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THE ALLEN-STEVENSON SCHOOL
Spring 2021
THE ALLEN-STEVENSON SCHOOL
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Sarah Woods, Director of Communications Louisa Wells, Associate Director of Communications Lily Miller, Communications Manager Contributing Writers
Rich Alifano Lisa Anderson Alex Expósito Peter Fletcher Rob McCallum Anne Meyer Julie Robles Claire Schlegel Samara Spielberg David R. Trower h’95 Jennifer Vermont-Davis Jennifer Ziplow Photographers
Lily Miller Louisa Wells Designer
Mase Kerdel-DeMarco Front cover photo of fourth grader Max C. practicing soccer skills in the new North Gym.
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contents Head of School’s Message
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Feature
Learning Athletics Alumni Athletic Spotlights
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Around A-S Gilbert & Sullivan The Arts Outdoor Learning Upper School Debate
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Community & Belonging Continuing a Community-wide Sense of Belonging Affinity Groups Provide Space to Learn and Grow Parents Association
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Faculty & Staff Faculty Spotlights News
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Alumni Note from the Alumni Council Alumni Spotlight News In Memoriam
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Inside front cover photo of US History Teacher Kim Sklow and some boys sharing what makes them ASProud on April 28, Giving Day. Back cover photo of kindergarteners Sebastian E. and Holten L. during their kindergarten book publishing party, with guest stuffed animal friends. The Allen-Stevenson School admits students of any race, color, religion, nationality, or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, employment policies, financial aid program, or any other programs administered by the School.
The Lamplighter is published biannually by The Allen-Stevenson School and is sent to alumni, parents, and other friends of the School. QR codes: We’ve added some QR codes throughout the issue so that you can enjoy reading the student newspaper, watching a trailer for the G&S production of Patience and reading our faculty and athletic spotlights in full.
Printed on paper containing 20% post-consumer recycled content.
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H E A D
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O F
S C H O O L ’ S
M E S S A G E
Before the coronavirus pandemic, Allen-Stevenson had completed a future-oriented series of far-ranging strategic planning discussions. This process was interrupted when the School suddenly had to pivot in March 2020 to remote learning; nevertheless, a number of important strategic initiatives were announced in January 2021. They were organized under four strategic pillars that would affirm the identity of the School and strengthen its impact. These pillars are shown on the adjacent page that accompanies this message. As part of this announcement, I issued a position paper entitled “Looking Back, Looking Ahead: Empowering Allen-Stevenson To Become Future-Ready.” That position paper may be found on our website on the Strategic Planning page, and it has now been followed by a second paper on “deeper learning.” Both papers pose three central questions to prompt what I have termed the School’s thriveability:
1. What makes Allen-Stevenson’s educational experience profoundly relevant, valuable and transformative for our boys? 2. What can make the components of their educational experience better, even stronger? 3. What is the best balance between stability and change for our boys today and in the future? The first position paper also listed the next strategic steps that are shown under the pillars in the accompanying box. In addition, the first position paper summarized progress on AllenStevenson’s exciting construction project, all but the last phase of which will be completed by the fall of 2021. Transformative new facilities can now beautifully support a rigorous educational program for our students and teachers. They undergird our robust program combining Academics, Athletics and the Arts to develop Passionate Learners and Compassionate Achievers. These flexible new spaces, all of which are now available easily at 132 East 78th Street, support what we consider to be the best learning for boys. More recently, I have announced several structural changes that focus Allen-Stevenson’s resources on teaching and learning. Starting in the fall, the School will be organized into a Lower Division and an Upper Division. To promote more manageable class sizes, each grade level will have three sections, whereas previously, some have had only two. These significant modifications are intended to emphasize “deeper learning” and facilitate project-based and conceptbased inquiry more readily. They put the faculty at the center of designing what our 20/20 Vision Statement called “learning experiences that challenge boys to take thoughtful risks in pursuing excellence in achieving their best potential.”
This issue of the Lamplighter features a seminal article of why as an elementary school we value deeper learning and examples of what it looks like at Allen-Stevenson. Several supplementary pieces illustrate how our “younger, longer, better” approach protects those foundational opportunities that are afforded only in childhood and before adolescence— to play, to explore, to discover, to wonder. Especially in today’s troubled, anxious world, we want to encourage a happy, joyful atmosphere for deeper learning at Allen-Stevenson. This issue also includes an article that describes the exciting impact of our new North Gym on our athletics and physical education program. A remarkable collection of alumni profiles supplements the article by demonstrating the long-term
importance of this program on graduates of the School. What amazes me are the many examples here of how the four strategic pillars—Educating the Whole Boy, A Purposeful Place, A Connected Community, and Foundation of Financial Sustainability—can work together to build boys who make the world a better place. Thank you to everyone who has had a part in creating this issue of the Lamplighter. I hope you will enjoy reading all the wonderful features. Fortiter et Recte!
David Trower h’95 Head of School
Educating the A Purposeful Whole Boy Place • We plan to embrace concept-based inquiry learning and focus faculty professional development towards the end of deeper learning. • We plan to develop a clear scope and sequence to support deeper learning. • We plan to reimagine the way we use time in school by devising a new master schedule that gives both boys and teachers time for collaboration, lesson design and reflection. • We plan to preserve time for SEL and advisories and look to increase service learning, to optimize the outcomes of deeper learning. • We plan to focus professional development resources for professional development to intensify the School’s focus on promoting great teaching and learning. • We plan to review the balance of time devoted to Academics, Athletics and the Arts as well as the balance among the humanities, the sciences and other ways of knowing.
• We plan to be intentional in our approach to teaching styles, so as to emphasize not just the “what” but also the “how” we teach. • We plan to consider how the School’s annual calendar can be arranged to support conceptbased deeper learning. • We plan to complete the Campus Master Plan as soon as possible, so as to optimize flexibility and efficiency in how we can use our facilities.
A Connected Foundation Community of Financial Sustainability • We plan to build on the accomplishments of the Community Life and Diversity (CL+D) committees in both the Parents Association and our professional community.
• We plan to fulfill the promise of the new Board-level committee on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB). • We plan to formalize offerings and events for parent education. • We plan to develop a comprehensive program of after-school and summer programs. • We plan to increase opportunities for alumni to be engaged with the work of the School. • We plan to look for ageappropriate opportunities for community service and service learning. • We plan to look for future ways to use the resources of New York City as extensions of our campus.
• We plan to continue to attract excellent teachers, compensate them competitively, and consider ways to retrain them, including opportunities form them to grow as leaders within the School. • We plan to implement some of the recommendations made by the financial analysis of Rational Partners with regard to tuition, enrollment, productivity and philanthropy. • We plan to review, and possibly reorganize, our academic division structure. • We plan to consider moving to three sections in each grade, so as to foster manageable class sizes and the possibility of growing our enrollment over time. • We plan to consider reorganizing our administrative structure that supports our academic divisions, recognizing that complexity is cost. • We plan to finish the three remaining floors in the Campus Plan, when feasible, so that campus use and rentals to other groups can be optimized. • We plan to make the financial investments that ultimately will enable the School to thrive.
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Framework to Support These Strategic Pillars
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Feature: Learning Lamplighter
Deeper Learning >
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WHY DOES ALLEN-STEVENSON BELIEVE DEEPER LEARNING I S S O I M P O R TA N T ? By Anne Meyer, Director of the Learning Resource Center, and Sarah Woods, Director of Communications Our complex world is continuing to change, requiring our students to use their knowledge and technologies in multiple ways. In order to support our students to become lifelong learners, we have made a shift in the classroom that promotes deeper learning. While we still embrace the importance of foundational skills that include reading, writing, math, science and world language, deeper learning helps us bring learning to the next level. Our students are asked to use prior knowledge to connect to new ideas. At Allen-Stevenson, as we design meaningful learning experiences, we understand that when teaching content for mastery, deeper learning occurs when a student is asked to think critically, solve problems, work collaboratively and communicate effectively. By supporting these competencies, a student learns information more deeply, and they get more out of the learning experience. Unlike a traditional model in which teachers simply deliver information to students, teachers at Allen-Stevenson serve as learning guides. They help boys to make connections and build upon concepts as they apply what they have learned to new and complex ideas. For example, in Kindergarten, learning phonics is a fundamental skill for reading and writing. The teachers don’t have the boys merely memorize words with these sounds; they find different modalities to help them learn. They have the boys see, hear and touch the sounds and in a range of places and varying fonts, recognizing that learning can come in various ways in different locations. Learning also takes place using real-world problems. STEAM in the Fourth Grade delves into the study of the New York City subway system. A question is posed, and the boys explore different ways to answer the question. The learning often is linked to their daily lives. The teachers use experts from the outside world to help the boys reflect on their solutions or offer new information into the discussion, allowing them to understand that learning has a value beyond school. They are learning skills that they may use later in life when they are designers, engineers, analysts, and all-around problem-solvers. In humanities or history class, the teachers use essential questions. As part of the study of immigration in the Fifth Grade, boys were asked, “How has immigration shaped the United States?” To provide the boys with first-hand, authentic knowledge, the teachers organized a panel of faculty and staff members who are immigrants themselves to share their unique journeys and clarify misconceptions about immigrants. The launch of the newspaper elective by seventh graders is a wonderful example of a group of boys working together to create something about which they were passionate and to fulfill a need they identified. They recognized that more news from around the School from the student perspective should be shared, so they brought it to life, using skills that they had acquired previously. Newspaper articles required using interview skills, and the Google newspaper website design drew upon tech skills learned from other projects. The students became the drivers of content as they improved their writing and communication skills. While only a few illustrations of deeper learning at Allen-Stevenson have been mentioned in this article and the following expanded pieces, one can find numerous other examples on social media and in news stories on the Allen-Stevenson website. All of these experiences show how our teachers are preparing our students to venture into the world as well-rounded, world-ready citizens who treat others around them with respect and compassion.
Fourth Grade STEAM Studies The New York City Subway System
By Lily Miller, Communications Manager, and Rob McCallum, Alex Expósito, Lisa Anderson, and Peter Fletcher, STEAM Coordinators STEAM class ties learning to our own New York City Subway system! Fourth graders engaged in a trimester-long project on the New York City Subway with the A-S STEAM Team: Lisa Anderson, Alex Expósito, Peter Fletcher, and Robert McCallum.
Next, boys explored public art and learned how art has not only been enjoyed in spaces such as parks and city buildings, but also by passengers in the subways. Special guest and artist Jean Shin visited the boys to speak about her large-scale mosaics included in the new Second Avenue Subway line. Ms. Shin spoke with the boys about the inspiration behind her artwork, her artistic process, and the importance of perseverance through difficult, daunting tasks. Boys used their learning during this portion of the project to guide them in designing a public art piece that relates to a current event or provides a message and meaning to the viewer. Boys investigated electrical systems, the engineering of tunnels, subway cars, and the overall impact public transportation has on a city, as well as the understanding of its impact on their environment. To aid them in their research, representatives from the New York Transit Museum presented a virtual field trip on electricity and the circuitry of the New York City Subway system. In conjunction with learning how the system operates, boys researched the many problems that New York City Subway riders face every day. Problems such as cleanliness, service disruptions, social distancing, and a crumbling infrastructure added to the authentic problem solving that is so important in fourth-grade STEAM! As part of the engineering design process (EDP), the boys had to create a new design for a subway car, as well as a blueprint for a subway station. They did this using the CAD and Tinkercad computer software. Their learning culminated in a fun, hands-on engineering project where boys used carboard boxes and everyday art supplies to design a prototype of a subway station that reimagines a train station to solve these problems faced by commuters.
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A prototype of a subway station
Boys kicked off the project by creating a custom Google Map highlighting their own special New York City landmarks, ranging from their apartment to their favorite places around the five boroughs. Boys experimented with designing travel routes between their apartment and other neighborhoods. This important step oriented boys to New York City’s geography and set the foundation for how this project is relevant in their own day-to-day lives.
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K I N D E R G A RT E N E R S L E A R N S I G H T W O R D S T H R O U G H C R E AT I V E , S T U D E N T- D R I V E N ACTIVITIES By Lily Miller, Communications Manager
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Learning sight words is a foundational component of the phonics curriculum in our Lower School classrooms. While rote memorization is the standard method used in schools for learning sight words, where is the fun in that? At AllenStevenson, our talented kindergarten teachers have cemented these concepts through various fun activities that promote deeper learning and let boys take the driver’s seat in their educational experience.
