2 0 1 7 S PR I N G / S U M M ER
Why does being an Upstander matter to our community?
From the Head of School
ADVANCEMENT OFFICE CONTRIBUTORS
01 A Letter from Tom Gilder
DAWN BARRETT
Visual and Media Arts
Director of Institutional Advancement & Operations
02 D esigning Windward 04 M ath as Art 05 Political Portraits
WHITNEY BURKE
Digital Communications Specialist/Webmaster
Performing Arts 06 07 08 09
JEFF GILDER ‘08
rtistic Innovation on the Move A M usic Extravaganza Exploring Autism through Art Urinetown
Director of Alumni Relations ALLISON KAUFMAN
Communications Coordinator/ Publications Teacher
Student Life 10 College Acceptances
CASEY KIM
Associate Director of Advancement
Around Campus 12 Defining our Core 14 Shirley’s Slams ‘n Jams
JERYLDINE SAVILLE
Director of Communications & Public Relations
Parent Perspectives 16 T he Evolution of Upper School Electives
SUSAN MARX
Athletics
Director of Windward Fund & Parent Relations
18 W inter Sports
Entrepreneurship 22 F eet First 24 Buy It on the Bridge
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Faculty Spotlight
Jenna Ashendouek ‘18 Allison Blythe ‘17 Kermit Cannon Julie Jepsen Contreras Lisa Lamont Tony de los Reyes
25 M ya Caruso, Brendan Constantine, Max Nishimura
Innovation 28 M aking a New Model
Global Perspectives
PHOTOGRAPHY
30 Crossing Continents 32 Minimester
Paul Antico/Creative Antics Joe Lester Photography Jenna Schoenefeld Lucy Wurwand ‘17 Stephen Zeigler
Service Learning 34 T urning Lemons into Lemonade 35 Animal Advocacy 36 S ervice Sisters
Windward Fund at Work
DESIGN
38 A Global View on Wellness 40 W indward Fund Update 41 Common Ground
Bacio Design & Marketing, Inc.
Alumni Updates 42 44 48 50
odies in Motion B Alumni News N etworking Night Young Alumni Luncheon
Printed on Recycled Paper containing 30% Post Consumer Waste
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
A Letter from
Tom Gilder
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n defining the goals housed under Windward’s new Strategic Plan, our Strategic Planning Committee— comprised of students, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and trustees—engaged in many lively discussions focusing on ways in which we could build upon our core values and strengths.
This year, our faculty in-services, parent presentations, and student discussions have focused upon the following mission-based themes: strengthening our dynamic, engaging education by building upon our ongoing research and university partnerships to provide our students with the core competencies they will need in college and beyond; and fostering a nurturing, inclusive community that is truly welcoming, supportive, embraces diversity, and helps students to develop as global citizens. The guiding question for our Diversity and Inclusivity Goal asks: “How can all members of the Windward community advance the School’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity, creating a sense of belonging for everyone and an environment where difference is celebrated?” While I will work closely with all of the many contributors and leaders on the other eight goals in the Strategic Plan, I will personally spearhead the efforts in the area of Diversity and Inclusivity. My decision to guide growth in this area was a natural for me for several reasons. First, it is a critical element to Windward’s culture—a vital component of the dynamic education and nurturing community that Shirley Windward created and for which we continue to be known. As the Head of School, it is my responsibility to set the tone for our community and that tone must be inclusive.
I also chose to lead the charge in this area because of my professional beliefs. As a lifelong educator, I can think of no more important work than helping to foster a diverse and inclusive educational community. We must help our students understand and appreciate differing viewpoints and approaches to life and teach them to use these differences as a springboard to discuss our shared humanity. Which leads me to my final reason for heading up the School’s Diversity and Inclusivity efforts. By almost every measure, our country is very divided at this time. The divisive tone of our civil discourse has a ripple effect within our school community. As community members, we have the power and responsibility to demonstrate effective community engagement in which our students are encouraged to support each other and work effectively in problem-solving teams that embrace differences of perspective and worldview. Such fractured times call upon all of us to model the welcoming, nurturing interaction that has been the hallmark of Windward since its founding in 1971. The year of the School’s founding is the last time I remember our country being so divided, so I think this is an appropriate time for us to rededicate ourselves to the mission and philosophy that has guided us throughout our School’s history. By partnering together to accomplish this important strategic goal, we can develop a generation of Windwardians who will look back on this time in their lives as the one in which they learned the most, grew the most, and defined their core values. I can think of no greater purpose or privilege than that. TOM GILDER Head of School W I N D WA R D M A G A Z I N E - 01
Meet the Architects
Windward has contracted with John Sergio Fisher & Associates Inc. (JSFA) to design the buildings that will be part of the School’s Master Plan. JSFA specializes in the programming and design of performing arts and educational spaces throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and South America. The firm, which has offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco, has won 47 awards from the American Institute of Architects for design excellence. In its 39-year history, the firm has designed over 300 performing arts venues—more than any other architect in the nation. JSFA also is one of only three architecture firms in the country that have in-house theatre consulting and acoustical consulting divisions, which fosters coordinated and functional systems. The firm’s design philosophy is based upon an innovative problem-solving approach that examines every parameter of the project’s needs. During the design process, JSFA includes project stakeholders in creative, problem-solving exercises. Through their work with our School, JSFA has been actively engaging with our community members and incorporating those insights into their plans.
“I must say as a former professor of architecture, in parallel with my practice, that I was amazed at the quality of innovative design work by the Windward students for the new classroom/administration building.” —John Fisher, John Sergio Fisher & Associates
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Designing Windward
If you walked through the Held and Bordy Gallery in March, you may have noticed some very professional looking architectural renderings on display. These designs were, in fact, the product of student design thinking and creation.
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tudents in the “3D Design” class were asked to design a new 100 building for the Windward campus. This turned out to be no small feat. The project began by bringing in Head of School Tom Gilder to speak to the students about features that the building should include based off of the planning that has been initiated for Windward’s Master Plan. Students were given room specifics with square footage requirements, which they used to begin drafting floor plans.
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After the floor plans were workshopped and finalized, students began the second phase of the project. Based on the floor plans, students constructed paper and foam core models as a way of visualizing proportions and space. Once the paper models were completed, the project moved into the third phase: digital 3D models. Using Rhino, a 3D modeling program, students built virtual models of their buildings. To complete the project, students used the 3D printers in the CREATE Studio to convert the digital models to physical objects. The School’s architect, John Sergio Fisher & Associates, reviewed the student renderings and incorporated some of the features into their plans for the new building.
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MATH AS ART
Q.E.D. Exhibit Reveals the Beauty of Geometry By Tony de los Reyes, Visual and Media Arts Teacher
Q.E.D., abbreviation for the Latin phrase “quod erat demonstrandum”: written or spoken after an argument to show that you have proved something that you wanted to prove.
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he complexities of math and geometry, when interpreted through visual art, allow for the brilliance of logic and form to become immediately recognizable. Q.E.D., an exhibition in the Held and Bordy Family Gallery in December, took the standards of rectangularity, multiplication, proportion, and the optical properties of black and white to create something completely new on campus: a total, visual immersion into the world of math and geometry. Students in my Eighth Period course, “Interdisciplinary Studio,”created a comprehensive installation that utilized the entire gallery, including the floor and volume of the space. The course, which normally directs students to create work unencumbered by a traditional studio curriculum, allowed the gallery to be the primary source for an installation, taking advantage of its clear lines, high walls, and abundant light. Usually media such as drawing, painting, and sculpture negate the architectural properties of galleries, which serve a supporting role for the artwork. In most circumstances, galleries are intended to “disappear” in favor of the exhibited artwork. In Q.E.D., the volume and walls of the gallery were activated, calling attention to its fundamental structure and effects. Beginning with the small studies—simple combinations of three rectangles using the same length and varied widths—the idea of creating multiple geometric compositions based on their expanded proportional elements evolved. From these, four large reliefs—scaled enlargements of the small studies—were built and installed on the main walls. A further enlarged—roughly 10 foot by 6 foot—sculpture took the wall work concept into a dynamic dimensionality, making a spatially complex sculpture that asserted itself diagonally in the center of the room. The entire range of artworks were also unified through the use of matte black paint, which forced a sharp contrast between their visual rigor and the white walls of the gallery. Finally, the complete linear elements contained in the sculptures were reiterated on the gallery floor, albeit deconstructed, where they created an “exploded” footprint of the rectangular sets.
