COMMENCEMENT 2018 In a beautiful outdoor ceremony on June 9, Solebury School graduated 58 remarkable seniors. pg. 7 >
S U M M E R / FA L L 2 0 1 8
HOME AWAY FROM HOME What’s it like to live at Solebury? Get an inside look at our boarding program, helmed by Dean of Residence Life Bill Christy. pg. 15 >
REUNION WEEKEND 2018 One of the highlights of our year is welcoming back alumni to campus! pg. 20 >
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2018-2019 Scott Bolenbaugh P’09 Chairman Dan Cohen ’63 Vice Chairman Liz Tallett Wavle P’11 Treasurer Joan Reinthaler ’53 Secretary Jay Abbe ’59 Bette Jane “BJ” Booth P’11 Andrea Devereux P’14 Jonathan C. Downs ’71 P’03 ’08 ’09 Andrée Newsome Falco ’63 Dr. Ellen Faulkner P’06 ’11 Jeremy Fergusson ’63 Andrew Gespass ’73 Mandy Mundy Whitney Parker-Klimpel P’06 ’09 ’14 William Penney ’67 P’06 Josh Perlsweig ’03 John Petito P’96 ’03 Sonya Sappington P’15 Derek Warden ’79 Brett Webber ’85 P’20 Ellen Westheimer ’63 Navarrow Wright ’88 P’16
HEAD OF SCHOOL Thomas G. Wilschutz
HONORARY TRUSTEES Chris Chandor ’60 P’86 Alan Donley ’55 Betsy Bidelman Meredith ’54 P’81 Richard Moss ’48 Eric Shaw ’55 Jean Tappan Shaw ’53
COVER: A scene from Walter Lamb Hall’s 2017 Foosball Tournament. This annual tournament has become a beloved residential life tradition. THIS PAGE: During the first week of school at our annual Convocation ceremony, select students carry flags representing their family’s home country.
SUMMER / FALL 2018
CONTENTS
SOLEBURY SCHOOL SUMMER/FALL MAGAZINE
Editor Jennifer K. Burns P’19 Assistant Head of School: Advancement and External Affairs
Managing Editor Deb O’Reilly Director of Publications and Online Media
Contributing Editor Holly Victor ’89 Assistant Director of Advancement
Design and Production Proof Design
Please send change of address to:
SOLEBURY SCHOOL 6832 Phillips Mill Road New Hope, PA 18938
FEATURES 7 Commencement 2018
Phone: 215-862-5261 Fax: 215-862-3366 Email: alumni@solebury.org © Copyright 2018 Solebury School
CONNECT WITH SOLEBURY SCHOOL
In a beautiful outdoor ceremony on June 9, Solebury School graduated 58 remarkable seniors.
15 Home Away From Home
What’s it like to live at Solebury? Get an inside look at our boarding program, helmed by Dean of Residence Life Bill Christy and designed to offer just the right balance of support and structure, warmth and community.
20 Reunion Weekend 2018
FACEBOOK Facebook.com/SoleburySchool1925
One of the highlights of our year is welcoming back alumni to campus!
Save the date for next year’s celebration: May 3-5, 2019.
TWITTER twitter.com/SoleburySchool YOUTUBE youtube.com/SoleburySchoolUWatch INSTAGRAM @soleburyschool
www.solebury.org
DEPARTMENTS 2 A NOTE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL Checking in with Tom Wilschutz
5 A LOOK BACK
Holmquist Dorm through the decades
27
ALMA’S UPDATE
Catch up on alumni news
A NOTE FROM TOM WILSCHUTZ
HEAD OF SCHOOL This quiet, serene moment was suddenly punctuated by a piercing fire alarm emanating from Holmquist. As I stood, somewhat stunned, the girls began pouring out of the dormitory, along with their dorm parents. Yikes! I grabbed my keys (why...I don’t know, perhaps it is de rigueur that one always takes keys to a fire) and ran as fast as I could across the 75 yards or so that separates our home from Holmquist. Within a few seconds of my arrival, the girls began going back into the building. Stunned, I shouted, “NOOOOOO... wait for the first responders!!!” They looked at me like I was nuts, and I suspect I was looking at them like they were equally daft. Then, one of the dorm parents pulled me aside and whispered “Ahhh, Tom, this was a planned fire drill. We do one every year within a week or two of the beginning of school. Weren’t you copied on the email alerting the on-campus community of tonight’s drill?” Somewhat embarrassed, I sheepishly retreated back to my living room to explain to Rebecca what had happened (who spent the next ten minutes laughing at me...not with me!). And so began my life as the head of a boarding/day school. Over the years there have been more hilarious moments, many poignant moments, and more than a few exciting moments as I quickly came to learn that, for the young men and women who
This fall, I began my 11th year as Head of Solebury School. I arrived at Solebury in July, 2008 after 15 years at an all-girls day school in Shaker Heights, Ohio. I thought my preparation for becoming a Head of School had been well rounded and thorough, and for the most part, it had. With one exception: residential life — our boarding students and the adults who work with them on campus 24/7, some of them year-round. In this case, the cliche “you don’t know what you don’t know” was very applicable. I had little idea what this dimension added to a school, and to my new position. Wow, was I in for a learning curve.
board at Solebury...this is home, and the adults in their lives quickly assume the role of parents, grandparents, mentors, counselors, friends, and advisors. I have stayed up into the wee hours of a morning, comforting a young student who had learned earlier that night that their parents were divorcing, waiting while a family friend made their way to campus to take them home. I’ve spent a Saturday afternoon trying to capture a bird that had flown into Holmquist and was terrorizing all the residents. I’ll never forget the night spent in the ER with a young man who had decided to catch a baseball hit sharply to third base...with his mouth. Rebecca and I have treated more than a few of our boarding students to dinner in our home, offering them a break from their routine; the folks at the local restaurant, Cravings, know
That curve began shortly after school opened my first
us by our first names as we share ice cream and burgers with
September. It was approaching 10:00pm and I was sitting
a small group of kids on an ongoing basis. Occasionally I look
in my front room, chatting with Rebecca, as we gazed
out my office window to see my dogs walking by...escorted by
out through floor-to-ceiling windows on a beautiful vista
a couple of boarding students who simply need a dog fix. One
that unfolds to the east of our home, a view that includes
wintry afternoon, in the midst of a snow day, I found myself on
Holmquist Dormitory where our female boarders reside.
the wrong side of a snowball fight...one against many. I lost.
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make their journey from adolescence to young adults. I fondly recalled Olivia as a young boarding 9th grader as I watched her give her graduation speech. Wonder, satisfaction, pride — all these emotions and so many more welled up as I thought about her journey to that moment of her graduation. In this issue, you will read more about our burgeoning residence life program under the leadership of our Dean of Residence Life, Bill Christy, and the experience of boarding at Tom is a frequent spectator (and oftentimes an official timer) of Walter Lamb’s foosball games.
Solebury School. This is a pivotal moment in the life of Solebury School, as we move toward realizing one of the key tenets of the School’s recently adopted strategic plan — to grow from our
The students loved it. A few years ago a parent was somewhat desperate that her daughter learn to drive. After scouring the area for an appropriate agency who could help, and failing, I offered to instruct the young woman. Many years earlier, I had taught all three of my children how to drive. How hard could it be some twenty plus years later to reprise this role? A miscalculation on my part: “things” were...different.
current enrollment of approximately 230 to 300, with all this
First, the roads. The roads in and around New Hope are decidedly more twisty, and narrower, then the roads in suburban Ohio. Second...light. Solebury Township and the surrounding environs are averse to any kind of light at night. After sunset, it is dark. Very dark. Not a friendly environment to drivers-in-training (or their instructors). Third...me. The only conclusion here is that perhaps teaching young people how to drive is best left to younger adults who still retain a modicum of that adolescent belief in immortality. I can still vividly recall being a passenger in my Jeep, going a tad too fast, at night, in nearby Lambertville where parking on both sides of the street leaves, at best, one lane, and thinking as this student drove that this would be such an inglorious way to end my time on this planet.
experience and bring all of our resources and expertise to
We survived. The student got her license. Mom was eternally grateful. The cost to me: two outside mirrors, mine and the one we clipped in Lambertville. And some premature aging.
we are excited to redirect our talented middle school teachers to
Over the years and in all these moments and so many more, there is one constant, captured so eloquently by Olivia Heffernan ’18 last June in her graduation address to her peers. There is nothing quite like being involved in the growth and maturation of young people. They arrive mostly in the 9th grade, very young, often nervous and filled with trepidation, and not yet fully formed. Much like parents everywhere, we have the opportunity to participate in meaningful ways as they
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growth attributed to our boarding population. The end goal, to rebalance Solebury’s enrollment to 150 day students and 150 boarding. This will necessitate new facilities on campus, to begin with a new residence hall. As we contemplate this enrollment growth and what it means, we have also decided to focus on our students’ high school grades 9-12. Over the course of our 93-year history, Solebury’s Middle School has come and gone and come and gone, as well as witnessed several different configurations of grades. In this moment, with a very strong and growing Upper School enrollment, and with a national trend of decreased private middle school enrollment, we have decided to focus on the Upper School. What does that mean? Solebury no longer offers a 7th grade. We will continue with our 8th grade this year, however with the conclusion of the 2018-19 school year, we will then eliminate 8th grade and deploy those resources in support of our growing 9th through 12 grades. No faculty positions have been eliminated or reduced with this programmatic change. In fact, offering new classes for grades 9 -12. Despite the reduction in the 7th grade, we opened with nearly the same number of students on campus that we’ve seen in recent years. Kudos to Cari Nelson, Middle School Director, and Rick Tony, Director of Studies, for leading the effort to ensure a thoughtful transition. And kudos especially to Cari for her outstanding leadership of our Middle School program for the past decade. From all of us who live, work and play on the corner of Phillips Mill and School Lane, we wish you the best, and I hope you enjoy this issue of Solebury: The Magazine.