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In another activity, kindergarteners took their stuffed animal friends to “ABC School,” where they taught them how to recognize sight words. To show teachers how they had conducted their teaching, the boys recorded videos and submitted them on Seesaw. This lesson was a creative way for our boys to practice their phonics and have fun while learning. Letting the boys be the experts and teach their stuffed animal friends built confidence while reinforcing these necessary phonemic skills. “There are so many opportunities to tailor our phonics curriculum to what the boys are interested in, thus piquing their engagement and creating passionate
During one activity, kindergarteners got up and moved during a “Sight Word Scavenger Hunt,” looking for sight words around their classrooms and our Assembly Hall! Teachers posted frequently used words in various typefaces around these spaces and sent boys out with a clipboard to identify the words. Along with learning to recognize essential words like “that” and “look,” this activity familiarized the boys with different fonts. This skill is extremely important as letters of the alphabet often look different depending on whether they are bolded or italicized or written in Comic Sans versus Calibri.
learners,” said Kindergarten Teacher Rebecca Lopez. “This curriculum is so fun, and it puts the boys in the driver’s seat of their learning. To see what they have retained and learned and then to see them apply it is so exciting!”
Student-Run Newspaper Provides Unique Learning Opportunities
By Lily Miller, Communications Manager and Sarah Woods, Director of Communications A new student-run elective hit the headlines this year! Led by new Allen-Stevenson seventh grader, William G., a group of committed Upper School boys decided they wanted to highlight topics of interest to students in the form of an AllenStevenson newspaper, The Monthly Monitor. This publication covers a broad range of categories including, lifestyle, inside A-S, outside A-S, and op-ed.
In the first issue alone, boys interviewed Director of Organizational Initiatives Winnie Barnes about the School’s ongoing construction project, provided news coverage on the COVID-19 vaccine, and wrote several important opinion pieces by Upper School boys on subjects ranging from remote learning to movie and television reviews. Communications Manager Lily Miller sat down for a conversation with the newspaper creator William G., advisor Aidan Fennelly, and newspaper editors Sebastian I-P., and Charlie G. to learn more about the inspiration behind this project and what they have learned from this experience. Read their interview below to learn what they had to say.
William, what inspired you to start this elective? William G. (WG): I started going to Allen-Stevenson in
Newspaper editors with Mr. Fennelly
September 2020. I was part of a newspaper elective at my old school, and I got really into it. I found it interesting and wanted to bring it to Allen-Stevenson. So, I talked to Upper School Head Mr. Cohen and he told me to go ahead and find some members and a faculty advisor. I reached out to Mr. Fennelly because he is my English teacher and I really like how he teaches the class. He said yes, and we came up with a plan! First, we had to decide what was going to be in the newspaper. I had the idea to make a website to coincide with the newspaper which has been important because things have changed a lot this year because of COVID. The website allowed for flexibility and editing.
Sebastian and Charlie, why did you decide to join this elective? Charlie G. (CG): I am an eighth grader, so this is my last year at Allen-Stevenson. I thought this would be a cool way to leave my mark on the School. I also like working with Mr. Fennelly. He isn’t my teacher anymore, so it was a great way to reconnect with him.
Sebastian I-P (SIP): For a short time in my advisory, I made a newsletter with a few classmates. Then, after I wrote the mystery story in Sixth Grade, I realized I really like writing. When I saw that Will was setting up this elective, I thought it would be a lot of fun to try and could improve my writing.
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The creation of this newspaper has encouraged the students to become incredibly resourceful. While they are working under the guidance of Faculty Advisor Aidan Fennelly, the students have been the drivers of the content. They’ve interviewed faculty and staff members, developed technology skills they learned previously from the art and tech teams to design a newspaper website and sought out help with photo and copy-editing from adults around the School.
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Mr. Fennelly, what attracted you to become the faculty advisor? Aidan Fennelly (AF): I was very impressed with Will’s enthusiasm. He is the one who inspired me to do this. He really lit the fire under us to get this going. I also thought it would be an interesting year to start this project. I think we can all agree that we are living through a historic time. So, I thought it would be kind of cool to do something that takes note of history at Allen-Stevenson.
What was the process like creating the newspaper, and what did each of you learn along the way? WG: For me, the biggest takeaway has been how to lead a group and teach my classmates. Before I took on this newspaper, if I tried to teach someone, I had a hard time explaining things in ways others could understand. I think I’ve become so much better at managing others from leading this elective.
Hold your phone camera over the QR Code to read the first issue of The Monthly Monitor.
SIP: My writing has improved greatly. I remember on day three of this elective, Mr. Fennelly taught us the difference between hard news and feature stories and had us practice writing both. We did an exercise where we read two articles and had to decide which was which. CG: I am used to formal writing styles, so using different voices for different kinds of articles has been a great skill to learn. WG: I agree with Charlie and Sebastian. I have improved my
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writing a lot and have learned how to write in different voices. Also, I’ve learned a lot about how to use punctuation.
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AF: As a teacher, I have learned so much from this experience in terms of letting students take control of something. It really, truly is a student-run elective. It has been very rewarding to see the boys take control and see them create something so awesome.
What do you think are the benefits of a student-run elective? AF: It teaches students intangible skills that they don’t necessarily get in a formal classroom setting: how to deal with other people, how to manage people, and how to be managed. I was impressed that our eighth graders were so gracious in allowing Will, a seventh grader and new to A-S, to take the reins. There were no power struggles or ego battles between the boys. Seeing that our boys are capable of that level of teamwork and cooperation is wonderful. It’s important to learn these things for life after school. If you don’t learn these skills when you are young, it will be a problem when you enter the workforce.
SIP: The people taking these electives are the students, so why not let them have a choice in the content? This is a way for new activities and ideas to enter the pool of ideas. It lets you expand your interests and find new hobbies. It’s a great way to get to know your classmates and maybe find new things you’re interested in. CG: I agree, and I think students are way more motivated to work when it’s something that has been made by their peers. There’s something really rewarding about doing something not just because a teacher is telling you to but because you actually want to work on it and care about it and want to be there.
WG: I agree with Charlie. I find myself putting hours into this elective without even noticing. I don’t have to push myself; it comes naturally. If you want to do something and you enjoy it, you’re going to take the time to really invest in it. Giving students a voice is so important.
Students Express Themselves and Reflect On Past Year In Spanish By Samara Spielberg, Spanish Department Head
The Spanish Department believes that reflection is a critically important part of learning and growing. With that in mind, Grades 6-8 studied the song “la canción de 2020” by David Rees as a way to look back at all that happened in 2020, both the good and the bad. The main message: “Ahora somos más fuertes que antes”—now we are stronger than before. The boys were given free rein to Alvaro D. on drums visually interpret the part of the song that resonated most with them. The teachers were blown away with the variety of projects: from mini skits to rap songs, found poems, paintings, storyboards, digital animations, stop motion videos, and more.
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They turned what many of us perceive as turmoil and tragedy into beautiful art and reminded us all that when we seek to find the positive, it is always there.
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F I F T H G R A D E R S L E A R N A B O U T I M M I G R AT I O N F I R S T- H A N D F R O M P A N E L O F F A C U LT Y A N D S TA F F By Lily Miller, Communications Manager How has immigration shaped the United States? This question was the focus of study for our fifth graders during their unit on immigration as part of our Pollyanna Racial Literacy Curriculum. This important curriculum is designed to help students gain knowledge about race as it has been constructed in the United States. As no two immigrant stories are alike, fifth-grade teachers were keen to share authentic, first-hand stories with students and pulled together an intimate panel of faculty and staff members who are immigrants. The panelists shared their unique journeys with the boys and discussed common misconceptions that people hold about immigrants, addressing the prejudice that immigrants often face. The conversation emphasized the push and/or pull factors (social, political, religious, environmental, and economic) that led to their decision to immigrate to the United States.
Lower School Teacher Librarian María Paz Alegre immigrated to the United States as a child with her parents from the Philippines because of Martial Law. Ms. Alegre spoke to common harmful misconceptions faced by her family when they arrived in the United States: “There were a lot of assumptions that my family was uneducated. My parents hold graduate-level degrees, and that perception was hurtful. It’s important to remember that no two immigrants have the same story.” (cont. on next page)
(cont. from p. 9)
STEAM Coordinator and Art Teacher Rob McCallum’s sons faced a similar misconception upon their arrival in the United States. Dr. McCallum grew up in South Africa during apartheid, immigrating to the United States as an adult to pursue an opportunity to do his doctorate at New York University (NYU). He found that, upon arrival, his bright, intelligent sons were erroneously placed in special education classrooms under the assumption that they were inherently less able as bi-racial immigrant children.
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Middle and Upper School Educational Technology Integrator Tatyana Dvorkin recounted her experiences immigrating to the United States with her parents from Ukraine at age 12 largely to escape anti-Semitism. She spoke to the hardest aspect of the immigrant experience for her, saying, “People tend to think that the hardest part of being an immigrant is learning the language. While that is difficult, I think it’s more getting used to a new culture that was difficult for my family and me. Everything around you works differently; people socialize differently; people joke differently. Acclimating to a new place and figuring out how it works is really hard.”
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Yaya Diack from our Kitchen Staff shared his powerful story of emigrating from Mauritania to the United States. About a decade ago, Mr. Diack was forced to leave his country because of the political system. While Mr. Diack spoke four
languages when he arrived, he didn’t speak English, which meant when he landed at the airport, he didn’t know how to converse with anyone. While the language barrier was difficult, perhaps more difficult was the impatience and intolerance he faced when interacting with native English speakers who viewed his language barrier as an unwanted inconvenience. The event ended with a poignant Q&A session where boys engaged the panelists in an open dialogue about their experiences. Many boys had important, topical questions connected to the present COVID-19 pandemic and the racism that it has sparked against the Asian community. Said Ms. Alegre in response to one such poignant question, “There have been a lot of ugly things said about the coronavirus. Bearing the brunt of people’s anger has been difficult. I am Filipina and a lot of us are nurses because there is a cultural history of nurturing in the Philippines. It’s distressing that there is still racism against Asians even though many of us have been on the frontlines of healthcare throughout this crisis.” We are incredibly grateful to our faculty and staff panelists for taking the time to sit down with our boys for this meaningful conversation. Having the opportunity to learn and benefit from the wonderful diversity of experiences within our community is powerful for our students.
Hands-On Science Experiments Encourage First Graders to Engage in Joyful, Self-Directed Discovery By Lily Miller, Communications Manager First graders completed a science unit on flight, thrust, lift, and distance in class with Jennifer Vermont-Davis. To collect data and conceptualize these concepts, boys created paper airplanes with varying structures. Through their own research and experimentation, boys found that how far their plane goes depends on the structure of the wings. Boys added “cargo” in the form of coins, paperclips, and other household items and compared their data sets. Through trial and error, students were able to engage with the curriculum and deepen their understanding of the scientific concepts at play through self-directed discovery. “Passionate learners! That is what this project was all about,” said Ms. Vermont-Davis. “When the boys are the ones driving their learning, it will be meaningful. Learning science depends not only on the accumulation of facts and concepts but also on developing an identity as a competent learner through hands.”
Third Graders Deepen Understanding of Multiplication Through Engaging Activities By Lily Miller, Communications Manager Why use rote memorization when you can enhance understanding of math concepts through fun, engaging activities? In our Third Grade, teachers agree that the best way to learn is through interactive activities that incorporate friendly competition, creativity, and hands-on components to grab boys’ attention and make learning fun. To kick off their unit on multiplication, boys take part in a fun karate belt competition! Boys hammer home basic multiplication facts, taking tests to pass up to the next level. There are twelve levels through which boys can advance, earning karate tags as they progress. When they have worked their way through all the levels, they receive a special final prize. Next, teachers take these basic skills and expand upon them to more advanced concepts like multiple digit multiplication using the area and box methods. The boys engage in conversations about calculating the area and perimeter of different shapes using multiplication skills, setting them up for their final “Dream House” project!