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ARTS
Senior Captures Essence of Controversial Leaders
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hen Senior Brendan Lamishaw was searching for a subject to paint in his Junior Studio 3 art class, he stumbled upon one of Donald Trump—pre-GOP nomination— that he was drawn to. Brendan thought the photo would give him an opportunity to develop his budding painting skills. “I was just trying to work on my Rembrandt-esque lighting techniques, but it turned into something more,” he says. The initial Trump painting has since evolved into a series of portraits of “controversial world leaders” that Brendan produced for his “AP Studio Art” class, in which students complete all the portfolio work necessary for the Advanced Placement portfolio exam in Studio Art. AP art students engage in a creative and systematic investigation in an independent study called the Concentration, a body of 12 works of art based on a specific theme.
Brendan’s Concentration—“controversial world leaders”—includes artistic depictions of: Pablo Escobar, Kim Jong-un, Ayatollah Khomeini, Muammar Gaddafi, Fidel Castro, and Vladimir Putin. None of the portraits were intended to make a political statement, though he says they have elicited some strong reactions from people. “I’m convinced that I didn’t choose this Concentration, but rather it chose me,”says Brendan, who will be attending Northwestern University in the Fall. Brendan says he omitted the torsos in his work to underscore the fact that the face of each leader is really the most “iconic” aspect. According to his artist’s statement: “The faces of these individuals are immediately recognizable and yet are not strikingly dissimilar from ordinary faces one might pass on the street.” Plus, he says: “Bodies take a really long time to paint.” W I N D WA R D M A G A Z I N E - 05
Artistic Innovation on the Move
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DANCE COMPANY BRINGS FRESH PERSPECTIVES WITH PERFORMANCE
n Jan. 27, Windward Performing Arts showcased its talented student-artists in an innovative performance, “An Evening of Dance: The Multimedia Project,” which took place in multiple locations across campus. The performance included the Windward Dance Company in choreography by Genna Moroni of Ate 9, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano of Luna Negra, Leslie Scott of BodyArt Dance, and Laura Berg and Gracie Whyte Coad of WHYTEBERG. The evening included a preview performance choreographed by Yusha Sorzano and a special guest performance choreographed by Andrew Winghart. The entire evening, but particularly the work experienced outdoors moving from the stairwell to the walkway and grass across the beautifully constructed Bridge and into the gym, was intended to challenge the audience and present fresh perspectives on how we view dance—viewing art not through passive engagement, but active participation.
“Our greatest hope is that you found a moment in the work that engaged and inspired you,” said Alesia Young, Dance Program Area Head. “One worthy of conversation and celebration of the dancer’s commitment to risk-taking and exploration.” 06 - PER F O R M I N G A RT S
To view photos from the event, go to: bit.ly/windwarddance To view the video, go to: vimeo.com/202821065
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Music Extravaganza AT THE BROAD STAGE
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n Dec. 14, the Windward Music Department took the stage at the fabulous Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica, where students performed to a full house of appreciative fans, including parents, faculty, staff, and members of the community. The evening included performances from all of the School’s musical ensembles, including: Chamber Music Ensemble, Middle School Choir, Intermediate Instrumental Ensemble, Advanced Instrumental Ensemble, WCME, Jazz Ensemble, Chromatics, and Advanced Jazz Ensemble. The evening also featured a special appearance by four Windward alumni—Lauren Sackler ‘14, Andrew Fromer ’08, Jim Fox ’73, and Bob Feldman ’73—two of whom were in the School’s first-ever graduating class! The grand venue and wide range of electrifying performances made the evening truly live up to its name.
To view photos from the event, go to: bit.ly/windwardextra To view the video, go to: vimeo.com/205282400 W I N D WA R D M A G A Z I N E - 07
ADVANCED THEATER ENSEMBLE
Explores Autism through Art
On Jan. 20, Windward’s Advanced Theater Ensemble performed “A.S.P.I.E.,”an original work written and conceived by the Ensemble in collaboration with Fernando Belo and James Cowan of The Moving Art Collective.
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he Advanced Theater Ensemble is intended for advanced acting students who want to hone their acting craft and have the opportunity to work as an ensemble to create provocative work. The Moving Art Collective team guided the group of eight Windward studentactors to create a new play inspired by Mark Haddon’s “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.” The book is the story of Christopher, a young boy with Asperger’s syndrome, who tries to solve the mysterious death of his best friend, Wellington, his neighbor’s dog. The students connected deeply with the story and wanted to explore it in more depth.
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The themes within the original text acted as inspiration for the actors’ personal lives: the difficulties of connecting with other people, of making yourself understood, of dealing with the anxieties of social life, and the challenges of being yourself in a society that often pushes you to conform. Over the course of seven weeks, The Moving Art Collective team and the students delved into elements beyond the book to inform the piece: movies, songs, and narratives of young people with Asperger’s. These resources inspired the students to write the scenes that formed the play. Through creating “A.S.P.I.E.,” the class learned about different aspects of autism, the craft of theater, and how to work collaboratively on a creative project.
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URINETOWN Wows Crowds
n Dec. 8-11, the Windward Theater Area presented its Fall musical, “Urinetown: The Musical,” a hilarious satire of the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement, and musical theater itself. For three months, over 35 students worked on stage and backstage to bring the entertaining show to the Windward community. The hard work was worth it as every performance sold out!
This school year’s production was particularly special because it marked the 10-year anniversary of Windward’s first staging of the musical, which was later performed by the Windward cast at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. Ninety percent of the original alumni cast attended the Saturday evening performance and joined current students to sing the finale. It was an incredible experience for the student-artists to share the stage with these talented alumni.
To view photos from the event, go to: bit.ly/windwardmusical To view the video, go to: vimeo.com/205285925
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Indicates accepted school in state
INTERNATIONAL: Quebec Scotland Toronto
College Acceptances Congratulations to the members of the class of 2017, who have been accepted to the following schools. No matter what your decision may be, you will be missed! Remember that regardless of distance or time you will forever be a member of the Windward community. A sampling of schools the Class of 2017 has been accepted to: American University Amherst College Bard College Barnard College Berklee College of Music Boston College Boston University Bowdoin College Brandeis University Carleton College Carnegie Mellon University Chapman University Claremont McKenna College Colby College 10 - C L A S S O F 2 0 1 7
College of the Holy Cross Colorado College Connecticut College Cornell University Dartmouth College Davidson College DePaul University Dickinson College Drexel University Duke University Elon University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Emerson College Emory University Fordham University George Washington University Goucher College Grinnell College Hampshire College
Indiana University at Bloomington Johns Hopkins University Kenyon College Lake Forest College Lehigh University Lewis & Clark College Louisiana State University Loyola Marymount University Marquette University McGill University New York University Northeastern University Northwestern University Oberlin College Occidental College Pennsylvania State University Pitzer College Purdue University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
CLASS OF 2017
Rhode Island School of Design San Francisco Conservatory of Music Santa Clara University Sarah Lawrence College School of the Art Institute of Chicago Scripps College Seattle University Skidmore College Southern Methodist University St. John’s University Syracuse University Temple University Texas Christian University The New School - All Divisions The Ohio State University Trinity University Tufts University Tulane University Union College United States Naval Academy University of California University of Chicago University of Colorado at Boulder University of Denver University of Kansas University of Maryland University of Massachusetts University of Miami University of Michigan
University of Missouri, Columbia University of Nevada, Las Vegas University of Notre Dame University of Oklahoma University of Oregon University of Portland University of Puget Sound University of Richmond University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of Southern California University of St. Andrews University of Texas, Austin University of Toronto University of Vermont University of Washington University of Wisconsin, Madison Vassar College Washington University in St. Louis Wesleyan University Whitman College Worcester Polytechnic Institute Yale University List is representative and as of April 12, 2017
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WINDWARD SPEAKERS AND PROGRAMS SERVE AS P LAT FORM FOR DISCUSSION
Defining our Core By Jenna Ashendouek ’18
Adolescents have two main jobs in their high school years: to begin to identify who they are and to discover the world around them— nearly impossible tasks without careful consideration, incessant questioning, and loads of guidance.
