Bishop's Magazine Spring/Summer 2015 by The Bishop's School

BISHOP’S A MAGAZINE FOR THE BISHOP’S SCHOOL FAMILY AND FRIENDS SPRING/SUMMER 2015

Six Years of Sixth Grade Bishop’s Profile Don Ankeny

Rock-Solid after 18 Years Girls’ water polo clinches fifth CIF championship.

table of contents

BISHOP’S A magazine for The Bishop’s School family and friends

FEATURES

Un Granito de Arena/ A Grain of Sand Lessons in Cuban music and culture from Scholar-in-Residence Corina Campos.

Ocean’s Bounty Author Paul Greenberg’s mission to help reclaim America’s seafood supply hits home in our coastal community.

Bringing the Page to Stage Collaboration between English and theatre departments brings award-winning playwright Ellen McLaughlin to campus.

Spring/Summer 2015 • Vol. 12, No. 2

Credits Editor Suzanne Weiner Managing Editor Keri Peckham

2 14

Contributing Writers Kathy Day Zach Jones ’01 Keri Peckham Trisha J. Ratledge Frank Sabatini Jr. Dave Schwab Joe Tash Suzanne Weiner Diane Y. Welch Graphic Design Design Perspective Contributing Photographers Molly Eldredge ’84 Sarah Garro Pablo Mason Steven Posy Dave Siccardi Michael Spengler

Lessons in Forgiveness Holocaust survivor Edith Eger connects with students on a personal level.

The Bishop’s School Head of School Aimeclaire Roche

Six Years of Sixth Grade

The sixth grade program prepares students for life at Bishop’s— and beyond.

Bishop’s Through the Decades: Student-Alumni Art Exhibition

Rock-Solid after 18 Years Traditions remain as girls’ water polo team clinches its fifth CIF championship.

Vineyard Knights Auction Guests at Vineyard Knights partied with a purpose at annual fundraiser.

Different Voices From conservation and Alzheimer’s disease to self image and empowerment, students learn from visiting speakers.

A Fond Farewell Joan Heylman, Louise Carmon, Kristen Druker and Laury Isenberg reflect on their retirement and time at Bishop’s.

Director of Alumni Relations Sarah Garro Bishop’s is published two times a year by The Bishop’s School. Letters: We welcome your comments. Please send letters for possible publication to weiners@bishops.com or contact us at (858) 875-0735.

Cherry Adams Sweig ’74 works with student artists to bring history to life.

Assistant Head of School and Chief Advancement Officer John A. Trifiletti

DEPARTMENTS

bishop’s profile: Don Ankeny

bishop’s buzz

family matters: class notes

The Bishop’s School 7607 La Jolla Boulevard La Jolla, CA 92037-4799 Phone: (858) 459-4021 Fax: (858) 459-3914 www.bishops.com Mission Statement The Bishop’s School is an academic community pursuing intellectual, artistic, and athletic excellence in the context of the Episcopal tradition. We are dedicated to offering the highest quality education to a diverse student body and to fostering integrity, imagination, moral responsibility, and commitment to serving the larger community.

Cover Photo: Pablo Mason

on the quad with AC

Sincerely,

Aimeclaire Roche Head of School

Above photo: Aimeclaire Roche at the opening reception for the western art exhibition on campus

1 | on the quad with AC | BISHOP’S

In a wonderful little book entitled, Pilgrim in Time, teacher Rosanne Keller writes about “pilgrim spirit, discovered in the act of pilgrimage—a mindful journey...to explore life and become aware of our place in it. The goal of pilgrimage is personal transformation. Going out in quest...It takes courage as well as honesty. Pretenders cannot be pilgrims.” There’s no more apt description of the goals of a fine education than to inspire pilgrim spirit in students. Indeed, every day on the Bishop’s campus you will hear the clarion call to young people: Explore life! Discover your place in it! Be honest. Be courageous, Pilgrim. Over the course of this winter, Bishop’s students have heard that call from every teacher and every guest on our campus, many of whom you will meet on the pages that follow. In dialogue with veteran educators like Joan Heylman, Louise Carmon, Kristen Druker and Laury Isenberg our students have learned about honest and meaningful lives lived on stage, in service and with scholarship. From speakers and guests—a Holocaust survivor, a plein air painter, an environmental essayist, a Cuban virtuoso—our students have been transported to places where courage must prevail and where there is no room for pretenders. Each guest has shared with us, and in turn inspired, a truly mindful journey. Students have learned about the depth of human suffering as well as about forgiveness, looked at our own campus with fresh eyes while applying an artist’s brush with deft hand. They have raised voices together in song, and they have confronted the complexities of managing a precious environment. Bishop’s strives to give its students transformative experiences. These happen in the classroom and on the stage, in the athletic arena, in Chapel and in assembly as we learn, serve and engage with each other. What we ask is that students give their complete selves to this journey, the quest of discerning the world and one’s formidable place in it. Enjoy the stories, and the journeys, detailed in this edition of our magazine. And know that pilgrim spirit is alive and well at Bishop’s!

FEATURE | Un Granito de Arena/A Grain of Sand | 2

Scholar-in-Residence

Un Granito de Arena/A Grain of Sand Choral director Corina Campos brings Cuban culture to life at Bishop’s.

By Trisha J. Ratledge

trolling past the music room on November 12, if the infectious percussion of the Spanish song “Bailando” (“Dancing”) didn’t pull you in, the unrestrained revelry of students and teachers closing the lesson plan with an impromptu Cuban dance party definitely would have. It was a topsyturvy lesson, the music room filled with Spanish students and their teachers, and at the front, a visiting choir professor who speaks no English and a Bishop’s choir instructor who speaks no Spanish. No matter; music filled the void. And the smiles superseded any translation needed. The second week of November marked a cultural exchange of choral music, Spanish language and Cuban life, led by 2014-2015 Endowed Scholar-inResidence Corina Campos, professor of

choral conducting at the Amadeo Roldan Conservatory in Cuba. Made possible through the generosity of an anonymous Bishop’s family, the Endowed Scholarin-Residence Program brings academic leaders in the fields of science, the arts, humanities and social sciences to Bishop’s campus each year to inspire the community academically and artistically. Ms. Campos spent the week working with Spanish language and choral music students at Bishop’s, as well as select choral groups from the greater community through a choral invitational. “You could tell she is very passionate about what she does,” says Georgia Gilmore ’17, an Advanced Placement Spanish student who joined in the Cuban dance session. “It was cool to connect with someone who is actually

from Cuba. A lot of what she was saying corresponded with what we were learning about.” In preparation for Ms. Campos’ visit, many classes studied Cuban culture and music, particularly the choral students, who spent the semester immersed in the music of Latin America, Cuba and the Caribbean. The lessons were clear to Ms. Campos. “It has an impact for her to see that our teachers are trying to make sure the students know Cuba and Latin America,” says Bishop’s Spanish teacher Carlos Martell, translating for Ms. Campos. “It is energizing for her. There are some unknowns right now for Cuba and some ignorance of what Cuba is about. She is putting her grain of sand—un granito de arena—in by coming here and expressing, teaching, sharing.”

necessary paperwork filed and approved between the two governments, and the hurdles of communication when a nation’s infrastructure is unsteady and phone or Internet cannot be relied upon. In the end, it was a small price to pay for the invaluable experience. “My students were very well prepared so she could just walk in and finesse and phrase,” Louise says. “It was beautiful to watch. She is so musical that it just

Ms. Campos graduated from the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana, specializing in choral conducting, and went on to direct the Cuban National Opera Choir and the choir of the Gran Teatro de La Habana (Great Theatre of Havana). In 1997, she organized and selected the choir to accompany tenor Luciano Pavarotti in a concert at the Mayan ruins of Chichén Itzá, Mexico. Today, Ms. Campos continues to teach and conducts Vocal Leo, an awardwinning professional chamber choir. Her journey to The Bishop’s School began with a Vocal Leo performance in Cuba that Bishop’s choral music teacher Louise Carmon attended. In the country for a cultural arts tour, Louise had a brief, translated conversation with Ms. Campos after the concert and six months later, welcomed her to The Bishop’s School. In between were the bureaucratic machinations of getting all of the

oozed out of her. I’ve been teaching for 40 years, but to watch someone like her do that is inspiring. Very inspiring.” To share this cultural experience with the community, Louise organized a choral invitational one evening with groups from Bishop’s, Del Norte High, Mira Mesa High and Poway High. “Every one of those choirs was totally different under her direction,” Louise says. “It was like magic. It was like she waved her hand above them and, boom, they were a different choir. It was fascinating.” “When she was directing us, it felt very energetic,” says William Ortiz ’15, a member of the Bishop’s Singers. “She was in tune with what the music felt like and how that was supposed to translate into movement. That was very enlightening because we just hadn’t made that connection mentally, and she helped us establish that.”