Each room must be constructed in the shape of a square or rectangle, creating a visual representation of the math concepts at play. After drafting and coloring in blueprints, boys calculate each room’s perimeter and area to showcase their understanding of multiplication. This multi-layered project concludes with a presentation to teachers and classmates where boys hone public speaking skills while showcasing their creative designs and mathematical prowess.
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As the culmination of this multiplication unit, boys put on their engineering hats and design a blueprint of their dream home. They let their creativity run wild, envisioning the spaces as they want, from a zoo room complete with animals or a ketchup room with French fries galore to a rock-climbing room.
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Feature: Athletics
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passing activities, and a modified game, all in preparation for their play on our Upper School teams.
North Gym Opens
By Rich Alifano, Director of Athletics and Physical Education On January 27, we opened the North Gym to the cheers and smiles of our boys. Entering the massive gym with wide eyes and an endless source of energy, the boys began the journey through our exciting physical education curriculum. As you can imagine, it wasn’t only the boys who were full of excitement and energy; the PE teachers were as well. For both groups, the new gym meant there would be the ability to teach a greater variety of skills, activities, and games. Also, we could now bring together groups of students who previously, due to the pandemic, had to remain separated. The sheer size of the gym had an immediate positive impact on the way we could safely teach physical education classes.
This gym also allows us to have full-sided indoor soccer and lacrosse games with regulation indoor goals. The ability to now have practice, regardless of the weather and outdoor field availability on Randall’s Island, immediately allows our teams to advance their skills and game preparation. In fact, all of our teams will benefit from our gym’s size and its availability to our athletes. Speaking of our athletes, I was fortunate enough to speak with several of our alumni who have played or are playing collegiate athletics. Nick Silber ’13 just finished a pitching career at Rice University, Adam Donaldson ’05 is currently Assistant Athletics Director for production and media partnerships at the University of Notre Dame and played tennis at the University of Louisville, and Will Milne ’01 was a standout football lineman for the University of Pennsylvania.
Mary Leonard, Math Teacher, chatted with current University of Michigan track member Derrick Simmons ’15, while other We have opened up our kindergarten athletes spoke with our Alumni Department curriculum to movement games that allow and are featured on the boys to explore the following pages. the entire gym while They include: Larry using a variety of balls, Greer ’81, the hula hoops, scarves, Assistant Basketball floor spots, pinnies, and Coach for the New so much more. They York Knicks, who are diving deep into played basketball at collaboration, Northeastern communication, University; Chris movement directions Brooks ’98, who and levels, hand-eye, played hockey at Yale foot-eye, and so much University, as well as more. professionally for four years; Alex Currently, the firstShuman ’97, a coach through sixth-grade for the football and boys are discovering all ice hockey teams at of the skill levels and The Taft School and game strategies that go who played football along with basketball. himself at If you entered the gym St. Lawrence during a first-grade Agility training for US boys University; Hasani class you would see Figueroa ’10, who each boy with his own played football at Amherst; William Morris basketball, appropriately sized for their age ’15, a lacrosse midfielder at St. John’s and skill, with the baskets lowered to eight University; and Dylan Porges ’16, a swimmer feet. All of the six backboards can be for Princeton University, who has qualified adjusted to any height between eight and for the US Olympic Trials this summer. ten feet. This feature allows us to teach the proper mechanics of shooting at a very All of these athletes have fond memories of early age. A-S Athletics and attribute the foundation for their success to the A-S program and Entering the gym during a fifth- through coaching they received. We hope to have eighth-grade class, you might also see each them all back in the near future to celebrate boy with his own ball; however, these boys our new athletics facility and the proud would be working on their power, control, tradition of A-S sports. and speed dribbles. They would be competing in shooting games, dribbling and
Spotlights I played on the Varsity team in 5th Grade, which was the first time I had played against bigger kids, and it helped me get better. Although hockey was a big part of my life, I loved being able to play football in the fall and lacrosse in the spring. That whole AllenStevenson coaching staff was such a great group from which to learn. Not only did they love the game, but they loved teaching the game.
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Chris Brooks played hockey at Yale University in addition to playing professionally for four years. He currently works for an industrial conglomerate in Boston focused on product management work. Tell me about how you came to play a sport in college. I started at A-S in Kindergarten, and in 1st Grade, I began skating. I played for a team in Rye, New York—we would go out there on the weekends. At Allen-Stevenson, I played hockey beginning in 4th Grade and had a couple of tremendous coaches in Rich Columbo and Phil Amplo. They loved the game and loved coaching. It was a great experience.
My A-S athletic experience was awesome– I couldn’t have asked for more, especially at a city school. We had a great class of athletes, and there was always healthy competition. There was a ton of fun and camaraderie. We moved out of the city for my dad’s job, but I kept in touch with all of my Allen-Stevenson friends, like Alex and Mike Faherty ’98 and John Flinn ’98, who I played football with while in High School at Hotchkiss. Hotchkiss was a different experience; it felt more specialized. Almost everyone on the hockey team was recruited. It was a pretty competitive school, as most of the athletes were going on to playing at the Division I college level. In my first year, I was initially cut from the Varsity team to then be called up in the middle of the year—where I didn’t see much ice time, which was frustrating, but I was coming from a different world. It was an eye opener because I was a smaller fish in a bigger pond—I had to figure out my role and how to impact the team.
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From there, I played a year of Juniors in British Columbia. After that, I had the opportunity to go to Yale. My first year I struggled with injuries but was able to come 13 back and adapt. I learned that I needed to be a responsive defensive player, be a good teammate, block shots, and play a really physical game. It was the first time I had to change my style of play. The higher up you get, the more specialized you need to be, which helped me tremendously when I played professionally after three years at Yale. As you know, Allen-Stevenson places a lot of importance on social skills in our PE and Athletics program. How do you think the balance of motor skills, teamwork, respect and communication helped you as an athlete? I had significant learning disabilities coming into Allen-Stevenson, which they really embraced. I had some caring teachers who knew I learned a little differently than other people. I never saw the classroom environment as being separate from sports—you had to do academics well to do athletics. I always felt that our teachers were so well rounded, whether in 5th-grade math class or playing with a soccer ball around the room—there was also something about teamwork and hand-eye coordination. For being a city school with limited outdoor space, there was always an emphasis on casual sports, hand-eye coordination and diversity of experience.
How was your transition from playing hockey at Yale to playing professionally? I went from having very little free time in college and a very regimented schedule to having tons of free time. I think one of the interesting things is you go from playing 35 games to playing 75 games, so everything is magnified, including how you treat your body. The level of playing is better, the expectations are higher and it’s an extremely cutthroat business. A big part of the transition to playing professionally is figuring out where you fit. There are many great players who score a lot of goals in college but aren’t good enough to be that
player at the professional level. These players differentiate themselves and are the ones who typically succeed. The stakes are higher, and you have to figure out what is going to keep you around and allow you to excel. How do you think your experience as an athlete has impacted what you do today? What are some skills that you learned through your time playing sports that help you in your role today? To be honest with you, you learn so much playing sports. Allen-Stevenson really set the stage for my career in terms of work ethic, camaraderie, and understanding how to be a good team player. I always tell people now that I learned
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Adam Donaldson ’05 played tennis at the University of Louisville. He currently serves as the Assistant Athletics Director, Production and Media Partnerships for the University of Notre Dame.
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Tell me about how you came to be playing a sport in college. I started playing tennis when I was 7 or 8. I vividly remember talking to Coach Alifano when I was at Allen-Stevenson because, of course, we didn’t have a tennis team, but I still wanted to play sports while at school. I can remember leaving football and basketball practice at school to go to tennis practice. I played tennis at the Randy Mandy Academy in New York and the Stadium Racquet Club - I competed in tons of junior tournaments. From A-S, I went to Taft for high school. They were really great with letting me leave for tournaments—I still played basketball for them through my junior year. I played tennis for Taft too. We had some great teams! I was recruited to play at Louisville—I went on an official visit there in high school and loved how important all sports were there, not just basketball and football. They blew me away. As you know, Allen-Stevenson places a lot of importance on social skills in our PE and Athletics program. How do you think the balance of motor skills, teamwork, respect and communication help you as an athlete? It impacted me tremendously—even just going up on the roof for kickball or dodgeball and learning how to deal with the dynamics of picking teams. I really loved being competitive. I also will always remember those buses out to Randall’s Island. We spent so much time together as a team because of those rides.You don’t realize until after you leave New York how hard it is to play sports in the city. It makes you appreciate Allen-Stevenson and the coaching staff. What was your experience playing tennis at Louisville? It’s a full-time job playing a sport at a Division I school. It wasn’t something that I was prepared for right away because of the time commitment.You learn quickly to budget and manage your time exceptionally well, which has paid off in
the most for my career from sports.You have team orientation and have to focus on performing when it matters, the small details and bringing your best every day. Transitioning into the work world, I didn’t know what to expect. Being an athlete served me extremely well. It’s a similar work ethic, with the discipline and getting others to be accountable across a team. I’ve learned how to become a leader among my peers and what behaviors will get me there. Operating like that in a business environment was something that came easier to me than many other people, and it has definitely helped me accelerate in my career.
the long run. If you don’t, you can easily fall behind both academically and athletically. It took me a couple of years to get in the line up there— but it was so worth it. I cracked in my Junior year in third doubles. The spirit there was incredible—we’d have some matches with hundreds of people coming to watch us play, which wasn’t very common in the college tennis world. My favorite part about college tennis was the team aspect of it, versus the individual nature that exists in junior tennis. What are some skills that you learned through playing sports that help you in your role today? I think that work ethic is a huge skill—having the mindset of pushing myself always to do the best job I can. I tell my team constantly that it’s not about being perfect but pushing through. Don’t bail out when it gets hard. I learned that from an early age, even back to my Allen-Stevenson days. I would also say communication, has become more important as I’ve grown older. We had to communicate on the court as doubles players. We had to communicate with our coaches. It’s something that might seem simple but is really valuable. If you are going to be late to practice and don’t let anyone know, you’ll have a coach breathing down your neck, and really thinking through who needs what information and when, has greatly impacted my professional career. What is your fondest A-S memory—sports or otherwise? I definitely remember the roof—I will always remember playing kickball on the roof, looking over New York City and how competitive we were. I also still think about Ms. Schrade-James— being in the music department with her, sitting at the piano teaching us songs.
Hasani Figueroa ’10 played football while at college. He currently lives in New York and serves as a Recruiting Consultant for Daversa Partners. Tell me about how you came to be playing a sport in college. The first time I ever played tackle football was at AllenStevenson—I believe in 6th Grade. A bunch of friends and I used to play in the park in the afternoons when we were younger. We always dreamed about playing with pads and playing against Buckley. I absolutely loved it! I think I scored my first touchdown in 7th Grade against Fieldston. I remember the nurse, Ms. Shapiro, kept the ball from that game and mentioned it to me every time I stopped by. Our team was super competitive, and every year was about playing against Buckley. I believe we won in 8th and 9th Grade. It’s the team I miss the most. After Allen-Stevenson, I went to Middlesex School. The football program there felt a bit different, as we played against students of all grades throughout high school, but similarly, I fell in love with it. Football has kept me going and kept me organized. I always started the year well academically because I had that structure. In my junior year of high school, I started getting recruited to play football in college. Some scouts had seen me on the highlight reel of our current quarterback and reached out. It opened up so many doors for me. I was lucky enough to accept an offer from Amherst College. It was a totally different world. In college, you’re doing something for your sport every day between practices and weightlifting. It definitely taught me time management. In many ways, football saved my life, and playing at Allen-Stevenson has been such a transformative part of it. As you know, Allen-Stevenson places a lot of importance on social skills in our PE and Athletics program. How do you think the balance of motor skills, teamwork, respect and communication help you as an athlete?
