FOR MORE INFORMATION Aaron Dorlarque Associate Head of School Phone: 805-688-6471 Email: adorlarque@dunnschool.org
February 2015
Dunn Alumni News
Tom Holmes Director of Alumni Affairs Phone: 805-686-0627 Email: tholmes@dunnschool.org
Ne Tentes Aut Perfice
ARTS AT DUNN SCHOOL
Rising to the Challenge
(above) The Jazz 2/3 Ensemble performs in the historic schoolhouse. (right) Heidi He’s digital painting won her first place in the Arts Outreach Applause Showcase.
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rtists are thriving at Dunn School. Last spring, student writers, performers and visual artists receive well-earned Applause from the Young Artists Program, sponsored by Arts Outreach. More than half of the artists in the Visual category were Dunn students, with 21 pieces making the finalist list. Their artwork was on display at Gallery Los Olivos for the month of April. First place went to Heidi He for her piece “Otaku’s Daily Life.” Hand drawn using a Wacom tablet and digitally painted, the piece impressed judges. Second place went to Daine Chung for “Still Life” in charcoal. “These two young women are creating amazing work this year also, along with Joyce Lin who won the first place prize in 2013 and Teddy Xiong who has earned a spot on the finalist list every year since she arrived at Dunn,” says art teacher Nancy Yaki. Last spring Dunn students also competed in the 2014 Scholastic Art and Writing competition and won three gold keys and three silvers along with an honorable mention. This year six students submitted 25 pieces to the Scholastic competition. Results will be announced in April. ARTISTS continued on page 2
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Junior Allie Chomeau and ceramics teacher Scott Semple work together on her ambitious project, a ceramic chair.
This fall, Studio 2 artists played around with a challenging assignment in anamorphic art. Because anamorphosis obeys the laws of perspective in a very strict way, there was a lot of discussion in the classroom as to what anamorphic art was and what it was not. “When the weather becomes more stable the students will try their hand at illustrating anamorphic pieces outside for the Dunn community to view,” says Yaki. The ceramics studio has been bustling with activity. Allie Chomeau recently went from making beautiful things in Ceramics 2, to building ambitious projects. Her most recent piece is a ceramic chair. “This type of work is not usually seen until grad school level ceramics,” says teacher Scott Semple. Another student of his, freshman Beck Miller, has shown fantastic enthusiasm in Ceramics 1, creating pieces that are of a higher caliber than his lack of experience would suggest.
Samantha Beckert has been combining her love of architecture with her skills as an artist to tackle an independent study project. She and Semple are making adobe bricks to build structures, and running tests on native clays that they harvested in the Gaviota Mountains. She will also be heading up a pizza oven project on campus once the facilities department pours the foundation. Photo students were able to give back to the community as well as gain valuable experience when they partnered with Help Portrait on International Photo Day. Help-Portrait, a non-profit organization, makes it their mission to help people who never had the chance or the money to have a nice portrait taken of themselves. Since it started in 2008, photographers in 67 countries have taken more than 325,000 portraits. “I wanted to find a way for my students to share their talent with
(left) Photo students create beautiful portraits for community members during International Photo Day. (right) James Yang’s anamorphic drawing of a Rubik’s Cube.
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people in the community,” said Dunn photography teacher Tess McEnroe. “Help-Portrait is a way to give back, and gives the students real life practice of shooting photos while integrating the human interaction element, which I emphasize in my classes. These kids are talented and I’m proud to see them grow and develop their creative eye. Combining art, social justice, and community service is a great way to accomplish this goal.” Matt Yaki’s jazz ensemble students played a show in Lompoc at a new venue, A Certain Spark. They also performed a well received recital program in the schoolhouse. Follow this link to watch them playing “St. Thomas” by Sonny Rollins. “It’s a particularly fun and simple song I thought would be good for a short video,” says Yaki. “If you want to hear more, drop by the schoolhouse any time! We’ve got jazz, guitar, vocals, and composition going on every day.”