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AROUND CAMPUS
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oday is an especially difficult time for teens to grapple with their place in the world. Among other influences, the influx of both social and mass media and the increased use of technology connects the world in a way that makes all information accessible at all times. Given the current political climate, it can be hard for young people to formulate their opinions. Luckily, Windward fosters open dialogue that urges students to be curious, expressive, and informed. For this community, progress is rooted in conversation and courage. This year especially, the Windward community has initiated discussions surrounding tolerance, identity, and diversity. In the Fall, Windward invited filmmaker Elena Rossini to campus to showcase her film, “The Illusionists.” The film addresses the objectification of women’s bodies in the media and discusses the impossible physical standards to which women and men of all nationalities are held. The documentary provided the community an opportunity for reflection and conversation about an issue that impacts many students. Coley Goren ’18 says he was compelled “to learn about the unattainable standards of beauty and the industry that exploits it.” Matthew Simon ’18 said he was moved by the conversation surrounding “the burden of conforming to beauty standards.”
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ore recently, Windward welcomed Jackson Katz, PhD, an activist on the issues of gender, race, and violence and the co-founder of the Mentors in Violence Prevention program. Katz spoke to the community to spread the message that “diversity is not about the other,” and acts of sexual violence, racism, and sexism are not solely a victim’s problem but rather a collective issue—one that victims and bystanders alike must address. In April, Katz also brought his training program to Windward— by proxy of student leaders—to encourage students’ upstanding behavior both now in the Windward community and in their future endeavors. Through this program, and in pairing with Upstanding Voice—a student-run club on campus—the community continues to encourage speaking up about what’s right even in difficult or uncomfortable situations.
Classes such as “Gender Headlines and Controversial Issues,” as well as Ninth Grade Seminar, give students an outlet to discover their opinions while remaining open to others’. In “Gender Headlines,” students tackle topics, such as affirmative action, gun control, the distribution of wealth, foreign aid, human trafficking, and others that will help them become informed global citizens. In Ninth Grade Seminar, students are able to “dig deeper into the study of things, such as gender equality, racial equality, community norms, our neighborhood, the makeup of LA,” says Jennie Willens, Dean of Student Life and Experiential Learning. She has found that through discussion and outreach opportunities, Ninth Graders begin to take ownership of their leadership potential and to find a way to leverage it for the good of our community and the world. This year and last, Windward also hosted a Young Women’s Retreat, which served as an outlet for faculty and students to engage in frank conservation about worries and excitement. “It provided us with an open space to talk about any topic we wanted,” says Serena Ettinger ’18. From the annual Soulcycle event coordinated by the GirlUp club to the Fireside Conversation hosted by Inclusivity Directors Tammy Clem and Roger Bridges, Windward urges students, faculty, staff, and parents to dive into open dialogue about controversial issues, rather than back away. It is this encouraging, safe environment that allows students to be who they wish, share their stories, and remain curious.
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On Jan. 27, the Windward community gathered to pay tribute to our founder, Shirley Windward. The community-wide celebration, which honors Shirley’s love for poetry and the arts, was co-hosted by Seniors Jasmine Blevins and Hannah Kanter. Students, teachers, and alums expressed their creativity through song, poetry, and spoken word at the festive event. This year’s performance included a special reading by Windward alum Lucas Meyers ‘88, who shared how Shirley helped shape the lives of countless Windwardians throughout the years.
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AROUND CAMPUS
The event included faculty/staff performances by Brian Bernhards, Brendan Constantine, Daniel Koh, Lisa Weinstein, Jennie Willens, and Rebecca Yeh. Group student performances included the Chromatics, the CREATE Studio Innovators, and the Girls Varsity Basketball team. Other student performances were given by: Jack Antholis ’19 Brody Bishop ’19 Jasmine Blevins ’17 Allison Blythe ’17 Stella Ginsberg ’17 Kira Gopinath ’20 Jackson Jones ’18 Hannah Kanter ’17 Justin Kang ’19 Will Landgraf ’19 Rebecca Martin ’19 Samuel Miller ’20 Naomi Nicholas ’17 Cal Oppenheim ’17 Rita Pisegna ’17 Lulu Strauss ’17 Lucy Wurwand ’17 Noa Yamashiro ’20 The breadth and depth of talent displayed by all of the performers was a clear sign that Shirley’s legacy is very much alive.
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The Evolution of
UPPER SCHOOL ELECTIVES By Julie Jepsen Contreras, Mother of Dena Contreras ’21 It’s a Tuesday afternoon at Windward and while some Upper School students are going to athletic practices or heading home for the day, others are settling into classrooms to take part in unique learning opportunities, such as “Think Differently: Lessons in Entrepreneurship,” “Social Justice and Service Learning,” or “IOS App and Game Design.” These distinctive classes are a few of the Upper School Electives at Windward School. Couched in Windward’s intensive core curriculum, these year-long, twice a week, 50-minute, graded courses have been redeveloped and refined by the Upper School administrative team. Peggy Procter, Director of the Upper School, and her fellow team members surveyed the Eighth Period landscape to see what needed to be preserved about Eighth Period and what needed to be retooled. Factors discovered: Eighth Period classes were required for Freshmen and Sophomores, not optional. And as Peggy said with conviction: “Making
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activities mandatory with high schoolers is risky and can turn them off!” Eighth Period also used to be more of a “Clubs Period” for activities outside of academic departments, which became unnecessary as students were increasingly engaged in extracurriculars, arts, and athletics both in and outside of school. The Upper School admin team was influenced by Windward’s work with Stanford University’s Challenge Success program, which aims to minimize debilitating stress in students while maximizing student engagement. Peggy said the goal was for classes to be focused on interdisciplinary coursework with passionate teachers and the joy of learning, not just grades and GPAs. Equipped with this information, “Eighth Period” became “Upper School Electives”—three simple words to spark curiosity, excitement, and desire. Today’s courses are now authentically elective. Upper School students can
Julie Jepsen Contreras
opt in or opt out, and that is part of the importance. Opting in means choosing, a student wants to be there. Upper School Electives can cultivate curiosity in an unknown subject, or fortify a student’s innate talents. “Electives can teach students skills they don’t have that they want to learn,” Peggy said, “but they also can reinforce and build upon skills they already have and wish to master with more depth and practice. So the classes can allow for both entry points.”
PA R E N T PERSPECTIVES
Hannah Millner ’18 says her elective class, “In the Headlines: Current Issues in Gender Studies,” enabled her to discover “this new part of myself.” Says Hannah: “This class was the perfect place to explore with other people wanting to learn about the subject, too.” Russell Jacobs ’20 said he took the “Current Issues” class because he was fascinated by the complexity of the topics covered. “I enjoy getting to hear different opinions and sides of each story because they open my eyes to new ideas that I never realized before,” says Russell. “I feel that it is my duty as a citizen to be well informed on these topics in order for me to continue to formulate my own opinions.” A parent’s involvement with his or her child in evaluating Upper School Electives is equally as important as student self advocacy. Sit with your child and review the choices. Know your child as he or she is today and what his or her interests and passions are. Encourage your child to make an informed decision and to get more information by speaking to classmates and friends who have already taken a particular elective. Peggy cautions: “Don’t fall into the trap of ‘Oh, it’s an extra.’ If you are in an elective you love with a compelling topic that excites you, it’s not an extra, it’s meaningful and enjoyable.” If your child opts not to take an Upper School Elective, what happens? It’s up to the child at the end of the day. Some students will go study in the CTL or attend extra-help sessions, some might hang out with friends as they wait for sports practice to start, while still others will simply leave campus. Your child could be the one to say, “classes done, I’m done.” Or, your child could be the one to say: “At Windward, I’m a student of USE!” Upper School Electives: a rewarding growth experience for our inquisitive and adventurous Windward students.
