committee has been thinking about the Core Competencies this year, we want them to become part of the fiber of the School. And to do that is to talk about them daily and make them part of the culture.”

The Middle School Capstone culminates in April when 8th Grade students examine their body of artifacts and craft an independent project demonstrating one of the habits of mind. The project could be anything from painting to building a robot to creating a film. They then present their final projects to a group and reflect on the process as a whole.

“The Capstone is an ongoing exploration.

It’s a metaphorical look at how far they have come during their Middle School years,” said Emily.

Through ongoing professional development opportunities, we look forward to using the Middle School Capstone as a model for developing and drafting Core Competency-focused student reflections for courses across the curriculum.

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ACADEMICS

Visions of Justice, Images of Change

by Tony de los Reyes,

Visual & Media Arts Faculty

U

nderstanding the relationship between knowledge, empathy, respect, and action is the core of my Honors Capstone: Social Justice and Public Policy. As our Senior students craft their upcoming final projects, part of that understanding comes from seeing outstanding work by social justice defenders in the field. We’ve heard from photojournalists, immigration rights attorneys, and police abuse/ victims’ rights advocates; studied anti-abortion legislation, and looked at how the media shapes rhetoric that affects us in undesirable ways. As an artist, I also realize the power that creativity wields, bringing passion to our concerns. This year we had two such visionaries join us via Zoom: filmmaker Robert A. Greene and guerilla artist Robbie Conal.

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Seeing Greene’s incredibly innovative and moving documentary, “Bisbee ’17,” at a Hammer Museum screening two years ago, led to an email exchange, and eventually a virtual visit. Greene, filmmaker-in-chief at the Murray Center for Documentary Journalism at the University of Missouri, is known for his radical interpretations of the documentary genre. His latest award-winning film, “Procession” (now on Netflix), is an astonishingly intimate look at how six adult survivors of sexual abuse come together to use film as therapy to potentially heal their childhood trauma. After screening “Bisbee ’17” in class, Greene was gracious enough to discuss the film with our students and help them understand the creative calculations he struggled with in bringing to light a little-known, yet significant moment in American history.

“Bisbee ’17” tells the story of the 1917 labor strike and deportation in Bisbee, Arizona. The then affluent town, one of the largest copper mines in the world supplying raw material for the war effort, was at the center of a strike instigated by the International Workers of the World (IWW). Demanding better safety and working conditions, dependable, fair wages, and ending unequal treatment of foreign and minority workers, the IWW was seen as a direct threat to the company town’s identity and economy. The mine owner, sheriff, and 2,200 newly-appointed deputies colluded to arrest over 2,000 of the strikers at gunpoint. They were then marched to Bisbee’s baseball field, and forced onto a series of waiting rail cattle cars, which eventually deposited them 200 miles away in the desert, without food or water. Told never to return, miners’ families were torn apart, homes were lost, and a deep psychic wound was embedded into the once proud town. Reenacted by its current citizens in 2017, Greene documented the “ghosts” that the event reconstituted, and how they continue to shape the consciousness of its residents. Greene told the students that his experience of interviewing Bis-

Top Left: Still from “Bisbee ’17.” Courtesy Robert Greene/Grasshopper Film.

Top Right: Robbie Conal, “Watching, Waiting, Dreaming.” Courtesy the artist.

bee’s re-enactors as they prepared for the deportation helped him understand how collective histories are always with us. Film critic Justin Chang of the Los Angeles Times said, “The lesson of “Bisbee ’17,” signaled by that sly apostrophe in its title, is that the past is never really the past. Greene has made a hard movie to argue with, even as he invites you to do exactly that.” As several of our students have chosen to use film as part of their Capstone projects, Greene gave them some important insights into the possibilities the medium can bring.

Another guest speaker brought into class was the renowned “guerrilla artist” Robbie Conal, whose images skewering the political elite have inspired street artists around the world for decades.

To those of us growing up in Los Angeles since the 1980s, his iconic posters of presidents, senators, supreme court justices, and other official power-brokers have been forever etched into our minds. After I introduced students to

a brief survey of past political art by James Gillray, Honoré Daumier, and Paul Conrad (18th-20th century, respectively), Conal invited us into his self-admitted, miscreant mindset. Although a serious activist, mentor, and former USC professor, Conal’s unique cocktail of agitation and humor was immediately apparent. He told the stories behind his famous Contra-Cocaine poster, the Reagan administration’s Iran-Contra scandal that sparked it, and his Dis Arm poster, designed to provoke a reaction to then Police Chief Daryl Gates’ flippant remark made in 1990, that, “Casual drug users ought to be taken out and shot.” Just as that poster, with its quote

by Gates hovering over a standard-issue police baton, was being set up for printing, the Rodney King incident took place. Conal immediately rushed over to the print shop, scratched out the word “shot” and drew in “beaten.” Ten days after altering them, 2,500 copies were plastered around Los Angeles. Later, the LAPD dropped the controversial baton

as part of its tactics. His vitally caustic, sardonic, and essentially public work is now part of permanent collections within America’s great museums, such as The Broad and Metropolitan Museum of Art. But perhaps most enlightening to the class was Conal’s description of the very moment that, after being weighed down by years of depicting “very ugly people” dismantling liberal values, he needed to paint heroes. He thought about the patience, humility, intelligence, and love that three in particular had brought to his practice and decided to make work dedicated to their impact. One result was the triptych, “Watching, Waiting, Dreaming.” In it, portraits of Gandhi, the Dalai Lama, and Martin Luther King hover above the three words. Conal told the class that when thinking about these giants of social justice, he simply considered what they were/are perhaps thinking now, as they look upon our deeply fallible species. Individually, resting quietly on the city’s ubiquitous, grey electrical boxes, they became sentinels of consciousness, warning us of the dire straits that complacency can bring.

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ACADEMICS

In each panel discussion, Windward’s guests were gracious in sharing their own journeys to poetry, the challenges and successes they find in writing and sharing their work, and their overall views on the power of their craft.

“It was an honor to welcome Robin, Charif, and Nathan into our classrooms and community.

While our students do beautiful work in their poetry units with their Windward teachers, these opportunities to connect directly with the authors they read are invaluable. We hope to continue and expand upon this program for many years to come!” said English Chair Kara Nebel.

The Heart of Poetry Windward’s Co-Founder, Shirley Windward, taught English for over 40 years and published several volumes of poetry, short stories, and novels. Her enthusiasm and love for the written word is reflected in our English curriculum.

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F

or the past several years, Windward has coordinated a Visiting Poets Program for its youngest students. English Teacher Whitney Wood brought the idea for such a program to the School when she first joined the community in 2017.

Since then, Windward’s 7th Grade English team has been cultivating the program, bringing in guest speakers and poets from around the country.

“In the 7th Grade poetry unit, students were introduced to poetic forms through odes to onions, elegies for old boats, Harlem Renaissance sonnets, allusive poems to superheros, and ekphrastic lyrics responding to works of art. They discussed and analyzed how poets leverage literary devices to explore lessons

about life before students experiment, write, and revise their own imitations into a final anthology,” said English teacher Will Vincent.

On Monday, January 24, Windward welcomed esteemed poets Charif Shanahan, Nathan McClain, and Robin Coste Lewis as part of this year’s program. The poets were invited to field questions from students and engage in a dialogue about topics such as what inspires them or overcoming the dreaded writer's block.

“The students came away with an understanding of how poetry does not merely hide away in anthologies and textbooks, but is an active and real way of engaging with the contemporary world,” said Will.

The students used Nathan McClain's poem “Nighthawks by Edward Hopper” to explore ekphrastic poetry (poetry describing works of art). The 7th Graders wrote their own poems mirroring the way McClain described and made personal connections to that wellknown painting. The students also looked at “Ligament” by Charif Shanahan, which talks literally about a surgery but symbolically about the small acts of human kindness that connect and heal people. Lastly, they explored “Art and Craft” by Robin Coste Lewis, which explores the loneliness of being seen as different and the temptation to diminish oneself in order to fit in. All three poems offered students the opportunity to notice how small intentional details—such as where a line breaks or the shift from singular to plural—can affect the larger message of a piece.

In general, throughout the unit, the 7 Graders looked closely at a series of seven poems, discussing how to encounter a new poem and search for meaning in poetry. Students also wrote five of their own poems inspired by those we read together. th

“One particularly poignant moment in the poets' visit was when a student asked the poets what they wanted us to think when we read their work, and Robin Coste Lewis replied something along the lines of: ‘I don't want you to think anything. I want you to feel something.’

What a perfect answer to capture the heart of poetry,” said English teacher Dawn Robinson.

SPECIAL THANKS: Charif Shanahan is an Assistant Professor of English and Creative Writing at Northwestern University. He is the author of two collections of poetry: Trace Evidence (Tin House, 2023), and Into Each Room We Enter without Knowing (SIU Press, 2017), winner of the Crab Orchard Series in Poetry First Book Award, and a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Poetry and the Publishing Triangle's Thom Gunn Award. He is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship; the Wallace Stegner Fellowship and the Jones Lectureship at Stanford University; a Fulbright Senior Scholar Grant to Morocco; the Gregory Pardlo Fellowship from the Frost Place; and residency fellowships from Cave Canem Foundation, the MacDowell Colony, Millay Colony for the Arts, La Maison Baldwin in St Paul, France, and the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, among other awards and recognitions.

Nathan McClain is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Creative Writing/African American Literary Arts at Hampshire College. He is the author of Previously Owned (Four Way Books, 2022) and Scale (Four Way Books, 2017), a recipient of fellowships from the Sewanee Writers' Conference, The Frost Place, and the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference. Previously, he taught creative writing at Seton Hall, Drew University, and St. Joseph's College, as well as poetry workshops for the Cave Canem Foundation.

Robin Coste Lewis is a Writer-in-Residence at University of Southern California, a Cave Canem fellow and a fellow of the Los Angeles Institute for the Humanities, and the former Poet Laureate of Los Angeles (2017-2021). In 2015, her debut poetry collection, Voyage of the Sable Venus (Knopf) won the National Book Award in poetry––the first time a poetry debut by an African-American had ever won the prize in the National Book Foundation’s history, and the first time any debut had won the award since 1974. Voyage of the Sable Venus was also a finalist for LA Times Book Prize, the Hurston-Wright Award, and the California Book Award. In 2018, MoMA commissioned both Lewis and Kevin Young to write a series of poems to accompany Robert Rauschenberg’s drawings in Thirty-Four Illustrations of Dante’s Inferno (MoMA, 2018).

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EVENTS

Cum Laude Society Inductees Celebrated E

very year, a select number of Windward students are inducted into the Cum Laude Society, an organization founded in 1906 that is dedicated to honoring scholastic achievement in secondary schools.

Congratulations are in order to the following scholars on their academic achievements (pictured left to right): Maya Ashendouek ’22 Sophia Brooks ’22 Alondra Cardenas ’22 Joy Cheng ’22 Veronica Cope ’22 Madeleine Doi ’22 Teala Fishman ’22 Samuel Motzkin ’22 Kian Rosenblum ’22

School Spirits

Benjamin Sommer ’22 Zane St. John ’22 Max Wimmer ’22

O

ctober brought a familiar chill as the Halloween spirit returned to Windward’s campus! Students and faculty again showed up decked out in their most frightful finest, strutting their stuff as part of the School’s annual Halloween Costume Contest. It was a ghoulishly good time for all!

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EVENTS

Entrepreneurship in Action E

An Honor in Any Language F

or students in World Language, the National Honor Societies Induction marks an important step into a larger world. On October 14, the Windward World Language French, Mandarin, and Spanish Honor Societies welcomed Mandarin Honor Society 10th Grade: Cameron de Chausse Abe Ezra Misha Sharif 11th Grade: Reed Farkas Luke Gialanella Truman Pauley Keely Romine-West 12th Grade: Riley Morris French Honor Society 10th Grade: Tea Koudsi Audrey Sachs Yasmine Toubassy Robert Watkins

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Sydney Ginestro Haley Hansen Phoebe Swartz McQuaid Harkin-Goodrich 11th Grade: Isis Ginyard Spanish Honor Society 11th Grade: Chloe Altman Jaden Amersi Anselmo Claire Asten Andrew Balasa Skye Belker Elliot Bobrow Noah Cohen Naomi Daneshgar Juliet Garel-Jones Nicoletta Gianopulos

new members into their respective national honor societies.

The ceremony was led entirely by student officers in the target language. Congratulations to the new inductees on their fine record of achievement in World Language!

Aerin Glaser Gabriella Glass Noah Goldsmith Asha Gopinath Maya Gordon Connor James Nicholas Ketcham Hayden Miller Hugo Miller Henry Nieves Wyatt Peers Christopher Robson Jessica Silletti Michael Spector Charles Van Hook Meiyi Wang Tessa Weiss 12th Grade:

Sofia Borin Samara Grossman Caroline Hannan Kelise Jackson Jonas Lipofsky Eli Motzkin Griffin Musk Lawrence Paccione Nicola Pachulski Jonah Perttula Paige Pomerance Jaden Rosenbaum Caleb Rosenblum Cate Schaberg Maxwell Shoustal Nicholas Sidoti Benjamin Sommer Evan Spear

ach year, Windward students look forward to Buy It On The Bridge (BIOTB), a bustling marketplace on the Bridge, where student vendors sell products to fellow classmates and faculty. The student entrepreneurs have the opportunity to sell whatever they want—from food to soaps, candles, and clothing to handmade trinkets of all kinds!

The popular event fosters an entrepreneurial spirit among Windward students by providing a forum for student businesses.

Student entrepreneurs sell their original creations, learning about marketing, brand development, inventory, sales strategies, and product design along the way!

Said Associate Director of Middle School Emily Dawe, “The students’ excitement was palpable as they bought and sold products to each other under a sunny December sky with music playing.

You could really feel how hungry our students are to come together as a community and exercise their entrepreneurial muscles.”

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CAMPUS

Navigating a How Expertise Pandemic and Teamwork

By Lani Farar, Parent Guild Communications Committee Member Parent of Evan ’24 and Bella ’26

A

s Windward enters its 50th academic year, it also enters the second full academic year of the COVID-19 pandemic. We know that Windward’s top priority is the health and safety of its students, faculty, staff, and community members, especially with our Fall return to campus. But with the ever-changing landscape of local and national requirements, how is Windward working behind the scenes to make sure that we continue to stay compliant and organized? The short answer is teamwork.

Keep Windward in Motion

We sat down with a few of our Windward COVID Task Force team members, including Lindsay Flacks, Windward’s Director of Risk Management, Wayne Northrup, part of the Athletic Medicine team, and our new School Nurse, Kelly Rivers, to share their pandemic experience and ways we can all work together to keep Windward’s campus safe, healthy, and open.

LINDSAY FLACKS, DIRECTOR OF RISK MANAGEMENT

Y

ou might be surprised that Lindsay Flacks was not hired to handle the COVID-19 pandemic. While she admits her three years at Windward “feels more like ten,” she credits a unique set of skills, adaptability, teamwork, and our strong Windward community for helping set ourselves apart from many other schools during this uncertain time.

What exactly is a “Director of Risk Management?”

Lindsay explains, “I facilitate and implement projects and initiatives geared to enhance the health and well-being of the Windward community. I also tend to think of myself as an operations and strategy advisor to the Windward leadership team.”

She jokes that her job definition sounds like a “vague mouthful,” but when she explains what parents are able to come to her regarding, she tells me: “I’m readily available to answer questions around all safety and security protocols, but beyond that, parents can also come to me regarding just about anything!

And, if I don’t know the answer, I can track it down!”

Lucky for us, Lindsay comes to Windward with a dual degree Master in Business Administration and Master in Public Health, along with several years working in the healthcare field.

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So while she was not specifically hired to handle the pandemic, she tells me, “whether it be fate or chance, I feel like I landed in the right place at the right time.”

She is so right! Her educational and experiential background has brought incredible advantages to Windward.

“I've been able to connect the School to a nationally renowned epidemiologist and an expert industrial hygienist who have been able to help guide and shape Windward's policies and procedures to keep our community as safe as possible. Moreover, I've been able to readily navigate the public health landscape. Unlike learning a foreign W I N D W A R D M A G A Z I N E - 19

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“

Whether it be fate or chance, I feel like I landed in the right place at the right time.”

language, I’m already well versed and familiar with the public health culture, making it more intuitive and far less overwhelming.”

And when it comes to other ways Lindsay helps keep our campus safe and healthy, Lindsay says Windward has “gone above and beyond” the measures proposed by the local Department of Public Health. Weekly PCR testing in partnership with Premier Pharmacy, the utilization of higher-grade threeply (or greater) masks, in conjunction with a community-wide vaccine mandate, Windward community pledge and the “general due diligence” of the community, all go into the efficacy of our COVID protocols.

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Lindsay says in particular, “Premier Pharmacy has been a true pleasure to work with! As partners we’ve been able to provide everything from flu vaccine clinics to COVID primary and secondary vaccine clinics to COVID booster vaccine clinics. Our end goal is the same - help the Windward community stay as safe and healthy as possible! I am truly grateful for this partnership.”

Lindsay’s role is not without its many challenges. She tells me it has been incredibly difficult to handle the uncertainties not only presented by the virus itself and governing protocols under which Windward is bound, but also the lack of consistency in normalcy and routine.

In coping with this ever-changing landscape, she believes: “Adaptability is the name of the game in our current predicament. Being ready for anything is critical, as today and tomorrow are not guaranteed to be the same. Moreover, I think being able to offer grace to oneself and each other is also paramount. This time has been a struggle in different ways for different people, but the goal of keeping our students in school is driving all of us forward.”

Lindsay tells me the school’s ability to adapt can be credited to its “PEOPLE” (emphasis hers!).

