The Meeting House: Winter 2010-11

The Friends Academy Magazine for Alumni, Parents & Friends

The Meeting House Winter 2010-11

PEACE WEEK 2011 All-school Meeting for Worship, multimedia program and in-class workshops explore kindness, respect and inclusiveness.

Page 18

Every student inscribed rocks with their personal intentions of how to create a kinder and more inclusive community. The peace rocks are currently on display in Peace Towers in each division’s lobby.

Friends Academy Board of Trustees, 2010-2011 Co-Presidents Thomas Hawkins ’78 Scott Rechler Vice President Doris Pailet

Founded 1876

The Friends Academy Mission Founded in 1876 by Gideon Frost for “the children of Friends and those similarly sentimented,” Friends Academy is a Quaker, coeducational, independent, college preparatory school serving 750 students from age three through twelfth grade.

The school’s philosophy is based on the Quaker principles of integrity, simplicity, patience, moderation, peaceful resolution of conflict, and a belief that the silence and simple ministry of the “gathered meeting” brings the presence of God into the midst of busy lives. Friends Academy is committed to developing a diverse community whose members value excellence in learning and growth in knowledge and skill, a genuine commitment to service and ethical action, and a realization that every life is to be explored, celebrated, and enjoyed in the spirit of the Religious Society of Friends.

The Meeting House Editorial Board, 2010-2011 Amanda Fisk ’99 Kathy Fox Hayley Kucich ’03 Penelope Wylie Mayer ’75 Andrea Miller Carl Pozzi

Treasurer Francis Ingrassia Secretary Nancy Tilton Board Members Carl Ashkin Cynthia Boults Debra Del Vecchio John R. Gambling ’69 Albert Granger Elizabeth McCaul Ingrassia Susan Karches Jodi Leeser Victoria Quesada Moore Brian Mullaney Honorary Trustee John W. Oelsner Head of School William G. Morris Jr. Friends Academy Alumni Association, 2010-2011 President Peter Stein ’79 Vice President Penelope Wylie Mayer ’75 Secretary Pamela Foschi Danbusky ’97 Alumni Board Members Park Benjamin III ’61 Barbara Shoen Brundige ’63 Thomas Hawkins ’78 Elisabeth Dillof Dreizen ’78 Lydia Fichera ’84 Kathryn Hawkins Schneider ’86 Alana Teutonico ’94 Salwa Touma ’01 President Emeritus James R. Greene ’74

The Meeting House | Fall 2009

Alumni Office Alumni Affairs Coordinator, Kathy Fox

From the Head of School William G. Morris Jr. Friends,

W

e experienced a cold and snowy winter on Long Island, but as you read this issue of The Meeting House, you will appreciate that our students and faculty were busy generating their own special energy and warmth.

From service trips, to joyous expressions in music and theater, to a state championship in basketball, to achievements of excellence, to focusing on being a kinder and more inclusive community, the students and faculty at your school are letting their voices speak in remarkable ways each day.

All of them demonstrate that individuals of good character who demonstrate a spirit of resilience, engagement, concern, and collaboration can make our world better. The life of Ruth Cotterill Richards ’35 certainly shows that the deep roots of character that students develop at Friends remain the well-springs of their lives. And, of course, those roots may include a match for life as we see in the many people who found that special someone along Duck Pond Road!

The rocks on which students and faculty wrote messages of inclusion and kindness during Peace

Week are vivid reminders of the Quaker roots of our community.

Why rocks? They are enduring, permanent, diverse in shape, color, and size, calming in their silence and presence. Most of the rocks are smooth, with their rough edges worn by water, wind, and sand. Perhaps that is a metaphor for how we grow as people, shaped by the many diverse people around us who help smooth out our rough edges with their concern and care.

This year's "peace rocks" hold messages of hope, peace and inclusivity. And they are a constant reminder of our best intentions. Yet, these rocks pose a profound question – how do we transform these ideals into action?

As we all know, rocks are not permanent and will eventually turn to sand and dust. But our intentions do not have the same fate if we let our lives speak through them each day.

As we enter spring and a time of renewal, I encourage each of you to find your own "rock", inscribe it, and use it as a means to fulfill your best intentions.

From The Archives: 1967 – FA Students Sponsor 2nd Peace Prize

FA Trivia Contest

mittee Friends Academy Peace Comluded at work. Nominees also inc Bob Hope, Pope Paul VI, theUnited Hospital ship SS Hope and U. Thant.

Nations Secretary General

courtesy of friends academ

y archives

“During my 29 years at Friends Academy, I have been impressed with the students and their progress in life. By that I mean the kind of work they do and how it reflects the Friends’ philosophy. It is a great pleasure to see them years later." Who am I? The FA Peace Prize was awarded to that individual or organization that in some way aided humanity through his/her/its own selfless labors. The nominees were chosen completely upon their nonpartisan work for the good of all men. The Peace prize represented the Quaker tradition of humanitarianism as well as the feelings of the student body. In 1967, The Friends Academy Peace Prize was awarded to the Peace Corps. Joseph Farrell, a representative from the Peace Corps accepted the Peace Medal at Fourth Day Honors assembly, June 1967.

E-mail your answer to alumni@fa.org.

The winner, whose name will be drawn from all correct entries, will receive a surprise Friends Academy gift.

The Meeting House | Fall 2009

Boys Varsity Basketball: First State Championship Title. Page 23

PHOTO BY AL QUACKENBUSH/FRIENDS ACADEMY

inside Vol. 47, No. 2

Meeting House Letters. 6 Our new section features winning answers to last issue’s trivia question.

Around the Quad. 8 A visit from a Jazz legend National achievements in writing, history for Upper Schoolers From square one to check mate Immersion in Martinique Hands on with Habitat

The Arts. 14

“We just want to be extraordinary...!”

The Winter Concert Series First Faculty/Staff Art Show debuts

Feature Story. 18 Peace Makers: Kindness, respect and inclusivity is not only rooted in curriculum and classes, but is celebrated during this year’s Peace Week.

Sports: Go FA! 22 Heart and grit. Nailbiters that kept us on the edge of our seats.

From basketball to track and of course, the cheerleaders that kept us on our feet, this is the best of the 2010-11 winter Friends Academy season.

Faculty Milestones. 26 Alumni Profiles. 28 The Friends Academy Match Ruth Cotterill Richards ’35: Reflection on a lifetime of Friends

Class Notes. 35 In Memoriam. 54 The Meeting House Staff Editor Andrea Miller, Director of Communications and Marketing 516.393.4295 | andrea_miller@fa.org Writers Polly Duke, Kathy Fox, Lauren Potter Menzin ’81, Andrea Miller, Melissa Oddo and Kathleen Schalk Photographers A.J. Congero, Michael Damm, Al Quackenbush and Amanda Fisk

on the cover

PEACE ROCK(S). Senior Jennifer Mayrock inscribed and designed this rock with her 2011 Peace Week intention. Amanda Fisk/Friends Academy

Meeting House letters

Thoughts, memories and reflections from our readers ... you!

FA Trivia Contest Winner I was at Friends in the late 50s in the PE Department. In the 70s I was the Assistant Principal of the Lower School and on the Beta Team. These days you can find me volunteering in the library. Who am I?

Answer: Pat Parmelee The unforgettable Pat Parmelee was pictured in our inaugural trivia contest.

What follows are some of the correct responses we received:

Like Pooh

Forgetting Pat Parmelee would be like forgetting Pooh Bear.

– Abbie Freedman ’59

Wonderful dorm companion

This is my teacher and friend Pat Parmelee, aka Miss Parm. Pat was a new teacher at FA when I was a new freshman, in fall ’55. I have a lot of good memories of Pat – Among them: Pat lived in the dorm with us at the end of the hall, and she was a wonderful dorm companion.

She let us use her room as a hideaway to get away from the noise and congestion of dorm life! We would sit in there on a Friday afternoon and consume food we had bought in The Valley on our weekly free afternoon. Pat was a gym teacher then and was also great to be with on the field. If you’re reading these, Hi Pat! – Marty Livingston McDermott ’59.

50 years later

I’m pretty sure that’s Pam Parmelee in the ‘From the Archives’ section of the fall Meeting House, although it has been over 50 years since I last saw her. I was a boarding student at Friends from 1955-1957, my freshman and sophomore years, and left for Oakwood when FA ended its boarding program. The fact that I remember her testifies to her effervescent, upbeat personality, the kind of nice person who sticks in your memory, even after all these years.

– Kelly Kammerer ’59

The Meeting House | Winter 2010-11

Teacher and colleague

Just received The Meeting House and had to reply to the contest: It’s Pat Parmelee. I was in the 1st grade when she arrived and taught from 1972-1977 when we were colleagues.

– Lesley Graham ’68

I

Appreciation of silence

was especially touched by a recent article in The Meeting House about Sanford Hull ’74. He addressed his appreciation for silence, for it is in silence that we listen to and learn from our Creator.

I am also able to appreciate silence and the peace that comes with knowing that silence, in balance, is acceptable. After that period of special time at meeting, I know there will continue to be greater revelations and the forward thinking of the leadership of a school that has always been set apart for “something greater than this.” May Friends Academy continue to be richly blessed!

– Priscilla Newell Terry ’66

“Miss Parm" That’s Pat Parmelee, “Miss Parm” as I knew her in third (or fourth?) grade.

– Michael Poloukhine ’82

Teacher to parent, children

Totally Miss Parmelee. I had her for first grade in ’58-’59 and my kids had her in Lower School too.

– Kathy Abbene ’70

Teacher, coach ... friend

The person in question is Pat Parmelee, the best field hockey, basketball, and softball coach, as well as friend, that anyone could ever have.

– Carol Lyall ’65

Other correct responses: Linda Hesselman ’67 Bill Dudjoc ’73 Maggie Keats ’79 Ellen Coffey ’80 Federico Kallman ’84 Katie Hawkins Schneider ’86 Mary Craig – former faculty and mother to David ’82 and Ian ’86 Susan S. Match – former Middle School music teacher and mother of Debra ’81 and Laura ’85 Niel I. Rising – mother of Peter ’63, Brandt ’65, Sally ’68 and Christine ’73

Thinking about Friends yesterday and into tomorrow (Upon recently receiving Friends Academy literature). t is such a fat package of FriendsAcademy-as-it-is-now that I am overwhelmed. Two big buildings, “a Quaker presence” (made me laugh); girls playing lacrosse, a huge graduating class with all the girls dressed in beautiful “gowns,” physics classes, interracial (at last) and so forth and so on. I am amazed at the quantity of changes and the fine quality of everything I have already read and seen, and I’ve only skimmed.

How did it happen? Seventy-five years of three or four generations of caring people pushing and pulling, I guess. I particularly looked for and found two copies of your magazine and you must be so proud of it. It is beautiful to look at, smooth to touch; soon I will be able to sit still, be quiet and read it with tremendous interest, wondering how it is that my little recollection will be in the next one and I really went to that fine school.

It has soared, hasn’t it, and I’m so glad.

– Ruth Cotterill Richards ’35

I

Editor’s Note: Read about Ruth’s life at Friends and beyond in “Reflections on a Lifetime of Friends” on page 32. We want to hear from you! To send a letter, please e-mail Kathy Fox at kathy_fox@fa.org.

2010-11 Friends Academy Annual Fund

You can make a difference for all of these students.

Strong support of the Annual Fund means that our school will be able to continue its proud tradition and fulfill its mission of giving each student the finest experience possible.

Because tuition only covers 85% of the cost to run Friends Academy, we need your support.

Please call the Development Office at (516) 624-4859 with any questions or to make your gift online.

Make your gift by...

Check: Made out to Friends Academy Visa or MasterCard: Call 516-393-4269 Online: At www.fa.org/giving Gift of stock: May offer tax advantages

for capital gains

Please Support Our Faculty, Our Children and Our Annual Fund

The 2011 Annual Fund Closes on June 30.

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Around the Quad Wynton Marsalis Visits Friends

A visit from a Jazz legend The Upper School Mock Trial team competes at the Supreme Court in Mineola. Back row: Allie White, Carolina Mocorrea, Simi Akinola, Michael Petrocelli, Sara Naghavi, Caitlin Rubin, Jake Silverman, Andrew Feinstein. Front row: Kira Garry, Nicole Becker, Yasmine Kibria, Megan Fox and Cole Valentino. Not pictured: Zorina Akhund, Sean Collins, Matt Ioannou, Jenny Mayrock, Casey Quinn and Erika Vidal. Parents of FA grads also assisted: Kathleen Durante was indispensable as attorney advisor and Judge John Pieper shared his expertise.

Mock Trial team argues at Supreme Court

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rguing a case in front of judges at the Supreme Court in Mineola can be intimidating for even the most seasoned lawyers, but for the Upper School Mock Trial Team, it is the most exciting part of the statewide High School Mock Trial Tournament. “The competition is intense, requiring students to devote lots of time, energy and brain power as they learn courtroom decorum, rules of evidence and trial strategy,” said advisor Kathy Fox. This year’s case, Pat Parker vs. the Village of Empireville and Board of Trustees of the Village of Empireville dealt with an individual’s right to due process.

Arguing for the defense, the season began strong with a win against East Rockaway. Judges evaluate each team’s performance based on opening and closing statements, direct and cross examinations and witness performances. Professionalism, compliance with the rules of civility and honest and ethical conduct also come into play.

– Kathy Fox

The Meeting House | Winter 2010-11

AMANDA FISK/friends academy

Wynton Marsalis accompanies fifth grader Vanessa Quinland on trumpet at a recent workshop he gave to fifth grade music students, and the Middle School and Upper School jazz bands. Head to www.fa.org for more coverage, including photos and video.

By Andrea Miller Director of Communications

F

rom the moment he stepped into the Friends Academy Band Room, Grammy, Pulitzer Prize winner and jazz legend Wynton Marsalis began teaching.

In a soft voice often punctuated by animated gestures, Marsalis gently, but firmly guided fifth grade music students and the Middle School and Upper School jazz bands into the dreamy world of jazz.

“Music is about communication and our music is about people,” began Marsalis as he wound his way in and amongst the different student musicians. Sitting beside one student to show a part on his trumpet, reaching between three Middle School students on the keyboard, or showing another how to tap out a true swing rhythm on the drums, Marsalis constantly urged the students to listen to each other. “You need to understand what your part is.

This music is designed to have you play with each other,” he said. The Middle School Jazz Band performed “Lazy Bird” by John Coltrane for Marsalis, the Upper School, “Cottontail” by Duke Ellington and the fifth grade music students played “The Lost Kingdom” and “Dragon Slayer.”

For over two hours, Marsalis worked with the three different classes, ending last with the fifth graders, from whom he took questions. After a small pause, hands quickly shot up in the air. “Do you travel a lot?” “What do you enjoy playing the most?” “What’s the hardest song you ever played?” As Marsalis answered each question, he also wove in stories about his life growing up in New Orleans and the valuable life lessons he learned from his father, who was also a musician and teacher.

“Music gives you the opportunity to experience great success and great failure,” mused Marsalis. “Life is about the comeback, not about being number 1.”

Around the Quad

9

Can You Count to 100?

(Kindergarten Can...)

Senior Isabella Chen and sophomore Jake Silverman achieve national accolades.

National achievements in writing, history for Upper School students

S

enior Isabella Chen’s dramatic play, “Lanterns in the Garden” was awarded a national Silver medal by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers who sponsor the Scholastic Writing Awards.

Her play also won the regional Gold Key for Dramatic Script Writing.

One of only 19 high school students nationally to win, Chen’s play explores the relationship and difficulties faced by an inter-racial couple. It is set against the backdrop of a kind of Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner in 1968 America – 23 years after the demolition of the Japanese internment camps and boldly questions the audience’s personal view of race, interracial relationships and marriages. ophomore Jake Silverman, a member of the Academic Team, finished second in the 9th and 10th grade divisions of the Long Island History Bee and Bowl and is now qualified for the National History Bee Championship.

The Bee is an individual competition and the Bowl is a team competition. Seniors Patrick Pozzi and Jordan Woldenburg finished 11th and 12th, respectively, in the Varsity Division.

S

AMANDA FISK/FRIENDS ACADEMY

Kindergartners have been preparing for the 100th day of school since the 1st day of school! They counted each day that they were in school. On the 50th day of school the class had a half-way to 100 celebration, and then before the children knew it, they were at 100! In honor of this exciting day, each child created a project using 100 materials. Some of the projects included a treasure chest using 100 jewels, a picture frame using 100 beads, and the Empire State building using 100 popsicle sticks. The students jumped 100 times, wrote their names as many times as they could in 100 seconds, tried to stay quiet for 100 seconds, and created a class book of things we would want 100 of and things we would not want 100 of.

The Meeting House | Winter 2010-11

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Around the Quad Chess at Friends

From square one to check mate After-school chess in Lower and Middle schools, champion varsity team and a chess festival top flourishing FA program

By Polly Duke World Languages and Culture department head

F

A alumnus Brandon Blau ’10, first approached me with the idea of starting a chess club in the spring of 2007. We dreamed big: how about training younger students so they could eventually arrive at the high school ready for higher level competition? Lower School parent Denise Rauff helped enormously in establishing the Lower School after-school program.

Chess experts and wonderful teachers Brian Karen and Joel Salman were hired to teach the Lower School program; meanwhile Brandon and I covered the Middle School program ourselves and headed up the weekly Upper School club practices.

Midway through that fall semester of 2008, I heard that a school in the Nassau County Interscholastic Chess League had dropped out of competition. I immediately asked the league commissioner if we could replace that team. He welcomed us enthusiastically.

The following fall of 2009, we added an additional chess class to our growing Lower School after-school program; we invited Brian Karen to help us with the burgeoning Middle School after-school program; and we entered the Nassau County Interscholastic Chess League from the season’s beginning, competing in weekly matches against public and private high schools from throughout Nassau County.

Back-to-Back County Championships Unlike the other high school teams we played against, our team was composed of students from fourth through twelfth grade. So, from the season’s start, many teams did not know what to make of us.

Their initial snickers often segued into sighs after students half their size defeated

The Meeting House | Winter 2010-11

AMANDA FISK/friends academy

Above, eighth grader Alex Pakh plays fourth board against Chaminade. Left, sophomore Jahan Khan plays first board against Jericho.

them handily. That year, we had to win a hard fought playoff match against Portledge before making it into the semifinals and finals. We relied again upon the depth of our team to defeat both Chaminade and Schreiber and ultimately looked at each other in shock as we realized we had won the championship in our very first full year in the league. After the 2009-2010 chess season, most of our players did not think we could possibly repeat in 20102011. Nevertheless, we found ourselves, by season’s end, in first place. We had lost only one match all season, and that match had been against our league rival: Chaminade. As a reward for our standing in the league, we would get to host the semis/ finals at Friends on Jan. 13, 2011. Our team included Jahan Khan (10th), Will Duke (10th), Jesse Wilensky (8th), Alex Pakh (8th), Ethan Nyein (10th), Alex Roti (5th), and Nathaniel Hogg (9th). Our alternates were Peter Duke (6th), Holly Ansel (5th), Jared Toby (4th) and Justin Toby (3rd).

Our first opponent that day was the fourth place team, Great Neck South. Remarkably, sophomore Jahan Khan was able to defeat their 1900 rated top player and lead us with his ten points to victory. Next, we had to face Chaminade in the finals. We

had lost our previous match earlier in the season to Chaminade, as we were missing a crucial player. This time, we had everyone lined up, and ready to play. Out of our six boards in that final match, there were three wins and two draws – enough points to secure a second consecutive county championship.

Monthly chess training tournaments Last summer, Brian Karen, Joel Salman, and I began a monthly rated training tournament for about thirty young players.

This has been particularly helpful for our Lower and Middle School students who can play in two nationally rated matches on a Sunday afternoon at Friends and then go over their games with chess experts in a comfortable and nurturing setting.

Successful chess festival launches Last spring, we also began a chess festival which we will now offer every spring. Both last year and this year we had about 100 players register – Kindergarten through twelfth grade – from throughout the Metropolitan area. Friends won the high school, middle school, and K-1 divisions.

With the help of our remarkable FA parents, we have gone from a fledgling program in the spring of 2008 to back-to-back county championships and myriad school trophies. Our next stop: the National Scholastic K-12 Championship Tournament in Dallas in November 2011!

Around the Quad

11

Hand in Hand: Culture And Service

Immersion in Martinique FA faculty help build the foundations of a home.

Building homes, touching hearts in El Salvador

O

ver the February break, a group of FA faculty members departed for the first all-faculty Central American volunteer service trip. Led by Angie Martin (US Spanish), teachers Edgar Posada (US Spanish), Ingrid Kupka (US Math), Melissa Oddo (MS/US Math), Kate Scudellari (MS/US Spanish) and Quaker-inresidence John Scardina travelled to El Salvador to build homes for people of the poverty-stricken village of San Jose Villanueva.

The FA group was fortunate enough to work at the same site each day, alongside the GomezGuzman family during the building of their new home, mixing cement, raising pillars and constructing walls out of cinder blocks. Though a foreman is sent to aid in the home’s construction, it is up to the family themselves to build the home.

Additionally, faculty, students and parents from Upper and Middle schools helped to raise just over $1,000 to support five student scholarships for students in San Jose Villanueva.

– Melissa Oddo

POLLY DUKE PHOTOS/friends academy

Friends Academy French students play a round of Duck, Duck, Goose with Martinique orphans.

T

en Upper School French students travelled to Martinique with World Languages and Culture department head Polly Duke during the February vacation.

All the students were able to stay with host families. Upon arriving, the group met up with three Martinique student leaders from Lycée Schoelcher, who gave them an informal tour of the capital, Fort-de-France. FA students sampled pains au chocolat and tarte tatin before heading to an orphanage.

According to Duke, this was one of the highlights of the trip. “We LOVED working with the young orphans. We first sat in a circle and played Duck, Duck, Goose – in French and in English – as an ice breaker,” said Duke. Name games and “Telephone,” both played in French, with a smattering of freeze tag soccer and “Red Light, Green Light” also delighted the Martinique children,

Sophomore Olivia Youngwall with her host family.

as did the FA souveniers of bookmarks and pencils.

While touring the official sites, (including the Cathedral, former town hall, open markets, botanical gardens and a slave museum), students also explored cultural differences with their French high school counterparts.

Next fall, WLC will be hosting the Martinique high school students and one orphan as part of an exchange here in New York.