From the Alumni Board
T
he Alumni Board has met twice this year, the two agenda items receiving significant attention are: selecting new board members, and identifying and implementing opportunities to expand alumni outreach. We are pleased to announce the appointment of three new board members – Jim Gaskin ’71, Corey Evans ’93, and Jessamine Mackenzie ’98. We thank all of the board members for their service. The process of nominating alums for the Young Alum of the Year and Alum of the Year awards has also begun; we are seeking nominations for both of these awards. Definition of Dunn School’s Alumni Awards The Alumnus/Alumna of the Year awards recognize exceptional individual and professional achievement, personal character, and/or dedication to the mission of the school. The success of a school can be characterized by the accomplishments of its students; the recipients of these awards exemplify what is best about Dunn. The selection of the award recipients is overseen by the Alumni Board. If you would like to nominate a fellow alum please contact Guy Walker – grwb4nyl@aol.com
ALUMNI BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Additional efforts that will be undertaken by the board this year will include: Alumni receptions, general outreach, and an effort to increase alumni participation in the Dunn Fund. President Guy R. Walker ’76 (Santa Ynez, CA) Vice President Christy Davidge ‘98 (Santa Ynez, CA) Directors Divo Denove ’98 (Thousand Oaks, CA) Corey Evans ‘93 (Solvang, CA) Jim Gaskin ‘71 (Carpinteria, CA) Whitney Holmes ’05 (Hagerstown, MD) Ralph W. Lowe ’70 (Los Olivos, CA) Jessamine Mackenzie ‘98 (Charlotte, NC) Chris Wesselman ‘65 (Fremont, CA) Arisa Wolf ‘92 (Solvang, CA)
Dear Alumni, Welcome to 2015, and to a new year filled with promise and potential. I hope you and your family experience a meaningful and joyful year ahead. When I speak with alumni and read of your successes in our Class Notes pages, it’s clear to me that you carried with you from your Dunn years the belief that you could accomplish anything with practice. This attitude – that effort opens the door to new capabilities – is among the most essential frames of mind that contribute to a fulfilling life. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend Carol Dweck’s book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Several years ago, her book infused our campus with a new vocabulary, if not a new set of beliefs. In particular, when a student now shows that he or she hasn’t mastered a skill (quadratic equations, jump shots) we are quick to note that they haven’t succeeded yet. The word ‘yet’ opens us up to realizing our untapped potential. When we tell a student that they’re not there yet, we’re giving honest feedback and we’re also vocalizing confidence in their ability to change, grow, and master new talents – with the hard work necessary to fuel that growth. And, if you haven’t returned to Los Olivos to attend Alumni Weekend yet, I hope 2015 will be the year you visit us. Director of Alumni Affairs Tom Holmes and our dedicated Alumni Board put together a spectacular line up of social events. I guarantee you’ll have a great time. Embrace the growth mindset, and join us for a weekend you’ll remember! Sincerely,
Mike Beck Head of School
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Class Notes Class Notes Class Notes Class Notes Class Notes
Cassie Ballieau ‘04
1967
A big thank you to Lloyd Westbrook for coming to campus in September and sharing some unique thoughts about life and how that relates to being a Dunn alum. Lloyd addressed the juniors and seniors in Collins Library — his support is greatly appreciated!
Kevin Kline ‘04
Brett Kline ‘07
1996
2001
Michael Bailey ‘96 and Sean Tashma ‘95 got together during Michael’s marine corp birthday. Both
Stacy Smith won the Ms. International title through the Ms. America Pageant. The title is a people choice award combined with judge’s votes. “My platform was to raise awareness for muscular dystrophy,” said Stacy. For more information on the pageant, visit msamericapageant.com
2002
Lloyd Westbrook ‘67 during his September visit to campus.
Carly Meyer has moved to “the space coast,” taking up residence in Cocoa Beach, Florida to work as a Range Operations Scheduler for Spacelift Range System Contact (SLRSC) at Exelis. Also known as Exelis Inc., the global aerospace, defense, information and services company was created in October 2011 as a result of the spinoff of ITT Corporation’s
men have served in the military. “My day was made better by a visit from this salty dawg,” said Michael. “Thanks Sean Tashma for spending time at my place!”