“This is by far the greatest team of individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. It takes a village to get through these tough times, and Windward is one strong village!”

Further, while she acknowledges and regrets the “tremendous anxiety and uncertainty for the students, families, and faculty and staff,” she tells me: “I’m in constant admiration of our entire community, as we navigate these unprecedented circumstances. I recognize these times are far from easy, but the support of the Windward circle has been nothing short of amazing.”

ATHLETIC MEDICINE— WAYNE NORTHRUP & EDGAR GONZALEZ

H

ow has Wayne Northrup, who’s been at Windward for over 17 years, helped pivot Athletic Medicine's primary function to its current one?

Wayne thinks of the pandemic as “an elephant; the only way to eat it is one bite at a time.” Eating elephants is not actually how Windward’s Athletic Medicine department is handling COVID; being calm and organized is.

Wayne says, “There have been many long days but while navigating the pandemic I have learned that Windward is a great community with a very hardworking staff.” Each department has agreed “to take on more responsibilities to create the safest space for everyone coming on to campus while promoting the best experience possible for our students to enjoy life again.”

The Athletic Medicine team, which also includes Edgar Gonzalez, has jumped in with both feet during all the phases of the pandemic to partner with other Windward teams.

“Early on in the pandemic, Athletic Medicine took on the role of Independent Physical Education Instructors to help decrease the load of our coaches that had to Zoom for physical education classes, and conducted telemedicine checks. As the pandemic continued, we partnered with the security team for morning drop-off check-in and afternoon sports check-in.”

“Today, Athletic Medicine continues to take on the task of managing all things COVID, from documenting the results from our on-campus testing to those sent in from off-site labs, managing positive cases, exposures and handling vaccination and booster cards of our students.

We have become a central hub to help educate and inform students, coaches, and parents on the ever fluctuating COVID world.”

Wayne explains that Athletic Medicine's formal role at Windward “is to help our community with emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, prevention, rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses. Athletic Medicine has been driven to make sure that anybody on our campus has the medical care needed from the simplest paper cut up to compound fractures and seizures.”

He also emphasizes that “This role of helping the Windward community stretches far from just the sidelines of games helping our scholar-athletes.

We have traveled with various grades on retreats from Kenneth Hahn Park down the street to the east coast on the Junior trips. Athletic Medicine also helps manage the Magnus Health W I N D W A R D M A G A Z I N E - 21

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“

This role of helping the Windward community stretches far from just the sidelines” days that Edgar and I would have different goals. One of us would do all COVID-related tasks and the other would focus on the needs of scholar-athletes, coaches, and community.”

How do Wayne and Edgar balance their pre-pandemic duties with their new ones?

portal, which houses the many forms for medical and emergency information needed to attend Windward.”

While it sounds like Athletic Medicine had its hands full pre-pandemic, Wayne says he was well-suited for the daily stresses the pandemic offered, drawing on his academic background learning from pioneers in the Athletic Medicine Field.

“One of the greatest things that I was taught early in my career was the ability to focus and almost tunnel vision your mind to the task at hand.”

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Similar to when an athlete suffers a potentially life-altering injury and he not only has to manage the injury, but the commotion around him, Wayne adds his ability to channel emotional calm to his handling of the pandemic: “This is when quieting the mind and focusing on the task at hand will help.

Early on we discovered trying to do many tasks at one time became too stressful. We decided to dedicate portions of the day to single tasks like check-ins, COVID data management, injury rehabilitation time for athletes, and game management. There were

He acknowledges, “As you can well imagine it has not all been beautiful rainbows and chocolate cake, and when needed everyone was willing to pull together in order to help students live the Windward experience. I may have learned more about Microbiology, Virology, and Epidemiology this last year than all my years in college, but mostly what I have learned is the importance of the face-to-face social interaction of our youth, not only for their education but mostly their physiological and behavior growth. This is the driving force of why we take on the task of COVID to ensure this continues in the safest way possible.”

We are truly grateful for the dedication of our Athletic Medicine team.

With everything Wayne and Edgar are doing to help our School stay healthy, safe and open, what can we as the Windward community do to help?

Wayne tells me it all boils down to patience and understanding. “As a parent myself with young children in elementary and middle school, I completely understand the need for quick information, especially when protocols change… Windward has a fantastic Risk Management Team and Administration Group that are navigating the national CDC, State, County, City, K-12 School and Youth Sports requirements and guidelines.

It can take some time to gather the information and put in place the protocols that we need to follow to have a safe space for our students to come to campus to learn and grow. It is at times of adjusted protocols that our families’ patience and understanding is needed the most. Updated protocols usually result in an increase in testing and/or vaccination documentation and can quickly overload Athletic Medicine’s email box. Rest assured that Kelly (our new School Nurse), Edgar and myself are working hard to answer questions and get the information in the correct locations as a single COVID test date result may need to be placed on four or five different documents.”

While Wayne acknowledges that “there have been some waves this past year and once you think you have almost finished your elephant another one was served up,” Athletic Medicine has been a critical member of the pandemic fighting team.

MEET WINDWARD’S SCHOOL NURSE, KELLY RIVERS

I

n November 2021, the Operations Department welcomed Kelly Rivers as Windard’s new School Nurse.

Kelly serves as a key member of the Windward Community, promoting a safe and healthy campus. Kelly serves as a primary caregiver to the School throughout the school day, assessing, evaluating and managing illness and basic injuries. She consults with and provides advice to the administration, faculty, staff and others regarding students’ specific health issues, which may impact their campus experience.

Additionally, Kelly supports the Athletic Medicine team in identifying treatments and basic rehabilitation programs for athletic-relat ed injuries. Kelly is also responsible for developing and implementing health and safety policies and procedures in support of the School’s mission and in compliance with federal, state and local laws. Kelly comes to Windward with over 30 years of comprehensive clinical background in ICU, PICU, NICU and PACU as well as a skilled RN with a Master of Healthcare Administration and a Bachelor Degree in Informatics.

What’s kept you the busiest since you joined Windward’s community?

Testing, testing, testing. All the students are so willing to go with the flow it’s an impressive test of humanity to get 800+ people tested and boosted.

Windward is doing a great job!

If I wasn’t a school nurse I’d be a…

I’d be a set designer specializing in historical film or a Navy pilot.

The last great book I read was…

“The Premonition: A Pandemic Story,”

by Michael Lewis. It came out in April 2021. The author was writing about what would happen if we had a pandemic; he had to rewrite his story due to the real story unfolding. It may sound boring, but Michael Lewis makes epidemiology captivating and thought-provoking. Michael Lewis also wrote “Moneyball,” “The Blind Side,” and “The Big Short.”

My favorite quote…

“A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members” ~ Vice President Hubert Humphrey 1965-1969 (or Mahatma Gandhi, no one is sure) Odd job I have had in the past…

I was a banquet hostess for a golf course in Astoria, Oregon (my hometown). There were only two options on the menu, chicken or steak, so it was super easy for a 16-yearold. I loved it, and the tips were great.

Best concert ever…

Prince, Wembley Arena London 1988 or Guns N ’ Roses and Metallica, Rosebowl Pasadena 1992.

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The Facilities team also assists with everyday needs, such as thermostat regulation, facility upgrades and cleaning needs (including fixture replacement and maintenance), and the team readily provides hands to jump in wherever needed. They are truly the glue that keeps the School together in top form.

“This pandemic has been a bit tricky to navigate across the board, but regardless of the obstacles that came along with it, this team has bonded like never before to overcome the arduous workload that came with it. All with an effort to resume to normality," said Raul.

Whether it’s mitigating traffic issues for parents or checking each student in with their Titan App, Windward’s Security team is not only keeping the campus safe and secure, but doing it with a smile.

Windward’s Security team is led by Uriel Aguirre, who has been at Windward for more than seven years. The former Head of Chief Security, Uri accepted the full time position of Security Operations Manager with Windward for the 2021-22 school year, completely indoctrinating him into our tight-knight community. Uri leads a team of six from Chief Security: Miguel C., Carlos H., Carlos G., Vincent

M., Greg M., and Edward S. Each day, our Security Team works tirelessly to ensure things on campus run smoothly and safely.

Lindsay says, “Without these individuals and their respective teams, this campus would not be near as strong as it is.”

50 years strong, Windward has shown its resilience and risen, Paws Up, even during a worldwide pandemic, with the goals of keeping our community safe, healthy, and open this year.

Security Team

WINDWARD’S BACKBONE— FACILITIES AND SECURITY

W

ho are the other behind-the-scenes pandemic heroes of our campus?

Windward’s story of teamwork would not be complete without mention and praise of the School’s Facilities and Security teams.

The Facilities team, managed by Raul Villa—which also includes Maynor Castellanos, Jesse Chavez, Margarito Garcia, Nery Reyna, and Alejandro Zuniga—seamlessly ensures tables and setups are delivered where they need to be, on-time as if by magic, not only for school tours, events and activities, but for COVID-related necessities like Premier Pharmacy’s testing sites and booster clinic stations.

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“

This team has bonded like never before to overcome the arduous workload that came with it.”

Uriel Aguierre

Miguel C.

Carlos H.

Carlos G.

Vincent M.

Greg M.

Edward S.

Windward Facilities

Raul Villa

Maynor Castellanos

Jesse Chavez

Margarito Garcia

Nery Reyna

Alejandro Zuniga

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W E L L- B E I N G

Return to Retreats O

f the many essential components of the Windward experience, few mean more to our Middle School students than Fall retreats. This shared experience goes a long way in building lasting relationships with their fellow classmates, as well as creating a bond with their faculty advisors. While we were unfortunately unable to offer retreats for the Class of 2026 in 2020, we were thrilled to see their full return this past September for the 7th Grade, and October for the 8th Grade.

Taking place at the Bruin Woods UCLA Conference Center at scenic Lake Arrowhead, our 2021 retreats featured a number of exciting, team-building activities for our 7th and 8th Grade stu-

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dents to enjoy. From group sports like swimming, basketball, tennis, volleyball, and the 7th Grade Class Olympics to after-hours events such as a class talent show and traditional campfire gathering, our students were up for everything thrown at them.

Of course, no obstacle proved as challenging as the fan-favorite UCLA Conference Center Ropes Course. Suspended high in the air, the UCLA Conference Center Ropes Course offers a series of supervised outdoor problem-solving activities that promote a combination of teamwork skills and individual commitment. Our students showed elements of trust, support, and communication in completing the

course, and it was again a highlight for all involved!

Said Eric Mandel, Assistant Head of School and Director of Middle School, “The 7th Grade retreat is always one of the highlights of the year. The students return from the trip as true Windwardians, bonded to their classmates and teachers. I am so grateful that we were also able to take the 8th Graders on this trip. They missed out on the trip as 7th Grade students because of the pandemic, and the difference the trip has made in their connection to the School and to one another is remarkable.”

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W E L L- B E I N G

Prep Retreats Reach New Heights

Meet the Division Coordinators

An integral part of Windward’s division structure, the coordinators are often referred to as the glue that holds the community together. From attendance to biweekly reports, to scheduling meetings and events, the coordinators are a vital part of the Windward community.

This year, Windward has been lucky enough to have three new and wonderful individuals in the coordinator role!

Sherif Zakaria

Middle School Coordinator

W

indward’s retreats for the 9th and 10th Grades offer a unique experience for students to connect, grow, and develop individually and within their peer groups as they move through their high school careers. Retreats enable students, administrators, and faculty to engage in activities and conversations that connect to Windward’s development as a community. Through exposure to a wide range of activities and experiences, students are engaged in physical, intellectual, and emotional challenges aimed at expanding their potential as lifelong learners and as global citizens.

The 9th Grade kicked off the school year with a September retreat at Camp Ramah in beautiful Ojai, CA. All activities were co-designed by the Prep Division team and Fulcrum Adventures. Activities ranged from reflection to team building with scaffolded challenges and new opportunities for

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students, including ropes courses, archery, hiking, and swimming.

This two-night retreat is part of a larger picture of inclusion at Windward as these off-campus activities allow for more time for students to learn to support and trust each other.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, the Class of 2024 missed out on their 9th Grade retreat for 2020.

“The 10th Grade students missed their overnight retreat last year, and we wanted to make sure they had opportunities as a class to connect early.

Being off campus allows all of us to put classes and other obligations aside for a few hours to enjoy the outdoors and new adventures. Our students work hard, and it is important to help them connect and relax and socialize as a class,” said Prep Counselor Gail Holmes.

The 10th Grade retreat included a ropes course in Culver City led by Fulcrum Adventures, and an “urban adventure” scavenger hunt based around Grand Park in Downtown Los Angeles.

Associate Director of Prep Melanie Arias noted that tapping into the city of LA offered students some opportunities for autonomy, collaboration and making responsible choices that aligned with Windward’s Seminar goals. “It was a great fit for the way we want to see our oldest Prep students moving in the community and our world,” she said.

Taking students off campus and into the greater community allows the class to create its own rhythm to the day and explore different settings.

Windward’s commitment to growing collectively as a nurturing and inclusive community is reinforced through its retreat program.

Favorite Part of the Job: Working with the MS Admin Team. They are just the best!

What Keeps Him Busy: It's a nice mix of reconciling attendance, dealing with emergent issues, and connecting stakeholders.

Favorite Memory: Attending my first Windward graduation.

I was truly in awe of the production setup for graduation. It was one of the most meaningful and well executed events I've ever been a part of.

Most Surprising Thing About Windward: The intentionality behind building a true Windward community. Parents, students, Alumni, faculty, staff, and friends are wholeheartedly invested in the growth of the School. They demonstrate it on a daily basis!

Favorite Meal at the Pavilion: Tomato bisque soup with grilled cheese!

Personal Mantra: Sometimes, you’re the windshield; sometimes, you’re the bug.

Janyee Gutierrez Prep Division Coordinator

Favorite Part of the Job: My favorite part of my job is working with the students, parents, faculty and staff just having the connection with each.

Favorite Meal at the Pavilion: Taco Tuesday.

Favorite Memory: Although I am new to the School, I really enjoy the community and everyone is so friendly and willing to help.

A Surprising Fact About Her: I am a people person. I really enjoy getting to know and working with the parents/faculty/staff/students. Also before my day begins, I love to run, which gives me time to think through my day and plan.

Personal Mantra: I tell myself and my kids often "don’t sweat the small stuff!"

Favorite Movie: The Star Wars saga. I saw them when I was a child and now both my boys have enjoyed the movies as well.

It's something we all gather and do together.

Jocelyn Castillo

Collegiate Division Coordinator

Favorite Part of the Job: Getting to know the students and helping them navigate their day-to-day situations that arise. Each student has their own personality, and I really enjoy getting to know them and seeing them grow throughout the years.

Most Frequent Daily Task: A tie between "Can you print me out a new OneCard?" and "Are you busy?"

Favorite Memory: I would probably have to say Halloween.

I learned that some of the departments go all out for their group costume (the Collegiate team had the best costume this year, I'm just saying), and all the students look forward to the lunch time parade.

Most Surprising Thing About Windward: How supportive everyone is and the resources that all the students are given in order to achieve success.

Students are given the tools to grow and are engaged in conversations where they are spoken with and not spoken at.

Personal Mantra: If it makes you happy then go for it!

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STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

Shining Light on Isolated Spaces Isis Ginyard ’23

I

sis Ginyard is a name you may have heard before. From DEI to Service Learning, Isis has made an immense impact on our community ever since she joined in 9th Grade.

As a Junior, Isis is taking the STEAM field by storm, showcasing her coding and design thinking skills through her new app, STELLA. Isis has been coding since the 6th Grade and began developing STELLA in 8th Grade using Adobe XD. Her app focuses on the mental health of people living or working in isolated spaces.

“With each version, I have focused on adding components of mental well-being that would be beneficial to scientists in remote/isolated locations while designing an interface that is user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing so users will want to engage with the app. STELLA 5.0 is intended for a very targeted audience: astronauts, aquanauts, and research scientists,” said Isis.

The idea for STELLA came to Isis during a First Lego League Competition whose theme was space. It got her thinking: how does being in an isolated environment for a long period of time affect someone’s mental health?

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“Even before the pandemic, I knew that not being able to leave your environment and interact with others would have a huge impact on someone. I had a hunch that being surrounded by the same people for extended periods of time could lead to conflict. This is something we all felt this past year. These high-stress situations can cause a person to develop mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. This was the problem I wanted to tackle with the first iteration of STELLA,” said Isis.

so I can make sure users get the best experience,” she said.

“I want this app to shine a light on the importance of mental health in isolated environments especially as our society begins commercializing space travel. We are all susceptible to negative periods of mental health, and being confined or isolated makes it worse. This is something I noticed during the pandemic with my friends and family. The more mainstream we can make conversations about mental health, the more comfortable people will be seeking treatment for themselves,” she said.

When asked what advice she had for other students interested in pursuing STEAM, she noted, “I would encourage young women to seek out other women, both younger and older who share an interest in STEAM. It is very encouraging to work alongside other girls with the same goals as you. It has only made me work harder and create more, and it allows for collaboration and a broader network of ideas.”

Isis was invited to present her app to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) on August 21, 2021. The presentation was virtually on Zoom as part of AIAA's Women's History Celebration featuring Women in Aerospace.

In conducting research for her app, Isis teamed up with mental health professionals who helped her to gain insights into how to optimize care that the app will provide. She also spoke to individuals in the aerospace industry regarding how her app could be utilized on missions.

“It is extremely important to me that I get feedback from both mental health experts and people who are working in these spaces

Isis would like for STELLA to be available to all people working in remote locations.

While the app was created for use on space missions, she sees it being useful for people working in any remote or isolated environment—such as underwater or in Antarctica. Long term, she believes a version of her app could be created for the travelers on commercial space travel.