I think Allen-Stevenson, retrospectively, taught me to be a good teammate. When I first started playing football, I was hyper-competitive and always focused on winning. I learned to put aside my ego and work better with my teammates. A-S opened so many doors for me—sportswise and life-wise. It taught me to be a better team player. Who were some of the coaches that influenced you? I loved working with Coach Amplo—he is my guy. As I said, I could sometimes get emotional or hot-headed about playing football. He took the time to make me see the big picture and helped me become a great team player. Coach Zufall is the GOAT (greatest of all time)! We would all run through a wall for him. Coach Wiseman was amazing. I’m getting nostalgic now… What was your experience playing Football at Amherst? I had some growing pains at first, but football meant I had to be on top of my schedule and accountable in a new way. I mean, who wants to wake up at 6 AM to lift weights? I’m appreciative of learning how to understand the internal politics of how a team works. That’s something I’ve carried over in my everyday life. Amherst also provided me with such a great group of guys who helped me, both alumni and my teammates. What are some skills you learned through your time playing sports that help you in your role today? As a recruiter, I think being an athlete has provided me with a lot of skills I use today. I would say perseverance.You have highs and lows in my job, just like in sports. Often when I get frustrated or am trying to solve a problem, I look back on what my coaches have said to me and apply it to what I’m doing today. What is your fondest A-S memory—sports or otherwise? Of course, I have to say beating Buckley in 9th Grade in the East Side Classic. I remember my last year; all we would think about was beating them—almost our whole class that year was on the football team. We took it seriously; you would’ve thought we were playing in the Superbowl. We luckily won that game—and we were so proud to do that in our last year. To this day, that is my favorite sports memory. It was the most genuine, unified team on which I’ve ever been.
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Larry Greer ’81 played basketball at Northeastern University. Today he is an Advance Scout and Assistant Basketball Coach for the New York Knicks. Tell me about how you came to play a sport in college. I started at Allen-Stevenson in 2nd Grade. In my day, if you were a boy at Allen-Stevenson, you were involved in sports. We had to take a sport each season, and my big sports were basketball and baseball. In fact, back then, I think I was a better baseball player than a basketball player.
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I actually played for the Varsity Baseball team as a fifth grader. While I was in Middle School, we would go to Randall’s Island, and I would stay after the Middle School practice. Then, I would practice with the Upper School team. I did that in 6th Grade for basketball too. I was fortunate to have a lot of great coaches at Allen-Stevenson, and to learn from them.
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After A-S, I went to York Prep, which didn’t have a baseball team, so I only played basketball while there. I went to Northeastern for college and didn’t start playing basketball for the school until I was a Junior in College.
Allen-Stevenson places a lot of importance on social skills in our PE and Athletics program. How do you think the balance of motor skills, teamwork, respect and communication help you as an athlete? At Allen-Stevenson, you are a gentleman first, and that carries over to sports. When I was there, we had some great competition– actually I was just telling my son—one of my favorite memories was playing against Buckley in baseball. We learned teamwork— when you’re on a team, whether you’re going through life or sports, you learn to work together. Any success I’ve ever had in basketball is related to the people I’ve worked with who are teammates of mine. I think it’s important you learn about problem-solving together on a team.You’re learning information and how it relates to the sport, but you’re trying to improve your skills as well. What was your experience playing Basketball at Northeastern? I was able to walk on to the team my junior year, so I wasn’t recruited. Honestly, in my first two years in college, I just wasn’t good
WILL MILNE ’01
Will Milne ’01 played football at the University of Pennsylvania. He is currently a Partner in a wealth advisory practice, Canna Milne Financial. He lives in the suburbs of Pennsylvania with his wife, Elizabeth, and two sons, Brian and Cole. Tell me about your start playing football and how you ended up playing in college. I started playing football in 5th Grade, but I think I was playing Varsity because of my size. It was always about being really efficient, especially when driving to and practicing at Randall’s Island. Coach Zufall, Coach Amplo and Coach Alifano were great. They taught me a lot fundamentally – especially about time management, which I’ve found to be valuable. After Allen-Stevenson, I went to Poly Prep, which was a very different environment for football. It wasn’t easy to transition—it was a big shock to my system. My freshman year, sleeping on a cot in the gym at Poly Prep, waking up at 5:30AM for conditioning, and doing 2-a-day practices was a change of pace. It toughened me up and helped me transform,
enough. It was a Division I program with a well-known Hall of Fame Coach, Jim Calhoun. When Coach Calhoun left to go to the University of Connecticut, I hooked on with one of the players in the off-season, and we trained together. And then, the coaching staff started to notice me, and I was able to play as combo Guard. I was the only white player on an all-African American basketball team.You learn a lot about life when you are the minority. I was respected by my teammates, who elected me as a captain my senior year. It helped blend me into who I am today. How do you think your experience as an athlete has impacted what you do today? You know, I went to Northeastern thinking I was going to be a businessman—got a degree in marketing. Once I made the team at Northeastern, it changed. I really enjoy being around the players. The average person doesn’t get how much an NBA player puts into his game on and offseason. I enjoy studying the different coaches and what they do. My job as a scout— most people think of me as a personnel scout—but I’m an Advance Scout. I come up with the strategy of how to play a team before we play them.
but there were many times I wanted to quit. I will say I give credit to my coaches at Poly Prep and Allen-Stevenson. They could all be tough, but they also all knew when you needed support and a pat on the back. I played for a successful high school program—the kids that I played with, many of them have played in the NFL or had a shot playing professionally. Almost everyone I played with went on to play in college. In my junior year in high school, my coach told me to start involving myself in recruitment. I had some interest from schools like the University of Virginia, Rutgers, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Notre Dame, etc. I sat down with my parents, both highly educated, and we looked at the different schools interested in me. I took the shot to go to the best business school at Wharton Undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania. This opportunity wasn’t lost on me. As you know, Allen-Stevenson places a lot of importance on social skills in our PE and Athletics program. How do you think the balance of motor skills, teamwork, respect and communication help you as an athlete? It certainly impacted me in terms of sportsmanship and camaraderie. I think Allen-Stevenson always preached balance and wouldn’t brand itself as just an athletic school.
William Morris ’15 is a sophomore at St. John’s University who plays lacrosse. William currently plays as a midfielder.
Tell me about how you came to play a sport in college. I started playing lacrosse at Allen-Stevenson through a program called ‘Kids in Sports’ and eventually joined Mr. Dransfield’s after school program. I also played on a club team called Dox NYC. Actually, I would often go to my A-S practices on Randall’s Island, come back to the School, and then go back out to Randall’s Island for practices with my club team. Our Allen-Stevenson practices ended at 5:30PM, and my other practices started at 6:00PM ending around 8:00PM. After that, I’d head back to Allen-Stevenson. It took me about another 45 minutes to commute home, so it was time-consuming. When I was in 6th Grade, I remember I started practicing and playing with the Varsity team—I was so excited! When I graduated from A-S, I went to The Peddie School from freshman through junior year. While I was there, I realized that I was getting really good at lacrosse and had some college interest. Rutgers was the first college that demonstrated interest in me when I was a junior at Peddie. I thought, ‘let’s see what I can do’ and how could I better myself at lacrosse, so I transferred to IMG Academy in Florida. I completed my senior year there, as well as a post-graduate year. At the end of my senior year, I committed to Hofstra University. I went to Hofstra for my freshman year and
transferred to St. John’s University this year. Eventually, I want to be a lawyer, so I transferred because St. John’s offered me a better scholarship that goes through law school. What has your experience been like playing lacrosse at Hofstra and St. John’s? The main difference between my time at Hofstra and St. John’s was the timing of our workouts. At Hofstra, we had weightlifting at 5:30AM, so I was waking up at 4:45AM three times a week. On the days that we weren’t lifting, we were running at 6:00AM, so there were a lot of early mornings. Now at St. John’s, I weight lift at 11:00AM or after practice in the afternoon. I feel like Allen-Stevenson and the School’s focus on academics, arts and athletics instilled good habits in me for college. I had to commute from the Bronx to get to school every day, so I had to really manage my time. I made sure that during my free time at school to go to the library to do my work. In college, you have a lot of different things on your plate to manage but being able to prioritize my work is a skill that I acquired from my time at Allen-Stevenson. It’s a huge asset to know how to do that. What skills do you think that you have as an athlete will help you in the professional world?
That process of being well-rounded was important at A-S, and I think it was probably one reason I was recruited for an Ivy League school. It allowed me to go to a top-tier business school as an undergraduate while also being an athlete. How do you think your experience as an athlete has impacted what you do today? What are some skills that you learned through your time playing sports that have helped you in your role today? I always think sports translates really well to the real world, so I always enjoy, when I look back on it, the ability to get knocked down, get back up and move on, whether that was at Allen-Stevenson, Poly Prep or Penn.You dust off and get ready for the next play. I would also say problem-solving, the
I feel like being an athlete has taught me to regulate my emotions.You can win or lose a game, and if you do lose, it’s not necessarily your fault, but you have to pick yourself up and figure out how to move on. In life, there are a lot of ups and downs, but being able to stay neutral and not get too high or too low is the most important thing. What is your fondest A-S memory— sports or otherwise? Definitely playing kickball on the roof! Two teachers that were helpful to me were Ms. Mahida and Ms.Vermont-Davis. Derrick Simmons ’15 and I were in the original BOCAS (Boys of Color at Allen-Stevenson) group. There were 4 or 5 of us who would meet, along with Mr. Kersey, Mr. Spain, Mr. Duncan, Ms. Mahida and Ms.Vermont-Davis. I would say that’s a time that I remember. At one point at AllenStevenson, there were only two boys of color in my class. Not that Allen-Stevenson wasn’t a safe space, but it was nice to have a space for people who looked like you with teachers who looked like you as well. If I could give myself any advice while I was at Allen-Stevenson, I would say sometimes you think that you know it all, especially when I was playing lacrosse, but the things that my coaches at Allen-Stevenson told me about transitioning into playing sports in high school and college did happen. So, looking back, I would say to myself to be a sponge and soak up all of the information your teachers and coaches teach and tell you.
ability to think quickly in high-pressure situations. Especially playing as a left tackle, you had to think on your feet and react quickly. Going from the Upper East Side to Brooklyn was a more diverse setting. A lot of my teammates came from very different backgrounds than I did, even more so at Penn. I’m playing with guys from all over the country. I was able to see how different people approach things, which was tremendous, and a skill I use now working with so many different people. I give great credit to my coaches, which has influenced my leadership style today—sometimes you need tough love, but you can’t always be hard on people—you also need to support them and want them to succeed.
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WILLIAM MORRIS ’15
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Dylan Porges ’16 currently swims for Princeton University. He had a very successful first year on the team and has qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials this summer.
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Tell me how you came to participate in a sport in college. Back in my day, there was a Lower School swim program at Allen-Stevenson which practiced at Asphalt Green, which was the club program I eventually joined. The entire grade would go to make sure everyone was able to swim. I later volunteered with Asphalt Green in its waterproofing program for underprivileged kids. I loved sharing my abilities with my classmates and being a bit ahead of them was a nice shining moment for me. After 8th Grade, I went to Fieldston and swam there. Their program wasn’t the most competitive, but the Ivy Preparatory Athletic conference had tons of good swimmers, who often came from my club team. During my freshman and sophomore years, I progressed a lot in the water and grew 4-5 inches. I got myself to the point where my school swim team was more for fun, and my main focus and goals were pursued on my club team. Later in high school, I was recruited by a wide variety of colleges and universities. The combination of my swimming and my strong academics created college options for me. It was a very unique and special opportunity. I had always wanted to go to Princeton, so when they approached me, it was a dream come true. It was the first school I had ever visited as a kid.
How do you think AllenStevenson helped your athletic trajectory? I had a lot of accomplishments at Allen-Stevenson athletically. Specifically, Coach Dransfield was super influential to me. He would always check in and was invested in my career. Their focus on athletic fundamentals and strength translated to my swimming as well. Mr. Acerbo has also provided great support and encouragement.
classroom, that apply to everything—what it means to persevere and problem solve, whether in the classroom or the pool. The teachers at AllenStevenson were always willing to take the time to help each student. They’re not as forgiving at Princeton, so I feel grateful to have had that experience at A-S. It has all influenced how I talk with my college professors, my coaches and how I work with my teammates.