The Meeting House | Winter 2010-11

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Around the Quad

Hands-on with Habitat

Twelve FA Upper School students travel out east to help build a home.

AMANDA FISK/friends academy

FA seniors help move over 1,000 pounds of school supplies into waiting trucks to be shipped out to Afghanistan.

Collecting for home and abroad

T

his past winter, students pooled efforts to collect food and school supplies. Upper School history teacher Lauren Malesky, coordinated the Afghanistan school supply drive where advisories competed, not only to see who could give the most, but who would receive a catered breakfast, courtesy of Ed Dugger, Director of College Counseling. Junior advisor Tammy Clark’s group won after collecting 141 pounds of supplies.

Over 1,000 pounds were ultimately shipped out.

The W.A.T.C.H. Committee helped organize a pre-holiday food drive for Island Harvest. Students collected nearly 600 pounds of food that were later distributed to Long Island’s needy.

Sumobots and more at the Science Olympiads

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n February 5, Friends Academy competed at the Regional Science Olympiad at Kellenberg Memorial HS. Over 1,000 of LI’s top science students participated in the initial stage of this national contest. Juniors Erin Gluck and Aaron Lee finished 13th in the MagLev competition and sophomore Raghav Kedia finished 12th with his Sumobot.

The Meeting House | Winter 2010-11

Mary ann vascotto/friends academy

(From back) Sophomore Melissa Granados and juniors Nina Vascotto, Amanda Edwards and Sigal Markowitz.

D

elayed a couple of times by below-freezing temps, twelve Upper School students were finally able to head out east to Belleport on their maiden voyage with Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk.

According to engineering teacher and advisor Mary Ann Vascotto, this opportunity gave students appreciation and awareness. “I believe the students became aware of the precarious nature of a family with low income trying to live on Long Island,” said Vascotto.

“It also gave the students insight into house construction and the challenges of home ownership.”

Upon arrival, all of the students learned about the family, whose house they’d be helping to build. Split into four groups, they learned how to measure and cut vinyl siding, finally taking a side each to nail the siding on.

With this initial build, Friends

Academy renewed its partnership with Habitat for Humanity, an international charity that builds homes for deserving families. In addition, Habitat first raises money for the materials from outside donations. Friends students organized their own Habitat fund drive and raised over $3,000 from Upper School parents.

After the construction, students were further moved by what they had accomplished and all wrote notes to the family they had helped and discussed ways in which they could help out when the family moved in. According to Vascotto, some of the students have taken the initiative to organize these efforts. “I think this helped our students gain an awareness of the struggles many families face on Long Island and how very simply others live. And they enjoyed knowing their work would directly help a family.”

Around the Quad

13

WLC Poetry Slam

Classic(s) Presentation JETS competitors sophomore Raghav Kedia and freshman Harry Leeser conceptualize ways to use solar energy.

Engineering Middle school: Real-world advice; Upper School: Real-world problems

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Senior Lauren Keegan and fifth grader Christian Nesfield.

AMANDA FISK/FRI

S

ENDS AC

o, what was more amazing?

The breadth, pronunciation and expression of the World Languages and Cultures Poetry Slam winners? Or the way in which students from age 3 to fifth grade sat so quietly and attentively for 20 minutes as students from each division recited poetry and short plays in Chinese, Latin, French and Spanish? Both!

As World Languages and Culture department head Polly Duke announced each student and their language, Lower School students were treated to a medley of twelve different poems, ranging in length from 30 seconds to two minutes, some accompanied by props. Both classic poetry and original pieces were performed in front of the 100-plus students at their weekly Lower School gathering, who also learned that three of the four languages (Chinese, French and Spanish) are taught in fifth grade at Friends.

The presentation finished, quite literally, on the heels of fifth grader Christian Nesfield and his short, but peppy Chinese rhyme. At the end, Lower School librarian Kate Madigan’s closing remarks underscored what the presentation meant. “Even if you didn’t understand the words, it was beautiful to listen to as well as watch the emotions they presented.”

ADEMY

uestion*: What is the best engineering way to elevate a textbook off a flat surface by 8 inches? Is it A) one piece of paper, B) metal stand, C) cinderblock or D) metal pipe? This was the question posed by Northrop Grumman engineer Michael Oddo to eighth grade students during the Middle School’s annual Engineering Day. Meeting with 9th grade math students, as well as the Upper School engineering class, Oddo used a mixture of practical exercises and real-life experience to engage. “My goal is to show them what engineering is all about. Kids this age have a hard time understanding,” said Oddo.

In early March, the Upper School engineering team of juniors Aaron Lee and Andrew Eng, sophomores Ethan Nyein and Raghav Kedia (captain), and freshmen Harry Leeser and Aidan Vascotto, competed for the first time in a real-world problem solving competition sponsored by the Junior Engineering Technical Society. This year’s theme was energy efficiency, so the group had to compare electric and gas cars, as well as brainstorm uses for solar energy around a high school.

2011 WLC Poetry Slam winners Middle/Lower School * French: Devon McCann, Julia Newitt

Upper School * French: Corinne Kohan, Missy Quick, Sasha Zezulin

* Spanish: Emily Granados, Patrick Lundy

* Spanish: Lauren Keegan, Yasmin Kibria, Joe Macy

* Chinese: Victoria Wang * Latin: Joe Macy, Sigal Markowitz

* Chinese: Christian Nesfield

*Answer? A piece of paper – rolled up.

The Meeting House | Winter 2010-11

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The Arts "Extraordinary" FA’s Original Rock Musical

AMANDA FISK photos/friends academy

The Upper School cast of “Extraordinary” belts out the final notes of Friends’ first original rock musical written and scored by theater teacher Andrew Geha.

‘We just want to be Extraordinary’ (... and they were...)

By Andrea Miller Director of Communications

I Junior Courtney Naughton plays Codi, who starts to lose control as she tries to support both her cancer-stricken mother and seriously injured boyfriend, Seth.

The Meeting House | Winter 2010-11

Teacher Mr. Kramer, played by sophomore John O’Brien, gets a visit from the mysterious and maniacal Chase, played by sophomore Nick McNiel.

t’s something we all go through or will go through... growing up, including all the fear, excitement and trepidation that can follow.

From the very first rocked out notes and head-banging choreography of this original rock musical’s title song, “Extraordinary,” viewers know they are in for a high-energy journey.

“Extraordinary” follows a group of high school students, who are each facing their own life crisis. Lead character Seth (junior Jake Ingrassia), a champion swimmer is finally back at school, slowly recovering from being hit by a drunken

The Arts

15

From left, Stephen Shin on guitar and Evan Landau on bass. Sophomore Kira Sanchez brings music to life. Senior Meredith Wagner moves to the title song.

driver and adjusting to the fact that his old life may be permanently gone.

Seth’s girlfriend Codi (junior Courtney Naughton), is quickly losing grasp, struggling to keep up with schoolwork as she tends to her terminally ill mother and supporting Jake in his recovery.

Woven in between Seth and Codi’s story are the subplots of other students, who are facing their own issues of selfworth, self-confidence and self-esteem.

As the tension and angst mount and the show’s characters begin to lose control – of their dreams and lives – an event occurs that they cannot explain.

Four characters – Seth, Codi, Nate (sophomore Tyler Newitt), and Nate’s sister, Taryn (senior Katie Sands) wake up in a hospital with what appears to be supernatural abilities. While these abilities initially seem to solve all of their problems, the euphoria soon turns dark as each of them is faced with a choice – confront their fears or run away to try and escape reality altogether.

For director and writer Andrew Geha, Upper School theater teacher, the writing of “Extraordinary” was born from his own experiences, as well as the students with whom he has worked. “The play’s characters all want to be extraordinary, but deep down, are afraid they may not be. They face constant pressure to be successful, even though they may not trust the forces that define success,” said Geha.

“The super-human abilities that four lead characters manifest seem to solve everything. But ultimately, being extraordinary is about something deeper

than ability. And the central arc to the was central to the core of the story. story is their journey to that realization,” “The genesis of the idea was the image continues Geha. of a boy flying through the Central to the story is air,” explained Geha. “Obvithe riveting rock score ously, the story draws on that binds one scene to the numerous sources – using next. Choreographed by FA super-human abilities as a dance teacher Kimo Sibbett metaphor for your reality and performed live by the is not a new idea. But, the student band of seniors realities that these characters Stephen Shin, Evan Landau face were heavily inspired and sophomore Will by both my own experiences Duke, the songs echo the and the experiences I have thrills and heartache of the seen students go through characters. Hair flipping here at Friends,” said Geha. and foot stomping become While “Extraordinary” Tolu Ojo performs an signature, as well as, cathar- Freshman was limited to a 3-day run ensemble number. tic moves throughout the at Friends in February, Geha show. is hoping to generate interest in other This is Geha’s third full-length musischools to mount new productions of the cal, and the first exclusively written for show. So don’t be surprised if this show the Upper School as well as the first to and music sticks around for a while, an employ rigging for flying stunts, which extraordinary while.

Junior Jake Ingrassia, as Seth, discovers a new power that lifts him from his crutches after a debilitating accident.

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The Arts Winter 2010

Winter Concert Series Lower, Middle and Upper Schools perform for friends and family

By Andrea Miller Director of Communications

F

rom strings to percussion to sing-along holiday carols, students from all divisions got into the act for the Winter 2010 Concert Series.

Lower School students treated their families to class-by-class selections that celebrated the theme of joy, starting with “Peace Like a River,” sung by the youngest Kindergartner performers. In between songs, students read poetry and selections that celebrated the joy of different religions.

In the Middle School, students worked very hard this year in perfecting their musical repertoire and engaging in a “Muppet Show”-inspired performance.

There was even a guest performer that helped to set the tone for the night! (Mike Lewis, band teacher taking the place of "Gonzo" and his horn!)

Finally, in the Upper School concert, students performed several selections, ranging from the Wind Ensemble’s “Festivo” by Vaclav Nelhybel to the Chamber Choir’s a capella rendition of “Set me as a Seal” to a classic Elliot del Borgo piece, “Arlington Sketches” performed by the Orchestra, under the direction of James Liverani.

Above, Lower School students sing their favorite holiday carols. Left, the Upper School jazz band plays and right, Nathaniel Shepherd-Tyson, 7th, on the tuba.

AMANDA FISK photos/friends academy

Upper School

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The Arts

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Winter 2010

Gail Lucidi Caitlin Hosford

Mike Lewis

Middle School

Andrew Geha

Faculty/Staff Art Show

Kara Lewis

Mike Damm

Lower School

AMANDA FISK photos/friends academy

Top, sophomore Sydney Menzin, senior Katie Sands and junior Michelle Quick and the Upper School concert. Middle, the Middle School girls perform an upbeat number.

Below, second graders Lexi Guerin, Francesca Castellano, Ian Kim and Emily Brown smile for the audience.

The first comprehensive FA Faculty/Staff Art Show debuted in midFebruary with a variety of art from 15 artists that spanned photography to sculpture to decorative arts to painting and collage. Artists included Gail Lucidi, Mary Alice Kolodner, Andrew Geha, Amanda Fisk, Mike Lewis, James Liverani, Lisa Waldstein, Allison Doherty, Margaret Lindner, Caitlin Hosford, Kara Lewis, Luis Torres, Marsha Mayer and Mike Damm.

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Feature Story Friends Academy Peace Makers

Peace is not something you wish for; It’s something you make, Something you do, Something you are, And something you give away.”

– Robert Fulghum American Writer, Minister, Working Cowboy

AMANDA FISK PHOTOS/friends academy

Above: Students, faculty and staff brainstorm ways to create a kinder and more inclusive community in an all-school assembly.

Left and right: A sampling of “Peace Rocks” that are on display in peace towers each of the division lobbies.

Anti-bullying programs, 2011 Peace Week reinforce Quaker values in face of growing national concern

By Andrea Miller Director of Communications

After brainstorming how to make Friends more kind and welcoming, students inscribed these intentions.

“O

ne of the most challenging things about teaching peace to kids is that it has to start with their own peace,” explained Lower School principal Deborah McCrimmon.

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From the youngest at Friends to the most senior of faculty, this idea is one that is ever present in the classroom, literature, in-class exercises and at the core of this year’s Peace Week program.

Lately more and more headlines have turned the national conversation to the issue of bullying. Recent government statistics

Feature Story show that 32 percent of students from the on. The Hundered Dresses by Eleanor Estes ages of 12 to 18 have experienced some form tells the story of a poor Polish girl, Wanda, of bullying, and according to the Departwho has no friends and to impress the class’s ment of Education, a startling 25 percent of popular rich girl, claims she owns a hundred students in the United States say they were dresses at home. After Wanda’s father moves bullied at least once a day. In an effort to help the family in response, Wanda’s classmate put an end to this epidemic, President Obama Maddie (friends with the popular girl), who addressed the nation at the White House had said nothing during the ceaseless tauntConference on Bullying Prevention on March ing, “feels sick inside” and attempts to right 10, 2011. “If there’s one goal, it’s to dispel the situation. the myth that bullying is just a harmless rite As part of professional development, of passage,” Mr. Obama said. “I have to say Lower School teachers also engage in bullythat with big ears and the ing workshops. “Almost name that I have, I wasn’t every teacher has been to a immune. I didn’t emerge workshop and teachers are unscathed.” taught how to deal with “Children learn how to bullying,” said McCrimbe a bully,” said McCrimmon. mon. “And that has to be This year, workshops unlearned. That’s where the were also extended to school comes in.” students as well, with help In the Lower School, the from Parent Council. In “Responsive Classroom” January, Sean Mitchell model fuels the nuts and brought his interactive AMANDA FISK/friends academy bolts of character buildgame “The Buzz-Off Bully Eighth grader Danielle Ramsay ing – from learning how to Show” to Lower School writes down her thoughts on how to treat each other to building students to teach them to create a more welcoming, inclusive community. rules for the classroom, to identify different types of morning meeting, where bullies and practical advice "It’s not an accident students can talk about on how to peacefully that people who issues. resolve conflicts. are steeped in the In Early Childhood’s Middle School principal “First Step” program, chilSteve Rubenacker undertradition of dren learn how to express stands the implications of community service their emotions by identifynational studies that show are empathetic." ing them and using written that bullying tends to peak symbolism. In Kindergarduring the Middle School ten, children must adhere years and takes advantage to the Rules of Inclusivity. “If someone comes of the flexibility of the faculty and curricuup to you and asks to play and the child says lum. “Large, overarching programs don’t ‘no’, there is a conversation,” said McCrimwork. Instead, issues are addressed as they mon. arise,” said Rubenacker. Seventh graders cover Seating arrangements are regularly shifted, issues such as sexual harrassment and body both in the classroom and cafeteria, to insure issues in their health classes, eighth graders that students have the opportunity to sit and discuss topics such as cyberbullies and gaymeet other students. bashing in their ethics classes.

Teachers and administrators also work Students learn too that they are held acto help students separate the repetitiveness countable for their actions outside of school. and fear attached to bullying from normal “When students become involved with negaconflict that students face. tive interactions, online or otherwise, they Learning how to create peace by taking a know that they face disciplinary actions,” said stand is also built into the curriculum. In the Rubenacker. third grade, students read and discuss the role Piggybacking off the Lower School, sixth of how being a bystander can let bullying go grade students continue lessons learned about

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The Peace Week Committee chose the symbolism of rocks for their unshakable and grounding qualities.

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Feature Story Friends Academy Peace Makers

AMANDA FISK/friends academy

Junior Erika Vidal, Cyrus Holder 8th, Josh Goldblatt, 7th and Patrick Crowley 9th participate in community peace groups.

In the Upper School, Peace Rock intentions were born from a guided form of meditation called Worship Sharing.

the role of the bully and the bystander. Working with the Glen Cove Holocaust Museum, students learn life lessons from WWII and explore the important role the bystander played.

The Quaker testimony and principle of service plays a huge part in promoting peace throughout the school. “It’s the biggest builder of empathy,” said McCrimmon. “It’s not an accident that people who are steeped in the tradition of community service are empathetic.”

These overlapping themes of looking inward, service to others and inclusivity were also the stepping stones during this year’s Peace Week from January 18-21.

A committee of adults and students helped to plan this year’s programs, including a first all-school Meeting For Worship (grades 3-12) and Worship Sharing in the Upper School.

Upper School Spanish teacher and 9th grade head advisor Angie Martin, who also served as one of the Peace Week coordinators, explained the importance and symbolism of the rocks. “The idea for the peace rocks came out of open brainstorming meetings

The Meeting House | Winter 2010-11

during the fall,” recalled Martin. “The peace rocks gave us a focus for the week and communicated the importance of grounding and foundation.”

The dynamic, multimedia presentation, “At the Table with Dr. King” kicked off the week with presentations for Lower/Middle and Upper School. “We wanted to begin with a celebratory experience,” said Martin. “Here was someone who really embraced peace in his life and proved even though there are challenges in getting along with each other, there’s always hope.”

“At the Table” featured a five-member chorus and 6-piece band. Framed by arachival photographs and videos of King, his family and early integration efforts, the troupe integrated music (some sung by FA students) and challenged students to rise above. “One of the greatest challenges we face is complacency.

We are satisfied and have little awareness of the problems around us.”

By Wednesday, students, faculty and staff were ready to dive into community brainstorming. Students in grades 3-12 gathered with faculty and staff in mixed-age commu-

Feature Story Friends Academy Peace Makers nity groups. part, and I leave part,” Reaching inside said Martin. brown paper bags, stuMartin’s group acdents asked questions tively delved into the of their groupmates posed query: “When like, “Have you ever do I find it hard to be had problems finding kind, welcoming and someone to sit with at inclusive and what do lunch?” “This really I, indvidually want to showed all of us that do to strengthen this there are times when community?” we all find it hard to “The students were be kind,” explained extremely insightful,” Martin. said Martin. “Things Following this like, ‘being more ice-breaker, groups aware,’ ‘to be kind brainstormed ways to takes effort,’ ‘you have create a kinder, more to be brave and enerinclusive community getic and look outside and then settled into of your own circle of a 10-minute and friends to pull others first-ever all-school in and to notice,’ ” Meeting for Worship. added Martin.

For freshman and Internal service W.A.T.C.H. member capped the week with Katrina Garry, being meaningful action. with the younger Organized by Upper students left a mark.

School Spanish teach“I think just the er Rachel Hall and gesture of the younger Kindergarten teacher AMANDA FISK/friends academy kids standing up dur- Top: Charlie Mullaney, 3rd. Middle: Quaker-inResidence Jaimee Connors, both ing Meeting for Wor- John Scardina and Upper School English teacher Emera a part of the faculty LaSalle. Below: Julia Newitt, 8th, Morgan Wilkins, 6th ship, just seeing how community service brave they could be in and Emily Rauff, 5th. committee, Upper front of your community and the notion that School students made platters of cookies for they felt comfortable enough to share in our Kitchen, Maintenance, Night Crew and Day community was very moving,” said Garry.

Care staffs, straightened up social areas, sorted On Thursday, Upper School students met Lost and Found items and cleaned out the in paired advisories for a special Worship mudroom in the Field House.

Sharing. A variation of Quaker worship, “This year, Peace Week felt like it had a Worship Sharing focuses around a query and nice arc to it,” said Martin. “From celebration allows for all to speak in a confidential space. to community, personal reflection and then “We wanted to figure out the tension points action.” in our community,” said Martin, who was a The sharing that took place during Peace part of a 9th grade group.

Week echoed McCrimmon’s overall philoso“Each student selected a rock from the phy in building peace as well. pile in the middle, shared their thoughts and “The more we know about each other, our afterward wrote down their message. Havbackgrounds ... the less we bully, the less we ing the rocks gave the experience a physical find others threatening and frightening.” movement – I am sharing my piece. I take a

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Senior Chris Campbell signs one of the peace rocks after Worship Sharing.

The practice of Worship Sharing

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ne new Quaker tradition introduced this year in the Upper School during Peace Week was Worship Sharing. A variation of Quaker worship, it is guided by a query and enacted in a smaller group so that everyone has the opportunity to share.

Worship Sharing is a kind of guided meditation. By focusing on a particular question, it helps participants explore their own experience and share with each other more deeply than they would in normal conversation.

This year, each Upper School advisory formed a group, picked a “peace rock” and reflected and responded to the following query: “What are some realistic changes I can make in my life that will help make Friends Academy more kind, welcoming and inclusive?”

The idea of using rocks within Worship Sharing ultimately gave students and faculty a concrete reminder of their reflections and advices.

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Sports: Go FA! {Winter 2010-11}

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USH PHOTOS/friends academ

MICHAEL DAMM, AL QUACKENB

Heart and grit. Nailbiters that kept us on the edge of our seats. From basketball to track and of course, the cheerleaders that kept us on our feet, this is the best of the 2010-11 winter Friends Academy season.

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Sports: Go FA!

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FA 2011 Winter Sports

Boys Basketball win 1st state title

mike damm/friends academy

Sophomore post player Marissa Reyes executes great form in boxing out an opponent.

friends academy

The Varsity Boys Basketball team poses for a team photo after winning the state championship.

Boys Varsity Basketball: Close Score Keeps Games Exciting

T

he Friends Academy Boys Basketball Team, led by Coach Steve Hefele and Assistant Coach Bill Williams, continued their exciting run in the post season by making school history. They completed the season with their first ever Class C State Championship with an exciting semi-final 55-48 OT victory over I-Prep Grover Cleveindividual awards land and then defeated Syracuse Academy of ALL-COUNTY – TJ Hefele Science in the finals by a score of 46-44. It ALL-CONFERENCE – Marc Godlis, was the Quakers fourth visit to Tommy Costa, Kellan Sehring Glens Falls in the past seven seasons. State champions, Friends finished the season with a 17-4 record.

For Coach Hefele, the journey to the finals prepared the team for Coach Steve their final achievement. “I don’t think you can point to any one parHefele ticular moment in the season as pivotal. Team chemistry continued to develop throughout the season and really took off in the postseason. Playing in so many close games during the season helped prepare us and give us the confidence to succeed in all the close games in our playoff run,” said Hefele.

Junior Bennett Felder received the Sportsmanship Award, senior TJ Hefele was named to the All-Tournament Team, and senior Tommy Costa was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. “It is a great achievement to get to states, but to win it and do what no other FA basketball team has done is euphoric,” said Hefele.

“In some ways it is sad that it is over, but there is a tremendous feeling of accomplishment you share with a special group of people that you will always remember.”

