The Summit magazine 125th Anniversary Special Edition

THE

SUMMIT 125th Anniversary Special Edition & Annual Report 2014-15

Art, Architecture & Legacies of 125 years

THE SUMMIT The magazine of The Summit Country Day School 125th Anniversary Special Edition & Annual Report 2014-15 EDITOR Nancy Berlier ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER Kathy (Hilsinger) Penote ’93 PHOTOGRAPHY Robert A. Flischel, Jolene Barton, Leah Fightmaster, Nancy Berlier, Kathy Penote, Linda Moeggenberg, Karen Kinross, Randall Terry, Jeff Whitehead, Impact Action Sports Photography.

CONTRIBUTORS David Lyman, Mike Dyer, Leah Fightmaster, Kathy Schwartz, Megan McGrath, Kevin Gilbert, Jen McGrath, Sandy Champlin, Mary Alice LaPille, Janine Boeing.

PRINTING Arnold Printing © 2015 The Summit Country Day School, Cincinnati, OH. The Summit magazine is published three times a year by the Communications Department of The Summit Country Day School, 2161 Grandin Road, Cincinnati, OH 45208.

Please direct address changes or other correspondence to the above address.

Summit News Phone: (513) 871-4700 ext. 291 E-mail: communications@summitcds.org Alumni News Janine Boeing, Alumni Engagement and Gifts Officer Phone: (513) 871-4700 ext. 240 E-mail: boeing_j@summitcds.org Summit Online View an archive of The Summit magazine online. www.summitcds.org/magazine The Summit Country Day School serves students from age two through grade 12 in a coeducational setting. The Summit combines the academic excellence and one-on-one guidance of a top-tier independent school with the servant leadership and character-building environment that are hallmarks of a Catholic education.

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ON THE COVER: Perhaps no other image summarizes as well the art, architecture and legacy of The Summit as this hand-carved chapel pew. The pointed arch and bas relief sculpture are common to Gothic Revival architecture. Notre Dame refers, of course, to the sisters who founded the school. According to the annals of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, an unfinished part of the building was used by the eight sisters who carved the pews. “There at any hour from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. might be heard the measured fall of the mallet, or the softer sound of the chisel on the yielding walnut. It was truly a labor of love…” Photo by Robert A. Flischel. See story on page 18.

A few members of the Class of 2015 gather on the front steps in their college shirts. L to R, Front Row: Juliana Hutchinson Overbey, Dartmouth College; Omar Saeb Khoury, University of Pennsylvania; and Aaron James Chow, University of Michigan. Second Row: Samantha Nicole Hunt, University of Virginia; Lillian Marie Kroencke, Savannah College of Art and Design; Emily Katherine Walton, Wake Forest University; and Malauna Quinae Campbell, University of Charleston. Third Row: John Charles Murdock Jr., University of Cincinnati; Mason Tully Moore, Loyola University Chicago; Brooks Ossie Taylor, Vanderbilt University; and Alexander David Stewart, University of Southern California. Fourth Row: Mark Louis Duane Peterson, University of Dallas; Stewart Alexander Spanbauer, North Carolina State University and Austin Richard Smythe, Radford University. Photo by Robert. A. Flischel. See story on page 32.

Head of School Message

A Thin Place In the Middle Ages, the Celtic Christians would refer to “thin places.” These were places in time and space when the Holy Spirit was felt to be present – the distance between man and God was thin. “The veil between heaven and earth lifts a bit” at a thin place.

In my earlier days, I worked at two colleges and a large corporation. None seemed like a thin place to me. I’ve practiced my faith at a variety of churches.

Sometimes I’ve felt the presence of the Holy Spirit in those locations, but not very often.

However, in the five years I’ve headed this school, I’ve felt the presence of the Holy Spirit here more than at any other time or place in my life. It’s mysterious to me why I feel this way sometimes. I think it’s because there are so many things about this school that are remarkable – perhaps God has a plan for The Summit Country Day School.

The Sisters did so many things right when they decided on the location of this school at the highest point of what was, in 1890, an orchard in the country: Building this massive structure with great attention to artistic detail.

Consecrating the Chapel in memory of Sr. Louise who founded the order in

Cincinnati. Establishing principles of living that they taught their students: all the goodness in the world comes from God; we should live our lives joyfully; the poor deserve an important measure of our attention; be kind and caring; expect excellence of self and others; and teach children whatever they need so their light may shine in this world. What a remarkable vision they had for us!

The rebuild of the five-story east wing in just 13-and-a-half weeks was amazing to observe this past summer. Yes, great planning, good collaboration and hard work were responsible.

Yet, many things could have gone wrong in such a project. They didn’t. This is no less remarkable than the collapse of a similar structure 10 years ago which happened when no one was in the building.

Those of us who experienced this would describe it as a miracle.

I have never worked with a group of people who love kids so much; who work so hard at engaging the children in their schoolwork; who model the values of the Sisters and teach those values to the children; and who want to know about best teaching practices. The children may not be able to articulate all of this, but they perceive it. This feels like home to them.

I often feel blessed at how fortunate I am to have such a dedicated staff, who work day and night to be sure the teachers and coaches have the resources they need to work their magic with the children. That level of excellence extends to the maintenance folks who take such excellent care of our buildings and grounds, and our Dining Services staff who are here by 6 a.m. to make from scratch so much of the delicious food we eat. Their

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dedication to excellence is no less remarkable than that of the teachers and coaches.

In this Annual Report, the extraordinary generosity of our donors is plainly evident. We’re able to accomplish so much due to the willingness of many to give sacrificially so we can give the next generation opportunities to become the best version of themselves they can be. That generosity, that spirit of philanthropy, is remarkable.

I can’t explain how all these remarkable things come together to form The Summit. I’ve come to believe the Lord has a hand in it, as He does in moments of thinness I’ve experienced here: “Ave Maria” sung with perfection by an eighth grade girl, the fourth grade “It’s a Zoo Night” and the passion the children have for their animals, getting down on my hands and knees in Montessori to see George finally make a seven correctly after 15 tries and the grace of so many of our athletes.

Graduation every year is a thin place for me. To see these kids, whose shoes teachers were tying what seems like just a few years ago, walk down the center aisle of the chapel, the girls in their white dresses and boys in their tails. Each one elicits a special memory, a shining moment when they did something their teachers and coaches didn’t think they could do.

As we celebrate our 125th anniversary this year, I hope every one of you will take a moment to reflect on The Summit as a thin place. Did you have a moment when you felt the presence of the Holy Spirit here? If so, share that moment with someone else and tell them that’s the remarkable Summit Way.

Rich Wilson Head of School

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Features Summit students who participate in Leadership Scholars teach inner-city youth the importance of grit, mindfulness, empathy and communication and health in order to be more successful in school.

The Summit co-sponsored the national People of Color Conference (PoCC) last year.

The fun doesn’t end when the last bell rings for the day. We look at four after-school activities which tap into our students’ imaginations and build community.

As we celebrate our 125th anniversary, we asked a Cincinnati art critic to explore the Sisters’ enduring legacy in the art and architecture of The Summit.

Anniversary projects this year include a special place on our website to tell stories about Summit traditions – people who have made a lasting impact, significant events in our history and special places on campus.

Another graduating class leaves its mark on The Summit’s history. Attracting more than $17 million in scholarship offers, they will attend 52 colleges and universities coast-to-coast in 23 states.

Larry Dean was given the Raymond E. Schilderink Family Faculty Chair for Distinguished Teaching; Donna Paulin, Mike Walker and Emily Jolly, Summit Way awards Laura Adkins and Kathleen Kane, Leaders of Character awards.

Committed to sharing the educational and personal benefits of art to their students, Mark and Jan Wiesner combined spent nearly 60 years teaching art at The Summit.

The Summit community celebrated the 50th anniversary of Fr. Phil Seher’s ordination with a Mass and reception.

The Summit community celebrated the 50th anniversary of Fr. Phil Seher’s ordination with a Mass and reception.

Inserts

Celebrate The Summit’s 125th anniversary with a pull-out poster in the center of this magazine.

2014-15 Annual Report: We celebrate the philanthropy of our community in a special pull-out section thanking our donors.

Departments 16 46 50 51 52 58 59

Construction by the Numbers Student Newsmakers Faculty Newsmakers New Leadership Sports Year-in-Review Early Childhood Symposium 125th Anniversary Events

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Allison Haussler ‘16 helps two Corryville Catholic students with an assignment during a Leadership Scholars lesson.

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Summit Students Mentor Urban Youth Through Leadership Scholars

By Kathy Schwartz The Summit’s commitment to educating leaders of character continues through Leadership Scholars, a college-preparedness program for urban middle schoolers that puts Summit upperclassmen in the role of teachers while they learn about themselves, too.

Dr. Pat White, former Summit Upper School Director, College Counseling Director and Interim Head of School, is the nonprofit’s Executive Director. Her daughter, Dr. Suzie White, directs program development. Pat enthusiastically jumped into her role the day after her 2011 retirement from The Summit. Suzie, whose specialty is neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to change, was completing her doctorate. The two women knew they wanted to work together.

Their energy is at the same time intimidating and infectious – Suzie was once a cheerleader and Pat started The Summit’s “spirit tunnel” – but the 6

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Whites’ persistence is a value that Summit students absorb and instill in their mentees. The expectation is that every one of the youngsters will go to college, regardless of background. In a training session at The Summit, Suzie asks the mentors about their favorite lessons from the year of working with seventh and eighth graders.

“Neuroplasticity,” volunteers Elizabeth Harsh ’15.

“It helped the kids realize they can get better and smarter. They may be struggling in math now, but they will get better.”

High achievers also benefit from learning about neuroplasticity, Jacob Beardslee ’16 says. “Even though we’re not struggling, we can still get better.”

Leadership Scholars operates on the notion that there is no such thing as a permanent IQ, Pat White explains. The brain is not fixed. Knowledge is acquired via effort, trying new strategies and asking for help.

The Whites’ curriculum teaches the importance of grit, mindfulness, a positive outlook, social intelligence (empathy and communication) and health.

“Where you’re born shouldn’t determine where you end up,” Pat says. Leadership Scholars turns the focus to what the youngsters have, not what they lack. Both mentors and mentees practice gratitude via activities such as making a family tree and writing thank-you notes. “Grateful people learn faster and better,” she says.

Logan Bush ’16 leads a meditation exercise to begin a training session. Throughout the school year Leaders remind their Scholars to use meditation to open their brains for learning, or to pause and seek calm rather than fight.

The lesson this day, which Summit students will take to Corryville Catholic and other schools, is about human connections. There are real connections with a tight circle of friends, and

Jesse Campbell ’15 assists a small group during a Leadership Scholars session at Corryville Catholic.

negative connections based on peer pressure.

The students discuss what boys think masculinity is, how we all need real connections to be happy and the difference between being independent and being responsible. The takeaway is to remind their mentees to find real connections and ask for help.

“You are phenomenal models,” Suzie tells her class of mentors. “You might be the only person in their life saying, ‘You will go to college.’ ” She runs through statements for the Leaders to review with the Scholars. The mentors will remind their students of coping strategies and available resources if they respond “I don’t know” or waffle.

Suzie reads one of the statements: “ ‘I plan to go to college.’ What do we want to see?” she asks.

“Strongly agree!” the Leader Scholars answer in unison.

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Anna Long ’16 laughs with Glenna Komujuni ’19 during a Leadership Scholars activity at Corryville Catholic.

Glenna is a freshman this year at The Summit.

Summit students volunteer for Leadership Scholars. “There’s no profile other than the heart to help other people,” Pat says.

Brooks Taylor ’15 says he recently got a text from a scholar he mentored a year earlier at Riverview Academy. He said that his grades were improving and that he missed Brooks and other Leaders.

“They still think of me as part of their lives,” Brooks says.

Elizabeth shares that when she started, she believed the program was all for the Scholars’ benefit. That notion soon changed. “I have learned how to de-stress before tests, be empathetic toward others instead of just sympathetic.”

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Elizabeth says she’s formed relationships with people she wouldn’t have met otherwise. She is excited that Kristalynn Proctor of Corryville Catholic, one of her mentees from last year, is attending The Summit this fall as the James E. Evans Scholarship recipient.

“My eyes have been opened to so many new things,” Elizabeth says. “My Scholars have come from difficult backgrounds and yet they always have such confidence and work so hard at everything.”

Read more about Leadership Scholars and parent academies: leadershipscholars.org.

Students take lead in inclusive learning environment on campus EDUCATIN

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Eight students from The Summit’s Diversity and Inclusion Club traveled with 10 Summit faculty and staff members to Indianapolis for the National Association of Independent Schools People of Color Conference. Getting ready to board the bus are, L-R, Row 1: English teacher and D&I Moderator Gail Rosero, Upper School Administrative Assistant and D&I Moderator Marsha Wermes, Natalie Pearl ’15, Deja Malone ’16, Clare Mathile ’16, Denisha Herring ’15 and Janel Bond ’16.