Many of the Physical Education staff helped me continue my trajectory towards accomplishing everything I wanted to in the water. A lot of the teamwork, discipline, accountability and focus that was
What is your experience swimming at Princeton? I currently swim distance freestyle and 200 M butterfly. In terms of accolades and accomplishments, I would say I progressed tremendously my freshman year. I hit another growth spurt later in life and performed better than I expected. I won an Ivy League Championship title for the mile, set a long course school record, and was the team’s highest-scoring freshman. It was a really exciting first year and set me up well for more to come. I was able to put myself in a place of relevancy on the team and within the conference.
intertwined through our PE program was a big part of that. It all fed towards becoming a better person and learning when to persevere when things are tough. There has also been a wide selection of teachers who have influenced my life and my swim career. Mr. Haarmann really taught me how to be a scholar and a gentleman—how to shake someone’s hand and look them in the eye, how to be a good student and want to work hard. Ms. Leonard is a phenomenal math teacher whose passion is motivating in the classroom every day. There’s also Mr. Kersey and joining generations of history students before me who had the honor of taking his class. Many of the A-S teachers taught me life lessons, in and out of the
What is your fondest A-S memory— sports or otherwise? I really loved some of the Allen-Stevenson ice skating parties and the Gilbert & Sullivan performances—I was in The Mikado. I vividly remember being drenched in make-up, pounds of foundation, by our mothers. Some of the fondest memories I have were in class with my friends, whether in science, history, English, or math. I feel like every subject at some point always had a special teacher. I loved going to class every day.
NICK SILBER ’13
Nick Silber ’13 played baseball at Rice University, serving as a pitcher. He currently works for a leadership advisory consulting executive search firm. Tell me how you came to be playing a sport in college. I started playing competitively with the Yorkville Youth travel team on the Upper East Side when I was six. I played for another travel organization beginning in 7th Grade, called the Gothams, a team with a Dominican coach and many Dominican players who took their baseball very seriously. That was a bit of a step up, competition-wise.
After Allen-Stevenson, I went to Lawrenceville and continued to play for travel teams as well as the school’s team. My summer-ball organization, Team Citius, is based out of Dallas, and the summer after my sophomore year, one of the assistant coaches from Rice happened to see me pitch at a tournament in Dallas. That eventually led to a scholarship offer in the spring of my junior year. I had offers from a few other places, including some Ivy League schools, and I made my decision largely based on both the quality of Rice’s academic offerings, as well as its baseball program. School has always come first for me, and I think my academic preparation at A-S and Lawrenceville afforded me a bit of a head start some other guys didn’t have. I went into college already having an idea of how to balance rigorous schoolwork with sports. What was your experience playing baseball at Rice? I had the time of my life playing at Rice, though it definitely wasn’t easy. I really had to learn how to manage my time well, especially given practice and travel demands. I think the preparation I had at AllenStevenson really helped with that. About halfway through my sophomore year, I tore pretty much everything you can tear in a shoulder (labrum, rotator cuff…etc.) I tried to rehabilitate it that summer and ended up getting surgery, which was a year-long recovery. It eventually became clear that I wasn’t going to be able to pitch again. However, I could still help out in a couple of other ways, particularly by serving as our team’s Peer Academic Advisor. How do you think your experience as an athlete has impacted what you do today? What are some skills that you learned through your time playing sports that have helped you in your role today? Well, I’m only a few months into my job, so I still have a lot to learn. But I think the skills I do have include asking questions, reaching out to others with ease and building those connections with my colleagues. It’s been really helpful in shortening the learning curve. What is your fondest A-S memory—sports or otherwise? I played lacrosse in 8th Grade, and I remember leading our pregame pump-up of sorts. It might sound a little silly, but it actually felt a little like going into battle, surrounded by some of your best friends. The bonds I was able to forge with my classmates on the field and in the classroom are what I remember most. Though I’m in Texas now, we’ve still managed to stay in touch!
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At Allen-Stevenson, I played baseball in 7th Grade and really enjoyed it. I think having a team in school and a team outside of school really helped foster my love for the game.
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ALEX SHUMAN ’97
Alex Shuman ’97 played football at St. Lawrence University. He is currently a High School History Teacher at The Taft School, where he also coaches football and ice hockey.
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Tell me how you came to be playing a sport in college. I really enjoyed playing football at A-S. I had Mr. Prior, Mr. Amplo, and Mr. Zufall, who were phenomenal. My first year of playing tackle football was in 5th Grade at Allen-Stevenson. I remember Mr. Prior told me I was going to play center. I want to say we played two games that year. We had a fantastic group! In my 9th- grade year, the team was no more than 17 or 18 kids. I was one of three players on that team who went on to play college football. I think that’s pretty impressive.
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After Allen-Stevenson, I went to Berkshire and played football, I was a guard and had a lot of success. I wanted to continue playing football, so I went to St. Lawrence and moved along the offensive line as a guard and a long snapper. As you know, Allen-Stevenson places a lot of importance on social skills in our PE and Athletics program. How do you think the balance of motor skills, teamwork, respect and communication help you as an athlete? I think it was great to be exposed to such strong coaching at a young age. That is part of the mentality that you get at a boys’ school—sports are a big piece
win two games my senior year, one of which was the last game of the season, so I went out on a high note. Off the field, I had a wonderful experience at St. Lawrence. I made life-long friends with whom I am still close. I wouldn’t trade my experience either on or off the field. What’s your experience now being a High School Coach? I love it. I try to impart wisdom and not get in the way of my players. We (Taft) have had some success in recent years, which always adds a level of enjoyment. I am coaching in the New England Prep School circuit —and it’s incredible how much the caliber of athletes has improved since I played 20 years ago. Many teams in our league have multiple players going on to play division one football each year. Do you take anything from your A-S coaches that you bring into your coaching today? I learned the idea of playing hard, good sportsmanship, and not making things complicated. The A-S coaches were very good at teaching fundamentals and were incredibly knowledgeable. I had a great time—some really fond memories. In terms of a direct example, I still use a variation of a saying from Mr. Zufall with my defensive lineman about recognizing trap blocks, “If you’re getting blocked every play and then you’re not, you didn’t suddenly become Bruce Smith—you’re getting trapped.” However, I can’t use Bruce Smith as my example anymore. How do you think your experience as an athlete has impacted what you do today? What are some skills that you learned through your time playing sports that help you in your role today? My experience as an athlete made me want to become a coach. I love being part of a team and all the experiences that go with it. Playing sports has made me the person I am today. It taught me the importance of giving your best effort, hard work, dealing with adversity, etc.
of what we cared about. I learned how to play hard while respecting the opposition. We all wanted to do well and helped each other. We were invested in the team, and that, combined with having really good coaches, made it a great experience. What was your experience playing football at St. Lawrence? On the field, it was rough. We won three games in four years. We snapped a 20-game losing streak during my freshman year and then lost the next 22. We did
What is your fondest A-S memory—sports or otherwise? I remember there was a student in the grade above me named Victor Sanders ’96 – he was quite the running back. I have a very clear memory of playing New Canaan Country Day in Eighth Grade. The score was 0-0 with less than two minutes left, and we got the ball back inside our own five-yard line. We were just trying to eat the clock and escape with a tie. Somehow,Victor broke a bunch of tackles, ended up running 95 yards and scoring a touchdown. I remember the excitement of winning and the joyous energy of that bus ride back to school.
Derrick Simmons ’15 is a junior who currently runs track at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Derrick is a sociology major.
Tell me how you came to play a sport in college. I’ve been running track since I was 6 years old. My mom encouraged me to start running, and I kept with it. I competed in my first Junior Olympics at age 11, and up until I turned 18, I earned Junior Olympic medals for several years in both the 800- and 1500meter races. At Allen-Stevenson, I really enjoyed running track. My main events in high school were the 800-meter run and the mile, which are the same events I run in college today. After A-S, I went to Poly Prep for high school. I worked out over the summer before my first high school cross-country season so I could be prepared. I also trained and competed with an AAU team. Honestly, I don’t think it was much of a transition for me—AllenStevenson prepared me very well for my high school track program. When I competed at Allen-Stevenson, and even at Poly Prep, I didn’t have much competition. As my A-S track coach, Ms. Leonard, would say, it was more about how far ahead I was going to be than if I would win. I used to start slowly, and by the last lap, would reach my stride. Our conference meets weren’t too competitive in high school. There was much tougher competition at the state and national levels. By the end of high school, I had broken the Poly Prep school records for 8 different track events, including 6 Indoor and 2 Outdoor titles.
It was after my sophomore year that I started hearing from college coaches and getting interest letters. At the beginning of my senior year, coaches started inviting me for official college visits. The University of Michigan was my favorite. I wanted to go to a large school with excitement surrounding the athletics and one that also has great academics, so Michigan was the perfect choice. I enjoy being a Wolverine. How did Allen-Stevenson play a role? A-S helped me get involved in a lot of different things. I played the viola and participated in the A-S Orchestra; I sang in the chorus; I was in plays; I did dance crew; and I also played Varsity basketball. I went on to do the same things in high school. Overall, I think A-S prepared me to be an active member of my community. I had great track coaches who helped prepare me well for high school track. Poly Prep was very similar training-wise. What is your experience running track at the University of Michigan? A Division I track team like Michigan’s is certainly much more competitive. I expected it to be tough going in and knew what I was getting into. There are more practices in college, and they are much longer and more intense. We also lift weights as a team. We do most of our runs together as a team. We have different event groups, and I’m part of the distance runners. We train separately from
the sprinters. I run about 50 miles per week. Some of my teammates who compete in the longer distances run 80 miles a week.You must work very hard to compete against other Division I athletes across the country. Michigan does a good job of allowing us to schedule classes around practice time. We sign up for classes before everyone else, so that we don’t have conflicts. I mostly have all of my classes before practice each day. Sometimes we have weightlifting in the evening as well. We also practice on the weekends. I love to run. And I love the competition. Even though I don’t win every race, I like achieving my own personal best records. How do you think your experience as an athlete will impact what you do after college? I’m not sure yet what I want to do after college but being an athlete has provided me with skills that I can use in any profession. Training and competing for almost 15 years have helped me develop a strong work ethic and has given me focus and determination. Running isn’t an easy sport mentally or physically. I feel really prepared to handle anything. What is your fondest A-S memory— sports or otherwise? I used to get very excited about the school plays. I really enjoyed my 6th Grade Play, The Jungle Book. I also liked being able to participate in so many extracurriculars. Basketball was also a highlight of my A-S career.
To read the full interviews, hold your phone over the QR Code.
Spring 2021
DERRICK SIMMONS ’15
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around A-S Gilbert & Sullivan >
Reimagining Gilbert & Sullivan: A School Tradition Continues By Julie Robles, Theater Director/ Technical Director There is something that transcends words when the lights dim, the orchestra begins to play, and the Allen-Stevenson students take the stage each March for the annual Gilbert & Sullivan production.
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Our production of Pirates of Penzance in 2020 had its opening and closing performance at the same time. The School was to close the next day due to the COVID outbreak, but we were graciously given one performance for the cast and crew to show the community what they had worked on so tirelessly for months. A small
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Hold your phone camera over the QR Code to watch a trailer for Patience created by student Jackson S.
The maidens
but mighty crowd of faculty and staff swarmed the Assembly Hall and became a worthy audience, reminding us all of the true love and support this community possesses. This year, we were not going to let Gilbert & Sullivan go by the wayside. Since an in-person performance was not an option, why not turn Gilbert & Sullivan, a live theatrical experience, into a pre-recorded musical film? It was this question that was the catalyst to the insurmountable questions that would need answers. How could we take a piece (Patience) written for the stage and adapt it entirely for
Joe B. as Reginald Bunthorne
an online viewing? How, where, and when would the actual recordings take place, since the boys could not perform together in the same room? Perhaps the most important question was, how could
So, yes, while this is not the typical Gilbert & Sullivan you are used to seeing, and it is by no means perfect, it is made completely by your boys. They dedicated time, in and out of school, to create a
Spring 2021
The dragoons
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we still produce not only a completed piece of art, but a well-rounded, educational and memorable experience for the students in the cast and crew? There was much patience needed when creating our virtual Patience. Planning began in June, and rehearsals started in November. January until the opening was spent recording and editing the show. While we lost the scenic elements, the light cues, the harmonies, and the physical comedy, these boys truly learned the value of character analysis, dedication to their music, and focus on their craft. The crew members learned the importance of collaboration and long-term planning. We also managed to have quite a few laughs along the way.
piece of art that, unlike live theater, they will be able to keep for the rest of their lives. During this time of unpredictability and instability, they were able to rise to the occasion like true AllenStevenson students, gentlemanly and scholarly.