The choral invitational also provided a serendipitous moment across three nations. The translator at the invitational was Ibis Betancourt, a Mexican national studying choral directing at San Diego State University as a Fulbright scholar. As a teen, Ms. Betancourt saw Ms. Campos’ choir perform at a festival in Cuba and soon decided she wanted to become a choir director herself. Louise reintroduced the two at the invitational and ensured that the mentor from Cuba and the student from Mexico had some time to bond that night in the United States. Throughout the week, Bishop’s students and faculty warmed to Ms. Campos’ generous and welcoming nature. “The kids really connected with her because she was very accessible,” says Spanish teacher Julieta Torres-Worstell. “She was very humble, very easy to talk to, in spite of the language barrier. You could tell she wanted to share her experiences with the kids; that sense came through even though she could not speak to them in English.” In the best cultural exchanges, both sides are forever changed. “It’s very important to me that the children are interested in the origins of Cuban music,” Ms. Campos says through Carlos. “Through the music, they can come closer to having an understanding of our culture and our country.” If the final Friday lunch performance was any indication, the students clearly communicated their heightened awareness of Cuban culture and their appreciation of Ms. Campos. They performed Cuban music in the newly renovated dining hall and this time, Ms. Campos was not directing, but in the audience. As she sat and listened, she had one response, says Louise. She began to cry. It seems there are times when words just get in the way, when a totality of understanding can be gleaned from gesture, expression and rhythm. Such was the case that second week in November, when The Bishop’s School was awash in Cuban and Latin American rhythms and universal expressions of musicality and joy.

3 | Un Granito de Arena/A Grain of Sand | FEATURE

“She was saying they are poor and life is hard (in Cuba), but they always have smiles on their faces,” remembers Nico Langlois ’17, who studied with Ms. Campos in Spanish 3 Honors and as a member of Bishop’s Singers. “More than a language experience, or a learning experience for singing, we learned something about life because of what she taught us about the culture of Cuba. It enriched our lives.”

FEATURE | Ocean’s Bounty | 4

Ocean’s Bounty

Endowed Scholar-in-Residence Paul Greenberg discusses how to reclaim an essential, distinctly American food source.

By Joe Tash

or a week in February, Paul Greenberg was a daily presence on The Bishop’s School campus, giving lectures, leading discussions and sharing his expertise on the fishing industry and America’s seafood supply. He was even assigned his own office in the student center. The New York-based writer and lecturer wasn’t a mid-year addition to the School’s faculty. Instead, he was the latest in a series of scholars-in-residence, an endowed program established at Bishop’s in 2007. Through this program, experts in a variety of disciplines, from literature and dance to mathematics and history, have each spent a week at the School, giving students firsthand access to accomplished writers, artists and academics. Each year the academic and arts departments at the School submit proposals for the scholars they’re interested in bringing to campus.

Mr. Greenberg was hosted by the science department and a committee was formed to coordinate his visit. The writer began his stay with a Sunday night dinner with faculty, then moved into a full week’s schedule that included class meetings with students at different grade levels, a schoolwide assembly, and an evening community reception and lecture in Ellen Browning Scripps Hall. “We’re very lucky to have these scholars,” says marine biology teacher Ben Duehr. Since the Bishop’s campus is just a long cast from the Pacific shore, he says, Mr. Greenberg’s focus on the sustainability—or lack thereof—of America’s seafood supply is highly relevant to students and the School community. “It is important for students to know how their actions can affect the health of our oceans and how they can have a voice for positive change,” says Ben.

Mr. Greenberg met with biology classes, and also spoke with students studying journalism, economics, chemistry and social studies, among other subjects. During his week at Bishop’s, Mr. Greenberg spent time in three or four classes per day, and found the most enthusiastic questioners to be sixth and seventh grade students. In preparation for their time with Mr. Greenberg, the sixth-graders wrote food blogs, researching and tracking their favorite foods from a farm, ocean or manufacturer to their table. In addition to class time, Mr. Greenberg joined students from the Green Campus Initiative and their advisor, Advanced Placement and Honors Chemistry teacher Dr. Pam Reynolds, in a fish printing and fish lab activity during lunch. Marine biology students read excerpts from American Catch: The Fight for Our

working abroad. He later wrote a novel called Leaving Katya, then began writing for magazines and newspapers, focusing on fishing, sustainability and personal essays. Following on the heels of his two most recent books, Four Fish and American Catch, he is now working on a book about omega-3 fatty acids, some of which come from fish, and have been called a “miracle compound” because of their health benefits, he says. At his evening presentation, Mr. Greenberg noted that Americans on average eat about 15 pounds of seafood per year, or about half the global average. The top seafood choice of Americans is shrimp, followed by canned tuna, salmon, Alaskan Pollock, tilapia and pangasius catfish. Curiously, the U.S. imports some 85 to 90 percent of its seafood, while exporting a large portion of the fish caught off our shores. “We’re sending the good stuff overseas, and we’re importing and eating the bad stuff,” he says. In both his book and his talk at Bishop’s, Mr. Greenberg describes how our East Coast oyster industry was destroyed, the Gulf Coast shrimp industry was “outsourced” to Asia and salmon caught in the Northwest is exported. Another threat facing the salmon industry is a proposed gold and copper mine near Alaska’s Bristol Bay. With a track record of losing the New York oyster beds and the Gulf shrimp trade, “What’s not to say we wouldn’t do it again?” in Alaska, he asks. Later, during an upper school class, he talked about an article he recently published in California Sunday magazine, which examines the effect of “marine protected areas” off the coast of the

Golden State, where fishing is either banned or severely restricted. He also shared some of his own experiences in reporting and writing about the fishing industry, such as a story about Chilean sea bass for The New York Times Magazine, featuring a “pirate” fishing boat seized off the coast of the Falkand Islands. After holding a trial and finding the ship’s owners guilty, authorities ordered the vessel towed out to sea, where it was blown up and sunk. Throughout his time at Bishop’s, says Mr. Greenberg, he sought to impress upon students that they live next to one of the most amazing ecosystems in the world. “They have a living laboratory at their feet.” By sharing his own experiences, he also wanted to let them know about the many types of career paths they can choose. The Endowed Scholar-in-Residence Program, he says, is “fantastic. I wish I’d had something like this when I was in school.”

5 | Ocean’s Bounty | FEATURE

Local Seafood, Mr. Greenberg’s latest book, which closely examines three types of seafood—oysters, shrimp and salmon—to demonstrate how our seafood supply has been damaged or depleted in the past, and potential future risks to our fisheries. Mr. Greenberg’s message seems to have resonated with students. Although he has lectured around the world, at venues ranging from the U.S. Supreme Court to Harvard University and Google headquarters, Mr. Greenberg received his first-ever standing ovation at The Bishop’s School athletic center, after speaking to students during an assembly. Dounia Sawaya ’15, who heard Mr. Greenberg speak in both her marine biology and journalism classes, says there is a “personal touch” when students can hear directly from authors, rather than simply reading their books and discussing them in class. “They’re really dedicated to their craft, and you learn so much from them. It’s pretty inspiring,” she says. Along with Mr. Greenberg, Dounia particularly enjoyed meeting Luis Alberto Urrea, a professor and writer who was the School’s Scholar-inResidence in February 2013. “We’ve been introduced to people from so many walks of life. It’s incredibly interesting,” she says. The roster of past scholars-in-residence includes mathematician Edward B. Burger, Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Beth Henley, ballet choreographer Richard Steinert and presidential historian Robert Dallek. Mr. Greenberg, who visited Bishop’s during the week of February 23-27, has enjoyed fishing since he was a boy, and sold his first piece of writing at age 16 to a magazine called the New England Fisherman. The piece was about fishing for bonito and albacore off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. After majoring in Russian studies in college, he worked for the nonprofit Internews Network, training broadcast journalists in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. He spent most of the 1990s with Internews, largely