Row 2: Davionne Laney ’16, Philip McHugh ’15, College Counselor and D&I Moderator Laci Tucker and Michael Hudson ’17.

By Leah Fightmaster At The Summit, a group of students understand the necessity of discussing societal issues in a way that educates fellow students and helps them to find their own voices. Educating a diverse population of students is essential.

The Diversity and Inclusion Club at The Summit meets each week to discuss issues in the world, including racial and social, that students might be faced with during their lives. Current events around the world and locally are also discussed, giving students an outlet for their thoughts and feelings regarding those issues. The club plays an important role in creating community in the diverse student body in which students come from 75 zip codes and 30 countries. Some 24

percent of the student population is multicultural.

Davi Laney ‘16, who has been part of D&I since the fifth grade, says being part of the club opened his eyes to issues around the world and just outside his door. It also gave him perspectives he might not have gotten elsewhere.

“D&I helped me understand how people feel, and not just one side of the issue,” he says.

“When my classmates ask me how I feel about something, I feel able to give a well-educated response.”

Davi went to the national People of Color Conference (PoCC) for the first time last year in 2014, hosted by the National Association of Independent Schools, to which The Summit belongs. There, he and other students were able Summit Magazine 9

Summit faculty and staff attending the conference were, L-R, Row 1: Gail Rosero, Upper School English teacher; Yngrid Thurston, Summit Middle School Spanish teacher and Diversity and Inclusion Director; Marsha Wermes, Upper School administrative assistant; and Cary Daniel ‘93, Physical Education teacher and K-6 Athletic Coordinator. Row 2: Laci Tucker, College Counselor; Greg Dennis, Athletic Director; Helen Clark, Lower School Director; and Greg Williams, Middle School Music and Piano teacher.

to see first-hand The Summit’s commitment to diversity and inclusion on a national level.

Thanks to the generosity of Summit parents Tim and Peg Mathile for funding the costs of attending the national diversity conference, Summit parents, administrators, teachers and students have attended the conference every year since 2007. They have traveled to Boston, San Diego, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Denver, Washington, D.C. and Houston. Last year, The Summit co-sponsored the event and Yngrid Thurston, Summit Middle School Spanish teacher and Diversity and Inclusion director, was one of three co-chairs of the event. Gail Rosero, Upper School English teacher, and Marsha Wermes, Upper School administrative assistant, were presenters, and Greg Williams, Middle School Music and Piano teacher, performed with the PoCC Choir.

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Davi left the conference with a feeling that it was a place where a thousand teenagers from independent schools across the country could come together, talk about social issues and be in a safe, welcoming place.

Natalie Pearl ’15 attended the conference for the first time in 2012 and returned with her classmates with a sense of wanting to share their experiences, not only with other D&I members and their classmates, but with other students at schools around the Cincinnati area. And through that, The Summit’s own diversity conference was born.

The Summit Diversity Conference hosted student delegates from Cincinnati schools to participate in activities and discussions that allowed them a

safe place to explore their thoughts and opinions on various subjects, including race, sexual orientation, poverty and more. The conference, first hosted in 2014, was student-organized and student-led.

“We came back from the 2012 PoCC so energized and passionate, and we wanted to share that,” Natalie says. “It was so great to invite students from other independent schools because we have similar backgrounds. We wanted to provide all participants a safe, open environment to come together, share stories and realize our similarities despite our differences.”

The conference not only provided an open place for students in Cincinnati to discuss and learn the issues that surround them in their hometown and the world, but it also inspired teachers from across the country to emulate The Summit.

At 2014’s PoCC, D&I club moderators Marsha Wermes and Gail Rosero presented a “how-to” on organizing a school’s own diversity conference based on the process The Summit developed.

The experience has also helped the students who organized the conference in the long run.

Davionne says that after The Summit’s conference he had a more mature outlook on situations, and that Mrs. Wermes told him he had become a much better leader during the process.

The Summit’s Diversity & Inclusion Director Yngrid Thurston joins Lisa Pryor and Terri Wallace, both of the Orchard School in Indianapolis, on stage. The three women were cochairs of the national conference.

“I’ve become much more outspoken about ideas, but in a mature manner,” he says. “I’m better at vocalizing how I feel.”

Natalie says that a diverse community has become such an important need in her life that she chose the college she attends – Loyola University in Chicago – based on the student body and its urban setting, which she says has been integral in her development as a person.

“Identity development is a journey for everyone, and everyone has to discover themselves,” she says. “D&I and PoCC are places where you can authentically feel that you’re safe and you matter.”

Gail Rosero ’82, Upper School English teacher and D&I moderator, gives a presentation to teachers from other Magazine 11 independent schools about how to hostSummit their own diversity conference.

School A staff member at Cincinnati Observatory turns the big telescope upside down to let Summit visitors look into the lens.

Montessori Social Activities Develop Social Skills

By Megan McGrath A new social committee in the Montessori and Lower schools is offering programs to develop social skills while engaging in additional learning opportunities.

Last year, pre-schoolers had a pizza party and ventured out to Turner Farm, among many other activities. One of the most memorable activities was a Summit family trip to Blooms and Berries, where parents as well as children picked pumpkins, played games and participated in other fall-themed activities.

Children who attend the social club outings are able to be involved in activities that initiate creativity, friendships and fun. The children start to grow into people of character. While the committee started in the Montessori, plans call for events to include Lower School students this year.

This program and the other After School Specials assist in the development of social and emotional skills which are important to each child’s success.

“The Summit’s after school programming not only cultivates social relationships and emotional growth Parents intend to meet outside of the classroom, year-round, so fun events but it gives children Noah and Leah Berhanu enjoy a trip to the pumpkin continued into the summer. exposure to activities and patch at Blooms & Berries.

One of these was stargazing clubs that inspire a passion led by Linda Moeggenberg, Montessori Lead Teacher. for continual learning, exploration and discovery,” says Mrs. Moeggenberg guided a group of Summit families Montessori Teacher Lauren Guip. in finding constellations and learning about the history of stars at the Cincinnati Observatory.

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Henry Gieseke ’23 (left) and Trey Butler ’23 test their creations programming during Robotics Club.

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Fourth Graders Strengthen Math Fundamentals in Robotics Club

By Leah Fightmaster In a world in which technology is everywhere, Lower School students are learning the simple workings of machines that society has been projecting as the future since before Rosie kept the futuristic cartoon Jetsons family in check: robots.

dragon or to sense a color. Students used the robots to navigate obstacle courses and could personalize the robots to use sound effects and picture displays.

At the end of the club, students could choose three different intra-club competitions: creating a dance routine, navigating a challenging obstacle course with precision or building a bot that worked in an unusual way. When finished, students anonymously voted for which of their peers’ robots performed in each competition the best.

During the 2014-2015 spring trimester, 12 fourth grade students met after school with Fourth Grade Teacher Ellen Valentine and Summit Network Specialist Niko Kitsinis to build robots and Mrs. Valentine says that the Addie Ransick ’23 (left) and Katie Fitzpatrick ’23 (right) Robotics Club introduced learn how to program them in discuss how their robot should work.

Robotics Club. Each student the young students to the world of programming and made it fun and accessible received a kit that included Lego blocks to build the robot, a computer “brick,” sensors and other additions to them. “Robotics Club requires students to problem solve and collaborate often, which are both essential to customize each one. for strong mathematicians,” she says. “Additionally, it Depending on what each student wanted their robot exposes students to a field of study that they might be interested in, but otherwise wouldn’t get to experience to do, they learned how to program them to perform during the regular school day.” that function – such as “run away” when it “sees” a

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Manuel Cantillo considers options of building materials for his Bricks 4 Kidz design in an After School Specials class.

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Lego Class Offers Early Look at Engineering and Architecture

By Megan McGrath A large selection of After School Specials are offered for Lower School students at The Summit. The LEGOS Bricks 4 Kidz program was so popular that it was also offered as a summer class.

Children were introduced to the building blocks of engineering and architecture. Using basic LEGOS Blocks, students had opportunities to problem solve and learn how things work. During the sessions, they were given different projects and designs to complete.

older children use LEGOS as an opportunity for openended experimentation, building on math skills and an introduction to three-dimensional thinking.”

Research shows that there are many benefits for children who participate in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) activities which involve building things. Children are able to use multiple learning styles to achieve their goals. The goal-oriented persistence necessary for finishing their projects nurtures process-associated thinking. It also fosters abstract thought, because students must envision the project before it is complete.

“The opportunity to have LEGOS Bricks 4 Kidz as one of our After These after school activities offer a fun School Specials gives students environment and have a lasting impact the chance to explore and build on the children’s education. Through on concepts of math and science the Bricks 4 Kidz program, students are Jonah Morris engineers a stair-step without the student being aware exposed not only to specifically STEMstructure out of Lego bricks. that they are doing it,” says Kathy based teaching, but they also glean Scott, Montessori lead teacher and coordinator for learning techniques that they can put to use in every the Extended Day and Summer Exploration programs. class.

“Younger children can develop fine motor skills as they build skills of patterning, sorting and problem solving Find this year’s After School Specials curriculum at as they search for the piece that fits correctly, while www.summitcds.org/AfterSchoolSpecials.

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L to R: Erin Devine ’21, Olivia Faucett ’21, Ingrid Kindel ’21 and Ava Norton ’21 play orphans in the Middle and Upper School production of Oliver!

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Extracurriculars Allow Middle Schoolers to Explore Interests

By Leah Fightmaster After school clubs and organizations create a place for teachers to extend classroom lessons into fun, creative activities for students outside of the normal school day. At The Summit, Middle School students have a variety of options so they can explore their interests.

and geography bees – allow students to explore their interest in those academic topics outside of the classroom with their teachers.

Those looking to stretch their creative muscles can join Drama Club, audition for a play or musical, such as last year’s musical Oliver! performed with the Upper School, or eighth graders can try out to be in the annual Aside from the sports offered Eighth Grade Play, performed through the Summit Boosters each year on Campus Day. Association K-6 Athletics Students are able to embrace program or the school’s their civic-minded side at Athletic Department, clubs Service Club, or explore the L to R: Jacob Locke ’21, Jack Crane ’22, Jack Stewart ’21 and Adam Johnson ’22 display their puppets from the Good News ranging from primarily Bible through competition in Puppet Company’s production of the Bible’s story of Joseph academic to creative and fun the Bible Bowl or performing and his amazing colorful coat. are open to students in grades Old or New Testament five through eight. stories as part of the Good News Puppet Company. The Students who might need a little additional help Summit’s Middle School offers a club or activity that can completing their work and managing their time can address any student’s interests. sign up to attend Homework Start, where teachers lend a helping hand to students one-on-one. SubjectLearn more of the clubs The Summit offers based clubs – such as math, Latin and the spelling to Middle School students here: www.summitcds.org/middleschool/afterschool 15 Summit Magazine 15

Construction by the Numbers The summer of 2015 has to go down as the busiest summer in history on the campus of The Summit. After months of carefully planning logistics, advance site preparation, ordering of materials, pre-fabricating the new exterior wall and floor panels and storing furniture, construction began in earnest on May 26. Construction crews converged on the scene to build simultaneously a five-story east wing addition, renovate the science laboratories in the west wing and renovate the director’s office suite and a science laboratory in the Middle School so that school could open on time this fall.

We thank our internal logistics team, SHP Leading Design for maintaining aesthetic details in keeping with our historic building, THP Limited for providing structural engineering expertise, HGC Construction and all our subcontractors for keeping up the pace.

Above: A crane hoists one of the more than 130 pre-constructed wall panels for the east wing addition. Each panel weighed 18,000 pounds.

Top right: Construction workers place straps around a wall panel to prepare it to be lifted by a crane. Left: A crane hoists materials for construction workers inside the ground floor of the new east wing addition.

Middle right: A crane lifts a construction worker in a bucket to work on the second level of prefabricated panels for the new east wing addition.

Bottom right: A crane lifts a beam to the rooftop above St. Cecilia Hall.

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Here’s a look at the task at hand, by the numbers: 1 New independent study science laboratory 3 Campus construction projects taking

place concurrently 5 Weeks to get the east wing

addition under roof 7 Renovated state-of-the-art science

laboratories New rooms in the east wing addition 21 31 Trades working on campus 90 Work days on the construction schedule 95 Workers on campus daily on average 103 Rooms undergoing some form of construction 130+ Pre-constructed concrete panels built

off site for the east wing 250 Workers scheduled to work on the projects 288 Pieces of HVAC equipment being

installed over two summers 1,550 Additional square footage of library

space after expansion 2,040 Additional square footage of art

space after expansion 2,154 Hours in the construction schedule 10,000+ Bolts ordered for projects 18,000 Pounds of weight in each

pre-constructed concrete panel $8-9 Million estimated cost of construction

Top: A crane lifts the planks to the top of the addition, which will support the roof.