Teen Talk Shira Schlessinger ’22 With the uptick in feelings of isolation and lonliness due to the ongoing pandemic, teens have turned to their peers for support with their mental health. We sat down with Senior Shira Schlessinger to discuss a passion project of hers—Teen Talk, a mental health project designed for teens from Jewish Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Los Angeles. The Teen Talk App provides a free, anonymous, safe space for young people to request support from trained peers and learn from others with similar experiences. The free app is available to download on iOS and Android devices for teens 13-19.

What type of training did you undergo to become a Teen Talk advisor?

To become an advisor, I did 50 hours of training to become a ‘mini therapist.’ I did my training on Zoom with a licensed therapist and peer advisors. We went over different topics each day in my training, ranging from relationships to suicidal ideation. First we had some type of lecture teaching us the roots of these issues and how to spot them. Then we would simulate conversations with our peer advisors to practice having these conversations, like we do online.

Why do students feel more comfortable talking to a stranger their own age versus a parent or authority figure?

I think teens feel more comfortable talking to a peer advisor because, espe-

cially now during COVID, we can relate to more things than adults can because, for the most part, we have all lost and missed out on the same experiences. I also think that they do not feel intimidated by us and feel safe knowing that we really are there to help and listen to them, while sometimes they think adults won’t keep their secrets safe.

How has the experience shaped how you interact with your peers?

As cheesy as it sounds, it honestly reminds me that you never truly know what anyone is going through. Because the chats and conversations I have are entirely anonymous, a user I am talking to could be my best friend for all I know.

I try to think before I speak and look deeper within all of my conversations and fights to think if there’s something deeper going on, which is coming out in different ways.

Why is it important to you to give back to your community?

Growing up at a Jewish day school (Sinai Akiba) and a practicing Jewish family, I’ve always been involved in giving back to my community but mainly in ways that I’m passionate about, not just giving back for the sake of doing so. I feel lucky that I can give back and especially help others my age. I’m so fortunate to have an amazing support system of family and friends in addition to mental health resources but not every teen is so lucky, which is partly why I think Teen Talk is so important.

Can you give any advice to teens who are feeling lonely or isolated?

Feeling lonely and or isolated is scary, which I think is a key point that is often missed, especially when you aren’t phys-

ically lonely but still feel completely detached. I would foremost say that it’s so important to validate your own feelings no matter what anyone says. You know yourself best, and even if you are in a loud house or room, it’s valid to feel alone. My biggest piece of advice is to take baby steps and find small things that bring you comfort and joy before you try to jump back in and push yourself to return to whatever your new normal is.

What has your experience with Teen Talk taught you?

I always say that Teen Talk is my favorite thing to do, which is awful in some ways because I am only able to do it because other teens are struggling. However, it truly is the most rewarding activity I’ve ever done. I answer many of my own problems by helping my users. I wish I could tell them how much they help me too. I would encourage teens to become involved in Teen Talk because it teaches the advisors how to be better communicators while literally saving lives. I’m also often taken aback by the responsibility I have. I had my first shift when I was 16, a literal child, but I was trusted with teens’ lives, which can be overwhelming but, in the end, the best experience.

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later on connected with lesser known but equally wonderful magicians such as Ed Kwon, Bill Malone, and Tommy Wonder—all their performances can be found on YouTube.

There are many different facets that fuel Stanley’s passion for magic. But one in particular is its ability to provide a shared experience amongst people from all walks of life.

Fooled Us!

Windward's Own Stanley Zhou ’23 Stumps Penn & Teller Stanley Zhou ’23

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D

uring the Summer of 7 th Grade, Junior Stanley Zhou stumbled across a magic trick tutorial on YouTube. It kindled his curiosity and passion for the mysterious art and eventually led him to seriously studying the crafts, from books, DVDs, and the acts of world famous magicians, including Shin Lim, David Blaine, and Penn & Teller.

“I admire them for breaking barriers in magic as an art form,” said Stanley. The budding magician also discovered, and

“My favorite thing about magic is that it enables me to connect with and inspire people regardless of their background. I try to make my magic less about 'tricks,' but rather a shared experience of childlike wonderment.

A dad reached out to me saying how my performance made his austic son’s eyes lit up like he’s never seen before. It is those moments that I am able to bring into people’s lives that fuel my passion for magic,” said Stanley.

Stanley’s goal is to always provide a unique and magical experience for his audience.

“As with any performing arts, there is inevitably stage fright when you start out. But unlike other art forms, magic has the added burden of the audience “working against” the magician. Think about words associated with magic-

trick, fool, deceive—they all have negative connotations. An audience going into the show is fully ready to bust the magician’s trick, and it is the magician’s job to bring the audience to their side. Within my performance, I try to make it clear that my goal is not to let my audience feel ashamed that they couldn’t figure out the tricks, but rather to share a unique and magical experience with them. If I am successful, after the show, the audience should not be thinking about the method of the tricks but rather the emotions I left them with,” he said.

“When I create routines, I try to forget everything I know about magic. I ask myself, 'what would real magic look like?' Once I have the effect in mind, I use my magical knowledge to make it into reality. Of course, I can’t teleport, transform, or disappear, but I can use a deck of cards as an extension of myself to create the illusion of impossibility.”

Typically, Stanley workshops a trick for a couple of months before he feels comfortable adding it to one of his formal shows. One of his more difficult tricks took him six months of nonstop practice to perfect. He used the trick for his audition for the Magic Castle Junior Program.

On January 14, Stanley’s episode of Penn & Teller Fool Us aired on the CW. There he was, just a handful of years after getting into magic, attempting to fool his idols—Penn & Teller—and he did just that!

a camera and recorded the performances in his bedroom. He sent a brief introduction and the clips to the production team, expecting nothing in return. Three months went by without a reply. Finally, in the middle of April, the show sent an email saying that he was in "final consideration" for the show. One month later, he received final confirmation that he had been selected to perform on the show. He had just two more months to prepare before the taping.

“Of course, I was even more surprised when I fooled Penn & Teller! It all happened so fast that it felt like a dream,” he said.

The specific card trick he performed on the show was chosen from the four original routines that he had sent as his audition by the producers.

“It was an incredible experience because I’ve always looked up to Penn & Teller. In some ways, performing in front of them made me less nervous because I was so in the moment, enjoying the time shared with the famous duo, that I forgot to worry,” he said.

“It felt surreal. It was an honor to simply go on the show, and I had no expectations of fooling them. When Penn said I fooled them, I didn’t know what to think. In fact, it still doesn’t feel real now! I put the trophy on my bookshelf, and I will always look back on it with a smile on my face.”

So how did he get selected for the show? Well, after two months of nonstop hard work, Stanley had come up with four original routines. He set up

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I

s social media good or bad? It was a topic that first sparked Bella Kapoor’s interest in Debate.

“I really found the topic fascinating, and after investigating both sides, I thought to myself: if this is what Debate is, I like it.”

Since 6th Grade, Bella has been hooked on Debate. Now three years later, Bella isn’t just interested in Debate, she’s capturing wins and taking home awards from competitions. Bella cites the excitement and unpredictability of Debate that keeps her coming back for more.

Nothing to Debate 8th Grader is a Speaking Star

Bella Kapoor ’26

“A lot of Debate is thinking on your feet, which you get to really experience on debate day, with things such as POIs (Point of Information) and refutations. When I’m actually speaking, I feel an adrenaline rush and exhilaration, and I enjoy the back and forth with the opposing team,” said Bella.

At the Middle School Debate tournament this past Fall, Bella won the Gavel Award for Best Speaker, where she debated the following topics: 1) Whether or not the Fishing Industry does more good than harm, and 2) If schools should give the option to attend school virtually.

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Her points for both topics were wide-ranging including the fact that the fishing industry harms the environment by causing deforestations and harming other animals’ habitats and that the option to attend school virtually would allow there to be more accessibility because students from all over the world could Zoom into a class and get a quality education from another country.

“After debating these topics, I felt as if I could understand the perspective of the virtual school topic more because I had experienced Zoom school first-hand, so I empathize with the struggle and passionately talked about it,” said Bella.

“It’s important for students to have solid public speaking skills because they can use these skills in everyday life—whether it's in a job such as a doctor or a lawyer, or simply a one-on-one conversation, people are able to speak their mind. If people can speak in front of a big crowd, then they should be able to speak and express their emotions to someone as simple as a friend, a parent, a teacher or a therapist.”

Congratulations, Bella, on your achievements!

Goodies for Granny Shira Schlessinger ’22 Kate Albert ’22

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lzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.

In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear later in life. Experts suggest that more than six million Americans, most of them age 65 or older, may have dementia caused by Alzheimer’s. Shira Schlessinger has seen the effect Alzheimer’s can have on individuals and their family members firsthand—two of her grandparents have the disease. “Seeing them struggle and the effect it has on my family made me want to raise awareness and do my part to find a cure,” said Shira.

Currently there is no cure for the disease. Looking for a way to make an impact in the community, Shira decided to team up with fellow Senior Kate Albert to create Goodies for Granny, a fundraiser to raise money for Alzheimer’s research.

“When brainstorming a fundraiser we wanted it to be mutually beneficial in order to get people excited about donating and learning the cause. We decided cookies would be the perfect combo, giving us a lot of flexibility to be creative with our decorations, advertising, and ability to spice up every drop to keep people coming back,” said Kate.

The students first started by joining a committee called The Longest Day, an event put on by the Alzheimer’s Association. The Longest Day is the day with the most light—the Summer solstice.

On June 21, people from across the world fight the darkness of Alzheimer's through a fundraising activity of their choice. Shira and Kate were the youngest members on the committee.

“We partnered up and created Goodies for Granny. The organization's longest day was a great help to get the word out, and left us with an inspiring community

of other advocates, each with their own unique stories and interests,” said Kate.

The two students raised more than $2,500 through their baking efforts. The students particularly enjoyed helping other members of the community brainstorm ideas for their own fundraisers.

“It was really rewarding to know that not only am I helping to find a cure but empowering others in the same position as me,” said Shira.

“I want people to know the true effects of Alzheimer’s. It's more than just forgetfulness, it's not knowing or understanding what a spoon or a door is. It's really hard for me to see my grandparents go from being full of life as I remember them to not knowing who I am or anything else around them which is why finding a cure is so important: to protect the future generations.”

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D I V E R S I T Y, E Q U I T Y, A N D I N C L U S I O N Original Illustration: Mollie McElvain

A Letter From the DEI Team Diversity is the recognition of who we are and is rooted in the acknowledgement of our various identities and lived experiences. Equity is grounded in our identities and is the work we engage in to ensure that every member of our community has what they need to be successful. Inclusion is the product of our equity work. It is the sense of belonging that we hope every community member possesses—the feeling that Windward is an oasis—our home away from home and a place where each member feels seen, heard, and valued.

Roger Bridges Assistant Head of School for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

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ur community has been through so much in the last two years. We have all suffered losses of some sort…the loss of participating in activities that we love, the loss of freedom of movement, the loss of connection, and perhaps the loss of a family member or friend.

As we reflect on all we’ve been through and our current efforts to navigate a global pandemic while also wrestling with issues of inequality, the rise of anti-semitism, and violence against people of color and the LGBTQ+ community, we are reminded of what diversity, equity, and inclusion is all about. At its core, DEI work is about community and about bringing us together. It’s about recognizing and celebrating the humanity in the person beside us and in so doing, prioritizing the need to honor and celebrate them based on their unique identities. It is grounded in the knowledge that despite best intentions, we as a people haven’t always done a good job of honoring and celebrating our fellow human beings. DEI work is not about blame or shame. It is a straightforward, but perhaps sometimes painful process of acknowledging our historical and cultural shortcomings as human beings and asking ourselves, how can we be better? How can we move forward together?

How CAN we move forward together?

Undoubtedly, the global pandemic that struck in 2020 and the subsequent racial reckoning and cultural clashes that ensued have changed us forever.

There is no going back. And we in the DEI department feel strongly that our past and current challenges present us with a tremendous opportunity for growth and needed change. It’s a “glass halffull” mindset that informs how we move forward together. We’d like to share our current intentions

for approaching this work and how you as community members might partner with us to make our shared dreams and aspirations reality!

Our Intentions • Our intention is that we, the DEI Team, serve as a catalyst for more understanding, more empathy, and continued growth and healing.

• We intend and commit to help educate the community about what diversity, equity, and inclusion work is and is not. Regardless of our lived experiences and personal beliefs, we commit to helping every individual community member speak and understand the same language. Without this shared language, true communication and growth is not possible!

• DEI work is for the benefit of everyone, i.e. the entire community. It is NOT limited to folks of color and other historically marginalized groups.

• DEI work is NOT altruistic work, but rather work that is necessary for Windward’s continued success, growth, and survival. In short, there is a science to DEI work

Step Outside Your Comfort Zone • Acknowledging that this work is hard. Particularly this year and last, there exists a vacuum of information. Due to our current circumstances, we are not having those hallway, casual conversations on campus. If something seems off or you feel negatively impacted by something you see, read or hear about, reach out to us. Ask questions!

Focus on Being Proactive VS. Reactive We live in a polarized society that seemingly and increasingly vies to pit us against one another.

Translation? If I am in pain or uncomfortable, there must be someone to blame. We encourage you as community members to reject this ideology and to see fellow community members, parents, students, faculty/staff and administrators as sources of guidance and support, not as enemies that need to be “handled” to get our needs met.

Suggested Reading: See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love

by Valarie Kaur

Suggested Reading: The Diversity Bonus: How Great Teams Pay Off In the Knowledge Economy by Scott E. Page

Partnership The DEI Team and Windward School administrators do not have and will never have all the answers to often complex questions related to our world and your human experiences. In light of this reality, we assert that our job is to be catalysts for increased awareness, increased understanding, continuing growth and, most importantly, increased empathy.

To honor our commitments to you, we pledge to follow DEI best practice standards to the best of our abilities.

At the end of the day, our success is your success and most importantly, it is ultimately the success of your children. With this idea in mind, we contend that the best way to achieve our shared goal is to commit to a partnership. Working together, there is nothing that we can’t accomplish. The following are a few suggestions for how you might join us in this work.

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Assume Best Intentions • There are going to be mistakes. Within those mistakes and missteps is where growth happens. We ask for your grace and patience for our team and other community members, and ask you to extend the same grace and patience to yourselves. We in turn commit to do the same.

This approach will undoubtedly make our community stronger, more empathetic, and more resilient.

We look forward to our continued partnership on behalf of your children and this school community that we all love and respect. If you have any questions or concerns about any of the above, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Warmly, Ashley Goodman, Roger Bridges, and Tyrone Powell The DEI Team

Safe Spaces for All

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t Windward, community is one of our greatest strengths. We intentionally foster a nurturing and inclusive environment because this aligns with our values and mission, and it is critical to the education and development of well-informed, ethical, prepared, and well-balanced young adults. As a way of cultivating the sense of community and collaboration that is core to the School’s philosophy, in 2021-22 we increased our DEI focus on affinity spaces to include both student and parent affinity groups.

the Windward community has been, as a relatively new AAPI parent at Windward, there have been times where I feel disconnected (and separate) from the greater Windward community, “ said Juliet Oh, parent to Maddie ’26. “Having a supportive space where I can connect with other AAPI parents at Windward and talk about issues that feel unique to the AAPI members of the community has made me feel seen, heard, and more connected to the Windward community as a whole.”

An affinity group is a designated “safe space,” where everyone in that group shares a particular identity. This identity can be based on race, gender, sexual orientation, language, nationality, physical/mental ability, socio-economic class, family structure, religion, etc. Affinity groups can be a place for underrepresented people in a community to come together to feel less isolated and more connected. During affinity groups, participants might share and talk about their experiences or focus on working towards a particular mission or goal. “As welcoming as

Mirna Cardenas, parent to Alondra ’22 and Camila ’27, was similarly struck by the sense of shared experience. “It’s important for individuals to be able to find a community of people they can relate to and they can feel comfortable with in sharing the experiences that may be unique to them and to their children as a result of their cultural/ethnic background,” Mirna shared. “I have learned that in all environments people have a genuine desire to connect with others that have a shared cultural/ethnic background. This is true even for parents from the Windward

family, and especially when you belong to a small minority group. The desire to connect and relate is relevant at all stages and in all settings.”

As the School’s work in affinity groups continues, it's important to remember that there is no finish line. Working with our parents and community members, we can continue to grow the program in a way that’s productive, fulfilling, and supportive to all involved.

Whether by creating more opportunities for parents and students of a shared identity to connect, or evolving beyond group experiences to more action-driven ones, the work continues. Parent involvement will always be an essential pillar of the DEI initiative, and affinity groups allow for an open dialogue between like-minded individuals. “Speak up about what you are looking for, and what you hope to accomplish, within the affinity group space,” Juliet recommends.

“Have an idea in mind of what you want to take from and contribute to the group from your participation,” Mirna agreed. “It can be something simple and personal like making new friends or sharing Windward experiences within and outside Windward.”

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SAGA: National Coming Out Day O

n October 11, Windward's SAGA (Sexuality And Gender Alliance) threw a National Coming Out Day party on the Bridge. National Coming Out Day is an important event within the LGBTQ+ community because it acknowledges the hardships of coming out and celebrates those who have. Windward creates a safe space for those who haven’t come out yet, which is a really important thing to do.

“I was happy to see so many people embracing their true identity. I felt as

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if the Windward community has grown so much more accepting,” said student member Keely Romine-West ‘23.

We give a big thanks to Cielo BotelloWilliams and Alia Faubert, who helped coordinate and plan the whole event.

“I’m thankful for how accepting the SAGA community is, and it really helped me gain confidence to come out to more people,” said student member JJ Dawley ’25.