Endowed Leadership Lecture Series

FEATURE | Bringing the Page to Stage | 6

Bringing the Page to Stage

Playwright Ellen McLaughlin shares her expertise with Bishop’s Theatre and English Departments. By Diane Y. Welch

ar is catastrophic, but for playwright Ellen McLaughlin it provides a powerful catalyst for creative expression. Her plays— adaptations of Greek classics—use modern-day conflicts superimposed into the plots of ancient tragedies resulting in visionary works that have brought her awards and national acclaim. As part of the Endowed Leadership Lecture Series, Ms. McLaughlin visited The Bishop’s School on December 3-4, 2014 when she addressed students and faculty in a hushed assembly talking about her collaboration with refugee women in New York City and their performance of her version of Euripides’ play, The Trojan Women and her more recent work, Penelope, based on the iconic character in Homer’s Odyssey. She spoke of her experience in producing The Trojan Women with a cast

of amateur actors, female victims of the Bosnia and Herzegovina armed conflict, exiled having lost everything. The talk was especially meaningful for students in Bishop’s Page to Stage class. This one-semester elective for juniors and seniors, is team-taught by theatre teacher Courtney Flanagan and English department chair Robert Mulgrew, who selected Euripides’ The Trojan Women and Aristophanes’ Lysistrata as part of the curriculum. To prepare for the course Robert brought to class an adaptation of The Trojan Women written by Ms. McLaughlin, part of her series titled, The Greek Plays. “I read Ellen’s translation, and I was blown away by it,” says Courtney. Several emails were written back and forth and, “one thing led to another, and with the financial resources of this endowed program we got Ellen out here,” she explains.

As part of the class’ assignment each student wrote a one-minute monologue in imitation of the grieving monologues in The Trojan Women that would be woven into their stage performance. Jacqueline Dicks ’15, cast as Helen, used the bombing of Hiroshima as inspiration. “We had to write in the style of Ms. McLaughlin, but also make it clear that our pieces were not part of her original play, that the monologues stood alone. It was a very interesting process.” Research was a vital component of this process. “I had to read about all these tragic things that happened in Japan in order to be able to write about them,” adds Jacqueline, bringing the horror of war into focus. Tatiana Aarons ’15, cast as Hecuba, pored over articles about Afghanistan and the modern women’s movement there that developed in response to the conflict, roles reminiscent of Hecuba’s. “She was such a powerful woman,” says

Tatiana. “But in my monologue I was trying to reflect the oppression—even for strong women—suffered by them in their own fight against war.” Ms. McLaughlin worked with students both during class and outside of class. “After school one day I was working with her to improve my role of Hecuba, and she had me emulate the upset gestures of a war refugee. I clenched my fists, paced the room and yelled my lines,” Tatiana recalls. “Although she is a writer she also talked about her time in Angels in America as an actor,” Jacqueline says. “She has painted sets, so she also has an interest in the visual arts, and worked on costume design. Ms. McLaughlin is a well-rounded lady with so much experience.” Beyond her lecture to the School, and meeting with other classes,

Ms. McLaughlin performed excerpts from her one-person monologue, Penelope. It’s a modern-day adaptation that features an embattled soldier with post-traumatic stress disorder, who returns home from war to his estranged wife, a work that Robert says was “phenomenal.” The influence that Ms. McLaughlin had on students during her two-day visit was significant, says Courtney. “She truly connected with the School, she didn’t just drop in and do something, then leave. She was very generous with her time and advice.” Having Ms. McLaughlin in the black box theatre during rehearsals was “the greatest thrill,” adds Courtney. “Ellen was able to look at some scenes and comment on them and make some positive suggestions.” A recipient of the Writer’s Award from the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund as

well as the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Ms. McLaughlin added another accolade to her accomplishments as she was awarded the School’s highest honor, the Bishop’s Medal. For Jacqueline, Ms. McLaughlin’s influence made an impact. “I definitely have an interest in the theatre,” she states. “I think that Ms. McLaughlin being here only solidified that.” For Tatiana, who has an eye on a screenwriting career, she now feels strongly about playwriting. “I’d never considered it before, but I’m definitely drawn to it,” she says.

Lessons in Forgiveness

By Diane Y. Welch By Diane Y. Welch

n the morning of January 9, the petite figure of Dr. Edith Eger confidently approached a podium elevated on a stage that faced about 1,000 students and faculty seated shoulder-to-shoulder in the Eva May Fleet Athletic Center. She eyed the arrangement and asked politely if the podium could be moved onto the gymnasium floor where she could be closer to the students. Her request was granted. This humble gesture set the tenor of an inspirational presentation by the 87-year-old Holocaust survivor who visited Bishop’s as part of the School’s Endowed Leadership Lecture Series (ELLS) and who was awarded the Bishop’s Medal. Dr. Eger, a clinical psychologist, has a direct connection with Bishop’s. Her grandchildren, Lindsey Engle Richland ’94 and Jordan Engle ’98, are alumni. On

7 | Lessons in Forgiveness | FEATURE

Holocaust survivor Edith Eger inspires students to be ambassadors of peace.

FEATURE | Lessons in Forgiveness | 8

the day of her recent visit she met with Head of School Aimeclaire Roche, to give a sense of the content of her ELLS presentation. “Dr. Eger was very clear with us that her message to the students was going to be one of hope and forgiveness,” recalls Suzanne Weiner, Bishop’s Director of Marketing and Public Relations, who was in that meeting. What could have been a dismal tale of the past horrors of World War II and the suffering of Holocaust victims instead was an animated presentation that looked to a bright future and emphasized her message, “In life it’s not what happens to us, it’s what we do with it.” As a Jew living in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe, Dr. Eger was 16 in 1944 when she and her family were sent to the notorious concentration camp in Auschwitz. While her parents did not survive, her sister Magda did and Dr. Eger was rescued when an American GI pulled her from a pile of corpses, noticing a small movement alerting him that she was alive. In her later years, grateful for life, Dr. Eger made it a personal mission to share her stories from Auschwitz so that young people will be ambassadors for peace to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again. “Join hand-in-hand, empower each other, you are stronger together,” she advised. In preparation for her visit Dr. Jeff Geoghegan, history and social sciences

department chair, notified faculty that students could submit questions for Dr. Eger as part of a Q&A after her talk. When asked by Will Griffith ’17 about her opinion on the Milgram Experiment and the Stanford Prison Experiment and their relevance for understanding the Holocaust, Dr. Eger shared that she had worked with, and was friends with, the creator of the Stanford Prison Experiment. She referred to him as her “little brother.”

“In life it’s not what happens to us, it’s what we do with it.” These experiments from the 1960s studied obedience to authority figures and the psychological effects of becoming a prisoner or prison guard. “[Dr. Eger] told us that as soon as the subjects got violent they knew they had to stop the experiment,” says Will. Dr. Eger’s perseverance is what struck Gabi Worstell ’20, who asked her what inspired her to keep going while imprisoned. “Her answer made me think about how many other people have been through a lot worse than I might have on a bad day, and that if you stay strong and keep your wits about you that you can make it through practically anything.”

Several attendees, including Emma Dorinson ’16 (photo, left) had family members affected by the Holocaust and related to Dr. Eger on a personal level. “Like my grandparents, she encouraged us to appreciate everything we have, to continue our education...and to forgive,” she says. When the question of revenge was asked Dr. Eger remarked wisely, “I have many children and grandchildren. That is the best revenge.” With a theme of forgiveness Dr. Eger skillfully wove her life story with advice to her young audience and did so with humor. “Your birth certificate doesn’t say life is easy,” she said. “God only made one of you and God doesn’t make junk!” The fact that Dr. Eger lived through one of the worst times in history, but was able to move beyond it and build a wonderful life resonates with Emma. “Everyone should believe in himself or herself and pursue their dreams. With a little hope, achieving these dreams is possible.” Jeff says that Dr. Eger demonstrated a unique ability to connect with students that empowers them and inspires them to make a difference in their own lives and the lives of others. “She is truly a remarkable individual who made a lasting impact on our community.” Dr. Eger made Will realize how important survivors are. “My generation will be the last to talk to someone with a first-person account,” Will comments. “Without them the emotional connection is lost, and the Holocaust becomes history, something that happened to people who lived a long time ago. To make sure a similar tragedy can never occur, the emotional connection must stay strong.”