Center: Two construction workers fit a window frame to an opening on the addition.

Bottom: Windows and archways are filled in as the expanded Williams Library takes shape.

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Art and Architecture of T 18

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Architect and Foundress envisioned inspirational, yet practical, spaces that

f The Summit

ces that feed mind, body and soul.

By David Lyman Over the years, I’ve had several friends “introduce” me to The Summit. They have all had different relationships with the institution. Several of them have been teachers. Another was an administrator. Yet another was an IT guru.

Interestingly, they all offered one suggestion when I came to the building.

“Be sure to use the main door.”

It wasn’t about easy access to their offices.

In some cases, in fact, the main entrance provided the longest route.

No, they wanted to make sure that I was treated to that gloriously dramatic view of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel – the Chapel.

It reminds me of the day my mother introduced me to the Lincoln Memorial during a childhood visit to Washington, D.C. She made me walk up the 58 steps to the memorial’s central chamber at a slight angle so that it wasn’t until the very last second that I got the full impact of Daniel Chester French’s sculpture.

Meeting the Chapel is a little like that. When you open those towering front doors at the top of the front steps, the Chapel narthex is filled with elements that are fascinating in their own right.

Most immediately striking are the pair of oversized Jan Brown Checco sculptured mosaic wall hangings.

The one on the left, featuring an enigmatically smiling sunflower face, is titled “The Spirit of Generosity.” Sunflowers were reportedly a favorite of Saint Julie Billiart, who founded and was the first Superior General of the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. It’s no coincidence that you’ll find several other images of sunflowers throughout the building.

On the other side of the narthex is a partner piece, called “Dreambuilding Cathedral.”

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Both sculptures were created as artful donor recognition panels in appreciation of those who supported The Summit’s Dreambuiling Campaign that ended in 2006.

Nearby is a panel constructed of Rookwood ceramics depicting an idyllic Greek ruins looking out into a verdant valley below.

Dedicated to Mary Katharine Blowney, it was used as a water fountain when it was installed in 1930. Arching above the panel are the words “All Are Welcome Here.”

But for all its impressiveness, this is an entrance, a point of entry. It was never intended to overshadow what we can already see through the arching doorway that lies directly ahead.

Before we enter the Chapel, it’s worth revisiting some Summit history. The Chapel and the rest of the main building were designed by Edwin Forrest Durang, a Philadelphia architect already well-known for his ecclesiastical architecture.

He was known to several of the sisters in Cincinnati, most especially Sister Superior Julia. When she was posted in Philadelphia, Julia resided in the order’s West Rittenhouse Square convent, which was designed by Durang.

She made contact with Durang and, after receiving the approval of her superiors, Julia contracted Durang to design a convent on property the order had purchased.

For those familiar with Durang’s projects in and around Philadelphia, The Summit is something of an anomaly. Back home, Durang was known for the lavishness of his work. You might not know that from a first glance at The Church of the Gesu, regarded by many as his masterpiece. The exterior is quite simple, featuring the same red brick and white trim as The Summit, though with a slightly Spanish flair rather than the relatively unadorned look that defines The Summit.

But step inside Gesu, as locals call it, and you’ll find a Romanesque wonder, gilded and dressed up with row after row of lattice-like patterns soaring up to a barrel-vaulted ceiling.

The Chapel at The Summit has its share of elaborate details, too. But what is most memorable about it is its extraordinary Previous page: Gothic Revival architectural elements of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel include pointed arches, vaulted ceilings, flying buttresses, large stained-glass windows, sculptures and decorative wood relief sculptural art.

Top left: The Rookwood-tiled fountain in the school lobby was donated in 1930 in memory of Mary Katherine Blowney ’24.

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Below left: This statue in the entry way depicts Joseph holding the hand of a young Jesus.

On the opposite wall, the Holy Family is completed with Mary the Queen of Heaven standing in a prayerful pose.

suburb of a city less than 30 percent the size of Philadelphia.

sense of grace and radiance. When you walk through the main doorway with its pointed arch, most notable is the brilliance of the light. There are decorative elements. But unlike what you find in many true Gothic houses of worship, these elements don’t add a weightiness.

Perhaps Durang’s vision for the Chapel was a response to The Summit’s surroundings. While there were elegant homes nearby, this structure was being built in a verdant landscape of meadows and trees. The ornate approach that was appropriate for a church in the densely packed neighborhoods of Philadelphia, then the nation’s third-largest city, might have seemed ostentatious in the leafy

Or it’s possible that the lightness of the room was a matter of practicality. After all, the building didn’t have access to electricity until 1917, so the Chapel was illuminated with gas chandeliers and candles. For Durang, it was essential to make the most of whatever natural light was available to him. The most obvious solution was to use lots of white paint and build in windows of generous proportion.

Top: The chapel crucifix was given to The Summit in 1903 by Father Xavier Lasance, the school’s Chaplain from 1891 to 1924. Look closely under the feet and you can see the inscription of French artist Raffl. Above: Christ bears the cross in one of the Stations of the Cross in the Chapel.

Whatever his rationale, the overall effect of Durang’s Chapel is one of brilliant light and a sense of unbridled optimism.

If one ever doubted that churches were the house of God, this chapel should put Summit Magazine 21 21

an end to that doubt. This is a room of peace, a room for contemplation and reflection. It is a room filled with inspiration. Generations of students have had their images recorded here. It is a place that has seen countless First Communions, scores of marriages and celebrations of the end of earthly life.

You have to believe that this is the sort of space that Saint Julie Billiart would have cherished; a room where even the most skeptical will hear the voice and experience the love of God. There are hundreds of details that work together to achieve Durang’s goals, far too many to catalog here. There is the majestic altar, crafted from Carrara marble. Behind it, the wonderfully restrained crucifix carved by an adventurous Italian sculptor named Ignaz Raffl, who would move to Paris and leave his mark on church posterity by carving the stations for the Way of the Cross at Lourdes.

There are the internal buttresses of the ceiling and the mathematical precision of the magnificent ribbed vaulting. They are always impressive, but when the light is just right, you can see a foreshadowing of the Art Nouveau styles that were already beginning to appear in Europe.

Then there are those stained glass windows.

There are a handful of windows that have faded. But for a chapel this age, most of the colors have remained surprisingly vibrant.

There are various theories why this is the case, but the one that seems most logical is Durang gave the Chapel a slightly unorthodox geographic orientation. The majority of Christian houses of worship place the altar with its back to the east. Durang opted to have this altar with its back to the south.

22 22 Annual Report 2014 - 15

The statue of Mother Mary holding the infant Jesus was installed in 1925.

The southern exposure that can be so helpful to grow house plants can also play havoc with the dyes used in stained glass windows. But because of the Chapel’s placement the impact of the direct sunlight was mitigated. The result is windows that are, for the most part, still brilliantly colored.

But the elements of the Chapel that are most memorable, I think, are those that are most personal, the ones that bring us all closer to the hundreds of people whose tireless labor actually turned Durang’s visions into reality.

The one that is most often talked about is the tile floor that extends out into the narthex.

People describe it in many different ways. But no description is more immediately recognizable than to call it “polka-dotted.” (Sister Superior Julia had her own tongue-in-cheek description – “Pompeii Pavementium.”)

In truth, a local sink manufacturer donated the materials for the floor to the sisters. Those round pieces – the polka-dots – were the pieces of excess marble cut from what would become sink basins of wash stands.

It’s a charming story. But it is also one that demonstrates how very enterprising the sisters could be. You see that same practicality demonstrated in the decorative bench end carvings on the pews.

All of them were handcrafted by the nuns who lived and worked there. More than 120 years later, their handiwork remains an intimate reminder of their devotion to God and to this place.

Some of the carvings are purely ornamental, with birds and sheaves of wheat. Others pay homage to the three elements of The Summit’s crest: the Catherine Wheel, the chevron and the fleur-de-lis.

But others are much more personal reminders of The Summit’s past and those who helped shape it. There is one that depicts the crossed keys of the coat of arms of the Holy See and contains a single word – “Peter.” Several spell out “Notre Dame,” while others say “ma mere.” Still others note the year of the Chapel’s consecration, 1895, or just the name “Julia.”

This level of intense grandeur doesn’t extend throughout the building. After all, these were simple residences and offices and eventually classrooms. They were workaday spaces, so a slightly more Spartan approach was expected.

Top: Detail of the main altar, made of Carrara marble and Mexican onyx and installed in the spring of 1895. Above: An ornate candelabra which, when lit, signals the presence of the Holy Eucharist.The floor is made from hundreds of circular tiles which were the throw-away portion of late Victorian era vanity tops.

Founding Mother Superior Julia nicknamed the grand floor the “Pompeii Pavementium.”

23 Summit Magazine 23

Left: One of the 84 individual stained glass windows in the Chapel, this one depicts Jesus as a teacher.

Top left: The Rosa Mystica statue was acquired in London by Sister Agnes Markham in 1947.

Top right: A golden crucifix is centered in the gold frame of the onyx tabernacle door.

Bottom left: A detail of one of the 132 pew end supports which were hand-carved by the sisters.

Bottom right: A detail in one of the Chapel’s stained glass windows remains vibrantly colored after 125 years.

24 24 Annual Report 2014 - 15

But the remainder of the building isn’t without its own grace.

As you wander the halls, look all around you.

Door knobs and hinges are adorned with elaborate curling patterns, a playful nod to styles that might have been more expected from Charles Rennie Mackintosh, whose work was already exerting influence on all aspects of European architecture and interior design.

Look up, as well. Above the tall windows are transoms framed with yellow squares of stained glass, another tribute to Saint Julie’s love of the sunflower.

Hidden away underneath the commonplace acoustical tile in the halls, there are arched ceilings that mirror, in their own modest way, the towering arches of the Chapel‘s ceiling.

If you keep walking up and up, you’ll finally arrive at Saint Cecilia Hall.

It’s not a grandly ornate room. It never was. But in some ways, it is every bit as much a reflection of the heart of The Summit as the Chapel is.

This modest room was never intended to be the primary focus of the building. But it was a room that wore many faces. With a little preparation, it could be elegant. It could host concerts. Or large gatherings.

It was a place where the people of The Summit came together to work and talk and plan. It was the go-to room when other spaces weren’t quite right.

It was the site of The Summit’s second graduation in 1893. There were just two in the class. But a photo from the time depicts it lavishly decorated with banners and paintings and a ceremony that,

Top: The origin of this painting in the lobby is unknown, but many of the early sisters were artistic and produced their own paintings in the style of old masters.

Middle: Wrought iron, such as this intricately swirling handrail, was fashionable in the 19th Century.

Near left: Ornamental doorknobs such as this one are common in Victorian era buildings.

Far right: Above the tall windows in St. Cecilia Hall are these smaller discs of colored glass.

25 Summit Magazine 25

according to contemporary descriptions, included six harps, five pianos and a chorus of 80 singers.

Even today, Saint Cecilia Hall is called upon to host fine dining, receptions, alumni tributes and other gatherings. And of course, as the room is attached to the Upper School, it offers space for assemblies and a stage for theatrical performances by budding thespians and singers.

But if you look up in the front of the room, you can still see a bit of the sisters’ handiwork that gave the hall some of its elegance.

There are two paintings by Sister Berchmans of Mary and Sister Marie du Saint Esprit. On the left, you can see Saint Catherine of Alexandria – patron saint of The Summit – debating a roomful of pagan philosophers. If you look closely, you can make out the words below the painting, “St. Catherine Before the Doctors.”

On the opposite side, a somewhat more faded painting depicts Saint Cecilia, the patroness of music, relishing in the harmonies of the angelic choirs that reside high in the clouds above her.

The history of The Summit has unfolded in every square inch of the Summit complex. It’s happened in stairwells, in the dining halls, on the playing fields. And, of course, in the classrooms and libraries.

Durang understood that, as did Sister Superior Julia and so many others that followed in their footsteps. So they created a place that was both practical and inspirational, a place that could feed the mind and body as well as the soul.

Most important for us, though, they created a place that would elevate generations of young

Top: Elements of Gothic Revival architectural style are revealed in these columns which appear to be holding up pointed arches – all set within a larger pointed arch high on the chapel wall.

Middle: Two early teachers, Sisters Berchmans of Mary and Marie du Saint Esprit, painted the large murals in St. Cecilia Hall in Renaissance style. This one depicts Catherine of Alexandria, who was tortured on the wheel in the fourth century. Her wheel is part of The Summit’s seal.

26 26 Annual Report 2014 - 15

Left: Detail of a stained glass window.

people, help shape them into better citizens and then send them back into the world to make it a better place.

David Lyman is a Cincinnati arts writer whose work has been featured in several daily newspapers and regularly appears in The Cincinnati Enquirer and WCPO.com. He has been a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts and is the author of Cincinnati Ballet Celebrates 50 | 1963-2013.

Above: The end post of a stairwell banister bears bas relief sculptural detail.