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Congratulations to all of our scholar-athletes for demonstrating the sportsmanship and excellence that Wildcat athletes are known for
WINTER SPORTS
WILDCATS BRING THE HEAT THIS WINTER
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he weather may have been unseasonably wet and cold in Los Angeles this winter, but Windward’s winter athletics teams were on fire. The Girls Varsity Basketball team captured the CIF State Division I title in Sacramento March 24, when they beat McClatchy 53-41, finishing the season 30-4. It was a fairytale ending for the young team—comprised of just three Seniors—which showed the same incredible drive and determination in the State Championship game that they had all season. The Wildcats led the majority of the game, which was aggressive on both sides and filled with steals, fouls, and shots inside the paint. Sophomore Charisma Osborne scored 26 points in the game, while Junior Sela Kay put up 10. Leadership also came from Windward’s three Seniors: Jasmine Blevins, Tyler Collins, and Alyssa Ramlochan. The Boys Varsity Basketball team and Boys and Girls Varsity Soccer teams also ended their seasons with winning records.
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ATHLE TIC S
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WILDCATS! Girls Varsity Basketball CIF State Division I Champions
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ATHLE TIC S
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FEET FIRST Sophomore’s Custom Cleat Business Off to a Strong Start
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ENTREPRENEURSHIP
“The thought of all of this not working out never crossed my mind.”
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ife’s a balancing act for any teenager. Between academics, athletics, extracurriculars, and a social life, there isn’t much time to pursue untapped interests—let alone start a business. But that’s exactly what Wes Burton ’19 did with the little free time he had. At the tender age of 15, Wes found a way to combine his passion for baseball and his love for art by starting Wes Custom Kicks, a business specializing in cleat customization. As a beginner cleat customizer and new business owner, Wes reached out to Dodgers utility player Enrique (Kike) Hernández on Instagram, thinking he’d never hear back from the professional ball player. But one direct message was all it took to change the teen’s life forever.
struggling to paint a single color without brush strokes to painting people’s faces on shoes.” With the support of his mother, Sabrina, and the Windward community, Wes has been able to pursue all of his passions. “Just knowing there is a help network at school is big,” says Wes. Wes’ mother has been immensely helpful throughout his journey as a young entrepreneur, giving business advice when needed and assisting with bookkeeping. Most recently, Wes painted cleats for several players in the World Baseball Classic, a tournament formed by the MLB and the MLB Players Association to pay tribute to the growth and internationalization of the sport.
Hernández not only responded, but became Wes’ No. 1 fan.
For the tournament, Wes customized cleats for two players from Mexico and had the opportunity to work with flags for the first time.
Through his own promotion and wordof-mouth from others, Wes’ client list quickly grew from one to many. He started the 2016 Major League Baseball season with Hernández and Ryan Buchter as his two primary clients. That list has since grown to 10 MLB and seven Minor League clients.
“It was a huge honor for me to help some of these players represent their country,” says Wes. “It’s really humbling for me to know that something I spent 10 hours painting in my garage means so much to someone who’s wearing it to represent his country. That’s the biggest stage possible.”
Wes uses an airbrush and a combination of reusable plastic and vinyl adhesive stencils to create his customized cleats. He also paints the old-fashioned way— by hand.
Wes’ dreams are not confined to being a successful business owner. In fact, he hopes to one day make it to the Major
Leagues himself. In the meantime, his business acts as his creative outlet. “Wes Custom Kicks serves multiple purposes,” he explains. “It can be a stress release, but it can also be a stress creator, so it’s extremely important for me to manage not only client expectations but my own expectations as well.” Wes’ proudest accomplishment to date? Having a pair of customized cleats on display in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. “As a baseball player, it’s the ultimate goal, so being in the Hall of Fame at 16 years old is a tremendous honor,” he says. “It tops everything.” Wes credits a positive mentality for getting him to where he’s at today. His advice to other budding entrepreneurs is two-fold: be proactive and don’t treat failure as an option. “The thought of all of this not working out never crossed my mind,” he says. “I treat baseball—and really everything in my life—with that same mentality. The thought of failure doesn’t cross my mind. If I let failure have an inch, it will take a mile. That’s how I have to think about everything.” To view Wes Burton’s work, visit instagram.com/wescustomkicks.
“It’s amazing to see how far I’ve come as an artist,” he says. “I went from
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Windward student-entrepreneurs didn’t let the rain dampen their spirits, as they were forced to move their wares inside to the Lewis Jackson Memorial Sports Center for December’s Buy It on the Bridge event. The popular event fosters an entrepreneurial spirit among current 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. The December event featured a wide range of offerings from food to body scrubs, CDs, ceramics, and even slime!
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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
FAC U LT Y S P O T LI G H T Musical Mathematician MYA CARUS O
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athematics Department Chair Mya Caruso has spent much of the past few years helping faculty and students overcome the fixed mindset that has permeated mathematics for too long.
A fixed mindset maintains that people are either good or bad at something because of their inherent nature. A growth mindset—a concept developed by worldrenowned Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck—believes that people can become good at anything if they develop their skills in that area. It’s a way of thinking that doesn’t put people in boxes or keep them there. It should not be surprising, then, that Mya is highly accomplished in two divergent areas: mathematics and music. Mya double majored at Tufts University in both Music Performance—for the flute—and Math. She then earned her Masters and Doctorate in Music Performance, followed by her Masters in Math Education, all at UCLA. She currently plays with the Beach Cities Symphony and has also played with other local groups, such as the
Peninsula Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the Culver City Orchestra, and the Brentwood-Westwood Symphony Orchestra. While she acknowledges that there is math involved with the construction of instruments and scales and pitch, Mya says that they’re “two separate facets of my life.” Her experience as a musician and performer has had a positive effect on her role of Department Chair. “It takes a lot of self-discipline and personal motivation to practice for hours, often alone, to improve and reach a high level,” she says. “Playing with others in small groups and orchestras requires a lot of collaboration and listening to others extremely well.” Mya says her students are usually surprised to discover her musical ability, as well as her regular CrossFit training. “I love playing the flute, but it has taken a bit of a back seat the past few years with teaching and CrossFit,” she says. “I attend a lot more concerts and shows now rather than play in them.”
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Brendan says that once you write a poem and share it with the world, in some sense, it isn’t entirely yours anymore since it can take on a life of its own. “You don’t know where your poems go,” he explains. In Arizona, Brendan, who was recently named the 2017 Walter Stiern Library PG&E Writer in Residence at California State University, Bakersfield, was invited to share his work at a gun safety rally. It was for this event that he wrote the poem, “The Opposites Game,” which is published in “The American Journal of Poetry.” In this instance, Brendan’s poetry took him somewhere he hadn’t expected to be led by his own work. At Windward, Brendan inspires students every day to write and to let their writing take them places they never expect to go, whether that is new understandings or rallies in Arizona. Like Brendan said, there are poets (and there is poetry) everywhere.
Poetry in Motion B RE ND A N C O NS TA NT I NE
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By Allison Blythe ’17
rendan Constantine, Creative Writing teacher and poet, spent the first half of this school year touring the country to promote his book of poetry, “Dementia, My Darling.” In Brendan’s words, it is a book “dedicated to the memory of memory.” Inspired by the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project—which improves the quality of life of people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia by facilitating creative expression through poetry—Brendan wrote and published “Dementia,” his 10th book. Brendan said that the collection of poems “came organically” and that each poem in the book “is an individual… but they chat.” Brendan launched his nationwide book tour by “getting in the car and driving east.” He stopped in big cities and small towns throughout the country to share his work with other poets. “Poets are all over the place,” he says, “It may not seem like it, but it’s true.”