Sixth Grade

By Joe Tash

efore The Bishop’s School began accepting sixth-graders in 2009, two teachers spent a full year traveling the country to observe successful programs at more than a dozen schools. “We took that year to figure out what a sixth grade program at Bishop’s would look like,” says sixth grade science teacher Cory Logan, who worked with her colleague, English teacher Catherine Michaud, to establish the new grade level at Bishop’s. “We wanted to make sure we had an idea of the best practices across the country.” Visiting schools, attending professional development workshops and brainstorming ways to help students transition from elementary school resulted in a framework designed to provide students with the skills and

study habits they would need throughout middle school, high school and beyond. At its core was an eight-item list, “Sixth Grade Habits of Mind and Heart,” which focused on thinking about thinking, pausing with purpose, service to the common good, perspective, collaboration, persistence, evidence, and accuracy and precision. “We develop and cultivate a culture among our sixth-graders of creativity, fortitude, resilience, collaboration and accomplishment. Hopefully, a willingness to do and try (things) in the face of uncertainty,” says Catherine. Six years later, the program, which began with 30 students, has more than doubled to 64 sixth-graders. The inaugural class of sixth grade students, the Class of 2016, is preparing to graduate from Bishop’s next year.

“It’s a dynamic group of teachers. They’ve created a program that helps children enter a place like Bishop’s and sets them up for success,” says Carol Barry, head of middle school, who joined Bishop’s in the second year of the sixth grade program, following a career as an administrator in the San Diego Unified School District. “They teach skills, such as being persistent. Whether on the athletic field or tackling a math problem, you stick with it, you don’t give up,” Carol says. “They talk to kids about habits that will help them be successful throughout their years at Bishop’s.” The program includes a core group of five teachers—Catherine and Cory, along with Sara Ahmed, Catherine Bagley Beamer ’95 and Melissa Sharp—who teach English and language arts, social

9 | Six Years of Sixth Grade | FEATURE

Six Years

FEATURE | Six Years in the Sixth Grade | 10

sciences, math and science. The students go to different classes during the day, like their older peers, and also take world languages (Latin, Spanish, French and Chinese), visual and performing arts and physical education. The core teachers work as a team, meeting twice during each six-day class

cycle to discuss teaching strategy, what works and what doesn’t and the needs of specific students. True to Bishop’s goal of student centered learning, sixth-graders also are encouraged to take initiative in class discussions, coming prepared with evidence to back up their points.

“The dynamic in the room is not centered on me, it’s centered on them,” says Cory. “What better than to have kids leading the discussion in the room?” Sixth-graders have also been early adopters of new technology at the School. In the 2013-2014 school year, when Bishop’s rolled out a pilot program involving the use of iPads in the classroom, the effort began at the sixth grade level. This year, it was expanded to seventh and eighth grades, and next year, ninth- and tenth-graders will have iPads. The iPads are used in a variety of ways in class. For example, students can use them as an organizational tool to check assignments or email their teachers. Online reading assignments are easily accessible to all students. In English class, external keyboards are available so students can type papers and submit them electronically. Other uses for the iPads include posting and commenting on blogs, making video projects and recording students’ pronunciation to practice language skills. Teachers can take screen

SHAPING YOUNG MINDS

Paul Saunders ’96 Seventh and eighth grade history Warren-Walker School, San Diego One of the things Paul finds most rewarding about being a teacher is figuring out different ways to help children learn. “I enjoy making sure

I can present information that everyone, in their different modes of learning, can understand. And I think that challenge is really fun.” Paul disagrees with the view held by some that middle school is a tough age to teach. Middle schoolers want their ideas to be taken seriously, he says, but they still want to have fun. They still cry and they need hugs. “That’s a fine balance you have to walk the tightrope on,” he says. “They want to have some respect, and they will give you respect back.” “Middle school is that critical time to get them interested in learning,” says Paul, who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from the University of San Diego, and is in his eighth year of teaching. “Once they’re interested, it’s easy, the mind is a beautiful thing.”

Lori Volker Ornelas ’97 Sixth grade history Warren-Walker School, San Diego After 12 years as a teacher, Lori still loves her job and the time she spends in the classroom with her students. “The first day of school is still my

shots of work on the white board, which students can access for review, or if they missed class. Last summer, when the School was preparing to expand the use of iPads to the seventh and eighth grades, sixth grade students were brought in to help train the middle school teachers. From a technical perspective, the iPad rollout has gone very smoothly says Anthony Trumbo, senior director of educational technology. After the expansion to seventh and eighth grades this year, the devices were up and running on Wi-Fi within a few days of the start of school, and he recalled only a handful of technical support issues, even though the students use the iPads every day. “It was as successful as we could have hoped,” he says. “That’s been a big part of why we decided to expand the program to the upper school.” “So much of what we do now regarding information and resources is electronic, so having access for every student in class opens up a lot of options,” Anthony says. “We’re allowing

them to do some interesting things in the classroom.” Another significant change instituted in the sixth grade program, says Carol, was a decision made two years ago not to grade the students’ first quarter. Instead, a letter detailing the students’ social and academic progress is sent home to parents. “It’s a gentler entry,” she says. “It lets them focus on the right things. Getting along, collaborating, learning how to be a student.” That may be just the boost they need to make the transition from elementary to middle school. “They are perfectly poised at that point between childhood and adolescence,” says Bishop’s alumna Lori Volker Ornelas ’97, who teaches sixth grade at the Warren-Walker School in San Diego. Sixth-graders, she says, are developing critical thinking skills, but they still enjoy goofy, childlike pleasures. And, she says, “They still need me, which I like.”

favorite day of the year,” says Lori. But she wasn’t always convinced she wanted to become an educator like her parents, who own and operate the independent Warren-Walker School. As an undergraduate at Princeton, she “rebelled” and considered a career as a sports medicine doctor. But then her feelings changed. “I realized I loved school, I loved learning, and I didn’t want it to stop,” she says. “It was no good fighting it any longer, I wanted to become a teacher.” Lori says her students are primed to learn about ancient Egypt and Greek mythology, and she tries to harness that enthusiasm as she teaches them the study habits and research and writing skills they will need in middle and high school. “It’s like hiding their vegetables in the spaghetti sauce,” she says.

Sarah Schaffer Cooper ’93 Eighth grade history Flintridge Preparatory School, La Cañada Middle school is a time of transformation for children, says Sarah, a 16-year veteran of the classroom. At the beginning of the year, she says, some of her students are

shorter than she is at five feet, three inches tall, but by June they have overtaken their teacher in height. Their minds also undergo profound changes, she says. “Everything is new to them,” she says of teaching history and current events. “It’s a wonderful chance to open up their minds and be excited by their enthusiasm about learning new things.” “When you go into class the students give you energy—it’s your job to take that energy and direct it,” says Sarah, the author of a book about teaching middle school history, Making History Mine. Sarah says she is grateful for having had the opportunity to attend Bishop’s. “The combination of intellectual inquiry and kindness that the teachers at Bishop’s showed continues to be an inspiration to me in teaching and in my life.”

11 | Six Years in the Sixth Grade | FEATURE

The best teachers leave a lasting, positive imprint on their students and many Bishop’s graduates have opted for careers in middle school education to follow in the footsteps of those they respected and admired.

bishop’s profile

Don Ankeny In his fifth year on the Bishop’s Board of Trustees,Treasurer Don Ankeny talks family, community and The Bishop’s School. By Trisha J. Ratledge

BISHOP’S PROFILE | Don Ankeny | 12

aving experienced a stellar education at The Blake School in Minneapolis, it is no surprise that Don Ankeny wanted the same for his daughters. When he and his wife, Joy, began looking at secondary schools for Hannah ’15 and Julia ’15, several of their friends were a part of the Bishop’s community, so it was a natural consideration. “We were struck by the maturity and grace of many of our friends’ kids who were going to Bishop’s, and determined early on that a Bishop’s education was something special,” Don says. “The more we looked in to it, the more impressed we were.” Now in their fifth year at the School, the Ankenys are fully engaged in the community: Hannah and Julia through academics, athletics and co-curriculars— including the volleyball team, the equestrian club, the sailing club and the Bishop’s Mock Trial Team, to name just a few; Don through myriad roles on the Board of Trustees; and Joy as an active parent on campus and frequent participant in board and fundraising functions. Don clearly sees the payoff in the students themselves. “I look not just at our children, but at all of them, and marvel at how hard they work at such young ages,” noting that his daughters have personally benefited from the competitive spirit at the School. “It has challenged them and made them confident of their respective abilities to step up and accomplish things.” He also has two high-achieving older daughters: Lisa Ankeny, a Ph.D. student in neuropsychology at the University of Denver, and Kristin Ankeny Bickenbach,

a financial services executive in Los Angeles. Like his daughters, Don knows something about dedicated effort and achievement. In his 10th year as president and chief executive officer of Westcore Properties, an international real estate acquisitions firm headquartered in San Diego, Don oversees the company’s domestic portfolio of office and industrial properties, which totals more than 15 million square feet. His prior work

experience includes creating the real estate group as a partner with Robertson Stephens and Company, a global investment banking firm in San Francisco, and developing some of the most prestigious properties in Minneapolis as a partner with Trammell Crow Company. Don was born and raised in Minneapolis, where he followed in the tradition of his father, his grandfathers and many other family members in attending The Blake School. He graduated cum laude from Dartmouth College, with a distinction in economics, and earned an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Perhaps his greatest accomplishment these days, he jokes, is the number of airline frequent flier programs in which he does not hold top-tier status. While Don travels frequently, he keeps most trips to Westcore Properties’ holdings in the western third of the United States. As an investment banker in San Francisco, that was definitely not the case. “I remember taking a red-eye to Boston, having a breakfast meeting and then taking the 10:00 a.m. flight back to