WWW.SOLEBURY.ORG
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BEYOND THE BOOKS
IN MEMORIAM
bruce bergquist Head of Solebury School, 1984-1989 Former Head of School Albert Bruce Bergquist (known as Bruce), passed away on March 30, 2018 at age 84 at his home in Olympia, WA. He had suffered a stroke weeks earlier. Born in Worcester, MA, Bruce graduated from Dartmouth College in 1955 with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and later earned a master’s degree from Middlebury College. He married Betsy Bergquist in 1956 and began his career as an educator and administrator, first teaching at the Naval Academy and later at the Hill School in Pennsylvania, followed by serving as founding Executive Director of a residential gap year program in Massachusetts. In 1978, he and Betsy founded Baker River School in New Hampshire — and wrote the book, Up the Hill to Baker River School — to answer what they felt was lacking in education at that time, including emotional literacy.
I know he will live on in the memories of so many of the students he influenced and cared for over his lengthy and stellar career.” After Solebury, Bruce and Betsy moved west, and he co-founded the Dispute Resolution Center of Thurston County, a non-profit organization in Washington state. Despite the distance and decades that passed, he still made time to check in on Solebury School.
“Bruce was an excellent listener — he would lean in and cock his head to one side and you just knew ‘he got you’.” —Alexandra Bader ’85
In 1984, Bruce and Betsy were named Co-Heads of Solebury School. A few years later, Betsy stepped down and Bruce retired in 1989, and though his time at Solebury School was relatively brief, it was impactful. Under the Bergquists, Solebury School saw improvements to its physical plant, as well as the addition of a Learning Skills Department, spearheaded by faculty member Tom Unger. The Learning Skills program continues to provide transformative experiences for students today. At Solebury School, Bruce was known as a progressive educator, and as a charismatic and warm leader. “I was a bit of a fish out of water for the first few weeks,” shared former boarding student Alexandra Bader ’85, who moved to Solebury School during her senior year from Switzerland, where her family had lived since she was 10 years old. “Bruce and Betsy made sure that I was doing ok, that I felt happy and included. They lived on the property next to the girls dorm so there was always a feeling of comfort and safety having them close by. Some Friday evenings they would have a group over for dinner. Bruce was an excellent listener — he would lean in and cock his head to one side and you just knew ‘he got you.’
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Bruce and Betsy Bergquist
“Bruce reached out to me on many occasions and visited several times,” said Head of School Tom Wilschutz. “Always caring and supportive, he never lost his affection for Solebury School.” He is survived by wife, Betsy; children, Sally, Berit, Sam, and spouses; brother, Stephen and spouse; and five grandchildren.
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A LOOK BACK
40 years of Holmquist Dorm IN 1977, SOLEBURY SCHOOL sold its Lower Campus, the site of the former Holmquist School for Girls and its two dorms, White Oaks and (the original) Appledore. Lucien Peebles ’65 built a new dorm on Solebury’s campus, named Holmquist. It opened its doors in 1978 to a new generation of female boarding students and has housed hundreds of young women, as well as many dorm parents and their families, over the past four decades.
Lucien Peebles ’65 (left), working on Holmquist. Christmas stockings are still hung by the mantle like they were in this photo from 1986 (2nd from left), but bulky computers and wall landlines have been replaced with laptops and smartphones.
HELP OUR STUDENTS CONTINUE TO SOAR Here’s how to make your state tax dollars work for Solebury School Qualifying businesses can use Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC) to redirect their state taxes from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to Solebury School, where they will provide financial aid for Pennsylvania students who qualify. It’s a terrific, nearly cost-free opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our students — more than half of whom receive some form of financial aid. Available tax credits move quickly through this program so we advise applying on, or as close to, the application date, as possible.
To learn more, go to solebury.org/EITC SUMMER / FALL 2018
WWW.SOLEBURY.ORG
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LEADERSHIP
SOLEBURY SCHOOL WELCOMES Four New Board Members BY DEB O’REILLY
DAN COHEN ’63 rejoins the Board of Trustees this year
would likely call it formidable). She has been a ballerina and a
having served several terms previously, beginning in 2004.
heavy equipment operator, including working on a two-and-half
Dan has worn many hats as a board member, including leading
ton crane. For nearly 10 years, she managed money for clients at
Solebury School’s recent Strategic Planning initiative and
a major brokerage firm. During the same period, she and several
chairing the Investment Committee. His decades-long career in radio broadcasting was inspired by a biography on news broadcaster Elmer Davis that he read as a student at Solebury School. Dan is also a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned three varsity letters for fencing. A practiced and talented photographer, he recently published a book of photography titled Mainescapes. “As one of the few board members who actually knew the founders of the school, I am excited to return to the board to help guide Solebury as it begins to approach its 100th anniversary in 2025,” says Dan. He lives in Florida with his wife; they have two grown children.
WILLIAM PENNEY ’67 P’06 is a Managing Partner for Boyden, the global executive search firm. He co-resides in Boston and São Paulo, Brazil. His career has also taken him to France where he lived and worked after graduating from
San Francisco police officers started a 501(c)(3) to benefit children living in inner-city housing. Sonya and her husband Bill live in New Jersey. They have two children; their daughter Christina graduated from Solebury School in 2015 and is a senior at Manhattanville College. “I look forward to supporting and protecting a place and a culture I care for deeply,” says Sonya.
ELLEN WESTHEIMER ’63 brings wide and varied professional experience to the board, from computer programming and software engineering to business ownership, specifically a home health aide organization from which Ellen is officially retired, though she still cares for one client with Parkinson’s. Ellen is also an active volunteer for various nonprofit organizations and political candidates. A longtime supporter of Solebury School, she hosted a regional alumni
Hamilton College and earning an MBA from HEC/Hautes Etudes
gathering in the fall of 2016 at her home in Cambridge, MA.
Commerciales. A longtime champion of Solebury School, Bill
She is a graduate of Boston University and earned a master’s
and his family were supporters in the construction of Solebury’s
degree in mathematics from Tufts University.
Penney International Center. Today, the Penney Center serves as an academic hub for our ESL students and hosts several classrooms and a lounge for all students. “I agree enthusiastically with Solebury’s strategic decision to increase its population of boarding students,” says Bill, “and I look forward to being involved over the next few years.” Bill has two daughters and a son, Stephen, who graduated from Solebury in 2006 and is now an investment analyst in São Paulo.
SONYA SAPPINGTON P’15 is a regular presence on campus,
Solebury School is incredibly grateful for the time and talent of our volunteer board members. TOM HUNT ’74 P’16, ALAN SHERIFF P’08 ’16,
tending to her six beehives that reside at Solebury School. The
and ANNE C. (ANNSI) STEPHANO ’58 P’77 ’78 ’81
hives serve as a living classroom for our science students and yield
completed their terms in May 2018, and we
a sizable harvest of honey. While today Sonya owns and operates Nine Acre Farm in Skillman, NJ, growing 80,000 sunflowers a
thank them for their leadership and support!
season, she describes her career path as unconventional (others
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COMMENCEMENT
2018 JUNE 9, 2018
Under blue skies, Solebury School graduated 58 seniors in a beautiful and heart-warming ceremony.
Spirits were high as Head of School Tom Wilschutz warmly welcomed family members, friends, faculty, staff, and alumni — and
congratulated the Class of 2018 on the years of hard work and dedication that brought them to this moment. “For the last chapter of your 13-year journey of school, you could’ve selected a different school, where just showing up would translate into a very good grade. But you selected Solebury School, where just showing up will not hoist you over any bar of success,” Tom noted. “Here, you had to work, often very hard, to achieve your successes. What you have done, what you have accomplished, was hard. And it was great.”