Nicholas H. as Archibald Grosvenor and Dex F. as Patience
around A-S Lamplighter
The Arts >
Using the Past to Inspire Digitally Created Architectural Forms By Alex Expósito, Art Teacher Upper Schoolers in Studio Art began the semester viewing and discussing architecture from a wide range of styles and periods with a global perspective. Discussions centered around several significant architecture types and aesthetic elements. The class also talked about various engineering solutions that allowed architects to build larger and higher, including some techniques that have meant ancient structures still remain standing to this day.
The class began by examining ancient Egyptian temples, pagan temples, classic Roman architecture and the orders, Islamic mosques, stupas, pagodas, monasteries and Gothic churches. It was equally important to have the boys study the innovative work of contemporary architects such as Frank Gehry, Thomas Heatherwick, Santiago Calatrava, and Zaha Hadid to understand the potential of new materials and technology. In order to encourage imagination and whimsy, the boys also looked at digitally created fantastical architecture and futuristic structures.
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“I was really interested in modern design, and I
“Similar to Ajai, mine is a modern house. I got my
wanted to pull from modern concepts. I went on the
inspiration by looking up modern architecture on
Internet for inspiration, pulling ideas from images of
the Internet and by observing apartments and
architecture. I incorporated key aspects like sharp
houses that I have seen in my neighborhood. Then,
edges and contrasting grey and white colors. As I
I added some of my own ideas to personalize the
built, there was lots of trial and error getting used to
design.”
the software. It was really fun to learn about the
—James H. ’21
software and explore with design concepts.” —Ajai S. ’21
Students Give Back Through Music By Claire Schlegel, Director of Instrumental Music
Cellist Alexander D.
Spring 2021
Next, it was the boys’ turn to design their own structures using SketchUp, which allowed them to develop detailed architectural forms and modify them. They were encouraged to search for images for inspiration, and to be playful and inventive with architectural elements. The results were impressive, with complex and thoughtfully resolved structures!
In the spirit of giving back, some of our young musicians have been playing their instruments virtually for older adults in their free time. Performing in virtual concerts as part of the Concerts in Motion Youth Program has provided an excellent opportunity for our young performers to practice their music and engage with a friendly, appreciative audience in a safe and compassionate environment. The program welcomes all musicians ages 6-18 of any playing ability to share their talents, while a professional musician acts as MC. It has been a joyful, uplifting experience for the older adult audience members and our young performers!
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Violinist Sean K. “I really enjoy having a lot of light in my house, so I wanted to incorporate many windows into my design. That was a big point around which I was working. I also like interesting roofs and experimented with the software to engineer the roof in unique ways. But, at the same time, I also wanted to ensure the design was practical in that rain could still drain off and it would serve its function well.” —Andrew van D. ’21
around A-S Lamplighter
In & out of the classroom >
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Outdoor Learning and Play Street Program Adds to Boys’ Holistic Education By Lily Miller, Communications Manager Since December, Allen-Stevenson has had the privilege of using 78th Street in front of the school building for outdoor learning, allowing our boys to utilize this space for different types of educational and play purposes. New York City offered to close streets adjacent to schools to create the Outdoor Learning program so that students at public, charter and private schools could have the opportunity to be outside in a fresh air setting during the pandemic. In addition to providing opportunities for joyful exploration, outdoor learning has numerous benefits to our boys, including stress reduction, increased engagement, and improved concentration. Our Athletics Department has set up basketball hoops and organized fun activities outside on the street! Boys across grades have been able to take much-needed movement breaks. Outdoor physical education has provided an excellent outlet for our boys to reduce stress and improve their overall health and wellness. Fourth-grade artists also took their drawing talent to the road during class with Art Teacher Tara Parsons, utilizing our neighborhood buildings as models. Before they started to draw, boys observed their surroundings, looking at the unique details of the buildings and noticing how the lines and shapes interact.
This space has also opened the door for our Chorus boys to resume in-person rehearsals! Boys sang wearing specially designed singers’ masks and maintained six-foot social distancing protocols on the street. After a long year of social distancing and remote rehearsals, we are so grateful that our students could come together in person to improve their musical talents and create beautiful music with classmates. 78th Street has also served as a spot for our boys to socialize over snacks and lunch. Many teachers bring picnic blankets out at mealtimes to break up the classroom routine and give boys a chance to spend time with classmates in the fresh air. During the pandemic, this outdoor space has been a valuable asset and has allowed our boys to interact safely. Throughout all activities, our A-S Security Team members remain stationed by barriers at 78th Street and Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue, keeping our boys safe while they play and learn.
By Lily Miller, Communications Manager On Friday, February 26, and Saturday, February 27, Allen-Stevenson boys impressed during a debate scrimmage with students from Horace Mann. The debate topics were broken down into the three categories of adolescence, media, and science – all very salient topics to these young debaters! A-S alumni Jordan Wasserberger ’19, Jack Klein ’18, and Zachary Kurtz ’20 have been working alongside a group of high schoolers from Horace Mann to train younger students on the fundamentals of parliamentary debate every Tuesday afternoon. These skilled instructors are creating a new generation of fervent debaters by imparting their skill and passion for debate! Their hard work paid off! During the debate, our boys were smart, thoughtful and compelling in their well-reasoned arguments. Many boys deepened their classroom learning by connecting it to these real-life, relevant debate topics.
One eighth grader leveraged his ethics class as he described how his argument was based on utilitarianism. A seventh grader explained how the history of racially biased medical treatment has consequences for the current conversation about vaccine resistance. Their professional poise and sportsmanship were applaudable along with their ease in bringing in content from their academic classes to support their arguments, connecting their learning across disciplines to deepen their understanding of the concepts at play. Spring 2021
Upper School Debaters Connect Learning Across Disciplines with Guidance from A-S Alumni
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community & belonging Continuing a Community-wide Sense of Belonging
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By Louisa Wells, Associate Director of Communications
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One of the first things people comment on when encountering Allen-Stevenson is the community. Woven into the fabric of who we are as a school, cultivating a strong sense of community among our students, faculty and staff, parents, and alumni has always been top-of-mind. One tradition that has continued to uphold this sense of shared space and belonging is community gatherings and assemblies: Monday Morning Meeting (MMM) in the Middle and Upper Schools and Lower School Community Time (LSCT). In the midst of the pandemic, a group of faculty and staff members have taken it upon themselves to continue the tradition virtually. These times together include announcements and goings-on around the School. In Monday Morning Meeting, student participation is encouraged with instrumental performances and speeches, while in the Lower School the interactive format allows for boys to participate through song and dance actively. Members of the A-S Community Productions Team (a group of faculty and staff members from the divisions, and Music, Art, Theatre, Athletics and Communications departments) meet to strategize fun and exciting ways to draw students in despite being virtual and continue a sense of community.
“The goal of community time is to build community through equity and inclusion,” says Ian Taggart, Lower School Music Teacher. “It’s a necessity. It’s an opportunity to come together and celebrate and learn from each other while having a good time. My hope is that students, teachers and faculty see themselves reflected. That is what makes it meaningful for me to be a part of it.” Recent Monday Morning Meeting topics have covered Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage month while also continuing with traditions such as Gilbert and Sullivan and the GeoBowl. Lower School Community Time engages students by incorporating fun activities like get-up-and-move dance breaks or “Guess That Baby,” where students have to guess the faculty or
staff member from photos. These community times also educate students about topics such as women activists throughout history, various holidays celebrated around the world like Kwanzaa, Diwali, and Ramadan, and teaching the importance of kindness and being allies in our community. During both weekly gatherings, the tradition of ending with the school song remains, ensuring that anyone from the community can feel the spirit of AllenStevenson from wherever they are watching.
Affinity Groups Provide Space to Learn and Grow By Jennifer Vermont-Davis, Chair of Community Life + Diversity and Lower School Science Teacher
To some, the concept of strengthening community through separating people of similar backgrounds into affinity groups might seem counterintuitive. However, in reality, affinity groups are a natural part of society that bolster communities by creating safe spaces where people can come together over a common background, interest or goal. In fact, affinity groups often provide a vital link for smaller underrepresented groups to feel included in the larger community. At Allen-Stevenson, affinity groups are an intentional recognition and acknowledgment of different underrepresented groups that form our special and diverse community. Such affinity groups provide supportive conversations and solutions to uncomfortable issues encountered in everyday life. Participants can opt-in based on their shared identity with the
affinity group to discuss personal experiences in a safe space. Over the past year, these spaces for reflection and connection have been more necessary than ever before. Everyone benefits when all members of their community have confidence and feel supported. Ultimately, affinity groups at Allen-Stevenson provide a shortcut on that road map to belonging. Also, the affinity groups at A-S give students the opportunity to dive deeper into discussions of race, religion, identity, and equity in non-judgmental spaces, enabling them to develop their independent voice and expanded compassion for the world. For students, building them up to be strong, educated leaders while nurturing a sense of connection and belonging is foundational to our diversity and inclusion goals and our desire to provide all students with the appropriate social-emotional support. In the end, when a student has a sense of belonging, it will have not only a positive impact on his personal and academic achievements but also his contribution to the A-S community as a whole.
CURRENT AFFINITY G RO U P S : STUDENTS: Banana Splits (MS, US) • support for children who live in homes with divorced or one-parent families BOCAS (LS, MS, US) Boys of Color at Allen-Stevenson • facilitates positive racial identity exploration ERGO (MS, US) Exploring Race Gender and Origins • provides a space for discussing topics of equity, race, religion and gender GSA (US) Gender & Sexuality Alliance • to learn how to advance inclusivity and advocate for those in the LGTBQ+ community, and discuss bullying, gender roles and family diversity.
PA R E N T S :
Asian/South Asian Families FOC—Families of Color GSA—Gay Straight Alliance
F A C U LT Y & S TA F F :
GSA—Gay Straight Alliance FSoC—Faculty & Staff of Color WARE—White Anti-Racist Educators
Spring 2021
The Community Life + Diversity (CL+D) team at Allen-Stevenson continuously works on creating an inclusive, equitable, and diverse community where everyone can feel a deep sense of belonging. In addition to hosting all-community events and forums throughout the year, the CL+D team facilitates affinity group gatherings to strengthen the School’s commitment to belonging.
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community & belonging Parents Association >
Nicolle Amabile Kindergarten
Our community is incredibly fortunate to have so many parents who give a tremendous amount of their time to the School. Please know we can’t thank every single one of you enough. In this issue of the Lamplighter, we would like to take the opportunity to express our appreciation to the class representatives, who have gone above and beyond in bridging the School with the families this year, when we could not all be together in-person.
Jennifer Andrei Kindergarten
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Here’s a message of gratitude from Jennifer Sossen, the Parents Association Class Representative Coordinator, who has magnanimously led the many Class Reps pictured on this page.
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“I am thrilled to highlight the Allen-Stevenson Class Representatives for 2020-21. This year has been extraordinary, and we’ve been lucky to have an extraordinary group provide a vital bridge between the families and the School! The Class Rep’s responsibilities may have deviated somewhat this year, but their support proved more important than ever. Part of the role of the Class Rep is to welcome the parents (new and returning), help answer questions, provide information, communicate with teachers, and send reminders, which is crucial in keeping our parents informed and maintaining the close-knit community that we have already established at Allen-Stevenson. In a typical year, we have 21 Class Reps; however, this year, we had 32 to offer a more personalized experience! While Zoom enthusiasm has been difficult to sustain for all of us, our Class Reps have found ways to be creative and inspire discussion and events for parents and the boys. They’ve helped us stay connected by planning virtual coffees and cocktail hours. In the Second Grade, Class Reps organized virtual Valentine’s Day ice cream socials and card exchanges for the boys. There was a virtual Boys Night Out Bingo and a drawing event for third-grade boys led by a parent volunteer. Class Reps, together with volunteer parents, have sent flowers to teachers for their birthdays, collected videos and images to create thank-you videos, coordinated holiday gingerbread house decorating zooms inspired by the PA Halloween Cookie Event and eighth-grade Class Reps spearheaded a sweet Valentine's magical treat of hot cocoa and marshmallows for all A-S faculty and staff. These are just a few of the many ways Class Reps have helped guide the way for our families! Thank you!”