Opposite page: Lisa, Hannah ’15, Don, Kristin Ankeny Bickenbach and Julia ’15 Ankeny; this page, above: Joy, Don, Julia ’15 and Hannah ’15 Ankeny; below: Don following the Million Dollar Challenge ride from San Francisco to San Diego

event: the Million Dollar Challenge, a seven-day, 620-mile cycling ride from San Francisco to San Diego that benefits physically challenged athletes. Not just a voice for the cause, Don has personally completed three of the challenge rides and additional CAF events in North Carolina and Ojai, Calif. At Bishop’s, Don is in his fifth year on the Board of Trustees, where he serves as treasurer and chairs the finance and investment committee as well as the Reaching Higher Endowment Campaign. In addition, he is the former chair of the board’s advancement committee. He will continue for a sixth year in his board responsibilities, even though Hannah and Julia graduate in May. His reasons are simple. “If I start something, I finish it,” he says, adding that he has seen the board strengthened by the inclusion of members who do not have current students. As he contemplates next fall with Hannah and Julia in college, he is confident about their ability to succeed at the next level. “Bishop’s does a remarkable job of preparing students for

college,” he says. “If I’ve heard one thing from kids coming back during freshman year at Christmas, it’s that college is easy.” Just as his daughters have benefited from the efforts of generations of talented volunteers, faculty and administrators, Don hopes that his financial work at Bishop’s will serve those who follow. “Costs continue to rise, and just as tuition must increase, so too must financial aid by the same percentage. The Reaching Higher Endowment Campaign is an important part of that. We need to deliver the best educational experience, not just in San Diego, but nationally. If we do that, families will come,” he says, adding that the applicant pool at Bishop’s continues to far outpace available spots. And true to his investment background, when he plans for the future, he looks far ahead. “I want to help leave the School in a position where it will be every bit as successful for the next 100 years as it has been for the past 100.”

13 | Don Ankeny | BISHOP’S PROFILE

San Francisco,” he says. “I thought there had to be a better way.” He found it in San Diego, where his family relocated in 2001. Don and Joy, a lawyer, quickly became involved in the girls’ elementary school, with Don chairing the school’s foundation and Joy serving as president of the PTO. Don also served as treasurer and board member for the Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club for four years. An avid athlete, he played ice hockey while at Dartmouth, has competed in numerous triathlons including the Hawaii Ironman, and he continues to cycle and run daily. Thus it is no surprise that Don found another organization to support when he was bidding on a commercial building in foreclosure. “The only group competing against us was the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF),” he says. “They were going to buy the building for their new headquarters.” Don’s compassion for the cause led him to drop out of the bidding, and instead begin participating in the organization’s signature fundraising

Bishop’s Through the Decades: Student-Alumni Art Exhibition Alumna inspires students to cast an artful eye on Bishop’s historical landmarks and traditions.

FEATURE | Bishop’s Through the Decades: Student-Alumni Art Exhibition | 14

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

ishop’s historical evolution dating from as far back as the early 1900s was captured both expressively and realistically on March 24 in Ellen Browning Scripps Hall through a striking repertoire of plein air watercolors, oils and drawings, as well as studio paintings. The one-night show titled, “Bishop’s Through the Decades: Student-Alumni Art Exhibition,” brought together the works of 20 students under the artistic guidance of Cherry Adams Sweig ’74, who incorporated into the exhibit 20 of her own paintings highlighting campus landmarks such as St. Mary’s Chapel and Bishop Johnson Tower. Participating artists were mainly upper school students, who depicted subjects ranging from the School’s historical structures and old uniforms to the natural landscaping and modern-day buildings. For students reaching back in time, some relied on archival images of the School as a base for superimposing their fresh perspectives into them. “The exhibition reflects our history and traditions,” says Sarah Garro, Bishop’s Director of Alumni Relations. “We are so lucky to have such a beautiful

setting for learning and exploring, and it’s touching to see that reflected in the art.” Cherry began working with the students in the fall, instructing them on the techniques of “plein air” painting, a French expression meaning “in the open air.” Though renowned locally and internationally for her nature prints using the Japanese method known as Gyotaku, she took a particular liking to plein air painting 10 years ago and has since traveled the world with easel in tow. “I’ve created plein air paintings of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Santorini in

Greece, the Medina District in Morocco and Monet’s Garden in Giverny, France,” she says. “The technique was actually instilled in me at an early age, when my grandmother taught me the basics.” Cherry serves on Bishop’s Alumni Association Board and earned her bachelor’s degree in graphic design from San Diego State University. Prior to becoming a full-time painter, instructor and traveler, she worked as a graphics artist for Time magazine and as a designer for a video game company. In preparing students for the exhibition and finalizing the logistics,

Opposite page: Cherry Adams Sweig ’74 and attendees at the art exhibition in the Manchester Dining and Board Room of Ellen Browning Scripps Hall; this page, top: Cherry demonstrated the techniques of painting to students in the drawing and painting studio.

Using old photographs, Cherry also worked from her home studio in La Jolla to paint a May Day celebration from 1915 that embodied “fashions of the era.” The piece was contrasted by another painting she created, that of the modern-day commencement ceremony featuring graduation caps being thrown into the air. Students working in plein air were required to create their submissions outdoors, and all students were given

free rein to work in pencil, watercolors or oils. Each created one or more theme works after electing to participate in the show. Many zeroed in on historical structures from the vantage point of the Quad. Others set their sights on the Manchester Library & Learning Center, while some focused on student uniforms of yesteryear. “We encouraged the students to take into account all of the different buildings,” says Elizabeth Wepsic, chair of the visual arts department. “Cherry’s travel stories, demos and her unique take on how to depict a space resonated with them. They were very committed and worked within their unique styles of plein air.” Sarah concurs, noting that Cherry’s devotion to the event and the expertise she shared with the students “was very exciting to see.” The ultimate inspiration behind the exhibit, she adds, was the late Dr. Otto Mower, who was an art history teacher at Bishop’s for more than 30 years. The members of the Alumni Association Board are enthusiastic about supporting programs that strengthen the connection among students, faculty and alumni.

15 | Bishop’s Through the Decades: Student-Alumni Art Exhibition | FEATURE

she spent additional time on campus painting scenes to augment the show. Choosing oils, her plein air subjects included the brilliant fuschia flowers framing the entrance to Gilman Hall, the new and old libraries, the Quad and various archways that have graced the campus since Bishop’s founding in 1909. She donated her painting of the Bishop Johnson Tower for an “opportunity drawing” held during the exhibition.

Rock-Solid after 18 Years By Zach Jones ’01

FEATURE | Rock-Solid after 18 Years | 16

s a freshman and sophomore, Annie Eldredge’s ’15 rocks were snowflake obsidian, dark stones sprinkled with white specks. She remembers them clearly, because she clutched them all the way to a pair of CIF titles. As a junior, it was Picasso marble, and it lived in the pocket of her parka as the Knights claimed another championship. After this year’s 7-6 win over Cathedral Catholic in the title game, Annie has four rocks that live in a small dish, daily testaments to a water polo career that has yielded four championships and a Bishop’s program that has dominated the county for almost two decades. The Knights’ title streak is now at a record five, an annual tradition that pre-dates every player on this year’s roster. The rocks, however, are perhaps more precious, and their roots stretch back before any of this year’s team were even born. “I was working as a manager at Cafe Coyote in Old Town,” says Doug Peabody, who is fresh off his 18th season as head coach of the Bishop’s Girls’ Water Polo team. “A gentleman came in who owned a shop called South American Imports, and instead of a tip, he left me a piece of hematite. He said, ‘This rock is about self-confidence, and it’s about not having stress.’” Not only did the men strike up a friendship, but Doug has turned stones into a team tradition—on the eve of the CIF final, each player selects her own rock from a pile he provides, a good luck charm for the biggest game of the season. Doug passes around a book that explains the attributes of the various stones.