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Stacy Smith ‘01
defense business into an independent, publicly traded company. In August, she received a SPOT Award from the Program Director for “outstanding contributions” within the contract. Congratulations, Carly!
2003
Sarah Scarborough was hired as a personal assistant for Meghan McCain (Take Part Live). She moved to Los Angeles in July to start her new job.
2004
Cassie Ballieau has been sweetening the airwaves with her YouTube channel, Lovebites, featuring instructional videos for making delicious treats. You can see her in action on her YouTube channel.
Class Notes Class Notes Class Notes Class Notes Class Notes
Travis Hanks ‘06
2005
Max Werk ‘05 returned to campus with business partner Chris Kunkle to demonstrate the drones they use for shooting photos and videos. Read more about their visit in this Dunn School News article.
2006
Irv Martin, an alum and former teacher at Dunn, is now the Head Fourth Grade Teacher at Suzhou Foreign Language School.
Max Werk ‘05
2009
currently working and have been working in the outdoor industry since I left Dunn. The outdoor ed program led to my career as an outdoor leader, guide, and ultimate love for the outdoors and activities the mountains and wilderness provide. I wouldn’t be where I am or working in the industry that I do had it not been for Dunn and its life-changing outdoor education programs. Thank you again and I hope that Dunn’s OE program is still shaping students and changing lives like it did mine.
Downey Orrick has been busy playing shows in the San Francisco area with his
band, Vintage Suns. You can listen to their EP on Sound Cloud, or visit their YouTube channel.
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PASSAGES
As Peter Pellegrin ‘75 and Adrianna Roome ‘75 reached out to members of the Class of 1975 for their upcoming 40th class reunion, they learned that Mark Summers ‘75 lost his battle with stage 4 lung cancer in 2010. A Navy veteran and captain of the NewburghBeacon Ferry, he was a well known, much loved fixture on the Hudson River. You can read his full obituary online at: Legacy.com
Travis Hanks sent this note to Mr. Holmes: Just wanted to drop a line and thank you for the four years of outdoor education that was provided to me at Dunn. I know it wasn’t my favorite program at the time, but those experiences were the groundwork that my life stands upon today. I am
Stay up to date with other alumni. Send Class Notes or Passages to alumni@dunnschool.org or connect at the Dunn School Alumni page on Facebook
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Class Notes Class Notes Class Notes Class Notes Class Notes A mini Dunn reunion took place in Japan (left) when Casey Stoops ‘93 visited for work. He met up for a special dinner with Eric Lee ‘94, Jason Kim ‘94, Tatsu Akahira ‘95, Shin-g Kurashige ‘93, Naoki Osada ‘94 and Saori Kitamura ‘92. Former Spanish teacher Alex Kehaya ran into Cyrus Gill ‘12 at UCSF. “Cyrus is working with Deckers Brand’s innovation group as part of a class project,” wrote Alex. “Turns out he’s majoring in entrepreneurship and has started his first startup! Didn’t expect to see anybody I know in the class! Small world!”
2010
Sang Yoon Chung sent this note to Tom Holmes: I know I was a bit of pain as an immature teenager. It is a little bit late, but I apologize and thank you so much for taking care of me. I went to military school for two years and got discharged as a sergeant last year. Currently, I am enrolled at Case Western Reserve University and enjoying the time and opportunity that I can study in the United States. I miss all my friends and professors, especially Mr. Haig, Mr. Westscott, Mr. Gaylord, and all the other faculty. I hope and pray for good things at Dunn School.
Join us for an evening of fun at the 2015 fundraising auction, DENIM & DIAMONDS for DUNN Saturday, March 14 at the Alisal River Terrace For tickets, visit the website or call (805) 686-0654.
Visiting campus
(above) Jeff Wang ‘11 paid a virtual visit to campus to talk to current Earwig Inc. students. (right) Abu Danladi ‘14 came back to campus to speak during an assembly in December and thank everyone who came to cheer him on during his Bruin soccer games. (left) Fifi Baiden ‘10 stopped by to check in with former coach Mark Geriak and drop off a jersey from the Columbus Crew, the team he played for this past year.