2011 ROSTER: Drew Chartash, Eric Chen, Thomas Costa, Bennett Felder, Devin Gerzof, Marc Godlis, Kyle Grady, Travis Hefele, Bryan Judge,

Spencer Moslow, Jonathan Ramsay, Eli Rousso, Kellan Sehring, Trevor Williams. Managers: Drew Friedman, Kayli Kemperle, Alana Stein.

1st Small School Championship Girls Varsity Basketball: Edged out in LI Championship

T

his season, the Girls Varsity Basketball team, under the leadership of Coach David Gatoux and Assistant Coaches Julie Elencweig and Brad Jones, moved from an ability-based grouping back to an enrollment-based conference for the first time since the 2006-2007 season. While this change provided some uncertainty about what kind of season to expect from the elevated competition of the B/C Conference, ultimately the team responded with great resolve in making steady progress towards the goal of competing with the best teams in the conference. The team finished fourth in the conference, with a 7-7 conference record and 9-10 overall.

The season had many highlights, capped by the program’s first-ever Small School Championship with a victory over the ’B’ County Champs, Cold Spring Harbor. A never-say-die attitude was on display each and every night with the girls this season, highlighted by a great come-from-behind victory over Oyster Bay after trailing by 19 points at halftime and a focused 3rd quarContinued on Page 24

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Sports: Go FA! FA 2011 Winter Sports

Continued from Page 23 ter comeback versus Stonybrook School in the LI Championship before bowing to the hot-shooting Lady Bears in the 4th Quarter. Most importantly, following the example set by an extraordinary group of seniors and captains, the team stood united and supportive of each other through thick and thin, thereby living up to the team’s pre-game rally of “Tous pour Un, et Un pour Tous”….All for one and one for all!

2011 ROSTER: Jeanne Budd, Jalisa Clark, Holly Constants, Tara Judge, Kristina Kim, Margot Mangiarotti, Rose Mangiarotti, Reoni Mapp, Marissa Reyes, Dana Schlenger, Marissa Tidona

individual awards ALL-COUNTY – Reoni Mapp ALL-CONFERENCE – Rose Mangiarotti, Kristina Kim, and Marissa Reyes SCHOLAR ATHLETE – Holly Constants

Varsity Cheerleading: Forges Strong Fan Base

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he Friends Academy Cheer Program, under the leadership of Coach Jessica Spina and Assistant Coach Christine Botti, consistently dedicated itself to working hard each day at practice. The girls were able to cheer at our Varsity Basketball games as well as forge a strong bond with our fan base and community. This year’s captains helped make the transition from last year a smooth one: they helped teach cheers and were positive and supportive.

“Their leadership qualities will be sorely missed next year," said Coach Spina. “I would personally like to thank the team this year for making it a very special one for a new coach. We are all looking forward to next year by building on this year’s success. Congratulations on a great year!”

2011 ROSTER: Stephanie Batista, Catherine Bechand, Sarah Chartash, Stacey Danziger, Paulina Gordon, Kirsten Grady, Jessica Granger, Nicole Katz, Augusta Mayer, Lynda Negron, Michelle Quick, Taylor Quinland, Gabrielle Rechler, Cori Rooney, Jessica Sawicki, Haley Schanback

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michael damm/friends academy

Senior Alison Kennedy runs the 1500m at a winter track conference meet.

Team heads to state qualifier Varsity Winter Track: Girls 3rd in Conference

T

he Varsity Winter Track and Field team led by Coach Franklin Thompson and Assistant Coach Lauren Carballo showed steady improvement throughout the season. According to Coach Thompson, the start of the season was challenging. “At conference meets we were very competitive against all teams with most athletes having a heavy work load due to the small size of our team.”

This consistently challenging and relentless competition helped the girls team post a 3rd place overall finish at the Girls Conference 6 Championship. The girls put up an even better showing at the Class B County Championship, where, with a team of only 12 girls, they finished 8th out of 28 schools. This strong result qualified them for the state qualifier.

For a team of only eight boys, half of whom were 9th graders, the FA boys rose to meet a highly competitive conference.

Points proved to be very hard to come by at the conference championships but the boys demonstrated great effort in an 8th place finish. At the Class B County Championships, the team earned a 15th

place overall out of 28 schools, and one boy made it to the state Qualifier.

“I am very proud to coach a group of athletes with such talent, and I am also looking forward to an exciting and successful spring season,” added Coach Thompson.

2011 ROSTER: Robert Adams, Emily Browning, Patrick Crowley, Ian D’Silva, Ariana Farahani, Katrina Garry, Kira Garry, Lydia Graham, Brian Hom, Ian Hom, Alison Kennedy, Jahan Khan, Brittany Kriegstein, Amanda Lamothe, Sonny Lostritto, Glenn Lostritto, Sahil Massand, Carolina Mocorrea, Molly Sullivan, Candace Taylor

individual awards CONFERENCE CHAMPION AND ALL-COUNTY IN THE 55 METER – Brian Hom Conference Champion in 1500m, 3000m, All County 3000m and State Qualifier in the 3000m – Kira Garry Girls 4x400m Relay Conference Champion – Amanda Lamothe, Emily Browning, Candace Taylor, Lydia Graham Girls 4x800m Relay Conference Champion – Katrina Garry, Kira Garry, Molly Sullivan, Sonny Losttrito

Sports: Go FA!

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FA 2011 Winter Sports

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michael damm/friends academy

Sophomore Dwayne Taylor dribbles up court.

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JV Boys Basketball: Aggressive Defense

he JV Boys Basketball season this year can be summed up in just a few words: character and hard work. This season, the boys, under the leadership of Coach Matt Simeone and Assistant Coach Conor Reardon, finished with a 13-4 record which was a huge turnaround from last year’s 5-12 season.

According to Coach Simeone, much of the team’s success was due to the growth of players both on and off the court. In addition, those new to the team contributed their own unique characteristic. From the first day of the season, the team was instilled with a passion to work hard.

“As a team we prided ourselves on defense. Working hard on the boards and aggressive defense won us a lot of games this season,” said Simeone. “Every night there was a different player making a big play and contributing to the team and the victory. I am very proud of all the hard work the boys put into this season. We had a lot of fun and I wish the boys the best in their spring sports,” he added.

2011 ROSTER: Jack Bauer, Neil Boneparth, Nicholas Chapman, John Forlines, Kevin Isernio, Liam Kearney, Alek Kucich, Joseph Moodhe, Jonathan Nierenberg, William Sands, Jordan Schuss, David Sher, Dwayne Taylor

JV Girls Basketball: Played Teams Double Their Size

his year’s JV Girls Basketball team, led by Coach Amanda Longobucco and Assistant Coach Kristen Henniger, was presented with unique challenges. Playing the majority of the season with only one sub (and at times, no subs at all), the girls showed that they are true competitors, playing with teams two and three times their size.

Hustle and heart were key components for every game and practice. The commitment the girls showed all season long truly demonstrated their dedication to the team and to Friends. One example that sticks out was playing two girls down on the court against Malverne – the girls never once gave up. The sportsmanship and mental and physical toughness the girls exhibited are what makes competition so much fun.

This year’s team understood that there is more to playing sports than winning and losing. “They were small in size but big in heart, and I couldn’t be more proud of them,” said Coach Longobucco.

2011 ROSTER: Carolyn Cahill, Chloe Friedman, Brianna Izquierdo, Kasey Katz, Taylor McGowan, Madeline O’Brien, Danielle Rubenfeld. Managers: Cole Valentino, Andrew Feinstein

– Edited by Kathy Fox

michael damm/friends academy

Freshman Carolyn Cahill concentrates on a free throw.

AJ CONGERO/friends academy

The Middle School ice hockey team.

MS ice hockey paves way for US

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lancing at each other in both joy and disbelief, the coaches joined their players in a countdown, “3, 2,1!!

We won! We won!” Celebration quickly ensued on the ice at Chelsea Piers rink.

Friends Academy had just defeated Allen Stevenson, a team that beat them handily, 8-1, last season. Though it was only the first game of the season, the event was the culmination of three years of hard work and growing pains.

“These players have put their heart and soul into building a team,” beamed Coach AJ Congero. “They really are a special group of kids.”

Still in its infancy, the Middle School squad has done much to rebuild a program that at one time held the Long Island Varsity Ice Hockey Championship.

The grass roots campaign began with a handful of parents offering free hockey clinics for Lower School students in 2006; the majority of those participants are now the 8th grade athletes with the experience and skills to field a viable JV team for next year’s Upper School season. “There was a club team in the Upper School this year,” Coach AJ Congero explained. For the first time since its inception, the Middle School posted a winning record and was not shut out in a single game. Further, it was compiled of 6, 7, and 8th grade students and featured four girls, the most in the team’s short life. Continued school, parent, and student support guarantee that ice hockey is here to stay at FA.

– Kathleen Schalk

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Faculty Milestones Faculty Professional Development

Upper School French and Spanish teacher, Sara Pozzi, has been published in the NAIS Independent Teacher ejournal. Her article "Becoming a Student Again," highlights seven key elements about teaching that she learned after she took up her Spanish studies at Queens College this past fall.

Online at www.nais.org/publications/ itmagazine.cfm?ItemNumber=153729.

W

e hear wonderful things from former Assistant Head of School and Director of Development Alan Craig and his wife Mary, former Director of Admissions: “Things are really great for Mary and Alan Craig in Philadelphia. We’re doing a great deal of traveling; Greece in 2009, Turkey in 2010 and a Germany river cruise and Sicily coming up this year! We commute regularly from Philadelphia to our shore place at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Ian and his wife, Holly, their two sons, Holden and Cooper, are living in Nashville where Ian is Head of Harding Academy. David, who remarried this summer, lives in Colorado with his new wife Kristin and their two daughters, Bailie and Millie. Mary and I are busy with our volunteer life as CASAs (Court Appointed Special Advocates for abused and neglected children), and are very involved with the Broad St. Ministry which addresses the needs of the homeless in Philadelphia. I am a commissioner for Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools which accredits and reaccredits Independent Schools in Pennsylvania. If you’re near Philly, give us a call at 215-680-0444. We’d love to hear from you.”

Former 5th grade (Omega) teacher, James Betts, writes from Scotland: “I am at the Atholl Palace Hotel in Pitlochry for a week of Winter School which is run by the Royal Scottish Country Dancing Society, and it is for working on and improving Scottish country dancing technique (a passion of mine since I have retired).

Once this week is completed, my wife and I will travel around Scotland by train and ultimately end up in Edinburgh for a few days.

From there, we will take the train down to London and Former Fifth Grade visit friends for a few more Teacher James Betts days before we head home.” with his wife Grace at From the Talusan Vega the Ball at Blair Castle family we hear that,“Liza in Scotland.

Talusan (former 12th grade psychology, 6th grade health, Head Advisor, ACES) and Jorge Vega (former theater, physics, and network technology) are living just outside of Boston, MA. Jorge is the Director of Technology at the Sage School, and Liza is the Director of Intercultural Affairs at Stonehill College. Together, they have three children: Joli, Jada, and Evan. All the kids are doing well and keeping Liza and Jorge on their toes! Liza just recovered from a mastectomy, and received much

The Meeting House | Winter 2010-11

Read Upper School English teacher Gary Schmidt’s latest essay on Shakespeare in the collection, Lacanian Interpretations of Shakespeare: Volume XIX of the Shakespeare Yearbook.

The essay is entitled, "Pedringano’s Box: Kyd, Lacan, and the abysmal logic of revenge."

Upper School Art teacher and Art department head Lisa Waldstein has received a grant to join the University of Toledo sponsored Fulbright-Hays Group Project, "Lesotho and South Africa: A Curriculum Development Project Integrating Arts and Social Sciences." Lisa will spend a large portion of her summer in Africa.

Former Faculty Notes wonderful support from her Friends Academy pals.

An FA alumnus, Randall Phyall '04, now works with Liza at Stonehill, and they often talk about their fond FA memories! You can learn about Liza’s journey at www.marathonb4mastectomy.wordpress.com.

News from former Business Manager Jim Evans ’68: “Still working for Western Governors University.

Trying to help my parents with general daily routines.

I had a serious tear in my right eye retina this past spring, which, thankfully, was caught early and was repaired through laser surgery. The ophthalmologist told me that I was very lucky. If I had not treated it as soon as I did, the surgery would have been worse, or I might have even lost the use of the eye. It is amazing how much we take our eyesight for granted! One of the nice things about living in Louisiana is the great food. Watching calories is a challenge with so much great Cajun, Creole, and other typical Louisiana delicacies. I spend entirely too much time dining out. Also, I continue to enjoy the ’colorful’ history of LA from its involvement in the Civil War to the period when the Long family ’ruled’ the state.” Jim can be reached at (318) 254-3061 or jimmy.evans@ suddenlink.net.

Former French teacher and Alumni Director Alex Edwards-Bourdrez is enjoying his position as Director of Annual Giving at The Stony Brook School, where he was a four-year boarder back in the day. He does miss his friends at Friends, though – including, of course, the contact with the FA alumni community.

Thanks to Facebook, he’s still keeping up with who’s marrying and having kids, and while he’s responsible for hounding Stony Brook parents and alums for money, he asked us to include this familiar message: "The great academic and ethical training that FA offered came at a price that others before helped pay. See you at the NYC Reunion and Fall Fair!”

Holly English-Payne, former Administrative Support to the Director of the Arts and former Office Manager and Registrar for The Artist’s Institute, recently began a new job working as Connect to Care Administrator. The job includes a large marketing component, spreading the word about Connect to Care, which is sponsored by the UJA Federation and helping members of the Jewish community and other individuals who have lost their jobs because of the economic downturn. She works at the Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center off Northern Blvd. in Roslyn/East Hills. Holly can be reached at henglishpayne@sjjcc.org or 516-484-1545, ext. 212.

Former PE teacher and coach Jacquie Gow writes, “Hi. I am still at Glen Cove teaching Physical

Education in the middle school and coaching Varsity Lacrosse and 7/8 Volleyball at Glen Cove and Field Hockey at Greenvale in the fall. I have just been awarded the NYS APHERD Nassau Zone Middle School teacher of the year for 2010/2011. I am still NYS Coordinator of Girls Lacrosse and have been working on the issue of saying ‘No’ to helmets in girls lacrosse and in December was able to have the issue voted down in New York State – a very important milestone for the girls game.”

A tribute to Winifred White Mohaupt, former Director of Girls’ Physical Education, from her daughter, Margaret Whitney Shiels ’52: “My mother, Winifred Mohaupt, loved playing sports and especially tennis.

At home, we had a tennis court, so she played all the time. She loved to teach children: my Brownie and Girl Scout troops, my friends, and me. My senior year, the tennis coach left. I told the school that my mother could teach tennis. She started teaching girls’ tennis on a temporary basis. Well, she loved it. The girls did well.

The school loved her. Did I forget to say that my mother was very competitive? I have seen her beat men in tennis.

She had a powerful serve and played a powerful game. She was a fantastic swimmer and Winifred White basketball player. There was Mohaupt, former no sport that she could not Director of Girls’ play and coach except field Physical Education. hockey. She had never played (The Lamp, 1953) it before. Hockey was my sport. I loved it and the Varsity Team won All Long Island my senior year. The competition was played at Friends. My grandmother came down from Millbrook to see us win. After I went on to college, Mother stayed on and coached all the girls teams, becoming Athletic Director. She coached for many years after I married and moved to Texas. She also coached winning hockey teams by coaching herself on how to play the game.

Pat Parmelee was Mother’s assistant, and they became great friends. I saw Pat often. If I had a nickel for every time I was asked if I played tennis, I would be filthy rich. I was able to play all the games and did. It pleased my mother, but I would rather curl up with a good book or spend quiet time writing poetry or volunteering in the library. Mother believed that just because you were a girl, it was no excuse for not being a tough competitor. She believed in good sportsmanship, but you played to win.”

Alumni News

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from president the Peter Stein ’79

Dear Fellow Alumni, Friends Academy far behind. It remains a part of who we On page 32 you will read about Ruth Cotterill Richall are. June brings other exciting events to campus. On ards ’35 and her Reflections on a Lifetime of Friends. Ruth June 4th, the Class of 2006 returns to campus for their graduated from Friends Academy 76 years ago, and while Five-Year Reunion held at the Jackson House, and on the school has grown and changed since 1935, much has June 11th, the Class of 2011 throws their caps in the air remained the same. In a letter to the alumni office Ruth in celebration of their graduation from Friends. writes, “The quality of the education offered at FA is just All these events speak to the importance of staying amazing to me. There are soooooo many connected. During a snowy Friday in January, things to do and to learn. During President alums and future alums met at our first Obama’s speech last night [January 25, Alumni Mommy and Me Playdate in the newly 2011], when he was talking about the need renovated Kindergarten classroom. Alums and to make our schools better, I wanted to shout their toddlers spent a wonderful morning playout to him, ‘Look at the Quaker School on ing with Sara Weinstein and Jamiee Connors, Long Island and use it as the model for the our Kindergarten teachers, before bundling nation!’ I am so proud to have gone to ‘High up to tour the Early Childhood Center. Our School’ there, despite the vast differences Alumni Portal, which was launched recently, then and now." is one way to keep up with FA news. Take a Like Ruth, all of us have a special place tour of the site. You’ll see news about upcomPeter Stein ’79, in our hearts for Friends. As Ruth said, the ing events, links to class pages, and photos of Friends Academy quality of the education offered is amazing. fellow alums. Additionally, you can submit As you will read in fellow alum Lauren Put- Alumni a class note or update your profile. If you are ter Menzin’s ’81 article, The Friends Academy Association technologically challenged, give the alumni President Match, my own connection runs deep. I met office a call, and they can walk you through the my wife, and fellow alum, Susan (Witkoff ’84) process. at the New York City Reunion in 1994. At this year’s I hope all of you will find your way back to Friends New York City Reunion on June 6th at The Princeton/ for Fall Fair and Homecoming Weekend this coming Columbia Club, Susan and I will celebrate 15 years of September 24th. Let’s plan to meet under the alumni marriage. I encourage all of you to attend this wonderful tent! The Class of 1961 will have their 50th Reunion event. As we reunite with old friends and faculty, we are Luncheon on Friday, September 23rd and “specialreminded of what makes Friends such a special place… year” classes ending in 1 and 6 will celebrate significant and you never know who you will see there! A few days reunion years, so mark your calendars. later at Fourth Day Honors, the Class of 2011 will be Best wishes for a spring filled with warmth and peace. inducted into our Alumni Association. They will enter a new, exciting chapter in their lives, yet they never leave

Help us help you and your fellow alums stay connected

1

Send us your news and address and e-mail updates: Alumni Office Friends Academy 270 Duck Pond Road Locust Valley, NY 11560 alumni@fa.org; 516-465-1796

2

Connect by website: FA’s password-protected Alumni Community: www.fa.org/alumni Click on "Log into My Backpack"* on the left-hand side. Search by last name, maiden name, class year and profession.

3

Are you on Facebook?

Become a member of the Friends Academy group. Type "Friends Academy Alumni Association" in the search bar.

*If you do not know your username and password, e-mail Kathy Fox in the Alumni Office: alumni@fa.org.

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Alumni Profiles

The Friends Academy Match

From preschool sweethearts to reuniting years later, FA couples know Friends connection made their union special

(Standing, from left) Dan Leon ’79, Jim Perkins ’79, John Ottaviano ’76, Peter Hawkins ’81, Bobby Shea ’81, Jack Hawkins ’79, Nancy Langdon ’85, F.W. "Willie" Freese ’78, Ingrid Schneider Reiger ’81, Jeff Schneider ’78, Jim Allen ’78, George Hawkins ’54, Laurie Stein ’76, Vanessa Fromm Holloschutz ’78, Martha Brown Papalcure ’78, Sara Klocke Scarfone ’78, David Toher ’78 obscured by Bill Nichols ’79, Donna Imbesi Gavin ’79, Terry Gordon ’76, Kristen Fullam ’77, Doug Schneider ’79, Dave Titus ’81. (Front kneeling) Ellen Field Greene ’82, Marc Greene ’82, Joan Hawkins ’55, the groom, Tom Hawkins ’78, the bride, Nancy Toher Hawkins ’76, Kate Hawkins Schneider ’86, Robert Siegel ’79 and Greg Gavin ’78.

T

By Lauren Putter Menzin ’81

his year at the Friends Academy Fall Fair, my husband (Andrew Menzin ’81) and I (Lauren Putter Menzin ’81) sauntered into the alumni tent hoping to catch a glimpse of familiar faces from years gone by and to grab a cookie. While gazing at old photos and excitedly recognizing those from our era, Kathy Fox (the Alumni Affairs Coordinator) struck up a conversation with us and was intrigued to hear that we had met at FA and had attended the prom together almost thirty years ago! We agreed that it would be fun and interesting to reach out to other FA couples in the hopes of sharing a little bit about their lives and stories.

It turns out that there are at least 30 such unions that we know of (half of whom replied to our inquiries) and even more FA partnerships Lauren Putter Menzin ’81 and Andrew Menzin ’81

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that are not officially accounted for. I was moved by the enthusiastic responses of alums and former staff members and their willingness to share their stories. Most formed friendships as fellow teachers or students, which either evolved into long-term relationships or inevitable separations that led to circumstances in which they were reunited later in life. For example, Adam Good ’93 and Natalia Porcelli Good ’93 met in seventh grade at FA, had a first date to the movies and continued being great friends throughout Middle and Upper School. Natalia states, “We went to the prom together and ever since our love for each other has flourished. We will celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary this August.

We have really enjoyed returning to Friends as parents (our one son, Julian, is in Kindergarten) and feel incredibly fortunate that we are able to give him the same experience we had.”

Editor’s Note: Some of the following selections were edited for length. Read them in their entirety on the FA Alumni portal at www.fa.org.

Alumni Profiles Each couple’s story is unique and has its own twist of fate, best illustrated in their own words:

Longest Connections

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The first time was pre-school. We were three years old.

The second time was 1971. It was our freshman year at Friends.

The third time was year 2000, our 25th reunion…then we got married!”

Reunited at last Whether or not they dated at FA, these couples reunited or ended up together many years later.

J

oan Konvalinka Hawkins ’55 and George Hawkins ’54 celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary July 18, 2009!

Joan reminisces, “George and I started dating when he was a senior and I was a junior after a long bus ride from a St. Bernard’s football game in New Jersey.