ABOVE: Parents snap group photos of the Class of 2018 at Senior Dinner, an annual tradition that takes place the night before commencement. At Senior Dinner, seniors and their families gather in the Athletic Center for speeches, awards, student performances, and a final meal prepared by our talented chefs.
To watch our entire Commencement 2018 ceremony, go to solebury.org/commencement2018.
SUMMER / FALL 2018
WWW.SOLEBURY.ORG
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COMMENCEMENT 2018
Senior speakers Lakumi Dias ’18, Olivia Heffernan ’18, and Ben Weinberg ’18 spoke memorably about their experiences at Solebury School. “This community, this campus, this place, is truly remarkable,” said Ben, now a freshman at the University of Rochester. “It’s not just a place that allows you to be completely and genuinely yourself, it’s a place that actively helps you do so.” School Counselor Julie Laing was chosen by the senior class to be their faculty speaker and shared the advice she wished she’d been given as a graduating senior. “Number 1: Be vulnerable. Stepping outside of your comfort zone is worth it and actually necessary,” said Julie. “Number 2: Trust yourself. Trust that somewhere inside of you, you know who you are and that your instincts are worth listening to. And number 3: Embrace change. Know that change is inevitable and will always propel you forward. Which direction it propels you in is entirely up to you.”
BY DEB O’REILLY PHOTOS BY STEPHEN BARTH
“[Solebury] is a place where the
teachers are more than the people who we see in the classroom for 80 minutes, but people who we developed meaningful relationships with. It’s a place where if you want to try something new, there’s really nothing stopping you. And it is the place that has shaped me into the person I am today.” –SENIOR SPEAKER LAKUMI DIAS ’18 now a freshman at Fordham University
ABOVE: Hannah Goulding ’18 and Caitlin Miller ’18. Ben Roxey ’18, Victor Yu ’18, Devon Brewster ’18. RIGHT: Lakumi Dias ’18, Ben Weinberg ’18, and Olivia Heffernan ’18, our student commencement speakers.
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“Thank you for helping make this place a home for me. I hope I have helped make it home for you, too. Now, let’s all promise to keep doing what we’ve
been doing: putting ourselves out in the world, recognizing its value, and giving back what we can.” –OLIVIA HEFFERNAN ’18 now a freshman at Franklin & Marshall University
CLASS OF 2018 AND OTHER YOUNG ALUMS: Save the date for Young Alumni Day on Wednesday, January 9, 2019! We’d love to see you back on campus!
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WWW.SOLEBURY.ORG
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COMMENCEMENT 2018
2018 SENIOR AWARDS NUMBER ONE RANKED IN THE CLASS OF 2018
DOROTHY MACBRIEN AWARD
Teva earned the highest cumulative GPA. She attends Smith College.
Given in memory of Dottie MacBrien P’79 by her husband Hugh P’79 and son Chris ’79, this award goes to a senior for his or her contributions to making Solebury School a better community and for demonstrating a willingness to help others. Jacob attends Elon University and Olivia attends Franklin & Marshall College.
Teva Skovronek ’18
FRANK AMMIRATI MATH & SCIENCE PRIZE
Will Gao ’18
This prize is given in honor of Frank Ammirati P’73 ’77 ’79 ’81 ’82, who taught math and science at Solebury for more than 30 years. The recipient of this award is a senior who excels in both of these disciplines. Will attends Cornell University.
THE MIKE MULLEN AWARD
Allie Duff ’18
This award is presented to the senior who has exemplified Mike’s characteristics of hard work, honesty and love of the Solebury community and its natural surroundings. Allie attends Hofstra University.
Jacob Gleason ’18 and Olivia Heffernan ’18
THE WILLIAM P. ORRICK AWARD
Chris Cuthrell ’18
This prize honors William Pendleton Orrick, Headmaster of Solebury School from 1948-1968, and is the gift of the Dr. Marvin Solomon Family and John Lippman ’75. It is awarded to a senior who has made the greatest academic improvement during his or her time at Solebury. Chris attends the School of Visual Arts. Chris Cuthrell ’18
SPECIAL AWARDS PRESENTED ON PRIZE DAY FOUNDERS AWARD
Perry Udahemuka ’19 and Yujiao (Louisa) Qiu ’19 Established by John A. Silver III ’57 and Betsy Orth Hill ’57, this award is intended for a member of the junior class who exudes personal maturity, integrity, intellectual curiosity, and a sense of responsibility to the school community as well as a society in general, sympathy for others, and courage.
DIRECTOR OF STUDIES AWARD
Elke Krieger ’18
Awarded to a student in any grade whose actions in and outside of the classroom demonstrate intellectual curiosity, love of
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learning for its own sake, and speculative habits of mind. Elke attends University of Vermont.
HOME AND SCHOOL COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
THE COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AWARD
This award is given to a senior who has completed a high number, and wide variety of, community service hours. Caitlin attends Marist College.
Arlene Ricks ’20 Established by the Class of 2014, this award is presented to students who have demonstrated enthusiasm for diversity through his or her willingness to cross social boundaries, respect of Solebury’s diverse population, participation in diversity activities on campus, and encouragement of understanding within the community.
Caitlin Miller ’18
DEAN OF STUDENTS AWARD
Hannah Goulding ’18 The award is given to a student who participates in and gives to the community unselfishly and who sees a need in the community and helps without being asked. Hannah attends Rosemont College.
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COMMENCEMENT 2018
BRYN MAWR BOOK AWARD
SONGCRAFT AWARD
Given to a young woman in the junior class who embodies the core characteristics of a Bryn Mawr woman: an intense intellectual commitment, a self-directed and purposeful vision of life, and a desire to make a meaningful contribution to the world.
Given to the student who shows great potential as a songwriter; candidates had to submit a body of work of at least three songs. This award is not given annually, only when a student merits it. Jack attends Washington College.
Chanler Sharpe ’19
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY BOOK AWARD
Sasha Guzman ’19
Given to the junior who embodies the George Washington University drive and spirit, specifically with their academic excellence, leadership outside of the classroom, diversity of thought, and ability to put knowledge into action.
Jack Landis ’18
potential in music which approaches a professional clarity. Such students have continually shown improvement and growth, and have made a significant contribution to Solebury’s music program. This award is only given when a student is deemed highly qualified, and therefore is not awarded every year. Eli attends the University of Southern California.
DUKE ELLINGTON AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MUSIC
BRIDGE GRADUATION PRIZE
This highest honor given by the music department to an instrumentalist or vocalist is awarded to qualified seniors at the end of their senior year. It is given to the senior (or seniors) who have attained a high degree of technique and musicality on their instrument and who show an exceptional
This award is given to the student who began at Solebury School in our Bridge Program and who has worked hard to graduate from the program with success, demonstrating hard work and determination. Keelin attends Marist College.
Eli Bramnick ’18
Keelin DeGeorge ’18
SMITH COLLEGE BOOK AWARD
Debby Qu ’19
Given to an outstanding junior or sophomore who exemplifies the academic achievement and leadership qualities that characterize the thousands of women who have graduated from Smith College. This student is typically in the “top tenth” of her class and serves as an example of scholarship and community service.
COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC AWARD
Carly Feld ’19
Given to an adventurous junior who is invested in creating positive change in the world, and is engaged in their learning and their community.
RACHEL CARSON BOOK AWARD
Marshall Overhiser ’19
Given by Chatham University to a junior student who has shown passion for the environment and interest in writing or the sciences. It includes a scholarship to Chatham University and an invitation to a reception on campus.
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Music teachers Cathy Block P’14 and Phyllis Arnold P’12 ’14 with Eli Bramnick ’18 (left) and Jack Landis ’18.