“It’s all about how it feels in your hand,” Annie says of her selection strategy. “I go for the ones that are about wisdom, decision making and clear-mindedness.” There’s only one rule when it comes to the rock ceremony—it’s strictly for CIF finalists. No final, no rocks. Which brings us to what might be the most remarkable fact about the program: in 18 seasons under Peabody, every team has gotten rocks. “Every year I stress out over the semis because now I want to make sure that each player gets the opportunity to go to the finals,” he says. It’s a consistency born of hard work and expectations passed from one class to the next. “When I started water polo at Bishop’s…I really looked up to those older girls and older players—they seemed so much more accomplished,” says Helen Meigs ’06, who finished her Bishop’s career with three championships, all over rival Coronado High. “Thinking that half of them were graduating the next year, and we

(the younger players) were the ones who were supposed to carry on that title, that was something that crossed your mind.” In many ways, the process of building each new team begins during the annual marathon workouts over winter break, a tradition that bonds players past and present. “We went five hours a day,” says Gabby Stone ’12. “As a freshman, I thought it was a typo. I thought it can’t be 8:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.” Gabby, whose sister Sally ’04 also played for the Knights, got her first exposure to water polo at age nine, when Doug plopped her on a pool noodle during one of his San Diego Shores club team’s practices. Less than 10 years later, she was named CIF Player of the Year en route to a championship. “I realized that this is an around-theclock commitment to the team, because they’re counting on you,” she says. “That was a wake-up call to me, and I’ve carried that through the rest of my career.” Doug recently did something he never has before, and added up all the wins

Samantha Barlow ’15, (left), Leila Kazerouni ’15, Eva Liebovitz ’15, Hannah Carrillo ’15, Anne Eldredge ’15, Maxine Kelber ’15, Abigail Bertics ’15, Madison Kafka-Asper ’15

and losses accumulated over 18 seasons —the first 16 alongside assistant coach Eric Gordon and now with former Knights standout Ian Davidson ’05. 479 wins, 75 losses. 42 players have gone on to compete at the college level. They’ve played on Junior Olympic teams and won national championships. But even as the string of championship banners grows longer by the year, the program is less factory than extended family. “It’s very family-oriented. It wasn’t just the players, but all of our families were very close, including the parents,” says Dominique Sardo ’09, CIF Player of the Year in 2009. “I think keeping that bond together was huge.” And after 18 years, rare is the Bishop’s water polo player who doesn’t have a friend or family member who played in the program before her. Annie is the latest in a line that includes her older sister Maddy ’13 and her uncle and aunt, Mark ’99 and Annie ’99

Manchester Navarra. “They didn’t have water polo when my parents (Ted ’83 and Molly ’84 Manchester Eldredge) went to Bishop’s, so that’s their excuse for not playing,” she says. For Helen, it was older brother Anthony Ferrara ’01 who played before her, and for Dominique, the connection was not only her older brother Nico ’05, but her father Bart, who attended junior high school with Doug. That water polo tradition pushed Gabby to choose Bishop’s over Francis Parker, a school with no water polo program. Now a junior at Stanford and a member of the senior women’s national team, she is a two-time CIF champion and a 2014 national champion with the Cardinal. Whether they arrive on campus with aspirations of collegiate competition or learn the game for the first time as freshmen, Knights water polo players tend to echo a common theme. “It was my favorite part of high school,

that’s for certain,” Helen says. “It wasn’t just where you went for practice. It was really the focus of everything social I had going on in school.” And for many, that community lives on long after graduation. Doug still remains in touch with members of his very first Bishop’s team, and his door remains open for coaching, advice or just a little old-school good luck. “Before (the 2010 national championship, held at San Diego State), he came to the pool, and he showed up during our warm-ups,” says Dominique, who played at USC from 2010-2013. In his hand? A good-luck rock. “He will be tough on you, but in the end, you know that he loves you and cares about you,” she says. “He ultimately made me the player that I was, and I thank him every day.” Editor’s Note: At the conclusion of the 2014-2015 season, Doug Peabody was named Girls’ Water Polo All CIF Coach of the Year.

17 | Rock-Solid after 18 Years | FEATURE

The girls celebrate their fifth consecutive CIF championship in the Jacuzzi.

Vineyard Knights Auction By Suzanne Weiner

FEATURE | Vineyard Knights Auction | 18

t Vineyard Knights on April 18, auction guests partied with a purpose in support of the School’s Financial Aid and Faculty Professional Growth Programs. The rustic elegant wine country event featured a silent auction, wine auction and a sit-down dinner, as well as a live auction of exceptional items followed by dancing to the music of Cash’d Out. Co-chaired by Juliann Ford (Christian ’16, Jonathan ’18), Kathryn Hamon (Julie ’15, Kelly ’16) and Susan Piegza (Jack ’15, Matthew ’17), the annual event nets approximately $1 million each year in direct support of these crucial programs, allowing the School to foster a community focused on diversity, enrichment and growth. “Financial aid and teacher development are the key to our school,” says Kathryn. “We couldn’t be more grateful to everyone who helped with underwriting and contributed merchandise and trips,” says Susan. “And, of course, we thank the auction guests who made the evening a huge success.”

Julie Gantz, a member of the Class of 2009 and a Georgetown graduate, spoke about the impact Bishop’s has had on her life. The spirited bidding that followed Julie’s presentation was a testament to the confidence the guests have in the School and its need based financial aid program. Auction guests also had the opportunity to make direct gifts to the faculty professional growth program. “We are thrilled that the auction provides funding for our teachers to participate in enrichment and educational opportunities throughout the year,” adds Juliann. “They return to the classroom refreshed and enthused, benefitting every student.”

The success of the auction is dependent on donors who underwrite the cost of the event, allowing more of the proceeds to be directed to the financial aid and faculty professional growth programs. The Bishop’s School and the 2015 auction chairs are deeply grateful to the following friends who made a generous commitment to Vineyard Knights.

Grand Cru

An Anonymous Bishop’s Family Elizabeth and Dene Oliver Patricia and Marc Brutten Monica Fimbres First Republic Bank (Patron Reception Host)

Château

Joy and Don Ankeny Barbara and Leon Parma Donna Walker and Mark Pulido Tina and David Thomas

Cuvée

DeAnne and Al Aguirre Duane Lawson and Susan Brown Lawson ’71 Destiny Innovations & Supply Kristi Jaska and Peter Nolan Daniel Schroeder Anne and Larry McCarthy

Réserve

Micki Olin and Reid Abrams Lisa and Kevin Mabbutt Julie Klaus Elspeth and James Myer

Estate

Marie and Alan Brown Cos Bar Sundance Stage Line Kathleen and Peter Dietze Donna and James Fazio Gale and Jim Hill La Jolla Chevron John Trifiletti

Above, left: Susan Piegza, Aimeclaire Roche, Kathryn Hamon, Juliann Ford; above, right: Julie Gantz ’09; clockwise, top: Rick Hemerick and “Beaujolais”; Martha Eggemeyer; Heidi Kuhn, Nettie Keck, Stephani Clough; bidder #145 Ray Faltinsky; Donna Walker and Mark Pulido

bishop’s buzz WEBNews PARENTS OF ALUMNI

PARENTS

Former president of the School’s

Micki Olin (Jamie Abrams ’15)

Board of Trustees and lifetime

was honored in April by The

honorary trustee, David Bagley

Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary

(Catherine Bagley Beamer ’95,

as a 2015 Woman of Dedication.

Learn how the fall and winter athletic teams fared this year by going to www.bishops.com/fallwintersports1415. Remember to use the search function on the site to find what you’re looking for— top right corner of every page!