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To learn more about Brendan’s work, go to brendanconstantine.com.
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Resident Tinkerer M A X NISHIM URA
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with reporting by Zoey Lyttle ’17 hen Max Nishimura was a kid in Orange County, California, he told his Mom he wanted to be a police officer when he grew up—a notion she dissuaded him from due to the
danger involved. Max now holds a position that he never even envisioned as a young boy: Resident Tinkerer in Windward’s CREATE Studio. Since its installation on campus at the beginning of the 2015-16 school year, the CREATE Studio has provided students and faculty members alike with a space to think outside the box— or maybe even 3D-print the box, then think outside of it. With its abundance of high-tech tools like laser and vinyl cutters and 3D printers as well as a seemingly unending supply of other Maker resources, the Studio has quickly become one of students’ favorite spaces on campus. Part of the draw is the assistance users get from Studio Director Dorothy Lee and Max, who just joined the Studio this year. Max’s background was the perfect addition to the space, which expanded its hours this school year. After earning his degree in Sociology
at Berkeley, Max served as an AmeriCorps VISTA member at Maker Guilds, a local nonprofit that brought STEAM and Making opportunities to underserved communities. After his year of service, Max worked through The Exploratory as the Director of Operations and Maker Facilitator to bring Making, STEAM, and design-thinking skills to schools and libraries throughout LA. In his position at Windward, Max uses forward thinking to help students develop the 21st century learning skills they will need in the future. “My role in the CREATE Studio is to foster an environment where students can learn to recognize problems, develop possible solutions, learn from failures, collaborate with peers, and become effective drivers of innovation,” says Max. And while he considers himself a “Jack of all trades,” his official title always draws the same reaction when he shares it with people outside of Windward. “People say, ‘That’s so cool!’ I reply by saying it is possibly the best job there is.”
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M A K I N G A N EW M O D EL
Windward Teacher Creates New Framework for Learning In the last few years, Windward teachers have been incorporating coding and maker movement pedagogy into their classroom experiences.
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Windward Innovator Geraldine Loveless
INNOVATION
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s Geraldine Loveless, Middle School Science and Technology teacher, began to consider how to work these skills into her classes, she wanted both to offer her students authentic and highly engaging experiences and be able to differentiate their experience levels. The ability to differentiate skill levels was particularly important to Geraldine since she knew her students possessed a wide range of experience—from those who had only attempted to code during an hour in Math class to those who have their own apps for sale in Apple’s App Store. While preparing how best to accommodate the diversity of learners in her classes, Geraldine returned to her educational background and realized that existing models for incorporating technology into educational practices would not adequately help her. Undaunted, Geraldine created her own model that was based on earlier frameworks and also inspired by Stanford University’s Design Thinking approach. What resulted is IMACIE: “Integrating Making and Coding in Education,” a framework that classifies educational learning objectives based on levels of hierarchical complexity for incorporating making skills and coding into educational units. At the beginning of the scale, students model or emulate what they’ve seen. The next-level students demonstrate their understanding by, for example, being able to explain parts of a computer program. At the modify/adapt stage, students are able to change a given code for a slightly different result. In the stage after that, students begin to design or engineer original prototypes. In the create stage, students are demonstrating a new level of understanding while fabricating their idea. Finally, at the innovate or invent level, students are developing a unique solution for their design. When Cindy Beals, Director of Windward’s STEAM program, learned about the IMACIE model, she encouraged Geraldine to present her work to the wider educational community. “I was so impressed with all Geraldine accomplished in her development of IMACIE and how well it helped document students’ development that I knew it needed to be shared with as many educators as possible,” Cindy said. Geraldine and Cindy presented the innovative model at the Archer School’s STEM Conference and at the Online Education Symposium for Independent Schools in Los Angeles last year. This March, the two delivered their presentation, “Building to Learn: How Coding, Design Thinking & Making Pedagogy Inform 21st Century Schools,”
at the National Association of Independent Schools national conference in Baltimore. The presentation, which included Crossroads teachers Paul Way and Kelly Castaneda, was delivered to a packed room with over 120 enthusiastic attendees. In the presentation, Geraldine and Cindy explained how incorporating making and coding enhances courses and using the IMACIE model has improved the student experience. “Through exploring the IMACIE model that Geraldine created, we have a better ability to set goals for students and assess them,” says Kelly, who is already using the model at Crossroads. “This has helped us scaffold lessons to help build better basic skills and allow for more creativity in the design process.” Geraldine says she is benefiting just as much by sharing the model with other teachers. “Providing IMACIE to the larger education community as a tool for analyzing lessons and improving project design afforded the opportunity to collaborate with other teachers who are pushing the boundaries of innovation with their students and to utilize their perspectives to inform the model,” she says. “This kind of work invigorates my teaching practice and inspires me to keep presenting my students with challenges that they can approach and solve by coding and making.”
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CROSSING CONTINENTS
Windward Students and Teachers Collaborate with African Counterparts By Lisa Lamont, Educational Technology Coordinator with reporting by Lara Treisman ’20
This past summer, a team of Windward teachers, including Middle School Science & Technology Teacher Kevin Kloeker and myself, attended a Blended Learning Institute in Seattle offered by the Global Online Academy. The week-long conference provided Kevin and me the opportunity to learn how Windward teachers can incorporate more online learning into our classes; it also provided us with an incredible opportunity to connect with educators from around the globe. Among these educators was a team of teachers from the African Leadership Academy (ALA) in Johannesburg, South Africa. ALA is a highly selective boarding school for young leaders from across Africa who have the potential to catalyze positive change on the continent. Given that ALA has a strong focus on STEAM, humancentered design, and entrepreneurial leadership, it
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quickly became clear that an incredible opportunity existed for Windward to collaborate with the African school on our Seventh-Grade Challenge Based Learning (CBL) project. The annual project challenges Seventh Graders to create a solution for local problems as they undergo phases of research, outreach, and hands-on service. The curricularly grounded challenge helps students gain a wider perspective and deeper understanding of the problems facing communities today.
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
The ALA CBL partnership was a particularly great fit this year since Seventh Graders will tackle three of the United Nations’ Global Goals in their project: climate action, good health/well-being, and sustainable communities. When Kevin and I returned to Windward at the start of the school year, we brought in Cindy Beals, Director of Windward’s STEAM Program, and Dan Walker, Director of Global Programs, for their additional insights and support. Our group of four planned a visit to the African Leadership Academy in January.
unique, two-day workshop on Design Thinking to introduce Seventh Graders to human-centered problemsolving and jumpstart their thinking for their Challenge Based Learning project. The workshop led our students through the importance of problem-solving using ALA’s BUILD model—Believe, Understand, Invent, Listen, and Deliver—which is based on Stanford University’s d.School framework.
The visit to ALA exceeded our expectations. We engaged in meaningful conversations with both faculty and students about the importance of having a global perspective in this rapidly changing world. We interviewed ALA students about the UN Global Goals and used that footage to provide real-world context to introduce the concept of Challenge Based Learning to Seventh Graders at the kick-off to this year’s project. On April 11-12, a team from the African Leadership Academy visited Windward’s campus and hosted a “ALA’s BUILD model for Design Thinking instruction has become known across the educational world as exceptional, so we are particularly excited to have our students learn and apply this approach during their Challenge Based Learning experience,” said Kevin. “The opportunity for our students to collaborate with a top school on the other side of the globe is a fabulous way to expose them to another culture and to develop them as true global citizens.” Further collaboration between our two schools is being discussed, including the possibility of Windward students visiting the African Leadership Academy in the future.