Virginia Beck-Walby Kindergarten
Danielle Burroughs Kindergarten
Marie Espinel Kindergarten
Blair Klaff Kindergarten
Kimberley Hutfilz Grade 3
Charlene Channer Grade 6
Naila Khadri Grade I
Lisa Radcliffe Grade 2
Katherine Stitch Grade 3
Maryeliza Aston Grade 5
Alison Searcy Grade 6
Ayesha Sikander Grade I
Alixandra Tillis Grade 2
Alexis Hunter Grade 4
Liza Ganitsky Grade 5
Cheryl Fratepietro Grade 7
Caroline Wallace Grade I
Lauren Erbst Grade 3
Jamie Parrot Grade 4
Mindy Schwartz Grade 5
Brigitte Kleine Grade 7
Aditi Javeri Grade 2
Loryn Halper Grade 3
Amy Smith Grade 4
Kristan Spamer Grade 5
Kristen Klabin Grade 8
Soo Kim Grade 2
Carolanne Srivastava Grade 4
Meg MacCary Grade 8
Spring 2021
Lindsay Blanco Grade 1
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Faculty Spotlights
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From the #ASpotlight series as seen on social media. The Communications team has been interviewing faculty over the past couple of years. Here are quotes from the most recent interviews. Hold your phone camera over the QR Code to access the full spotlights.
Tom Verchot, Trumpet Teacher “All disciplines, including music, work together to teach children the importance of practice, perseverance, and budgeting time… Playing an instrument teaches patience and determination— and that tenacity really pays off.”
Lorenzo Bellard, Fourth Grade Teacher "At this age, students are a little more mature. The conversations you can have are more in-depth, and you can challenge a child’s thinking to become more abstract. They can infer things. You can see that development with them, and that’s exciting. And they want to learn— learning is fun for them, and it is a genuine interest."
Jon Burgos, Physical Education and Athletics Instructor “The Athletics Department thinks it’s important to impart a love of exercise to our boys. We want them to see how fun it can be and how it can bring people together… we place a huge emphasis on developing mindset and attitude.”
Venesha Cashdollar, Learning Resource Specialist and Fifth Grade Section Leader “Our entire faculty and staff make a conscious effort to know each individual boy as a unique person. It’s part of what makes us such a special community. It’s also what makes us so successful at identifying their needs and creating a learning plan.”
Ashley Coiffard, School Nurse “I am looking forward to building positive relationships with everyone and getting acquainted with the students and their families better. Watching the students grow up, seeing them excel, and getting to know their personalities is going to be such a rewarding experience.”
Ian Taggart, Lower School Music Teacher “If we strive to teach and nurture this sense of self in all these young scholars, then giving them as many different lenses as possible to view their sense of self as well as the world around them is incredibly important. Music is one of those lenses, making it a necessity for any holistic program.”
Jennifer Vermont-Davis, Lower School Science Teacher and Chair of Community Life + Diversity “It has been my goal to bring that “aha!” moment to each of my students. These moments aren’t something you can read in a book, and they aren’t anything that I told them. The students make their own discoveries... I think that leading my students to these moments empowers them and leaves them with life-long confidence.”
Zack Leopold, School Nurse “Empathizing and practicing compassion for people is an incredible skill to acquire and is key to being a good caregiver in high-pressure environments.”
Gjilberta Lucaj, Cello Teacher Ashley Train, Third Grade Teacher “It has been incredible to watch the boys blossom into true gentlemen and scholars. In a way, we have grown up together. We have shared many milestones, and I have witnessed a tremendous amount of growth in them and myself.”
Spring 2021
“I want my students to love to play the cello, without the need for perfection… I want to give them the chance to explore instrumental music and find out how it can benefit their unique selves.”
Rebecca Lopez, Kindergarten Teacher
Aidan Fennelly, English Teacher and Seventh Grade Advisor "English is unique in the degree to which instruction is spiraled. We keep coming back to the same ideas—clear writing, careful reading, and thoughtful analysis – again and again throughout the year. We also strive to make connections across the disciplines in order to deepen students’ understandings of the themes in the literature we read."
"I love watching my students find joy in learning. It’s the most rewarding thing when you see that lightbulb go off when they understand a new concept. Kindergarten is really where we create life-long passionate learners by fostering a love of knowledge and making school a fun place where they look forward to being."
Rob McCallum, Art, Woodshop and STEAM Teacher “At this age, students have a thirst for knowledge and learning. They are creative, and the acquisition of knowledge is exciting for them. They are so open to deeper learning and it’s rewarding to watch them discover their skills. It’s incredible what they can do, what their potential is, and their passion to do it.”
Keisha Lavia, Associate Kindergarten Teacher “Kindergarten is the threshold into formal education… The children are building skills that they will carry with them throughout their educational journey… Watching them grow is incredible— it is just an amazing time developmentally.”
Isabel Meltzer, Learning Resource Specialist and Fourth Grade Section Leader “In the Learning Resource Center, we strengthen executive functioning skills to the point that boys feel confident and comfortable executing them independently… if we can engrain these skills early on, they will be set up for success later in life.”
Julie Robles, Theatre and Technical Theatre Director “This independent school environment fosters a culture where students are able to feel uncomfortable in a comfortable space… They know they have the AllenStevenson community as a support net to catch them if they fall.”
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news
Engagements
F A C U LT Y A N D S TA F F
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Art Teacher Julia Kunin’s art show “Rainbow Dream Machine” ran at McClain Gallery in Houston, TX from November 14—January 13, and her show titled “Mechanical Ballet” ran at Kate Werble Gallery in New York City from December 14—February 15. Says Ms. Kunin, “The abstracted surreal female and non-gender-specific figures that I am continuing to develop address sexuality while incorporating imagery
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from once utopian structures. The body and architecture become intertwined, creating portraits that verge on the robotic and otherworldly.”
Security Staff Member Juan Crespo plans to spend this spring going fishing and spending time in the outdoors, seeing all the animals that come out in springtime. He looks forward to bike riding, playing basketball, and spending time with his family.
pets
As schools transitioned to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, pets have played an increasingly important role in boosting morale in the classroom. Many teachers have brought their pets on-screen to play the unofficial role of teacher’s assistant. These friendly, furry friends have put smiles on the faces of many in our community during these difficult times. We want to give credit where credit is due: Thank you, pets of Allen-Stevenson, for being a source of joy and laughter throughout these unprecedented times.
Associate Director of Development and Alumni Relations Liz Roberts got engaged to her fiancé, Nick, over Spring Break in Sun Valley, ID.
Special Events & Alumni Relations Associate Jennifer Ziplow got engaged to her fiancé, Max.
Tara Parsons’ dog: Jessie
Natalie López’s dog: Coconut
Denise Cridge’s cat: Marnie Zucca
Lily Miller’s cat: Kitty
Samara Spielberg’s dog: Guapo
Michelle Demko’s cat: Pancake
Peter Fletcher’s dog: Max
Lisa Anderson’s dog: Tucker
Jack Cooley’s cat: Sal
Claire Schlegel’s cat: Freyja
Betty Ely’s dog: Cornflake
Venesha Cashdollar’s dog: Ringo
Stephen Warner’s dog: Frankie
Julie Robles’ cat: Puck
Julie Robles’s dog: Chauncy
A N OT E F RO M T H E A L U M N I C O U N C I L Dear Allen-Stevenson Community, I have the distinct honor of serving Allen-Stevenson as the President of the Alumni Council and, in this capacity, as an ex officio member of the Board of Trustees. As you will read in this edition of the Lamplighter, A-S has successfully adapted to the many challenges of the past year and is continuing our mission to educate boys to become scholars and gentlemen.
With an eye to the future, I am pleased to inform you of the newly established Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Committee of the Board. We recognize the importance of a committee designed to review all aspects of Allen-Stevenson with a DEIB lens. I will serve as the Alumni Liaison of this committee and look to you, my fellow alumni, for ideas and recommendations. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive community. In the pages of this publication, we highlight the incredible accomplishments of our alumni community. I urge you to read about the newly opened North Gym, which I think will make for a fantastic venue for alumni events in the future, alongside many interviews highlighting the athletic prowess of our alumni. Also included is a feature on Luis Ubinas ’78, Board Chairman of The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, as well as news updates shared by fellow alumni. We hope you will send us your news too. Please know that I truly love serving my fellow alumni and hope to see many of you get involved in shaping the future of our alma mater. I look forward to seeing many of you in person and on the screen in the future. Fortiter et Recte! Alex Klaris ’06 President, Allen-Stevenson Alumni Council
Spring 2021
Like many of you, the Allen-Stevenson Alumni Council has also adjusted to virtual work and is serving our alumni community remotely. We have ensured that our alumni remain connected to our beloved school and one another through virtual class meetings and reunions, as well as seminars and events. Although we miss being together in person, this year has given us the unique opportunity of engaging with alumni across the globe in ways that we were not before, an opportunity that we have seized and will remain committed to going forward. We have brought alumni into the classroom with students and had them speak to our greater community.
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alumni spotlight alumni spotlight S T U D E N T I N T E RV I E W W I T H L U I S U B I N A S ’ 7 8
David Kersey h’98: In seventh-grade history,
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we do a whole section on immigration, including a research project. It involves using the Ellis Island database, which consists of ship manifests written by hand. It’s fun but also difficult. Our seventh graders have a new appreciation of what Ellis Island is and provides for us in school. Once I realized that you had taken up a new role as the Chairman of the Board of The Statue of LibertyEllis Island Foundation, I said we must have a chat.
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Soham: Tell us what you have been doing since your time at Allen-Stevenson.
Luis Ubinas ’78: I can’t begin to describe
what happened after until I talk about how wonderful an opportunity attending AllenStevenson was.
I loved my time at A-S. When I was at AllenStevenson, I was very poor, and living in the South Bronx, which was unfathomably dangerous at the time. A-S was the first place that served as a safe haven for me – in large measure thanks to great teachers, like Mr. Kersey. After Allen-Stevenson, I went to Collegiate, Harvard College, then Harvard Business School. I worked for two years at Booz, Allen, a consulting firm, then, after graduate school, went to work at McKinsey, another consulting firm. I like to describe consulting as being a doctor for companies: we would go and make companies better. Sometimes that meant helping companies
grow, and other times meant saving them from going bankrupt. I did that for almost 20 years, living in Boston and San Francisco.
how to work with very different people with very different motivations. By learning to be flexible, it makes you more effective in each of the sectors.
At that point, my wife reminded me that I didn’t want to just work in business – I wanted a more dynamic career. She told me that I should find a job in the non-profit sector, so I became the head of a very large non-profit, The Ford Foundation, which had me moving back to New York. I ran The Ford Foundation at a really important time, during the 2008 financial crisis. I was able to take the organization through the crisis and make sure it came out the other side healthy and prepared for the future. I’m very proud of that work.
William: You described your library as a ‘palace
Seven years later, with the crisis over and having turned 50, I decided not to take another job. Instead, I decided to focus on doing work across sectors, in government, non-profit and business.
DK: Perhaps I could interject and say, one of the
things I like about these meetings between alumni and boys is that they start to think, ‘Well, he did that…maybe I can do that.’
Soham: Yea – it’s inspiring. LU: Let me just give you a few better examples
between the different sectors: government, non-profit and private. In the non-profit sector, I’m on the Board of the New York Public Library. I run the Finance Committee, so we have to make decisions like how much are we going to spend on rebuilding buildings, how many hours are we going to stay open, how many books are we going to buy? It’s really exciting. We can do things like reminding ourselves that many of the libraries in New York’s poorer neighborhoods are too small and, in some cases, run down. We are renovating many of those libraries in low-income neighborhoods. In the government sector, I was on the United States Trade Commission during the Obama administration. On this Commission, you can help people think about how to treat other countries in their trade relationships. For example, it turns out the Chinese were stealing a lot of our digital ideas and making copycat versions. The Board asked the Trade Commissioner to have a conversation with China, so they would stop doing that.
Sebastian: You talked about
the non-profit and government sectors. Which one did you like more?
LU: Well, truthfully, what I like most is working across sectors. It forces you to learn
Luis in 7th Grade
of books’. How do you feel about the Public Library, and why do you think we need it in New York?