PHOTOS BY KELLI ABDONEY
WWW.SOLEBURY.ORG
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COMMENCEMENT 2018
Members of Solebury School’s Class of 2018 were accepted to nearly 150 selective colleges and universities in the United States and beyond. AMDA College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts American University Arcadia University Bard College Beloit College Benedict College Bennington College Bentley University Berklee College of Music Boston University Brandeis University Bryn Mawr College Bucks County Community College Bunker Hill Community College California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Chatham University Claflin University Clark University College of Charleston Colorado School of Mines Cornell University Creighton University Dartmouth College Denison University DePauw University Dickinson College Drew University Drexel University East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania Eckerd College Elizabeth City State University Elmira College Elon University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott Emerson College Flagler College Fordham University Franklin & Marshall College Gettysburg College Goucher College Hampshire College High Point University Hobart and William Smith Colleges Hofstra University Hudson County Community College Immaculata University Indiana University at Bloomington
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Ithaca College Johnson State College (Northern Vermont University) Juniata College Kansas State University Lafayette College Lehigh University Loyola University Maryland Marist College Maryland Institute College of Art McDaniel College Moravian College Mount Holyoke College Muhlenberg College New York University Northeastern University Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences Ohio Wesleyan University Pace University, New York City Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Pennsylvania State University Pennsylvania State University, Schreyer Honors College Pratt Institute Purdue University Quinnipiac University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rider University Rochester Institute of Technology Rollins College Rosemont College Rutgers University-New Brunswick Saint Joseph’s University Saint Louis University San Diego State University San Francisco State University Santa Clara University Sarah Lawrence College Savannah College of Art and Design School of the Art Institute of Chicago School of Visual Arts Shenandoah University Skidmore College Smith College Sonoma State University Southern Methodist University Southern Wesleyan University Springfield College Stevens Institute of Technology Stony Brook University Suffolk University
Syracuse University Temple University The American University of Paris The Catholic University of America The College of New Jersey The College of Wooster The Culinary Institute of America - NY The George Washington University The New School - NYC The University of Arizona The University of Iowa The University of Scranton The University of Tampa Trinity College Union College (New York) University of British Columbia University of California, Davis University of California, Irvine University of California, San Diego University of California, Santa Barbara University of Colorado at Boulder University of Delaware University of Florida University of Guelph University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Maryland, College Park University of Massachusetts, Amherst University of Miami University of Minnesota, Twin Cities University of Missouri University of New Hampshire at Durham University of Pittsburgh University of Puget Sound University of Rochester University of Saint Andrews University of Southern California University of Vermont University of Washington Ursinus College Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia State University Virginia Wesleyan University Wagner College Waseda University Washington College Wentworth Institute of Technology West Virginia University Wilkes University Worcester Polytechnic Institute Xavier University
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ATHLETICS NEWS
ATHLETIC AWARD RECIPIENTS On Saturday, May 19, 2018, we celebrated our studentathletes, coaches, and parents at Solebury School’s 10th annual Athletic Banquet.
SPRING AWARDS Boys Tennis MOST VALUABLE PLAYER Chang (Eric) Yin ’18
COACHES’ AWARD (2) Paul Tavipatana ’21, Yanji (Frank) Li ’21
MOST IMPROVED AWARD Haokai (Kevin) Zhou ’20
Baseball
FALL AWARDS
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER (2) Jacob Gleason ’18, Benjamin Roxey ’18
Girls Soccer
COACHES’ AWARD (2) Eli Ziff ’18, Morgan Cowperthwaite ’20
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
MOST IMPROVED AWARD
Madeline O’Brian ’21
Ryan Conde ’19
COACHES’ AWARD (2) Olivia Lutz ’18, Addie Groth-Tuft ’19
MOST IMPROVED AWARD ZiJing (Sarah) Zhai ’19
WINTER AWARDS
Boys Soccer
Girls (Varsity) Basketball
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER Josh Zolkewitz ’18
COACHES’ AWARD (2) William Gao ’18, Jackson Clewes ’18
MOST IMPROVED AWARD: Marshall Overhiser ’19
Cross Country
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
MOST IMPROVED AWARD (4)
Arlene Ricks ’20, ZiJing (Sarah) Zhai ’19
Erik Hallberg ’20, Madeline O’Brian ’21, Toni Mohn ’22, Shizhen Liu ’20
MOST IMPROVED Marina Kobozeva ’23
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
COACHES’ AWARD (2)
Gianluca Sturla ’20
Andrei Benoliel ’18, Cally Kerrigan ’18
COACHES’ AWARD
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER Lakumi Dias ’18
COACHES’ AWARD (4)
COACHES’ AWARD (2)
Devon Brewster ’18, Abigail Salerno ’22
Field Hockey
Caitlin Miller ’18, Josh Zolkewitz ’18, Arlene Ricks ’20, Kelly Hochenberger ’21 Andrei Benoliel ’18, Cally Kerrigan ’18, Amel Ouji ’20, Tyler Scotti ’21
Wrestling
Aidan Holtz ’20, Amy Tavipatana ’19
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER (4)
Paola Naughton ’21
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER (2)
MOST IMPROVED AWARD (2)
Track & Field
David Rosenbaum ’20
Boys (Varsity) Basketball MOST VALUABLE PLAYER Devon Brewster ’18
Boys Golf MOST VALUABLE PLAYER Ben Deschutter ’19
COACHES’ AWARD Kyle Schlegel ’20
MOST IMPROVED AWARD (2) Yunsheng (Carter) Li ’19, Yu (Ice) Hu ’18
Girls Lacrosse MOST VALUABLE PLAYER Sarah Waldon ’19
COACHES’ AWARD
COACHES’ AWARD (2)
Duling (Coco) Cai ’18
Luca Naughton ’19, Ryan Conde ’19
MOST IMPROVED AWARD
MOST IMPROVED AWARD
MOST IMPROVED AWARD
Junpeng (Jupiter) Shi ’20
Yilin (Vivian) Mou ’19
Elke Krieger ’18
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COACHES’ AWARD Sasha Guzman ’19
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ATHLETICS NEWS
ANNUAL AWARDS COACH OF THE YEAR Matt Mehler, Tennis
Matt Mehler is the head coach of the tennis team and has coached for Solebury School for more than 10 years. His team finished runner-up in the Penn-Jersey League for the 2017-18 season and had its first singles league champion in years, Eric Yin ’18. “Coaching with Matt is one of the highlights of my year, every year,” said Dave Merola, Matt’s assistant coach for the last six years and a math teacher at Solebury School. “He enjoys every second of coaching and brings out the enthusiasm from each kid, even when they didn’t know they had any.”
FRANK AMMIRATI MOST VALUABLE SENIOR ATHLETE AWARD Devon Brewster ’18, Jacob Gleason ’18, and Caitlin Miller ’18
Since his arrival at Solebury School as a sophomore, Devon Brewster ’18 was a two-year varsity letter winner in track and field, and earned three varsity letters in both cross country and basketball. He was also a two-time MVP in cross country, which is not even his primary sport (basketball). For basketball, he was a two-year captain and named MVP for his senior year; he also won the Coaches Award his junior year and the Most Improved his first year at Solebury. Devon averaged 21 points a game this past winter and reached the 1000-point milestone in just his third season. Jacob Gleason ’18 earned four varsity letters in boys soccer and baseball and two in basketball. He was a three-year captain on the soccer team and three-year captain on the baseball team. A twotime MVP for baseball, Jacob also won a Coaches Award in soccer his sophomore year and Most Improved in basketball his junior year. He finished his Solebury baseball career with a .433 batting average and in the top 10 all-time in at bats, hits, runs scored, stolen bases, and average. Caitlin Miller ’18 earned two varsity letters in cross country and six in track and field at Solebury School. A two-time MVP in track, Caitlin also won the Coaches Award in track as a sophomore and Most Improved in cross country that same year. She played on four league championship teams, qualified for the state championship in five of her six years running, and holds the school record in the 100m hurdles.
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Dave says Matt has a knack for developing new players and turning them into serious competitors while instilling a love for the sport. Matt is careful not to over-train his players — and to keep things in perspective when matches grow tense. “During the league championships last year, one of the kids was in a close match and obviously playing tight,” said Dave. “Matt said, ‘Hey, you need to enjoy this. This isn’t stressful. This is fun! Working a 9-to-5 job…now that’s stressful!’” According to Dave, Matt has also retained his own skills. “He may be getting older,” says Dave, “but he can still whoop every kid on our team in singles. It’s nice to see that example, and the kids love hitting with him because he is still the ultimate challenge for them.”