Unlike so many high school romances that fizzle and die, ours withstood the years of separation.” They saw one another on weekends while he attended Lehigh (an all boys school back then) and she attended Bryn Mawr (both in PA). “His mother, bless her, saw to it that his allowance covered gas for the car, dinner and a place to stay on Saturday night! In essence, we were allowed the time to grow closer, not further apart, and it has been our good luck to continue to do so.”

C

athy Blechman Chermak ’75 and Terrence Chermak ’75 go way back to nursery school.

“Terrence and I met three times before we fell in love…

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ngela Tomlinson ’92 and James Tassie ’92 met at Friends Academy in 1990 in the 10th grade.

Angela shares, “We were good friends the first two years and then we started dating when we were seniors. We did everything together including going to the prom. After graduation, James went to Morehouse College in Atlanta and I went to Cornell University in New York. We stayed in touch for years but didn’t become a couple again until 14 years later when we [reunited] in Atlanta in 2006. After dating less than a year, I moved to Atlanta from NY and we were married in July, 2008 surrounded by friends and family.

We’re happy to report that we are living a great life in Atlanta and expecting our first child!”

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enelope Wylie Mayer ’75 tells the story of how she met Chris Mayer ’75: “Way before the internet and websites like Match.com there was a dating service called People Resources in NYC. Since I was always traveling for work, meeting no one, I thought I’d give this service a whirl. I went to their offices and spoke to a ‘dating counselor’ about my requirements for the perfect guy and went home to wait for them to propose some candidates. The ‘Very Next Day’ the phone call came from another member himself! He had seen my photo in the book, recognized me, tracked down my number and called. When he told me who he was, the first thing out of my mouth was “Are you Friends Academy Chris Mayer?” (Last time I saw this guy was 17 years prior on graduation day). We were not an item while we were at FA, but he did ask me out in 8th grade. We made a date to play tennis…and the rest is history.

We were engaged a month-and-a-half after that phone call, married 7 months later, and are now the parents of Augusta, FA class of 2013.”

S

usan Witkoff Stein ’84 and Peter Stein ’79 met at a NYC reunion in 1994…

Continued on Page 30

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Alumni Profiles

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Continued from Page 29 “We did not know each other at FA as I had already graduated when Susan started there in 9th grade. I remember calling Rita Linchitz, the Alumni Affairs Coordinator at the time, several days after the event to get her phone number, and we started dating months later. I had recently joined a private orthopedic surgery practice in Manhasset and Susan was working as an attorney in NYC. We eventually got married on April 20, 1996 (it will be 15 years soon!).

Susan moved to LI and we subsequently settled in Sands Point. She became a fulltime mom of three (Lizzy 12, William 9, and Alison 5), and I continue with a busy hand surgical practice out of NSUH and St. Francis. We have maintained our FA connection as I have been president of the Alumni Association for the past few years and our oldest, Lizzy, recently started at FA in the sixth grade. The school has had a profound impact on our lives and helped shape us into the people we are now. We feel privileged to call ourselves FA parents.

While our oldest child has only been [here] for a few months, it has been thrilling to watch her mature and be indoctrinated with the Quaker tenets we so value.”

Next Stop – Love…

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ole Trautmann ’ 01 and Kristina Pieper Trautmann ’00 met at Friends (“on the same bus, actually”) when she was a junior and he was a sophomore, in 1998.

“I had typically tried to get out of taking the bus to school before I met Cole (I had been driven by my older brother, and going back to the bus when they went

The Meeting House | Winter 2010-11

off to college was “so lame”). My mom definitely knew something was up when I suddenly stopped complaining and promptly waited for it day after day. We dated through college and law school, and the weekend of our wedding was our 12year anniversary! Cole is an insurance analyst and I’m a litigator and we live on the Upper West Side. We often think fondly of our days at FA and still keep in touch with many friends we made there.”

Faculty Tales

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arah Holland ’02 and Elias Roman ’02 first met at Buckley Country Day School in the 6th grade (1996) and started dating in the 8th grade.

Sarah recalls, “We both decided to come to Friends Academy, thrilled that we’d also be going to high school together. We ended up in the same group on our 9th grade camping trip and still liked each other after four days of not showering. Now that’s a strong bond! I can remember that one of the reasons I joined the cheerleading squad in 10th grade was that I knew Elias and I could have a free block together during PE time. Once Elias decided that wrestling was not for him in the 11th grade, he also joined the cheerleading squad and we [performed] together.

Consequently, he was FA’s first and last male cheerleader (he even got to keep the uniform!). Although Elias went to Brown University and I went to Boston College, we still managed to take the 2-hour public transportation trips to see each other on most weekends. We got married in 2009 and bought an apartment in Long Island City. We are very happy! Also, we are glad that we got to spend a lot of our time together at a wonderful place like Friends Academy.”

rie Shapiro Kraska ’93 and Todd Kraska ’92: “Each time I turned the corner and walked past the impressive beech tree still standing strong in the quad, I was reminded of the day my husband asked me out on our first date.

“Want to go to the Saints game on Friday with Al and Lisa?” Todd asked. I hadn’t the faintest idea who the Saints were, but I enthusiastically exclaimed, “Sure!” On March 8, 1990 we went to watch the NY Saints lacrosse game. Twenty-one years later, we remain the best of friends and celebrate each day with our beautiful children. Marley (almost 3) is curious and clever, while her brother, Luca (1 ½ ) is mischievous but extremely loving. I’ve gone from wrestling manager to fifth grade math teacher and coordinator of the After School Enrichment program. Marley will begin Playgroup at Friends and [we] are looking forward to our next role in the community. Todd is currently a financial advisor in NYC. Glen Head has been our home and we are proud to say that we still love to hold hands.

M

elinda Bradley and Matt Bradley (former FA sixth grade social studies teacher) met in Matt’s classroom on a spring day in 1995 when she was interviewing to be the seventh grade history teacher …

Matt recounts,“Ward Siebert was the department chair at the time, but was off-campus and, as fate would have it, I was asked to interview Melinda. It was meant to be! In trying to convince this young, attractive woman, just finishing grad school, to come to Long Island, I

Alumni Profiles told her how much fun the faculty had together. We went out a few times in the next year, encouraged by friends and colleagues like Bill and Louisa Garry (another on-campus couple). Our first real date came a year after Melinda started at FA. We had been running the Middle School mock election… and over fortune cookies and ballot counts [at Uncle Dai’s Chinese restaurant in Glen Cove] I wondered, “Why am I not dating this woman?” Truly, history brought us together. We were blessed to have our FA friends help us celebrate our wedding in the summer of 1998. Many of the sixth grade students that I had as advisees ended up being Melinda’s advisees in the seventh grade, so they had two years of being in the “Bradley Advisory.” They were “our kids” before we had our own. It’s an understatement to say that our time at FA has great meaning for us as educators and as a couple. Ten years, two more schools, and three children later, we have such fond memories of the community of wonderful friends, colleagues, students, and families who were there as we started our life.”

B

arbara Gallagher Erickson ’75 and Frank Erickson ’75: It was the early 70s, and Barbara, an anti-war guitarist and new to FA as a sophomore, meets Frank, captain of the football team and very much proNixon. Once they meet, they are forever inseparable. After marrying, they have two sons Reid and Kyle, who was born with Down Syndrome. Barbara spends a few years at Friends as Alumni director and then immerses herself in her sons’ lives.

Before Barbara and Frank know it, 30 years have passed. “Just this past Valentine’s Day, Kyle gave us a card and I will quote, in part, what he wrote: ‘Dear Mom and Dad, The day that you met was the best thing that happened to me.’ It’s hard to believe that we will be celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary this September.

Frank and I can truly say that attending Friends Academy truly made a difference in our lives and, we hope, in the lives of others.”

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Epilogue...

Liza Talusan, Jorge Vega and their three children Joli, 7, Jada, 4, and Evan, 1.

L

iza Talusan (FA 2000-2004: former 12th grade psych., 6th grade health, Head Advisor, ACES) and Jorge Vega (FA 1997-2004: former theater, physics and network technology).

Although they met a few years before working at Friends Academy, they were married in December 2000 (among the community).

“We were a young couple, just starting out, and were committed to “planning a wedding on a budget.” Ed Dugger stayed up late assembling flower arrangements and the bridal bouquet, students from Jorge’s classes took home CDs to burn our wedding favors (a compilation of our favorite songs!), and a few brave friends traveled the 3 hours to CT to attend our wedding in the snow. Our time at Friends also marked the birth of our first child.

And, it was the Friends community that protected us – rallied for us – when our little girl was diagnosed with cancer. We always felt appreciated at Friends. When Joli got sick, we felt loved. Truly loved.

Our fondest memories are during Friends Academy: late night theater rehearsals, Summerbridge lesson planning, informal dinners in the faculty apartments, Fall Fair, talks with students and parents. We always say we’d love for our children to attend a school like Friends – a place where people care deeply about the promise and future of each person. While we fell in love long before we began at Friends, it was at Friends that we truly felt loved.”

The love felt in this community is a testament to the strong, everlasting bonds of friendship and marriage that are created here and endure beyond the school grounds. Although the circumstances of how each couple met vary greatly, a common thread exists of fond memories of time spent here and hopes for future FA generations to come! After all, Andy and I remind our own children, Sydney ’13 and Marcus ’16, that it is entirely possible their prospective spouses could be in their FA classrooms right now!

Other FA couples that we just had to include: Amanda Levy Laserson ’93 and Jesse Laserson ’93 met their sophomore year at Friends and had their “one and only” high school date that year … spending the next few years as great friends. Ending up at colleges near each other, their “second first date” took place their first year of college. Amanda exclaims, “We’ve never looked back. " Becky Seaman Bonventre ’93 and Joe Bonventre ’93 met at Friends, started dating in college, and now live in NY with two boys, Ben and Dan. Elizabeth Ong ’01 and Stephen Withun ’01 married last summer after they reunited in Boston.

Damian Pieper ’00 and Kristen Kelly Pieper ’01 are also an FA couple who have two-year-old twins and are expecting a third!

Heather Tilton ’01 was Andrew Rubinstein’s ’01 date at his junior prom – and the rest is history. On July 3, 2010 Andrew and Heather became engaged. And to celebrate the one year anniversary of their engagement…they are getting married! The wedding is set for July 3, 2011.

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Alumni Profiles Ruth Cotterill Richards ’35

Reflections on a Lifetime of Friends

By Kathy Fox Alumni Affairs Coordinator

Ruth Cotterill Richards ’35 is one in a million – the kind of woman who reminds us all that with age comes wisdom, beauty of spirit, and an incredible collection of experiences. From her days as a Depression-era schoolgirl to her participation in the heady days of 1960s and 70s Washington politics, Ruth recalls her experiences with clarity and wit. A nonagenarian, Ruth is a woman I am proud to call my new friend. Here, Ruth shares her stories of both her school days and of the lifelong impact that Friends Academy has made on her.

The Friends Academy Girls Hockey team, circa 1935. Ruth Cotterill Richards ’35 is pictured on the far right.

on white linen three times a day, each meal served by a waitress. n the outside, Ruth’s Friends Despite such touches of finery, times Academy was a very different were hard during the Depression, and place from the one we know modesty was dictated as much by the today. Looking across the economic times as it was by Quaker values. campus, a visitor to Friends in the 1930s Ruth surmises that for theater producwould see girls in “gray-blue jumpers, tions, the student body “alternated ‘Pinmiddy blouses, socks and brown oxfords,” afore’ and ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ in oras Ruth described der to avoid the cost it, “the boys in of more costumes.” dark trousers and There were no music white, long sleeved, or art classes for lack shirts. Colored or of faculty. short sleeved shirts Still, the student for men and boys body was joyous were not dared yet.” and energetic. Ruth Boarding students fondly remembers began their days at athletics at Friends.

7a.m., when a staff “After lunch at member “woke us noon, we had two Ruth Cotterill Richards ’35 at 15 and celebrating a recent up by coming down birthday. classes and then at along the hall and last we could put swinging a big, loud, wooden-handled on our gym clothes and get outdoors,” she brass bell back and forth, stepping in time said. “There were two athletic fields. The with the ringing. When he reached the boys had one for football and baseball. end door leading to the boys’ side of the The girls had an identical one for field dormitories, he unlocked it and from their hockey on which, after we finished, side, he immediately relocked it,” Ruth the boys played lacrosse for fun. I don’t recalls. Students washed up in communal remember any competition or contention bathrooms with a tub, two washbasins, and between the boys and us; always we were two toilets – “showers,” Ruth writes, “were treated equally as far as I know. When an unheard of then.” At school, Ruth dined opposing team was playing against us in

O

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hockey, football or baseball, we all loved it. There would be buses bringing lots of spectators, local and opposing, and there would be refreshments served out of the little shed at one end of the hockey field. I think there were no cheerleaders or chants or even a school song, but there was a lot of joyful yelling on both sides.”

In the 1930s, Friends had a simple campus, just a schoolhouse with dormitories and an all-purpose gymnasium. But our modern campus follows the path laid out by Ruth, her classmates, and a favorite history teacher named Catharine Kerlin – Ruth recalls her still “with pleasure and admiration.” In the spring of Ruth’s senior year at Friends, Ms. Kerlin married Amos Wilder, brother of the playwright Thornton Wilder and a noted “scholar, minister, poet, literary critic, [and] writer of many books” in his own right. (Catharine Kerlin Wilder’s own memoir, Milestones in My Life, is available at Amazon.com). Ruth and four classmates were invited. “Of course we went to the wedding,” she remembers, “thrilled, wearing our best dresses, hats, gloves, stockings and high heels.”

Ruth recalls, “One of [Ms. Kerlin’s] many contributions to the school was her finding, off our hall, a small, windowless, empty and uncarpeted room, which she named ‘The Browsing Room.’ She contributed books and a table and suggested

Alumni Profiles that we each give a book and try to find a chair or two. Thus began a school library, at least for the boarding girls’ dormitory.”

While the school has, since the 1930s, changed physically, its heart and spirit remain the same. The Browsing Room may be a far cry from the Kumar Wang Library, but Ruth’s story proves that some things never change: memorable teachers here at Friends continue to have lifelong impacts on their students.

So too, have Friends’ Quaker values remained the same. Like many students today, Ruth did not come from a Quaker family, but the value of a Quaker education has stayed with her throughout the decades. At Friends in the 1930s there was no weekly Meeting for students; only boarders who stayed through the weekend gathered at the Friends Matinecock Meeting House each Academy in Sunday. Ruth, who came from Manthe 1930s. hattan, was a five-day boarder, but sometimes stayed the weekend. “With two separate front doors and separate sitting, there was mostly heavy quiet for about an hour in that lovely old, handmade, beautiful building,” she recalls.

Quakers in the Friends community did not make their religious presence known – Ruth identified them because, as she wrote, “they were exceptionally nice: Bob Peele, Francis Martling and Betsy Palmer…I did not then know or learn of ‘Queries’ but ‘Am I proselytizing?’ prevailed to such an extent that I think Quakerism was never mentioned and the only evidence of a religious feature inside the school itself, that I remember, was the moment of silence before all meals instead of the Blessing that seemed to prevail everywhere else (except in my own home).” Nonetheless, Ruth valued Meeting for Worship. “Knowing nothing of what had gone on there before we came nor what was going on behind the silence, it was a pleasure for me to just sit still with nothing at all required of me.”

The experience had a lasting impact on her life. *** n 1940, Ruth married Ben Richards.

Within a year of their marriage, Ben had quit his job on Wall Street and

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Walt Wilson ’34 Early Years at Friends Helped Shape Life to Come

C

olonel Walt Wilson entered Friends Academy as a first grader. Sitting two at a desk as the whole school gathered each morning, Walt began his school day with a prayer and a hymn led by Headmaster S. Archibald Smith. After a scripture reading and another hymn, Mr. Archibald would give the students the “event of the day,” at which point the Lower School students would head off to their homerooms. Walt doesn’t remember many of the details of his first grade year, but then again, it was 1923! As he explains, “moving into my 95th year slows me down.” What he does remember is that his early years at Friends were wonderful. “FA’s instruction, in my estimation, was outstanding and stood me in good stead many times in my life. I believe we started Latin and French in the 4th or 5th grade. This, for instance, helped me considerably later in my life when I was assigned to France during and after WWII.” For Walt, the school day ended at 2:15 – he was a day student, but many of the students at Friends were boarding students. Their school day continued until 5:00 p.m. and activities continued on into the evening. Walt was happy both at home and at school and was too young to think about the dorm activities he might be missing. Across the United States, women were fighting for equality, but according to Walt, there was no gender bias at Friends Academy. “It never occurred to me that I had any more or less opportunities as a male than the girls.” His family’s financial situation necessitated leaving Friends in the 9th grade, and Walt spent his high school years at Glen Cove High.

“After graduating from Glen Cove High, I had the good fortune to obtain a job with The Bank for Savings, one of the oldest savings banks in New York, as a clerk. When WWII was declared, I joined the US Army Air Corps as a 2nd Lt. (took an exam to attain that rank) and flew in B-26s – Martin Marauders – a twin engine medium bomber built by Glenn Martin. I flew out of England some 52 combat missions over Europe. I decided I wanted to stay in the Air Corps as a career and applied for and received a commission on the Regular Army Air Corps as opposed to a Reserve Officer. This ensured the continuity of my service.

A Reserve Officer could be dropped from active duty as the Congress decided and recalled later as needed. The US Army Air Corps became the Department of the Air Force. Following Staff Officer and Base Commander assignments, I retired in 1965 as a full Colonel.

I have never forgotten my days at FA and I am most grateful for the many opportunities they brought to fruition for me.”

joined the U.S. Army, where he stayed for the remainder of his career. Ruth followed her husband’s military postings around the world – when John F. Kennedy was shot, they were in Izmir, Turkey, on the Ionian Sea. Then, thirty years after graduating from Friends, Ruth and Ben settled

down in Washington, D.C., and she writes movingly of her experiences there: “ ‘Yet the mills of the Gods grind slowly’ still applies and the influence of Friends Academy on my life, beginning after thirty-some Continued on Page 34

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Alumni Profiles Ruth Cotterall Richards ’35

Class of 1935

Continued from Page 33 years following my graduation from Friends, has been large. In the spring of 1968, my husband, two daughters, baby grandchildren and I lived near the Washington National Cathedral, and we often

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heard the ringing of the Cathedral ing, quiet Quakers,” religion and politics bells. That year, for the first time, would intertwine – at times in ways one late afternoon in April, I heard she would never have imagined. Ruth’s them tolling, a loud, ominous sound, Meeting House in Washington had been and they tolled for a very long time. designed for President Herbert Hoover Passersby stood still, just listening as and his wife, our first Quaker couple in I did although the automobile traffic the White House, and as a result, had sencontinued. It was Dr. Martin Luther try boxes for Secret Service agents at every King Jr., murdered, ‘for whom the door. When Richard Nixon, our second bells tolled.’ The Sunday before, Quaker President took office, Ruth’s conI had walked over to the gregation decided to invite him Cathedral to stand in to a Meeting. Despite making the overflow crowd special mention of those outdoors in back and sentry boxes, Nixon never had listened to his responded to the invitation. sermon.

Ruth recalls the morning of June 18th, 1972. The In less than a Watergate Hotel had been week, and after those broken into the previous night, thirty-some years, I and Ruth, still unaware, arRuth Cotterill Richards’ drove down to Capitol senior yearbook rived as usual to the offices of Hill to the office of the portrait the Society of Friends.

“Helen Friends Committee on Thatcher, who was a volunteer National Legislation. There I in our Meeting, and I … found our door asked to be a volunteer. Those unlocked, our hundreds of files scattered amazing, quiet Quakers imall over the floor, stubs of green candles mediately put me to work clipon every desk and table.

There were deep ping newspapers (quietly) for scratches on the safe’s wheel but the safe Senator Robert Kennedy. Two still locked.

Bob Woodward mentions our months later, when he too was Meeting in his book about Watergate, All murdered, the bells were tollthe President’s Men.” ing again, and this time they Nixon once again figured in Ruth’s led me to attend the Meetings life at her husband Ben’s funeral – coinfor Worship at the Friends cidentally, the same day as Nixon’s own.

Meeting of Washington “A bugler on a hillside blew Taps,” Ruth where the Washington Peace recalls, “and then one of the Air Force Center was established upsoldiers carrying a carefully folded flag stairs in the attic and where, to me, stepped out of his shoe and was surprisingly, one of my best sock-footed as he handed me the flag. It friends from college (’39) was hard not to laugh.

There was no discovered me one Sunday music because ‘all the bands had gone to morning. In time, after we California for the Nixon funeral.’” both became members of the Society of Friends, fter a long and exciting career, she became Clerk of the Meeting, and I Ruth retired in 1983 – “before switched my volunteering to the Meeting anyone hinted that a younger and then gladly accepted the offer of the person might be better in my job,” she staff job of Assistant Secretary, working writes. “I am sure I never would have had for and with Friends full time for about the great pleasure of those times if I had 14 years.” not previously gone to the Friends School During Ruth’s tenure with the “amazin Locust Valley.”

A

Class Notes 1934 Walter J. Wilson 548 N. Main St. Apt. 314 Ashland, OR 97520 (541) 488-2389 wils2@mind.net Please turn to page 33 to read about Walt Wilson.

1935 You will find Ruth Cotterill Richards’ story, Reflections on a Lifetime of Friends, on page 32.

1940 Florence Milyko Skinner 4202 Avalon Drive East New Canaan, CT 06840 203-966-9475 nightingalelady@att.net Florence Milyko Skinner writes about her “anything but quiet” life and old friendships: “You haven’t heard from the Class of 1940 for some time but that doesn’t mean that we’re slumbering, just more quiet, I guess. I’m not referring to myself as I’m anything but quiet, nor have I lead a quiet life. But before any self-indulgence, I want to share the news: I am in constant touch with one of our classmates who has been a very close personal friend ever since we’re approximately fourteen years old and that special person is Joan Tuthill Munhofen.