“

Hispanic Heritage Month The celebration was really important because it was an opportunity to share my culture and things that are important to me with my friends and peers. I really enjoyed being able to put together the celebration with Sofia Borin and Frances Jones with the support of the rest of the administration and community.”

-Co-organizer Alondra Cardenas ’22 “I was so excited that Alondra and I had the opportunity to see our ideas come together during Hispanic Heritage Month. Hispanic Culture is often left out of history, which makes continuing to share the culture and traditions I am so proud of that much more important.

With the help of Windward students and teachers, we were able to bring the celebration to our community. It was amazing to see so many people show up at our booth, interested to learn and celebrate our culture alongside us”.

-Co-organizer Sofia Borin ’22

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D I V E R S I T Y, E Q U I T Y, A N D I N C L U S I O N

Black History Month

By Ryan Shelven, BSU Advisor

Year of the Tiger

This year, students created Windward’s Black Student Union (BSU), which serves as an organization that empowers, educates, and nurtures our Black students. Through community outreach, conversations, guest speakers, mentorship programs, and group projects, the BSU is dedicated to ensuring our Black students have a comfortable space to share their thoughts and tap into their greatness.

Our mentorship program allows the Upper School students to guide and empower the Middle School students through on-campus challenges and triumphs.

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n celebration of Black History Month, Windward’s BSU collaborated with the Art Department, Film Department, Facilities, and the CTL to bring an interactive display outside of the CTL through the month of February. The four monitors played a series of videos that represent Black peoples' impact in music, athletics, fashion, and Civil Rights throughout the country's history. From videos of James Brown's first-ever televised appearance to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream Speech,” the BSU was committed to spreading awareness during Black History Month.

Dozens of posters of different influential Black figures were displayed around campus with QR codes that linked to more extensive biographies. Additionally, each BSU member wrote a lengthy paragraph on the Black figure who was most inspiring to them, which in turn was created into a poster and displayed around campus.

Thanks to Katie Thoma, Sarunas Varanauskas, Drue Metz, Tech, Dahlia Setiyawan, Roger Bridges, Cielo Botello-Williams, Sarah Clark, Alia Faubert, Jesse Chavez, Raul Villa, Maynor Castellanos, and Alejandro Zuniga. It takes a village to bring our vision to life, so we appreciate everyone's participation and skills.

founded BSU at the School, so congratulations to the students for making an impact and being brave enough to create a space for Black students to express themselves. The marathon continues!

Happy Black History Month!

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n February 1, Windward celebrated Lunar New Year and the Year of the Tiger with a special lunchtime celebration on the Bridge.

Parent volunteers handed out sesame treats to the students, who were encouraged to write their new years' wishes on cards, which were then tied with string to the bridge.

The event, which was held in conjunction with a celebration by Windward’s Mandarin language classes, wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our amazing parent volunteers and student groups. Special thanks goes out to Garret Tyau, Prep Division Dean of Students, for his leadership and guidance. Happy Lunar New Year!

The Black Student Union at Windward is the first-ever

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SERVICE LEARNING

Food for Thanks

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ovember at Windward means the School once again had the opportunity to partner with Allies for Every Child to provide families with meals and treats that they could enjoy in the comfort and safety of their own homes.

Windward families contributed to this amazing cause by way of creating gift baskets filled with non-perishables for Thanksgiving Dinner and/or donating

gift cards to help support Allies families. During the pandemic, this has become a tradition that Windward families have taken particular joy in participating in.

In all, Windward volunteers were able to hand out baskets, pantry food items, and gift cards to 107 families from Allies for Every Child.

Uyen Do, Operations and Volunteer Manager of Allies for Every Child, said, “On behalf of Allies for Every Child and our families, I wanted to thank you all for your support on November 20th.

I know that you made their weekend extra special and we are so thankful to have Windward as a part of our community."

A Season of Giving T

his holiday season, Windward connected with People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) for a holiday toy event, pairing Windward families with 80 PATH-sponsored families in need.

“Our family had so much fun shopping for gifts and wrapping them for our assigned PATH family. An event like this is such a great reminder to us (especially to our middle schooler) that we have much to be grateful for, and that doing something small can make a big difference to someone else,” said parent volunteer Juliet Oh. “It was gratifying to see our community come together and show up in such an incredible way—the Sawtelle

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parking lot was literally overflowing with piles of wrapped gifts and gift bags that were donated by our generous Windward families and that surely made the holidays better for the families at PATH. What a great beginning to the holiday season!”

We’d like to extend a heart-felt thank you to all of our wonderful Windward parent volunteers who made this toy drive such a success: Janel Ablon Mirna Cardenas Jane Hwangbo Lilian Jensen Juliet Oh Elizabeth Molinski

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SERVICE LEARNING

Heart and Sole Stepping Out of His Comfort Zone in the Name of Service Service learning at Windward exposes students to experiences that engage each individual in creative problem solving, meaningful relationship-building, and learning that is connected to true community needs.

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or as long as he can remember, Troy Jones ’23 has always donated his shoes to those in need once he outgrew them.

This past Fall, he decided to take his act of service a step further by seeking out peers at Windward to help him support a cause that was close to his heart. That’s when he teamed up with Windward’s Director of Service Learning, Ashley Goodman, to organize Windward’s Fall Shoe Drive as part of Giving Tuesday, a global movement that Windward takes part in every year, which reimagines a world built upon shared humanity and generosity.

For Giving Tuesday 2021, Troy worked with Windward to host the shoe drive, which supported "It Could Be You Foundation.” This organization works in partnership with the L.A. County Bureau of Victim Services. The agency does outreach to several different organizations

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to receive donations that positively impact the journey of a victim. Although many items are needed, shoes are often one of the most commonly requested items of need.

In total, Troy and Windward’s Service Learning department collected more than 500 pairs of new and gently-used shoes for all ages.

“My favorite part of the experience was going to Ashley’s office every day and seeing it filled with bags on top of bags of donated shoes. I learned how to speak in public and how to pitch the idea to my peers to gain their support,” said Troy.

“It’s important for students to give back because not everyone has the opportunity to have the same things that we do. Everyone’s situation is different and doing something as little as giving away shoes can definitely brighten someone’s day and give them the opportunity to have a great holiday experience. I am so glad it was a success, and this definitely won’t be the last time I organize something similar to this.”

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ATHLETICS

Keeping Up With the ’Cats Fall Athletics Round Up Upper School

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he Girls Varsity Volleyball team took 3rd Place in the Gold Coast League and qualified for CIF-SS Division 3 Playoffs. A fantastic performance highlighted by the strong hitting of Captain Sydney Tremayne ’22 and Jamie Andrews ’23, relentless defense of Jasie Belden ’23 and Parker Leaf ’22, and dominant serving of Piper Lacy ’22 and Jas Sudds ’22.

A huge Congratulations to Outside Hitter Sophia Bernard ’22 for making 1st Team All League and Captain Setter Veronica Cope ’22 for making 2nd Team All League.

Windward Football showed tremendous growth from the first day of practice through their 2nd Place finish in the Prep League.

Through strong leadership and a commitment to development by Nicholas Sidoti ’22, Ryan Gordon ’22, Chandler Herring ’22, Henry Diamond ’22, and underclassmen Duke Giariputto ’25 and Matthew Sani ’24, they advanced to play eventual champion Cate in the playoffs.

Windward Girls Tennis finished 3rd in the Gold Coast League with a 6-4 league record 10-4 overall. Through tough battles the team managed to beat Hart High School and Cate School in the playoffs. Skye Belker ’23 lost a total of two matches all season and made 1st Team CIF. Captains Rebecca Nolan ’22, Ella

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Olson ’22, and Emily Beutner ’22 led the charge and will be sorely missed.

The Windward Girls Golf team continued to improve and grow. Senior Gemma DeCarolis led Windward in scoring each match and was the leading scorer in multiple matches. Gemma was a standout golfer in the league and a great representative of the Windward Golf program.

Juniors Arianna Donnelly, Tessa Weiss, Brooke Ruttenberg, Carly Platt, and Vivy Mehta all improved greatly throughout the season. Arianna has been a member of the team for all three years and consistently was our second best scorer.

Carly and Tessa completed their second season and are essential parts of the team. Both have shown great on course demeanor while becoming much better golfers. Brooke and Vivy were both in their first matches and impressively were able to have recorded scores for our matches.

The team was also lucky to welcome Lexi Eskovitz ’24 this season. Lexi was a huge addition and is one of Windward’s most talented scholar-athletes.

Windward Cheer has seen tremendous growth this year. The team had a very successful Fall season with a total of 29 Cheerleaders on the field supporting Windward athletes! School spirit is at the heart of the Windward Cheer team, and the students demonstrated just that as they cheered, performed halftime routines choreographed by Rachel Lewis ’22 and Hugo Miller ’23, and participated in school activities. The students also had the chance to demonstrate skills in stunting and gymnastics.

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ATHLETICS

Middle School The 7th Grade Royal Girls Volleyball team went undefeated during their league season with a 5-0 record. The Girls defeated St. Matthews (2-0) in the Semifinals and competed in the PBL Final against Wildwood finishing 2nd overall. An extraordinary performance and team effort highlighted by the consistent setting of Cora Seabold and Miette Moon-Sasik, the powerful hitting of Brooke Salo, and steady passing of Morgan LaSalle and Julia Arenson.

The 8th Grade Girls Volleyball team took 1st Place in league with a 6-0 record. The Girls defeated Crossroads (2-0) in the Semifinals and competed in the PBL Final against WNS where they finished 2nd overall. A tremendous team effort was featured by the consistent setting of Olivia Penske and Sidney Procter-Johnston, the strong hitting of Frankie Jones, and extraordinary defense of Eden Lynn.

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Windward’s Middle School Flag Football teams also enjoyed great success this Fall. The 7th Grade Royal team became 2021 PBL champions, defeating St. Matthew’s School in the final, to cap off a fantastic season. The 8th Grade Royal team also reached the PBL 8th Grade final. The game was poised at 13-13, before a late Willow’s touchdown with under 30 seconds to go, which broke Windward hearts.

Windward School was also very proud to be able to host the Pacific Basin League finals for both Volleyball and Flag Football. The atmosphere and support across all the finals was electric, and it was a fantastic day irrespective of the final results.

Windward’s Middle School CrossCountry team was also solid and resilient performers across the Pacific Basin League Fall season. On the girls’ side, there were some standout performances with Chase Peers, Alyssa

Yu, and Eleanor Krauss placing consistently in the top 10 at competitions.

It was also a competitive season for the boys as well with some highlights including Diego Anderson reaching a top 10 finish and Michael Antoni claiming 11th Place at the first league meet. The entire team of 7th and 8th Graders showed a good work ethic and consistent growth yielding personal records for everyone. It was a fun and memorable season!

Middle School Girls Tennis had a successful season after a losing a year due to COVID. In the PBL, the team finished with a 6-2 record with a runner-up result in the league tournament after suffering a tough loss against Crossroads in the final. Most importantly, the team's morale was positive, and all members were appreciative of the opportunity to play on the court.

There is promising talent on the team, and the players cannot wait until next season. Go 'Cats!

CROSS COUNTRY

Stars at State For the first time in the program’s history, Windward’s Boys Cross Country Team qualified for CIF State Championships this past November. The team finished 2nd Place overall in the CIF-SS to secure a bid to Fresno.

The team finished an impressive 9th overall in Division 5, with Ben Weitz ’22 placing 16th out of all runners.

A huge congratulations is also in order for Maddie Doi ’22 on her 16th Place finish at the CIF-SS Finals to top off her stellar high school career.

We are so proud of our Cross Country Cats!

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ATHLETICS

Wildcats Get the W’s A

fter a too-long hiatus, Windward’s annual Middle School Sports Extravaganza returned in the best way possible—five games and five wins! On Friday, December 10, our amazing Middle School scholar-athletes took to the fields and courts, securing victories in Middle School Royal Girls Soccer, Middle School Girls Basketball, 7th Grade Boys Basketball, Middle School Royal Boys Soccer, and 8th Grade Boys Basketball.

Said Ben Thomas, Associate Athletics Director, “It was fantastic to bring our Middle School students together to celebrate our thriving Middle School sports program and to be able to provide a platform for our Middle School families and faculty to connect and enjoy being on campus together. It was great fun for all involved!”

Our Winter Middle School teams finished off the season with four—yes four!— Pacific Basin League Championships on Friday, February 4. Congratulations to 8th Grade Boys Basketball, 7th Grade Boys Basketball, MS Royal Girls Soccer and MS Girls Basketball for taking the big PBL wins. Kudos to all our Middle School scholar-athletes for their hard work on the field and on the court and the coaches, administrators, faculty, and parents who support them.

Let’s Go ’Cats!

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PERFORMING ARTS

W!T Is It

By Natasha Arnold, W!T Director

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T

his year, though difficult in so many ways, has been incredibly exciting to return to in-person play with W!T. Last year the focus was on attempting to bring any level of joy to a screen full of exhausted students through Zoom. Though we managed to have two virtual shows with our Seniors, it was the best we could do given our circumstances. This year however, we are alive again! In our first show, we invited any and all faculty and staff who wanted to improvise to join us in our annual Faculty Match. It was beautiful to see our students and faculty come

together to create live art after such a span of time away. The joy and laughter was contagious and oh so needed! Our student body loves when they can see their teachers up on stage being both vulnerable and confident. To see an adult teacher, who is always prepared, willing to fail or succeed with no script, is an example that risk is worth taking and is truly inspiring. It is one of the better collaborative experiences for our Windward community, which is why I love kicking off our improv year with the Faculty Match.

Our second performance introduced some of our W!T students to their first-ever live performance. Though many had taken improv class for years, this was the first time they got to have those exciting jitters and prove to themselves that they are indeed talented and very funny!

None of this would happen without the incredible crew of people who make this possible—from all the talented tech students and Veronica Mullins to Facilities and Nora Portillo.

We were able to livestream because of Ian Sloan, and Zakaria Solotoff helped with COVID protocols and tickets.

Our audiences, both the student body and parents, are absolutely incredible.

Without all of these people, we would just be playing make believe alone.

W!T truly is a community event, and we are so grateful for this community.

on campus to do and be whatever is needed. We can risk and fail and still succeed in that process. It’s the trust, vulnerability, confidence, joy, and commitment that makes Periods 8-9 so addicting and fun. We are a pretty fantastic little improv family.

Natasha Arnold Director, W!T

Lastly, I just want to add that teaching W!T is pure joy for me. I love all my classes, but this one makes me laugh until I cry. This one is a safe space W I N D W A R D M A G A Z I N E - 53

PERFORMING ARTS

S T U D E N T RE F L E CT IO N Responses from Hope Hudson Morcomb ’24, Acting Techniques & Scene Study.

What are some of the highlights you have experienced working with Rebecca on tap?

Tapping With Talent Professional dancer

Rebecca Barragan has been guest teaching in the Theatre and Dance classes for the 2021-22 school year. During her time at Windward, she has taught our students essential skills, which include musicality, timing, and body engagement—all through her passion for tap.

What initially drew you to tap dancing?

There may be some tap dancers that would answer this question with Shirley Temple or Gene Kelly in mind, but the first thing that comes to my head is my incredible mother. She was also a 54 - P E R F O R M I N G A R T S

tap dancer and encouraged me to put on my first tap shoes when I was five years old. Once I realized I could make music with my feet, I was hooked!

What has your experience been like at Windward?

Since I began working at Windward in both the dance and theatre departments, it has been a complete joy! The faculty in these departments are full of energy and vigor. They are all completely dedicated to the programs they oversee, and it motivates me daily.

They are kind, encouraging, and talented. I have been blessed to work with an array of different classes, which has given me the opportunity to work with so many students. I adore them!

They are incredible to work with as they come into class eager and ready to learn. Most of my students have never been exposed to tap dance, and it is fascinating to watch how quickly

Windward students have embraced this style. They feel safe to explore new movements as they are encouraged by their peers. I push my students to limits they are unaware they could ever achieve in a safe environment where questions are welcomed with open arms. I truly love coming to work!

What most inspires you as an educator?

Walking into a classroom knowing I have an opportunity to influence a student in a positive way is a true blessing. What inspires me most as an educator are my students who motivate me, encourage me, and give me energy. I have invested myself fully as a dance teacher and feel it is an honor to be able to encourage each student to reach their fullest capacity and to find their personal passion through the art of dance.

What have been the highlights in your professional career?

Prior to teaching here in Los Angeles, I had a professional career in New York City as a dancer. One of the highlights was the opportunity to perform in West Side Story at La Scala Opera house in Milan, Italy. Being able to travel the world and perform was extraordinary. The biggest highlight of my career was meeting my husband on a tour of Sophisticated Ladies in Europe. We performed in the same show and have been dancing through life ever since!

At what age did you decide to pursue dance?

When I was in 4th Grade and asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was a mother and a choreographer. I have had a strong passion for dance since I can remember

and when my parents asked me what major I would like to pursue in college, without hesitation I answered, dance!

Luckily my incredible mother and father did everything to encourage this dream, and I majored in Dance Performance at Oklahoma City University, which prepared me for my professional career.

What draws you to teaching?

Tap dancing is an art form that I have studied for as long as I can remember.

Teaching tap dance rarely feels like work to me because training others comes with much reward. By the end of my class, if a student echoes back a legendary tap dancer they had just been taught, shows me a new step or rhythm they have just learned, or expresses a spark of confidence and a sense of accomplishment, then I leave class with a smile from ear to ear.

I really love how Rebecca is able to tie in all of the techniques we learn during the day in such a short amount of time. My favorite dance so far has been Thriller in which Rebecca brought us fun props to incorporate into the dance of the day.

I love how in each class I never know what dance I will have mastered by the end of the day. We also have fun musical trivia at the end or beginning of our classes which is always a great warmup or a fun note to end on for class.