Top right: A statue of Mary Queen of Heaven holding a welcoming baby Jesus greets visitors from an exterior inset archway above the school’s front door.

Near right: The Goths are said to have borrowed the pointed or ogival arch, like the one in this door, from Islamic architecture.

Far right: Another artistically carved stair rail.

27 Summit Magazine 27

125 Years of Tradition tradition tra·di·tion truh-dish-un noun: tradition. The transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation. From Latin tr-diti-n- (stem of tr-diti-) a handing over or down, transfer, equivalent to tr-dit.

The Summit’s traditions connect us to the past, imbue our present with a sense of community and light a path for the future. As a legacy project for the 125th anniversary of The Summit, we have collected 125 stories about people who have made an impact, significant events in our history and special places on campus. We are gifting you with a sample of the images as a pull-out poster in the center of this magazine.

We started this journey by gathering a group of people with great institutional knowledge – who all are living legends of the school – to help us identify traditions. So we give thanks to Mary (Foss) Brinkmeyer ’67, former Assistant Head of School who among her many contributions put a national spotlight on our Character Education Program; Carole Fultz, long time teacher and first recipient of the Schilderink Family Faculty Chair for Distinguished Teaching; Peggy Brueggeman, long-time science teacher, coach, 1983 Athletic Hall of Fame inductee; Robert C. Juenke, former head of the Boys Middle School, coach and 1989 Athletic Hall of Famer; Bruce Bowdon, longtime Boys and Middle School teacher, 1994 Schilderink recipient; Sr. Rose Ann Fleming ’50, SNDdeN, former president of the school, 1984 McKenzie-Sargent award recipient; and Conky Greiwe ’61, Assistant to the Chaplain, SPA Liaison and keeper of The Summit’s archive.

In telling of most of these stories, we have drawn heavily upon the work of our campus historian Pat Kelly. We also thank Tracy Law ’85 Ph.D, Rostrum coordinator and Communications intern Meg McGrath, who helped summarize the stories into online vignettes. Parents Tina Kroencke and Traci Van Dorselaer led an effort to digitize historic photos from the archives of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (SNDdeN) and our own archive. Sister Kim Dalgarn, SNDdeN’s archivist, helped check facts. As they began our traditions, we owe the Sisters our eternal thanks.

Please enjoy these stories about our history online.

Go to www.summitcds.org/traditions.

– Nancy Berlier Summit Magazine Editor & Communications Director

28

Annual Report 2014 - 15

Summit History Revisited Campus Historian Pat Kelly’s book on The Summit’s history is being updated with newly discovered photos from the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur as well as images of the 2015 east wing addition, west wing and Middle School renovations and early anniversary celebrations. Mr. Kelly has been a member of The Summit faculty since 1980. In addition to teaching, he leads history tours of the campus and is faculty advisory for Ellipsis, a student literary magazine. Originally published for the Centennial celebration in 1990 as The Summit 1890-1990, the updated version will be called To Grow in Grace and Wisdom | The Summit Country Day School | 1890-2015 and will be available for purchase online later this year.

SUMMIT-OPOLY THE SUMMIT COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

125th Anniversary Gala The Summit Parents Association is planning a special event this year to celebrate the school’s anniversary – the 125th Anniversary Gala and Live Auction. Parents will be able to socialize, have some fun and donate to the cause in Cincinnati’s National Historic Landmark Music Hall.

In keeping with grand celebrations of Summit’s past, the event will be black tie.

Save the date:

The Summit Parents Association (SPA) is working on a “Summitized” version of a classic board game. Using an angel, gym shoe, laptop, school bus, book and musical note as tokens, players can traverse the board, collect $200 as they pass “Go Knights!” or buy the Head of School’s office or the Athletic Complex.

(Just hope you don’t land in the school director’s office.)

SPA Vice President Meg Grulee and SPA Liaison Conky Greiwe ’61 are coordinating the project. The game will be available for purchase later this year at the school.

Saturday, Feb. 20 7 p.m. - Midnight.

125th Anniversary Gala and Live Auction, Music Hall Please see a complete list of 125th Anniversary events on page 59.

29 Summit Magazine 29

The Summit Country Day School

Traditions

www.summitcds.org/traditions

Grace and Wisdom

L to R: Jesse Adam Campbell, Evan Parker Davis, Chase Logan Lyle, Philip Raymond McHugh Jr., B. Alec Stevens Petrie, Cole Ryan Bush, Austin Richard Smythe, Alexander Lloyd Sigman, Garrett Patrick Steele, Omar Saeb Khoury and Thomas Tong Quan.

By Leah Fightmaster The Summit Country Day School’s valedictorian and salutatorian reprised their topof-the-class roles from eighth grade as they celebrated the achievements of their Class of 2015.

Class of 2015 GRADUATION

“As Saint Julie says, ‘Good will alone is not enough; it must also be put into practice.’ This challenge is what excites me most about our class, because we have already seen this good will put into practice during our four years,” said valedictorian Philip Raymond McHugh Jr. at commencement.

During his speech, Philip shared his pride in the accomplishments he said were the most important that his class achieved during their four years at The Summit’s Upper School – the ones that truly show the character of a person.

Salutatorian Samantha Nicole Hunt offered a similar sentiment during her speech by highlighting that the Class of 2015 is not the same as any other class in personality and accomplishments, and those differences are what they should embrace in the future. “I am proud that we value passion and quirkiness over what is considered cool, and I am proud how seriously we take both our school spirit 32 32 Annual Report 2014 - 15

and academics,” she said.

The Class of 2015 was comprised of 95 graduates who celebrated the end of their high school careers on Sunday, May 24. During the commencement ceremony, several annual awards were announced. The 2015 recipients of the Boosters Association Maurice “Bud” O’Connor Memorial Award were Mark Louis Duane Peterson and Kiley Elena JoAnn Barnard for their excellence, dedication and Christian leadership in athletics.

The Saint Julie Billiart Award, given to students who exhibit a selfless nature, joyful disposition and dedication to The Summit community, was awarded to Colette Michelle Hue. This year’s recipients of the Archbishop McNicholas Award was presented to Elizabeth Kathryn Harsh and Philip Raymond McHugh Jr., an award for seniors who have maintained the high ideals of academic achievement, Christian awareness and responsibility, service and loyalty to the school.

“Let this be our challenge as the Class of 2015: That we may measure our lives not by the accolades we receive, but instead by the moments when our actions mean everything in the lives of others,” Philip said.

Roxanne Sharlene van Dams.

Five students received special awards during graduation. L to R: Mark Louis Duane Peterson and Kiley Elena JoAnn Barnard, the Boosters Association Maurice “Bud” O’Connor Memorial Award; Colette Michelle Hue, the Saint Julie Billiart Award; and Elizabeth Kathryn Harsh and Philip Raymond McHugh Jr., the Archbishop McNicholas Award.

L to R: Caroline Verdin Crew, Nora Christine Lakes and Morgan Elizabeth Cavanaugh.

L to R: Rachel Emily Wallace, Emily Katherine Walton, Noelle Christina Weber, Lauren Madison Wells and Emily Nicole Wiser.

L to R: Kiley Elena JoAnn Barnard, JoRia Karralle Cook and Malauna Quinae Campbell.

33 Summit Magazine 33 Maverick Vance Thurston.

L to R, back row: Alec Stevens Petrie, G. Maximillian McGrath, Austin Richard Smythe, Stephen Nicholas Romanelli Jr., Grady Edward Stuckman, Stewart Alexander Spanbauer, Nicholas Scott Sanders and Michael Corzo Richey. Front row: Tyler William Hannah and Thomas Tong Quan.

L to R: Mark Louis Duane Peterson and Evan Parker Davis.

L to R: Cecily Elizabeth Nelson and Kathryn Mary Nies.

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I John Charles Murdock Jr., cross country and track, University of Cincinnati Austin Richard Smythe, soccer, Radford University in Virginia Mason Tully Moore, track and cross country, Loyola University Chicago Stewart Alexander Spanbauer, diving, North Carolina State Division II Malauna Quinae Campbell, basketball, University of Charleston in West Virginia 34 34 Annual Report 2014 - 15

L to R: Philip Raymond McHugh Jr., valedictorian, and Samantha Nicole Hunt, salutatorian.

L to R: Grady Edward Stuckman and Rupert Nicholas Henry Domville.

National Recognition National Merit finalists: Anne Hamilton Klette, Juliana Hutchinson Overbey and Thomas Tong Quan.

National Merit Commended Students: Kevin Thomas Boyce, Morgan Elizabeth Cavanaugh, Aaron James Chow, Katharine Martha Dolcimascolo, Olivia Mae Eveslage, Joshua Ryan Harris, Nora Christine Lakes, Philip Raymond McHugh Jr., Ellen Foster Schwietering, Stewart Alexander Spanbauer, Brooks Ossie Taylor, Eric Stephen Terry, Andrew William Thomas, Nathan Makstell Whisett and Alexander J. Winzenread.

National Merit Achievement Program Outstanding Participants: Jesse Adam Campbell and Sofia Luciana Ordonez.

Lacrosse All-Academic All-American: Samantha Nicole Hunt.

d

The Lifers These graduates were life-long Summit students: Front Row, L-R: Anna Catherine Erickson, Elizabeth Kathryn Harsh, Brenna Paige Biggs, Lauren Madison Wells, Lily Marie Kaegi, Samantha Nicole Hunt, Natalie Hayes Pearl and Kara Terrill McSwain. Row 2: Elisabeth Kathryn Dieckman-Meyer, Lauren Shelby Hendrix, Jacqueline Lauren Noe, Kassidy Ann Michel, Emily Katherine Walton, Caroline Verdin Crew, Kathryn Mary Nies and Styrling Alexandra Rohr. Row 3: Mark Louis Duane Peterson, Brooks Ossie Taylor, Nicolas Rafael Montag, Maverick Vance Thurston, Alexander Christian Bauer and Aaron James Chow. Row 4: B. Alec Stevens Petrie, Carson Tyler Hach, Joshua Ryan Harris, Nathan Makstell Whitsett, Alexander David Stewart, John Stuart Abbottsmith and Alexander J. Winzenread.

35 L to R: Olivia Mae Eveslage, Jesse Adam Campbell, John Charles Murdock Jr., Rachel Emily Wallace, Jay Robert McKeever II Summit Magazine and Tyler William Hannah.

Accomplishments The Class of 2015 was heavily recruited by college and university admissions officials.

They attracted more than $17.29 million in scholarship offers.

• 12 full-tuition scholarships were awarded.

• 94% of the class took college-level classes

through the College Board Advanced

Placement Program.

• 19% were recognized by National Merit.

• 4 students signed to NCAA Division I

teams and 1 to Division II. In all, 15%

plan to compete in collegiate athletics.

The national average is 6%.

• 72% of the seniors participated in at least

one sport this year.

• Seniors performed 9,848 hours of

community service, averaging 103 hours

per student.

• 56% of the students will attend colleges out-of-state.

• They will attend 52 colleges and

universities coast-to-coast in 23 states and

the District of Columbia .

They will attend: Bellarmine University, Berea College, Boston College, Boston University, Case Western Reserve University, Claremont McKenna College, Clemson University, Coastal Carolina University, Dartmouth College, Denison University, DePauw University, Elon University, Emerson College, Emory University, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Hanover College, Indiana University at Bloomington, Lewis & Clark College, Loyola University Chicago, Miami University, Mount St. Joseph University, New York University, North Carolina State University, Northern Kentucky University, Ohio University, Pennsylvania State University, Radford University, Savannah College of Art and Design, Texas A&M University, The College of Wooster, The George Washington University, The Ohio State University, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, the universities of Charleston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Colorado at Boulder, Dallas, Dayton, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Richmond, South Carolina, University of Southern California, Tennessee and Virginia, Vanderbilt University, Wake Forest University, Washington University in St. Louis, Wittenberg University Xavier University.

36 Annual Report 2014 - and 15

L to R: Karen Cruse Suder, Biology teacher; Kelly Cronin, Social Studies teacher; Pat Kelly, English teacher; Ashley Gayonski, Religion teacher and Campus Minister; Al Sagel, Math teacher and Bob Baechtold, Spanish teacher.

Cole Ryan Bush and Garrett Patrick Steele.

Raven Gabrielle Chaney.

L to R: Noelle Christina Weber and Natalie Hayes Pearl.

L to R: Kara Terrill McSwain and Lily Marie Kaegi.

Craig Joseph James.

The Graduates

2015 Graduating Class L-R, Row 1: Cecily Elizabeth Nelson, Abigayle Elizabeth Anderson, Lily Marie Kaegi, Katharine Martha Dolcimascolo, Kiley Elena JoAnn Barnard, Caroline Marie Currie, Brenna Paige Biggs, Victoria Nicole Woodruff, Juliana Hutchinson Overbey, Anna Catherine Erickson and Nora Christine Lakes.