She remains tucked in her beautiful home in Brookhaven, L.I. with her husband of sixty-six years, and I think that in itself is earth-shattering. Her husband, Blair, built their home himself so many years ago and still does all its maintaining himself. Since I live in New Canaan, Connecticut and she is out near the tip of Long Island we don’t manage to get together as often as we’d like but we are in touch, and that’s what counts. For myself, after a career of many years as a concert singer, both here and abroad, I continue to teach singing, and next month in March I will have been teaching for thirty-four years and still loving every moment of it. My husband and I lived in Virginia Beach, VA, but when he died of multiple myeloma, I returned north to be near the constant artistic pulse of New York City, where I had lived and performed for so many years. I’m now only an hour away and go to the City regularly. It would be such a pleasure to hear from any of my classmates,

35

wherever they may be. I’m ashamed to admit that I haven’t been out to FA for many years and am almost afraid to see the changes of such magnitude, all good, I’m sure, for I read the Meeting House news avidly.

1942

Helen Craft Price 173 Ocean Pines Terrace Jupiter, FL 33477 friscomaru1@aol.com

1945 Joy Mayes Brown 2110 West Center Road P.O. Box 239 Otis, MA 01253 (413) 269-6398 hopbrook1@verizon.net Sheila Morrisey Potter 37 Lawnwood Avenue Longmeadow, MA 01106 (413) 567-0988 sheila77long@aol.com

1946 Evelyn Broglio Diefendorf 355 Lake Forest Drive, SW Pinehurst, NC 28374 (910) 295-3680 pinedief@embarqmail.com This fall, the Class of 1946 will celebrate their 65th Reunion! So mark your calendars for September 24th and get ready to share good memories with your good friends from Friends.

1947 If anyone from the Class of 1947 would like to be the class representative, please contact us at alumni@fa.org. We would love to hear from you!

1948 Marian Schwartz Feniger 16 West 77th St., Apt. 9E New York, NY 10024 (212) 362-8968 srajerry@aol.com Marian Schwartz Feniger writes: “The good news is that I recently heard from Betsy Newman Ward. She has sold her big house in Sharon, VT (which some of us have

Jim Stockton ’50 visiting from his home in California and Jackie Moore Copp ’50

visited to reune) and has moved to a smaller house in Randolph. She is enjoying it and reports good news about her children and grandchildren. She has also been in touch recently with Jane Hindle Bamberg who has returned from a family visit in California to her home in Maine. The sad news is that my husband of 59 years, Jerry Feniger, passed away on September 21, 2010, after a short illness. And I have just received further sad news that Arvid Strom passed away on March 8, 2011. I had been in touch with Arvid regularly for many years and knew his health had not been good but his sense of humor remained. I will miss our heated e-mail enjoyable political disagreements.

1949 If anyone from the Class of 1949 would like to be the class representative, please contact us at alumni@fa.org. We would love to hear from you!

1950 Suzanne Didier De Vito 59 West 12th Street, 16A New York, NY 10011 (212) 627-7103 suzannedv@sprintmail.com

Sue Didier De Vito reports, “In the last (and current) Meeting House, classmate Jim Stockton had his very own page, as well he should. He and his wife Karen have made a bequest to Friends Academy, Jim expressing fond memories of his years at Friends and the profound influence the school had on his life.

That life included his return to California after Friends and graduation from Stanford University. Then the Navy made him an offer he couldn’t refuse, and he spent the next few years in Tokyo as an illustrator on “Stars and Stripes.” Once mustered out of the armed forces and back in California, Jim began to

The Meeting House | Winter 2010-11

Bequest a Academy

– Jim Stockton ’50

aking M Friends to

"Friends Academy was an enormous help and model for me and my life."

W

hen Jim and Karen Stockton sat down together to make their will, they wanted to recognize and remember the places that were most important and had a lasting impact on their lives. “We have no children, no family at all, and we have the luxury and pleasure of leaving our estates to organizations that have made our lives better and happier – among them: the San Francisco Symphony, the San Francisco Opera, Stanford University, Stanford Crew, and, of course, Friends Academy,” Jim said.

Jim recognizes how instrumental the faculty at Friends was in making him the person he is today. “I thoroughly enjoyed the faculty – particularly Mr. Springsteed, Mrs. Wilt, Mr. Stubbs – well, all of them. They combined to make me appreciate learning and doing well in school,” Jim said.

Jim Stockton is a retired graphic designer and founder of a design firm. He lives in northern California with his wife Karen and their dog.

Jim has fond memories of his time at Friends Academy. “My tiny family was in California.

Friends was actually my home. I loved it.” It is in this spirit that Jim has made his bequest to Friends.

Please join JIM and the many others, who have included Friends in their estate plans:

You can make a gift that has a substantial, long-lasting impact.

You can leave a legacy and recognize the value Friends holds in your heart.

You can make a difference in more students’ lives with a bequest than with a gift that comes from today’s income or savings.

A bequest is a simple way to make the maximum positive impact without compromising your lifestyle or budget.

For information on how to include Friends Academy in your estate plans, how to establish an endowment, or to discuss ways to match your interests with school needs, contact Director of Development Carl Pozzi at carl_pozzi@fa.org or 516-393-4269.

Strong Minds.

Kind Hearts.

Class Notes build his professional life as an artist and graphic designer. He’s owned his own firm for about 45 years, serving principally the publishing industry and traveling all over the world in search of high quality printing for his clients. His success was such that he bought a small building in San Francisco to house the firm and its staff of a dozen or more people. In the early 70s, Jim bought a spectacular piece of land on the northern California coast where a surf-pounded beach nestles between two forested areas. Jim and his wife Karen own a condominium in San Francisco, and now that Jim has retired, they divide their time between city and country.

Jim recently visited Friends and observed that while it is lots larger than in our day, it still has the style and feeling of the original.

Jackie Moore Copp welcomed Jim, as she did me back in October last year. (As you can see, Jackie is still in that neck brace as she was last fall.) Jim promises to be in touch when he next comes to New York, and I promise to make a little gathering of us nearby alums when he does.

1951 George H. Gifford, Jr. 12 Oak Ridge Road Stony Brook, NY 11790-2011 (631) 751-7489 This fall, the Class of 1951 will celebrate 60 short years since graduating FA. So mark your calendars for September 24th and get ready to share good memories with your good friends from Friends.

1952 Margaret Whitney Shiels 5427 FM 2515 Kaufman, TX 75142 (972) 962-8124 mspaumanok@aol.com Barbara and Bob Burian report that they too are a part of the “Bionic Set.” Barbara had double hip replacement. After recovery they eased the pain with a trip on a “tall ship” to the Caribbean. Sadly they have lost beloved horses and a cat. An “educruise” last summer with lectures and interesting people included Gibraltar, Spain, Corsica, and Channel Islands. They enjoy grandchildren Grace and Witt. After two precious daughters, Bob has another “man” in the house at last! Connie and Bob Wilkinson have purchased a second home in Arizona to spend those frigid winter months.

Last fall the Wilkinsons spent 2 weeks in France, where they used to live, visiting old friends and then flew on to Ouagadougou for 4 weeks with son Bruce (a diplomat) and family. They have visited son Jens and family in Tokyo, daughter Wendy and family in Portland and daughter Kari and family in White Plains. Beautiful Port Ludlow, WA, is home from April through December and then off to AZ. The Wilkinsons say that the welcome mat is always out – I guess if you can find them home with their activities listed as: bridge, tap and line dancing, canoeing, hiking, biking, book clubs and wine tasting. (Hopefully wine tasting is last because they should be exhausted from all that activity. I know I am, from just reading it!) Heather MacDonald Poetzsch comments that “it is disconcerting to look at The Meeting House and realize that we are now one of the oldest classes. I remember reading about my mother’s and father’s classes and thinking, WOW, that is a long, long time ago…and now we are there! We haven’t done much traveling and are content to go to our cabin in the mountains that is really beautiful in the spring and summer. We go to the gym on a regular basis and feel that it helps stay mobile. We have not been to Locust Valley in a while and hear that the traffic is terrible now. Most of my friends have moved.” Heather is also in the “bionic set” with a shoulder replacement and a device for a hole in her heart that she was born with and that they just discovered!

Heather commented that there are so many bionic persons on their road that they laugh about not being able to fly together because they would never make the plane what with being patted down, scanned and undressed.

(Heather also asks what we think of the new Meeting House design. She prefers the old covers and so do I. The new one looks like every other magazine and is not unique like Friends Academy and the old covers.)

I was delighted to hear from Terry Larson Scheetz. She thanked me for being “den mother” to the class of ’52! From October to May they are in Spring Island, SC and summer in Pittsburgh. Terry is busy with Beaufort, SC “Open Land Trust.” Also she is still active in Planned Parenthood and women’s health and education. “Last year I had a ball taking the 3-month Master Naturalist course which looked at most of the creatures here that swim, crawl or fly.

We had a marvelous trip to Italy. Lived in Montepulciano for a week of language classes and on to Portofino on our own. Our children are so scattered in Seattle, SF, NJ, and Alabama, we try to head their way or get them here or to PA in the summer. We

37

had a family jaunt up in the San Juan Islands last summer which got us all together.”

Good news from Fay Tegtmeyer Biggins, after suffering with back problems for a long time, some smart doctor found a blocked artery in her leg! Voila! A stent later, she is 100%. Fay has connected with her paternal grandmother’s family in Venezuela. When her 90 year old Vermonter cousin celebrated her birthday, her family invited family from around 12 US states and Venezuela. Fay and daughter Nancy attended. Some of the family put together a family tree so everyone could see the connections. Says Fay, “We descended from the Romans and have many common strengths and values. Wherever we lived, we are standing up for those less fortunate…One of my distant cousins is opposition leader to Hugo Chavez and is on his hit list.” Fay spent the holidays with her daughter in Tucson. Having not heard from Van Hanford McDonald in a while, I gave her a call. She and Daniel have settled into their new house and are active in the retirement area. She plays a lot of bridge and teaches art history classes and gives art history lectures. She volunteers in a store on the grounds of the retirement facility. The proceeds go to a scholarship fund for the young people who work there. Her daughter has recently finished a course with Barbara Brennan Healing. Van had taken the course years ago and used the healing arts herself.

Several months ago, Van fell and broke a leg, wrist and finger. We agreed that we all need to be very careful where we put our feet! The Golden Years are hazardous. It is always fun to talk to Van. I miss her. As for Den Mother, Margaret, we are very much the “Bionic Set.” Robert has 2 new knees and a pacemaker. So far I have all my original parts and take no medications. Fingers crossed. Flying anywhere is an experience.

Robert is treated like a terrorist even though he can’t outrun anyone. I always have a book to read while he is being patted, etc. My grandmother (after whom I am named) lived to be 97 and always said that the brain is like any other muscle in the body, you have to keep it active. Robert feeds the cows on the big tractor hauling 2 large bales at a time.

He fixes fences and always has a hands-on project going in his workshop in the barn.

We are adding a courtyard in the front of the house. The 6 ft. walls will match the house with stucco and stone. Since our house is on 300 acres on the side of our 20 acre lake, it is very private. Granddaughter Sara wants a hammock, and I envision family meals under the oak trees. I am still a book worm. I give book reviews at the Fort Worth Woman’s Club where I have been a member

The Meeting House | Winter 2010-11

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Class Notes

Class of 1958 Service Club

for 44 years. Two book clubs, Friends of the Library and the Book and Author Luncheons that I started when I moved here 11 years ago keep me busy. We have sold over 200 tickets 2 years in a row. Texas writers are generous with their time and there are some wonderful ones. I bought a Barnes and Noble NOOK e reader. Great for trips but dangerous for the pocketbook. I can walk down the B&N aisles and press “buy” on my NOOK. I enjoy my Monday watercolor class and the interesting people in it. Please, “Mrs. Wilt’s Angels,” if you change address, email, phone etc, let me know. Also, keep in touch. I worry when I don’t hear from you. Our welcome mat is always out. Come for a visit and kick back in the quiet Texas countryside.

1953 Timmie Buck Wiant 6369 Pershing Avenue St. Louis, MO 63130 (314) 726-2564 Timbuck2@wiant.net

1954 If anyone from the Class of 1954 would like to be the class representative, please contact us at alumni@fa.org. We would love to hear from you!

The Meeting House | Winter 2010-11

1955 Arthur M. Geoffrion 322-24th St. Santa Monica, CA 90402 (310) 394-0185 arthur.geoffrion@anderson.ucla.edu Naomi Johnson Dempsey 69 Webster Point Rd. Madison, CT 06443 (203) 245-7617 Naomi.Dempsey100@gmail.com Our class wishes to pay tribute to Doris Atwater Bouwensch, who has served tirelessly as our class correspondent for most of the last half century. Considering this remarkable fact and the hundreds of individualized letters she penned to all of us, we shall ever be in her debt. Her health is fine, but she has decided to give someone else an opportunity to serve. Naomi Johnson Dempsey has graciously agreed to take up the mantle as class correspondent. Welcome, Naomi!

She reports that there was a delightful dinner at Nassau Country Club last Homecoming Weekend attended by herself and Clark Denslow, Bernadette and Owen Smith, Joan and George Hawkins, Morley and Ann Smith, and Betty and Ward Burian ’54. Sandy Abramson, long retired, enjoys skiing with the Grumman Ski Club, which has a lodge in

Ludlow, VT near Okemo Mountain. George Cadwell writes, “I have grown spurs on my Achilles heels, making it uncomfortable to stand on hard surfaces for long periods and so have retired from testing ChemBio units in our Embassies. I finished 2010 with jobs at our consulates in Tijuana and at the U.N. in Manhattan. My namesake grandson, George IV, lives in Manhattan and we were able to see “Jersey Boys” and “Memphis” during my stint. Also with family in 2010 did three Caribbean Cruises, two Jimmy Buffet and one Lynyrd Skynyrd concerts, a summer week in Tybee plus East Carolina Univ. home games and finally the week before Christmas on Oahu. Now living mostly groundhog days; exercise, books and family. Enclosed are the 2010 Family Picture at Tybee and a picture of my kids of whom 60% this year will be over the age of 50. Don’t seem possible.” (The photos are posted in the Class Notes section of our class website.) George has a total of 5 children, 12 grandchildren, and one great grandchild. He also has a large step-family with his second wife Myrna of 39 years: 6 children, 19 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. That must be some kind of record. Connie Eadie and Mike Hellman’s oldest daughter, Deborah Bonser, has recently moved to Hilton Head where they live. She is an outstanding tennis player, and is pleased to find other tennis players in her age group since Hilton Head tends to be a retirement and vacation area. Connie and Mike still love traveling and are back from ten days on the Baja Peninsula in Mexico. Last year, they toured the western United States. Now they are headed to Florida to watch their grandson play baseball for Washington University in St. Louis on his spring break. Connie and Mike will be heading to Maine later this spring. Connie has gone back to playing tennis after a year off and Mike is still involved in two Boards of Directors for Sea Pines Plantations, the community they live in. Sallie Hickock Ward is still working part time at a local health care facility. Rick Randall was a PE teacher and coach for many years, then for nine years was a Job Coach for a special needs high school student outreach program (students 14-21). Currently he is working with special needs students in an elementary school. Rick and Sally still have time to enjoy the Caribbean and their place on Schroon Lake in the Adirondacks. Julie West Stein is still a full time Legal Assistant at a law firm in New York City where she lives.

Class Notes 1956 Anne Wauchope Smith 297 London Drive Beaconsfield Quebec H9W 5Z1 Canada (514) 695-1951 awsmith@total.net This coming fall the Class of 1956 will celebrate their 55th reunion. So mark your calendars for September 24th and get ready to reconnect with old friends.

Congratulations to Maria Espinosa (nee Paula Cronbach) who recently received a Josephine Miles Award from PEN Oakland.

The Awards Ceremony was held on December 11th in Oakland. Also, an article Maria wrote on traveling in Australia as an older woman can be found at www. tertuliamagazine.com.

1957 Roger O. Sanders 324 Fishing Ln. Deland, FL 32720 (386) 736-0815 ramblinrog38@cfl.rr.com Judy Webb Kilmartin reports she is off to her 50th anniversary at Skidmore. Judy lost her husband of 42 years a few years ago but family and friends have helped with the adjustment. Judy has a new friend – an 8 ½ pound Lasapo puppy by the name of Maggie.

Victor Haughton lives in Wisconsin with his wife Kristi, a Norwegian citizen. They have three grown children in CA and MA. Victor works part time at the University of Wisconsin and in Norway. John Hadden is still conquering the world in the BioTech sphere with his Ph.D wife. Last July they celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary themed 50 years of being in love. John’s two sons, Harvard & Yale graduates, are married and added 3 1/3 grandchildren to the Hadden family. Penny Cox Edelman and her much younger husband live in Sun Valley, Idaho in the winter and Hood River Oregon in the summer along with her cats. Penny still does cross-country skiing and belongs to a women’s ski group called VAMPS. Two of her three children live there along with one grandchild and 5 granddogs (you read that correctly). Nikki Penny Riddle attended our Class Reunion last year and enjoyed it.

She says everything is about the same, lots of groups, traveling and spending time with her daughter. Marty Mellon Donohue made the tail end of our 50th at FA and only got to

see Judy Webb and Nikki Penny. She and her husband have a condo in Deerfield Beach.

He goes down in March and she travels back & forth since she is still working at Vanity Fair and a travel agency. Thinks she may retire at 75! Roger Sanders still lives on a little lake in DeLand, FL with his wife Pauline. She is from Edmondston, CA where they spend a few weeks each year at her family cabin in the mountains. Roger says he doesn’t text, tweet, or use complicated cell phones. Alex Haberle Dauvergne-Dunn, from last reports, is living on Cape Cod in Orleans and is a private practice psychotherapist.

Maybe she still skates. No one has heard anything from her in some time. We are saddened to report that Pat Rauch McIrvin lost her battle against cancer and passed away on March 24. She will be sorely missed and always remembered for her caring and giving nature. We had a surprise e-mail from Kathy Jolowicz who only attended FA in 1954 but remembers Kirsten Eaves (her roommate), Gay Menkel, Sue Kahn, Lee Story, Joyce Chapin, Carol Mawby, Sue Singer, and Sandy Monroe.

And of course Mr. Paine. John Finn says his memories and skills learned at FA were the best! John is retired and he and Marianne are enjoying their 49th year of marriage in their lake home in Atlanta, a little traveling and a cruise. Their daughters Heather and Lauren are both successful business women in New England. John talks frequently with Wally Cook. Wally is still playing tennis, golf and volleyball.

1958 If anyone from the Class of 1958 would like to be the class representative, please contact us at alumni@fa.org. We would love to hear from you! Shirley Sanders Warrick ’59 reports that in 1950 and again in 1958 the students organized by themselves the First Friends Service Club. This tradition of service to others is at the heart of a Friends Academy education.

1959 Abbie G. Freedman 1312 Mark West Spring Rd. Santa Rosa, CA 95404 (707) 579-1312 abgfree@comcast.net Anne Schwiebert 1075 Mill Creek Drive Southold, NY 11971 (631) 765-1202 vzes47mg@verizon.net

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As many of you know, Anne Schwiebert is currently dealing with difficult health issues.

And so to you Anne, all of your friends from Friends send their love and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

1960 Dona Fagan Arnow 14901 Talking Rock Court North Potomac, MD 20878 (301) 294-0823 arnowtrans@aol.com In a post reunion letter to her classmates, Dona Arnow writes, “To all of you – (I hope this goes to all of you) – Our family and friends are asking me how the reunion went. And all I can say is ‘Um.....it was..... absolutely....unbelievably great!!!!!’ I’ve got to tell you that I haven’t had so much fun in years, teaming up again with all my fellow miscreants!! It was fabulous!! Now, we cannot let another 50 years go by!!! So, let’s keep putting our heads together and PLAN!!! We have already picked out two venues: Our deck next year, and then Mike Samuels’ Greek island. Now we need more suggestions. Also, when it comes time for the next issue of The Meeting House, I am looking forward to being inundated with news from all of you!! Anyway, it was so wonderful seeing you all. It brought back gentler, easier times, and I for one really needed that. I’m sorry some of you couldn’t make it, Annie and Theo among others.

Hopefully next time everyone will be able to be there. So, for now, love you all, and See Ya Soon!!!!! Dona

1961 Park Benjamin, III P. O. Box 368 Oyster Bay, NY 11771 (516) 922-9537 pbenjamin3@optimum.net Park Benjamin writes, “Well it’s finally here – Our 50th Reunion Year. We will be celebrating this fall at the Fall Fair and Reunion Homecoming Weekend scheduled for September 23-25th. Among the highlights will be a Class of ’61 luncheon on Friday, September 23rd, the annual Fall Fair on Saturday, September 24th, a reception at the Head of School’s home also on Saturday, followed by a dinner Saturday evening.

For those who desire, Quaker Meeting on Sunday will welcome all of us who wish to attend. As Craig White and I develop the plans

The Meeting House | Winter 2010-11

40

Class Notes

in more depth with FA, we will let you know.

Expect to see a class page on the fa.org website and a dedicated Facebook page (FA 1961) for those of us into social networking.

Early indications are for an excellent turnout.

We’ve already heard from Eric Hayden, Alice Ingraham Davies, Susan Galbraith Markey, Pam Harris McClure-Johnson, Michael Cronbach, Linka Oelsner Lewis, Ruth Edmonds Naylor, Dibbi Hickok Barden, Phil Lustig, Susan Fisher Curtis ....” By the way, Susan Fisher Curtis has exciting news. She reports that “This spring I will join a college classmate and walk at least part of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, starting in St. Jean Pied de Port, and getting as far as we can. The whole walk is 700 km, so I doubt we’ll make it all the way, but who knows?” Susan also writes, “Although I did not graduate with the class of ’61, because my family moved upstate the summer before my senior year, I consider myself a member of that class, and plan to attend the reunion.”

1962

Cyndy Beach Koch ’73 at her daughter’s wedding.

Randi Reeve Filoon P.O. Box 5495 Ketchum, ID 83340 (208) 788-1734 filoons@yahoo.com

1966

1963

Helen Lotowycz Rising 98 South Bay Avenue Brightwaters, NY 11718 (631) 666-0135 HRising@aol.com

Barbara Shoen Brundige 367 Split Rock Rd. Syosset, NY 11791 (516) 922-3944 bjbrundige@aol.com

This fall, the Class of 1966 will celebrate their 45th Reunion! So mark your calendars for September 24th and get ready to share good memories with your good friends from Friends.