PHOTOS BY KELLI ABDONEY
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Home Away From Home Dean of Residence Life Bill Christy nurtures a robust boarding program at Solebury School where each dorm feels like a second home, and where students have the foundation they need to develop into responsible, independent adults. BY LAUREN ECKSTEIN P’22 The emcee announced the next item in the auction — an all expenses paid trip to Wild Ginger, a local Asian fusion restaurant — and the bidding war began. Paddles shot up in the air. Students in flannel pajama bottoms jumped from their seats. Bids were called out. And finally, Erin Chang ’18 secured her third win of the night for a solid price: 30 stars. “Yes!” cried Erin. “This is so stressful,” sighed Lulu Talerico ’19 with a smile. The Stars Auction was underway, and the students were charged up. The 75 boarding students who packed into the lounge in Walter Lamb Hall one night in May had been earning “stars” all year long for doing good deeds in the dorms
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(and hopefully avoiding disciplinary “strikes”). Now, after a year of keeping a spotless dorm room, helping a friend carry packages, or doing a great job on kitchen duty, the students were ready to spend those stars on items donated by Solebury’s faculty and staff. As students battled it out and pooled their stars — earning a trip to the Renaissance Faire, an outing to Moo Burger, and even a murder mystery party that went for a whopping 150 stars — Bill Christy, Solebury School’s Dean of Residence Life, stood off to the side of the room and smiled. (Well, actually, he also repeatedly yelled out “Oh, I love that!” after the emcee announced each item in an effort to ignite bidding wars.) For Bill, this was not just a fun night of auctioneering and friendly competition. Instead, it was
actually a carefully crafted microcosm of what the boarding program at Solebury School is all about: building character and building community. “We are trying to cultivate the dorm family and create a strong home unit,” said Bill. “The bigger picture is to complement our educational programming with robust programming that develops life skills, like character and leadership. Classes are great. But what about the other stuff — relationships, not being selfish, making ethical choices? All those skills are essential for creating a whole individual.” As Dean of Residence Life, Bill’s official role is to manage the boarding program and design residential curriculum. Yet continued on the next page
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Home Away From Home as he speaks, it’s clear that he’s not just hoping to shape a program, but to shape each individual who is part of the boarding family. Bill, who earned a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology in 2015, believes that a strong boarding program can truly help what he calls “emerging adults” develop into capable, resilient, independent individuals. If that sounds a lot like parenting, that’s no accident. Bill, a father to a teenage daughter who said he sometimes feels like he’s parenting an extra 75 teenagers, said that the boarding program is designed to offer students a nurturing place to grow up with the right balance of structure and support, guidance and grounding, community and character, and, of course, Stars & Strikes. Solebury’s boarding program aims to help students to grow both individually and within the community. Boarders benefit from a close-knit environment that encourages connections with peers and dorm parents. Yet students also gain the kind of independence and responsibility that only comes from living away from home and being forced to wash your own socks. Daily life is shaped by a team of dedicated boarding parents who live in each dorm and an impressive group of dorm proctors — trained student leaders who offer peer to peer guidance, advice and support. The goal is to create a living situation where every student feels known and develops a sense of belonging. “We want to build the idea that every kid has a place here, every kid is included,” said Jordan Reed, an Admissions Associate who was head of the boys dorm for three years. “We want to be in touch enough to know when something is not going well with a student, and celebrate their successes with them, too.” One way that the boarding program helps build those close connections is through Tuesday Night Programming, also known as TNP, which offers a wide range of curriculum to boarders, from the silly to the serious. TNP can be a night of playing
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Dean of Residence Life Bill Christy (shown here) also teaches Solebury School’s popular Character, Leadership, and Development class.
Holmquist Dorm students explore New Hope, PA during a scavenger hunt for boarders that takes place every September.
manhunt, Family Feud, or dorm trivia. It can be the annual Foosball Competition or the end of the year Flotilla Contest, where students are challenged to create a boat out of recycled materials and paddle it across the pond (without sinking!). On the more serious side, TNP can also include lessons on character and leadership, sex education, or money management. Students are also taught practical lessons
about fitness, fire safety, how to do laundry, and even how to change a tire. Another way of building connection and camaraderie in the dorms is through Community Weekends. Held periodically throughout the school year, community weekends include mandatory events. Yet they are usually the events that students eagerly await — such as the New Hope Scavenger Hunt or the epic Lip Sync Battle.
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Bill said that dorm programming is designed to teach relevant skills and also just foster fun. “Some programming addresses current needs and current issues,” he said. “We are creating competent adults ready to live on their own in a college environment. That’s part of being a college preparatory school. But with the silly stuff, everyone lets their hair down. It’s the one time when the cool kids laugh at themselves and the faculty laugh at themselves. Students may not remember a class on financial management, but they will remember seeing their dorm parents rock out to Queen forever.” Beyond the mandatory programming, there are also plenty of options for boarding students. When students take study breaks during the week, there might be board games or movie nights. Weekend choices are so robust that it’s often hard to choose, with activities that include tubing down the Delaware River, going horseback riding, competing in Cupcake Wars, going skiing, visiting New York City, or joining outings to Phillies games, art museums, or Six Flags Amusement Park. The goal is to help students find the balance between recreation and responsibility. “They have options, they have choices, and then some things are mandatory. It’s like in a family, some things are negotiable, some things are not,” said Hanna Howe, Solebury School’s librarian who is also head of the girls dorm. “The goal is not to give ultimate freedom, but to create a structure that allows them to make choices about how to spend their time, with some mandatory time, just like at home.” While there is a lot of planning involved in the boarding program, sometimes the best moments are born out of spontaneity and pop-up events. In May, dorm parents hosted a post-prom pajama party that will likely become a new annual tradition. When Helen Matthews, a dorm parent and World Languages Department Head, is on duty, she sometimes leads a stress-busting yoga class. Hanna is the dorm parent known for taking out the Uno cards and getting
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Our 2018-19 dorm proctors at a retreat before the start of school this September. Proctors play a critical role, working with dorm parents and students to oversee daily residential life.
students to take study breaks. And there are the countless nights where students just talk and talk — with each other or a dorm parent — to get help with homework, get some advice, share life stories, or get a supportive pep talk. For those who live in the dorms, it is often these small moments that have the biggest impact. “It makes my heart kind of explode,” said Hanna. “There is so much love, so much sweetness between the kids with each other and between kids and dorm parents. It makes it feel like a home, rather than a building full of rooms.” This supportive, familial environment is what boarding students at Solebury School identify as being meaningful to them. Jackson Becker ’18 said he built bonds with both faculty and students in his three years as a boarder. “The dorm parents become your friends and legitimately like parents,” he said. “It’s very familial, it’s very close-knit. I feel like I have two brothers here.” Chanler Sharpe ’19 also found her dorm family, admitting that among her dorm parents she has a French teacher she calls “Mom,” an English teacher she calls “Dad,” and a 30-something theater tech teacher she calls “Grandpa.” Yet she also said that living on campus has made her more self-sufficient. “It helps you become
more independent,” she said. “It prepares you to go out in the real world and get a job and be an adult, if that’s what being an adult is, I don’t really know. But it really does force you to grow up. There are so many opportunities to become a leader and make something of yourself.” That’s precisely what Bill Christy is hoping that the boarding program can do. After all, just like parenting, the ultimate goal is to enable young people to feel like they have the skills and the confidence to spread their wings and fly away. “The goal is to give them the experience and the knowledge to thrive on their own,” he said. Or, as many students say, they just want to make friends, go to school, and figure things out with the right amount of support and the right amount of self-reliance. “The independence you learn here is very good,” said Sasha Guzman ’19. “You’re living away from home and you have to learn to grow up. But, because you’re living with a bunch of people, you’re not growing up by yourself.” Perhaps that’s the best way of putting it. Solebury School’s boarding program is certainly about community and character, support and structure, independence and interdependence. Or, in other words, it’s just a good place to grow up. Together. Read Bill Christy’s blog post on our Stars Auction at solebury.org/blog.
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BEYOND BORDERS
How do we cultivate more globally minded young adults? Through Solebury School’s Global Education Concentration, now in its second year. BY DEB O’REILLY The idea, at its core, was simple. “I believe that now more than ever, it’s crucial for students to push themselves out of their comfort zone to learn about people, places, and cultures that are unfamiliar to them,” says Director of Global Education Nicole Mount, explaining the inspiration behind Solebury School’s unique academic offering that debuted last fall. “This can happen right here on campus between international and domestic students, in a small Costa Rican beach town during spring break, or by spending a month abroad at one of our exchange schools. And now, more deliberately, it can happen through our Global Education Concentration.” The concentration was thoughtfully designed to teach and inspire. It requires a combination of coursework, service learning, travel, and independent study — and is intended to not only educate students on different cultures and environments but also to foster curiosity of them, to encourage critical thinking, promote respect, and to help students appreciate their place in a world that feels
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vast and yet ever more connected by modern technology. “The concentration provides a path and framework for students to have enriching experiences outside of their own neighborhood, state, and country to engage in critical reflection as they become global citizens,” says Nicole. Rising freshman and sophomores can register for the concentration during the course selection process; requirements must be completed by graduation. The coursework spans nearly every department at Solebury School. Students must complete 24 credits in globally focused courses such as World Religions, Honors Environmental Science, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Architecture and Design, South African Stories, Art History, and any of our World Languages classes. For the 2018-19 school year, there are more than a dozen designated “Global Ed” classes to choose from. Cultural events, on and off campus, are also a requirement. Students can either seek out these experiences on their own, or participate
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through Solebury School. In February, Global Ed student Safwa Ozair ’20 represented Solebury at a Girl Up Summit (Girl Up is a United Nations Foundation campaign that works to empower girls in a worldwide movement for gender equality). One evening last fall, Social Studies Department Head Jared Levy brought a group of students, including several working on the concentration, to Princeton University to see The New York Times journalist Nicholas Kristof give a lecture entitled “Reporting in a World in Crisis.”