Row 2: Elisabeth Kathryn Dieckman-Meyer, Anne Kardell Rose, Emily Nicole Wiser, Samantha Nicole Hunt, Rachel Emily Wallace, Natalie Hayes Pearl, Elizabeth Kathryn Harsh, Noelle Christina Weber, Sofia Luciana Ordonez, Raven Gabrielle Chaney, Francesca Marcotte Rietz, Anne Hamilton Klette and JoRia Karralle Cook.

Row 3: Kassidy Ann Michel, Jacqueline Lauren Noe, Lauren Madison Wells, Malauna Quinae Campbell, Kara Terrill McSwain, Caroline Verdin Crew, Morgan Elizabeth Cavanaugh, Sarah Mary Scoville, Roxanne Sharlene van Dams and Amanda Margaret Ketterer.

Row 4: Mark Louis Duane Peterson, Evan Parker Davis, Styrling Rohr, Lauren Shelby Hendrix, Kathryn Mary Nies, Emily Katherine Walton, Colette Michelle Hue, Olivia Mae Eveslage, Ellen Foster Schwietering, Lillian Marie Kroencke, Esther Marie Gault, Adelaide Faith Tsueda, Jay Robert McKeever II and Chase Logan Lyle.

Row 5: Alexander David Stewart, Eric Stephen Terry, Garrett Patrick Steele, Thomas Tong Quan, Ryan Dean Thomas, Nicolas Rafael Montag, Andrew William Thomas, Matthew Alan Currie, Alexander J. Winzenread, Thomas Quinn Coughlin, Richard Michael DeWine, Gavin Kyle Majeski, Austin Richard Smythe and Brooks Ossie Taylor.

Row 6: Jesse Adam Campbell, John Stuart Abbottsmith, Rupert Nicholas Henry Domville, Omar Saeb Khoury, Maverick Vance Thurston, Christopher Matthew Lyons, Thomas Michael Van Dorselaer II, Mason Tully Moore, Aaron James Chow, Michael Corzo Richey,* Cortez James Suggs and John Riley Faucett.

Row 7: Kevin Scott Kroencke, Mark Anthony Bathon, Carson Tyler Hach, Stephen William Dunker, Stephen Nicholas Romanelli Jr., Alexander Christian Bauer, G. Maximillian McGrath, Tyler William Hannah and Alexander Lloyd Sigman.

Row 8: B. Alec Stevens Petrie, Craig Joseph James, Nicholas Scott Sanders, Grady Edward Stuckman, Joshua Ryan Harris, Nathan Makstell Whitsett, Stewart Alexander Spanbauer, Cole Ryan Bush, John Charles Murdock Jr. and Philip Raymond McHugh Jr. *Graduated in Colombia; Certificate of Merit awarded.

Not Photographed: Kevin Thomas Boyce, Jae Young Choi, and Xintong Yang.

37 Summit Magazine 37

2015 Raymond E. Schilderink Family Faculty Chair for Distinguished Teaching: Larry Dean

38 38 Annual Report 2014 - 15

By Leah Fightmaster Larry Dean does something many teachers no longer do. He teaches Latin.

But Mr. Dean doesn’t just teach Latin. He lives it and breathes life into it for his students. Latin is a subject that has fallen by the wayside for many schools in recent years, even though it provides the roots of some of the most widely spoken languages around the world.

Mr. Dean takes the study of this “dead language” and brings it to life for his students. He creates songs, tells stories and dramatizes literature to revive the classics into something his students are passionate and dedicated to study and practice. Learning and mastering Latin is hard work, and Mr. Dean’s students are so devoted to it and him that they are an extension of his dedication.

When giving the award at the annual Faculty-Staff Recognition Dinner, Head of School Rich Wilson noted the many unpaid hours of work at The Summit Country Day School put in by Mr. Dean. He spends his weekends drilling his students on Certamen questions, takes long bus rides to Latin conventions, prepares students for national exams and effectively manages the Latin program at The Summit. Mr. Dean is his students’ coach, and Latin is their sport.

“Larry always tries to make his class fun for the kids, but also challenges them with work that will help them be the best they can be,” said Kim Ashcraft, Mr. Dean’s colleague and Middle and Upper School Latin teacher. “He maintains high standards for each student.”

His dedication to Latin doesn’t stop at The Summit.

He also serves as state chair for the Ohio Junior Classical League (OJCL), a position in which he helps organize the state Latin conventions in addition to leading his own school delegation. His students perform well in competitions across the board at conventions, and The Summit has taken first or second place in the last eight years. Summit students in his delegation routinely serve as OJCL officers – and have done so for 17 consecutive years.

at The Summit. It’s become a draw for students to attend the school, and his enthusiasm stays with his students after they leave. Last year, three Summit alumni took a weekend off from their college studies to assist him at the OJCL convention last year. Many of his students go on to study the classics in college, because of the knowledge and zeal Mr. Dean brings to the program.

His love for Latin shows not only in his commitment, but also through his children. Tullus ’17 wrapped up a year of serving as the OJCL parliamentarian at the end of the school year, and Julia ’19 was one of the top point scorers at the state convention last year. Both are very active and perform well in competitions.

Many of Mr. Dean’s traits are his best assets while teaching his Latin students, said Middle School Language Arts teacher Rosie Sansalone. His ability to use his intellect, sense of humor, love of the classics and natural ability to teach through anecdote are only some of the ways that his students find ways to relate to his lessons.

“His students, without realizing it, embody Larry’s lessons, and I benefit from that as an English teacher,” Ms. Sansalone said. “Without fail, I have students make connections with Latin lessons. I recently used the word ‘alabaster,’ and a student proceeded to give me a five-minute discourse about how it comes from the Latin ‘albus,’ meaning ‘white.’”

These lessons help Mr. Dean’s students in other ways.

The Summit’s Latin program has reputation that attracts top colleges and universities. Admissions representatives know that the Latin students are dedicated and have learned to put in the hard work needed to succeed. That work ethic translates to whatever their passion may be.

“Larry’s students love the multi-faceted lessons involving art, history, grammar, literature and modern-day connections – all of which prove that Latin is indeed not dead, but lives on in Larry’s lifegiving lessons,” Ms. Sansalone said.

Aside from the fact that Mr. Dean has been the heart of the Latin program alongside his colleague, Mrs. Ashcraft, he’s turned it into a signature program 39 Summit Magazine 39

The Summit Way Awards:

Donna Paulin, Mike Walker and Emily Jolly

Donna Paulin Organizational mastery is necessary to work as the administrative assistant for the Athletics Department. For the last seven years, Donna Paulin has been the master. The department manages the athletes, coaches, referees, practice and game locations, awards and a host of other responsibilities related to sports for grades 7-12. She has made sure each coach has met the state’s requirements for coaching, she organizes athletic awards ceremonies for each season, orders the awards and keeps everyone aware of The Summit’s athletic successes. Rich Wilson, Head of School, awarded Donna and two others with The Summit Way Awards at the Faculty-Staff Recognition Dinner. “Being the administrative assistant in the Athletic Office is like no other,” he says, “and most people don’t realize the complexity of our program.” Mrs. Paulin’s job sounds exhausting – and it probably is – but she has done it with a smile on her face and words of enthusiasm.

She retired at the end of the school year and left behind busy athletic shoes to be filled.

Mike Walker Anyone who walks through the front doors of The Summit while Mike Walker is on duty as security guard is greeted by a pleasant smile and a friendly hello. “His kindness and caring are characteristics of which the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur would be proud,” says Mr. Wilson.

“He’s a community builder. He knows the children that enter that way and develops a relationship with them.” Mike is one of The Summit’s biggest fans. He gets to know the students, parents, faculty and staff members so well that he remembers their names and what is going on in their lives. He also attends Summit games and plays, many times at the personal request of a student. He has ridden the spirit bus with students going to state tournaments. He has joined The Summit community on the last two mission trips. Mike is happiest helping people and does the little things that make The Summit feel special. “Mike embodies the spirit of The Summit Way Award,” says Communications Director Nancy Berlier. “He is so much more than a security guard; he has secured a place in our hearts.”

Emily Jolly Emily Jolly has been the first person to greet people who call The Summit for the past 18 years.

Many times, these are people who have never called the school before, but they have a positive impression because of her voice, her enthusiasm and her spirit.

Not only does her voice match her name, but as the assistant to the Head of School, Ms. Jolly has been adept at determining people’s needs and pointing them the direction in which they need to go. “Emily has been the voice of The Summit,” says Conky Greiwe ’61, associate to the office of the chaplain. “She’s always happy and she’s always helpful.” Ms. Jolly is a woman of many talents.

She has managed the Head of School’s calendar, proofread critical documents, helped organize new employee orientations and a number of events and behind-thescenes details that keep the school running smoothly. She retired at the end of the school year.“She is a friend to so many in this building.

She does all that with a smile, with laughter, with joy,” says Mr. Wilson. “I’ll be lost without her.”

– Leah Fightmaster

40 40 Annual Report 2014 - 15

Leader of Character Awards: Laura Adkins and Kathleen Kane Laura Adkins At The Summit, teachers infuse their lessons with certain character traits that the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur valued for their students. Each year, The Summit names faculty or staff members who provide the best examples of those treasured character traits – kindness, caring, respect, fairness, responsibility, courage, perseverance, accountability, justice, patience, humility, compassion and gratitude – and awards them the Leader of Character Award.

Mrs. Adkins has a love of not only teaching, but also of learning and humanity. She brings an energy to her classroom that livens up her lessons and helps students connect with their studies.

“The way she treats her students and her colleagues reflects the honesty, kindness and caring, which are hallmarks of people of character,” says Rich Wilson, Head of School.

“In addition to her excellent ability to craft and present a lesson, it is Laura’s affable nature, effervescent personality and high emotional intelligence that is the greatest boon to our students,” says Middle School Language Arts teacher Rosie Sansalone.

Her students benefit from her diligence. She facilitates the “Power of the Pencil” program, works in Homework Start, contributes to the Global Citizenry committee and collaborates with the sixth grade team to prepare students for the sixth grade capstone “Invention Convention.” She works with Middle School Music and Piano teacher Greg Williams on the Praise Team – a choir of students who practice and perform at Middle School Mass and prayer services.

Kathleen Kane Mrs. Kane makes a difference in the life of every student she teaches. She’s been doing that for the past 39 years.

Her extensive experience and a warm, inviting atmosphere continue to make a difference in the lives of her students.

Aside from religion lessons, Mrs. Kane prepares her second graders each year for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and their First Communion. People describe the Masses she organizes as “beautiful and meaningful.”

The Summit has many students who are not Catholic, and Mrs. Kane doesn’t leave them out when Catholic rites take place. On the day of First Reconciliation, Mrs. Kane provides those students with special roles to appreciate their own place within the class, and before the First Communion ceremony, she organizes a performance for those students to act out “The Prodigal Son.” In Mrs. Kane’s classroom, every child has a role to play.

“Kathleen provides a warm, fun environment where all kids feel special and respected,” says Lower School first grade teacher Ceil Johnson. “Her calm, nurturing personality brings out the best in her students. It is obvious the children adore her.”

Outside of her Religion classroom, she moderates the Lower School Service Club with Mrs. Johnson and organizes activities such as Samaritan’s Purse, an alms collection in which students can choose the items to be purchased and donated. She also organizes the Lower School Shoe Drive, which in its first year netted 550 pairs of shoes and 15 backpacks that were sent to Batahola Norte in Nicaragua for children who don’t have them to go to school. The highlight at the end of every year is her famous pool party.

– Leah Fightmaster

41 Summit Magazine 41

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Award Winning Art Educators: Mark and Jan Wiesner

Annual Report 2014 - 15

By Leah Fightmaster Mark and Jan Wiesner did most things together while working at The Summit Country Day School.

And now, they’ve retired together as well.

Mark began his art teaching career at The Summit almost 40 years ago and never left. Jan began working as the art teacher in the Lower School in 1997. The Wiesners ate lunch together each day. They both drive RAV4s and zip around the area neighborhoods on scooters (Jan’s is white and Mark’s is black). They own two adopted greyhounds.

Outside of The Summit, Mark and Jan are active, working artists. They create art in their shared studio at Pendleton Art Center and are curators for weekend art shows at Awakenings Coffee and Wine in Hyde Park Square. They enter their art together into shows and exhibits – recently, they showed a joint series of their work in an exhibition at Covington Arts in Covington, Ky. Their work is also part of Pendleton Art Center’s weekly Final Friday event.

As teachers, Mark and Jan have been committed to sharing the educational and personal benefits of art to their students. Jan infused lessons with the work and techniques of the masters, such as Van Gogh and Monet, while embracing the creativity of her young students as they expressed themselves through their assignments. Mark embraced his students’ skills and showed them how to develop them into expressions of themselves. In short, student expression through the use of talent via an artistic medium became not only an educational lesson the Wiesners taught their students but something they can use throughout their lives.

students rise to the occasion,” Mark said. Both Jan and Mark developed not only the artistic side of their students, but also the analytical thinking aspect. When working on a project, students had to walk away from their projects and come back to them in order to get a new perspective. The approach is something Jan said forces children to think and rethink their creations. “I love when students hate their work at first,” she said.