Paula E. Howe 4914 Eigel Street Houston, TX 77007-3326 (713) 863-7541 phowe0612@comcast.net

1967

1964

Diana Dickson-Witmer 24 Brendle Lane Greenville, DE 19807 (302) 656-1190 ddickson-witmer@christianacare.org

Suzanne Notides Melzig 104 E. Hillcrest Ave. Richmond, VA 23226 (804) 358-7626 snmelzig@comcast.net

Scott W. Tilden 506 Hogan Court Doylestown, PA 18901-5900 (215) 491-9319 swtilden@earthlink.net

1965

1968

Robert D. Tilden 3640 County Road 16 Montour Falls, NY 14865 (607) 535-2217 rdtilden@yahoo.com

Lesley L. Graham 615 NW Murphy Blvd.

Joplin, MI 64801 (417) 781-1858 llgraham@cableone.net

The Meeting House | Winter 2010-11

Once again it’s challenging creating some exciting news about our class and hard since we graduated so long ago – wow hard to believe it’s going on 43 years but here goes.

Laurel Brandt writes: “In November 2010, our daughter Sydney and her husband Eduardo gave Art and me our first grandchild: Úrsula (also known as “Sula”). Sydney’s return to work coincided with my retirement from public service. So, after nearly 2 decades as a prosecutor, I am now a nanny. And I am exhausted! Babysitting is more arduous than trying a murder case! Once Sula is able to go to the nearby child care center, I may practice law again. Hope you and yours are doing well. Karin Neilson writes: “My travel adventures continue; I’m about to return to Africa for another consulting and training event. And in my spare time, I continue to knit hats for the kids at local homeless shelters, as well as finger puppets for the children in the local cancer ward. In December, I had a speaking engagement with the local chapter of the AAUW. The event focused on “Women in India, Africa, and Kuwait,” recounting some of my experiences in those countries as they relate to the advancement of women and their opportunities. Plus, I continue to make occasional presentations to local college students. Betsy Billhardt and I are trying to keep in touch online; we both admit to being workaholics so it’s not as fluid or constant a communication as it might be, but there’s hope on the horizon. Received a Christmas card from Johnny Malcolm. He was re-elected to his 4th term in the Vermont Legislature.

Still continues to bale hay on the farm and sends his very best to all the 68ers. I stay in constant contact with Kathy Attridge Anas and all is well with her and she too stays in touch with Sally Rising Dean. Had a great call with Duncan Guild and he shared both kids are out of college and all is well in Colorado. Greg Tarone stays in great contact and is busy as ever enjoying living in Connecticut. Jim Evans writes, “There is not too much new to report. Still working for Western Governors University. Trying to help my parents with general daily routines. Dad surrendered his driver license this year. I may have already told you that, so I apologize if I am redundant. I try to help my Mom make sure that Dad gets to the things he formerly drove to. I had a serious tear in my right eye retina this past spring, which, thankfully, was caught early and was repaired through laser surgery. The ophthalmologist told me that I was very lucky. If I had not treated it as soon as I did, the surgery would have been worse or I might have even lost the

Class Notes

Four generations of Risings enjoying each other in Islamorada, Florida

use of the eye. It is amazing how much we take our eyesight for granted! One of the nice things about living in Louisiana is the great food. Watching calories is a challenge with so much great Cajun, Creole, and other typical Louisiana delicacies. I spend entirely too much time dining out. LOL!! Also, I continue to enjoy the ’colorful’ history of LA from its involvement in the Civil War to the period when the Long family ’ruled’ the state.” I survived my sixth year in Joplin and onto seven. I started my sixth year this January of 2011 with my job for the corporate office at Management Recruiters International. It gives me the opportunity to do some travel and still work from a home office. I have sad news to report on January 19th Dad passed away at 95½ years old. He loved to hear all the news of the class and I will miss him dearly and treasured these past years with him. He said a few days before he passed “tell people I won’t be around as Peter has called me to design some new gates.” He never lost his humor. Have a great 2011. I appreciate your keeping the news coming and it would be great to have much more from all of you. Friends Academy was such an intricate part of my life, 13 as a student and 5 as a faculty member; the memories are cherished. All the best to the “friendly class.”

- Lesley Graham

1969 Jane Forelle Casey 1190 Pequot Ave., P.O. Box 469 Southport, CT 06890 (203) 292-3644 forlkc@optimum.net Russ Notides writes (I’m now using that term very loosely to include email, Facebook, twitter, whatever) that while San Francisco is still very much home, he’s been living in NYC for much of the past couple years. Having sold his software business to Microsoft in 2009, he’s free to spend more time in NY where his wife works for

Christie’s. Russ also notes he’s been busy with Broadway show productions and regular travel back and forth to San Francisco. Russ and his wife have 3 children, one in the SAIS program at Johns Hopkins, one living in Shanghai, and the third just graduated.

Patricia Adelson Gould says she never got to know many people in our class very well, but is hoping to get to know us better through Facebook. After she left Friends Academy, Patricia attended the Baldwin School in Bryn Mawr, PA, where she became a Christian.

Currently, she works full time at Au Bon Pain, a coffee shop at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. Other interests include working on a fashion show to benefit the Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in May of 2012 and she makes custom hand braided rugs – if you need a bite to eat in Quechee, VT, stop by Dana’s by the Gorge and you’ll get to see one of Patricia’s heart braided rugs in its entryway. Candy Barr splits her time between VT and AZ, painting landscapes, portraits and figures. She especially enjoys being outdoors, painting on location.

Check out her blog at www.candybarrartist. blogspot.com to see some of her work or contact her directly (e-mail me for her phone #). I had a chance to catch up with Bernard and Judith Fox Javelly while in Miami to speak at the Eurofinance conference. With both Alex and Nicole out of the house, they downsized into a waterfront apartment with a huge terrace that will be hard to ever leave.

However, with Alex at GW Law School and Nicole heading to DC after her graduation from UPenn Medical School this Spring, Judith may need to re-think that. Nicole is married and, while grandchildren are not yet on the horizon, it could be tempting if both of her children end up settling in the same city. I hope to cross paths with them again soon, perhaps in DC as my son, Taylor, is headed there this summer to intern in John Kerry’s office. Taylor is a junior at St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH so we’re just starting the college search process. Taylor loves to travel and his combined interest in singing and international affairs has already taken him to 5 continents; in fact, he’s in Cuba with the SPS Madrigal singers as I write this article. Spencer Lovette and wife Judie built an energy star home in southern NH with an eye to retiring there where currently Spencer is a program manager developing medical instruments and technology for KMC, a contract developer and manufacturer. Their two children live close by; well, maybe Trevor’s too close as he’s living at home while attending college. Brenda lives in Cambridge and works nearby as a speech

41

pathologist. Spencer thanks continued good health for allowing him to pursue his many outdoor interests, including hiking, biking, skiing, snowshoeing, swimming, skating, kayaking and gardening. Spencer caught up recently with Rick Wicker who works for a precision machining company in MA. Bob and I are still in Southport, CT where he manages money at RBC Wealth Management and I am Treasurer at Blyth, Inc., a direct selling consumer products company based in Greenwich, CT. As those of you who’ve joined the Facebook group have seen, hi viz is my preferred attire since taking up rowing in the pre-dawn hours. I combined an 11k race in Turino last November with a trip to the Piemonte region of Italy during the height of the truffle season where we enjoyed good red wine, pasta making and truffle hunting with Giuseppe and his faithful lagotto romagnolo, Luna (that’s a breed of dog that, unlike pigs who are also good truffle hunters, will settle for a treat rather than eating the truffles she finds). Can’t wait to get back on the river after what’s been a very cold and snowy winter in the Northeast.

To those of you who have not joined our Facebook group, I encourage you to go on Facebook and search for “Friends Academy Class of 1969.” It’s a closed group, so you’ll be asked to send me a request to join; once in, you’ll be able to post updates, photos, videos, etc. for the exclusive viewing pleasure of your classmates. It’s really been fun to reconnect this way. For those of you not yet in the Friends Academy Class of 1969 Facebook Group, here is a sample of what you are missing: How well do you remember your years at FA? Take Jane Forelle Casey’s Class of 1969 Trivia Quiz!

1.

Mrs. Schmidt always wore the same dress on days when she was planning a surprise quiz. What color was it?

2.

The Good Humor man used to park at the corner of Duck Pond Road and Piping Rock Road; what was his name?

3.

From what Baltic State did Mr. Tater hail? Hint: recently, it became the 17th country to join the EU.

4.

Mr. Van Santvoord’s favorite author was Charles Dickens. What two novels that appeared on the 10th grade summer reading list did no one read (except Steve Erickson because he was a new English teacher and didn’t realize nobody would read Dickens)?

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42 5.

Class Notes What 6'8" teacher knocked out Ken Simonson’s front tooth with his elbow, and what were they doing at the time?

6.

When not conducting the various singing groups, Mr. O’Hanlon taught TAC and PAD. What do those initials stand for?

7.

Which of our seventh grade classmates’s fathers went on to star as the lollipop sucking NYPD dectective on the show named after his character?

8.

What was the name of the Yearbook, and to whom did we dedicate our edition?

9.

What Glen Cove car dealer provided Mr. D’s Driver Education car, and did anyone really learn how to change a flat tire?

STUMPED? Login to the 1960s page on the alumni portal at www.fa.org to find out the answers.

1970 Eli Abbe 299 Ely Place Palo Alto, CA 94306 (415) 856-3498 eliabbe@mail.com

1971 Robin D. Campbell 66 Vista Dr. Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518) 886-8874 robin.campbell@oprhp.state.ny.us Craig Kronman 37 Meadow View Rd. Orinda, CA 94563 (925) 258-9442 kronlaw@sbcglobal.net I know what you’re thinking: has it really been 40 years since we graduated from FA? The answer is yes, and the best way to celebrate the occasion is to spend time with old friends. So mark your calendars for September 24th and get ready to share good memories with good friends.

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1972 Sarah Hollett Hossfeld 125 Kellog Street Oyster Bay, NY 11771 (516) 922-0955 sphh54@gmail.com

1973 Laura Wicker Hackett 2420 Chatham Court State College, PA 16803 (814) 238-7661 lwh5@comcast.net Jan Klocke O’Sullivan writes, “In the space of a few weeks this winter, I was honored as Citizen of the Year for my work with Helping Hands, won the 12th Annual Westport Crossword Puzzle Contest, and appeared on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. I also serve on the boards of the Killingworth Library and Historical Society and Birthright of Greater Westbrook and provide volunteer income tax assistance through the AARP/IRS VITA program.” Jan is married to husband Dan and together, they have two daughters Kelly (age 23) and Patti (age 21). George Brandon writes, “I try to hunt my way around the world in any given year. Africa in (our) summer, Arizona (where I live) in the fall, then England and Scotland in the winter.” Cyndy Beach Koch reports, “Our George Brandon ’73 daughter Catherine hunting in Botswana married Phillip Robert Eplett on October 2, 2010 at our home on the Magothy River in Maryland.” Jill Johnson writes, “I’ve been busy with my new career as a photographer. Visit my website at www. jilljohnsonphotography.net. I’ve moved back to Locust Valley after what? Oh, no!

Almost 40 years. Current family photos are on my Facebook page. Christine Rising Turner gathered four generations of Risings in Islamorada, Florida. “Francesca is 13 months and our first grandchild. Great Grandma Rising is 86 in April and loving our visit.

My husband and I have enjoyed another year of travel with friends and family. We started the year off with a trip to Tanzania, then camping around the Gaspe Peninsula and finally a tour of the Baltic Sea nations by ship with Mom. We ended that trip by flying to Moscow. It was hard to leave home, gardens and our granddaughter, Francesca.

AMANDA FISK photos/friends academy

Bill Finlayson ’72 takes eighth graders back in time with the historic tale of the Merrimac vs. the USS Monitor.

A Trip Back in Time to the Civil War

L

ast month the eighth graders had the amazing opportunity to hear Mr. William Finlayson ’72, a local Civil War historian, speak to them about the famous Battle of Hampton Roads between the USS Monitor and the CSS Merrimac.

Mr. Finlayson’s ancestors served on the USS Monitor and were heroic in their stand against the Confederate warship. The students sat in rapt attention as Mr. Finlayson told them about his ancestors and their struggle throughout the war, and some exciting facts that had only recently been uncovered. He also brought with him a wide variety of images and period pieces such as canteens, binoculars, and cartridge boxes. The eighth graders were quite lucky to have this opportunity to see this presentation as they wrapped up their study of the Civil War.

Bill Finlayson ’72 shows eighth graders copies of 19th-century newspapers about the Merrimac and Monitor.

Class Notes

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York City handling individuals and money managers primarily in bond trading. Love to attend a reunion in the future. Hope things are fine with you as well.”

1974

Evette Beckett-Tuggle 2 Dana’s Island Way Glen Cove, NY 11542 (516) 671-6377 eob2@aol.com

1975 Tilde Mariani Giacche’ Salita Falconara, 11 19032 San Terenzo di Lerici La Spezia Italy 339-260-1874 tildemgiacche@yahoo.com Members of the Class of 1975 enjoy an impromptu reunion dinner in NYC.

We don’t have any trips planned this year.

Perhaps we’ll venture to the Ile de la Madeline in the St. Lawrence Bay. I hope all of you are well.” Cliff Gardner writes, “Life is moving along – our eldest is a freshman in college, our youngest is in 8th grade – and both seem to be doing well. My law practice is still a great deal of fun – I got to argue my third case in the United States Supreme Court this past fall. It was great to have my son see the argument, and then walk together to the Lincoln Memorial! A few weeks ago I was in Southern California and touched base with Brian Cressey and David Rosenberg – we actually were able to get together for some tennis. Brian desperately needs to work on his serve. I would say something about David’s game, but he is a lawyer and would probably sue me. It was great to see them both – I hadn’t seen Brian in probably 30 years and David in 10 years. Nick Seamon writes, “My wife, Barb, and I are still on our farm in western Mass. with our brood of golden retrievers (7 at last count, plus a litter of 9). Last year we raised some lambs and ducks, and had a great garden. We canned, pickled, dried, and smoked a lot of food for our family. This year we hope to become even more self-sufficient, and less involved with the ‘economy.’ The Citizens United case in the Supreme Court is probably the last nail in the coffin for a fair America. On a personal note – our two eldest sons, Josh and Jesse, will be getting married this summer.

Our daughter is halfway through her nursing training at Mass. General in Boston. Next

year she will be a nurse practitioner, and be able to take care of her old man in his declining years! Our 11 year old, Caleb, our only child at home, is the joy of our lives. I still own The Black Sheep Deli and Bakery in Amherst. Am looking for a buyer. Hoping to farm full time while I still have a strong back. If anyone finds themselves in Amherst please stop in to say hi. Bill Dudjoc reports, “Everything is flying by too fast ....except for this winter!!! We have had a real NH winter in CT. We still have at least 4 feet of snow on the ground with roofs collapsing all over Connecticut. The good news is we are starting to enter a warming trend and the sun is getting higher in the sky. As of today I am still unemployed (since November). Have had a few interviews in the last couple of months so things are looking up. It gives me a lot of time to spend spinning and weight training. I will be heading to Lake Tahoe in June to ride with Team in Training. This will be my third century ride with TNT. I am looking forward to the day when we no longer have to ride for a cure and can ride to celebrate a cure. I plan on doing at least three century rides this year. Not a lot else happening now. Can’t wait for the spring to pop. Melinda Abood writes, “Life is good.

Married with two teenage daughters; one at Beacon High School in NYC and one at Wheaton College Mass. Both are avid soccer players. My husband left 20 years trading on the American Stock Exchange Floor to work with children in the sports venue. For me, I am a First VP at UBS Financial in New

Tilde Mariani Giacche’ reports, “I was in NYC for vacation and on January 7th, and we were able to put together a last minute dinner at the Craft Bar for those of us who were already in the city. Those attending were: Vicki Chesler Kovner and her husband Matt Kovner, Drew Diaz, Howie Klein, Peter Flint, Tina Rose Erardi, Lydia Herzig Landesberg (a friend from Buckley Country Day School), and her husband Roy Landesberg, and Tilde Mariani Giacche’. Robin Beckhard celebrated two graduations this past May: “Alex from Cornell, where he was an Economics major, and Claire from NYU Law School. Both are living in NYC – Alex is a research analyst at ORC/Guideline, and Claire is clerking for a federal bankruptcy judge before joining Skadden Arps. Claire became engaged just before Christmas; she and her fiancé are planning to be married in March 2012. My partner Tim and I are celebrating our fifth anniversary this March. It is still a 230-mile commuting relationship, as he is a professor of neurobiology at Cornell, in Ithaca, and I live and work in NYC, but we manage to spend every weekend together, and I suppose absence does make the heart grow fonder! We enjoyed a trip with my parents to the southwest coast of Puerto Rico over New Year’s. I am still at Fort Hill Company, consulting re leadership development and learning transfer and application, singing with the New Amsterdam Singers, and starting to think about putting together a new cabaret show. Fond regards to all!” Cathy Blechman Chermak and Terry Chermak write, “It’s been a busy winter for us. Vanessa is doing very well in school. Her grade just

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Class Notes semester working at three different wildlife centers in Australia. Matt and I spent two weeks sailing in the Grenadines in February and are looking forward to visiting Kelsey in Australia this spring. When we’re not traveling, our marketing business, Highpoint Ventures, keeps us busy, as well as our real estate ventures in Kingston, Catskill and Saugerties, near our home in Ulster County.”

Daphne Riker Hagan writes, “I have been away for a while, business with Kevin in the Dominican Republic, and then skiing in Vail with the girlfriends. Heading out there again in 2 weeks with Kevin. So sorry I missed you in January. Are you coming back this spring or summer to visit Jennifer? Would love for our two Jennifers to meet.”

1976 Vicki Chesler Kovner ’75 and family

put on ’The Wizard of Oz.’ All the children were so cute and poised. She’s also into piano and has started to compose music....

Vanessa is 8. My big girls are well. Tara lives in Port Washington and just passed her insurance license. Jennifer is living in NY and works for Bloomingdales. Tina Rose Erardi writes, “Such fun seeing you in New York in January. I’m so glad we were able to round up Peter, Vicki, Howie, and Drew for a few laughs. Seemed like no time had passed, didn’t it? And we all look exactly the same, RIGHT? Vicki and I also had a blast with Lynn last November on her way to the class reunion, which I was sorry to have missed.

Greg and I have been living part time in the city, now that the kids are gone. Nick, 25, lives in Hoboken and works in financial services. Kat, 22, graduates from SU this May and will be NYC bound, so everyone will be nearby once again. Hope all is well with you, although we’ve gotten very good at keeping each other posted on Facebook.

Hi to the rest of the FA class of ’75.” From Vicki Chesler Kovner we hear, “It was so great to see Tilde when she made a rare appearance in NYC just after New Year’s.

We met up with classmates Peter Flint, Drew Diaz, Tina Rose Erardi and Howie Klein for a wonderful night of reminiscence and laughs.

My husband Matt, and our old Buckley pal Lydia and her husband Roy joined us too. It was a rare evening! In other news, our daughter Melissa, who graduated from Boston University in 2009, is living in New York City working as associate producer and studio manager at Dig for Fire, a music video production company. Kelsey, who is a junior at Northeastern, is spending the

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Nancy Toher Hawkins 123 Duck Pond Road Glen Cove, NY 11542 (516) 671-8977 Nthawkins123@aol.com Hi All, I haven’t heard from many of you lately – Bob Lanzner wrote that he sends his best to all and loves the wonderful weather in Los Angeles. He is the CEO of Technovoice on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City, CA. He produces analogue or digital mastering for musicians and for corporations such as Disney. His website is www.technovoice. com. Bill Muran has applied his youngest son, Oliver, to FA for the 9th grade next fall and is waiting to hear. His eldest son, Billy, is a freshman at Georgetown’s School for Foreign Service, and loving it. His middle son, A.J., was on the Class “C” New York State Championship Soccer Team with my son Sam. FA Varsity Soccer has won the New York State championship two years in a row. Joe Macy’s son, Joe, is currently a sophomore at FA and recently participated in a Poetry Slam and won in the Spanish and Latin categories. You can view a video of him reciting the Latin poem on www. fa.org. Jim Neisloss’s eldest daughter Kate is a senior at FA and is awaiting news of college acceptances. Peter Bliven’s eldest daughter Brooke is a freshman at Trinity College and loving it. Todd Brown came up from Florida at Christmastime and visited with John Ottaviano. And lastly, Tom and I haven’t had time to breathe. We went through the college process with Emily last year. She is a freshman at Wellesley and is loving the academics and having a great time. Our eldest son Sam is an FA senior and is waiting with baited breath the responses to

his applications, and our youngest son Jake is now a sophomore at FA. Please e-mail me at nthawkins123@aol.com and update me on your lives and your emails so I can keep everyone in the loop. This coming fall is our 35th reunion. I would like to get the class together again. I’m hoping that we can have a turnout like our 20th. The last time Bobby McGreevey and I were the only attendees. I’ll keep you all updated on a venue. Fall Fair is Saturday September 24th, 2011. Save the date. Looking forward to hearing from you.

– Nancy

1977

Chuck Cooperstein 10210 Waters Drive Irving, TX 75063 (972) 402-0887 coopgator@aol.com Visited with Cindy Colombo Robinson via Facebook. She has moved to the suburbs of Charlotte, NC where she continues her practice of real estate law while attending to the needs of her three children. Nevin Dubin (through Facebook) tells me he resides in Connecticut with two daughters, 19 and 17, both of whom are huge fans of the great UConn women’s basketball team which this season set the all-time NCAA record for consecutive wins (men or women) with 90 straight before a loss to Stanford.

Congratulations to Allison Davis Kinsley. Last September 28, she and her husband Steve celebrated their 25th anniversary. They continue to reside in Littleton, CO just outside Denver. I had lunch with Michael Greene during my annual trip to New York with the Mavericks to discuss, among many things, whether anyone’s portfolio is going to able to withstand the wild mood swings of the economy and Rex Ryan’s big mouth. Good times. I continue my travels with the Mavericks (this is my sixth year), hoping this will be the year. And they may have a better chance than they’ve had in some years. I know you may love your job, but no one loves their job more than I do. Married life with Karen is just sensational and incredibly fulfilling. My son Jeffrey just turned 15, and as a result, I’m now just a year away from officially becoming a parent (driver’s license time. Right? All of you with kids older than me you can fill me in). We’re doing notes three times a year now so anytime is the right time for you to get a hold of me and I’ll make sure your news is passed on. You can reach me at CoopGator@aol.com or on Facebook (sorry, no Twitter for me). Would love to hear from you.