LU: The first answer is, there are times when
there isn’t a single bookstore in the lower-income parts of the Bronx. So, when you think about accessing books, libraries play an important role. In fact, that’s why Andrew Carnegie and others founded and expanded the New York Public Library system over 100 years ago. Back then, there were hardly any bookstores or ways to get books, so having a system of libraries available was revolutionary. The second answer is that the books from the library are free.You can go into the library, pick something you’d like to read, sign it out and leave the library with it. There are millions of books from which to choose. Some people can’t afford books; it’s easy to forget. The third answer is that the library is a public space. It doesn’t matter who you are; you can just walk into the library and be welcome. If a book on the shelf interests you, you can ask to borrow it and take it home. And it’s not just books. The library is a place you can go to study in a safe, warm environment, or a place you can access the internet or use a computer, if you don’t have one. That’s why the library and public spaces are so important.
William: So, you’re basically saying that the library is also an escape from reality while also providing knowledge. LU: Exactly! DK: I used to go with boys to Ellis Island on the Circle Line before they redid it. There were ghosts, and paint was peeling; you couldn’t even go into half of it. It was structurally unsound. But there were some park service people there to help. It had such resonance then — signs in Yiddish. Sebastian: You’ve recently taken on the position as the Chairman of the Board of The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation. What does this position entail? LU: The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are government properties. The government does a good job of taking care of the day-to-day, but they haven’t always had the money to preserve those spaces. The Foundation was started in the 1980s because the Statue of Liberty was in danger. I was told that the arm of the Statue was years away from falling off! It’s made out of copper and had been sitting out in the Atlantic Ocean’s salty air for 100 years. The Foundation rebuilt the Statue
Our most recent project is a new museum on the Statue of Liberty. The museum is important because it clarifies the initial intent of the Statue of Liberty. Most people think of the Statue of Liberty as a beacon to immigration. However, the Statue was originally built - soon after the Civil War - as a monument of liberty and marks the end of slavery. In fact, if you could stand at the base of the statue, at her feet, you would see broken shackles. When we designed the museum, we made sure to reclaim that original narrative of the Statue. Of course, the Statue has also become a monument to our shared immigrant past, but, first, it signified the freedom of American slaves. Ellis Island is different. It reminds us of the fact that America takes people from all over the world and turns them into Americans. All of us, all of us immigrants, share a common narrative: we all come from somewhere to make this country a little bit better, whether those who long ago cross the land bridge from central Asia or the most recent immigrant from Central America. The Ellis Island story mostly focuses on European immigration, but it is the national museum for immigration. The Foundation is thinking about how we make Ellis Island more evocative of that broader idea. We want to take Ellis Island forward to the idea that America is a welcoming place built by the people whom it welcomes.
William: That reminds me of The Colossus
of Rhodes. It’s similar to the Statue of Liberty – the statue is holding a torch, but on the back has a weapon. It signifies that although we have freedom, we have still been under attack and have to fight back. What do you think of this?
LU: The Statue of Liberty is all there to be seen – it’s a reminder that America is a beacon of freedom. It’s that idea that made it an immigration symbol. When we broke off those shackles, we were able to make real the aspiration of freedom for all. Sebastian: What was your motivation for joining The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation?
LU: I always ask the question, what am I going to
do next with my time? I decide by thinking about what a difference an organization will make in my life and what a difference I will make in the life of the organization. I ask myself, ‘Does what I’m going to do have an impact at scale?’ and ‘does it match a deep personal interest of mine?’. As a member of a migrant family who came from Puerto Rico to the United States and faced the challenges so many others have faced when they came here, the idea of immigration matters to me.
Sebastian: You said that you’re also on the Board of EA and the New York Public Library. Is the motivation for those organizations similar?
LU: That’s a great question! I’m on the Board of the New York Public Library because the only books I could have when I was younger came from the library. We didn’t have a bookstore, and I didn’t have money to buy books. I read a lot, and it was all thanks to the New York Public Library.
When I joined EA, Interview with some 7th-grade boys they were making lots of changes and that reflects the broader idea of American those changes have transformed the company. immigration. Just a few year ago what we sold were plastic boxes with video games in them, now we are an DK: I have seen the film, Island of Hope, Island interwoven global community of gamers. of Tears, that has been on the Ellis Island website All the companies I have the honor of working with are undergoing fundamental change, companies that are going to be different in the near future. When you live in a world where you’re moving from a place like the South Bronx to a place like Allen-Stevenson every morning, one of the things you learn is how to navigate change and difference. In a world where things are changing as rapidly as they are today, learning how to navigate change and difference is a blessing.
DK: Going back to Ellis Island for a moment,
we’re lucky because we can just go and visit Ellis Island or the Statue of Liberty. Well, kids in California can’t do that. So how do you reach out to them because Ellis Island is important to all of them? And secondly, we make use of the ship manifests in our history class. I wonder what other treasures can be found in the Ellis Island archives.
LU: We just relaunched our website, which now
has learning tools and the beginnings of curricular material. We’re making ourselves a learning source, and we are adding tools, including study guides – material that helps students understand immigration, messages of liberty, what America means.You can be in Alaska or Nigeria and learn about what these symbols mean and what America means. We’re building educational materials so that if you’re teaching an American history class and get to the section on immigration, you can go to our website, and for free, get content that we’ve developed around those ideas.
Adrian: What are your plans for the future of The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation? Is there anything you think you can change for the better or make Ellis Island more beneficial to students? LU: Our last Board meeting was exclusively on the topic you just raised. We’re thinking about Ellis Island – it’s 30 years old and needs to be refreshed. We’re going to redesign it in a way
forever with Gene Hackman. As soon as he opens his mouth, I tear up. And I’ve seen it with the students a million times.
LU: You make a good point.You have to find
ways to make changes that respect what is and what was. The most successful change has as its foundation what was not just what will be.
Ishaan: Both of these monuments were symbols of freedom and welcoming immigrants in the New York Harbor to America. Do you still believe we are a nation of immigrants? Are we still a nation that welcomes outsiders today? LU: I know we’ve had a hard time in this country during the last four years. If I had a seventh grader today, one of the saddest things for me would be knowing that in key years of their development all they heard about America was how unwelcoming it is. But the reality is that over time this country has gone through other periods of being unwelcoming. But we always find our way. Ours is a narrative of both challenge and acceptance. DK: I’m sorry to interrupt, but I think we’re
getting close to the end and again I wanted to thank you for doing this.
LI: I’m happy to do anything you’ll ever ask me. DK: Thank you, Luis. Maybe one more question. I think the boys want to about your time at Allen-Stevenson… LU: I loved Allen-Stevenson. It wasn’t easy—
it was hard to go from the South Bronx to the Upper Eastside every morning. But AllenStevenson, for me, was a great place where I’ve made lifelong friends. Roberto De Vido ’78, one of my classmates, I spoke with yesterday. We were fifth graders together. These friends you have now with boys and young men will grow, and someday you will be older men together. Enjoy your time at Allen-Stevenson because you’re in a special place.
Spring 2021
and made it safe. Once that was done, it took on the work of Ellis Island. As Mr. Kersey described it, the main building had a tree growing out of the middle of it. The Foundation renovated the entire building. Since then, the Foundation has continued these projects.
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Richard Brill ’29
Alexander Klebanoff ’98
alumni NEWS 1929
1998
The family of Richard Brill '29 recently shared some of his report cards from 1920. The picture above shows that Richard received an 'A' in arithmetic or mathematics.
Alexander Klebanoff '98 is an actor, producer, and guitarist. He recently completed his own film titled The Decipio and founded the Kleb Guitar Experience providing virtual guitar lessons to beginners. If interested in signing up for lessons, visit his website KlebGuitarExperience.com
1978
Lamplighter
Luis Ubinas '78 was recently named the Board Chairman of The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation. Congratulations, Luis!
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1987 Pete Conlon '87 has created graphics packages and motion graphics for a variety of television specials, including “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion” and the most recent Whitney Cummings Stand-up special.
1993 T. Andy Madden Jr. '93 and his wife Emmy welcomed their second son Gavin Wall Madden on August 26, 2020. Best wishes to the growing Madden family!
2000 Damian VanCamp '00 is an architectural lighting designer with Kugler Ning Lighting Design. One of his recent projects includes Fotografiska NYC.
2001 Brandon Cohen '01 wrote and co-produced the second season of Disney Channel's show Just Roll with It. They shot the second season finale at the end of October.
Jamal Salmon ’05
2004
2018
Nick Schutt '04 wrote for the second season of the hit Neflix show, Outer Banks.
Jack Klein '18 and Kai Stevens '18 have recently been accepted to Wharton at the University of Pennsylvania and Zale Peart '18 has been accepted to Connecticut College.
2005
Congratulations to our accomplished alumni! If you know where you are headed next, please reach out to the Alumni Office at alumni@allen-stevenson.org.
2011 Jacob Brody '11 recently released his second photo book HARD HAT. The book depicts how urban development has informed his creative practice.
Ethan Gilbert '18 recently created VACs (Vaccine Appointment Crew) for Vax. This group helps schedule COVID-19 vaccinations for those who are qualified in New York. Daniel Simmons '18 recently played the viola for his senior recital at Julliard Pre-College. Kai Stevens '18 produced a hit song 'Jump with You' with Jack Klein’s sister, Kate Klein.
Spring 2021
In September Jamal Salmon '05, Senior VP of theatrical marketing analytics of Paramount Pictures, was featured in Variety as one of Hollywood's new leaders.
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2012 Cameron Koffman '12 joined a Middle and Upper School Monday Morning Meeting in October to discuss the importance of giving back to our community.
Legacy Admissions We are delighted to note an increase of interest in AllenStevenson among alumni who have sons of school age. Because of this, the School has developed a policy to handle Legacy Status: alumni may request an early admissions decision although Legacy Status does not mean an automatic or guaranteed acceptance. Alumni who are interested in applying their sons for Kindergarten 2022 should call Darlene Mays on 212-606-0884 or email to dmays@allen-stevenson.org before June.
alumni NEWS
Community Members Jean Blettner Angell P’96 Barbara Burger P’87, ’89, ’91, GP’24 Kirk Douglas P’59 Susan Friedman GP’26, ’29 Paul Kellogg (Former Assistant Headmaster Lower School) Linda MacMurray Gibbs (Trustee ’05-09) Artemis A. W. Joukowsky P’77, ’80 Penelope Kotsonis P’81 Margaret O’Neill P’29 Joan Simpson and Richard Raines P’78, ’80 Arthur Sachs P’95 Suellyn Preston Scull (Trustee ’09-15) Sandy Silver GP’12, ’14
Lamplighter
In Memoriam
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This past year has been one of incredible loss and we want to take a moment to acknowledge those who have passed away in our AllenStevenson community. We recognize that there are many of whom we are not aware and we extend our deepest sympathies to all of our families and friends who have been affected. Going forward, we will also be including a list of names of any community members, whether parents, grandparents or past faculty and staff members, who have passed away. If you would like to acknowledge someone in the In Memoriam section of our next issue of the Lamplighter, please email the Alumni Office at: alumni@allen-stevenson.org.
F. Richards Ford, III ’42
Alumni F. Richards Ford, III '42 passed away in January 2021. He will be missed for his kindness, generosity and charm. Anyone lucky enough to have known him, will be forever touched by his kindness, generosity, and charm. Nothing gave him a bigger thrill than to help people with caring advice drawn from a vast reservoir of knowledge and experience.
J. Carter Fahy ’43 J. Carter Fahy '43 passed away on January 1, 2021. He was an inspiration to his nine nieces and nephews, encouraging and empowering them to fulfill their aspirations. Carter also demonstrated an active interest in the Feminist Movement of Betty Friedan, with charitable donations concerning development of healthy communities to assure children the support they need for a healthy personal and family life.
Adam Wacht ’78 Adam Wacht '78 passed away on January 23, 2021. He will be remembered as a funny, carefree, loyal husband, father and friend. He will be missed greatly by his family and all who knew him. He truly was one of a kind.
Sprinting towards summer! Please consider making a gift to the Annual Fund by June 30.
Your gift to Allen-Stevenson supports enriching and versatile Academic, Arts and Athletic experiences. Pictured above are 4th grade boys enjoying our East 78th Street Outdoor Learning Initiative as part of this year’s expanded programming. To give, please: • Visit allen-stevenson.org/give • Return the enclosed envelope to give by check or credit card or • Contact Liz Roberts at lroberts@allen-stevenson.org or call 212-933-5238
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