“Those projects end up being the ones they love best.”

Mark and Jan’s lessons weren’t just about creating art. They challenged their students to think deeply about what they observed. Both entered their students into art criticism contests, which forced students to analyze a piece of art, appreciate its value and verbalize their thoughts.

“I had third and fourth graders who take those art criticism lessons into other subjects and say, ‘This is what I’m trying to say.’ It’s a huge cognitive leap,” Jan said.

The work of the teachers has been recognized locally and beyond. In April, both Jan and Mark were named Outstanding Educator of the Year in the Elementary and Secondary Divisions, respectively, by the Ohio Art Education Association. Susan Ruttle Lawrence, co-director of the Art Education Program at Mount St. Joseph University, recommended them, referencing Jan’s “innovative strategies” that help students “make connections with the art content and the world around them.” She noted Mark’s ability to enable his students to connect their art to the global society as they “find their voice and identity in his classroom.”

Now, Jan and Mark, however, are moving on to retirement – together, of course.

“Being able to express yourself and have confidence is a tremendous advantage, and the

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Fr. Seher celebrates his 50th anniversary Mass.

50th Anniversary Celebration 44

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The Rev. Philip O. Seher

By Megan McGrath On May 17, The Summit hosted a celebratory Mass in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Rev. Philip O. Seher’s ordination. Fr. Phil has been instrumental in the upkeep of the Catholic faith at The Summit for onefourth of his career. He began as chaplain in 1977, starting in the Boys Middle School in the days before The Summit became coeducational and has served as chaplain to the school as a whole since 2003.

“Fr. Phil sets the tone for the teachers as we develop the children in the formation of their faith and conscience,” says Rich Wilson, Head of School.

“Prospective families tour our school and often remark on the culture of kindness, caring, and nurturing they observe. Fr. Phil has a lot to do with that.”

Rich Wilson, Head of School, presents Fr. Seher with a photo book commemorating his service to The Summit.

To engage the children in the faith, Mass needs to be meaningful. Fr. Seher goes to great lengths to deliver homilies that are relevant to students. He’s always conscious of their stages of development. The AllSchool Opening Mass, the Latin Mass, the Spanish Mass and Christmas Eve Masses are all special and reflect his careful and thoughtful planning.

Perhaps, Fr. Phil’s impact on the school can best be viewed in the eyes of the students, even after they have graduated. “He is a wonderful person to have in The Summit community,” says Anna Erickson ’15. “He helps students to learn by example and by going to classrooms and sharing his life experiences with them.”

“Essential to the mission of The Summit is maintaining our Catholic identity,” says Mike Johnson, Middle School Director. “Having been founded by the SNDdeN, we have a functioning affiliation plan which calls us to their high ideals of faith and action. Fr. Phil has been a critical piece of the puzzle living up to this call of high ideals.”

The legacy that Fr. Phil created during his 50 years as a priest is one of leadership and integrity. His respect for every person mirrors the mission of the school to know and love every child.

Because about 40 percent of the student body is not Catholic, Fr. Phil includes everyone in celebrations, readings and music. His door is open to everyone. “Fr. Phil’s wide range of experience working as a pastor, the director of priest personnel for the Archdiocese, and chaplain for a number of schools allows him to be an insightful guide for all constituents within the community,” Mr. Johnson says.

As a member of The Summit’s Senior Leadership Team, Fr. Phil has a voice in school operations. He helped plan events for the school’s 125th anniversary this year by inviting Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr to celebrate the Homecoming Mass on Oct. 4 and Bishop Joseph R. Binzer to celebrate the Alumni Mass on May 1.

Fr. Seher reflects on his personal journey during the homily at his 50th anniversary Mass.

Summit Magazine 45

NEWSMAKERS Alexa Santamarina ’18, Dane Barker ’19, Zoe Edmondson ’20 and Grant Gerhardt ’21.

Lily Lu ’16

Lily Lu ’16 achieved a rare perfect 36 composite score on the ACT college entrance exam, which measures skills in English, math, reading and science.

Each year, less than onetenth of 1 percent of all test-takers nationwide earn a perfect score, according to the ACT. Nationwide data for the class of 2014, the most recent information available, found that of more than 1.8 million students taking the exam, only 1,407 aced it. The average national composite score that year was 21, according to the ACT website; the average Ohio composite score was 22.

Julia Rosa Helm ’19 received a gold medal for her National French Exam score, which placed her in the 95th percentile.

Silver medalists were Grace Anderson and Alexis Fee, class of 2019, Mona Hajjar ’21, and Rylie Lane, Jennifer Sullivan, Laura Fitzpatrick, Molly Ragland and Hudson Ritch, class of 2022. Bronze medalists were Tony Ortiz ’16; Martin Amesquita, Alvaro De la Rosa Banqueri, Alejandra Valencia and Caroline Walton, class of 2017; 46

Annual Report 2014 - 15

Jack Meyer ’16 received a gold medal for his National Spanish Exam score, which placed him in the 95th percentile.

Sarah Scoville ’15 and Marcela Palek ’21 earned bronze for scores in the 75th to 84th percentile.

Marcela’s score in the bilingual category was the best among students in the Ohio Buckeye Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese and won her $80.

Five members of the Middle School Power of the Pen team qualified to compete at the state competition held on the campus of the College of Wooster on May 21 and 22. They were Derrya Mathis and Caroline Kubicki, class of 2019, and Keelin Rademacher, Payton Campbell and Rebecca Smith, class of 2020.

L to R: Derrya, Keelin, Payton and Rebecca. Not in photo: Caroline.

Lenni Mellin ’25 received an honorable mention for his family tree during a national ceramics exhibition at the annual conference of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts. The National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition Foundation received more than 1,400 entries for the juried exhibit in Providence, R.I. Lenni Mellin ’25

Sherry Xiao ’18

Sherry Xiao ’18 scored among the top 2.5 percent of ninth and 10th graders in the country taking part in the American Mathematics Competitions overseen by the Mathematical Association of America.

The 75-minute AMC 10 exam contains 25 questions testing algebra and geometry concepts. Sherry’s achievement qualified her for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination.

Aaron Chow ’15

Aaron Chow ’15 won the first place Acatel-Lucent’s Applied Science, Technology and Innovation Award in the State Science Day hosted by Ohio State University.

Aaron researched how to construct a low-cost myoelectric prosthetic. Myoelectric prosthetics are powered by the electrical activity generated by skeletal muscle contractions.

Aaron created a low-price version by using a prosthetic hand created with The Summit Innovation Club’s 3D printer, along with readily available parts and shared code. The Ohio Academy of Sciences judges gave him an average 39.5 score out of a possible 40. The award came with a cash prize of $225.

Student Newsmakers Joseph Delamerced ’18 won the U.S. Chess Federation National K-9 Chess Championship, Novice Division. He went undefeated in the seven-round junior high tournament in Louisville.

L to R, back row: Annie, Alexis, Philip, Omar and Anne. Front row, Lucia, Sabrina, Thomas, Hope and Caroline.

The Summit’s Team Blue placed first at the Ohio Mock Trial Clermont Regional Competition. To advance to state, the students had to win both rounds in the regional contest while arguing both sides of the case. Omar Khoury ’15 and Sabrina Jemail ’16 won the Outstanding Attorney Award, and Hope Thomson ’17 and Lucia Grandison ’16 took the Outstanding Witness Award. Other team members were Philip McHugh, Anne Klette, Thomas Quan, Alexis Hogya and Caroline Currie, class of 2015, and Annie Dadosky ’16. It was the fourth year in a row that a Summit team advanced to state.

A motion-tracking input system developed by Summit students took first place among showcase projects presented at the TechOlympics Expo, Greater Cincinnati’s high school technology competition.

Aaron Chow ’15, Matt Currie ’15, Dustin Argo ’16 and Jack Meyer ’16 aimed to create a low-cost system that would overcome problems that people without fine motor skills face when using computer keyboards, mice and controllers. Overall, The Summit came in third against 44 other schools. Matt finished first in Tech Trivia. Jack placed second in the advanced-level TopCoder Competition and fourth in advanced Mystery Coding.

L to R: Dustin Argo ’16, Aaron Chow ’15, Matt Currie ’15, and Jack Meyer ’16

L to R, back row: Dee and Lily. Middle row, Hali, Colette and Morgan. Front row: Brigid, Jodie and Bella. Not in photo: Natalie.

An AP Art photography portfolio by Colette Hue ’15 and two artworks by Hali Clark ’18 were selected for judging in the national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition in New York. It was the third consecutive year that a Summit student was among the 12 regional portfolio winners. Additionally, Morgan Cavanaugh ’15, Jodie Hutchins ’16, Lily Kroencke ’15, Brigid Lawler ’18, Natalie Pearl ’15, Dee Pierre ’17 and Bella Saba ’19 received Silver Key awards in the regional Scholastic art competition.

Upper and Lower School students swept top awards in the Ohio Art Education Association’s annual Jerry Tollifson Art Criticism Open. Cara Kirkpatrick ’16 tied for first place in Division 4: Grades 9-12 for her essay on “The Slinger”

by Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps. Tori Woodruff ’15 took second place for her essay on “Mrs. Mary Robinson” by Sir Joshua Reynolds. Third place went to Lily Kroencke ’15 for her essay on the painting “Robert Louis Stevenson, 1887” by John Singer Sargent. In the competition for grades 1-2, Mirabella Bosse ’25 took first place for her essay on “Stegowagenvolkssaurus”

by Patricia Renick. Lucy Hayes ’26 was second for her essay on “Fog Warning” by Winslow Homer, and third place went to Annette LaLonde ’25, who also wrote about “Stegowagenvolkssaurus.”

Cara and Mirabella have their essays featured in OAEA’s ArtLine magazine.

Nathan Whitsett ’15, a member of The Summit’s innovative Science Research Institute, advanced to Ohio State Science Day during competition at the University of Cincinnati Science and Engineering Expo. He won a secondplace award at the UC Expo for his presentation “Light Curves of Short and Long Term Variations in Mira-Type Variable Stars.”

Expo judges selected (continued on next page) Summit Magazine 47

Student Newsmakers Samantha Hunt ’15 to advance to the Buckeye Science Fair, a qualifying event for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

Samantha, also a member of the Science Research Institute, presented a project titled “The Comparative Study of the General Oral Health, Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Between Orange Walk, Belize, and Cincinnati, Ohio.”

In the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, Cara Kirkpatrick ’16 won a Gold Key for poetry and advanced to national competition. Cara also was awarded Silver Keys in Science Fiction and Flash Fiction. Lily Lu ’16 won a Silver Key in Science Fiction.

Students from Summit’s class of 2019 topped Power of the Pen teams from 24 schools when Summit hosted the district

competition. Members of the first-place team were Cat Alway, Grace Gilligan, Lilly Gieseke, Bella Saba, Derrya Mathis, Brigid Devine, Caroline Kubicki, Kristina Bauer, Patrick Bissmeyer, Tess Wyrick and Chris Guarasci. Derrya, Caroline, Brigid and Cat also won individual awards, as did Rebecca Smith ’20, who also earned a trip to the regional tournament.

Summit teams took home superior ratings at the University of Cincinnati Math Bowl.

In Level 2 (Algebra II and Geometry), The Summit was first place overall. Team members were Matt LaMacchia, George Ruan and Hailey Zhang, class of 2017, and Keith Meyer and Sherry Xiao, class of 2018. In Level 1 (Calculus and PreCalculus), The Summit

was again first place overall.

Team members were Matt Choi and Aaron Chow, class of 2015, and Jack Meyer, Jackson Xiong and Justin Zhou, class of 2016. UC’s Department of Mathematical Sciences sponsored the competition.

More than 80 teams from 27 area schools participated.

Ten students took home best delegation awards from the Model Asian Pacific Economic Conference at the University of Cincinnati.

One Summit team represented Russia and another Indonesia as their delegations held negotiations on security/ defense, social affairs, finance, trade and science/ technology. Award winners were Natalie Pearl, Ellie Schwietering and Sarah Scoville, class of 2015; Jared Bulla and Jenny Zhang, class of 2016; Michael Hudson, Amalia Nichifor, Maya Purdie

L to R: Katie, Camille, Avery and Sofia.

Teams from the Lower School took first place and third place in the elementary division of the Southwest Ohio Stock Market Game. The two Summit teams competed against 149 others from the region. The winning team from the class of 2023 was composed of Avery Hill, Camille Nicholson, Katie Crowther and Sofia Palek. Classmates Gwen Hellmann, Nick Carle and Alaina Fisher were on the third-place team. Participation in the Stock Market Game is part of the 21st Century Math class, a curriculum that prepares students for the transition to Middle School coursework.