Can you describe your experience working with Rebecca?

Rebecca has been extremely patient while helping our class with growing to be comfortable learning how to do something new since almost everyone in our class has no experience with tap.

What have you learned about yourself while embarking on the workshops with Rebecca?

I have learned so much about myself regarding dance and movement while working with Rebecca. I have a newfound appreciation for the art of dance and the hard work it takes. I also think that since I am very interested in theatre, having this knowledge is extremely important and that Rebecca's class will help anyone who is interested in continuing in any type of acting in the future.

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PERFORMING ARTS

B

efore Winter Break on December 19, our Beginning Band, Intermediate Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Middle School Choir performed once again for a live audience in the Irene Kleinberg Theater.

For many of these student performers, this was their very first time performing.

The nerves and excitement was high, and the musicians played their hearts out. As a part of this show, we also had a group of our fine music mentors perform a song entitled “Billie’s Bounce”

by Charlie Parker, as well as one of our esteemed vocal coaches who sang a song entitled “Zipperfly” by Marc Blitzstein. Overall, this concert was a huge success, leaving the audience as well as the student artists buzzing with excitement and joy!

Coffee House It was an unusually warm November evening when, for the first time in almost two years, the Music Department hosted Coffee House on campus in Littlefield Plaza. The students performed as soloists, in both small and large ensembles, and the energy in the audience was clearly palpable as everyone was so excited to be back “live!”

Great MC’s with funny bits, and a little juggling, rounded off a fabulous night of music, jokes, poetry and a celebration of

Back in the Spotlight

By Lisa Weinstein, Music Teacher

Then, on January 22, our Chamber Music Ensemble, Advanced Jazz Ensembles A & B, as well as our Chromatics, and Upper School Chorus performed in our annual Music Extravaganza Concert.

This performance featured many of our most talented music students playing and singing such notable tunes as “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Freddie Mercury, “I Won't’ Give Up” by Jason Mraz, and “Spain” by Chick Corea, among many. Our music students have been working very hard since the beginning of the school year to not only perfect their musicianship and technical skills, but also to re-learn what it means to be in an ensemble again after being on Zoom the last two years. Our musicians very much enjoyed demonstrating their love for music and love of playing in a group with like-minded artists.

our artistic community.

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PERFORMING ARTS

A

s a note of gratitude to Dance, I am fortunate to say that dance has provided me the gift of perspective, expression, and the opportunity to understand the flow of movement. It gives me happiness and a sense of euphoria because these gifts are precious to this art form.

Because of this, I try and will continue to come in with a positive attitude and work hard because that is the least that I can do to give thanks but also because if Dance was a person, it would deserve it.

Dear Dance,

Jas Sudds ’22

As part of their Honors Dance 4 course, dancers mapped their creative process and experience in the studio through monthly journal entries.

The exercise encouraged students to be thoughtful, honest, and selfreflective. Below are excerpts from three journal entries this past Fall.

Journal Entry Prompts: • Consider writing a letter to your future self. What do you envision for yourself, particularly in terms of your participation in Dance. Are you still dancing and in what capacity?

What lessons, skills, relationships have you carried with you?

• Share a note of gratitude to Dance. What opportunities, understandings, skills, etc. has this art form provided you with and how might you pay it forward?

• Write a letter of acknowledgement to a fellow company member noting something you appreciate about them as people, as artists, as ensemble members and noting how it has impacted your participation in the company.

Dear Dance,

F

or a person who loves talking, you have taught me to express myself without words. I have learned tenacity, perseverance, strength, and sense of self. Every night, I would lie in bed tired, sore, but content. From 20 hours a week to two, I have learned how important you are to my life and my being.

You have been tainted by circumstance, but I will never forget that at the core, you are something that cannot be taken from me. I have made lifelong friends because of you. I have cried because of you. I have felt the serenity of the stage, the moment before the music starts. I have laughed, smiled, worked hard, and become who I am because of you. I hope to give others what I had. Dance has been such an instrumental part of my development.

I wish that everyone would have the chance to learn an art form like I did.

I am planning on teaching some Dance classes when I am older. I hope to impact some kids who would not have the chance to learn Dance otherwise.

Love, Lauren Weiskopf ’25

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Scan the QR code to hear Pia Brosmith ’22 describe her gratitude towards the Windward Dance Program as part of her audio journal entry.

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VISUAL & MEDIA

ARTS

Original Illustration: Mollie McElvain

Creative Curators

Media Arts & Film Lab Update

Student-Created Art Zine Showcases Work From All Grade Levels Josie Hoeber ’23

by Drue Metz, Director of Media Arts & Film Lab

I

n the Fall return to campus, our Media Arts & Film Lab program has soared with a myriad of exciting industry speakers, panels, and workshops. The “MAFL” began its colorful programming this year with a diverse panel of current film students at various College Film Programs across the country, including Windward Alumni Alexa Gianopulos ’21 and Ben Junger ’20 attending different tracks of Cinema Studies at Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University.

With student representation from celebrated film schools such as USC, NYU Tisch, Loyola Marymount, CalArts and UCLA, our community spent an evening discussing the culture, work, and the experience of “Going to Film School.” From studying Cinematography to Directing and Creative Producing, this panel shared their exciting experiences during their stay and what advice they have for budding filmmakers and prospective film students both during school and beyond.

The turnout of community members was wonderful, and the excitement over the idea of “going to college to learn how to make movies” could be felt by our students and our panel members, including our Windward Alumni, who are studying Creative Producing and Directing/Editing respectively.

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The MAFL kicked off its industry professional speaker series with one of the most celebrated screenwriters of all time, Mr. Eric Roth, writer of “Forrest Gump,” “A Star is Born,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” and most recently “Dune” and the soon to be released Martin Scorsese picture, “Flowers of the Killer Moon.” Eric explored some of his most favorite scenes with current film students who “table read” pages from “Forrest Gump” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” Eric also gave the MAFL Community a sneak peek of some of his own personal scene writing that floored both the students and parents with its colorful dialogue and emotions.

Emmy-Award winning Foley Artist Adam DeCoster returned to campus to introduce the Art of Foley to Colleen Hargaden and Regina Hoffman’s Animation & Film classes.

From Mr. DeCoster’s work on the billion dollar franchise “Call of Duty” to hit TV classic “New Girl” and most recently “Jumani: Welcome to the Jungle,” and Marvel Cinematic Universe Films “Venom and Morbius,” Adam workshopped with the students on how to create block-buster movie sounds with everyday objects when assessing their own films for sound cues.

Most Recently the MAFL professional speakers series hosted Director, Screenwriter & Producer Jason Reitman, who gave an unforgettable presentation on his approach to the craft of directing. Here Jason brokedown his technical and creative work on “Ghostbusters Afterlife” as well as “Up in the Air.” Jason walked the community through his step-by-step process of pre-visualizing all of his films, where he personally photographs his actors in every single scene set up for the film in a linear storyboard format.

He then distributes his entire pre-visualized storyboard photobook to the entire crew so that they are all cohesively united and understand each scene, shot-for-shot. This presentation inspired both the students and the faculty on how to approach pre-production on their films. Finally, Jason floored the community with his point of view and wisdom on the importance of storytelling and cinema.

The MAFL faculty and VMA at large look forward to the rest of the year’s robust and colorful programming in the realm of digital storytelling and cinema.

W

indward VMA students were hard at work this Fall in debuting genZine’s second issue, New Beginnings, which showcases the amazing works of Keely Romine-West ’23, Ella Olsen-Richman ’22, Amanda Solomon ’23, Zack Weitman ’22, Emily Beutner ’22, Macie McPherson ’23, Mia Ricanati ’22, Josie Hoeber ’23, Angela Rische ’22, Jessica Silletti ’23, Liam Green ’24, Tess Agoglia ’24, Lucy Lipofsky ’22, and Sam Snow ’24.

The zine also includes a poignant backpage note from Editor-in-Chief Josie Hoeber created genZine in partnership Hoeber ’23, which details the idea behind with Windward Visual Arts in the Spring the issue’s theme: “in times of hardship, of 2021, with its inaugural issue, Issue, we often look to art … what could be a Issue. “I thought that there was no cremore fitting time than now for us to ative presence allowing students to conimplore the theme of ‘New Beginnings?’ nect online, and even when in-person … we hope this issue encourages stuthere was very little recognition of students to claim the new parts of their dents’ personal, creative achievements,” lives, as well as begin to let go of the Josie explained. “I wanted to create a past.” space where we could learn more about

our peers through our work, and grant Special thanks also goes out to members students an outlet where they could and contributors Isa Greiff ’23, Bodhi express themselves and receive recogniCohen ’23, Misha Sharif ’24, Zoe Neiman tion.” ’23, Jessie Silletti ’23, and Kira Powell ’23 The entire genZine team would like to for making the second issue of genZine thank faculty advisors Tony de los Reyes, such a success.

Christina Hendershaw, and Hannah Nor-

thenor, as well as alum Emma Berliner ’07 for their continued guidance and support! Interested in contributing to the next issue? All students can submit artwork of any medium or theme to the zine! Zine editors comb through each piece and select the ones that best fit with that specific publication, and any unused work is entered into an archive to be used for a later issue.

Scan here to view "New Beginnings"

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PARENT PERSPECTIVES

Community Appreciation “You are what makes Windward so special. Every single morning, our teenage son wakes up enthusiastically to go to school and be with his other family.

Our friends with kids at other schools do not have the same experience. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

“Windward faculty are incredible humans. Thank you for being so transformational on every level. Every day my child comes home thrilled to be a member of this very special community. We are so grateful to you all.”

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As we head into year three of the pandemic, in addition to managing the annual Holiday Gift Program, the Parent Guild asked parents and guardians to send in their words of appreciation as a special thank you to the faculty and staff. Here are a few excerpts from these heartfelt quotes.

“Thank you for

keeping our students engaged during this difficult time.

I can officially state

that both of my kids are much smarter than I am!”

“We are grateful for the incredible Windward team of faculty, administrators, security crew, and all of the staff. Everyone seems to always go the extra mile and does it with a smile on their face. We feel truly blessed to be a part of the Windward community. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

“You are the reason we chose Windward!

Your passion for what you do is energizing for all who enter this meaningful campus.

Thank you!”

“Thank you for showing up for our students each and every day—even when you have your own burdens to bear.

Thank you for the late nights grading and doing class prep.

Thank you for taking the time to laugh with our kids and share in high school humor.

Thank you for all your efforts to make classes so engaging, for sharing your expertise and for caring about student well-being.

We are deeply grateful for the support and guidance you provide day in and day out!”

“Thank you so much for caring for our children and helping prepare them for the future. We are truly grateful and so blessed to be part of this amazing community!”

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WINDWARD NETWORK

Christy Kreisberg Profile (Pictured opposite, far right) Parent of Lily ’18 As your daughter Lily is nearing graduating from Boston College, you continue to be an invaluable resource the community. In what ways have you worked with our Windward students and alumni?

In the Mix

Ramping Up Resumes with Hire Options

O

n Monday, November 29, the Windward Network was able to hold its first in-person event in almost two years at Terra, the rooftop bar at Eataly, Century City. It was a beautiful Autumn evening in Los Angeles, and more than 60 Windward alumni representing every decade gathered in a socially distanced manner to catch up with old friends and also have the opportunity to make new connections.

The evening, meant to be both a Holiday Mixer and an opportunity for career growth, featured the opportunity to speak with one of seven amazing recruiters from Hire Options, including our very own alumni parent Christy Kreisberg (Parent of Lily ’18).

Hire Options is a Los Angeles based 64 - W I N D W A R D N E T W O R K

recruiting and staffing agency, which has successfully worked with Windward alumni over the past few years.

Many alumni took the opportunity to sit down with recruiters to introduce themselves and either ask a quick question about resumes or have a lengthier conversation and make an appointment to meet later. (see Christy Kreisberg’s Q&A for more information).

Director of Windward Network Robin Pickett said of the evening, “Since its inception, the goal of the Windward Network has been to provide students and alumni with access to career guidance and support while leveraging connections within the entire Windward community. This support has proven to be especially important over the past couple years, and Hire Options has been such a wonderful resource to us.

Our event at Terra was a particularly special one, with many of our alumni thanking us on the way out and saying

it was one of the best Windward events they’d ever attended. Thank you so much to Christy and Hire Options, and also to our more experienced Windward alumni who came out to give career advice to our younger alumni!”

The Windward Network looks forward to continuing to support our students and alumni with our upcoming Summer internship season. Internships offered through the Windward Network (many offered by Windward parents and alumni!) provide meaningful experiences for current students (rising Juniors and Seniors) and college-age alumni in a variety of different fields beyond the classroom. Participants have the opportunity to gain valuable insights into their industries of interest, develop skills, cultivate professional connections, and strengthen their resumes, all while receiving academic credit.

As a parent of a Windward alum, I have always been impressed with the outreach and efforts that the Windward Network provides to all of their alumni. In my experience, I know they were instrumental in helping my daughter with a great internship and helping her to prepare for the workplace. I have enjoyed working with the 10th and 11th Graders at Windward as well, discussing important steps in preparing for applying for internships and summer jobs, including working on their resumes, interviewing tips and even helpful tips on the student’s LinkedIn profiles and social media. This latest Windward Network event at Eataly was fantastic. It was so great connecting with so many familiar faces—alumni who are currently in college, young college graduates, and even alumni who graduated years ago. Aside from the amazing setting at Terra with great food and drinks, The Windward Network really knows how to create a fantastic event with their alumni and the atmosphere was truly the best. My fellow recruiters at Hire Options were invited to meet a lot of the attendees and we were all so impressed with everyone we met and how diverse the backgrounds were with everyone.

Many were so excited to talk to us and learn more about our process and the follow up with all of the attendees and our recruiters has been excellent! I even received a phone call from a Windward

alum who was unable to attend but wanted to set up time to Zoom with me to connect. We are currently working together on a new Marketing position for her!

Why do you think that the Windward Network internship program is invaluable to students and alumni?

The internship program is invaluable to students and alumni as it is the best resource for them to learn about different industries, try out various companies and receive excellent assistance in obtaining great jobs in the workplace where they would not have access otherwise.

Why do you think that other parents should get involved with our internship program?

I think there are many possibilities for parents to get involved with the internship program. Many of the parents who work or own businesses may not realize that the internship program is a fantastic program that offers bright, prepared candidates who are eager to learn and work and gain excellent skills. The Windward

Network prepares Windward students and alumni in a way that no other program allow—they coach them, work with them on interviewing tips, help with their resumes, and ultimately guides the students with abundance of knowledge.

Parents would be lucky to have these students involved in their workplace!

Can you talk a bit about how meaningful it is for Lily ’18 to still be connected to the Windward community?

Just saying that Lily is a Senior at Boston College is difficult as I remember just yesterday when she had her first internships through Windward (working at JLTV) one summer. That internship was the start for Lily to learn skills, work ethic, balancing tasks and having responsibilities outside of school and home that were all very new to her and set her up successfully for the interviews and internships she would have in Boston! Lily is very lucky to always have the Windward community as a resource for her now and as she graduates and enters the workplace!

Networking: Lily Kreisberg ’18 adjusts the broadcast schedule during her 2019 Summer internship at the JLTV television network. The internship was hosted

by Windward parent Brad Pomerance (Paige ’22) through the Windward Network.

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WINDWARD NETWORK

Mentor Spotlight

Mentor: Roger Fishman Parent of Jack Fishman ’26

Intern: Charlotte Siegel ’22

Intern Spotlight Intern: Charlotte Siegel ’22 What was your main role as an intern with

Internships offered through the Windward Network provide meaningful Summer experiences for current students (rising Juniors and Seniors) and college-age alumni in a variety of different

have a favorite Windward memory?

I took behind the scenes footage that Roger has shot throughout his past travels and photoshoots and edited them together into mini documentary style clips for his social media.

One of my favorite Windward memories is when, along with two other students who are now alumni, I was given the opportunity to do the lighting design for the Evening of Dance show in 2020. I had done multiple lighting design projects in the past, but this one stands out to me because it was the first time that we did something this large completely student-run. It was definitely stressful to have all of the responsibility on our shoulders, but I was so proud of the final product. The days that we spent setting everything up, designing, and running the show, are some of my fondest memories because I was working with my friends, and I was excited about what I was creating.

Was there anything that surprised you about your mentor?

fields beyond the classroom. This past Summer, photographer Roger Fishman offered an internship through the Windward Network. Below he shares his experience as a mentor with the Program.

Can you give us a little background on how you came to be in your line of work?

Why is the Windward Network internship program invaluable to students and alumni?

I am an artist, explorer, and activist. I primarily hang out of helicopters, sail on small boats and photograph and film the most remote parts of Mother Earth, such as Greenland, Iceland, Namibia, Kenya and Antarctica. Additionally, I collaborate with scientists from UCLA, MIT, Brown, as well as environmental non-profits (NRDC, Conservation International, Woods Hole) and a wide range of global musical artists–all to capture, study, protect, and inspire people to celebrate and share the majesty of Mother Earth.

The internship program is a great asset as it allows students and alumni to get real life, practical experience, and learn more about what they want to do with the next stage of their life.

Are there any projects in particular you had your intern work on?

Charlotte Siegel was an amazing intern. Her focus was to take behind the scenes footage of my expeditions and create new short films with a new fresh look. Her knowledge about editing, her willingness and desire to learn new skills, and her creative curiosity added tremendous value.

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Why should parents get involved with our internship program?

Windward students bring a fresh meaningful perspective to work and help share new ways to look at one’s projects and business.

This dynamic, youthful perspective enables parents to also learn from a different point of view.

Your son Jack is in his second year at Windward—what is your favorite part of being in the Windward community?