Sarah Bagley Steele ’99) was

NEWS

by The Right Reverend James

The botanical markers created

Mathes, Bishop of the San

by visual arts students last spring

Diego Episcopal Diocese, at the

during the weeklong residency of

41st Diocesan Convention in

the 2014 Endowed Scholar-in-

February. Sportscaster and

Residence Nicholas Kripal have

now playwright, Dick Enberg’s

been mounted in the gardens on

(Nicole ’02 and Ted ’06 Enberg,

campus. These markers include

Emily Enberg Packer ’04) play

each plant’s common and Latin

McGuire was on stage at the

name, a detailed sketch of the

North Coast Repertory Theater

plant and a Quick Response

in February. The play is based

(QR) code that visitors can scan

on Alfred “Al” McGuire, head

to access a web site where they

coach of the Marquette

will see a photograph of the

University men’s basketball

plant and can read botanical

STUDENTS

Justine Hansen, students in the Bishop’s Singers, Bel Canto

Through the generosity of an

and Women’s Chorus vocal

alumna and her husband, avid

ensembles performed in

Gene Expression Laboratory

collectors of western and cowboy

California choral festivals and

at the Salk Institute for

art, an exhibition of pieces from

each group received Superior,

Biological Studies, received

their collection was staged in the

the highest rating. n The

an honorary doctorate for

Manchester Library & Learning

Bishop’s Mock Trial Team won

outstanding scientific research

Center. “Western Art and Culture”

the San Diego County Mock

from the University of Groningen

was on display from April 8 through

Trial Tournament for the fifth

(Netherlands). Dr. Dilip Jeste

May 8. Students researched and

time in the last six years and

(Shafali ’93 and Neelum ’01

wrote the copy for the object labels

went on to place third in the

Jeste) is the director of the

and text panels focusing on the

state competition. The Mock

new Center on Healthy Aging

stories embedded in the group of

Trial Team is an Advanced

more than 45 paintings, watercolors,

Placement U.S. Government

photographs, bronzes, pottery

class project. Rich del Rio,

and bead work. n Olivia Lindsay ’15

history and social sciences

won the San Diego County English

teacher, was the team’s advisor,

Speaking Union Shakespeare

and attorneys Matthew Kilman

Recitation Contest earning her the

(Alex ’14, Max ’19), Jennifer

right to participate in the national

Kaplan Lebow ’96, Lisa Missett

competition at Lincoln Center.

(Celeste Crawford ’14) and Karin

Olivia recited Juliet from Act III

Vogel (Kelly ’14, Tara ’16) were

scene 2 and sonnet 130. n Under

the volunteer coaches.

team. Dr. Ronald Evans (Lena ’04), director of the

and Senior Care at the University of California, San Diego. University of San Diego’s School of Business Administration has named Stath Karras (James ’01 and Constance ’03 Karras) the new executive director of the school’s Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate.

information written by students in the Class of 2020.

the direction of vocal music teachers Louise Carmon and

19 | bishop’s buzz | NEWS

awarded the Bishop’s Cross

DIFFERENT VOICES By Keri Peckham

The Bishop’s School welcomes diverse speakers to campus to inform and inspire our community.

Familiar Faces Back on Campus

FEATURE | Different Voices | 20

During the second semester, the School’s speakers’ program welcomed back to campus an alumna, a former Endowed Scholar-in-Residence and a parent.

Dr. Hillary Young ’97, assistant professor and community ecologist at UC Santa Barbara, returned to campus as the Shaffer Family Foundation Endowed Science Lecture Series speaker on January 29. Dr. Young spent the day with students—having lunch with the Green Campus Initiative, and lecturing in chemistry and marine biology classes, before her evening community presentation. In her presentations, she emphasized the importance of a healthy balance of wildlife conservation efforts and understanding their impact on public health initiatives.

On February 2 and 17, Dr. Robert Dallek, a world-renowned presidential historian and author, returned to Bishop’s to discuss “Perspectives on the American Presidency.” Dr. Dallek was the School’s inaugural Endowed Scholar-inResidence in 2008. Dr. Dallek addressed historical and contemporary examples of presidential leadership in an after school community presentation, including issues surrounding the 2016 campaign. He also spent time with history and government classes, and joined students for lunch.

The final science lecture series speaker of the year was Dr. Jerold Chun (Natalie ’14, Andrew ’16), a professor at The Scripps Research Institute, who shared his research on brain function and disease, including new insights into Alzheimer’s disease.

Student-Led Initiative Brings Empowerment Message to Campus “the EMPOWERment project,” a student-led initiative focused on human empowerment and self development, brought a series of guest speakers to campus in early 2015. The project kicked off in January with a week focused on “Image,” a topic expertly—and comedically—addressed by Maysoon Zayid, an actress, comedian and activist. Ms. Zayid spoke at an allschool assembly and asked the students to consider, “What kind of society do you want to create?” She urged the students to be inclusive and kind, telling them, “Do not identify people by their physical appearance.” The second week of the EMPOWERment project addressed thoughts, opinions, attitudes and positive thinking. As part of the week’s activities, the School welcomed Dr. Steven Hickman, director of the Center for Mindfulness at UC San Diego, as a guest speaker. As part of his presentation, Dr. Hickman helped the students use breathing and other mindfulness techniques to “be aware and present in the moment, and access the most powerful tool you possess— your mind.” To round out the final empowerment week in April, the student planning committee looked to the Bishop’s community for speakers to discuss self worth. Teachers, staff and students were asked to share their experiences finding confidence, self-esteem and a positive attitude and how those experiences have affected their lives. Now that’s empowering!

A Fond Farewell

Joan Heylman: Leaving Her Bishop’s Family By Kathy Day

who has a degree in biomedical engineering, and their younger son, Scott who had gone to Bishop’s as well, but moved to Point Loma High as a sophomore to pursue his love for baseball. Her focus has been on students, first as athletic director then as community service director. “I was the one who brought eight man football to Bishop’s,” she said, noting that in those days the School was still in transition from being an all-girls school. “I wanted to bring something that would draw more boys into the athletic program.” And when it arose, the opportunity to shift to community service director intrigued her. In 2000, as eighth grade class sponsor, she oversaw the Pasta for Pennies fundraiser and had a lot of fun doing that. So when Carol Lattimer retired, she raised her hand, but she kept her health classes. “It gave me new challenges…I love the classroom.” When asked what she thinks she’ll be remembered for, Joan thought for a minute and then began talking excitedly about the upcoming dance to raise money for Rady Children’s Hospital. “Since 2008, we’ve raised over $100,000,” she said, explaining how students apply to be part of the team participating in the Rady efforts that range from dance marathons to candy and cookie sales.

Though Joan leaves the campus in June, she thinks it’s likely she’ll eventually find her way back. Meanwhile, since she and her husband are now downtown residents after 28 years in Point Loma, they’re thinking about being ushers at Padres games—just down the street from home—and she’s already started training to be an usher at the Old Globe. But first she will help out with their younger son’s wedding this summer. The bride-to-be asked her to help with a cookie bar featuring her famous snickerdoodles that were once served at the dining commons at UC Davis and spotlighted on Sacramento TV. In October, she and Mike will drive to visit wineries and breweries in Northern California. “No plans,” she said. “I think we’ll just get in the car and drive.” You can be sure she’ll find some quiet moments along the way to reflect on her years at Bishop’s. “I love the students, but also my colleagues. It’s been great working with people so committed, so sharp and so caring. It’s always a joint effort in an atmosphere where kids love to learn.”

21 | A Fond Farewell | FEATURE

eachers leave legacies in many forms and when Joan Heylman leaves Bishop’s after 39 years in the classroom and as an administrator, her mark will take various shapes. Her husband Mike—who teaches fourth grade in the South Bay and is also retiring this year—teased her a bit when she met her two new classes of ninth grade health students. “I told him, I love my kids,” she said. “He said, ‘You always love your kids.’” That’s what it’s all about, she added, “I still love going to class.” While student teaching at Mission Bay High School, a friend told her Bishop’s was looking for a physical education teacher. After interviewing, she signed a contract before she had finished school, bringing with her a love of sports fostered by her dad growing up in Costa Mesa. “I had a passion for P.E.,” she said, recalling days as a swimmer and softball player that convinced her to take those skills and apply them to teaching. Bishop’s has been Joan’s home since 1976. “I grew up here,” Joan said. “I was married and divorced and got a lot of support here during those days. I married again, had babies and watched them graduate. This really is a family.” And it included her son Chris ’03,

Sydney Huss (Scott’s fiancée), Scott, Mike, Joan, Chris ’03 and Katie Heylman

A Fond Farewell

Louise Carmon: The Songbird of Bishop’s By Frank Sabatini Jr.