Class Notes

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1981 Betsy Jordan Gahagan PO Box 12 142 Skunks Misery Road Locust Valley, NY 11560 (516) 759-6697 gahagan@optonline.net Robert Blechman 1755 Fibert Street Apt. 1X San Francisco, CA 94123 (415) 810-8889 rsb753@yahoo.com

Gina Randall Sigal ’80, Betsy Jordan Gahagan ’81, Rita White Afzelius ’80 have been playing on hockey teams together since their days in Middle School!

1978 Thomas Hawkins 123 Duck Pond Road Glen Cove, NY 11542 (516) 671-8977 thawkins@barclayscapital.com

1979 Pamela Picoli 9 Johnston Street Locust Valley, NY 11560 (516) 676-0214 pmpicoli@optonline.net

1980 Michael Salzhauer 860 Park Avenue New York, NY 10075 (212) 744-7974 michael@benjaminpartners.com About a year ago, I received a call from the Alumni Office. The call was about our 30th reunion. Not being good at saying no to things, I said that I thought it would be great if we had a get together. Then, I forgot about the call. As the date for the reunion itself crept up, the intrepid Alumni Office and Alumni Association reminded me of our discussion. This resulted in a series of e-mails to the few people I am in touch with. In turn, they kept on enlarging the

circle, e-mailing others that they knew how to find. We even set up a Friends Academy Class of 1980 Facebook page, on which you will find some ancient pictures (you are still encouraged to get on that thing, as it’s a great way to stay in touch as a group). Eventually, Ellen Sywolski Coffey and Peter Lash came on to help. When it was all over, we had a great reunion dinner with 21 attendees, consisting of 16 classmates and guests. If you missed it, you missed something special. If you were there, I am sure that you were amazed at how close we still are, and how quickly we were able to pick up once again as if it were 1980. The only thing missing was the Lynyrd Skynyrd music and Mr. Haulenbeek.

Our attendees included: Mike Sengstacken, Diane Sacken, Gina Miasano, Bill Dalton, Doreen Moran, Ellen Sywolski Coffey, Mike Ainbinder, Carlos DelCristo, Mike Carey, Wendy Wheatley Riefler, Lynette Kerrins, Rita White Afzelius, Gina Randall Sigal, Peter Lash, and Greg Malloy. Highlights of the event included me receiving runner up prize in the most handsome contest, and distribution of a copy of The Inkwell from our era. It was so much fun and so meaningful that I encourage all of you to come out from under the rocks you have been hiding under and get in contact with your classmates!

Robert Blechman is living in Mill Valley, CA just N of the GG Bridge in Marin County with wife Nurite, son Hudson and 2 dogs. Work sent him out to the west coast 15 years ago, and after one winter of skiing in Tahoe, golf (in February), wine tasting in Napa, surfing, SF restaurants, etc., decided to make it home. Most of Rob’s time these days is spent working in Silicon Valley, playing tennis, skiing and of course lots of time with family. Andrew Messing reports: “After 12 years in Los Angeles, I moved to Tucson, Arizona in 2000. In the same year, I married Claudine, and now have two kids Drew (7) and Lily (5). I run a company that designs and manufactures disguised cell towers. I am also very active in a foundation that I founded six years ago when my brother-in-law passed away from sudden cardiac death. Our Foundation raises money for sudden cardiac death research at the University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center.

In my free time, I enjoy playing tennis, golf, and coaching my son’s soccer team.” Guy Hoffman has been living in Dallas, Texas since 1991 with his wife Jodi. They were temporarily “empty nesters” with both sons (21 & 18) at the University of Arizona until the older one decided he missed the comforts of home and returned this December to work and finish up locally. Remember the movie “Failure to Launch” … so much for the “naked room.” Nancy Mykoff is an Assistant Professor of American History and Gender Studies at Utrecht University, the Netherlands. She lives in a 15th century village where she teaches and writes and raises her son Leon and daughter Emma.

Leon likes to fly planes, read, and reflect.

Emma dances, draws and enjoys life. Nancy writes children’s stories, goes on long bike rides, and laughs a lot with both. Liz Quinn moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1980s. Liz gave up her job as Retail Corporate Bond Trader at BankAmerica

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Class Notes to be the class representative, please contact us at alumni@fa.org. We would love to hear from you!

1983 Caroline Kaplan 21 Drake Lane White Plains, NY 10607 (914) 347-1562 carrie@carriekap.com

1984 Beth Anne Melkmann 162 East 80th Street, Apt. 3B New York, NY 10075 (212) 988-1753 lebonchien@aol.com The Class of 1980 celebrates their 30th Reunion.

Securities Inc. in 1998, at which time she traded Wall Street for Sesame Street. Liz’s son Nick is a 12-year-old with dreams of becoming a major league baseball player.

Her daughter is 9 and dreams of becoming an artist, an actor or a vet. Liz moved from the city to Marin County in 2006, after separating from her husband of 13 years. It was a happy day. Liz now works for Larkspur School District in Human Resources. Not the job of her dreams, but she gets to be a real mom, a member of her local community, and she’s gotten pretty good at it. She loves northern California and particularly the many beautiful hiking trails of Marin. She also enjoys skiing at Lake Tahoe and proximity to the many wonderful cultural events in the city. Liz is happy to share this shaky part of the earth’s mantle with Rob Blechman and Mary Hossfeld, with whom she keeps in touch. Liz Quinn feels like Bob Dole for writing this in the first person narrative. Liz sends all the best wishes to FA class of ’81. Susan Woods is in LA with her son Harry. Susan works with JP Lincoln ’78. Ellen Goodwin continues to live on the way upper westside (107 and Broadway) with her husband Kurt, and son John (11). She is a partner at the law firm of Alston and Bird and loves her life in the city. She frequently sees Inky Schneider who lives in Raleigh, NC with her husband, David, and her daughter Erica (11). Inky continues to work in interior design in NY and Raleigh. When she comes to NY she’ll stay with Ellen and make dinner. Last time it was chicken fajitas. Donna Cooper is back east living at 555 Franklin Avenue with Wade, Wilma and her pretty new husband, Randy. Donna continues in her successful

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career as actor and comedian. Donna and Randy were married at Ellen’s parents’ home in Brookville in January of 2009. Welcome back – DCoops! Kay Diaz is also in NY in the Riverdale area. She looks great and is currently working at the NY Attorney General’s Office as a Senior Counsel. Kay is also recently married and loves her life in NYC. Eunice Jordan is still swimming those laps in the pool, working as a lawyer in NY and continues to see Kay, Donna, and Ellen. Betsy Jordan Gahagan reports: “I live in Locust Valley with my daughters: Katharine (Taft ’12), Lainie (Portledge ’13), Elizabeth (Portledge ’15) and Allaire (Portledge ’16).

Our Golden Retriever, Sandy, rounds out the posse. We spend our winters skiing in Windham where I am an Alpine Race coach. Some things never change – Bobby Fromm and I still go to Windham every weekend. Now our children are carrying on the tradition. Bobby has 4 children: Max 10, Jack 8, McKenna 6, and Aidan 5, and a wonderful wife, Tara. When on LI, I play ice hockey with Rita White Afzelius ’80 and Gina Randall Sigal ’80. My spring will be filled by my daughters’ lacrosse games. When not cheering on my Lax players, I’ll be busy sportfarming, golfing and sailing.” We are forming a committee to organize our reunion.

Please contact Betsy. This fall, the class of 1981 will celebrate their 30th reunion. So mark your calendars for September 24, 2011, and get ready to share good memories with your friends from Friends.

1982 If anyone from the Class of 1982 would like

1985 Laura Match Schaffer 16 Miles Avenue Providence, RI 02906 lematch7@gmail.com

1986 Stacy Koppelman Fritz 26 Glenwood Road Roslyn Harbor, NY 11576 (516) 625-2936 momshr@aol.com Kathryn Hawkins Schneider 76 Highland Road Glen Cove, NY 11542 (516) 759-5504 schneider.kate@gmail.com Think silver anniversary! September 24th is the Class of 1986’s 25th Reunion, so mark your calendars and get ready to share good memories with good friends from Friends.

Robin Young Tyrrell writes,“My husband, Robert and I, live in Baldwin, Long Island and we have a 4-year-old son named Aidan Reese Tyrrell who is the best! I am an attorney with a labor law firm in Garden City. I also do real estate as a broker on a part-time basis (and I stress ’part-time’). I do keep in touch with some alums from our class like Sandra Vargas Anderson, Sharon Proctor Schultheiss, Sara Maul Pepe, Derrick Owens, and some other alum too like Chris Dowling ’85, the Khan family (via my cousin Andre Blake, alum), the Gismondi family, the Van Exel family, etc.”

Class Notes 1987 Barry D. Joseph 67-66 108th street, D66 Forest Hills, NY 10010 (718) 222-3563 barry@globalkids.org

KATHY FOX/friends academy

Upper School history teacher Herb Lape, Kevin McCusker ’86, Upper School history teacher Marshall Lindner and Athletic Director David Gatoux.

S

Lessons Learned from FA Coaches

peaking to the Upper School students at the Winter Sports Assembly, Kevin McCusker ’86, shared some memories and advice. A fouryear varsity letter winner in football and lacrosse during his time here at Friends, Kevin went on to play lacrosse at Dowling College where he was a captain during his junior and senior years. He then continued to play with the Lacrosse Unlimited Club. Kevin currently lives in Huntington with his wife and two daughters, and works as a sales consultant with SYNTHES Orthopedic Trauma Company.

Kevin spoke of the valuable lessons he learned from his coaches at FA. “Fond memories that I use in raising my kids or in everyday life – special things you take away that I’m not sure you get anywhere but from Friends.” Twenty four years after graduating, his Varsity Football teammates reunited after a photo of the team from 1986 was posted on Facebook and funny and nostalgic recollections surfaced.

In closing he offered the students this: “Challenge yourself mentally in the classroom and challenge yourself physically on the field, and I’m sure you can accomplish what you set your minds to.”

Emily Beiles Kaufman 7 Beechwood Drive Saddle River, NJ 07458 (201) 785-0907 emkaufman@optonline.net The class of ’87 has moved from collecting updates by e-mail to Facebook. The following roughly describes the activity over the last few months as we attempted to put together something for this issue of the Meeting House. Douglas Craig began the conversation by asking the important but obvious question: “Hey! Where is everybody?” Susie Shuttleworth chimed in, “Wow, it’s just like we’re all in assembly.

Who’s got an announcement?” Gennifer Geller replied, “There’s just a whole lot of snow....that’s my announcement. :)” Susie Shuttleworth replied, “See just like in school.

No real life-changing info came up in those assemblies.” Then Eric W. Covington kept it real: “Still living in Hampton Roads, VA. Stationed at Maritime Expeditionary Security Group TWO in Portsmouth, VA. Traveled all over the Gulf last year visiting our sailors deployed to Bahrain, Kuwait, and UAE. Working my way to 20 years of service in the Navy and still going strong.” I asked Susie to give us her own update. She replied: “My announcement: HS was easier than the real world.” To which I replied, “That’s going in the next Meeting House...”

1988 Eileen McGlinchey Hume 353 Hickory Avenue Garwood, NJ 07027 (908) 789-3396 eileen@kingsindian.com

1989 Adam Fruitbine 375 Faletti Circle River Vale, NJ 07675 (201) 391-3040 AFruitbine@aol.com

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JoAn Monaco 315 East 72nd St., Apt. 18-L New York, NY 10021 (646) 438-9264 joanLmonaco@aol.com Greetings Classmates…this update will be short but sweet! Christine Gauld Botvinick is enjoying life in Boulder, CO with her husband. They are expecting a baby boy in June. Chris is working hard as a fifth-grade teacher and loves what she does! Congrats Chris! Erika and Josh Slater are doing well and are enjoying their boys who are growing up quite quickly. Sam will be 9 in May and Charlie will be 6 in March. Regan Otto Schroeder is busy with her husband and boys in London. On any random day when I have emailed Regan, I have received replies from Paris, Scotland and all sorts of exotic locations…gotta love it! Hopefully, we’ll learn that Regan is coming to the Hamptons for the summer with Christophe and the boys! Ivy Tseng Hatsengate, her husband Davin and son Vander are doing well and have relocated from NYC to the suburbs…. they are loving the extra space in Forest Hills. Vik Iyengar is a professor at Villanova and received his tenure in May of 2010!! His wife, Erika, also earned tenure and was able to take a sabbatical leave for the spring of 2011 semester. They have had their hands pretty full with their academic positions and their research, in addition to their three boys.

Their twins Jackson and Tyler turned one in December and Connor turned 4 in February.

Michele Pauporte writes that she and her son Tiger are doing well in New York City and they are enjoying time in the park now that the weather is permitting. Tiger will be two in June. Michele sees Alison Pace on occasion for movies and recently saw Wendy Posillico and Stacey Lowenthal and they are both doing great. Michele also reports that Cindy Rushmore Kuechle stopped in for a visit and is living in Boston and has two little ones of her own. Jackie Sokolow Wachsman is keeping busy with her husband and three kids who are growing by leaps and bounds. She also proudly reports that her sister Amanda had a beautiful baby boy named Ryan Hunter in December!!

Congrats to the Sokolow family! As for me, JoAn Monaco, life has been busy with preschool applications and a busy practice.

My husband, Mike and I are hoping to find the time for sailing and sun this summer with little Caroline who is now two…where does the time go? Thanks for the updates and happy spring to everyone.

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Class Notes 1992 Clayton Siegert 100 I Street S. Boston, MA 02127 (617) 821-2867 csiegert@the80sgame.com

1993 Double the fun! Proud mother Nicole Nadel ’96 introduces twins Sebastian Nadel Wilhelm and Tristan Nadel Wilhelm.

1990 Suzanne D’Addario Brouder 2225 N. Seminary Ave. Chicago, IL 60614 (773) 360-8921 suzanne@daddario.com After serving loyally as a class rep for many years, Suzanne D’Addario Brouder would like to relinquish the reins and hand them over to a willing classmate – any takers? If you are interested, please contact us at alumni@ fa.org. “As of the beginning of 2011, Suzanne D’Addario Brouder and her husband Michael reside in downtown Chicago with their three sons: Nate, age four, Jack, age two, and Christian, ten months. She is the director of the D’Addario Music Foundation, an organization that funds not-for-profit music education programs all over the world. In addition, she runs the D’Addario Concert Series at Carnegie’s Weill Hall, providing performance opportunities to many of the world’s best emerging young guitarists.”

1991 Michael Fox 1209 N. Citrus Avenue Hollywood, CA 90038 (646) 373-7535 mfox789@gmail.com Colleen Doyle Moran 10 Arbor Way Morristown, NJ 07960 (973) 656-1513 colleendmoran@aol.com This fall, the Class of 1991 will celebrate their 20th Reunion! So mark your calendars for September 24th and get ready to share good memories with your good friends from Friends.

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Natalia Porcelli Good 310 East Houston St., Apt. 5E New York, NY 10002 (212) 753-0128. nataliapgood@yahoo.com Danielle Valenti Smith 420 East 72nd Street Apt. 6J New York, NY 10021 (646) 334-3888 danvalenti@hotmail.com

1994 Heather Upton 269 Ohio St. Pasadena, CA 91106 (626) 507-8524 hupton@mac.com While I was falling down on the updating job over the past year, a lot of you have been busy! Brad Hoffman got married last August, and a whole slew of folks are new parents: In July, Michael Longo and his wife Rachel welcomed baby Susanna Louise, and in November, Andrew John (Drew) Thomas joined parents Andrew and Anne Siegert Thomas and big sister Lucy Margaret at the family’s new home in Baton Rouge, LA. Anne still runs Longview Photography, her NYC-based photography company, and

says “we are finally done renovating our new house near the LSU lakes and enjoy life with a backyard, BBQ and car after 10 years in NY. Who knew I’d be an SEC football fan. Go Tigers!” In December, Jon Berroya and his wife Meghan welcomed twin boys Jamie and Kit; Laura and Michael Harwin had their second boy, Jonah; and Adam Reuben and his wife Allyson had a baby boy named Isaac. In January 2011, Jamie Felix Stott and her husband James welcomed baby John Colby Stott, who joins big sister Isabella at home in London. Cheers! Speaking of new developments, Dave Gilbert’s Wadjet Eye Games (www.wadjeteyegames.com) released a new game this February called Gemini Rue, which has been massively successful. Kristin Kelly Pieper and Damian Pieper and their twin boys Liam and Riley are living in Manhattan, where Kristin is a pediatric pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist and Damian helps future lawyers sleep better with the Pieper Bar Review. Ravi Shah is almost done with school himself – he’s finishing his final year of a hematology/ oncology fellowship at Stony Brook and looking forward to wielding his scalpel in private practice. Adam Bernstein is also on the Island, running the show at Legal’s Sea Foods in Roosevelt Field and studying for his PhD in hospitality. This is a guy who knows good food. Speaking of food, Caroline Hahm not only knows good eats, she makes them, as a cook at the much-lauded M. Wells Diner (www.mwellsdiner.com) in Long Island City. She took an apprenticeship on a lark and ended up making an exciting career change. Arthur Bovino is also in the culinary biz – he writes: “Last year, Always Hungry, the food site where I was the senior editor, photographer, and writer, was folded into The Daily Meal, a new national food website where I’m now the senior editor for the Eat section. I’m also updating Fodor’s

Jeremy Ford ’96 is training two little quarterbacks for a future in the NFL.

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1995 Thomas A. Pascarella 156 Lewis Avenue Westbury, NY 11590 tompasc@tompasc.com

Courtney Higgins Nevis ’96 introduces the new love of her life, Maggie!

Guide to New York City, and launching a food graffiti photography project (www. graffeatinyc.com). Best to everyone.” Beau Peele also recently made a career change, leaving BCG to become president of Clean Energy Experts (www.cleanenergyexperts. com), which operates a national marketplace where energy conscious consumers are matched to the leading providers of solar and energy saving products. Meanwhile, Adam Ronzoni also remains committed to improving environmental issues. Adam has recently moved to the Chinese province of Guangdong and is working with the communities around the Pearl River Delta to address the issue of unsafe drinking water.

Adam writes: “An estimated 980 million of China’s 1.3 billion people drink water every day that is partly polluted, including contaminated with waste products or high levels of radiation. I hope my post-grad work in Environmental Sciences at Stanford will help make a meaningful impact on the region.” Equally engaged back home, Kelly MacKinnon was promoted to Client Development Manager at the law firm Paul, Weiss and is running the key client initiative at the firm. She also started up the woman’s team for the Rye field hockey club and is playing goal for them as well as the men’s first team. Josh Speisman is still running his business, Urban Landscape Design, in NYC, and writes: “I’m also volunteering at my cousin’s nonprofit called Goods for Good, which repurposes goods from the west to help vulnerable children in Malawi – really cool organization. And co-president with Adam Ronzoni of the POMC (Pastrami of the Month Club). Whenever Ronz is home on a break from China, we gorge ourselves on delicious smoked meats all around the tri-state area. Hoping to get up to Montreal (considered the pastrami mecca by many) this summer.”Whew! Best to everyone – and as always, keep the news coming!

Kelly Reid Walsh 96 Grove Street Wellesley, MA 02482 (781) 237-2893 reidkel@gmail.com Shonda Pryor Maddison and husband, Kareem, welcomed their first child, the beautiful Sidney Avery Maddison. Sidney was born on November 15th, and mommy and daddy are enjoying every minute with her! Daniel Fisher, who is currently residing in McLean, Virginia, and is a partner in the Corporate group of Akin Gump writes in to say he is thoroughly enjoying life with his wife Ashley, and two sons, Cabot, born in April 2008, and Winston, born in February 2010.

Check out the latest from Daniel Malito, author, columnist, raconteur, at http://www. huffingtonpost.com/daniel-p-malito.

1996 Luke Cass 350 Chardon Ave. Suite 1202 San Juan, PR 00918 lukecass@gmail.com This fall is the Class of 1996’s 15th Reunion!

So mark your calendars for September 24th and get ready to share good memories with your good friends from Friends. Luke Cass writes, “Thanks to everyone for sharing your news, I enjoyed hearing from all of you. I am living with my fiancée, Melissa, and working in San Juan, Puerto Rico as a federal prosecutor. It’s hard to imagine, but we’ve been living here for nearly three years. The hours are long, the work is interesting, and we are enjoying the Caribbean weather.

Congratulations to Caroline and Sameer Sayeed’96 who welcomed their son Oscar Daniel Sayeed into the world on February 11, 2011.

Shaan Mehta’s ’96 year-old son, Arhaan is all smiles.

Melissa and I look forward to our wedding on June 3 in Bridgehampton.” Nicole Nadel writes, “I had 2 healthy baby boys on 12/27/10. Sebastian Nadel Wilhelm was born 5 lb. 6 oz. and Tristan Nadel Wilhelm was born 3 lb. 9oz.” Nicole is an emergency room doctor on Long Island. She and her husband, Stanley Wilhelm, a Morgan Stanley manager, moved to Long Beach in a house two blocks from the beach! You can find her on Facebook. Jeremy Ford is training two little quarterbacks for a future in the NFL: “My wife Lisa and I had our youngest just turn 1, Tyler, while Jake will be 3 in April this year. We have recently accepted a job to relocate with my company to the Virginia Beach area this spring as Director of Commercial Development for a Logistics Company called APM Terminals, whom I have been with since after college.” While she “is leaving her medical practice with a heavy heart,” the family is “excited to see another part of the country and get her practicing there.” Courtney Higgins Nevis writes that following her graduation from the University of Connecticut with a degree in Fine Arts, she lived in NYC for a while and worked in television on a few shows that eventually brought her to California. Courtney was a Supervising Challenge Producer for a number of reality shows where she developed and produced competitions and games, which was “a lot of work, but a ton of fun.” Courtney writes, “I met my husband out here which turned my ’short stay in CA’ into a permanent landing place. Jason is the Dean of Men at an all-boys Catholic School out in Encino and coaches Water Polo and Swimming.

Last year on January 20, 2010, we were blessed with a beautiful baby girl, Magnolia Grace... Maggie for short. She is the love of our life, and we hope to have more little ones soon. So for now, I’m proud to say I’m a stay-at-home mom, and loving every minute of it. Best to everyone!” Tara Rice writes that she is enjoying teaching at Locust Valley Elementary School and this winter’s huge snowfalls. Daryl

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Class Notes 1997 Devon Broderick Carroll 28 Bedford St., Apt. 23 New York, NY 10014-4471 (917) 531-7579 devon.broderick@gmail.com

Superwomen Audrey and Ella Woods, twin daughters of Jennifer Ryan Woods ’99.