Jack loves everything about Windward. The amazing teachers, the inspiring, challenging and wide ranging academics, the coaches and top notch sports programs. He also

enjoys all the students and their interactions.

Plus, he really values the campus and all the leadership, kindness, and support that the administrators provide.

As you approach graduation in May, do you

Roger Fishman Photography?

Seeing and hearing stories about Roger's different trips was fascinating because of the way that he fully throws himself into every project he works on. Seeing videos about him learning about the cultures and meeting the people in the places he was shooting, or hearing stories about him walking for miles and then lying still for three hours just waiting to get the perfect shot showed how dedicated he is.

Did you find that it's a field that you are either more interested in now or the complete opposite?

I think that this experience was definitely impactful. Before I had this internship I knew I wanted to try to work in the film industry, I just wasn't sure in what specific field, but I was intrigued by editing. And while I did enjoy the process, I would say that I would prefer to be more involved in the shooting and creating of whatever I'm working on instead of just working alone after the fact.

Why would you recommend the Windward Network to Windward alumni and students?

It is a fantastic way to gain experience in your field of interest and a great way to use Windward's network and make connections!

WINDWARD NETWORK FAST FACTS: • The Windward Network has partnered with 40 organizations throughout Los Angeles for Summer 2022 • 31 of the 40 opportunities are provided by Windward parents and alumni!

• There are 12 new companies for students and alumni to apply for this year • 11 of the new opportunities this year are provided by Windward parents!

W I N D W A R D M A G A Z I N E - 67

WINDWARD FUND

from our first year here. So when I was asked to join the Windward Fund team, it was an instant and enthusiastic “Yes!” The support from the entire Windward Community has been overwhelming in and of itself, but considering the challenging time it has been with COVID and all of its repercussions, it has been beyond extraordinary! I would like to give a huge thanks to all of our amazing volunteers. Great job! We could never have come this far without you. And a heartfelt thanks to all of our incredible and generous donors, from the faculty and staff, the Board, parents, grandparents, alumni, to friends of the School.

Everyone has risen to the occasion in such a difficult time. What an amazing and supportive community we have here at Windward!

W I N DWA R D F U N D S P OTLI GH T

Ann Gianopulos, Co-Chair F The Windward Fund is the School's annual philanthropic resource that supports Financial Aid, Program Enhancements, and Research & Development. These three vital pillars benefit every member of our community in impactful ways.

68 - W I N D W A R D F U N D

or me, serving as Co-Chair of the Windward Fund for the last two years has been symbolic of the appreciation and love we have for the School. Our daughters (Alexa ’21, Niki ’23) have had incredible experiences at Windward, and it is an honor and a privilege to serve and give back.

We first joined the Windward Community in 2015 when our daughter Alexa started in the 7th Grade. We were stunned by her experience from the start and wanted to contribute where we could. As we have watched the Windward Fund grow over the years, we have been only too happy to be a part of it,

Shana & Todd Garner Lori Goldstein Jennifer Winer-Gordon & Rafi Gordon Elise Grace Matthew Hayutin

Windward Fund Co-Chairs Ann Gianopulos Steve Trilling

Cathy He David Hernand Halima Holmes Bo Hyde Matthew Karatz

Steering Committee Co-Chairs Jordan Kaplan Alex Kwit Rich Pachulski

Cynthia & Mitchell Kraus Jovana Lara-Brooks Maria Mancusco Gersh - SC Pamela Mass - SC Dorothy & David Measer

Windward Fund Volunteers

Allison & Peter Morrison

Janel Ablon

David Nelson

Rachel Adams

Beth Osisek

Gareth Asten - SC

Matt Pauley - SC

Letitia Bridges

Viveca Paulin-Ferrell

Erica Broido

Rachael & Bob Platt - SC

Shainaz & Mark Burg

Maureen & Noah Pollack

Yasmin Cader

Jessica Reid

Last but certainly not least, thank you from the bottom of my heart to the Advancement and Windward Fund teams–La Donna Wertlieb, Susan Marx, Whitney Burke, Jacqueline Varney, and Dawn Barrett. Your remarkable and dedicated work has truly been the heart of the Windward Fund, and I will be forever grateful.

Amy Call

Jessica Rosenberg

Jo Champa

Jessica & Stephen Samuel

Cristina Wong & Conly Chi

Jiyoung Moon & Pawal Sasik

Alexandra Conrad

Kevin Scher

Phyllis Crotty

Pamela Schwab - SC

Sabine Dreher

Kate Seton

Teri Eaton

Kelly Sloan

Choiwan & David Essey

Jessica & Mark Sokol

Shannon & Dean Factor

Maie & Richard St. John

I may be finished with my term as Windward Fund Co-Chair, but our support for the School knows no boundaries, and it will be a pleasure to continue that support well beyond our time at Windward.

Lani & Justin Farar

Michelle Taub - SC

Scott Farkas

Mitch Tenzer

Caroline Wittcoff & Douglas Fuchs

Neil Wertlieb - SC

Ed Gargiulo - SC

Julian Zolkin

I would also like to give a big thanks to Ed Gargiulo, my Co-Chair last year who taught me so much about the Fund, and to Steve Trilling, my Co-Chair this year, and a great partner.

*SC denotes Steering Committee Member

W I N D W A R D M A G A Z I N E - 69

WINDWARD FUND

Founder $50,000+

Donor

Roll

The 100 Days of Giving campaign for the 2021-22 Windward Fund was an incredible success! Together, the Windward community has helped raise over $3.3 million so far, with over 94% participation of current parents already committing to our goal of reaching 100% participation.

These funds elevate our Financial Aid, Program Enhancements, and Research & Development programs. Windward gratefully acknowledges each of the following donors who have generously shown their support by making impactful pledges or contributions. It’s not too late to show your support and add your name to this impressive list.

More information can be found online by scanning the QR code.

Thank you! c Denotes five or more years of consecutive giving Donor list as of Feb. 9, 2022

Anonymous (1) Viveca Paulin-Ferrell & Will Ferrell Goldhirsh-Yellin Foundation William Lauder Elizabeth & Jon Marashi EJ & Gregory Milken Christine & Dennis Miller Taylor Stein Elizabeth Goldhirsh-Yellin & Eric Yellin

Head of School $25,000+

Anonymous (1) The Ahmanson Foundation c Gina Valentine & Mark Albert American Endowment Foundation c Virgina & Austin Beutner Wendy & Gary Broad ’77 c Shanna & Jonathan Brooks Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation c Kate & Arthur Coppola c The Elbaz Family Foundation Choiwan & David Essey Shannon & Dean Factor Jennifer Garner Ann & Jim Gianopulos c Nancy & Jon Glaser c Whitney & Bill Glass c Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles c Emma Watts & Jonathan Krauss Heidi & Damon Lindelof Joanne Gappy & Navid Mahmoodzadegan Lorraine & Damien McCann c The O’Connor Family Dana & Richard Pachulski Patricia & Gregory Penske The Loni & Jeff Rush Family Foundation c Gretchen & Dan Rush c Loni & Jeffrey Rush c Jennifer Rush c Jessica & Stephen Samuel The Schwartzberg Family c Lia & Jeffrey Seabold Jennifer & Noah Shore Joanne Danto & Arnie Weingarden Elisabeth & Rich Welch c Kate Phillips-Wiczyk & Modi Wiczyk

Visionary $15,000+ Anonymous (1) 1P Foundation c

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Sue & John Antoni Amy & Paul Arenson Michelle & Gareth Asten c The Benudiz Family Nicole & Brad Brooks c Maggie & Matthew Cwiertnia Valerie & Faraz Daneshgar c Sharon & Kovi Elkus The Kent-Feldman Family Angela Asher & Ted Fikre c Samantha & Jonathan Firestone Valerie Karno & Eric Glaser Jennifer Winer-Gordon & Rafi Gordon c Lisa & David Hernand The Klos Family Jenny & Alex Kwit c Kendra & Michael LaSalle Mai & James Lassiter Staci & Adam Miller c Robert Morton c The Newkirk Family Marlien Rentmeester & John Phelps Orit & Nadav Ravid c Anna & Jeffrey Reyna c Laura & Kenny Rogers c Raina & David Rosenblum c Pippa Bond & Stan Savage Jr Schwab Charitable Fund Pamela & Matt Schwab c The Shourie Family c Mark Siegel Ann & Eric Silverman Robin & Jeffrey Strug Lexine & Cuyler Tremayne The Trilling Family Sharon De Mayo & Luca Viola Liz & Andy Waters c Patricia & Paul Weitz

Leadership $10,000+

Anonymous (2) Sheri & Steve Altieri c Lori & Howard Altman c Kristin & Aaron Bendikson Benevity Community Impact Fund c Margaret Yuspa & David Blackman Hsiu-Yen & Sean Brosmith c Shainaz Donnelly Burg & Mark Burg c Jo Champa c Ashley & Scott Cohen The Crotty Family Teri Eaton c Rachel & John Edwards c The Finger Family c Evanne & Edward Gargiulo c Cathy & Josh Goldsmith c Stacey & Stephen Henning Nathalie & Michael Huddleston

Alexandra Winston & Bo Hyde The Kallman Family c Alison Kaplan ’96 & Jason Kaplan Christine & Jordan Kaplan c Lindsey & Matt Karatz Nancy Corshen & Richard Klubeck Lorie Alexander & Thomas Kreller c Wendy & Gary Leshgold c The Lugash Family c Marci Pool & David Madden c Shoreen Maghame c Michelle & Yariv Milchan c Heather & Kenneth Mitchell Jr Candace & Charles Nelson II Philip Paccione c Joanne & Matt Pauley c Rachael & Bob Platt c Michelle & Jason Reitman Tristan Bickman & David Ribakoff c Michelle & Glenn Robson Aimee & Mark Rosenbaum c The Roth Family c The Russo Family Diana & Andrew Sachs c Renata & Dean Salo Dana & Evan Schlessinger The Seton Family Shawn & Jason Silletti The St. John Family c Georgeann Carras & Adam Stotsky The Stratton Family c Evan Strauss Cara Swartz Martha & Ari Swiller c Michelle & David Taub c The Walt Disney Company Foundation c Kate Petrosky & Julian Thuan Cori Cross & Bryan Whalen The Yi Family c

Benefactor $5,000+

Anonymous (4) Laura Cohen & Arik Ahitov Lisa & David Alpern Marnie & Paul Altman c Jennifer & Chris Andrews c John Andrews c Dawn Barrett c Jennifer & Michael Beerman Alexandra & Mickey Berman Nonny & Brian Breiter c Cicek & Paul Bricault c Teresa & Paul Bridwell The Broumand Family Soma Samanta-Buck & Stephen Buck Michelle & Tyrone Chang

Cristina Wong & Conly Chi Tobi Molenaar & Stanley Cohen Janel Ablon & Matthew Davis Julie Pan & Jeffrey de Chausse Cathleen Young & Patrick DeCarolis c Gina Di Bona Erica Gerard Di Bona & Vincent Di Bona The Edelman Family Katherine & Sean Eskovitz c Kerry O’Neill & Martin Estrada Jennifer & Todd Feldman Denise & James Fields Andrea Wallace & Jonathan Friedman Caroline Wittcoff & Douglas Fuchs Suzanne & Howard Furst Alison Garb c Jonathan Gardner Natalie & Leo Gestetner Suzanne & Michael Ginestro Sarah Hennelly & Adam Goldberg Goldman Sachs Matching Gift Program Joyce & Michael Goldstein Amy Harkin & Steven Goodrich Carol Schwartz & Elliot Gordon ’74 c Laura & David Gottlieb Melissa Papp Green & Jeff Green c Sheri & Michael Green c Myra & Brian Greenspun Jolie & Rick Greenwald Tamara & Andrew Gross ’92 c Lizette Sanchez-Hayutin & Matthew Hayutin Jennifer & Adam Herschman Amy Friedlander Hoffman & Todd Hoffman Christy Morcomb & Laurie Hudson Roopal & Dylan Jadeja Laura & Andre James Kristina James The Kane Family Lilly Tartikoff Karatz & Bruce Karatz Kymber & Ted Kim Charice & Ko Kobayashi Vivian & Samuel Ku Mina & Peter Lefevre Jennifer Price-Letscher & Matthew Letscher Lisa & Kevin Lewin c Miriam & Hilel Lewis Morina & Zander Lichstein Diana Longarzo c Julie Sandor & Jack Ludden c Nicolette McDougall & Steve MacDonald Erin & Mike Mand The Mass Family c Dorothy & David Measer Dana Sano & James Meyers Laura & Chris Miller Danielle & Kevin Misher Elizabeth & Bill Molinski c Allison & Peter Morrison c Randee & Richard Motzkin c Sam Naficy c Aida Mazaheri & Robert Naraghi

Roberta & Richard Nathanson Cheryl & David Nelson c Juliet & Jun Oh Mindy & Mark Owens Chelsea & Saladin Patterson Kelly & Darren Peers c Kimberly & Joshua Perttula ’88 c Jessica & Eric Reid Michaela & Mischa Reis Michelle & Keith Richman c Jessica & Cory Rosenberg Jane Hwangbo & Craig Rosenblatt Samantha & Bejan Rufeh Nancy & Kenneth Ruttenberg c Jessica & Scott Samet c Jennifer & Fred Savage Chana & Justin Schuman Jennifer Howard & Robert Schwentke c Noah Shore Rochelle & Ian Siegel c Kelly & Matt Sloan Jessica & Mark Sokol Pam & Stephen Soller c Linda & Glenn Solomon c Marin Hinkle & Randall Sommer Anne Parker & Jeffrey Spear Jody & Jacques Stambouli Jennifer & Sean Sullivan Lilian Jensen & Sam Tabibian Jenny & Michael Tatum Colleen Terpening Amy & Jon Turteltaub Karen & Jeremy Umland c Universal Music Group Vanguard Charitable c Denise Contis-Walter & Christopher Walter Amy & Brian Weitman c La Donna & Neil Wertlieb c Nicole & Jeffrey Westheimer

Partner

$2,500+

Anonymous (4) Rachel & Jayson Adams Cynthia Atterberry Bank of America Thanda & Harald Belker Angela Armitage & David Blau c Kathy & Andrew Bobrow Alex & Jason Brent c The Cheng Family c Junko & Jason Choy Rachel & Jeffrey Cohen c Tatsinda & Jonathan Cohen Roya & Peter Cohen Alexandra Conrad Nicole Deddens & Ronn Davids Erica Broido & Greg Dawley

W I N D W A R D M A G A Z I N E - 71

WINDWARD FUND

Partner Cont.

Kori & Darren Dworkin c Caskey & Mick Ebeling c The Farar Family Stacey & Tim Farish c Carin & Scott Farkas c The Faye/Asher Family Debbie & Mark Feldstein Leah Corselli-Felisan & Stephen Felisan Beth Osisek & Ken Fink c Amy Call & Adam Finkel Erica & James Fishkin Dawn & Brent Forrester c Portia & Sean Furst ’88 c Jennifer Ouchi & David Gallon c Plinio Garcia The Garner Iwanyk Families Roxanne Davis & James Gavsie Caryl Golden & James Gerson Lori & Tom Gilder c Toni & Steve Goldsobel c Lori & Kirk Goldstein c Rosanne Cunningham & Karsten Gopinath c Cami & Howard Gordon c Kim Gordon c Lori Gottlieb Micah Green Vardit Green Davina Grossman c Jacqueline & Ray Hanna Sharon Stanley & William Hansen Ruth & Tom Harkin Nery & Dave Heenan Jennifer & Marc Heenan Letitia Bridges & William Hill Kara & Jamie Horowitz Lauren & David Howard Peggy & Francis Hung c Natalie Reisman Iwanyk & Basil Iwanyk c Lisa & Colin Jeffery Ing Lee & Todd Jerry c Dana & Adam Kaller c Karno Foundation Loretta & Norton Karno Jennifer & Eric Kaufman Ellen & Jay Kaufman Jenny Park & James Kim c Amanda & Jeffrey Kolodny Emily Kovner ’91 c Suzan & Matthew Lamishaw c Ursula Brooks & Jonathan LaPaglia

72 - W I N D W A R D F U N D

Jovana Lara-Brooks Mags & Trevor Lavin Eleanor Suhr & Michael Lerner Elinor & Jonathan Lewis c Tony Low Jana & Scott Luirette Jamie & Douglas Lynn Eric Mandel c Tricia & Eric Matuszak c Julie Marsh & Steve Mayer Jackie & Jim McKenzie Samantha McGarry & Sean Meehan Sonia Soni & Deepak Mehta Marcela Meirelles & Aleksandar Stanojevic Lorena Barrientos & Mark Merritt c The Mohn Family Jennifer Chasalow-Neiman & David Neiman c Amy Weimer & Kevin Newman c Michelle & Roger Nieves Cynthia Pazuk Beverly & Stephen Pazuk c Guilda & Jacob Peykar c Tina & Brad Pomerance c Erica & Jason Powell c Elizabeth & David Ricanati c Shannon Callan & Michael Rische Melissa Karz & Thomas Rubinson Dorothy & Avram Salkin c Michal Amir Salkin & Ken Salkin ’86 c Karinn & Todd Sammann c Lauren & Kevin Scher Allison & Adam Scotch Sharon & Boris Shimanovsky Robyn & Marc Sidoti c Karen & Scott Silver c Sara & Lawrence Sloan Cheryl & David Snow Deborah Lipsztein Spector & Marcelo Spector c Eleni Mavromati & John Stasinos Anitra & Anthony Tarpey Nina Kogan Tepper ’86 & Yaniv Tepper Jill & Nicolas van Dyk Katherine & Joel VanderKloot Karyn & Rob Weber Candice & Perrie Weiner c Emily Stern & Jeremy Weitz c Leslie & David Wimmer c Kristen & Dean Wong Alice & Brian Wood Patricia & Harrison Zanuck c Cathy He & Jianjun Zhou