“I believe that, now more than ever, it’s crucial for students to push themselves out of their comfort zone to learn about people, places, and cultures that are unfamiliar to them.”
One of many tables at our international food exchange, where we celebrated the connection between food and culture during Global Education Week.
—Nicole Mount, Director of Global Education
Other requirements of the concentration include community service and an independent study, and at least five days in a non-native language country through a school-sponsored exchange or spring break trip. Students can also embark on their own excursions, like Global Ed student Julianna Tes ’20, who took part in a fourweek Peace-Building and Conservation program in Cambodia last summer. She spent her 16th birthday there. “Once settled in...I stepped outside and went down the stairs when a Khmer woman in a silky red outfit waved at me with a smile and motioned to me,”Julianna wrote in a blog post while in Cambodia. “She spoke to me in English and told me to look up at the moon. I looked up only to see a full moon, big and bright. It was surrounded by multitudes of stars sprinkled across the night sky. I’ve never seen a night so clear with so many stars. ‘Million Star Hotel,’ the woman in red said.” This past May, Solebury School brought the world to our campus with our first-ever, schoolwide Global Education Week, spearheaded by Global Ed Director Nicole Mount. The week’s events included an international food exchange and language workshops. We hosted several guests, including Logan Wheeler,
an official from the U.S. Embassy in Paraguay, and Solebury School parent Molly Naughton P’19 ’21, who speaks five languages and is the founder/CEO of aiaTranslations. Global Ed student Isaiah Ginsburg-Henry ’20 especially enjoyed our visit with Emily Brown, M.D., who earned her medical degree in Cuba. “I thought her insight and information on Cuba and its culture and environment were truly impressive,” Isaiah wrote in his reflection of the week’s events. “I was really grateful to hear what she had to say and how she adapted to her environment and community, working with what resources she had.” With a successful first year under its belt, the concentration has garnered a growing interest from students. “We are thrilled to offer this program, unique to Solebury School, to provide our motivated students with a distinctive path to graduation,” said Director of Studies Rick Tony. “Not only do the participating students benefit from the experience of international travel and global classes, the whole community gains because of the cultural events that our Global Ed students organize and by the awareness they bring to the school at large.” Learn more at solebury.org/globalconcentration.
The Head’s Fund for Student Trips provides aid for students with demonstrated financial need who would like to participate in one of Solebury School’s global excursions. To learn about this year’s trip to Costa Rica, go to solebury.org/globalexplorations. If you would like to support a student’s global travel, please contact Jennifer K. Burns, Assistant Head of School: Advancement & External Affairs, at jburns@ solebury.org. Thank you!
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WWW.SOLEBURY.ORG
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Solebury School
2018
R eunion W eekend BY DEB O’REILLY PHOTOS BY KELLI ABDONEY
On a beautiful spring weekend, we welcomed back alumni from wide and far to reconnect and reminisce.
LEFT: Board member Josh Perlsweig ’03 and his son, Sam. RIGHT: 2018 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee Carlton Carter Jr. ’98 (shown back, left) with his 1998 classmates.
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REUNION WEEKEND 2018
During the Memorial Service of Reunion Weekend, we remembered the following friends, family, and faculty:
Holmquist School Elizabeth Stewart ’40
Solebury School W. Lawrence Kimber ’33 Everett Morse ’38 George Kennedy ’42 Connie de Vries ’54 Kay Hildreth Delcher ’57 John Levy ’58 John Barnes ’62 Ellen Mitchell Gallagher ’68 Russell Keep ’73 P’80 ’85 ’86 ’11
Former Faculty Bruce Bergquist (Head of School 1984 - 1989) Charles Henry Cameron
Relatives and Friends of Solebury School Jim Hamilton P’74 ’78 ’82 GP’10 ’14 FROM TOP: A special 1960s gathering, organized by John Sadwith ’68. 2018 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee Carnell “Candido” Rivera ’88. Anna Franzini ’08 (right) and Alex Mandel ’08 (left). JacQueline Hover ’68 with her husband, John. TOP RIGHT: Head of School Tom Wilschutz leads the Memorial Service.
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REUNION WEEKEND 2018
John Sadwith ’68 organized a fun reunion of 1960s alumni, drawing former classmates back to Solebury from around the country. Lana Whitehead ’96 spearheaded our festive Burger and Beer Bash, as she graciously does every year. At the bash, Lana raised donations for Solebury School’s Page and Otto Marx Jr. Foundation Scholarship, an endowed fund that supports tuition assistance for students of color with financial need. Annsi Stephano ’58 P’77 ’78 ’81 hosted a beautiful alumni reception at her home in New Hope. Her nephew, chef Max (Marc) Hansen ’77 — of Max Hansen Caterer, a Bucks County favorite — served up spectacular appetizers and drinks. We also celebrated some of Solebury School’s finest alumni athletes during our 2018 Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony (see page 25). It was a terrific, memorable weekend! FROM TOP: Amy Hansen ’79 (right) with her aunt, Annsi Stephano ’58 P’77 ’78 ’81 (left) at Annsi’s home for our Alumni Reception. Chef Max (Marc) Hansen ’77 at work in Annsi’s kitchen. Left to right: Michael Croskey ’73, Louis Thomas ’73, Ed Beemer ’74, Kim Perry ’73, Nate Croskey ’75, Jeff Honig ’77, Rachel Simon ’77. Dashawn Hendricks ’11 (left) with teacher Matt Baron. George Crowell ’69 and Carolyn Coburn-All ’68, standing next to the limited edition Woodstock poster that George generously gifted to Solebury School. George and Carolyn went to Woodstock together after George graduated from Solebury School.
IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN ORGANIZING A SPECIAL GATHERING for you and your former classmates, please contact Solebury’s new Alumni Relations Manager, Jessica Harms at jharms@solebury.org. Thank you!
SAVE THE DATE FOR NEXT YEAR’S REUNION WEEKEND, MAY 3-5, 2019! 22
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REUNION WEEKEND 2018
A Gatsby Gala Solebury School’s 2018 annual dinner auction was a roaring success! BY DEB O’REILLY PHOTOS BY KELLI ABDONEY
There is something really special about a community coming together to benefit a school like Solebury. It’s even sweeter when the funds raised surpass six figures. At this year’s auction, we raised nearly $100,000 for Solebury School — plus an additional match by the Haley Foundation toward a new lighting system in the Barn Theater! The lighting system was the “special appeal” project of this year’s auction, and Theater Tech Director Peter Martino made lightning-quick work of the funds raised, overseeing the installation immediately after the school year wrapped this June — just before the opening day of our StarCatchers Summer Theater and Theater Tech Camps. The new, stateof-the-art system is one used by professional theaters, as well as college theaters. Its LED lights will eventually yield substantial energy savings for Solebury. “During our StarCatchers Summer Camp, the new system already proved to be a drastic improvement,” said Peter, “and that is only the tip of the iceberg! I look forward to delving deep into its endless potential with my theater tech students this year, as well as in our Lighting Design class, a new offering for the winter trimester. Our current students, students for years to come, and I offer our sincere thanks to all of our donors — especially the Haley Foundation. This technology takes our program to such an incredible level of
Riverside Ballroom. Guests were greeted by hosts Erik Daughterman ’18 and Lakumi Dias ’18, who also assisted during the live auction. The auction’s live entertainment was provided by talented pianists Anna Schmidt ’20 and Kevin Wu ’20, and cellist Owen Graham ’20. A long of list of faculty, staff, and more student volunteers also pitched in. Every detail was meticulously planned by the Home and School
professionalism.”
Association’s Auction Committee, led by Auction Chair Karen
The rest of the funds raised at A Gatsby Gala were allocated
Waldon P’19, who returns this year to oversee our 2019 auction.
to the Annual Fund, the Home and School Association’s 201819 grant-making fund, The Head’s Fund for Student Trips (which provides financial aid for students who wish to go on
“I feel so lucky to have had such a wonderful auction team, chaired by the incomparable Karen Waldon,” said former Parent Relations Manager Jessica Harms, who is now Solebury
Solebury-sponsored trips during breaks), and more.
School’s new Alumni Relations Manager. The planning has
The night was as fun as it was successful. Our 175 guests
already begun for our 2019 auction, which will be held again
enjoyed fabulous food, cocktails, and a moonlit view of the
at Lambertville Station on Friday, May 3, 2019. Mark your
Delaware River from our venue, the Lambertville Station’s
calendars!