African Leadership Academy visitors Zackari Lawanson (l) and Segun Olagunju (r)
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MINIMESTER Enriches Middle School Experience
2017 Minimester was full of excitement as some students traveled as far and wide as Costa Rica and Washington, D.C., while others had the opportunity to experience the rich food and art culture of Los Angeles.
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he Costa Rica Minimester group traveled to Sarapiqui, where they had the chance to visit the Britt Coffee Plantation and learn about the history and process of coffee production—from plant to cup of coffee. The group then spent two days working with local students and teachers at La
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Trinidad School. This unique opportunity allowed the Eighth Graders to get an indepth look into the education system of a foreign country. It also allowed them a chance to interact and ask questions with the locals. The Eighth Graders brought snacks and games for the students, whom they formed lasting bonds with, while the
Costa Rican students played music, sang, and prepared a folkloric dance for their American guests. The group also visited Earth University—a world-renowned institute of higher education that has dedicated itself to researching the environment, biology, and ecology of our planet—where they attended two workshops led by university students.
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
Trip highlights included a visit to the beautiful, 9,000 foot peak of Poas Volcano and a ziplining excursion through the jungle canopy. This year’s local Minimester, a three-day tour of the art and food of LA, included a visit to The Museum of Jurassic Technology, Watts Towers Art Center, The Broad Theater, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and the UCLA Sculpture Gardens. A highlight of the local Minimester experience was a tour of Fox Studios, a private lot typically shut off to the public, where students had the chance to visit numerous TV sets and also got to see how a musical score is built for blockbuster movies like “Star Trek” and “Jurassic Park.” Students also had the opportunity to taste the many different foods at Grand Central Market in Downtown LA. “It’s not often that you get to play tourist in your own city,” says Visual and Media Arts teacher Amanda Kyed, who was one of the trip chaperones. “The local LA Minimester is a great opportunity to go out and explore the city through the lens of art and food, traveling to corners of the city that you may have never visited or to museums that you didn’t know existed.”
Eighth Graders who attended Windward’s Washington, D.C., Minimester visited many historic sites including the Capitol Building, the White House, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and the National WWII Memorial. New to the trip this year, and a favorite among students, was a guided tour of the Pentagon. While in D.C., the group met with two congressional staffs: Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), chair of the House Foreign
Relations Committee and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ). Both groups spoke to the students about their roles and duties and fielded questions that were most important to them. “The students were not only able to gain an understanding of the work the congressional staffers are doing, but they were able to better understand how government works and operates in general,” says Eric Mandel, Assistant Head of School and Middle School Director, who accompanied the students on the trip. “They had the chance to meet with both Republican and Democratic staffs, which gave them the perspective of each side. Many students posed the same questions to each staff, and it was interesting to see them compare and contrast answers.” The group also visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened to the public in September 2016 as the 19th and newest museum of the Smithsonian Institution. “What makes this trip special is some of the access we are able to give kids, which allows for a rich teaching experience,” says Eric. “They are learning together and gaining an understanding of the history of the places they are visiting.”
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S ERV I C E LE A R N I N G Turning Lemons into Lemonade
Sophomore ANI ROSEN has always had a very full life. Balancing school, competitive dance, and socializing would be enough for any 16-year-old to juggle. So when she first started experiencing the symptoms of Crohn’s Disease—a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract—she didn’t know where the disease would fit into her busy schedule. At the start of Ninth Grade, when most kids were eagerly making their transition into Upper School and the wondrous opportunities that lie ahead of them, Ani’s symptoms became unbearable. She had to temporarily give up the things she loved most, like dance, though it didn’t stop Ani from persevering and rising above.
“Thanks to my incredible family, friends, doctors, and teachers, I was able to get support and love that lifted me up in the time of need,” she says. “I thought to myself that so many people have given their support to me, so I should be reciprocating it in some way.” She found that outlet through fundraising for an organization called Connecting to Cure Crohn’s and Colitis, which raises money for research to find a cure for the disease. Ani created her own website and set a donation goal of $10,000. Through targeted outreach and support from the community, donations began pouring in. Her story was even featured on CBS News. In March, Ani surpassed her fundraising goals. “I didn’t ever think I could have an adult voice, but just putting myself out there and sharing my story has helped me gain my confidence,” she says. “This experience has taught me to take something that’s bad and turn it into a positive experience, or as the expression goes, ‘turn lemons into lemonade.’” A year-and-a-half later, Ani is excelling more than ever. She is excited to continue her fundraising efforts and to give back to those struggling with Crohn’s Disease. “If I were to be asked, ‘Would you rather have Crohn’s or not have Crohn’s in your life?’ I would probably still say Crohn’s Disease because the impact I have made has been so fulfilling and enlightening and has shaped who I am,” she says. “My struggle has made me a better person.” To donate to Ani’s fundraising campaign, visit her website: livingwithcrohnfidence. com.
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SERVICE LEARNING
Animal Advocacy
Ninth Grader LARA TREISMAN invited the greater Los Angeles community to reflect on the pervasive use of fur and animal cruelty in the fashion industry with her charity: Art Fur Animals. The charity’s opening event, a student-curated art drive, was held on Jan. 8 at the trendy design space Start Los Angeles. All proceeds from the event were donated to The Humane Society of the United States. PJ Smith, a Corporate Outreach Manager from the Humane Society, spoke at the event to reiterate the importance of consumer awareness with respect to animal cruelty. Lara reminded those present of the importance of being an informed shopper and said that, when in doubt, there is one easy change that everyone can make: Switch from real to faux fur.
reality, but work to change it,” Lara says. The event raised nearly $1,000 to support the Humane Society through the sale of student paintings, drawings, and photography, but the story is just beginning. After seeing the success of the art fair, Lara has goals to continue Art Fur Animals by hosting a range of events that incorporate both visual and performing arts. “We want to bring all kinds of art to the table and welcome all to generate awareness and funds for the Humane Society,” she says. “This cause is very important to me, and I am willing to go to any extent to speak up and be a voice for these animals.” For more information or to get involved, go to artfuranimals.com.
“We live in an oblivious world, and it’s important that we not only understand
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SERVICE SISTERS Ana and Emma Kramer Travel Far to Learn through Service By Allison Blythe ’17
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SERVICE LEARNING
Over the summer, sisters Ana ’20 and Emma ’19 Kramer stepped far out of the Windward community to experience service learning in different parts of the world. Ana visited the British Virgin Islands for her service learning, while Emma traveled to Alaska to learn through service in action. Ana said that she found a meaningful experience helping in a swimming class for people with special needs. “I began that day not knowing what to expect, but quickly realized the importance these swim lessons had to the people,” said Ana. “Despite their circumstances, the people who we met were filled with so much happiness and kindness that it stunned me.” Through this experience, Ana was able to contribute to a community thousands of miles away and to gain something herself: a more complete view of the world around her. Meanwhile, in Alaska, Emma also was learning through service, such as the way we often take things for granted. “Even something like having the opportunity to afford perfect lumber or having a sealed roof over your head, which might seem like a given, are valuable to some,” Emma said. “For everyone on the trip, Alaska gave us something new to try or do, something to challenge us with or something to learn about ourselves or the world.”
Among the things Emma learned about the world were lessons from cultures other than her own. “I have realized that this is an important thing to know in life, that not everyone will act the same or will have the same customs as myself, and that it is up to me to be able to accept these differences and embrace people for who they are, not who they could be if they shared a similar upbringing to myself,” Emma said. While Emma’s and Ana’s respective trips sound very different, they shared something important in common: a sense of community. Ana said: “When I got back to home base, I found myself eagerly sharing stories of what I had done that day with my friends and urging them to take the chance to swim with the people I had met at the swim lessons because it was such an amazing experience.” Similarly, community was an important part of Emma’s experience. Emma described her group as a “well-oiled machine [that] went about the village helping and learning.” Although Ana and Emma may have been thousands of miles away from Windward, the spirit of Windward service learning, centered on community, openmindedness, and action, traveled with them this past summer.