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Annual Report 2014 - 15

and Caroline Walton, class of 2017; and Jaden Woodard ’18.

Michael Richey ’15

Jack Crane ’22

Michael Richey ’15 and Jack Crane ’22 were recognized as Youth Honorees during the Duke Energy Children’s Museum’s Difference Maker Celebration.

Michael developed a video-chat dialogue between Middle School students in teacher Yngrid Thurston’s Spanish classes and students in Colombia, where his family originates. He’s also done missionary work, had a leadership role at the 2013 World Youth Day in Brazil and set up an initiative to pursue scholarships and a sister city relationship between Cincinnati and Bucaramanga, Colombia. Jack has hosted workshops and guided visitors through a LEGOS city he created at the museum. He also makes lunches for students at St. Peter Claver Latin School for Boys in Over-the-Rhine, collects canned goods at church, has raised money for cancer research and participated in the Ohio River Sweep cleanup.

Student Newsmakers Classrooms program. Her winning photography, inspired by a Theodore Rousseau painting, was displayed at the downtown branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.

Maverick Thurston ’15 placed third at the finals of the Shakespeare Competition sponsored by the Cincinnati branch of the English-Speaking Union. Maverick was awarded $250 and tickets to a Shakespeare production.

John Murdock ’15 (right)

John Murdock ’15, a member of Indian Hill Troop 502, attained the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest award in the Boy Scouts of America. For his service project, John constructed a recall pen at Milford’s Valley View nature preserve to help reintroduce the bobwhite quail in Southwest Ohio.

Jake Trzybinski ’17

Anna Lang ‘16

Jenny Zhang’16

Anna Lang and Jenny Zhang, class of 2016, were two of 41 Greater Cincinnati students accepted into the 2014 TAP MD Program sponsored by the Greater Cincinnati Health Council. The yearlong program encourages high schoolers to consider careers in medicine as they shadow physicians at hospitals and clinics. Seventeen Summit students have been selected since the program began in 2011. seminar at Denison University in Granville.

Students completing their sophomore year learn the importance of teamwork, service, innovation and motivation-building during the four-day conference.

Michael Hudson ’17

Michael Hudson ’17 was selected to participate in the Southern Ohio Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership

Kara McSwain ’15 won a $1,500 scholarship, the secondhighest award given, in the Taft Museum of Art’s Artists Reaching

side of chemistry” by using candy in some way. Tucker’s poster, with the poem written on a gummy bear image, was submitted to the American Chemical Society’s national contest.

“I Am The One Behind The Wall,” a poem

by Jake Trzybinski ’17, won first place in a writing contest sponsored by the English and Modern Languages Department at Mount St. Joseph University. Sophomores from Greater Cincinnati submitted work in three categories: poetry, personal essay and fiction. This was the fifth time in the past six years that a Summit student was among the winners.

Tucker Hayes ’24

Tucker Hayes ’24 won first place among grades 3-5 in an illustrated poem contest sponsored by the Cincinnati Section of the American Chemical Society. Students were asked to show the “sweet

Art by Morgan Cavanaugh and Lily Kroencke, class of 2015, and Elisa Stanis and Jodie Hutchins, class of 2016, was selected for the Xavier University Biennial Regional High School Juried Exhibition. The show was on view at XU’s art gallery in the A.B. Cohen Center.

A team of AP Environmental Science students won fifth place in the local Caring for Our Watersheds competition.

Hamilton County high schoolers were tasked with creating a solution to the question, “What can you do to improve your watershed?” A project from Ellie Schwietering ’15, Adelaide Tsueda ’15 and Jenny Zhang ’16 defeated 129 other proposals to place in the top 10 of the first round and move on to the verbal presentation portion of the competition, where the team ultimately received fifth place. The team members used $1,000 in winnings to implement their project, which included ridding an area on Madison Road of invasive species and planting native species in their place.

Summit Magazine 49

Faculty/ Staff Newsmakers Rosie Sansalone, Middle School Language Arts teacher, received a grant from The Memorial Library in New York City to help fund books created by eighth graders as part of their capstone project. Students recorded the experiences of 72 individuals for the 2015 volume of Hear My Story; Be My Voice: Giving a Voice to Humanity. The book, in its third year, is the culmination of the yearlong project in which eighth graders examine “justice” as part of the school’s 13-year Character Education Program.

Upper School teachers Karen Cruse Suder, Martin Wells and Dr. Tracy Law ‘85 Ph.D. and Middle School teacher Mark Schmidt served as Advanced Placement readers for the College Board this summer. Mrs. Suder and Mr. Wells traveled to Kansas City for a week of grading, respectively, AP Biology exams and the AP Physics C exam. Mr. Schmidt and Dr. Law read for, respectively, the AP Microeconomics test and the AP Human Geography test at Cincinnati’s Duke Energy Convention Center.

Donna Doran, Lower School Music teacher, was published by Heritage Music Press this year. Listen and Wiggle, Move and Giggle includes 39 active listening music lessons. Two other publications, in which she was a contributing writer were scheduled to be released by this school year. They are: Ten to Teach Form and Ten to Teach Rhythm and Ten to Teach Melody, the third in a series. Her published works are under her maiden name, Donna Dirksing, and many can be found at Amazon.com.

Kat Roedig, Upper School Biology teacher, traveled to North Central Namibia, in the heart of African cheetah territory, this summer with the Cincinnati Zoo and Miami University instructors as part of a master’s degree course. Themes of the course included studies of the ecosystem; cheetah biology, ecology and conservation; community-based environmental education; and land conservancy management. Curricular development, educational leadership, inquiry-based learning and participatory education were part of the coursework.

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Laura Adkins, sixth grade Language Arts teacher, wrote a series of short articles about faith for the Christian magazine “The Lookout.” This summer, she participated in a three-week Summer Institute for Teachers at the University of Denver entitled, “Teaching Connected Histories of the Mediterranean.” The Institutes are sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities. These institutes are competitive learning experiences for teachers across the country.

New in leadership roles:

John Thornburg & Dr. Kirstin Pesola McEachern New leaders join the Educational Team as division directors this year.

John Thornburg is the new Upper School Director. Formerly the associate head of a private, college preparatory and leadership development academy near Milwaukee, Wis., he was selected at the conclusion of a year-long, nationwide search.

Mr. Thornburg has been the Associate Head of St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy since 2012. Prior to that, he served seven years as Academic Dean and 19 years in the classroom as Biology teacher and Biology Department Chair. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Education and Master’s degrees in Biology and Educational Leadership.

“We are fortunate to have found someone with his extensive experience in teaching high school students and his solid tenure as an academic dean and high-level administrator,” said Head of School Rich Wilson. “John is an educational leader who promotes faculty research to determine the most engaging pedagogical methods for students. He is a forward thinker with the ability to engage students and teachers in the school’s mission, while fostering continuous improvement in all areas.”

Dr. Kirstin Pesola McEachern, Ph.D. has been named to the newly created position of Curriculum and Instruction Director.

She has a doctorate of philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction from Boston College with a concentration in Critical Pedagogy, Diversity and Social Justice. She has a Master of Science in teaching English, summa cum laude, from the University of New Hampshire with a concentration in literacy. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English, summa cum laude, from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles with a concentration in writing. She previously was Assistant Principal for Academics, Grades 9-10, at St. Johns Preparatory School in Danvers, Mass., a Catholic high school serving boys in grades 9-12.

Her responsibilities included serving as the administrative liaison for the Science, Religious Studies and Fine Arts departments; conducting classroom observations for 30 teachers, and facilitating scope and sequence meetings for all subjects and grade levels. She has 14 years teaching experience across elementary, middle and high school students and has taught courses at the collegiate level in writing and pedagogy. She also has considerable research experience in educational methods, has presented at national education conferences and has been published in educational journals.

Key Position Created in Upper School Assisting Mr. Thornburg will be James P. Craig in the newly created position of Upper School Assistant Director. He comes to The Summit from Ouija Private School, an International Baccalaureate high school in Beijing, China, where he has been Assistant Director for the past four years. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from the University of Maine at Farmington and Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine. He chaired Ouija’s History department and taught History. Prior to serving in China, he taught in South Korea and the United Arab Emirates. He has traveled to more than 30 countries.

Summit Magazine 51

Honor In Action

Summit Sports Teams make history in runs to state competition Athletic Year- in- Review

By Donna Paulin and Nancy Berlier The Athletic Department had a phenomenal year at state in 201415. Girls soccer, boys soccer and girls lacrosse made it to the state semifinals while boys cross country and baseball were runnersup for the state title. Two individuals, Stewart Spanbauer and Mason Moore, won state championships respectively in diving and the track 1,600-meter run.

Two particular runs for the record book kept Summit fans at the edge of their seats. The baseball team made it to the first state semifinal since 1996, keeping Silver Knights fans excited even after the school year was over. Not even ranked in the state coaches’ poll, the young men had hopes of delivering The Summit its eighth state championship trophy. Falling short of that goal, they ended the season as runner-up. Four seniors – Craig James, Mark Peterson, Brooks Taylor and Eric Terry – in particular put their mark on the program. “I love those kids – those four seniors are special,” Head Coach Triffon Callos told The Enquirer. “They made a huge impact on my life, and I hope I did the same in some way. … They carried this team, and they did it on and off the field the right way.”

Catcher Eric Terry was named First Team All-State even as the team was preparing to make its first state semifinal since 1996. The team ended the season as state runner up.

The 2014-15 girls’ basketball team made history on multiple fronts. The team had the longest winning streak in school history, winning 27 games in a row. That streak was broken in the regional finals, falling to the eventual state champion.

The team also won their first ever district championship and were Miami Valley Conference champions. Head Coach Beth Simmons and freshman point guard Ravin Alexander were honored at the Cincinnati Basketball Hall of Fame banquet.

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Freshmen point guard Ravin Alexander snips a piece of the net after the girls basketball team won their first ever district championship.

Here is a look at the year by the numbers: 1 1

Athlete named Academic All-American.

Coach named State Co-Coach of the Year.

2

Individuals won state championships.

2

Teams were state runners-up.

3

4

5

Athletes were named District Players of the Year.

The boys’ soccer team kneels in prayer before the beginning of a game on their journey to state semifinals.

Coaches named Miami Valley Conference (MVC) Coaches of the Year.

Athletes signed with National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I & II schools.

5

Teams won regional championships.

5

Teams were MVC champions.

5

Teams qualified for the state round of competition.

Athletes were awarded MVC Players/

Runners of the Year.

6 7

Claire Hellmann ’17 captures for the ball in a game leading up to the state semifinals.

John Murdock pushes hard in one of the races that led the boys cross country team to become runners-up at state.

Teams won district championships.

10 Athletes named to All-Ohio first and

second teams.

15 Individuals qualified for state competition.

28 Student-athletes named to

All-Academic teams.

47 Athletes were awarded All-District honors.

61 Athletes were named to All-League

team honors.

Senior Emily Wiser leads the girls’ team through a spirit tunnel during a state send-off rally. The girls lost in the state semifinals to the eventual 53 Summit Magazinestate champion Hamilton Badin High School.

Stewart Spanbauer expertly executes a dive at the state championship meet.

State Champion Diver Stewart Spanbauer His Journey to the Top Took Perserverance, On and Off the Diving Board

By Mike Dyer Stewart Spanbauer ’15 will forever remember his state diving title in Canton earlier this year.

Standing on the board before his final dive in high school, Stewart admits he was nervous. “I knew that this dive would determine if I ended up in first or second,” Stewart says. The Summit Country Day School senior converted an inward two-and-a-half dive to win the Division II boys’ state championship at the C.T. Branin Natatorium Feb. 25 in Stark County. He won the title with a score of 458.85.

Stewart says he was able to channel his nervous energy in part by remaining positive and having his coaches Lori Rapp and Paul Glassman keep the 54

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situation light. “The mental toughness that was required to hit my last dive, knowing that I had to hit it to win the meet, was a mental toughness developed over many years of competitive sports,” Stewart says. “I spent 14 years in gymnastics and that taught me how to stay focused even at the most stressful moments.”

Stewart has been involved in gymnastics his entire life. As of this spring, he says he spent about 9,000 hours training in the gym and 1,000 hours practicing diving. “That’s about 14 months that I have spent practicing and perfecting my air awareness, flipping techniques and body control,” Stewart says. “Gymnastics gave me a great base on which to build my diving career.”

The Summit Country Day School has a tradition of placing photos of individual state champions on the wall of Flannery Gym and Stewart is the fifth individual to win state. “When I look at the people on the wall, I see role models,” Stewart says. “I am honored to join the champions before me and

I hope that my picture will inspire people – both those that I know and people I do not know – to accomplish their own goals.” Stewart said he was grateful for the school community throughout his state title journey. There was a send-off before state and a welcome home ceremony after the competition. “Our dive team has always been quiet, functioning behind the scenes,” Stewart says. “But my school really noticed what we were accomplishing and made sure to show their support for our sport.”