We’d love to hear from you! Stop by campus for a visit, or send your updates and photos to alumni@dunnschool.org.
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Former baseball players Ryan Layton ‘14 and Jake Eisaguirre ‘14 visited Coach Dorlarque during their winter break. Ryan is a business major at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo while Jake studies marine biology/geology at Eckerd College.
Class Notes Class Notes Class Notes Class Notes Class Notes
Alumni Receptions
Five alumni receptions have been planned for the 2014-15 school year. Three of these receptions – Santa Barbara and Westlake Village in October, and San Francisco in December – have already occurred. It has been great to meet alums, old and new, and catch up with what is happening in their lives. Many interesting stories are always shared. San Francisco continues to bring out the greatest number of alums. A lot of new faces appeared this year to join those who attend on an annual basis. The two upcoming events will occur in the Los Angeles area – Santa Monica on Wednesday, March 4 and 4 Pasadena on Thursday, March 5. I hope you can join us for one of these events. For details on dates and times, visit the alumni events section of the Dunn School website.
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1. Jim Geller ‘75, Winsor Orrick ‘75 and Adrianna Roome ‘75.
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2. Sazan Pasori ‘11, Sophia Gill ‘08 and Angus MacDonald ‘06. 3. Peter Moody ‘96 and wife, Jenny.
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4. Jasmine Ferguson ‘07 and Fiona MacDonald ‘08. 5. Former faculty member Nick Thacher and his wife Sally.
From the Dunn School Alumni News page
dunnschool.org/alumni/news
Healing Waters Hodgkins survivor Jack Marshall Shimko ‘99 started the nonprofit, We Are Ocean, to introduce other cancer survivors to the healing power of the ocean. His story was featured in the April edition of Riviera magazine.
In Good Taste Dunn alums with a penchant for good food have been showing up in the pages of Edible Santa Barbara. The spring issue featured a six-page spread on Jacob Grant ‘93, talking about how he started Roots Organic Farm. The summer issue features Courtney deLongpre ‘00 and her new restaurant, Bacon and Brine. Read the article about Courtney Rae, Chef Pink, and Bacon and Brine in the summer issue of Edible Santa Barbara (p. 56). Or visit their website: baconandbrine.com. The article on Jacob can be found online in the Spring Issue, p. 41. Do you have news you’d like to share? Send it to alumni@dunnschool.org or find the Dunn School
Alumni page on Facebook.
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Strength in Numbers Show your Alumni Pride by giving to The Dunn Fund this year. Gifts to The Dunn Fund provide financial aid, academic programs and student enrichment. Just as important, your gift is a vote of confidence in Dunn. Please let The Dunn Fund count you as a supporter by making your gift online: www.dunnschool.org/support. Every gift makes a difference!
Remember Dunn, Make a Lasting Difference The Anthony B. Dunn Heritage society honors generous community members who have named Dunn School in their wills or trusts, or otherwise included Dunn in their estate plans. Your support through a planned gift helps to sustain Dunn School and our essential mission in perpetuity. Please contact Aaron Dorlarque for more information email adorlarque@dunnschool.org or call (805) 686-0628. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to these members of our Heritage Society, and invite you to consider a planned gift.
The Anthony B. Dunn Heritage Society of 1957 Willis M. Allen, Jr. (‘64) Michael Boone (‘79) Joseph V. Costello III (‘70) William (‘80) and Jennifer DuBois (Former Employees) Edward and Joyce Engs III (P’80) Beryl Geller (P’75) Robert and JoNan LeRoy (Former Employee) Gail McGrath (P’79)
John H. Sanger (Former Employee) Sarah and Chad Stacy (P’20, Current Employee) Guy Walker (‘76, P’05) William (‘84) and Claire Wolfenden Deceased Andrew D. Orrick (P’74, P’75, GP’09, GP’14) Susan Hossfeld (P’70, P’73)
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