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A Global View on Wellness International Conference Reveals Best Practices for Wildcats By Kermit Cannon, Director for Peak Performance and Community Wellness
After a 12-hour flight and one-hour ride on the bullet train from Osaka, I had the pleasure of arriving in Kyoto, the ancient city and old capital of Japan for the 10th International Conference on Strength Training. This conference is the Super Bowl for professionals in the fitness industry.
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WINDWARD FUND AT WORK
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he inaugural ICST event was held in Lahti, Finland in 1998. Since that time, the conference has been held on a biannual basis throughout the world. At this year’s conference, more than 100 abstracts were received from scientists, coaches, trainers, instructors, educators, therapists, and students from 22 countries. I was fortunate to hear 16 keynote lectures by internationally renowned experts regarding the scientific basis of strength training for fitness and sports. Some of the conference highlights I brought back to the Windward community include: • From a professor from the United States: How to maximize the effect of resistance training by protein quality and quantity, carbohydrate consumption, and timing of optional protein meals.
• From a professor from Germany: The impact that resistance training has on our scholar-athletes for stimulating athletic development, helping them tolerate the demands of both long-term training and competition and schoolwork, and inducing lifelong health promotion. • From a professor from Portugal: The positive relationship between strength gains acquired from a training program and the program’s importance in motivating students to stay involved in physical activity—a dynamic I witness all the time at Windward. • Also from the team of Portugal researchers: The role well-constructed strength training classes play in ensuring the desired development of physical fitness and sports performance in our students.
In between these insightful lectures, 86 presenters displayed non-defended poster presentations on groundbreaking research they have conducted and answered questions from conference attendees. This enabled us to be at the forefront of new information and studies in the industry that will shape future practices. The conference ended with a delicious sushi banquet where the keynote lecturers received beautiful trophies and performances of kabuki, Japan’s most colorful and traditional form of performing art. My sincere gratitude goes out to all of the donors for allowing me to take advantage of this tremendous professional development opportunity, which will have such a positive impact on our student community.
• From a professor from Slovakia: The importance of maintaining balance under static and dynamic conditions for everyday life, as well as for sports performance. • From a professor from Japan: Strength training programs for team sports that not only aim to improve our Wildcats’ abilities, but also teach them how to quickly accelerate and safely decelerate to reduce ACL injuries.
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In 2016, the Windward Fund launched its 100 Days of Giving campaign with a goal of $2 million and 100% participation in the first 100 days of school.
Congratulations to all of you who helped us surpass our fundraising goal! Donations have exceeded $2.15 million! Because of your generosity in helping us exceed our goal, we have been able to apply the additional funds to make the following improvements, all of which greatly enhance the student experience.
THEATER UPDATES
PERFORMING
ARTS
• Lighting and sound external updates • A full remodel on the booth, including controls—finished in time for the Fall play
CHORAL ROOM (ROOM 130) UPDATES • Fully remodeled—transformed into an amazing space with greatly improved acoustics • Updated display system • Wenger stations for sound equipment, including new storage for music sheets • Updated lighting, flooring, and air system
SIGNIFICANT ROOM EXPANSION FOR ROBOTICS
ROBOTICS
• Added about 20% more room space • Allowed for huge redesign and more storage • Created a more functional space
SMALL ROBOTICS ROOM IMPROVEMENTS • Lift system installed for Lego Robotics table to be able to be moved without being disassembled • Room is now easier to use for Lego, Vex, and other classes without disrupting the work that has already been done
ROOM 455—EIGHTH GRADE SCIENCE ROOM
SCIENCE
• New flooring, furniture, and electrical • Electrical updates inspired by the CREATE Studio setup • All of these improvements enhance the very project-based Eighth Grade curriculum
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WINDWARD FUND AT WORK
COMMON GROUND Students and Teachers Take Part in National Diversity Conferences
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or the second year in a row, Windward sent a cohort of representatives to the National Association of Independent Schools’ People of Color Conference (POCC) and Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC), both of which took place Dec. 8-10 in Atlanta. SDLC is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders from across the United States that focuses on self-reflecting, forming allies, and building community. This year’s conference, “Advancing Human and Civil Rights: Fulfilling the Dream Together,” drew on the words of Martin Luther King Jr. as motivation for the work of equity, diversity, and social justice in America’s schools. Windward student attendees included: Jeffrey Allen ’18, Maya Walker ’18, Asher Fikre ’18, Drew Caines ’18, Mia Parker ’18, and Isaac Munoz ’18. The students had the opportunity to meet and work alongside more than a thousand other teens from across the country, who share a similar passion of fighting for justice and social equity.
were asked to lean into uncomfortable discussions,” he says. “It’s so important for us to attend these events because it opens our minds and our hearts and gives us an experience that will surely stick with us and allow us to grow into the fine young men and women of tomorrow. I truly came out of this experience more mature and a better version of myself.”
“Although there were 1,600 students, I felt as if we were all one big family united by what many would think divides us— our differences,” said Isaac Munoz. “The environment was one of genuine care and love for one another. That’s what made it so amazing and so special. Everyone was there for one purpose and that was to stand together and make a difference.”
Maya Walker says the conference far exceeded her expectations. “My favorite part was meeting people from all over the country and even the globe and connecting with them over common beliefs,” she said. “Hearing their similar and different experiences with discrimination and acceptance was eye opening; it’s always insightful to get a new perspective or opinion on diversity.”
During the conference, which focused on self-reflecting, forming allies, and building community, students attended keynote speeches and participated in mentor-facilitated workshops and roundtable discussions. In addition to this large group work, students were able to gather in smaller groups, which allowed for a more intimate experience of dialogue and sharing.
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Isaac said the dialogue students engaged in was some of the most insightful and influential he’s ever been a part of. “We
POCC offered attendees a broad array of rich resources to draw from, including workshops, affinity group sessions, book
group of eight Windward faculty and staff participated in the People of Color Conference, which was designed to create a “safe space for leadership and professional development and networking for people of color and allies of all backgrounds in independent schools.”
signings, film screenings, and tours of historic Atlanta sites. Participants also were treated to a keynote address by renowned social justice advocate and lawyer Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Ala., and professor of Clinical Law at New York University’s School of Law. “We feel strongly that the more members of our community that take advantage of the opportunity to attend these conferences, the better off our school community will be,” says Associate Director of Diversity and Inclusivity Roger Bridges. “POCC and SDLC are not only opportunities for individual exploration and growth, but also opportunities for those who attend to bring back vital information and tools helpful to promoting inclusion and growth within our respective school community.” Asher Fikre intends to do just that. “Sending students to these sorts of conferences stimulates change within the student body,” he says. “Bringing the lessons we learned at SDLC back to our campus is an important first step in the journey to win over hearts and minds in the fight for tolerance and inclusion, and it’s a journey I hope to be a part of in my remaining time at Windward.” WINDWARD MAGAZINE - 41
Bodies in Motion
NEW YORK ALUMS MAKING THEIR MARKS By Tony de los Reyes, Visual and Media Arts Teacher or anyone who has worked in the art world, it’s all about individual orbits in a small system. We know each other, hear about each other’s work, say, “Oh you’ve got to meet a friend of mine who’s doing something similar,” and so forth. In a tight community of hard-working, dedicated people, at some point everyone is bound to encounter one another. So it was with great pleasure that on a brisk winter day in New York City, Windward helped me connect two of our brightest and most talented alumni, Melissa Levin ’98, and Madeline Hollander ’04. I knew both women were both prominent in the world of performance, production, and dance, both lived and worked in the same city, and both had attended Bard…yet they had never met. As two talents whose work depends on each other—Melissa as a producer and supporter of public arts programs, Madeline as an artist of non-traditional dance—imagine what a wonderful opportunity it was to introduce and celebrate each other’s passions. Since 2005, Melissa has been Director of Cultural Programs at the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC), a storied non-profit that has brought to the city an outstanding list of
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ALUMNI UPDATES
“While I appreciate that a student’s artistic soul can lift at any moment, it’s even more gratifying to see where they land.” arts festivals, public programs, and site-specific works. As director, Melissa looks to offer all audiences something that “will experience a connecting thread, while still maintaining the delight of just happening upon a performance on their way home from work or to the subway—so people can engage both accidentally and intentionally.” One example was from last year’s River to River festival, where she included a piece by the Japanese performance artist Eiko, whose work “A Body on Wall Street” disrupted an otherwise single-minded “sacred space of capitalism” into an arena of ephemeral beauty and humanity. Intimate experiences such as this are balanced by more expansive projects, educational programs at LMCC’s Art Center at Governors Island, artist’s residencies, and grants. Melissa’s love of art was formed many years ago with the help of legendary Windward photography teacher Jim Stevens (now retired), who also substantially influenced Windward’s current photography faculty member Hannah Northenor, who is a ’99 Windward graduate.