Stewart signed this spring to be on North Carolina State University’s diving team, and he plans to study biomedical engineering. “I am very excited for the opportunity to take my diving to new heights,” Stewart says. “Practicing twice a day, five days a week, should allow me to bring my skills to a whole new level. I will also be given the opportunity to learn platform diving and will hopefully be diving from the 10-meter platform.”

Stewart was a standout diver for four years at The Summit. He holds the school record with a score of 521.15, was the sectional champion in 2015 and 2014, placed fourth in the state in 2014 and ranked seventh in the state in 2013. “We as a community are very proud of Stewart and all of his accomplishments,” says Summit Athletic Director Greg Dennis. “It was a pleasure to watch Stewart participate in the state diving meet. He showed a lot of class with a lot of skill.” His journey took a significant effort – on and off the diving board.

Stewart and his mother, Heather, unveil the championship portrait that now hangs in Flannery Gym.

Stewart tucks in for one of his dives during the state swimming and diving tournament.

Stewart stands on the podium during the state swimming and diving tournament after securing his championship win.

Stewart’s parents, Jeffrey and Heather, sit with him when he signs with Division I North Carolina State University. Behind him are siblings Calvin ‘16 and Summit Magazine 55 Jocelyn ‘20.

Mason Moore makes a second state championship run.

State Champion Runner MAson Moore Two-time State Champion Runner Mason Moore’s Greatest Asset is Humility

By Mike Dyer If Mason Moore ever needed perspective while waking up at 4:30 a.m. to run five miles on the treadmill, he didn’t have to look far. Above his doorframe is a sign that reminded him to take one day at a time. That’s exactly the approach he took this spring. And it paid off in a significant way. Mason’s work ethic and selfmotivated nature is a significant reason why he repeated as state champion in the 1,600-meter run at the Division III state track and field meet the first weekend in June at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Stadium in Columbus. “He went into the postseason with one goal – to defend his state title in the mile,” Summit Track and Field Coach Kim Horning says. “It was very rewarding.”

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Mason Moore, an incoming freshman at Division I Loyola University Chicago, won the 1,600meter run in 4 minutes and 17.78 seconds. In fact, the results weren’t that close. The second place finisher ran a 4:20.43. “It was great,” says Mason. “It was really nerve-racking. It was really an awesome experience.” Mason says he had nerves prior to the state meet simply because of the expectations. Mason won the 2014 state title in the event, and he knew had to be focused and prepared in Columbus his senior year too.

The pre-race nerves were calmed by his coaches and teammates who helped diffuse the pressure with humor and by talking about something else not related to the meet. Mason went through a positive talk routine whereby 30 minutes prior to the race he listened to music and ran the track in his mind. Earlier in the season, Mason competed against Divisions I and II runners at the prestigious Mason Invitational. Mason’s teammate, Tullus Dean ’17, also helped the standout with his training. In turn, Mason’s leadership really helped the Silver Knights. Mason likes to push

his teammates to get better, and he took some of the younger runners under his wing. “Mason is kind of the golden standard,” Coach Horning says.

Mason rose to the occasion during the race. But, his success is not surprising given the hundreds, if not thousands of miles he logged since January.

He was also a standout cross country runner in fall of 2014 and was sixth at state while also capturing Miami Valley Conference, district and regional championships. “Mason’s greatest asset is his humility,” Summit Cross Country Coach Kurtis Smith says. “He is more interested in putting his teammates ahead of himself, which marks the sign of a true leader.” Coach Smith says Mason helped to elevate the program in numerous ways. The Silver Knights were Division III state runner-up in cross country in 2014.

Mason was also very respectful and genuinely enjoyed practice. He shook Coach Smith’s hand every day after practice for four years. “From day

Mason Moore unveils his portrait which was added to the wall of state champions in Flannery Gym.

one he was the first kid at practice and the last one to leave,” Coach Smith says.

Mason is the second individual to win two individual state titles at The Summit. Colin Cotton ’11 was the first to win a pair of state titles as he won in the 3,200-meter run in track and in cross country. During track season, Mason ran 75 miles a week. During the postseason, it was 50 miles a week. Mason woke up at 4:30 a.m. to run five miles on the treadmill Tuesday and Thursday and also did interval training those days. He took a longer run on Sunday. Mason’s high standard of work ethic certainly paid dividends at the state meet. “This year the coaches put me in a lot of highly competitive meets,” Mason says. “At the end of the day, the state meet wasn’t the most challenging venue.”

The first two laps were slow June 6 at Jesse Owens Stadium but Mason made his move around the 900-meter mark and closed quickly.

Mason didn’t care about leading the first 1,000 meters. He wanted the leader to block the wind; he wanted to conserve energy for the crucial time. Mason also knew he had better closing speed than anyone else in the field. “He ran a very smart race,” Coach Horning says. “A very tactical race.” Mason looked up at the stadium video board and knew the state title belonged to him again. He also thought of The Summit.

“When I crossed the finish line all the emotions came to me about not representing the school anymore,” Mason says. “It all flooded in at one time. It was a bittersweet win to say the least. I would give anything to add another year of high school because I’ve connected with so many bonds and relationships over the years.”

Thomas and Melissa Moore join their son at the table the 57 Summit Magazine day he signed with Division I Loyola University Chicago.

RAISING RESILIENT CHILDREN Nationally noted author, medical researcher to speak at eighth Early Childhood Education Symposium

By Kathy Schwartz Pediatrician, educator and author Kenneth Ginsburg, M.D., M.S. Ed., will deliver a keynote speech on parenting and host two breakout sessions at The Summit’s Early Childhood Education Symposium on Nov. 7.

Expectations and Protection with Trust,” which is also the name of one of his books. The session is targeted toward parents with children ages 0 through grade 4.

He will discuss strategies for giving youngsters unconditional love while holding them to high expectations, and for protecting children while also letting them learn life’s lessons.

Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg

Dr. Ginsburg is a pediatrician specializing in adolescent medicine at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

He’s appeared on CNN, NPR, Today, CBS This Morning and network nightly news programs.

His speech will address “Resilience in Action: Raising Children and Adolescents Who Are Prepared to Thrive.” While it’s not possible, or healthy, to protect youths from life’s challenges, parents can teach them to be resilient and provide them with the tools needed to tackle difficult situations. This program is an overview of Dr. Ginsburg’s Seven Cs Model of Resilience: competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping and control. His speech will focus on how to help parents be an unwavering positive force in children’s lives.

In a YouTube video about the Seven Cs, Dr. Ginsburg discusses how the old model of building self-esteem by simply applauding everything a child does can, in fact, lead to anxiety and depression once tougher situations arise. “Real confidence comes not from people showering vapid praise on you,” Dr. Ginsburg says. “Real confidence comes from your internal sense of competence – knowing you have skills, knowing you have abilities and having adults help you develop those abilities.”

Dr. Ginsburg’s first breakout session is titled “Raising Kids to Thrive: Balancing Love with

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The second breakout session is for parents with children in grades 4-12 and is titled “Building Resilience in Children & Teens: Giving Kids Roots and Wings.” In his book of the same name, the doctor offers strategies to help youths deal with stress due to academic pressure, media messages, peer pressure and family tension. The goal is to build a family that honors independence while creating the interdependence that keeps everyone healthy and connected.

With a strong record of success in developing leaders of character, The Summit is committed to quality early childhood education and the notion that “Parenting Matters.” This is the eighth year the school has hosted this free community-wide symposium.

REGISTER NOW What

Eighth annual Early Childhood Education Symposium

When

8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7

Where

The Summit Lower School Free and open to the public. Continuing education units available for teachers.

RSVPs requested but walk-ins welcome.

Register and learn about other presenters at www.summitcds.org/symposium.

Register Now: www.summitcds.org/symposium or call 513.871.4700 ext. 261

Savete Da

Celebration of the 125th Anniversary of the founding of The Summit began the moment teachers walked the back in the door for in-service training in August. We presented The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur with a special gift in honor of their 175th and our 125th anniversaries at our all-school anniversary Mass. Mayor John Cranley’s resolution Sept.

15, declared The Summit Country Day School Day in Cincinnati. We will continue the celebration in just about everything we do.

September 15 The Summit Country Day School Day • 8:30 a.m. All-school anniversary prayer • 8:40 a.m. Mayor John Cranley reads his

proclamation declaring Sept. 15, 2015 as

"The Summit Country Day School Day" on the

front steps September 28-October 2 • Anniversary All-School Homecoming Spirit Week

Friday, Oct. 2 • 3:30-7 p.m. SPA Fall Festival, Front Circle • 6-8 p.m. Alumni Cocktail Party and Alumni Awards,

St. Cecilia Hall • 7 p.m. Football game, Williams Field

Half-Time. Athletic Hall of Fame presentation Saturday, Oct. 3 • Time TBA. Upper School dance Sunday, Oct. 4 • 10:30 a.m. Tours of recent renovations • Noon 125th Anniversary Homecoming Mass,

Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr, Immaculate

Heart of Mary Chapel • 1 p.m. Anniversary brunch hosted by the Alumni

Board and retired and former faculty,

St. Cecilia Hall • 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Historical tours of The

Summit as well as tours of the expanded Williams

Library, art studio and classrooms in the east wing

addition and renovated science laboratories in the

west wing of the Upper School.

Saturday, Nov. 7 • 8:30 a.m. Early Childhood Education Symposium,

Lower School, Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, M.D., author of Building Resilience in Children and Teens:

Giving Kids Roots and Wings, is the keynote speaker.

Monday- Friday, Feb. 1-5 • Catholic Schools Week • 125th anniversary: Relic and Authentication

Documents Display, Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel Saturday, Feb. 20 • 7-Midnight. 125th Anniversary Gala and Live

Auction, Music Hall

Wednesday, April 6 • 125th Anniversary all-school service project, Hands

Across The Water Tuesday-Wednesday, April 19-20 • Author, Nikki Grimes Activities

New York Times bestselling author Nikki Grimes will

join us. Times TBD Sunday, May 1 • 125th Anniversary Campus Day and Art Exhibit • Noon Alumni 125th Anniversary Mass, Bishop

Joseph R. Binzer, Chapel Presentation of the

The Summit history book, To Grow in Grace and

Wisdom | The Summit Country Day School 1890- 2015 • 1 p.m. Anniversary Endowed Scholarship Luncheon,

St. Cecilia Hall • 1 p.m. New Family Reception, Lower School Atrium • 2 p.m. Eighth Grade Play, Kyte Theater, exhibits

around five pillars, Mission Moments

Summit Magazine 59

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New! Classes Forming Now!

Music and Movement Classes Birth to 24 months • Parent and child classes Music ignites all areas of child development. It helps the body and mind work together. Ignite your baby’s body and mind while experiencing music and movement activities together. Research in early childhood development supports the idea that early music education has lifelong benefits including language development, listening and memory skills, problem solving, coordination and self-expression. Activities in these classes are designed to stimulate your baby’s mind and body and can be replicated at home. In this special class aimed at the youngest musician, you and your child will strengthen your everlasting bond while exploring age-appropriate instruments, songs, stories, movement and dance.

Class Options All classes are parent and child classes. Parents can choose from ONE of the following three class meeting options. Classes will be in The Summit Country Day School Lower School: Session I – Music and Minds • Fee: $215 Monday 8:30 - 9:15 a.m. - Sept. 14 - Dec. 14 Monday 9:30 - 10:15 a.m. - Sept. 14 - Dec. 14 Wednesday 9 - 9:45 a.m. - Sept. 16 - Dec. 16

Register Now!

Session II – Sing and Play • Fee: $215 Monday 8:30 - 9:15 a.m. - Jan. 11 - April 18 Monday 9:30 - 10:15 a.m. - Jan. 11 - April 18 Wednesday 9 - 9:45 a.m. - Jan. 20 - April 13

Session II Registration Begins Dec. 1

Session III – Let’s Play in May! • Fee: $90 Monday 8:30 - 9:15 a.m. - April 25 - May 23 Monday 9:30 - 10:15 a.m. - April 25 - May 23 Wednesday 9 - 9:45 a.m. - April 27 - May 25

Session III Registration Begins March 1

Our program is led by Donna Dirksing Doran, elementary music specialist at The Summit.

• B.A. in Music Education and a M.M. in Music Education • Specialization in Orff-Schulwerk • Holds all three levels of certification in Orff-Schulwerk as well as Kindermusik training • Frequent presenter of workshops and clinics at the local, state and national levels.

• Education Director, Host and Assistant Manager for Linton Music’s Peanut Butter and Jam Sessions.

Register Go to www.summitcds.org/igknight to register and for additional details. Call (513) 871-4700 ext. 261 for information. Class sizes are limited, so sign up today!

www.summitcds.org/igknight