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REUNION WEEKEND 2018
Many thanks to our auction sponsors! PLATINUM SPONSORS
BENEFACTOR
Daniel C. Arnold and Linda Chaille-Arnold P’20 Jeff Benoliel and Amy Branch P’18 The First National Bank of Newtown The Haley Foundation Tao Qu and Teresa Zhang P’19
Andrea Devereux P’14 Grace and Shepard Morgan P’21 Proxus HR Kathy and Steven Rosenbaum P’20 TetraTech
GOLD SPONSORS
Stacy and Brad Cole P’20 Carolyn and Martin Dorph P’15 Ellen and Randy Faulkner P’06 ’11 Sarah and Steve Kelleher P’23 Lori and Michael Lipsky P’21 Victoria McDonald P’22 Cathy and David Potter P’19 Joan Reinthaler ’53 Bill and Sonya Sappington P’15 James Wolman ’64 P’17 and Sharon Wolman P’17
Justine and John Leguizamo P’19 PH Tool LLC Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr
SILVER SPONSORS Yuefang Chen and Shubin Xu P’21 Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller Eileen McDonnell P’23
BRONZE SPONSORS
PATRON
Annsi Cole Stephano ’58 P’77 ’78 ’81 Tia and Robert Cavallaro P’21 Maggie and Cosimo DePinto P’21 Barbara and David Picard P’21 Quanhong and Weihong Zhao P’20 PREVIOUS PAGE, LEFT TO RIGHT: Morgan and Nicole Cowperthwaite P’20 ’22, Elizabeth Brewster P’18 ’22, Amanda and Michael Salerno P’19 ’22. TOP LEFT: Annsi Stephano ’58 P’77 ’78 ’81 and Jean Tappan Shaw ’53. Steve Miano and his wife Rosanne Mistretta, with Liz Wavle P’11. FROM TOP RIGHT: Nikkii Kashub ’04. Student hosts Erik Daughterman ’18 and Lakumi Dias ’18. Jay Abbe ’59 and his wife Kären. Live music provided by student musicians Anna Schmidt ’20, Owen Graham ’20, Kevin Zhou ’20. Tom and Rebecca Wilschutz. Mark Schmukler and Kaitlin Doyle P’21.
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REUNION WEEKEND 2018
SOLEBURY SCHOOL
2018 ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME During Reunion Weekend, Solebury School honors former student-athletes, teams, coaches, or other outstanding members of our athletic program.
The inductees for the 2018 Athletic Hall of Fame were:
CARNELL “CANDIDO” RIVERA ’88 CARLTON W. CARTER, JR. ’98 THOMAS HEDGES ’08 Candido and Carlton were exceptional players on the basketball
Director of Athletics Rob Eichem welcomes everyone to the 2018 Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony.
court during their respective high school careers. Carlton continued to play basketball in college, including at Virginia Tech University, and later played professionally overseas. Thomas Hedges ran for our cross country and track teams from 7th through 12 grades and won many, if not most of his races, said his former track coach Tom Rondeau. Tom, also our Learning Skills Department Head, retired this June after more than 20 years at Solebury School.
BY DEB O’REILLY PHOTOS BY KELLI ABDONEY
2019 NOMINATIONS Nominations for our 2019 Athletic Hall of Fame can be made by completing the online nomination form at solebury.org/athleticHOF, or by mailing a printed and completed form to Rob Eichem, Director of Athletics, Solebury School, 6832 Phillips Mill Road, New Hope, PA 18938. The deadline for submitting a nomination is December 15, 2018.
Watch highlights from the ceremony at www.solebury.org/athleticHOF.
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“I probably ran thousands of laps [around campus] over those six years… I’ll always cherish the memories of running at Solebury.” — THOMAS HEDGES ’08
“Solebury was an inspiration in my life. I couldn’t have done the things I’ve done in life without having been at Solebury.” — CANDIDO RIVERA ’88
“When you look at Candido’s career, don’t just look at the points that he scored or the impact that he made on the court, realize that Candido was part of something special that wouldn’t have been special without him.” — Solebury School board member and former teammate NAVARROW WRIGHT ’88
“It means a lot to me to be up here today. I want to thank Coach [Cleve Christie]. He takes boys and turns them into men, so thank you, because I’m one of those boys that you helped turn into a man.” — CARLTON CARTER JR. ’98
“[Thomas] continued to get better each year through his senior year. He set and reset records in the 800 meter, 1600 meter, and 3200 meter races and still holds those records 10 years after he left Solebury School.” — TOM RONDEAU, former track and field coach and former Learning Skills Department Head
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“Carlton Carter’s competitive spirit was not just on the basketball court but in the classroom, too… he was awarded the Scholar-Athlete of the Year in the Big East Conference.” — CLEVE CHRISTIE, Solebury School’s longtime basketball coach
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ALUMNI NEWS AND CLASS NOTES
ALMA’S UPDATE SUBMIT A CLASS NOTE MAIL: Solebury School Attn: The Alumni Office 6832 Phillips Mill Road New Hope, PA 18938
E-MAIL: alumni@solebury.org Class Notes are edited for length and clarity, and they will be published online.
CLASS OF 1963
This year, PEGGY SHEPARD celebrated the 30th anniversary of the organization she cofounded and served as executive director: WE ACT For Environmental Justice, an advocacy, membership and community based non-profit with offices in Harlem and Washington, DC. She was privileged to give the 2018 Commencement Address at, and received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from, Lawrence University in Appleton, WI. Her first honorary doctorate of science was from Smith College in 2010. She has also received the Heinz Award for the Environment, the Rachel Carson Award from Audubon, and the
CLASS OF 1958
Award-winning naval fiction writer BOB STOCKTON published his ninth book, Sea Stories: Tales Told by an Old School, Politically Incorrect Navy Chief, this spring.
CLASS OF 1959
“Watching [Solebury.org’s] beautiful virtual tour made me remember longingly my wonderful years at Solebury!” wrote TUCKER GERE PARKE. “My husband passed away last January, so I am slowly downsizing from our beautiful condo on Lake Michigan here in Chicago in preparation to move to Florida, where I will be near my son and his wife. I will be leaving one daughter and her husband here in the city, and one is in Philadelphia, but we are all able to get together often. I spent many years working in high rise city commercial buildings for my brother-in-law, PETER RICKER ’62, with his real estate enterprises,
Jane Jacobs Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Rockefeller Foundation.
with two co-owners,” he wrote us. “A lot happened over the next two and half years — crossing oceans, visiting remote and beautiful places, meeting delightful people, cobbling together crew (long story...read the book), rendezvousing with my wife in choice places, sailing with my son for two months in Indonesia, and becoming more aware of climate change issues and the concept of climate justice (see the chapter about visiting the island nation of Tuvalu).” Learn more at www.asatisfyingsail.com.
CLASS OF 1995
NPR’s Marketplace Morning Report featured a story this summer on SHAUGHNESSY NAUGHTON, a chemist who founded 314
CLASS OF 1969
JEANNE LENZER has been working as a medical investigative journalist and just published her first book, The Danger Within Us: America’s Untested, Unregulated Medical Device Industry and One Man’s Battle to Survive It. The book has been praised by Bernard Lown, the renowned Harvard cardiologist, Nobel Laureate, and inventor of the modern defibrillator, and from other luminaries in medicine and literature. She says that writing about medical devices provided her a vehicle to examine the medical industrial complex and “what can be done to pull us out of a greed-
Action, a political action committee aimed at getting more scientists into office.
CLASS OF 2001
SUZANNE IVES CUNNINGHAM left The Waldorf School of Princeton to teach at The Princeton Junior School as their 4th grade teacher this year, and in June, her family welcomed their second son, Webster Ives Cunningham-Trowbridge. Everyone is doing well! Shown: Suzanne with her husband, Matt, and their two sons, Calvin and Webster.
driven healthcare system that has caused medical interventions to now be the third leading cause of death in the U.S.”
CLASS OF 1971
ZEKE HOLLAND published
so I think I am ready for a quieter life now!”
his new book, A Satisfying
Tucker says she will always cherish my
Sail Around the World. “I
memories of Solebury, where she learned
retired from my software
how interesting life can become with a well-
development job in the fall
rounded education.
of 2014 and four days later,
SUMMER / FALL 2018
I was living aboard a 42-foot catamaran
WWW.SOLEBURY.ORG
27
ALMA’S UPDATE
CLASS OF 2003 ANNA VANGALA
SAL DILISIO ’09, ANNA FRANZINI ’08; back row:
work at the University of California at San
CASEY EDWARDS ’09, SCOTT ECKSTEIN P’22,
Francisco. Susan begins her Doctorate of
LAUREN ECKSTEIN P’22. Congratulations!