Though we had lost touch, Madeline Hollander’s dance/ performance/choreographic work came to my attention through an article on artnet.com, “10 Exceptional Millennial Artists to Watch in 2016.” Remembering Madeline’s outstanding efforts in my Senior seminar course, “Search for Meaning,” I was overjoyed to hear that she was experiencing great visibility with such innovative work. Movement based on “instructional” or “professional” directives lies at the heart of Madeline’s creative projects. As someone who graduated with a degree in anthropology
and also performed as a classical ballet dancer in Spain, Madeline has fused these and other seemingly oppositional influences into choreographic sequences that capture surprising social rhythms. These movements then manifest as either live performance or video installation, reintroducing prescribed, common motions that evolve into a kind of ritual. One of her favorite works is “Drill” (2016), where several performers used evacuation procedures typically found on airplanes and in movie theaters. The performers loop through the gallery, exiting and entering it over and over again, while full-scale aircraft evacuation slides hang overhead. Madeline has participated in performances at New York’s Sculpture Center, Socrates Sculpture Park, and the Miami Basel art fair. As our long lunch ended and Melissa and Madeline traded contacts, I was reminded that while I appreciate that a student’s artistic soul can lift at any moment, it’s even more gratifying to see where they land. To view a recording of Madeline’s work, go to: vimeo.com/164572524 To reconnect with Windward alumni in your industry, contact Jeff Gilder ’08, Director of Alumni Relations, at jgilder@windwardschool.org.
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Taking the Helm: Austin Webster ’14
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lumnus Austin Webster ’14 was recently interviewed on “The Swarbrick Show,” an hour-long program featuring Notre Dame coaches and student-athletes, hosted by Jack Swarbrick, Notre Dame’s athletics director. Austin was selected for the show after he was named captain of the Notre Dame Football team for the 2017 season. Austin is the first walk-on player to be named captain of the team in the history of Notre Dame Football. To view the interview, go to: bit.ly/austinwebster Austin recently faced off against fellow Windward alum Roy Hemsley ’15 when Notre Dame played USC at the teams’ traditional contest held at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Waxing Poetic with Chase Williams ’14
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onstant L. “Chase” Williams ‘14 recently had his poem, “Life Speeds Up, Body Slows Down,” published in “The American Journal of Poetry,” an annual literary journal that features the work of the nation’s leading poets. Chase, who is an active member of the poetry and literary community in Los Angeles, returned to campus Jan. 20 to reflect on the art of poetry and share his journey as a poet with students. During his visit, Chase also took part in an event hosted by Windward’s Studio for Writing and Rhetoric: “Poets in Conversation.” The poetry reading featured work by Chase, Windward’s Creative Writing teacher Brendan Constantine, and student Allison Blythe ‘17. Following the reading, students engaged with the poets in a 20-minute Q&A. To read Chase’s poem, go to: bit.ly/chasewilliams
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Giving Them a Hand: Jordin Canada ’14
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indward alumna and UCLA basketball point guard Jordin Canada ’14 has teamed up with UCLA’s 3D4E—3D for Everyone— club to help make 3D-printed prosthetic hands for children who want to play basketball. Jordin, who is a Sophomore at UCLA majoring in Anthropology, was featured on the Pac-12 Sports Report for her efforts to help these budding basketball players find their jumpshots. To view the clip go to: bit.ly/jordincanada. Jordin also was featured in a March 24 article in the LA Times, which highlighted her leadership with the UCLA basketball program as it strives to be a national contender. Jordin recently faced off against fellow Windward alumna Courtney Jaco ’13 when UCLA played USC.
Getting Back to His Roots: Reed Newman ’12
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lumnus Reed Newman ’12 decided to start Revival Roots to provide people with the ability to connect with the food they consume. His interest in horticulture stemmed from the time he spent as a child on the weekends on a vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley on California’s Central Coast. He attended Cornell University, where he earned a degree in Environmental Science in the School of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Now back in Los Angeles, Reed helps establish and maintain vegetable gardens across the city. Reed takes pride in the fact that his company sources all of its products from local vendors and brings the true meaning of local to his clients’ backyards. To learn more about Reed’s company, go to revivalroots.com.
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Alumni College Panel
n Jan. 5, Windward’s College Counseling department hosted a young alumni panel on campus, featuring seven alumni who spoke to the Junior class about their experiences thus far as college students. The group discussed topics, such as how to successfully make the transition from high school to college, how to select a college that’s the right fit, and how to manage classes, college jobs, athletics, and more. 46 - A L U M N I U PD AT E S
Windward thanks the following alumni for lending their insights: Kimberly Halberstadter ’16, University of Pennsylvania; Tae Butler ’15, Stanford University; Atticus Lin ’16, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Matthew Parson ’16, Reed College; Danielle Berlin ’16, École hôtelière de Lausanne; Katherine Ingersoll ’15, Washington University in St. Louis; and Jacqueline Malaret ’16, George Washington University.
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Alumni Basketball
ver the Winter Break, alumni athletes reconnected over basketball and Versailles Cuban food with former faculty and teammates. Attendees enjoyed a three-point shootout, free throw contest, tour of the new Peak Performance Center, and a trip to the “Wall of Champions.” The wall, which is on the perimeter
of Foley Field, highlights the many Windward alumni who went on to participate in sports at either the collegiate or professional level. All alumni are invited to join weekly alumni basketball games that take place at Windward on Sundays from 10 a.m. to Noon. Please contact Jeff Gilder ’08, Director of Alumni Relations, at (424) 289-1047 or jgilder@windwardschool.org if you are interested in attending.
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Networking Night Over 180 alumni and current Windward parents gathered for the Alumni Association Networking Night at Trunk Club in Culver City March 14.
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he goals set out in the Windward Network Initiative inspired the evening. The program is aimed at leveraging connections within the entire Windward community to support the career ambitions of Windwardians. Ultimately, the Windward Network will serve as a one-stop shop for career support for everyone from first-year college students to seasoned professionals.
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Alumni enjoyed reconnecting with former classmates, catching up with old teachers, and building relationships with parent professionals. The event welcomed attendees from a wide range of industries, including entertainment, real estate, law, finance, consulting, entrepreneurship, nonprofit, healthcare, engineering, technology, and the arts.
Members of our community are leaders in nearly every field: actors and musicians, scientists and engineers, entertainment and business executives, entrepreneurs and innovators. By formalizing a process through which Windwardians can share their expertise and open doors for each other, the Windward Network becomes a powerful resource for ongoing career management. Panel discussions, career workshops, one-on-one mentoring, and networking events like this one are critical to building the value and vitality of the Windward Network.
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Young Alumni Luncheon Young alumni enjoyed the chance to come back to campus and catch up with faculty and former classmates at the Young Alumni Luncheon this December. 50 - A L U M N I U PD AT E S
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he Luncheon was not only a time to enjoy great food and company, but also an opportunity for the young alumni community to keep their Windward Network connections strong. Although life paths can change directions during college as students mature into young adults, the relationships built at Windward can truly last a lifetime, especially when given the opportunities to stay connected throughout the college years.
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