Donor

Up to $2,499 Anonymous (22) Gayla Aspinall & John Agoglia Uriel Aguirre Zamora Delores & Bruno Alia Ayn Allen ’98 & Leonard Howze

Shelley & Stephan Altman Sabine Dreher & Robert Amin Estela Zarate & Tait Anderson Baptiste Andrieux Adelaine Antonino ’96 Barbi Appelquist Satik Arakelian Roz & John Arenson Melanie Arias c Natasha Arnold c Frieda & Ceth Ashendouek ’85 c Ken Asher c Ravi Asnani Judith Avery Barbara Avilez Gabe Baez c Betty & George Baffa c Richard Bailey c Mayr & Dave Balasa c Crystal Balthrop ’96 Naader Banki ’07 Eugenie & Joseph Baumann c Elise & Eric Beane c Marty Behrendt c Lauren & Todd Behrendt c Ana & Trevor Belden Annick Bellordre c Angelica Benavides Keli Kastrup & Mike Bennett c Tisha & Andrew Berman Karen Van Nuys & Antonio Bernardo c Brian Bernhards c Brittany Berriz c Amanda Bickman ’19 Jacob Bickman ’16 Matthew Bickman ’18 Alma Castellanos & Dirk Binkley c Meghan & Randy Bishop c Phyllis & Robert Blaunstein Sharnell & Clifton Blevins c Jasmine Blevins ’17 Cathleen McGrath & James Blythe c Michael Bognanno c Susan & Jim Bologna c Michele & Louis Bond Erin Borgstrom Bertha Contreras Borin & Frank Borin Cielo Botello-Williams c Molly & Peter Branch c Karol Watson & Christopher Branche Roger Bridges Kathy & Richard Brisacher c Cynthia Sikes & Ross Brodie c Erika Johnson-Brooks & William Brooks c Leigh & Lawson Brown c Regan Buck Bardeen c Whitney Burke c Maya Burrell Marrero c Nikki & Kermit Cannon c Becky & Troy Carter c Mya Caruso c

Maynor Castellanos c Marilyn & Christian Cazun Kevin Chan Kristen Ding & Mitchell Chang c Polina & Sam Chapiro c Charities Aid Foundation of America Jesse Chavez Candice Chiang c Samantha Chinn ’86 c Haley Chrystie ’02 Cigna Sarah Clark c Tammy Clem c Danielle Cohen Tamy & Marc Cohen ’91 Amanda Cohn Matus ’02 & Nick Matus Joan & Ken Cohn c Melissa & Stephen Cope c Kara & David Corwin The Cotsen Family c Carrie Creighton c Lili & Mostafa Danesch Sherly & Kamyar Daneshgar c Emily Dawe c Tony de los Reyes c Paola DeCastro c Jean-Paul deGuzman c Veronica Nales & Vicente Del Rio Marisol Delahoussaye c Benjamin Delwiche Wendy Dembo ’84 c Christina Dempsey c Dionne Washington-Denny & John Denny Alden Derr Deborah & Eric Diamond c Scott Diamond Tali Diamond Eva & Sabino Diaz c Amy & Joseph Dickstein Andrew Diver Nancy Lee & Elton Doi Rachel & Jay Donaldson c Amparo Durham Jahmal Durham Alice & Phillip Eng c Johnny Enriquez Patricia & Bruce Eskovitz c Stacy & Scott Ezra Phoebe Fan c Aaron Farkas ’14 Alia Faubert c Ayn Faubert c Lindsay Flacks Emily & Ben Ford Elizabeth Ford Jordan Fox c Michael Fox-Boyd Asha Francisco Adena & Bill Frank Yasmin Cader & Kevin Frazier Cheryl Freitag

Julie & Garth Friedrich c Patrick Friel c Rita Bower & Ray Friend c Jill & Leonard Fromer c Jennifer & Robert Galperson ’90 c Margarito Garcia Kate Briscoe & Ivan Garel-Jones c Carol & Kevin Gelbard c Lakisha & Mo Gelin Andrea & Christopher Gialanella Tiffanie & Jeff Gilder ’08 c Matt Ginyard Allison Diftler & William Goldenberg c Linda & Richard Goldsmith Julian Goldstein Hiliana Gomez c Edgar Gonzalez c Gigi & Jay Goodfader ’88 Nancy & Jonathan Goodson Nicole Gordon ’03 Jennifer & Scott Gordon ’84 c Julia Coley & Jerry Goren c Rosyln & Selvyn Gottlieb Ronen Grace Jyoti Puvvula & Gilberto Granados Kimberly Green Beatriz Acevedo-Greiff & Douglas Greiff Stephanie Grissom Ethel Gullette c Jill Gully c Daniel Gutierrez c Brandon Hakim ’08 c Shazi & Kambiz Hakimi c Jasmine Parker-Hampton & Jeramy Hampton Samantha & Christopher Hannan Colleen Hargaden Danielle & Burt Harris Jr Hillary & Steve Hartman c Wendy & Brett Hauser Stacie & Bryan Hausner c Stephanie Hayutin Eveneshia Hedgeman c Christina Hendershaw c Susan Herrera Karriann Farrell Hinds & Elliot Hinds c Margaret Hinkle Ann-Marie & Nicholas Hobbs c Kristen & David Hodess Jennifer Leitzes & Jon Hoeber Schuyler Ha & Richard Hoff Erika Hoffman Lauren Hoffman ’05 c Regina Hoffman Hannah Holmes ’13 Gail & Robert Holmes c Josh Holt c Andrea & Scott Holtzman c Tiffaney Hughes c Simon Huss c Michelle Nilsson & Ronaldo Ignacio Monica & David Isaacs

Kam & Jermaine Jackson c Robin Jacobson Sipkins David Janow Jewish Federation of Cleveland Sudha Joga Peggy Procter & John Johnston Frances & Josh Jones c Kimberly Jones Francie Calfo & Trent Jones Natasa Jovanovic & Matthew Robinson c Andrea Kahn ’02 Shirley Kennedy Wendy & Buzz Kersman Leah & John Ketcham Jasmin Danesch & Kourosh Khajavi Karen & Jeff Kirshner Grant Klein ’13 Tracy ’91 & Ethan Kleinberg ’85 Kevin Kloeker c Lindsay Knaub c Daniel Koh c Stephanie & Gregory Konkoff ’88 Yifat Dahan & Shahar Koren-Pinto Bunny Pollack & Stan Korenman Michael Kraus Cynthia & Mitchell Kraus Suzanne Kraus Monica Lacy c Ross Lacy c Cori & Max Lagao Jeff Lake Becca Larson Cathy & Matt Leaf c Derek Leavitt ’95 c Dorothy Lee c Michelle & Daniel Lehmann Pauline & Marty Leitzes Anastasia & David Levine Debra & Meir Levy c Kameron Hightower & Donte Lewis Sarah Lidschin ’87 c Julie & Harley Liker c Sheila Darcey & Micah Linton Lauren & Josh Lippman ’95 c Lany & Sy Lippman Kyliah & Jared Lloyd Sr Karan Lodha Halima Holmes & Terry Love Gage & Laura Loveless c Alesia Young & David Lowe c Luellen & Daniel Lucid Laura Luna & Reinaldo Luna Jennifer & Charles Malaret c Nora Malone c Shelly & Martin Mand Sondra & Paul Marcus Corey Marquetti Stefano Marrero c Susana & David Martin Cynthia & Joshua Martin Susan & Josh Marx c

W I N D W A R D M A G A Z I N E - 73

WINDWARD FUND

Donor Cont.

Linda McCormack Jamey McElvain-Whitman Tanya McLaughlin Drue Metz c Alexa Micek Meagan & Brian Midwin ’97 Jeff Miller c Laurel Miller ’90 Emily Miner c Suzie Moldavon Nicole Monk Chad Monk James Patric Moran c Morgan Stanley c Cori & Landon Morris Fanisha & Larry Muepo Veronica Mullins Sarah & Chris Musich c Virginia Musich Kara Nebel Zachary Neufeld Daniel Newman ’01 Tri Nguyen c Julia & Joel Nickerson Max Nishimura c Hannah Freed Northenor ’99 c Wayne Northrup c Vanessa Nygaard c Tiffany & Terence O’Day Jennifer Van Hook & Micah Officer Susanne Cipolla Olmos & Mico Olmos c Eva Baker & Harold O’Neil Samantha Pack Christopher Padilla c Linda & Richard Page Julie Leeds & Rob Pasnau ’85 Daniel Paulson Khanh Truong & Mark Paz c Kerry & Howard Perlow c Colin Pfaff c June & Carl Phelps Julia Phillips Robin & Jeff Pickett c Simone McKitty & Martin Pitts Maureen & Noah Pollack Mark Polland ’81 c Leslie Saxon & Gary Poole c Miriam Van Allen & Scott Porter ’88 Nora Portillo c Sibylle & Howard Postley ’82 c

74 - W I N D W A R D F U N D

Susan & Tyrone Powell c Aaron Presser ’18 Mary & Mark Presser Lisa & Jon Provisor c Karalyn Ramon c Chantal Randolph Heather Regnier ’04 c Jennifer Regnier ’02 c Samantha Abrahamson-Remeny & Justin Remeny ’95 c Mahi Lashgari Renselaer & Edward Renselaer c Nery Reyna Marlene Ricanati Lauren Rice c Sophia Lord-Richard & Joe Richard c Marie & Louis Robbins c Samantha & Chris Robichaud Dawn Robinson c Amy Romine c Ashley Rose ’03 Emily & Colin Rose c Ani Rosen ’19 Sydney Rosen ’16 Joan & Robert Rosenbaum Joy & Jason Rothenberg c James Rothstein c Regina Rubio c Christina & Kenneth Russo Amber & Warren Saft ’91 c Christie Salomon c Benjamin Sanders ’02 c Maryann & Michael Sanders Sharon & Shawn Sani Alex Sarkissian ’09 Jiyoung Moon & Pawal Sasik Marie Sater Foss Ramona Robinson & Edward Saunders Courtney Schaberg c Dahlia Setiyawan c Jackie & Stephen Shapiro Lolita Davidovich & Ron Shelton c Ryan Shelven Michael Shephard ’13 Kyle Shimoda Teri & Michael Shoustal c Barbara & Herb Siderman Kathleen & Charles Sipkins Jennifer & Rob Solomon ’87 c Zakaria Solotoff Adam Spira ’92 Maja Starcevic & Kresimir Petrinec c Susie Romano & Randy Steinberg Lori Zukerman & Thomas Strouse c JaJuan Sudds Joanne Van Emburgh & Sam Surloff Donata Takahashi c The Blum Family Foundation c The Hartman Family Charitable Foundation Katie Thoma c Ben Thomas c Austin Totty c Ambereen & Ramez Toubassy c

Adrienne Tourtelot Mark Tronson c Megan Kissinger & Chris Trunnell c Erica Tukiainen ’06 Lori & Barry Turbow ’89 c Garret Tyau United Way of Deleware Azita Ashofteh & Farhad Vafaee c Seena Vafaee ’16 c Jacob Van der Wilk c Alison Forbes & Andrew Van Hook Damon Van Leeuwen c Jacqueline & Adam Varney c Vanessa Vazquez c Jill & Salvador Velazquez c Raul Villa Will Vincent Lisa & Dennis Walker c Jennifer & Roger Wallace Maia & Matt Wapnick ’02 Lisa Weinstein c Evelyn & Manuel Weiskopf Wells Fargo Foundation Educational Matching Gift Program c Cole Wertlieb ’17 Michael West c Jon Westerman Amanda Westrick Curtistine Spates White ’84 & Tom White c Monique Washington-White & Robert White Pamela & Herbert Williams Deborah & Richard Winn Phaizon Wood c Whitney Wood c Andrew Woodman ’08 Amy Xiong Yourcause, LLC Emily & Peter Yu c Sherif Zakaria Sharon Pearline & Henry Zangwill c Jenn Zanoria c Jenny & Ronen Zipkin Bonnie Zolkin Julian & Jeff Zolkin Alejandro Zuniga c

Why I Give

By Tyrone Powell Director of Athletics Collegiate Dean of Students Co-Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Senior Capstone Teacher Windward Parent

F

ollowing another successful 100 Days of Giving for the Windward Fund, and with the end of the 2021-22 school year approaching, I wanted to share the intersections of my gratitude for the Windward Fund.

As an educator, the strength of the Windward Fund was highlighted almost two years ago, just after the murder of George Floyd. Ashley Goodman and I were challenged in our role as DEI practitioners to consider how we could support our community. We knew that we needed to increase our knowledge and understand best practices as those who helped lead the work of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Using research and development funds, and with Tom's full support, we embarked on a journey of learning. Because of the Windward Fund, we met the moment, and with Tom’s support, we worked with many colleagues to develop awareness and space for our community to grow together.

We have invested in students as leaders in this realm, and I am proud of the work that we have done together. As a parent of an 8th Grader, I am aware of how this work will impact our community's future through an increased effort in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work. I am humbled to be both an employee and a parent in a community where the partnership is in place to help move such important work forward. The Windward Fund is a vehicle to help us be ever-learning because we know the ‘work’ is never done.

Tyrone Powell

W I N D W A R D M A G A Z I N E - 75

5 0 TH A N N I V E R S A R Y

Leading by Example T

om Gilder is an accomplished leader and visionary whose almost 35 years serving as Head of School at Windward have been characterized by academic innovation and a talent for identifying and seizing opportunities.

Under his dedicated leadership, Windward has grown into one of the premier independent schools in California.

When Tom was first hired in 1982, Windward was in the process of moving to the current 11350 Palms Blvd. campus. A former Boy Scout building, the School was still under renovation and the first month of classes were held in the park across the street.

When Tom became Head of School in 1987, Windward’s 9.5-acre campus consisted of one academic building with small classrooms in comparison to today’s spaces. He understood that excellent facilities beget excellent programs, so, in partnership with the Board of Trustees, he created Windward’s Campus Master Plan. With the support of the Board, along with the generosity of the Windward community, the School has completed two Capital Campaigns under Tom’s guidance. The School is currently engaged in its third campaign, continuing to advance the amazing campus enjoyed today.

Each facility completed since 1987 has enriched

the educational experience of every student and teacher: • • • •

The Irene Kleinberg Theater The Ahmanson Building The Student Pavilion The Lewis Jackson Memorial Sports Center • The Science, Dance & Music Center • The Center for Teaching & Learning • The Academic Hub While Tom has had countless accomplishments over the last 35 years, he draws great pride from Windward’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity. During Tom’s tenure, diversity at Windward has flourished. Today 30% of Windward students are students of color, compared to less than two

percent in 1987. Tom recognized that a strong Financial Aid Program is the cornerstone of a diverse community and made growing the $10,000 budget a priority. In 2021-22, Windward awarded over two million dollars in financial aid to more than 10% of the student body.

In 2004, Tom led a team of administrators and faculty on research trips to independent schools and universities across the country to identify best practices in science, technology and libraries for the 21st century. In addition, the team researched new approaches to teaching, curriculum development and faculty professional growth. Tom drew from that research to create the Center for Teaching & Learning, a truly unique facility that supports an academic think-tank unlike anything found at the secondary level. Even more important than the physical spaces are the academic initiatives supported by the CTL that further experiential and collaborative teaching and learning opportunities. The CTL offers faculty a partner in curriculum development thoughtful support and resources to keep evolving.

Tom was responsible for developing Windward’s Major Gifts program, which works to advance and update existing Windward spaces. The extensive renovations of the Lewis Jackson Memorial Sports Center and Athletic Fields, as well as Windward’s weight room (renamed the Peak Performance Center), were made possible thanks to the Major Gifts Program.

Tom was also instrumental in leading the development of the 2016-22 Strategic Plan. In 2020, he led Windward on its most ambitious campaign to date with the launch of the Innovation Campaign. The recently constructed Academic Hub is the heart of the School (See pages 2-3 for more details). With

76 - 5 0 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y

plans to break ground in January of 2023 on the Innovation & Arts Center, featuring cutting-edge theaters and maker spaces, the space will provide an ideal incubator in which students and teachers from all disciplines will engage in an empowering and ever-changing environment to ask big questions and arrive at even bigger answers. Additionally, the Milken Family Community Gathering Plaza will connect the two sides of the campus and provide a space convenient to facilitate outdoor performances, meetings and creative presentations.

Tom’s leadership and experience extend beyond Windward to the advo-

cacy of the broader independent school community through professional affiliations. He served as President of the California Association of Independent Schools and was previously the Chair of the Secondary Board of Standards for CAIS. He served on the Advisory Board of the E.E. Ford Foundation, the Steering Committee of Los Angeles School Heads (LASH), and has also served on the Boards of Trustees for Village School and Wildwood School.

Throughout the years Tom has remained a visionary leader, having many roles. His guidance and innovation has shaped Windward into the School it is today.

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5 0 TH A N N I V E R S A R Y

Salute to Windward's Longstanding Faculty

As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we’d like to honor the dedication of our longstanding faculty, who have helped us to evolve into the premier institution we are today. They are a testament to Windward’s dedication to fulfilling its mission of a dynamic, engaging education in a nurturing, inclusive community.