Dental Surgery (DDS); Matt will begin his
JONES is in her
PhD in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology.
first term as an
Congratulations!
MFA candidate in Fiction at Antioch University, Los Angeles. She is now an Assistant Fiction Editor for the literary journal, Lunch Ticket, and Fiction Editorial Assistant at Split Lip Magazine. Over the past year, her short fiction, creative nonfiction, and essays on writing have been published or are forthcoming in several literary journals, both in print and online, including Berkeley Fiction Review, The MacGuffin, Kartika Review, Fiction Southeast, and elsewhere. Her stories have earned an honorable mention and placedas finalist and semifinalist at Glimmer Train, American Short Fiction, and Ruminate, among others. Visit annavangalajones.wordpress.com to read some of her stories online.
CLASS OF 2007
Tenor JON TETELMAN performed “La Bohème” at Tanglewood this summer. He sang his first performances of Rodolfo in the Puccini masterpiece at the Fujian Grand Theatre in China. He has also appeared in performances at the Milan Festival Orchestra, the Martina Arroyo Foundation, Opera North, the New York Opera Exchange, Teatro Grattacielo, the Pittsburgh Festival Opera, the New Orleans Opera, the Berkshire Opera Festival, and the Gulf Shore Opera, among others.
CLASS OF 2011
JAMES BOOTH returned to Solebury this summer as assistant musical director for Solebury’s StarCatchers Summer Theater Camp. HANNAH DORPH ’15 worked with our
This August, RYAN GOLDFARB and OLIVIA HAGERTY ’10 were married with a crowd of their Solebury School friends in attendance. Front row: JESSICA
cousin CAROL
BENSON ’17 helped pilot our exciting new
WRIGHT ’16 family gathering
lights, and sound for the camp.
CLASS OF 2012
JACOB ARNOLD received his white coat at a ceremony at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, where he will earn his medical degree.
CLASS OF 2013
ERIK BISKIN spent his summer working full-time at the IT help desk intern at The Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, NJ.
in New York City last spring. ZONIA RUEDA, a senior at Ursinus College, interned last summer for Amicus Therapeutics, a rare disease biotech pharmaceutical company in New Jersey. She worked in the cell biology and biochemistry department for research on CDKL5 deficiency disease.
CLASS OF 2016
This summer, expert fly fisherman NEAL HAFNER taught his former Solebury School teachers Peter Ammirati and Jared Levy how to fly fish in the Lehigh River. Peter and
CLASS OF 2014
College this spring and is the Assistant
Jared both caught a trout and said it was a terrific experience. Neal is an environmental science major at Lehigh University.
Curator and Digital Fellows Coordinator for Monument Lab, a public art and history project. She’s also a Newark-based freelance photographer and graphic artist. SUSAN HUANG and MATT KEEFE got
MORGAN TEBINKA ’10, ELIOT HAGERTY ’14,
married this June after graduating from
mother of the bride MELISSA HAMILTON ’78
the Pennsylvania State University. They’ve
P’10 ’14, Olivia Hagerty, Ryan Goldfarb,
since moved out west to begin graduate
The Magazine
caught up at a
theater tech camp that provided the design,
CROWLEY ’09, EMILY DOWNS ’08; middle row:
28
TRE ISAIAH and
theater campers as a counselor, and SAM
ALLIYAH ALLEN graduated from Haverford
CLASS OF 2009
CLASS OF 2015
SUMMER / FALL 2018
ALMA’S UPDATE
OBITUARIES (See our tribute to former Head of School Bruce Bergquist on page 4.)
Sam Miller ’70 Former student Sam Miller, who later served as a Solebury School board member from 1995 to 2001, passed away this spring. Sam began his career in theater, and later worked for the Arizona and Pennsylvania Ballets, Pilobus, and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. In the 1990s, Sam founded and directed Wesleyan’s Institute for Curatorial Practice in Performance, became the Executive Director of the New England Foundation for the Arts, and later President of Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC). In 2010, Sam became President of the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and led LMCC through notable expansions. Under his stewardship, LMCC became the lead presenter of the River To River Festival and reinvented the festival for a contemporary arts direction showcasing talent in sites in Lower Manhattan. Sam also created the Extended Life Dance Development program to provide choreographers transformational support. Sam retired from LMCC in 2016 but continued his work as a consultant and producer for Men Dancers, and the Ted Shawn Legacy, among others. Sam’s work was recognized throughout his life and most recently he was awarded the 2017 Insignia of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the government of France. In recent years, Sam shared his love of the arts with Solebury School by generously gifting our Founders Library with dozens of books from his own personal library of poetry — Robert Pinsky, John Peck, Fanny Howe, Louise Glück, Robert Hass, T.S. Eliot, and many more. Many are beautifully hand-bound selections, some are personally signed to Sam by the author. We are grateful for this invaluable collection.
Bill Weiner ’61 William “Bill” Weiner of Pittsburgh, PA, passed away on Monday, July 23, 2018, at the age of 75. Bill was born in Pittsburgh’s East End on February 21, 1943. He was educated at the University of Pittsburgh’s Falk Elementary School and Solebury School in Bucks County, PA. Bill began to play the guitar in high school. In the early 1960s, he became interested in blues recordings made
in the South, and through these recordings learned to play country blues and perfected his style. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, Bill pursued a business career at Basic Products, the pioneering wholesale catalog publishing and distribution company founded by his father in 1958. Over the years, he also created a legendary blues guitar presence in Western Pennsylvania, in Eastern Ohio, and around the country. A performer, teacher, and arranger for more than 40 years, Bill concentrated on early country blues, on both 6-string and 12-string guitars, especially the work of Leroy Carr, Scrapper Blackwell, and Leadbelly. During his music career, Bill performed country blues at festivals and local concert venues, and he taught country blues guitar at music schools and at his home. A member of several folk bands, Bill started his own blues and jug band, The Monongahela Sheiks, a Pittsburgh fixture from 1998-2008. In 2006, he recorded a well-received CD, “Juicin’ The Blues.” Bill is survived by his beloved partner, Sarah Stevenson; his brother, John Weiner; his niece, Tal Lucas; and his nephews, Michael Weiner and Daniel Weiner.
Dorothy B. (Dottie) Hayes ’42 Dorothy B. (“Dottie”) Hayes was an artist of myriad styles and media, a lover of music, books, sailing, and poetry, and a longtime resident of Brooklin, ME. She died peacefully at home Thursday, August 16, 2018 at the age of 94. Dottie was born in New York City in 1924 and raised in Portland, ME. She attended the Holmquist School for Girls, where she studied with the noted landscape artist John Folinsbee. “I found Jack Folinsbee and have painted ever since,” Dottie wrote in 1994. “I loved the size of the school and the students I met there. My memories are good ones, filled with humor and gentleness. I respected and admired the faculty, and Miss Karline, Miss Louise, Miss Dewey, and Miss Holmquist.” In 1946, she graduated from Bennington College in Bennington, VT, with a BA in Art and Literature. Dottie’s art was shown internationally in Cali, Colombia; at the
International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, in Ibadan, Nigeria; and at the Blantyre Cultural Center in Lilongwe, Malawi. Her work was exhibited in New York City at Noho Gallery and at The Roger Smith Hotel’s Lobby Series, and hangs in the permanent collection of the Midwestern African Museum of Art in Lincoln, Nebraska. Watercolors she painted in Africa in the 1990s were reproduced as cards and posters to benefit UNICEF’s “Women in Agriculture”, the Kersey Children’s Home in Ogbomoso, Nigeria, and “Artists Supporting Children of Malawi”. Dottie was predeceased by her husband Dr. Guy Scull Hayes in 1993, her brother Colonel Edward Lambert Barbour, Jr. U.S. Army, Ret., in 2005, and her son Dr. Edward Barbour Hayes in 2013. She is survived by her daughters Lucie Hayes Semler, Anna Scull Hayes, Priscilla Hayes Taylor, her sons Guy Hamilton Hayes, and Bartlett Harding Hayes II, fourteen grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren. There will be a memorial service in the summer of 2019 in Blue Hill, ME.
Jim Hamilton P’74 ’78 ’82 G’10 ’14 We featured an obituary on Jim in our last issue, but the following recently crossed our desks and we wanted to share it with you.
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Bellmawr, NJ Permit No. 280
6832 Phillips Mill Road New Hope, PA 18938-9682 Address service requested
SAVE THE DATE
Admissions Open House..................................... October 21 Teach2Serve 5K for Gun Safety........................... October 28 Let the Right One In fall production................. November 1-4 Fall Concert...................................................... November 9 Young Alumni Day................................................. January 9 For all events, please visit solebury.org.