FEATURE | A Fond Farewell | 22

horal music teacher Louise Carmon retires from Bishop’s in May with a powerful memory of conducting her last Candlelight Carol in December, when alumni singers she had taught some 20 years prior joined the Bishop’s Singers in this traditional holiday carol. “It was very moving seeing the faces of adults who are now in their 30s and 40s taking part in the performance,” she says. “Although every concert we’ve presented at Bishop’s has produced so many great memories of the students and colleagues I worked with over the past 25 years.” When Louise started at Bishop’s in 1990, the School had only one choir, which was for upper school. She soon became the esteemed conductor for the Bishop’s Singers, shepherding them into three notable performances at New York’s Carnegie Hall as well as other venues nationally and statewide. As a key architect of Bishop’s acclaimed choral curriculum, Louise also introduced to the School four choirs: Select Ensemble, Women’s Chorus, Knights Chorus and Bel Canto. Louise taught students from the seventh to twelfth grades how to fine tune their vocal chords with confidence based on her conviction that “anyone can learn to sing.” She also helped develop the current choral curriculum for sixth-graders, shortly before Bishop’s expanded to

Louise and Park at the Colorado River

include a sixth grade in 2009. Today, the School’s choral programs are tailored for students at all levels, ranging from beginner to advanced. “I don’t think there are any other academic programs where teachers have the consistency of working with students from the early grades right through graduation. It’s created a bond, and it’s been exciting to watch them develop over the years,” she says. “My hope is that when they leave Bishop’s, they will continue singing in their communities, theatres, churches and college choirs.” Louise also spent 12 years as the chair of Bishop’s Performing Arts Department and served on a committee that established the School’s instrumental music program while further enriching its dance program. She is the holder of the Marlene Teitelman Department Chair in Music, an endowment established in 1998 that honors the longstanding support of the School’s choral department by Marlene, the wife of former Head of School Michael Teitelman.

Before joining Bishop’s, Louise aspired to be an opera singer while earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music at the University of Michigan. But her desire to teach, she recalls, won over. When asked to name her most memorable moments at Bishop’s, she replied, “Oh my gosh, there are so many,” referring in part to dozens of Christmas and pops concerts she conducted, along with all of the Black History Month chapel performances and a host of other special events. With her husband, Park, she plans to increase the pace on world traveling. Her first post-retirement trip will be to Brazil and Argentina in September, likely followed by hiking Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park in Utah. “I also love golfing and gardening, so I’ll be doing more of those too.”

A Fond Farewell

Kristen Druker Takes the Future into Retirement By Kathy Day

Kristen and David

students how best to prepare for the world they will inherit and to empower them to be future leaders. Bishop’s is the epicenter for future leaders—our students are diligent in that mission.” After 9/11, she expanded it to include Peaceconferencing, a program she is credited with originating that teaches students about world conflict and pressing issues—and how to apply systems thinking to negotiating solutions to conflict. “I saw as students tried to problem solve and answer questions, they were not turning to their teachers, but to the Internet. I wanted to channel their interest, help them select sites and apply investigative journalism skills to get to the root of the problem.” Kristen said she is grateful to the School for allowing her to pursue her passion and singled out the Futures Initiative, a Bishop’s program which enabled involvement with the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP)

in Washington, D.C. It was that connection that allowed her to bring a simulation platform used by the U.S. military in Afghanistan, to Bishop’s that is now the basis for the Peaceconferencing Games. In 2010, Kristen, a group of students, USIP and Bishop’s Librarian Sarah Lucy began a series of meetings that led to an interactive platform for school settings. For her efforts, she was recognized as a “Teacher of the Future” by the National Association of Independent Schools. Today her students are preparing for this year’s simulation, having selected the Islamic State and drug violence in Mexico as the issues to tackle. Retirement may be coming soon, but Kristen’s focus remains where it has been for the past 23 years—on helping her students gain a better understanding of their world. “There’s more work to do,” she said.

23 | A Fond Farewell | FEATURE

risten Druker’s future will take a decidedly different turn in June when she walks out of her classroom for the last time. After 23 years teaching history and social sciences at Bishop’s—and another 17 at Culver City High School—she’s looking to apply her interest in peace, conflict resolution and systems-thinking to some new endeavors. Just what, she says, she’s not exactly sure. She’s put out feelers to one organization that promotes peace education and is already making plans for a retirement trip to Istanbul followed by a Mediterranean cruise that ends in Rome. And now, when her husband David’s tech business takes him on the road, she’ll be able to pick up and go with him to places like Malaysia and Southeast Asia, one of her favorite parts of the world. She’ll also have more time for her award winning, rooftop rose garden and her volunteer work with the Del Mar Foundation and the Del Mar Rose Society, which she founded. The mother of a son, Michael, and daughter who attended Bishop’s, Mara ’99, and wife of the three-time mayor of Del Mar, Kristen came to Bishop’s from her native Santa Monica after David’s career shifted to San Diego. As she settled in at Bishop’s, she developed the Peace Studies curriculum. “I’ve always strived to teach our

A Fond Farewell

Laury Isenberg Casts a Positive Spotlight on Cultural Diversity Back row, left: Max Likin and Nancy Isenberg, Noah Isenberg and Melanie Rehak, Laury, Rebecca and Thom Porter; front row, left: Jules Isenberg, Isaih Porter, Moshe Porter, Leah Likin holding Bruno Isenberg, Adele Likin

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

FEATURE | A Fond Farewell | 24

ith the exception of traveling to Spain and Morocco this summer and spending more time with her children and grandchildren, English teacher Laury Isenberg doesn’t plan on completely disappearing from Bishop’s after retiring in May. Since joining the faculty in 2002, the La Jolla resident was instrumental in developing a diversity program open to the entire student body called Club Unite, which was fueled by her past experience working at a number of inner-city public schools in Chicago, Miami and San Diego. Its formation a decade ago spawned a civil-rights trip to the South, where she retraced with students the footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his marches for equality. Crossing the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge from Selma to Montgomery, AL, she says, ranks among her fondest memories while teaching at Bishop’s. “I was moved by seeing our kids cross the bridge. They felt a real connection to the Civil Rights Movement after they met with citizens of Selma who had made

that historic walk across the bridge, and continued on to Birmingham.” Through Club Unite, she also increased the School’s participation in the Student Diversity Leadership Conference held annually in cities throughout the U.S. in conjunction with the People of Color Conference. Laury also designed elective courses in African-American and Latino-Latina literature, although her ability to raise cultural awareness through education and outreach didn’t end there. Nearly a decade ago, she helped Bishop’s secure an ongoing alliance with Partnerships with Industry, a local organization that places adults with disabilities into the workforce. As a result, various positions throughout the campus have been filled through the program. Helping students hone their writing skills, however, is a primary passion that will not diminish in her retirement. “I plan on working with kids as a volunteer a couple days a week at the School’s Learning Center and assisting with the mentoring program for young African-American

men at nearby Prince Chapel.” Outside of teaching, Laury enjoys swimming at Bishop’s McCain Family Aquatic Center, going to the theatre and spending time with the families of her three grown children, two of whom live in Seattle and Brooklyn. Thinking about her children and six grandchildren she says, “They light up my life, and they can definitely count on seeing me more often.”

George Sykes

After 40 years as a security guard— 29 of those years spent at The Bishop’s School—George Sykes has a new “home,” the U.S.S. Midway where he volunteers four days a week. During his time at Bishop’s, George greeted students and parents by name and, even after his July 2014 retirement, alumni look for him when they return to the campus. His affection for the School and his belief in its mission are foremost when he talks about why he has designated his estate gift for financial aid endowment.

“My reason for contributing is to make sure young people get a good education and are able to support themselves. They shouldn’t be a burden to society.” Part of George’s testamentary commitment to The Bishop’s School includes a gift of retirement assets. Retirement plans are excellent assets to leave to charity and most of us hold some retirement savings in IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s and pension plans. You may have held these assets

making them subject to estate tax. Other estate assets may be a better choice to leave your family members and loved ones. Retirement assets left to qualified charities are

for a long time and have seen them grow. When thinking

not subject to taxation, leaving the entire amount

about designating beneficiaries for your retirement plan, it is

available to further charitable causes important to you.

important to consider the issue of taxation. When leaving these

For more information on how and what to give, please

assets to family members (other than your surviving spouse),

visit our web site at http://bishopslegacy.com or

your loved ones will have to pay tax at their ordinary tax rate

contact John A. Trifiletti, chief advancement officer,

on the gift. The assets will also be included in your estate,

at (858) 875-0851, trifilettj@bishops.com.

Bishop’s magazine features glimpses of people who, by walking the halls of the School, are changing its face forever.