Ray Friend Dean of Faculty

R

ecently celebrating 47 years at Windward School, Ray Friend is synonymous with the School’s history. First joining Windward as a Math Teacher in 1974, Ray has seen the School grow from a converted motel with 14 faculty members to the robust, multifaceted campus we enjoy today. Windward has served as a second home for Ray and his family. His sister, Nina Friend, graduated from Windward in 1976, and his father, Ray Friend Sr., served as Windward Board Chair from 1980-1982. Ray’s son Scott is also a Windward alum, having graduated as part of the Class of 2001. An avid skier, Ray led ski trips over Spring Break for many years. He’s also known as a dedicated chess player, often seen at Lunch playing chess with students, faculty, and staff. The longest serving member of the Windward faculty, Ray has the distinct pleasure of teaching at all three of Windward’s campuses as a former Chair of the Math Department. He has also served on the Windward Board of Trustees and he was a member of the Head of School Search Committee that selected Tom Gilder. Windward’s very first Dean of Students, today Ray serves as the Dean of Faculty, offering support and training for new faculty members as well as mentoring and guidance for current faculty. To say that Windward School would not be what it is today without Ray Friend is a severe understatement, and we continue to marvel at his guidance, dedication, and commitment to the Windward ideal.

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Gail Holmes

Director of Counseling Services, Prep Division

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e salute Gail Holmes for her 41 years of service to Windward School. Over the last four decades, Gail has worn many hats at Windward. She was first hired in 1980 after graduating from UCLA, where she was a Softball All-American.

She was with us through a campus move from Santa Monica to Mar Vista. She was with us before we had athletic facilities, and once Windward’s Gym was completed, she helped Windward’s volleyball program take off. The program rose

to new heights and won its first CIF championship with her as coach. She was then named Athletic Director, during which she took Windward Athletics to the next level, winning many CIF championships and setting the foundation for the dynamic Athletic program we have today. In support of her growth and continued career at Windward, she was hired as a counselor after completing her Masters degree in Counseling. As our Prep Division counselor, she has played a valuable role in supporting our students. Over the years she has also taught Windward’s Seminar program and worked to support the Admissions department. We deeply appreciate her hard work and steadfast dedication in bringing out the best in our students every single day.

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Faculty and Staff Milestones S

ince our founding when Shirley Windward and Carl Parsons opened Windward School in a small converted motel in 1971, Windward has prided itself on the impeccable quality of our teachers. Their commitment to challenging each student to achieve excellence in a nurturing, inclusive community has been the hallmark of a Windward education for 50 years.

As Windward celebrates its 50th Anniversary milestone, we wanted to share the achievements of our incredible faculty and staff who are also celebrating milestones this year. Now more than ever, we are deeply grateful for all of our faculty and staff and their continued dedication to the success and well-being of our students.

5

YEARS

10 YEARS

15

YEARS

2006 HIGHLIGHTS

– Claudia Bright and David Lipman agree to co-chair Windward’s second Capital Campaign – Innovation Classroom 510 opens

2016 HIGHLIGHTS

2014 HIGHLIGHTS

2011 HIGHLIGHTS

– Windward renovates the Lewis Jackson Memorial Sports Complex

– The Athletic Field undergoes a massive upgrade which included new stadium seating, batting cage, sport specific scoreboards (the Perrie & Candice Weiner Family Baseball Scoreboard), new dugouts (the Clifford Family Home Dugout), and the Weiss/David Family Home Shade

– Tom Gilder begins his 25th year as Head of School

– Neil Wertlieb begins serving as Chair of the Board of Trustees

Brian Bernhards

CTL Library Assistant

Daniel Koh

Performing Arts Co-Chair, Vocal Teacher and Music Director for Productions

James Patric Moran

Performing Arts Teacher

Colin Pfaff

Athletic Department Associate

Associate Director of the Collegiate Division

Ben Thomas

Associate Athletic Director

Austin Totty Math Teacher

History Teacher, Chair

Emily Dawe

Associate Director of Middle School

Julie Friedrich

Performing Arts Teacher

Eveneshia Hedgeman Database Manager/ Registrar

Chris Padilla

Information Systems and Network Specialist

Jenn Zanoria

Associate Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning: Educational Technology & Innovation

Jordan Fox

Performing Arts Teacher

20

YEARS

2001 HIGHLIGHTS

– Lewis Jackson Memorial Sports Center opens

Chief Operating Officer

Brittany Berriz Alia Faubert

– Windward celebrates the success of The Windward Capital Campaign with a dedication of the William Hayden Ahmanson Building and pavers

Dawn Barrett

World Language Teacher

Dahlia Setiyawan

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7

YEARS

Cielo Botello-Williams

Associate Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning: Research Instruction and Library Services

Mya Caruso

Math Teacher, Chair

Lindsay Knaub

Director of Development and Special Events

Lauren Rice

Enrollment and Financial Aid Manager

Maja Starcevic

Director of the Studio for Writing & Rhetoric, English Teacher

Jacqueline Varney

Director of Development and Major Gifts

Lisa Weinstein

Performing Arts Teacher, Performing Arts Coordinator

– Chris Foley begins serving as Chair of the Board of Trustees

Alesia Young

Performing Arts Co-Chair, Dance Advisor, Performing Arts Teacher

25

YEARS

1996 HIGHLIGHTS

– Tom Hunter begins serving as Chair of the Board of Trustees – Windward embarks on its first Capital Campaign with Mary Estrin, Warren Littlefeild, and Tom Humbet agreeing to co-chair.

Jeff Miller

Visual & Media Arts Teacher, Chair

30

YEARS

1991 HIGHLIGHTS

– First Windward gymnasium built

Tony de los Reyes

Visual & Media Arts Teacher

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A Blast From the Past T

o celebrate 50 years of Windward School, and in honor of co-founders Shirley Windward and Carl Parsons, the community kicked off a week-long celebration January 24-28 by celebrating all things ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, ’00s, and ’10s.

From the totally awesome ’80s to the fetching ’00s, Founders’ Week included decade decor, activities, treats, contests, poetry readings, scavenger hunts, photo, drawing, and film challenges, and service-learning inspired opportunities each day.

The week of fun concluded with Founders’ Friday, during which students and faculty enjoyed an all-school activity on Foley Field led by Fulcrum Adventures. It was a great time had by all and a wonderful week celebrating the founding of Windward.

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ALUMNI

Old Friends, New Stories O

n the Friday before Winter Break, Windward's campus was filled with familiar faces as we held our annual Young Alumni Lunch! Alumni who have graduated in the last five years joined our Class of ’22 for a fun-filled lunchtime gathering. With a special appearance by the In-N-Out truck and sweet treats courtesy of The Crispery, this year's trip down memory lane was one of our best yet. We look forward to inviting all alumni back to campus on Sunday, June 5th, 2022 for our Alumni Food and Wine Festival, where we’ll gather to celebrate Windward’s 50th Anniversary!

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ALUMNI

A LU M N I

I N T HE A R T S

Katie Lindsay ’07

Can you describe your journey after Windward that led you to your role as a director of plays, musicals, and reimagined classics?

oped in opposition to bad treatment I’ve seen in our industry. So producing allows me to take that values-aligned approach at every level of the process.

I went to Dartmouth and studied history, but I kept coming back to theater.

My Sophomore year, New York Theatre Workshop came to Dartmouth, and I was complaining to Chay Yew, a brilliant director, that the plays they programmed at Dartmouth were boring.

He looked at me and said, “So do something yourself.” That’s when I became a director. After college, NYTW gave me my first job in New York as a production assistant. That’s where I met so many collaborators—young artists like me who were hungry to make work together as we were learning from the brilliant artists around us. The Habitat, the theater company I co-founded in New York, started because we got NYTW’s smaller theater for free and decided to put up an evening of 10-minute plays written and directed by other interns. It was a huge success, so we kept going from there.

Can you describe a production you have directed, launched, or led that was rewarding for you?

What was your inspiration for founding the Big Little Theater Company and The Habitat Theater Company?

There are plays I want to direct that I don’t see anyone else producing.

Brilliant playwrights writing ambitious, boldly theatrical and political plays with heart and humor. I don’t like to sit by and wait for someone else to give me permission to do the work I want to see in the world–so I became a producer in addition to being a director. I am also passionate about supporting other artists, treating my collaborators with decency and respect, and paying them a living wage. Sadly, those are values devel86 - A L U M N I

In 2019, I was the Bill Foeller Directing Fellow at Williamstown Theatre Festival, where I directed Orlando by Sarah Ruhl, which is an adaptation of the Virginia Woolf novel. "Orlando" tells the story of a man, a poet, who lives for three centuries and then wakes up one day as a woman. Orlando was based on Virginia’s lover, Vita Sackville-West, who often wore men’s clothes. The brilliant actor I cast as Orlando, Han Van Sciver, is the first non-binary trans actor in the role. As a queer woman, I really enjoy bringing representations of queerness throughout history to life. Our production centered the exploration of gender and sexuality, which Orlando is rife with. Because I had assistant directed a play that Sarah Ruhl wrote, I also got to speak with her throughout the process, which was incredible. She even gave me permission to add back a passage where Virginia refers to Orlando with they/them pronouns.

For 40 years, the Celebration Theater in Los Angeles has been producing LGBTQ+ shows for the community. Above, Katie Lindsay ’07 (far left) poses with the October 2021 cast of "Bar Dykes," a one-act play about the 1950s butch/femme bar culture.

diversity, and inclusion practice that will influence everything we do. These conversations only make me feel more passionate and excited about the future of theater. I’m participating in conversations and community organizing around this work, following the leadership of BIPOC artists, and trying to make opportunities for others wherever I can.

How do you see your industry changing in the coming years? How do you adapt to these changes?

How did Windward faculty, students, and your experience as a whole affect you as an

Our industry is having long overdue conversations about how racism and resource scarcity impacts artists, audiences, and the work negatively.

There’s really exciting leadership here in LA happening, with an organization called The BLKLST Collective and the creation of the LA Anti-Racist Theater Standards. My company has adopted the standards and will have an equity,

Being in the plays at Windward was a sacred experience. In 9th Grade, I was initiated into the wonderful world of the theater kids, who embraced the Freshmen with so much love and care. Throughout all the ups and downs of high school, being a part of the theater ensemble was constant. My time at Windward is marked by the productions we did together. Rob Duval, our teacher and director, had a huge impact

on me. I still remember the 8th Grade acting class where he taught us the building blocks of acting: objective, obstacle, action. He took our shows so seriously—during tech, he’d always be wearing pajamas because he was stressed out. As a director, I get it now! We had so many special rituals—before the shows, we’d go into the chorus room, and a Senior would lead us in a meditation activity. There was some super secret ritual Rob did with the Seniors that we all looked forward to.

individual and your career trajectory?

I think of my time doing theater at Windward as when I learned that theater is sacred; it's an opportunity to make something bigger than all of us. I tried to study other things in college but kept coming back to theater. Nothing gave me that same feeling. I am still close with many Windward alums who I did theater with; in fact, I've directed many of them, including Sable Worthy ’08, Fabi Meyer ’06, and Chloe Dworkin ’08.

What advice would you give to students or alumni interested in pursuing a career in theater?

I always hated that advice cranky artists give to young people: “If you can do anything else, do that!” I don’t agree. There’s nothing like life in the theater. It’s maddening, it’s unstable, and it takes constant hits on your confidence.

But then you get in the room with brilliant collaborators and tell a story together and it’s beyond anything else in the world. It’s how I make meaning. My advice would be to take care of yourself and your artistry; don’t wait for anyone’s permission to make your art; develop practices for withstanding rejection; and surround yourself with collaborators who understand you and see what you have to offer.

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ALUMNI

A LU M N I

I N T HE A R T S

Micah Gordon ’11

B

efore Micah Gordon ’11 was a successful musician and producer, he was just a kid trying to get out of piano lessons. “I hated it,” Micah laughs. “I couldn't stand it. I literally would hold up a sign from the top of my stairs that said ‘I quit.’” It took a chance encounter at a recital to open up the classically trained Micah to a whole new world of music—blues. “I remember thinking, what is this type of music?” Micah recalls. “It sounded awesome and in that moment I remember thinking ‘how can I play it?’”

That singular moment started a “snowball effect” that Micah continues to enjoy today, touring as one half of the musical duo, courtship, and serving as a producer and writer for Renegade Songs. In another example of right place, right time, Micah’s first hired role out of college saw him playing piano alongside fellow musician Eli Hirsch.

The two immediately hit it off, and it

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was only a few months later that they decided to try their hand at making their own music together. Thus courtship, and Micah’s career as a traveling artist, was born. “It was a happy accident,” Micah explains. “We didn't set out to be artists. We made the first song and we thought, let's release it and see what happens. Then it progressed from there.”

While a career as a musician is one Micah never saw coming, he’s nevertheless fully aware of the unpredictable nature that comes with a life in the arts.

Speaking on his daily approach, Micah says “Every day is a challenge because there's no rulebook, and it's a tough thing to come to terms with that.” He continues, “When you first start off in the arts, whether it's visual art, movies, or music, you think, okay, this is a path I can understand. And if I do this, or email this guy, then maybe it will lead somewhere promising. It takes a lot of

emailing, no one responding, and coming to terms with the fact that there is no right or wrong way to do it.”

As Micah continues to navigate the ever changing media landscape—one where the metric of success is sometimes measured by Tik Tok views rather than the quality of the product itself—he credits Windward for establishing the importance of community. “Windward was an environment where kids could

support each other and be who they were. It was a safe space to try things and jump outside your comfort zone.” He also attributes his time in Jazz Band, as well as his instructor, Windward’s own Dr. Bruce Eskovitz, for pushing him to always aspire to the music gold standard. “The faculty were awesome. Windward was a great place because there's a little bit of everything. And with the intimacy of a small grade, you knew everyone. It was this very inclusive community where everyone

knew each other by name, and people were nice and cool and funny and just supportive of your crazy endeavors.”

As a professional touring musician, Micah has had his share of highlights, from opening a tour for Passion Pit to seeing crowds of people singing along to his own songs. Despite his success, he always comes back to where he started—being moved by the power of music.

“It's such a part of my identity,” he shares. “It's not just a job or a pastime or a hobby. It's really as much as who I am as anything else.” While he cautions that the life of an artist is not for everyone, he encourages all students to follow their passions, through good and bad. “Make sure you're doing it for the right reasons. And if you are going to do it, make music that you like. That's going to be what keeps you going. For a while, it's going to be really bad and you're going to hate it. But then there's a moment where you become good and you think, ‘oh, wait, I can do this?’ It should be this fun thing.”

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ALUMNI

F

A LU M N I

I N T HE A R T S

Leila Williams ’20

or Leila Williams ’20, a person crossing the street is more than a stranger—they’re an inspiration, each unique step and individual mannerism sparking thoughts of creativity and choreography. A dance major at NYU, Leila’s path to the arts was an unwavering and committed one. The child of two entertainers—who didn’t necessarily wish for their daughter to take on the same difficult career path they followed—Leila’s dance journey is one marked by discipline. From the moment she began dancing at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy at age four, Leila was taught to marry passion with balance. By the time she arrived at Windward, she was determined to ensure that her creative endeavors would not come at the cost of her educational growth.

Once on campus, Leila quickly realized that for her, the best way to approach her learning experience was by attacking each subject and class with the same passion and focus she showed as a member of the Windward Dance Company. Encouraged by her parents to try anything and everything, regardless of natural aptitude, Leila immersed herself in courses like photography, math, and band. While Leila doesn’t consider her exploits with the trumpet among the proudest moments of her career, she credits her try-it-all approach at Windward to her sustained success in college and beyond.

“You have to explore everything,” Leila explains. “Your relationship with math is just as important as your relationship with dance. There's always something you can learn from literature. Science, robotics, whatever it is, your solid art form or whatever you do isn't enough. I

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find that most of my inspiration is actually sparked elsewhere, and then dance just helps me present what I want to do.”

Leila also attributes her easy transition into the college space to the support and collaborative nature of the School and her instructors. “I think as an artist, it can sometimes be hard to focus on academics because all you want to do is the art part and the fun part. I definitely think Windward helped me sort of position myself so that I can be successful by giving me the organizational skills and tools to do the best I can to do well. I worked with Michelle Richman (Associate Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning: Academic and Learning Support) throughout Windward, and she really helped me figure out what I need to stay organized because my brain can't do it all by itself.”

As she continues her dance career at NYU, which includes a music video shoot in February and a self-choreographed performance in April, Leila is committed to the same try-everything approach that got her to this point. “Because of Windward and everything it has to offer, coming into NYU wasn't that hard for me. I like exploring the academics and what the school has to offer besides dance.” It’s no surprise then that her advice to incoming Windwardians follows the same vein. “I'd say do what sparks your interest the most, but also don't shy away from something because you think you might not be good enough at it. Don't be embarrassed and try things that you've never tried before. Looking back, I would have loved to have tried debate or robotics at least once, even though I think I'd be terrible at it. Windward has just so much to offer that a lot of places don't, so try different things.

Don't do what your friends are doing. Focus on yourself.”

In the dance studio, Leila felt at home with her fellow students, and more specifically, with her dance instructors Alesia Young and Julie Friedrich.

“I still talk to those women today,” Leila shares. “They are just brilliant choreographers and teachers, and they teach with their heart and soul in a way that I wasn't exposed to ever before.” Now a collaborator and choreographer with her fellow students in various projects at NYU, Leila sees just how much that shared space impacted her as both a person and a performer. “It was so fun being in the studio with two people that I felt were there for me, treating me as if I was just as valuable as any other person in the room with them. I was just as much of a creator as they were in the process. It didn't feel like a teacher-student dynamic.”

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ARTS | SPORTS | ACADEMICS

REUNION NIGHT

ALUMNI FESTIVAL

Saturday, June 4 | 5 p.m.

50th Anniversary Celebration

All classes celebrating milestone reunions & classes who missed a reunion due to COVID-19

Craft Beers, Wine Tasting, Food Trucks, Alumni Classes, Activities for Kids

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Sunday, June 5 | 12 p .m.

SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! GRADES 2-12

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