Holzman sold his water company and is currently living a life of leisure and sailing with his girlfriend. Daryl visited us in San Juan recently and we enjoyed catching up and spending time with him in the sun and surf. He has become quite the merengue dancer since graduation. Barbara Jurim would like to announce: “My brother and I teamed up at the beginning of this year to open our new dental office in Woodbury, Long Island. The Jurim Dental Group aspires to offer a unique patient experience comprised of superior treatment offered in a relaxing, comfortable setting. We provide a wide-range of services including, but not limited to, cosmetic dentistry, all ceramic restorations, and implant restorations and we look forward to treating much of the Friends community in the years to come.” Congratulations to Caroline and Sameer Sayeed who welcomed their son Oscar Daniel Sayeed into the world on February 11, 2011. Oscar weighed in at an impressive 6 pounds and 20 inches. Caroline and Sameer would like to thank fellow alumni Elizabeth McCally Keating, Luke Cass, Daryl Holzman, James Carey, Adam Tomko and former teacher Elizabeth Roosevelt for all of their kind words about him. No word yet on whether the little guy likes black lunch boxes, spurs, or meteorology, but stay tuned. Congratulations to you both! I recently reconnected with Shaan Mehta, our classmate who transferred to St. Paul’s School when we moved to Upper School.

He has been living in Bombay since 2001 and started a consultancy firm that does slum rehabilitation work and real estate development. He is happily married to Meghna, a fashion designer, and has a 1-year-old son, Arhaan. Jim Carey got married this past September in Glen Cove to Dr. Lindsay Blass, a Psychologist. Sameer, Daryl, and Adam Tomko attended. They are happily living in Alexandria, Virginia. Thanks to Clay Fischer, Kerry Hsu, Khary Jones, and PJ DeCurtis for saying hello. All are doing great.

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Devon A. George 163 West 18th Street, Apt. 9b New York, NY 10011 (516) 457-8082 devon@dmvcapital.net

1998 Justin J. Boults 222 Gates Ave., Apt. #2 Brooklyn, NY 11238 boultsman@hotmail.com Justin P. Meli 1500 Chicago Ave., Apt. 620 Evanston, IL 60201 (713) 553-4108 justinpmeli@gmail.com Jordan S. Tarry 333 E. 5th St., Apt. C3 New York, NY 10003 (516) 526-1689 jtarry@isigrp.com Dion Short Metzger had her wedding featured in Atlanta’s Perfect Wedding Guide! Here’s the link: http://atlanta.perfectweddingguide. com/online-magazine/. You’ll find Dion’s wedding on pages 52-53.

1999 John F. Reid 15 Wood Valley Road Chatham, MA 02633 reidjohnny@gmail.com Jennifer Ryan Woods 2 Meadow Spring Lane Glen Cove, NY 11540 (516) 398-0888 JenniferLynnWoods@gmail.com Ashley Heise reports: “In October 2010, I started a new job at Siguler Guff & Company, a multi-strategy private equity investment firm with over $9 billion of assets under management. I am currently a Client Service Associate at the Firm, focusing on marketing and investor relations. In other news, I got engaged in December 2010 to my boyfriend of 2 1/2 years, Sasha. We are planning our wedding for May 2012 :)” From Jennifer Ryan Woods we hear that life with her new twins is wonderful. Audrey and Ella are “thriving and growing so fast I can hardly believe it!” Alexandra Ansanelli was featured in an article titled ’Exchanging Slippers for Schoolbooks’ in The New York Times on December 3, 2010. Alexandra, formerly a principal dancer at New York City Ballet and the Royal Ballet is leaving the stage for the classroom; she plans to study business at Columbia University. The New York Times quotes Alexandra: “I feel like, for the first time in my life – and this is why I always knew education was important to

(Bottom line, left to right) Kristin Kelly Pieper ’94, Damian Pieper’94, Troy Pieper ’90, Suzanne Karl ’00, the bride and groom,Kristina Pieper Trautmann ’00 and Cole Trautmann ’01, Ariel Fish ’00. (Middle line, left to right) Swathi Gopalakrishnan ’00, Alissa Lifshitz ’00, Brooke Bliven ’10, Alexandra Kelly ’06, Zachary Hill ’01. (Top line, left to right) Jenny Hill ’01, Jonathan Ventimiglia ’01, Michael Brielmann ’90, Tucker Trautmann ’07, Taylor Trautmann ’03, Pete Williamson ’01, Elliot Klass ’01, Marty Jacobson and Michael Baskoff ’96.

Class Notes 2001 Christopher Scott Harvey 16 Stiles Drive Melville, NY 11747 (516) 425-1096 netadcharvey@gmail.com Hadley Devon Mongell 245 E. 63rd Street Apt. 517 New York, NY 10065 (516) 759-1377 hmongell@yahoo.com Stephanie Polauf ’05 and fiancé Blake Carter

me – all I have to do is absorb it. It’s all in front of me.”

2000 Paul P. Corrigan 1 The Preserve Woodbury, NY 11797 (516) 448-2228 ppcpaul@aol.com Meredith A. MacKinnon 46 Duck Pond Road Glen Cove, NY 11542 (516) 759-2063 meredith.mackinnon@trincoll.edu Congratulations to Kristina Pieper Trautmann and Cole Trautmann ’01. They were married at the Sleepy Hollow Country Club on October 16, 2010. There was definitely a large FA presence at the wedding. Joining in the festivities were: Kristin Kelly Pieper ’94, Damian Pieper’94, Troy Pieper ’90, Suzanne Karl ’00, Ariel Fish ’00, Swathi Gopalakrishnan ’00, Alissa Lifshitz ’00, Brooke Bliven ’10, Alexandra Kelly ’06, Zachary Hill ’01, Jenny Hill ’01, Jonathan Ventimiglia ’01, Michael Brielmann ’90, Tucker Trautmann ’07, Taylor Trautmann ’03, Pete Williamson ’01, Elliot Klass ’01, Marty Jacobson and Michael Baskoff ’96. Thanks to Ron Artinian, Co-Founder and Musical Director and Edmond Ho, Co-Founder and Technical Director of Ravel Virtual Studios, composers now have the unique opportunity of hearing their work performed with the sound of a live orchestra – without the prohibitive costs of hiring musicians. For more information, visit ravel-vs.com.

This fall the Class of 2001 will celebrate their 10th Reunion! So mark your calendars for September 24th and get ready to share good memories with your good friends from Friends.

2002 Lauren Marie Bebry 2757 Heathfield Road Bloomfield, MI 48301 (631) 875-5725 Lauren.Bebry@gmail.com Michael Jason Weiss 40 Cow Neck Road Sands Point, NY 11050 (516) 883-1572 michael.jason.weiss@gmail.com

2003 Katherine Elizabeth Donoghue 88 Leonard St., Apt. 1511 New York, NY 10013 (516) 238 -4550 kate.donoghue@gmail.com

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Jonathan Harley Koenig 31 Yukon Drive Woodbury, NY 11797 jonathan.koenig@aya.yale.edu Read about Maya Klauber’s blog Loving with Chronic Illness on page 52. Congratulations to Ashley Levien and Brian Dooley ’03 who got engaged on January 15th, 2011, and will be getting married on October 1, 2011.

2005 Robert Harrison Aaron 27 Shorewood Drive Sands Point, NY 11050 (516) 524-4261 rha209@lehigh.edu Helen Simpson Hatch 137 Linden Farms Road Locust Valley, NY 11560 (516) 609-3239 helen.s.hatch@gmail.com Congratulations to Stephanie Polauf on her engagement to Blake Carter. Stephanie and Blake, who met at Vanderbilt, are both currently in law school: Blake at Vanderbilt and Stephanie at University of Tennessee Law School, where she is currently #1 in her class! Both plan to practice in Nashville after graduation. They will be wed on March 17, 2012. Congratulations to Lyndsey Lostritto who is engaged to 1st Lieutenant Austin Laverty. The couple met at Villanova University, where they both graduated in 2009. Their wedding is set for September 15, 2012.

Tara Kristin Hanna 245 Locust Street W. Hempstead, NY 11552 (516) 316-8220 thanna@fordham.edu Andrew Joseph Rivara 249 Cleft Road Mill Neck, NY 11765 (516) 624-8380 andrewrivara@gmail.com

2004 Angela Teresa Batista 2 Greenway Muttontown, NY 11771 (516) 857-6572 batista1023@gmail.com

Lyndsey Lostritto ’05 and fiancé 1st Lieutenant Austin Laverty

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Class Notes A Blog About Living and Loving with Chronic Illness*

By Maya Klauber ’04

F

riends Academy has been a major part of my life. In 1990, I began Kindergarten at FA and stayed there until my high school graduation in 2004. Despite having the same classmates for well over a decade, a central component of my life remained private during my time there. In 2001 at the age of 15, I was officially diagnosed with a chronic disease called Undifferentiated Spondyloarthropathy (rolls off the tongue, I know) – also known as Spondylitis. Spondylitis is a severe, chronic and progressive autoimmune disease; a form of arthritis that causes inflammation and pain in every joint and connective tissue in the body. If left untreated, Spondylitis can also cause joints to fuse together (especially in the spine).

The path leading to my diagnosis was a long and difficult one. Since early childhood, I lived with intense back pain that baffled the medical community. Although most doctors attributed my symptoms to typical “growing pains,” my parents fought for a diagnosis; they knew I was anything but a “complainer.” Years passed and still there were no answers.

Thankfully, a chain of events led to my eventual diagnosis

by Dr. Thomas Lehman, a top professional in the field of Pediatric Rheumatology… but Rheumatology? Arthritis?

It seemed impossible. I was 15 years old and was left to wonder: “Isn’t arthritis for old people?” However strange it all seemed, receiving a definitive diagnosis felt like a victory.

During the past 25 years, my path hasn’t always been a smooth one, but everything – the medical experiences, the relationships, the good, the Maya Klauber ’04 and her boyfriend John bad and the downright ugly – has helped shape me. In some unexpected ways, Spondylitis has made me Maya. The erratic nature of my pain has reminded me to truly live in the moment. I wanted to connect with fellow patients and show them that they’re not alone. That is why I began writing my blog called Loving With Chronic Illness in March of 2010 (http://lovingwithchronicillness.blogspot.com).

As my blog has evolved, Spondylitis has thrown me some major curve balls. Just last year my body stopped responding to medication and I endured pain that I had only ever imagined. In the meantime, I connected with some extraordinary people who brought me great strength.

Editor’s Note: Maya will be participating in the annual New York City Arthritis Walk. Along with her team (“The NYC Sick Chick Club”), she will be walking a 5K on Sunday, May 15th to raise money for the Arthritis Foundation.

*To read the full version of Maya’s blog, follow the link http://lovingwithchronicillness.blogspot.com. Contact Maya at mklaub@gmail.com or (516) 993-0268.

2006 Brian T. Alessi 50 Shore Drive Plandome, NY 11030 (516) 365-3983 alessib@bc.edu Jennifer Marie Wagner 124 Feeks Lane Locust Valley, NY 11560 (516) 656-3480 wagnerj8@muohio.edu Kaitlin Marie Wagner 124 Feeks Lane Locust Valley, NY 11560 (516) 656-3480 wagnerkm@muohio.edu

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Gia Vigliotti graduated from the University of Miami last May and is now working for ad agency Ammirati in New York City. Danielle Farrell is a research analyst in the Syndicated Research Department of GFK MRI, a media research firm. Samya Touma is finishing up her first year of medical school at Stony Brook University, along with fellow 2006 alum Henry Jen. Kaitlin Wagner is working for book publisher Simon & Schuster in New York City, where she lives with fellow 2006 alum Emily Brown. Carly Postal is the Senior Manager of Sales and Marketing Operations for the Willow Club in New York City.

Regina Quick graduated from UVA last May and now works for Northrop Grumman as an international trade compliance analyst in northern Virginia. Deep Master is continuing his studies at American University to pursue a Masters in Taxation and CPA after graduation. This February, he will be a tax

intern at the AES Corporation, one of the world’s largest power companies. Wagner senior defensive end Mike Cox was named to the Northeast Conference (NEC) Second Team as the Green & White garnered nine out of a possible 14 All-NEC selections.

Mike joins the other honorees to match the 1999 version of the Seahawks as the most ever by a Wagner squad in the 14-year history of league awards while ranking the Green & White second among nine conference teams this season.

2007 Christine Farrell 1971 Cedar Swamp Road Glen Head, NY 11545 (516) 606-1300 farrelcl@bc.edu

Class Notes Caitlin Koufakis 239 Cleft Road Mill Neck, NY 11765 (516) 627-5222 caitlin.koufakis@trincoll.edu This past February, Will Roland played the lead in NYU Players’ Club’s production of Bat Boy: The Musical! This show is a brilliant gem that had a short run about ten years ago in New York. The piece is a hilarious, thrilling, and touching musical tragedy told through the experience of the Bat Boy, a half-human, half-bat child found in a cave near a small mining town in West Virginia. Seicha Turnbull is working with a few fellow Brown University students on a pretty ambitious independent film called Whole Grain. The project is certainly one that would appeal to students at FA – it’s a story about high school seniors dealing with friendships and romance in the face of graduation. Seicha writes, “We’re aiming to produce a professional quality movie between 45 and 60 minutes long that we can submit to the independent film circuit after we premiere at the end of April. Below is the link to our page on Kickstarter. The script for Whole Grain gives a much more accurate, sincere portrayal of high school than what is commonly seen on television, and I know myself and many others working on it are drawn to this aspect in particular. It’s developed into a very personal undertaking for all of us, with our high school experiences still fresh in our minds, and I want to make sure we do it justice.” http:// www.kickstarter.com/projects/436316944/ whole-grain.

2008 Laura Berke 310 3rd Avenue, Apt. 1906A New York, NY 10010 (516) 680-4437 laura.berke@nyu.edu Alexandria Phillips 68 Flower Hill Rd. Huntington, NY 11743 (631) 421-3332 afp1013@gmail.com

2009 Ingrid A. Gutierrez 151 East Graham Avenue Hempstead, NY 11550 (516) 292-2302 freetimenvyz@hotmail.com Cristen Koufakis 239 Cleft Road Mill Neck, NY 11765-1003 (516) 627-5222 cristen.koufakis@trincoll.edu Nell C. Kucich 316 Manhasset Woods Road Manhasset, NY 11030 (516) 965-0635 NellKucich@gmail.com John E. Mascari Dartmouth College 3153 Hinman Hanover, NH 03755 john.mascari@dartmouth.edu

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Jessica M. Rizzi 61 Green Meadow Lane Huntington, NY 11743 (631) 367-1045 MissRizzi@gmail.com Anthony F. Tedesco 40 Heights Road Plandome, NY 11030 (516) 627-2974 guitarguy637@gmail.com John Mascari reports: “This spring, I will be climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro with a group of Dartmouth students to raise awareness for obstetric fistulas and their treatment. After the climb, I will stay in Dar es Salaam for 9 weeks doing research with a professor from the Dartmouth Medical School. The study tests hearing loss in children with and without HIV/AIDS to determine if the cause is the virus, TB, medications, and/or environmental effects.” Congratulations to Michael Rudolph who has been elected president of Delta Sigma Pi fraternity.

2010 Jasmine Wang 5 Sagamore Hill Road Oyster Bay, NY 11771 wanggi@bc.edu Alexa Gordon 24 West Creek Farms Rd. Sands Point, NY 11050 alexa.gordon@wustl.edu Zach Schoenhut 311 Calf Farm Road Mill Neck, NY 11765-1203 zjs218@nyu.edu

Click over to The New FA Alumni Portal And Start Connecting!

Class pages >> Slideshows of Alumni Events >> Calendar of upcoming events >> Contact Your Class Rep >> Find Other FA Alumni www.fa.org/alumni



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In Memoriam

We Remember...

Peter Booth ’57 President of Corning, Japan branch

P

eter Booth ’57 was born in Huntington, New York on December 28, 1939, to Frank and Jean Chesley Booth. He was educated at Friends Academy, Deerfield Academy, Harvard College, and Harvard Law School.

Following his father and grandfather in the practice of law, he started his career at the New York firm of Debevoise, Plimpton, Lyons and Gates. In 1970, he and his new bride, Monette, were sent to the law firm’s European office in Paris, where they spent three years absorbing as much of French culture and delights as they could. Upon returning to New York, Peter reassessed his career path, and looked toward the broader horizons of business.

They eventually headed to Corning, New York, a rural setting, but the headquarters of a very innovative and sophisticated company which is Corning, Inc. There he became international counsel and travelled extensively to negotiate business agreements with various foreign corporations, often in the company of colleagues from Corning, and occasionally accompanied by Monette.

In 1986, Peter was asked to become President of Corning, Japan, and for five years, he and Monette absorbed yet a different culture. His undergraduate major at Harvard was East Asian studies (China and Japan), so his understanding of the history and culture of the region was much appreciated and provided excellent relationships during his tenure, not to mention a thorough feel for the local business mindset. Peter ended his twenty-five year career with Corning as Senior Vice-President for Strategy and Development.

After retiring in 2000, he happily took up his life on St. Croix in the winter and at Sharbot Lake, Ontario, Canada, in the summer. Travel, still an important part of life for Peter and Monette, was spent during the spring and fall in France, England, and Italy, with two preoccupations foremost in mind: good food and good golf.

His love of conversation, history, fine food and wine, and of course, golf, made him fun to be with.

His enthusiasm for life, generous spirit, keen interest in world events, positive attitude and intelligence will be sorely missed by his wife Monette, his family, and his friends.

-Penelope Wylie Mayer ’75, niece of Peter Booth

*Remembering Brian Friends Academy deeply mourns the passing of senior Brian Hom, who died April 10.

If you would like a message included in a memoriam to Brian, please send it to andrea_ miller@fa.org.

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Donald Pollitt ’34 Jean Brown McCarty ’40 James McChesney ’43 Arvid Strom ’48 Joan Krier Heagney ’52 Peter Booth ’57 Pat Rauch McIvin ’57 Brian Hom ’11*

Donald Pollitt ’34 Founder of the Brookville Park Foundation

D

onald Pollitt ’34 passed away on December 26, 2010 at the age of 93. A long-time resident of Upper Brookville, founder of The Brookville Park Foundation, and a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army, Donald leaves behind a great legacy, thanks, in part, to his remarkable landscaping career. Traveling along the northern corridor of Long Island, one cannot help but notice his contributions to the landscape. In an interview conducted in

Jean Brown McCarty ’40 A lover of life, devoted to family

J

ean Brown McCarty ’40 passed away on January 24, 2011 at the age of 88. Born in 1922, Jean grew up in Babylon, New York.

After graduating from Friends in 1940, Jean attended Pratt Institute. She moved to Texas, and while managing the restaurant department at Joske’s Department Store in San

Joan Krier Heagney ’52 Former FA cheerleader; fun loving and thoughtful

J

oan Krier Heagney ’52 passed away at her home in Post Falls, Idaho on June 14, 2010.

She was born on July 18, 1935 in Doylestown, Pa. to Edmund U. and Katherine McLaughlin Krier. She is survived by her husband, James G. Heagney, son Robert Pickering and daughter Karen Suzanne Pickering Shatka. She was preceded in death by a son, Brian John Pickering.

Joan is remembered by the Friends Acad-

2007, Donald pointed to “his roots in Friends Academy’s nurturing soil.” He spoke of the school’s honesty and simplicity and reflected that, “It’s hard to put into words. It’s intangible. It stays with you.”

Donald was the beloved husband of Christel Pollitt, father of Mark Pollitt and Ernest Schmatolla, stepfather of Christel’s 5 children and 6 grandchildren and brother of Alice Jane Lockwood.

Antonio, Jean met her husband Pat. They moved to Corpus Christi where they raised three children: Bill, Kathleen, and Andrew. Pat writes, “Jean and I have enjoyed 58 wonderful years together. They have been a partnership of deep love. She is remembered by all for her love of life, her smile, her quick humor, [and] her strong, long-lasting friendships. Jean is missed by me and all fortunate enough to have known her.”

emy class of 1952 as a cheerful, smiling, fun loving and thoughtful person. Her fellow cheerleaders remember her and smile. She withstood the ravages of polycystic disease with dignity and a positive attitude. Your fellow “Mrs. Wilt’s Angels” miss you, Joan.

-Margaret Whitney Shiels ’52

Friends Academy Alumni Association Alumni are the living legacy of Friends Academy.

Alumni Upcoming Events>>

Alumni gather at annual New York City alumni gathering at the Yale club last June.

Five-Year Reunion for the Class 0f 2006 Saturday, June 4, 2011 from 6 – 8 p.m.

Join classmates and faculty for an informal reception at the Jackson House

New York City Reunion Monday, June 6, 2011 from 6 - 8 p.m.

Princeton/Columbia Club 15 West 43rd St., NYC 10036

Honoring Retiring Upper School English & Art History Teacher Ed Herscher All FA alums, faculty and staff are welcome!

Continue to check www.fa.org and your FA Alumni portal for more details.

2011 Fall Fair & Homecoming Saturday, September 24 10 a.m – 4 p.m.

More information is on the alumni pages of the Friends Academy website: www.fa.org/alumni

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Friends Academy

270 Duck Pond Road, Locust Valley, NY 11560 516.676.0393 | www.fa.org

Founded 1876

Non-Profit U.S. Postage PAID Hicksville, NY Permit No. 438

Find us ... and join us online

Save The Date!

Our website www.fa.org

May 6

Visit our official school site to see regular slideshows of school and updates on campus life.

Lower School Grandparents & Special Friends Day, 9 AM (Helen A. Dolan Center Atrium)

Facebook

www.facebook.com Type in Friends Academy Alumni Association and become a member of our Alumni Facebook group and get connected to over 1,000 “Friends!�

May 16

FA Book Fair Kickoff, 6 PM (Main Gym)

May 21

Twitter

FA Family Community Service Project, 10 AM (Commons)

www.twitter.com/ friendsacademy Sign up and follow instant updates about athletic wins, art and theater openings, news coverage, and more.

June 8

Fourth Day Honors, 11 AM (Theater)

Linked In

June 11

www.linkedin.com

Commencement, 10 AM A fifth-grade collage collaboration in honor of Peace Week 2011.

Register and join the Friends Academy Alumni group to network with fellow alums.